TACTICA 2 Sumerians bash - Umma v Lagash

[simonw]

Last night's TACTICA 2 game was a step back in time to ancient Mesopotamia with a Sumerian City State 'bash' between Lagash and Umma. The CinC of Umma's forces was Gordonandunnit-nu. The forces of Lagash were commanded by Bilgamesh himself and Tuttalkarkarrash-Innit. The Army Lists were as follows:

SUMERIAN CITY STATE – LAGASH, ca. 2500BCE

TROOP TYPE SIZE FV Sk-FV Quality Weapons Points Total

MOUNTED
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 2 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 72
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 2 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 72
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 2 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 72
2Ch Straddle Cars 3 4-6 Elite Javelin 26 78
CM Midianites * 12 4-6 MG Bow 7 84
CM Midianites * 12 4-6 MG Bow 7 84
Skirmish Camels* 8 (4-6) MG Bow 4 32
FOOT
FT City Militia ** 48 4-6 Veteran Spear 6 288
FT City Militia ** 48 4-6 Veteran Spear 6 288
FT City Militia ** 48 4-6 Veteran Spear 6 288
Wb Guti Highlanders *** 36 4-6 Veteran Javelin 6.5 234
Wb Guti Highlanders *** 36 4-6 Veteran Javelin 6.5 234
King's Bodyguard LI 16 4-6 (5-6) Elite Javelin 6 96
LI Village Levies LI 18 3-6 (5-6) MG Bow 4 72
LI Village Levies LI 18 3-6 (5-6) MG Bow 4 72
SI Sturdy Peasants 16 (5-6) Veteran Javelin 2 32
SI Sturdy Peasants 16 (5-6) Veteran Javelin 2 32
SI Goatherds 12 (4-6) Veteran Sling 3 36
SI Goatherds 12 (4-6) Veteran Sling 3 36
Arab SI 12 (4-6) Veteran Bow 3 36
TOTAL 2238pts
Massed Figs: 340
Army Breakpoint: 170

* Midianite Subjects/Allies with 2 riders per Camel. Primitive Bows shoot only to 12" but 1 dice for each rider (i.e. 2 per Camel). Shooting is as heavy cavalry; to frontal Beaten Zone only

** FT Trained army units with front rank(s) carrying large body-shield count as Protected Targets (2 dice per 3 shooting figures). City Guards may also be equipped with Bow and Spear at an additional 1pt cost.

*** Wb based loosely as LI – Move and Fight as LI across Rough Ground (not Woods) and Steep Hills (i.e. not disordered but zero ranks depth)

N.B. Sumerian 4Ch Battlecars can wheel up to 2" out of their normal move of 8" OR can Charge Straight Ahead only 12". They Pursue 12" also. 2Ch Straddle-cars can wheel and move as normal horse-drawn 2Ch.

SUMERIAN CITY STATE – UMMA, ca. 2500BCE

TROOP TYPE SIZE FV Sk-FV Quality Weapons Points Total
MOUNTED
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 2 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 72
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 2 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 72
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 2 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 72
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 2 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 72
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 2 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 72
4Ch Onager Battle Carts 3 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 36 108
FOOT
FT Guards ** 48 4-6 Elite Bow 8 384
FT City Militia ** 48 4-6 Veteran Spear 6 288
FT City Militia ** 48 4-6 Veteran Spear 6 288
FT City Militia ** 48 4-6 Veteran Spear 6 288
Wb Shaasu Bedouin *** 24 4-6(I) Elite Javelin 7.5 180
King's Bodyguard LI ** 12 4-6 (5-6) Elite Javelin 6 96
LI Village Levies LI 27 3-6 (5-6) Veteran Javelin 4 108
SI City Militia Bow 16 (4-6) Veteran Bow 3 48
SI City Militia Bow 16 (4-6) Veteran Bow 3 48
TOTAL 2196pts
Massed Figs: 333
Army Breakpoint: 166

** FT Trained army units with front rank(s) carrying large body-shield count as Protected Targets (2 dice per 3 shooting figures). City Guards may also be equipped with Bow and Spear at an additional 1pt cost.

*** Wb based loosely as LI – Move and Fight as LI across Rough Ground (not Woods) and Steep Hills (i.e. not disordered but zero ranks depth)

N.B. Sumerian 4Ch Battlecars can wheel up to 2" out of their normal move of 8" OR can Charge Straight Ahead only 12". They Pursue 12" also.

From the Lists it is apparent that the forces of Lagash were somewhat more polyglot than those of Umma with a significant component of somewhat peripheral 'irregulars' (Arab Camels and a couple of Gutian Warbands) in addition to the a core of more mainstream and typical 'regular' City State troop-types comprising Onager-drawn battlecars, trained Foot Spearmen and a few Light troops.

The forces of Umma included about double the number of battlecars than Lagash had mustered and more Bow-armed troops; including the 48 figure strong unit of Elite Foot Guards. Umma had also recruited a small, Elite Warband unit of mercenary Shaasu Bedouin.

The Terrain was pretty open with only a single Steep Hill in the Lagashian Left Flank Sector and few Low Hills (or undulations) dotted around.

Gordonandunnit decided to position all of his Camel-mounted Arabs (2 massed Units of 12 and a single unit of 8 Skirmish camels) in his Left Flank Sector to defuse any attempt by Umma to outflank his infantry battleline with concentration of Battlecars in that area of the field. On the other flank, he concentrated all of his own Mounted Troops with the Gutian Warbands on the right end of his infantry line in the centre. His numerous Skirmishers were posted in advance to inflict as much damage as possible before the main Melee combats were initiated.

Conversely, Bilgamesh and Tuttalkarkarrash lined up with aggressive intent with their Mounted Troops split pretty evenly between both Flank sectors and their strong infantry centre anchored on the left by the City Guard Archer unit and on the right by the mall Mercenary Shaasu Warband by the Umma Commanders. Their 2 poor quality Levy Light Infantry Bow units were also split between the two Flank Sectors. Their plan was to advance quickly all along the line to crush the enemy. Bilgamesh did however keep one 2 Model battlecar unit in reserve of his Left with a view to attempt to outflank the Lagashian Infantry in a supplement to the presumed success of the Elite Guard Archer unit in pushing back their opponents.

So how did it all pan out?

The Umman forces did indeed rapidly advance all along the line with the poor quality Luight Infantry levy Bowmen on their right pushing out wide to occupy the Lagashian's allied Camelry which were posted opposite them . They7 only managed to hold up the Camels for a short period of time however, as they were pretty promptly shot to pieces and routed by the massed camel-mounted Arab Bowfire at short range. This then exposed the right of the Umman battleline to being outflanked, which duly happened in short order. Umma's Battlecars and mercenary Shaasu resisted stoically however and delayed the Arabs from getting stuck into the larger Foot Units of the Umman centre for a significant period of time. Indeed, the Shaasu passed a Fates Control Test with a double 6 before being wiped out completely the following Turn.

On the Lagashian right, the Umman Guard Archer units were drawn forward by the Lagashian Guard Light Infantry unit which retired before them. This prevented the powerful Guard Unit frominterfering with the Gutian Warbands on their inside as they marched past! However, Bilgamesh's 'reserve' 2 Model battlecar Unit swung into action behind the Guards and smashed into the Flank of the rightmost Gutian Warband. Although the Gutians failed their Impetus Contol Tests as they Charged into the 48 figure strong Umman Line Infantry units to their front, they did fight on and resist heroically for a couple of Turns despite being somewhat overmatched in numbers and being outflanked. This was, (as Gordonandunnit-nu openly admitted) rather more due to better dice-rolling than superior tactics in this location. This stubborn resistance and the associated delay in the ability of Bilgamesh to exploit his advantage quickly enough, thereby resulted in there being sufficient time for the Lagashian allied Arab camels to exploit their successful outflanking manoeuvre and to smash into the Flank of the Umman main infantry battleline. Together with being also occupied in Melee to their front by the main strength of the Lagashian Infantry line resulted in a couple of Umman Breaks which pushed their army past their Army breakpoint and resulted in the Lagashian Victory.
Lessons learned:

1. The Lagashian Camels have significant Missile power which can be very significant at close quarters against any isolated opponents.

2. The Lagashian camels are amongst the most mobile troops on the table and this combined with their firepower and their ability to defuse the potency of any opposing Onager-drawn Battlecars (which lose their Impetus and fight at half-effect against them) make them potentially a very significant threat. Being relatively small units though (only 12 figures) and Militia Grade, they have limited 'resisting power' and so it is imperative that their opponents defuse their potential threat either by inflicting Missile Halt and casualties and or engaging them in melee with large enough Foot Units.
3. Similarly, the Warband Units (on both sides), whilst potent with Impetus are till likely to be overmatched against the large, disciplined Spearmen Units that comprise the main infantry core that typify a main strength of most Sumerian armies.
4. The Sumerian 4-Onager battlecar Units are potential battle winners but also need to be used wisely to avoid being 'frittered away' in futile, frontal Charges against big enemy Foot Units. Although they manoeuvre pretty slowly, the 12" Charge move can expedite their ability to 'roll-up' enemy units that they manage to outflank.

5. The Missile power of the armies is significant although the protection provided by the large shields of the main Foot units can result in preserving their ability to rapidly close and engage the enemy.

6. Poor quality Massed Light Infantry units are pretty much just 'speed bumps' for the battlecars BUT they can weaken them significantly with reasonable dice-rolling and render them vulnerable to being destroyed by enemy Skirmisher Shooting, particularly after Pursuits and IF the battlecars are brigaded in smaller, 2 Model units in a search for enhanced of manoeuvrability.

7. ROLL GOOD DICE!!!!!!

Acknowledgements:

Gordonandunnit-nu
Bilgamesh
Tuttalkarkarrash

Nest game delayed until September 15th due to irresponsible, family 'holidays'.

Reference:
Earliest Evidence for Sumerian Camel Riders; mid 3rd Millennium BC – ESHNUNNA,
Iraq – Reference 1.
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Reference 1. p.212 ; The University of Chicago Institute Publications 43; John Albert
Wilson and Thomas George Allen (Editors): "The Gimilsin Temple and the Palace of the
Rulers at Tell Asmar." by Henri Frankfort, Seton Lloyd and Thorkild Jacobsen with a
chapter by Gunter Martiny: May 1940 - University of Chicago Press, Illinois

[Jon Freitag]

Fantastic game, Simon!