Ilium: A clash on the plain of Troy

More playtesting of Ilium: A Game of Heroes this week - and this time with fully painted forces for the first time. Playing as the heroic Trojans (bottom right), I started with Sarpedon and Aeneas on the board - both in the central deployment sector. Aeneas' two promachoi archers were very pleased to be able to start on the roof of a small house. 

Commanding the Achaean sea wolves, Andrew began with Telamonian Ajax and Agamemnon (top left), both of whom were deployed in their own right sector.

Aeneas led his promachoi warriors around the left of the building. His archers moved forward cautiously, shooting at the Achaeans from the roof top, but both missing their marks.

Sarpedon moved forward into the olive trees in the centre of the board, using his special 'shield leader' ability to buff his Lykian warriors' defence. They moved on past their king, forming a loose screen between Sarpedon and Ajax.

Ajax and Agamemnon both moved across the plain, followed by their promachoi. Agamemnon's two archers took aim and felled their Dardanian opponents on the rooftop, removing the only to bow-armed Trojans from the battle. Meanwhile, Agamemnon hurled his spear, killing a Dardanian warrior. Ajax also hurled a spear, but missed his Lykian target.

The melee began between Ajax's Salamian contingent and Sarpedon's Lykians. Ajax's brother, Teukros, ducked in and out of the shelter of the hero's tower shield, but the Lykians were able to hold their own, despite Sarpedon lingering behind the front lines.

Agamemnon and his Mycenaeans closed on Aeneas, killing another Dardanian promachos. At this stage, Aeneas was starting to feel a little outnumbered, although he soon proved his worth by felling two of Agamemnon's followers.

Sarpedon charged Agamemnon's two promachoi archers, killing one of them, but narrowly failing to kill the second. Then, just as things were looking bad, they got worse. The goddess Athena intervened to support her favourites. Assuming the form of the last Mycenaean archer (now sabotted on a hero base), she suddenly made Sarpedon's fight a lot more dangerous!

The Lykians continued their struggle against Ajax and his men, but without their defensive buff, found themselves no match for the Achaean counter attacks and soon all of them fell, including Glaukos, the king's cousin and second in command.

As turn 3 started, Trojan reinforcements arrived in the shape of Helenos and his Trojan promachoi - entering the table again through the central sector of the Trojan baseline.

Opposite them, Achilles, Patroklos, and the Myrmidons entered the board on the right of the Achaean baseline. Sarpedon was now surrounded, fighting off a Salamian shield-bearer, Teukros, and Athena in the form of the Mycenaean archer. Aeneas and his last promachos follower were keeping Agamemnon at bay, slaying another Mycenaean promachos. Both Sarpedon and Aeneas were now carrying wounds, but Aeneas would soon also land some blows on the highking of Mycenae. 

Helenos' fresh promachoi rushed forward, clashing with Achilles' Myrmidons. Patroklos, meanwhile, joined the struggle to bring down Sarpedon. 

While many a promachos had fallen, neither force had so far managed to secure any Kleos - immortal glory that would secure victory. Ajax issued a challenge to the Trojan prince, Helenos, who accepted with gusto. Aeneas then challenged Agamemnon, who also accepted - so two heroes on each side were now locked in honour-bound combat.

And then suddenly, everything changed. Patroklos got in a lucky strike, felling Sarpedon and earning the Achaeans their first point of Kleos.

At the sight of Sarpedon's downfall, Helenos lost heart and fled from his duel with Ajax, causing the Trojans to drop into negative Kleos. This was unexpected, as Helenos has a good resolve factor and was unwounded, so should have been expected to stand his ground.

Aeneas, however, was badly blooded, causing his resolve to suffer. At Sarpedon's demise, Aeneas turned and fled - straight off the board! The Trojans were now in an irreversible bind and we called the game a resounding Achaean win.

Killing of Sarpedon = Achaeans +1 Kleos

Helenos leaving a duel = Trojans -1 Kleos

Aeneas leaving a duel = Trojans -1 Kleos

Aeneas fleeing the table = Trojans -3 Kleos

Having been utterly humiliated on the field of battle, I'm delighted to say that there was nothing in the game mechanics that caused us to pause and consider changes. 

Although it felt that my Trojans were generally on the back foot, the game ebbed and flowed a few times, and there were certainly moments when I thought I held the advantage. Both of us used our promachoi poorly at different times, and paid for our mistakes. 

The gods intervened on the Achaean side when Athena took human form, but the Trojan gods were staying infuriatingly aloof. All said and done, it was a very enjoyable way to while away an evening!