COE Spartan Revolt vs. Macedonians

Monthly Clash of Empires (COE) game down at David K’s in Long Beach, CA. This adventure featured a Spartan revolt against the mighty Macedonia kingdom. Mostly David’s 25 / 28mm miniatures with some Greeks from WR collection. Flat table terrain from the warren of WR.

Poor eyesight video*…..showing game set up: Game set up for both sides

Macedonians vs. Spartan (Greek) revolt game set up at start.

Spartan battle line from left flank view.

Macedonian battle line from their right flank.

Turn 1: Initial movement by the Macedonian army. Doug (dark green shirt) and David are the Macedonians while Tim (blue shirt) and WR command the Spartan revolt.

Shooting the breeze….or propaganga.

Macedonian right flank facing off against their opponents.

Macedonian left flank approaches the Spartan’s right.

(Game note….texting your opponent to take his mind off the subject at hand…..WR strategy.)

Turn 2: Movements completed, the skirmishers are tossing their javelins. Cretan archery from both sides.

Spartans “hear” their advantage….Macedonian David diverted by listening to game scores.

Turn 3: Spartan skirmishers close their opponents while the main hoplite and phalanx slowly close the distance.

Spartan skirmishers charge home against their opponents.

Battle line closing….skirmishers toss their javelins at each other.

Hillside action…Peltasts glare at each other.

Turn 4: Some melee combat, mostly the skirmishers but the Spartan King and his hoplites clash into the phalanx of pikes (center).

Spartan peltasts lose their fight…badly!!

Game video showing the closing armies just as combat commences: Turn 4 Poor eyesight video

First clash of the heavy weights….Spartans push against the pikes. Both leaders join the fray.

Turn 5: Game on….the heavy weights enter the battle. Doug’s Macedonian hoplites and phalanx charge forward. Little do they known the Greek result which awaits them…..

More clashes of the Macedonian pikes and hoplites.

Spartan Greek Mercenaries lower their spears and lock shields…..crash….with a strong effort they overthrow their opponents across the front, causing massed flight. Doug retires his  Macedonian phalanx here (fingers of god look) but the other units weren’t so lucky.

Fights go bad for the Macedonian side….three lost fights. Hands of “god” retire the first Macedon block…

Macedonian second block of pikes is chased down and destroyed in combat. Those Greek Merc’s had their number. The last Macedonian phalanx block is also destroyed in combat.

But…..disaster!!!! The gods give luck and take away……

Spartan King death…..Another Poor eyesight cam*: Spartan King death in combat

Some of the Spartan units retire from the Spartan King’s death causing gaps in the battle line.

The Spartan Greek Merc’s push forward after their victories….nervous Macedonian Companions see the advancing hoplites.

Turn 6: With the Spartan King’s death the Spartan line has gaps…in places Spartans and their Greek allies push forward. Some face determined resistance from the Macedonians and break (roll of 11 doesn’t help on morale).

Back on the Spartan left….one unit is destroyed.. (dice roll 11) as the Spartan at left defeated the Macedonian veteran pike.

Bigger holes. Anybody seen the support??? mutters the Spartans on the far left flank.

Open space….Spartan chasing the retiring veteran phalanx at right but where is the support? Everybody seems to be a Macedonian lackey….

The rump of the Spartan center….won’t hold for long.

Battle center….with the soon to be crushed Spartans, there is only one remaining Greek hoplite formation in the center and their time in numbered.

Turn 7: As predicted by the goat herder guild…..Spartan center broken. Macedonian cavalry recovering from their earlier quick flee movement vs. the advancing Spartan Greek mercenaries. They now move to threaten the Spartan Greek formations.

Finished with the Spartans, the Macedonian phalanx charges the Greek hoplites in the flank. How do you say “run” in Greek?…and they bolt for the rear.

Turn 7: Situational Poor eyesight video*: Spartan Army breaking up

On the Spartan right….taking care of the business at hand…but the recovered Macedonian cavalry is circling to the open flank.

Even the victorious Spartan left flank unit gives up and loses to the veteran phalanx which they had chased.

End point…Rebellious Greek leaving the field while other Macedonians police the battlefield for stray Greek mercenaries (posting their “for hire signs – slightly used” soon).

Interesting game David. Considering the Spartans were out numbered they gave a close game till their King dropped dead. Spartan King should have read his “bad omens column” in the local paper this morning. Column mentioned Kings should avoid hedgehogs today.

Thanks to all…Doug, David and Tim for enjoyable afternoon. Till next game.

WR

* Poor eyesight cam…Hey…it is tough to see out of a greek helmet…..