Moving from single battles to a campaign

 Moving from single battles to a campaign

The few battles that I have fought using Hordes of the Things have been a lot of fun but, like most wargamers I have a yearning for something a little deeper.  Something where battles matter, where countries rise and fall, in short a campaign.  Am I ready for full logistics, hidden movement and all of the other interesting aspects of campaigns?  Definitely, not!  The modern world has too much of a hold on my freetime to allow the luxury of these things.  It might be something I build up to in the future, but who knows.  For now, I am looking for a system that will allow me a bit more randomisation of who is fighting whom, and some form of territory loss and again.  I could use the system that is included in Hordes of the Things, but I was inspired by Martin Smith`s Hott Hyborian Skodbac (Simple Knock Out DBA campaign) games.  His games used the system devised by Ian Hayward.  If you would like to learn more about the system please use the following link to Ian Hayward`s website.

https://www.iandrea.co.uk/wargames/DBA/simplecampaign/index.html

The system itself can easily be used with other games with a few tweaks.  One small change that I made was in working out the aggression rating of each army.  Hordes of the Things doesn`t come with an aggression rating for its armies, so I simply rolled a d3 to determine the starting aggression for each of the armies.  

Rather than hand drawing a map I decided to put my limited computer skills to the test and cobbled together a map that showed how each country was connected.  The last thing to do was to roll some dice and determine who would be the attacker in the first year of the campaign.  Right, that is probably enough of a preamble, on with the show.

Campaign year one

After rolling the dice Corinthia was determined as the attacker and Zamora would be tasked with fending off the invasion.

The defence of Zamora

The Forces

Corinthia
King Agis of Corinthia (Spears general)
7x Hoplite Lokhoi (Spears)
1x Helots (Warband)
1x Hippesis (Riders)
1x Minotaur (Behemoth

Zamora
Strategos Zafar (Spears general)
4x Hoplite Lokhoi (Spears)
2x Psiloi (Shooters)
1x Helots (Warband)
2x Hippesis (Riders)
1x Stone golem (Behemoth

Deployment

King Agis believed that nothing could stand in the way of the dreaded Corinthian Hoplites, so he split them into two groups.  One group would attack the right flank, while he would lead the  second group in the centre supported by the Minotaur.  His light troops would try and distract any threat that came from their flank.

After looking at the distribution of the Corinthian forces the Zamorian Strategos Zafar decided to focus most of his troops in the centre.  From this position they could quickly reposition where necessary.  Having the advantage in light troops Zafar unleased them on his right flank.  He planned to overpower the Corinthian light troops and then swing his remaining light forces into the rear of the Corinthian main line.

Battle Narrative

The battle start slowly for both commanders, their troops being relucant to close with the enemy.  King Agis was able to get his Hoplite Lokhoi marching towards the Zamorian forces their silent advance unsettling the defenders.  

The loud braying of the minotaur snapped the Zamorian troops out of their stupor.  The strategos ordered two of his hopltite lokhoi in the centre to support the helots on the left flank, then he moved the rest of the hoplites and the stone golem forwards to attack the centre, and sent his light troops on the right, forward to attack the Corinthians.

The Zamorian advantage soon paid off.  The Psiloi rushed forward approaching the  Corinthian helots on the flank.  The deadly shower of javelins soon sent the helots running.

The ground shook as the two behemoths clashed in the centre.  The sound of their blows rang out across the battlefield, but neither of them could find an opening.

The Corinthian hippesis knew that they couldn`t beat the overwhelming number of light troops facing them, so they broke off and dashed through the middle of the battlefield. They were determined to reach the Zamorian town and sack it.  The fates were not on their side, though.  As they were galloping behind the stone golem it reeled back from a goring by the minotaur.  Its massive frame crushing the horsemen to a pulp.

The centre of the battlefield fell into a stalemate as neither side could get any advantage.  On the Corinthian right flank the hoplites moved forward and attacked the Zamorian defenders.  Their goal to force their way to the Zamorian town.

 The stalemate in the centre didn`t last long as the freed up Zamorian hippesis charged into the Corinthian line.  The horsemen were hoping to smash through and disrupt the disciplined hoplites.  The veteran warriors of Corinthia were not so easily defeated, though.  One lokhoi turned about face and fended off both the light horsemen and a group of psiloi.

The Corinthian hoplites pushed towards their objective with single minded determination.  Their grit and tenacity forcing back the Zamorian hoplites.  But the hoplites` success allowed the Zamorian helots to isolate one of the lokhoi.  The fierce helots charged into discplined ranks of hoplites before they could form up and cut the spearmen down.

The tide of the battle swung further against King Agis and his invading troops with the death of the minotaur.  The two gigantic beasts had spent the battle trading blows with one another.  It hadn`t looked as if either would best the other until a lucky blow from the stone golem`s axe crushed the skull of the minotaur.

Unfazed by the death of the minotaur the remaining Corinthian hoplites tried to continue their drive towards the town.  Seeing the danger the strategos Zafar redirected some of his forces to block their advance.

Jeers and insults assaulted the ears of the Corinthian rearguard.  These usually disciplined troops could not restrain themselves anymore and charged the approaching  Zamorian helots.  In a desperate close combat their fighting prowess couldn`t match the fury of the helots.

King Agis realised that his forces were too depleted to take Zamora from its stauch defenders and sounded the retreat.  Zamora had seen off the Corinthian invasion.

  

The Forces of Hyperborea - The Picts

 The Forces of Hyperborea 

The Picts

The Pict force: 

Generals

Cy-Ril Head Shaman (Magician general 4 points)

Ki-Eth Warchief (Warband general 2 points)

Troops

Five units of Braves (Warbands 2 points)

Six units of Hunters (Shooters 2 points)

One unit of Shamans (Magicians 4 points)

One unit of Heroes (Hero 4 points)

Four units of Wolves (Beasts 2 points)

The catalyst for my journey into, my take on, Hyperborea stemmed from two things.  The first as I mentioned in my previous post was pulling out my copy of Hordes of the Things and the second was Mark Copplestones` amazing 15mm Picts.  The figures really got under my skin and I had to paint them.  I may have also picked up some of his Barbarians to represent the forces of Cimmeria.  More on that front in the future.

In Hordes of the Things an army consists of 24 points with a maximum of 12 points being made up of 3 or 4 point units.  I have painted up 36 points worth of troop choices and two choices of generals, which should keep the Picts interesting as a force.

 An Engagement in Iranistan

After the success of my last two battles of Hordes of the Things I was chomping at the bit for another game.  I was lucky that the opportunity came much quicker than I expected.  One of my oldest friends and a fellow solo wargamer asked me to fight a battle for his solo campaign.  I was not going to say no to the chance to play a game in someone else`s campaign.  The thought of adding to the narrative of another person`s game always adds an extra bit of spice to the proceedings for me.

On a rules note, I realised, after a reread of the rules, that I had being playing recoil wrong and adjusted my game play to correspond to how it is actually written in the rules.  These learning steps are an important part of really getting into a set of rules.  This change meant that the game took a bit longer than my previous two games, but that isn`t a bad thing.  I saw more in the way of manoeuvre between the two sides, and the game was more tactically interesting.

The battle-Zamora vs Iranistan

The Forces

I once more selected one side, the Iranistanian force, while my friend selected the other, the Zamorian opposition.  I do feel that I need to add some lurkers to the Zamorian army to make it a bit closer to the Zamoria of Hyperborea, but that is something that will have to wait as I have a couple of armies that I would like to paint up first.

Iranistan

Satrap Xarxas in scythed chariot (Knights general)

4x Sparabara (Spears)

2x Takabara (Shooters)

4x Sogdian warriors (Riders)

1x Light chariot (Knight)

Zamora

Strategos Zafar (Spears general)

5x Hoplite Lokhoi (Spears)

2x Psiloi (Shooters)

2x Hippesis (Riders)

1x Stone Golem (Behemoth)

Deployment
The Zamorian Strategos decided to refuse his left flank, push his Hoplite Lokhoi up the middle, and use his Hippesis and Stone Golem to attack his right flank. The Iranistanian Satrap sent his large group of Sogdian warriors around his right flank, challenged the centre with his two chariots, and to defend his left flank with the Sparabara and the Takabara.

Battle Narrative

Strategos Zafar smiled as he watched his troops advance towards the enemy. The elan of the Zamorian army clearly on display as the troops surged towards the Iranistanian forces.

The Iranistanian army were less interested in getting involved in battle with the Zamorians. The Satrap Xarxas cursed under his breath and ordered the few willing Troops forward. The Takabara entered the wooded area, little did anyone know that their presence in the forest would determine the fate of the battle.

The Zamorian advance stalled as the Takabara harrassed them with sling shots. The stone bullets forcing the Hippesis back.

The Sogdian warriors whooped as they charged around the Zamorian flank. The wild horsemens` desire to crush the invaders spurred them on.

The skirmishers of both sides engaged one another. The Zamorian Psiloi hurled their javelins into the Iranistanian Takabara in the forest, and the Takabara flung stones back at them. The forest cover gave the Takabara the advantage, the Zamorian javelins not finding their targets. While the Iranistanian stone bullets cut down one unit of the Psiloi.

Zafar spotted the danger of the flanking cavalry force and ordered the Stone Golem to deal with them. This choice would prove to be an important moment for the outcome of the fight.

The Hippesis charged their horses into the waiting Sparabara. Spears are not the friends of horsemen and soon they were sent fleeing from the battlefield by the ranks of the Iranistanian spearmen.

Hearing the cries of victory from the Sparabara, Xarxas decided now was the time to deal with the main Zamorian battleline. The chariots and light horsemen crashed into the Hoplites.

But the Zamorian Hoplites could not be so easily overcome. Their training and disciplined allowed them to not only hold back the tide of horsemen but to break and send most of them fleeing for their lives.

While the Hoplites were dealing with the main force of Cavalry, the Stone Golem charged into the last two units of the Sogdian warriors. The construct of dark Zamorian sorcery bellowed as it forced back the Sogdian warriors.

The situation in the centre of the battle didn`t look good for the Iranistanian forces. Xarxas realised the danger he was in and fell back towards the village. But, the men of Iranistan wouldn`t go down without a fight. The Takabara engaged the Zamorians from the forest. The plucky slingers delaying one of the Hoplite Lokhoi.

The fight in the forest raged as Xarxas ordered the Sparabara to join him in the centre of the battle.

The Sogdian warriors horses danced and weaved as they avoided the attentions of the Stone Golem. At one point these brave horsemen were able to force the Golem back, but this small victory only aroused the ire of the Golem.

The noose started to tighten around the Iranistanians, but the situation wasn`t hopeless as the Takabara still held out in the forest.

Disaster struck for the Iranistanians as the Zamorian Psiloi finally took revenge for their comrades killing one of the units of slingers.

Both of the commanders calmly reordered their lines ready for the final clash. The Iranistanians knew how close they were to breaking.

On the flank, the Stone Golem finally broke the Sogdian warriors, but in its rage the stone construction stomped off into the distance. His impotent screams of fury being wasted on the fleeing horsemen.

With the loss of the horse and the golem both armies were close to breaking. Zafar decided to finish off the slingers in the forest by pushing in two Hoplite Lokhoi while advancing with the rest of his Hoplites on the village. He was not ready for the pluck of the Takabara. These valiant Iranistanian warriors forced back the Hoplites then turned on the remaining Psiloi. Their knives making quick work of the Zamorian Psiloi. This final loss was too much for the Zamorian army and Zafar sounded the retreat.

A Clash near Argos-A Homage to Tony Bath and Robert E Howard

A Clash near Argos

A Homage To Tony Bath and Robert E Howard

In my quest to play some of the rules that are sitting on my bookshelf I came across a wonderful small publication that I bought in the 90s as a teenager.  

Hordes of the Things is the fantasy version of the popular rules DBA by Phil Barker.  The rules have a bit of a reputation of being incomprehensible due to the Barkerese that they are written in, but I have never really had a issue with Phil Barker`s writing style.  This may be partly due to my academic training in modern philosophy.  Wargaming rulebooks don`t come close to the impenetrability of these learned texts. That doesn`t mean that I am necessarily playing the rules`right`, but they are working for me and as I am mostly a solo gamer that doesn`t really matter. I have the first edition but there is a version 2.1 available  that I have heard is easier to understand and most people play these days that I may purchase at some point.

I first played Hordes of the Things at the Sandgate wargaming club near Folkestone in Kent when the rules were published around 1991/92, I think.  My memory is a bit fuzzy on the exact date.  At that time I didn`t have any armies for the game as I was still in full Warhammer mode, but now I think it is time that I changed the situation.  

Looking over the rules I was taken by the army lists for Hyperborea in the book and it sent me thinking about Tony Bath`s legendary campaign.  I have no illusion that I could play or run a game of that sort of magnitude, but a kernal of an idea was lodged in my brain.  I have four armies for DBA 2.2, an Athen army, a Spartan army, a Theban army, and a Persian army.  These I thought could be the start of the project.  Each army representing the forces of Argos, Corinthia, Zamora, and Iranistan in Hyperborea but I didn`t want to stop at these alone and so far I have added a force of Picts.  I am not slavishly following the lists, or Robert E Howard`s world, as they are written but adapting them as I see fit.  This is definitely one of the strengths of the rules, the flexibility of designing the army that you want rather than being told what your army should be like.  Another reason to like Hordes of the Things is the small size of each army.  This will allow me to collect many different armies to fight out battles in Hyperborea.  I do fear another long project might be rearing its head, but sometimes you have to just go with your heart rather than your head.

Before embarking on a new project I thought that I should at least play Hordes of the Things to see if I enjoyed them.

Battle one - Argosians vs Picts

In the battle the Argosians commanded by the Strategos Demitris were defending against a Raiding force of Picts led by Ki-eth.

The Forces

I selected the Argosian forces before asking a gaming friend to choose the Pict forces.  This small amount fo fog of war always helps to make a solo game more interesting.  If I didn`t have someone to ask to take on this role I could have randomly determined both sides.

Argos

Strategos Demitris (Spears General)

6x Hoplite Lokhoi (Spears)

2x Psiloi (Shooters)

1x Hippeis (Riders)

The Cyclops (Behemoth)

Picts

Warchief-Ki-eth (Warband General)

5x Braves (Warbands)

4x Hunters (Shooters)

1x Shamans (Magician)

Deployment

The Argosians put their Lokhoi and the Cyclops in the centre of the field in front of the town, while securing their flanks with the Psiloi and Hippeis.  Facing the Lokhoi were the Pictish Braves.  The Shamans and the Hunters were thrown out to protect the flanks from the lighter troops.

Battle narrative

Both Demitris and Ki-eth were able to spur their troops forward at the beginning of the battle.  The two battle lines quickly closing on each other.

As the two sides approached one another the main body of troops became more reluctant to engage with the opposition.  But, on the Argosian left flank the Hippeis charged into the Shamans and after a short struggle the horsemen were able to send the spellcasters fleeing before they could unleash their arcane powers.

The Warchied Ki-eth goaded his men forward with remonstrations of their manhood.  The savage Picts hurled themselves towards the disciplined line of Hoplites.

While on the right flank the Psiloi engaged the Hunters, both sides launching missiles at one another.  The hunters reeled from the weighted javelins hitting them.

The Strategos knew that against the ferocity of Picts his hoplites might break, so he sent forth the Cyclops.  The great beast waded into the ranks of Picts breaking bone, and crushing muscles.  The Lokhoi  surged forward joining the Cyclops in the slaughter.  All too soon the Warchief knew the fight had gone out of his men and ordered the retreat.

Battle two - Argosians vs Picts

In the second battle the Picts commanded by Ki-eths were defending against a raiding force of Argosians led by the Strategos Demitri.  Could the Argosians put an end to the Pictish menance?

The Forces

I decided to use the same forces as the first battle to see how they would perform when the roles were reversed.

Picts

Warchief-Ki-eth (Warband General)

5x Braves (Warbands)

4x Hunters (Shooters)

1x Shamans (Magician)

Argos

Strategos Demitris (Spears General)

6x Hoplite Lokhoi (Spears)

2x Psiloi (Shooters)

1x Hippeis (Riders)

The Cyclops (Behemoth)

Deployment

The battlefield was a more restricted one in terms of terrain, so the Argosians decided to focus their attack on their right flank.  They sent the Cyclops and the Hippeis down the right flank hoping to quickly smash it and reach the Pictish village.  The centre was to be held my a large force of Hoplites with a second group in reserve, while the left flank was to be contested by the Psiloi.

The Picts chose to contest the strong Argosian attack with their Shamans and two groups of their Hunters, delay the Psiloi with another two groups of Hunters and hold the centre with their Braves.

 The Shamans and the Hunters moved forward and quickly elimanted the Hippeis and the Cyclops.  The great beast falling prey to the poisoned arrows of the hunters.

Having secured the flank the Shamans unleashed arcane fury on the reserve Lokhoi.  The stalwart warriors fleeing from forces that they couldn`t understand or combat.

The Stategos Demitris realised that the battle was slipping from his grasp and his only hope for victory was to smash the centre of the Pictish forces. 

As the main body of Hoplites moved towards the centre the reserve force turned their attention towards the Shamans on the flank.

Ki-eth sensed that now was the time to unleash his braves upon these `civilised` soldiers.  The Pictish tide swept away the shield wall burying their stone weapons into the backs of the Hoplites as they broke and fled.

Demitris realised that the battle was lost and signalled the retreat.  The day had not gone his way but the Argosians would return one day and deal with the Pictish threat.

Thoughts

I had forgotten quite how quickly these rules played.  I managed to finish both battles in under an hour as once the break happened the side collapsed.  I think that the rules hit the sweet spot for me.  They give me enough of a tactical challenge coupled with the friction of the command pips to keep me gaming for quite a while.  Do I think that Hordes of the Things is for everyone?  No, I don`t.  If you are looking for a game where each force has its own special abilities then you will be disappointed with Hordes of the Things.  But, if you are looking for a quick game that scratches that fantasy itch then I would say give them a go.  You might find that you enjoy them.  

I am planning on doing a short campaign in the not too distant future once I have a couple more armies and strongholds completed.