Collaborative Campaign Years 10-11: Part 2

 Continuing the Year of the Snake, another report has arrived regarding the machinations of the Picenian Empire. Words and game images are the intellectual property of Mark Cordone.

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After finishing the conquest of Luss and the subjugation of the Wend, the Picenian Republic enjoyed several years of peace.  They used this time to consolidate their control over the newly conquered lands, and to maximize their profit. One of the ways they sought to accomplish this was by the imposition of tariffs.  Their traditional 10% tariff was raised to 25%.

Before the conquest Luss had a free trade policy, the kings being content to receive gifts on an annual basis.  These amounted to about 5% annually.  The Pentapolis, and in particular Therissa had a near total monopoly on international trade.  Naturally, this policy upset them greatly.  They resolved to take action to attempt to recover some of their losses. 

A dramatic increase in smuggling operations and clandestine support for the rebels among the Luss became the cornerstone of their new policy.  Accordingly they sent spies to the province of Luss and began to provide information and funds to the resistance led by queen Rionach.  In the late summer of the year of the Snake, the Picenian governor Auteus Callosus learned the particulars of the operation and took swift action.

On the 15th day of the 8th month his forces made their move.  Simultaneous attacks across the entire province rounded up every Therissian national who could be found, more than 5,000 men, women and children in all, and seized all Therissian property throughout the province.  Around 100 Therissians were executed and the rest sold into slavery.  An action the governor profited handsomely from.

Naturally, the Therissians were not happy about this. They sent an embassy to Picenia demanding the return of all of their citizens and property and compensation as well.  The Senates response was harsh and abrupt. They found the petition unwarranted and further declared that the actions of the Therissians constituted an act of war, and promptly declared war themselves.

Therissa is primarily a naval power, and determined to prosecute the war with their fleet, which was second to none.  They would do this via a blockade and raids along the coast.  To accomplish this they need a base of operations off of the coast.  The small island of Uliarus was selected for this.  The town, while not large, was possessed of a fine, large natural harbor.  A fleet of 80 Triremes with a force of some 800 hoplites under the Strategos Menelaos was allocated the task.  They set sail on the ides of the 10th month of the year of the Snake.

Picenian spy's learned of this and the secret target of the fleet and a Picenian fleet was quickly scraped together to intercept and destroy the Therissians.  The fleet totaled some 100 ships, but more than half of them were merchant ships packed with Marines, as were their Triremes.

On the 21st day of the 10th month of the year of the Snake the two fleets met off the coast of Uliarus just a few miles from the town.
I used Dominion of the Oar and Ram to fight the battle. (Mark's Rules that are published in The Fourth Portable Wargame Companion  - Ed.)

The Picenian fleet totaled some 120 ships in 6 squadrons, all classed as regular Marines.  Consul Marcus Valerius Dio deployed his fleet in two lines, each composed of three squadrons.

Menelaos had some 80 ships divided into 4 squadrons.  He matched the Picenian front line with his remaining squadron in reserve.  The Therissian fleet were all classed as elite rams.

The battle opened with the Picenians managing to isolate and destroy the Therissian squadron closest to the shore, but then the superior skill of the Therissian crews came through and they made short work of the Picenian fleet, ramming and sinking nearly 100 Picenian ships with scant further loses of their own. 

More than 12,000 Picenians lost their lives that day, along with their general.

The town quickly fell and the Therissians began work on expanding and improving the fortifications and harbor.

Meanwhile in Picenia Claudius Livius Salinator was appointed dictator and charged with rebuilding the fleet and dealing with the Therissian threat.

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With a startling lack of success, Picenia has started a new conflict - we do live in interesting times! Thanks to Mark for the report and photos of his wonderfully painted ships.

Collaborative Campaign Years 10-11: Part 1

 The Year of the Goat (Campaign Year 10) saw an unusual calm spread across all lands. The following Year, however, saw business as usual for the Empires of Ziguria and Picenia, with their leaders plotting new ways to expand their territories.

Year 11 (the Year of the Snake) sees Xeroz, King of Kings, all tremble before his name, once again attempting to subjugate the ancient land of Pylonia... (text and photos are the intellectual property of Martin Smith and are posted with my thanks for his input)

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 The Second Battle of Raphan 

Over the past six years Zigura’s King of Kings Xeroz’ incursions into Pylonia had met with unexpectedly strong resistance. For such a decadent state the Pylonians, under their despotic God-King Hipohap XXXVI, had proven a tough nut to crack, and had sent the battered remnants of two Ziguran Royal Armies fleeing homewards. 

But still coveting the resources Pylonia might afford, Xeroz now reenlisted the services of his retired Master of Horse, General Mahariz. A decade ago this wily old commander had quashed the rebellion of Toshibaz, the King’s brother, and had also captured Pylonian territory through victory at the Battle of the Ypokos River, in the Year of the Pot Bellied Pig (Year 3). His objective, he was informed, was to take the coastal province of Raphan, held for Hipohap by Governor Hepu. 

After a few months of preparation the Master of Horse dutifully set out westwards, at the head of yet another Ziguran Royal Army, with the cream of the horse-riding nobility leading the advance. Yet secretly he prayed to Taran that this would be his last campaign…but would the god listen to a mere mortal?

Meanwhile, in Raphan, information from Governor Hepu’s well chosen spies in Zigura flowed steadily west along the trade routes to the astute Pylonian, who made his preparations to stop the Zigurans in their tracks. Picking a battlefield near the Ziguran border, Governor Hepu summoned the levies and the few regulars under his command and marched out. Deploying across the coast road, anchoring his line on a swathe of sand dunes, he patiently awaited the Zigurans, having devised a cunning plan involving the Cyraenian mercenary spearmen in his service…

Soon a clear night saw the two armies awaiting dawn within a few bowshots of each other, sleeping in their assigned positions, for fear of surprise. With the glow of dawn behind him, and mist clinging to the shoreline, Mahariz gave the signal, and the Ziguran forces lurched forwards. The sun, he calculated, would soon be in the Pylonians’ eyes, hindering his enemy while aiding his own troops. 

Inland the Ziguran mounted nobility led off on the left, with the Regulars following in the centre  and the Ziguran Militia advancing astride the coast road.

First contact was on the left, where the Ziguran noble cavalry hurled themselves upon the densely packed Pylonian levies. These initially resisted well, but then began to become disorganised, while their light cavalry supports delayed their Ziguran opposite numbers with admirable zeal. Overseen by Mahariz in person, the Ziguran Regulars of the centre now joined the fray, but were hindered by sand dunes, much as Governor Hepu had planned, though eventually the Pylonian right began to falter.

Nearer the coast the Ziguran Militia made good progress, and assaulted the Pylonian left, in a slow grinding clash. But behind them the shoreline mist cleared to reveal Cyraenian boats disgorging armoured spearmen onto the beach - Hepu’s plan for his mercenaries was thus revealed as they slowly, steadily advanced towards the Ziguran baggage train. Mahariz despatched skirmishers to stall the Cyraenians, but the bronze-clad spearmen proved unstoppable and fought their way into the Ziguran camp, causing consternation in nearby Ziguran ranks.

Mahariz’ attention was, however, focussed on a group of heavy chariots which, led by Governor Hepu himself, were breaking up parts of the Militia’s advancing line. Undaunted, the old Ziguran general moved to confront his opposite number and a swirling clash of chariotry ensued, in which Mahariz’ earlier prayer to Taran was answered: this would indeed be his last campaign, as, in the dust and confusion, he fell to a hurled javelin.

Word of the death of the much-loved Master of Horse and loss of the baggage train soon spread, and Ziguran resolve crumbled, units turning to run from the exhausted but jubilant Pylonians. 

Yet again a Royal Army of Zigura had failed to defeat the indefatigable Governor of the Pylonian border province, whose clever use of seaborne mercenaries had paid off, and saved Raphan from the covetous Xeroz and his subjects.

The Victor

The passing of Mahariz

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Be careful what you wish for is today's "Thought for the Day" . Another failure for Xeroz; will his throne be threatened?

Thanks again to Martin for another cracking report - looks like that was a fun game.

Collaborative Campaign Year 9: Part 2

 A small border clash took place between forces from Picenian Luss and the City State of Sentis, part of the Cyraenian Pentapolis. The battle report can be found here. 

A Picenian spy had been found in a merchant caravan heading South through the Petapolis, and this had prompted an incursion into Luss by troops from Sentis, who destroyed a newly created villa complex. Picenia replied by sending a force to seize two crossing points over the River Patsas. Sentis, preempting this reply, had sent a force of its own. The resulting clash was inconclusive but is suggestive of more tension between the two powers.

Interestingly, the spy's brief had been to discover all that he could regarding a new weapon being employed by the Pentapolis, known as "elephas".

Artist's impression of an "elephas"

Collaborative Campaign Year 9:Part 1

 2026 starts here at P'n'P with the next game in our Collaborative Campaign: This was played by Mark Cordone. Actually, Mark played this last year, but posting was delayed due to festivities; apologies.

Year 9 of the Campaign (the Year of the Ape) witnessed the Ziguran war chest benefitting greatly from the discovery of gold in the hills East of Ganuk. King Xeroz has once again cast his eyes at Pylonian territory...

After the previous year's conflict in the Picenian Province of Luss, the Provincial Governor sought to quell the rebellious tribes, permanently...

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 The Battle of Tibron.

11th day of the 10th month of the year of the Ape

Having grown tired of the incessant raids by the Wend and rebel Luss, governor Auteus Callosus convinced the Senate to grant him the resources to put and end to the threat with a massive punitive expedition into the mountains.  The plan was to launch a devastating raid, pillaging burning and taking captives with the aim for forcing king Hadwyn to battle to defend his realm.  The plan worked, and Hadwyn was forced to assemble his host or lose his crown because he was unable to defend his people.

Hadwyn chose to meet the Picenians in a vale around the two villages of Tibron ( the larger on the right) and Divea on the left.  He deployed his ferocious Huscarls in the center and experienced warbands in the two villages.  In reserve he had his cavalry and younger missile armed men and war dogs.  (Both unreliable).

Auteus had the veteran 6th and 7th legions (on the left and right, both disciplined) and his now regular limitari archers in the center.  In reserve he had his cavalry and more (unreliable) limitari, some mounted and some on foot, both primarily missile troops.  The armies were about even in terms of numbers with the Wend having some 14,000 men, 2,000 of whom were cavalry and the Picenians 15,000 with some 3,000 cavalry.

The weather was fine, cool with a mix of sun and clouds as the Picenians opened the battle with an ineffective volley of arrows at the Huscarls in the center.  For their part, the Huscarls were content to hold their ground as the warband in Divea surged forth with savage cries to attack the veterans of the 6th legion.  The legionaries made short work of them and advanced to occupy the village.  Deeply affected by the panicked flight of the survivors, Hadwyn's reserve infantry could not be induced to advance.  This left the 6th free to roll up the Huscarls from the flank and rout them as well.

Hadwyn tired but failed to rally them as the Picenian archers began to shoot at the defenders of Tibron.  Their arrows had no effect, and then the Wend cavalry charged in the center.  This time the limitari found their mark and killed many horses and men as the cavalry were effectively destroyed.

Next, the war dogs surged forth only to meet the same fate.  The archers then let loose a series of ineffective volleys into Tibron as Hadwyn finally managed to get his slingers and javelin men to advance in the center. They were no match for the archers however and were quickly put to flight, king Hadwyn being killed by an arrow to the throat.

This hugely one sided victory caused all resistance to collapse and both the Wend and the few remaining rebel Luss submitted to the Picenians.

Auteus was awarded a triumph, however Rionach, with a handful of bodyguards, servants and her infant son managed to escape over the mountains to Thule.

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Thanks again to Mark for another exciting game report. It appears that Picenia has finally secured Luss; however the escape of a high born infant sets up the possibility of future conflicts, perhaps...