Heraclea AAR (Pyrrhic)

[Talizh2]

Matt and myself have decided to make an AAR of our game. Hopefully we can encourage newbie players and, in my case, get some much needed pointers from the veterans out there!

Here is a screenshot before the two armies make contact.



I've learned that the first step in any battle is to check out what's facing you. Drag your mouse over the enemy army's units and see their experience and equipment. This way you can find vulnerable spots or units that might be dangerous.

Next, it is always good to have a plan. Matt is a good player so I cannot hope he blunders. I'm going to have to make him make a mistake...without making one myself (not easy to do).

First off, I like my superior cavalry on my left wing. The quickest way to kill Roman legionaries is by using cavalry to attack them from the rear while they are pinned down by pikemen. Also, the blue legionaries are only average quality. They would make a nice target also. But the red legionaries are elite and superior. They will cut through my pikes pretty quickly if I get disordered.

Tentatively I am going to push my right wing forward against his blue legionaries. I will also move my left wing a little and see how he reacts. I want to keep my center out of harms way.

There, I'll see how Matt responds to this. With an army of pikes I am always afraid of juggling around too much and getting out of position.

[Morbio]

AAR

[IainMcNeil]

After Action Report - its a play by play report of the battle.

[Morbio]

OK, thanks

[Talizh2]

Turn 3

Matt has decided to keep his blue legionaries on the other side of the stream. I do not want my phalanx to get bogged down in that. I think I will shuffle my troops a bit to the left but leave them there. I might withdraw my cavalry away from the stream and keep them in reserve.



On the left flank, however, there was plenty of movement. He is apparently aiming for the gap between the left wing and my center. I am going to close up this gap and shuffle my reserves over.

His blue cavalry look a little spread out. Maybe it is a trap but I am going to launch my cavalry at him now. If I can chase off or rout a few units of horsemen he will be more cautious with his main attack.

Here is my plan for this turn.

[Talizh2]

Things are not going well.

On the right wing, the Romans are siphoning away some of their troops towards the center, but a legion remains across the river. It will threaten my phalanx if I wheel it towards the center.



The Roman center is moving forward, protected by skirmishers.

On the left, however, is where things have taken a turn for the worst. Not only did Matt's cavalry withstand my charge, my General got fragmented and probably will not last the turn. Any hope of sweeping the cavalry away is now lost. A huge part of my plan relied on winning superiority on that wing.



This turn I am going to move my right closer to the center, using my cavalry and skirmishers to pin down the brown legionaries across the river. My center is going to moving forward and hopefully catch the Romans before they are fully prepared.




I am also moving my elephant to the left. Eventually it might be able to counter the Roman cavalry...who are now my number 1 enemy.

NOTE: The average Roman legions are brown instead of blue now because I modded the colours on my game.

[Talizh2]

Hmm...I've already lost a leader.

My left flank is dangerous now. Everything is disrupted. Pinning down the skirmishers has saved my phalanx from a direct clash with the legions so far. But this turn I am probably going to finish off the Roman skirmisher and push forward with my phalanx. Since my cavalry is getting cut to pieces I have to decide matters quickly with my infantry before his horsemen start to turn my line.

I do not like the situation on the right wing, either. I have to do something about it. I will press the brown legions with my light troops and move my phalanx over a bit more. I am going to have to push in the center with my pikes and see what happens.



I am going to need some luck in the next couple of turns.

[Talizh2]

Things are not looking good at all. My right wing is crumbling in a hurry. My cavalry have been routed. I am already halfway to my panic point.



Ugliness all around.

So, I am going to push forward with everything and hope for some lucky dice. This is the moment when I wish I had a barbarian army. Lots of impact foot is what I need. Maybe my pikes will pull off a miracle.

I am going to aim at the crook in his line and hope to break through. Maybe I can get three of my pikemen attacking a single legionary unit. I doubt I can win this one but I want to make the score look a little more reasonable.

I will also press the brown infantry with my light troops.

[Surtur]

Your chances of victory are slim, but a lucky push may still do the trick!

[batesmotel]

Things are not looking good at all. My right wing is crumbling in a hurry. My cavalry have been routed. I am already halfway to my panic point.

...

Ugliness all around.

So, I am going to push forward with everything and hope for some lucky dice. This is the moment when I wish I had a barbarian army. Lots of impact foot is what I need. Maybe my pikes will pull off a miracle.

I am going to aim at the crook in his line and hope to break through. Maybe I can get three of my pikemen attacking a single legionary unit. I doubt I can win this one but I want to make the score look a little more reasonable.

I will also press the brown infantry with my light troops.

You may be half way to your panic point but you are only a bit more than 1/3 of the way to your army break point (13/37). Put some faith in your pikes and make sure you put Pyrrhus where you need the support most for Cohesion tests.

Chris

[Paisley]

Yeah, I've seen the entire Roman centre collapse in two turns to a determined pike attack... mind you the reverse (total Pyrrhic collapse) is equally, possibly rather more, likely. But there's nothing to lose at this point.

[Talizh2]

Hmm, the situation is holding, more or less. The medium infantry on the extreme left of my line is not going to last the next melee, though.

Also, I am worried about that cavalry unit coming around my line. I cannot let it attack my pikemen from the rear. Nothing fancy anymore. Just attack with everything and hope for some holes to open up in the enemy's line. I have to be aggressive with my left wing, especially.

No green and red arrows this turn. I am going to attack with everything I have left. I have to move my general to counter the Roman cav coming around my flank, though.





Thanks for the comments guys. Hope to see some other AAR on the forums in the future.

[Talizh2]

So here is the situation



My cav on the left flank has disengaged and withdrew a bit.

I am going to continue with my plan of attacking along the entire line and hope for a hole to break open. I need to get some routs this turn. I am worried though because of the disruption and fragmentation in the middle of my line. I need the general there but I think I am going to have to use my general to chase away the Roman cav threatening my rear.

Hoping for some luck!

[Talizh2]

Well, it looked promising for a little bit. In the melee combat I managed to rout a Roman HF and fragmented a few more but in the end it was the pikemen who started running. Huge holes opened in my line and my elephants routed also.

This game is over although 1 point remains.



Matt played an excellent game. Especially on his left wing he made no mistakes, wheeling the blue/brown legions around perfectly. And on the right he easily disposed of my, perhaps rash, cavalry assault.

Lastly, as he himself pointed out, generals are a huge factor. He kept his generals close to main line. On the other hand, I ended up needing to use Pyrrhus to counter his flanking horsemen and used my general on the right flank as a strike force. I should have kept them behind my pikemen.

Lessons learned. Enjoyable game. I really enjoyed this scenario.

Thanks for the game Matt!

[JocaRamiro]

It is interesting, I have now seen two replays of this game, both of which show the Roman cavalry on the right wing defeating the Epirites (hmm, is that right). This is strange, because, in my experience, the Romans usually get trounced, even when they throw their auxileries into the fight.

[Talizh2]

The AARs on this forum are of the same game. Mine is from the Epirote side and Matt's is from the Roman side. But yes, I was incredibly heartbroken when his cav routed my lancers right off the map. Still bitter about that, actually.