Woe to Sparta. Post Action Report from Sellasia+++++

Well that was fun. This is the second time we have 'done' Sellasia & this time it went by the book with a win for Antigonus Doson, the Macedonian King & his allies from the Acheaen league.

The Antigonid left wing, Celts & Macedonian Cavalry.

The Antigonid right, Macedonian Phalanx & Illyrian Peltasts  face Spartan  Perioikoi  on the Euas hill.

The boy Philopoimen & a wedge of Acheaen Cavalry.

Things were a bit slow to get started at first as we both were drawing really poor  hands of cards to activate our commands.

Spartan cavalry charge the centre of the Macedonian line.

Two turns later the worm has turned, a unit of Spartan cavalry become the first casualties .

A slow start on the right wing also, the Macedonian troops are reluctant to advance.

Spartan Cavalry in trouble, outflanked & about to break.

Stalemate in the right centre of the battlefield.

Stalemate on the left of the battlefield, though not for long.

At this point we broke for a much deserved late lunch; gammon, egg, chips & peas washed down with a cup of well stewed char. As you will see this sterling repast provoked a flurry of action when we sat back down to continue our game:

Philopoimen & the Acheaen horse break into the rear of the Spartan left flank while the Thracian horse begin to roll up the line.

The Macedonian phalangites finally get moving & begin to assault the Euas  hill.

The thoroughly messed up far side of the battlefield, the result of some awful card play.

Woe to Sparta, the last remnants surrender on the Euas hill.

So at last a game that turned out more or less as it happened historically, though in the original it was a combination of phalanx & hillmen that won the fight on the Euas hill rather than Cavalry. I should also point out that we omitted the corresponding fight between Kleomenes the Spartan King & Antigonus Gonatus on the other side of the battlefield, one of these days when I can squeeze a 12' table in somewhere we'll do this. But this really is the crux of the fight allowing Philopoimen the first laurels of what turned out to be an illustrious career.

The rules worked well. We were both a little skeptical about the grid system at first but it does work when you get used to the limitations it places on the way troops can manoeuvre. The card draw activation/ combat resolution mechanic is a very effective system & does move the game along at a quick pace; from a visual point of view I think chits with roman numerals on would work better, but thats just me wanting to guild the lily, playing cards are easily available, cheaper & more importantly very easy to see on the tabletop. Overall though well done Simon, a well thought out system which is clearly laid out, easy to learn, quick to play & I do like how the author refers to himself in the third person, very Caesarian:)