The Battle of Pattala - A Macadonian Massacre

Its been a while since my last game with Posties Rejects but now that I've had it I almost wish I'd stayed at home! I can't remember the last time I was on the receiving end of such a thrashing. I blame the rules of course, it couldn't possibly have anything to do with our tactics...

The Setup

Alexander has invaded India and now faces a huge Indian army outside the walls of the city of Pattala. This is a classic Quality verses Quantity encounter with the Macedonians significantly outnumbered but with superior troops.

The Action

Initial Setup. We (the Macadonian players) were able to deploy in response to the Indian setup

Elephants emerging from the city gate

Yet more Elephants on their right wing

And Heavy Chariots

The Macadonian right...with quality infantry shielded by skirmishers and supported by cavalry

Phalanx after Phalanx of Heavy Infantry in the centre

Facing rank after rank of Indian Archers

And of course a commander on the back of another Elephant

The Macadonian advance begins but things go wrong from the very beginning.

This is where the plan fell apart...about fiver minutes into the game! The omens were bad for the Macadonian right flank (Surjits troops) who refused to advance at all for two turns. Then the Indian archers fire was far more effective than we had hoped. My troops in the centre were going to get a pounding all the way in towards the Indians.

The Indian Elephants advance... And with our Catapults unable to fire on them we couldn't hope to cause a route and watch the carnage we had hoped for.

The Indian Heavy Chariots were also much more powerful than we anticipated. Each chariot was roughly equivalent to each of our cavalry units! Most unsporting.

The Indian right flank was protected by archers on the city walls...more archers than we were initially lead to believe the sneaky beggers!

My Phalanx's march resolutely forward in the centre

And the sky is turned dark with clouds of arrows from the Indian archers

Finally, in about turn four or five one of our catapults can finally start shooting.

Indian Elephants advance slowly but are never really in danger

Ray advances his flank and diverts some of his Bow units to support the attack on my centre. Macadonian units are now taking some serious punishment.

My men are getting closer to the Indian lines but at a heavy price

The Indian players know the battle is theirs very early on. 

Indian Heavy Chariots crash into the flank of a Javelin unit...and ride right over them.

Elephants continue to advance

Just to rub salt in the wounds the Indian commanders now reveal a whole load of extra cavalry they have been keeping in reserve...as if they bl@$%y needed them!!!

With the flank of my Phalanxes compromised I turn one to face the onrushing Chariots, but their fate has been sealed.

My Phalanxes are withering

Where did my army go? That's it, the Macedonians throw in the towel

Look at the disparity of casualties... Macadonian dead on the left and a handful of Indian casualties on the right.

To the victors the spoils...gloating not allowed!

Analysis
We deployed wrong and the dice gods failed us but ultimately the killing blow was landed by the rules. The Indian archers are so powerful that we never stood a chance of reaching them. The Elephants and Chariots were also incredibly powerful and nothing the Macadonians had in our order of battle could come close to these in power and strength.

We still had a fun game but from very early on it was clear this battle was going only one way and I was just unlucky in the draw to pick sides!

Update:  Ray earlier posted his Batrep and pictures of the game from the Indian point of view. Worth checking out to see the same battle from a different perspective.