The (Unofficial) Great Battles of History
Published in C3i
This page covers a grab bag of C3i-published scenarios which don't very well fit in any other place.
Published in C3i-1.
Balance: 70% Greeks
Attraction: One of the most famous battles of ancient history, pitting Greek hoplites against Persian light infantry.
Athenian Advantages: Leadership, 8-Stadia Run special rule
Persian Advantages: Cavalry, downhill, heavy units in center
Who's the best general of antiquity? Alexander? Hannibal? Caesar, maybe? No, it's Miltiades, with a initiative of 8! This superman does suffer slightly from a command range that's just shy of controlling his entire line on the first turn, but he'll get enough Momentum activations that it won't matter.
Worse for the Persians, their leadership makes the dullest Roman legionary legate look positively inspired.
The Athenians do have to be careful. Hoplites without flank support are awkward at the best of times, and the relatively low (for a double-sized unit) TQ of 6 makes the Greeks even more brittle.
If you get too excited about the 8 Stadia Run rule and try to engage on Turn 1 -- you can just do it in three activations -- you'll have a wrecked army in no time. Remember, the hoplites take a hit for moving downhill, another for each momentum move that they make, and another for the 8SR. Arriving at the enemy line with 4 hits on each unit is not the way to win the battle.
But you've still got to move quickly, because if the Persian LCs enter the fray they're going to make short work of your flanks and rear. I suggest advancing eight hexes (using one normal and one momentum activation) on turn 1, keeping everyone at level 2 and thereby taking just one TQ hit. If the Persian cavalry still isn't around, begin turn 2 with recovery, then go downhill (one hit) with the 8SR (one more hit, totaling 2), smash into the Persians, and hope for good dice.
Datis's pitiful initiative rating doesn't give him much to work with. The best strategy might be to begin retreating the TQ4 trash on the flanks back a hex, to get them out of range of the 8SR and its attendant shock, as they can't hope to stand against the hoplites.
Since no unit on either side has a TQ higher than 6, Pre-Shock TQ Check dierolls are even more important than usual, making this scenario more luck-dependent than most.
Suggestions for balancing:
Clarification: This was originally designed to work with the first edition of Alexander, but it seems to work fine with Deluxe Alexander, too. I have substituted HI/HO for the 1st edition Greek PH units. The Issus map is virtually unchanged between the editions; the scenario's reference to map errata relates to the first edition (which is now corrected). If Issus looks unfamiliar in the above picture, its because I've drawn it with the flattened elevations as per the scenario special rules.
Published in C3i-4.
Balance: 70% Caesarians
Attraction: Three of Caesar's veteran cohorts have four turns to capture a bridge defended by five Pompeian recruit cohorts. A great learning scenario.
Pompeian Advantages: Numbers, terrain
Caesarian Advantages: Experience, TQ
The limited command situation -- one leader per side, no trumping -- really lets you concentrate on the combat mechanics. The experience is, however, partially mitigated by the dieroll to see who goes first each turn. You've got a 50% shot of a Third Reich-like double move, especially valuable because there aren't many units for guarding flanks. If you're still learning the game, you may want to try regular sequential turns until the combat routines become second nature.
The Pompeians numerical advantage is offset by the need to set up first, and the Caesarians free deployment within one move of the bridge. (By the way, notice that the XVI legion's cohorts have different cohesion levels. Make sure you choose the ones with TQ6.)
Given the short duration of the scenario, you can forget column movement, so everyone crossing the river is going to take 2 TQ hits. You'd really rather make Caesar take the hits than you, but then again Caesar can afford them and you can't. If you don't defend the north side of the river, you're vulnerable to a first turn rush on the bridge. If you don't defend south of the river, you're vulnerable to a Caesarian crossing which you can't counter.
With this in mind, I'd split the Pompeian cohorts, guarding both sides of the bridge. The ideal first turn would see you with the initiative, letting you both move to block Caesar's advance and to bring other cohorts across the river, depending on the likely Caesarian line of advance.
If Caesar wins the initiative, you still have somewhat of a chance to hold the bridge if it's rushed -- and if you do survive, you've got some nice flank possibilities.
From the Caesarian point of view, you don't have enough forces or time to indulge in fancy manuevers, but with your higher TQ you can better afford to cross the river than the Pompeians, so concentrate wherever they're weak. Your attack superiority makes even frontal assaults worthwhile, but your flanks are vulnerable as soon as you commit your forces. This means you, too, might prefer to go second, since a double turn for you might end the game if you're in the right position.
For both sides, write off routed units. You generally don't have the leadership nor the time to rally.
Either leader's death will pretty much end the game, and neither side can afford to forgo giving commands, so keep your leaders out of enemy ZOCs. The combat bonus just isn't worth it.
Balancing suggestion: make the Caesarians set up first. Alternately, they set up at least seven hexes (i.e. more than one move away) from the bridge.
Clarification: What exactly does "both hexes adjoining the bridge are secured" mean? Occupied by friendly units? Last occupied by friendly units? Do enemy ZOCs matter? My guess, based on the historical notes, is that "secured" means "last occupied by friendly units and free of enemy ZOCs."