The Great Battles of History

Epaminondas

The Theban Art of War

The following material was generously contributed by Mark Herman, one of the authors of the Great Battles of History game series. I've HTML-ized it, but made no other editorial changes. Please note the copyright information, listed below. Used with permission.

THE GREAT BATTLES OF HISTORY SERIES

The Great Battles of

EPAMINONDAS^TM

THE THEBAN ART OF WAR

Leuctra 371 BC and Mantinea 362 BC

A C3I MODULE

a MARK HERMAN/RICHARD BERG game design

© 1996 Mark Herman, Richard Berg, and GMT Games. All Rights Reserved.

Introduction

Several things will become evident after playing these scenarios. Due to the small number of leaders, usually one, there is little ability for either side to conduct subtle maneuvers. This was a characteristic of Hoplite warfare whereby after a good harangue from the General in charge, the Paen (battle song) was sung and the charge was sounded. This led to swift outcomes which is the other critical feature of Hoplite warfare. Most of the Hoplites had day jobs and they could ill afford to drag the situation out. Hence most Hoplite battles were over in about an hour; once the forces actually came to blows. In the two scenarios in this module the game will usually be over within two game turns.

Lastly, the scenarios are not very balanced. Epaminondas had just invented the beginnings of an evolution in Hoplite warfare that would lead to the Macedonian Phalanx. The Spartans, although a professional army, were ill suited to deal with the new style of warfare and lost badly in both of these battles. Players may learn more from playing these battles solitaire as competitive play is not very interesting.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to play this module you need to have a copy of the Deluxe Great Battles of Alexander and the Diadochoi module.

General Notes

Module Special Rule: Theban Deep Echelon Unit

The Theban Deep Echelon unit may only move into its front hexes as per the diagram. It cannot turn while moving forward. It can turn if it is not in an enemy ZOC, expends 4 movement points and the physical shifting of the unit in the hexfield is uninterrupted by any other units (friendly or enemy). In other words the unit cannot move through another units hex in any manner. Although physically the flank hexes at the waist of the unit are partially occupied by the Deep Echelon counter, these spaces are considered empty and friendly/ enemy units may occupy those hexes as per the normal movement rules. In all other ways, I'm sure I'll regret saying this, the Deep Echelon unit acts like a normal hoplite counter.

Leuctra (371 B.C.)

The battle is noteworthy for several key innovations that Epaminondas used against the Spartans. The Thebans for some time had experimented with deeper hoplite formations. They had used a 25 depth phalanx at the battle of Delium during the Peloponnesian war to defeat the Athenians, but the hallmark of hoplite warfare was each side traditionally would put its main effort against the enemy's left flank.

The key was to win on the right before losing on the left. Epaminondas saw the Spartan right flank as their center of gravity and shifted his main attack to his left flank to directly oppose the Spartan hoplites. His second major innovation was to deploy his main attack force into a 50 deep phalanx. It has been suggested that this force may even have used pikes ala the Macedonian phalanx due to the unusual shape of Theban shields, but there is no direct evidence that this was the case. Lastly, the remainder of the Theban hoplite line was deployed en echelon, so as to delay the Spartan allies from engaging them before the Theban left had won the battle.

Xenophon, who is the main chronicler of this battle, wrote in a treatise on cavalry tactics that horses could be used to screen infantry forces due to the height of the horse. Caesar used this tactic at the battle of Pharsalus. The deployment of the Theban cavalry suggests that this tactic may have prevented the Spartans from seeing the deep Theban phalanx before the dust of the cavalry engagement had settled.

The battle itself went according to plan. The Theban cavalry drove off the Spartan cavalry and then the Theban left smashed into the Spartan hoplites. The sacred band probably served the dual purpose of protecting the large open flank of the deep Theban phalanx and probably executed a flank attack into the Spartan right flank. The results were the destruction of the Spartan hoplites, including the king, and the Spartan allies quit the field without actually coming into direct contact with the Thebans. The fall of Sparta had begun.

Map

Historical Scenario

LEUCTRA

All units face S.

Unit	Hex(es)	Counter from
Cleobrotus (Overall)	4823	D
Mercenary LP (Red)	4824	A
Spartan 1 HO	4822/4823	D
Spartan 2 HO	4820/4821	D
Greek 1 HO	4818/4819	D
Greek 2 HO	4816/4817	D
Greek 3 HO	4814/4815	D
Greek 4 HO	4812/4813	D
Greek 8 HO	4810/4811	D
Greek 5 HO	4808/4809	D
Greek 6 HO	4806/4807	D
Thracian 1 LP (Red)	4805	A
Thracian 2 LP (Red)	4804	A
Greek 1 LC	5023	D
Greek 2 LC	5024	D

Theban Deployment

All units face N.

Unit	Hex(es)	Counter from
Epaminondas (Overall)	5622	D
Pelopidas	5424	A
Sacred Band HO	5424	A
Thebes 1 HO (Deep Echelon)	5422/5423	D
Thebes 1 HO	5620/5621	A
Thebes 2 HO	5717/5718	A
Thebes 3 HO	5815/5816	A
Thebes 4 HO	5912/5913	A
Greek Mercenary 1 LP (Purple)	5407	A
Greek Mercenary 2 LP (Purple)	5409	A
Greek Mercenary 3 LP (Purple)	5411	A
Thebes 1 LC	5222	D
Thebes 2 LC	5223	D
Thebes 3 LC	5224	D

Special Rules

Echelon Line Commands - One of the big maneuvers in this battle besides the deep echelon unit was the movement of the entire Hoplite line en echelon. Only Epaminondas can issue an en echelon line command. A unit is en echelon if it has a front hex which is also the flank hex of another hoplite unit which is faced in the same direction. The intent here is that the entire Theban line including the Deep Echelon unit can move with one line command.

The Theban Sacred Band - This, the most famous individual combat unit in Greek city-state history - and the touchstone of Theban supremacy - was actually quite a small unit in numbers. Although composed of only 150 men (actually 75 homosexual couples), its importance to the Greek army in terms of morale was immeasurable. (However, Philistines that we are, we have measured it.) That is why there loss (worth 9 TQ points) is so much greater in proportion to its Size.

Epaminondas: Epaminondas is the only elite commander in the scenario.

Skirmish Orders: Peltasts, the LP units, and cavalry can be given orders by the Overall commanders (Epaminondas or Cleobrotus) regardless of there range from the commander.

Spartan Camp: The Spartan camp is hex 3813 plus all adjacent hexes. Its location is designated by the baggage train unit which cannot move in this scenario. If at any time any of these hexes are entered by a Theban unit the Theban player gains 10 TQ points toward Spartan army rout.

Victory Conditions

Retreat Edge

Army Rout

Thebans: Army routs when units with a TQ totaling 22 have been routed. Leaders as always are worth their activation rating when wounded and their activation rating times 5 when killed. The Deep Echelon unit counts 3 times its TQ rating for army rout purposes.

Size and TQ Levels

Mantinea (362 B.C.)

In 363 BC, an allegation over Olympian temple funds found Mantinea (pro-Spartan) and Tegea (pro-Theban) at the head of rival coalitions. Epaminondas first attempted to intercept the Athenian contingent before it could join their Spartan allies, but failed when these troops were moved by sea. He then moved the Theban army to Tegea which placed his forces between Sparta and Mantinea. Epaminondas allowed the Spartan army to join their Mantinean allies so he could pounce on Sparta itself; but a deserter alerted Agesilaus to his plight and he countermarched back to the city.

Epaminondas then threatened Mantinea. An unsuccessful cavalry skirmish prevented Epaminondas from getting his army between the Spartans and the allied army, forcing the Thebans into a classic hoplite battle.

It seems that all sides since Leuctra had decided that deeper formations were superior to their traditional 8 man depth formations. In this battle almost all of the formations were at least 12 men deep and some were 16 men deep. So although Mantinea was a bigger battle than Leuctra the respective widths of the battlelines were narrower than the numbers would suggest. For purposes of this scenario the depth advantage is canceled due to its widespread adoption by both sides.

Epaminondas again smashed the Spartans using tactics similar to those employed at Leuctra. Epaminondas was mortally wounded during the battle. The similarities between Epaminondas and Gustavus Adolphus are interesting. Both commanders would re-invent warfare and see it revolutionize tactics. Both commanders would be killed just as their efforts were about to bear fruit.

The death of Epaminondas may have seized defeat from the jaws of victory. The Spartans and their allies were not pursued and Theban military fortunes swiftly declined. However, there was a young Macedonian hostage in the Thebes by the name of Philip. Philip would become Philip II of Macedon and would have a son named Alexander. It would appear that the first seeds of the Persian empire's destruction began on the fields of Leuctra and Epaminondas was its architect.

Map

Historical Scenario

MANTINEA

All units face NW.

Unit	Hex(es)	Counter from
Agesilaus (Overall)	4617	D
Athens 1 LC	5320	D
Greek 5 HO	5119/5220	D
Greek 6 HO	4918/5019	D
Greek 8 HO	4717/4818	D
Spartan 1 HO	4516/4617	D
Spartan 2 HO	4315/4416	D
Athens 1 HO	4114/4215	D
Athens 2 HO	3913/4014	D
Athens 3 HO	3712/3813	D
Athens 2 LC	3612	D

Theban Deployment

All units face SE.

Unit	Hex(es)	Counter from	Comment
Epaminondas (Overall)	5311	D
Greek Mercenary 1 LP (Purple)	5516	A
Greek Mercenary 2 LP (Purple)	5315	A
Thebes 1 LC	5715	D
Thebes 2 LC	5514	D
Thebes 1 HO (Deep Echelon)	5213/5313	D
Thebes 1 HO	5012/5112	A	Thessalians
Corinth HO	4811/4911	A	Sicyonese
Leucra HO	4610/4710	A	Malians
Megara HO	4409/4509	A	Euboeans
Argos 3 HO	4208/4308	D
Argos 1 HO	4007/4107	D
Thebes 3 LC	3906	D	Thessalians
Greek Mercenary 1 LP (Red)	3807	A	Thessalians
Greek Mercenary 3 LP (Purple)	3706	A	Thessalians

Special Rules

Echelon Line Commands - Use the same rule as in Leuctra.

Epaminondas: Epaminondas is the only elite commander in the scenario.

Skirmish Orders: Peltasts, the LP units, and cavalry can be given orders by the Overall commanders (Epaminondas or Agesilaus) regardless of there range from the commander.

Victory Conditions

Retreat Edge

Army Rout

Thebans: Army routs when units with a TQ totaling 25 have been routed. Leaders as always are worth their activation rating when wounded and their activation rating times 5 when killed. The Deep Echelon unit counts 3 times its TQ rating for army rout purposes.

Size and TQ Levels