28mm ancients with Fantastic Battles, c.200 BC

After a bit of an unintended break (too much work, not enough hobby), my 28mm Seleukids made it to the table with weekend for an 1800 point game of Fantastic Battles against Gary and Tony's combined barbarian horde (Carthage, Rome, Germans and Numidians). The Seleukid breakpoint was 21, the allied army had a breakpoint of 22.

Mishaps messed up Tony's Carthaginian lines pretty badly, with slightly less impact on Gary's Romans and Germans. The Seleukid line suffered more from disease than poor deployment; the Cretan archers even found that half their number deserted before the battle began.

I had hoped that the fields on the Seleukid right would mire the barbarian advance, allowing me to hold them back and shoot them with my Eastern archers. The scythed chariots in the centre charged forward, but were engaged to front and flank by barbarian skirmishers.

In the centre, the heavy infantry and heavy cavalry were arrayed in the middle, while Arab infantry and camelry were deployed among the dry hills on the left, facing Carthaginian heavy infantry, Numidians and elephants. Galatian cavalry in Seleukid pay rode down some Libyan skirmishers, but suffered massed javelin and artillery fire in return.

The Seleukids made short work of the small single-company units, scattering before the arrow and sling storm. However, as they advanced the Seleukid right came within range of the Roman Scorpions, and was encircled by some bold Numidian light horse. 

On the right, Arab bow fire routed one unit of Numidians and a unit of elephants, but a combination of scorpion fire and Numidian javelins scattered half the camelry, before the last of the Punic elephants charged and scattered the other.

The Seleukid companions in the centre found themselves pinned down by approaching Punic veterans. With little else to do, they charged into the melee, holding their own against the heavy infantry.

The Seleukid elephant and imitation legion closed in on the barbarian centre, while the cataphracts and Tarantine light horse encircled the second unit of Punic veterans, forcing them into a defensive tortoise formation.

In the end, the sun set before a conclusive blow was struck, although the Seleukids were soooo close to breaking the allied forces. After six turns, the Seleukids were sitting at 13/21 breakpoints, while the barbarians were at 21/22, with a number of units teetering on the edge of breaking.

I'm sure all generals involved will return home and tell their people to celebrate their glorious victories!