Another Achaean ruse - Ilium: A Game of Heroes

Andrew and I brought our Ilium: A Game of Heroes campaign to a close last week with a gripping playthrough of the Trojan Horse scenario. Andrew, once more reprised his role as the wiley Achaeans, while I led the heroic defenders of Troy.

Diomedes was the first Achaean hero to descend from the belly of the horse, catching the Trojan defenders scattered and in disarray. All three Trojan heroes (Aeneas and two generic heroes leading the remnant Paionians and Amazons) were concentrated in one area (top right of the photo), but their contingents were widely spread out.

As Agamemnon and the men of Mycenae dropped from the horse, Diomedes and his Argives made a dash for the gates, cutting down an Amazon promachia, but failing to wound the remaining defenders. As the Trojan promachoi warriors tried to rally to their chiefs, the archers scattered around the square mostly turned their bows on the exposed backs of Diomedes' followers. Two archers decided to try and regain their contingents rather than shoot their bows and ended the turn clinging to the sides of walls that they had not quite climbed down.

The battle at the gates heated up as the Amazonian hero attacked Diomedes, dealing a nasty wound. While promachoi fell on both sides, Diomedes struggled to make headway. Aeneas and the Paionian hero fell upon the Mycenaeans emerging from the horse. Agememnon had rounded on their followers, inflicting casualties like a lion, when Artemis skipped lightly down from Mount Ida to take the form of an Amazonian archer to his rear.

The shot was too good not to take. Artemis levelled her bow and let her arrow fly. It took Agememnon in the side, badly wounding the great king.

At the same time, the Amazonian hero at the gates caught Diomedes with another well aimed blow, bringing the Argive king crashing to the ground.

With desperate bravado, Agamemnon slipped away from his own combat and ran at full speed towards what remained of the melee at the gate. He attacked the Amazon leader but found his sword turned by her armour.

As she turned to face the Mycenaean king, causing another successful wound, Aeneas charged Agamemnon in the rear and struck the final blow.

It was a fierce battle that was touch and go early on. However, with the death of Diomedes, the Achaean options became much more limited. A great game, and a good result. This is actually the first time I have played this scenario and won, so that's nice! 

Oh, and Troy once more stands eternal. ✊