We shall fight them on the beaches

[Keraunos]

The second battle in my First Peloponnesian War campaign saw the Athenians impudently landing near to Pylos to support the brave citizens of that place in trying to throw off the Lacadaemonian yoke, taking advantage of the Spartans being largely tied down with a helot revolt.  Although the Athenians were also having to deal with a revolt on Thasos, they had been quite successful in cobbling together a force and they managed to land 5 units of hoplites, 2 of Thracian peltasts and 4 assorted psiloi.  The Spartans could only spare one of their own units and found a marked reluctance among their allies to lend aid, finally managing to gather in 3 further hoplite units, 2 of peltasts and 3 of psiloi.

You cannot view this attachment. This shows the position at the end of the first turn.  The Spartans side is in the foreground with light troops on the right up in the hills and hoplites deployed from the edge of the hills down to the shore, facing the longer line of Athenian hoplites.  The Spartan general was of dismal quality (1 command point) and had elected to signal the advance rather than control his two units.  The Tegean hoplites who were second in line had been required to move by their control test and have rolled a 5 so picked up disorder while the Spartans had not moved.  The Spartan allied general (3 command points) had been able to order an advance and keep control.  Spartan peltasts and psiloi have moved up but the enemy light troops have failed to act.  The Athenian line is better commanded, the Athenians having a class 2 general, their allies a class 4, and is also advancing but in good order.

You cannot view this attachment. The lines close.  The Spartans have drifted to the right, targeting the end of the line held by the Athenian allies, at the expense of leaving a gap near the shore where their own allies will find themselves at a disadvantage.  Up in the hills, both sides have found their light troops reluctant to move forward but the Spartans have made a bit more progress and have a chance to get around the flank of the Athenian allies.

You cannot view this attachment. Although the Spartans had lagged behind in the advance they managed to move up to charge range as the same time as the rest of the line met and they gained a clear victory over their immediate opponents in the first clash.

You cannot view this attachment. The final position as night halted play.  Despite outflanking them, the Spartans had been held in check by the Athenian allies while in the foreground the Athenians have routed one of the Spartan allied units and are on the verge of destroying another.  The light troops of both sides have still not come to grips!

We judged that the Athenian position was better, having two units pretty much unscathed while the Spartans had taken losses while grinding down their second opponent and had picked up disorder performing their wheel.  By failing to drive off the Athenians they would have to retreat while the Athenians would secure alliance with Pylos and pick up a reputation point.  However, during the winter campaign turn that follows they will not be able to reinforce their expeditionary force and will have to hope that the Spartans do not manage to suppress the helot revolt and free up their main army for action.

[Martin Smith]

Impressive terrain mat! Thanks for the report 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[Jim Webster]

Yes loved the mat 

[Keraunos]

The mat is the coastal Sicilian mat from Cigar Box battles.

[Jon Freitag]

Looks terrific, Kim!

[CarlL]

WOW! Keraunos

thats some mat and figure collection and lovely photos cum report

CarlL