Sumerians TACTICA 2; Ur v Uruk

[simonw]

URUK v UR, SUMER, ca. 2500BCE - TACTICA 2

Last night's TACTICA 2 game was an ancient Mesopotamian 'bash' between the City States of Ur and Uruk. The base List from which both armies was drawn is attached. Both armies were about 2500pts each with identical Army Breakpoints of 172 Massed figures 'killed' or Routed.

The forces of Ur were more homogeneous than those of Uruk with a large core of 48 figure strong Heavy Infantry Spearmen (FV 4-6, Veteran) protected by large shields and a strong 'mounted' contingent of 4 Onager-drawn battlecars (FV 4-6 with Impetus) organised into 5 units of 2 model and one unit of 3 models.. There was an Elite Guard Foot Unit of 48 Heavy Infantry with Bows and a 'King's Guard of 12 Elite Light Infantry with Javelins. the forces were completed with one small Mercenary Warband of Shaasu (Elite, FV 4-6 with Imeptus) a couple of units of 18 Militia Grade massed Light Infantry with Bows (FV 3-6) and 2 units of 16 Skirmisher Bowmen.

By comparison, the forces of Uruk wre more polyglot in composition and had fewer (3) units of 'regular' 48 Heavy Infantry Spearmen (FV 4-6, Veteran) and fewer 4 Onager-drawn battlecars in 3 units of 2 models. They also had a single unit of 'straddle cars' (effectively 2 'onager' Light Chariots, FV 4-6, Elite). In addition to these core Sumerian City State units, Uruk had recruited 2 units of 36 Guti Warband (FV 4-6 with Impetus) a couple of Massed Units of 12 Bedouin Mercenaries on Camels as 'double-mounted' with Bows and a unit of similarly armed Skirmish Bedouins.  Adiitional, there was a King's Guard of 16 Massed Light Infantry with Javelins (FV 4-6, Elite), a single unit of 27 Militia Grade Massed Light Infantry with Javelins (FV 3-6) and a significantly more numerous collection of Skirmish Infantry, some with Javelin, some with Sling and a few with Bows.

Terrain was pretty simple with a narrow stretch of Rough Going along the eastern boundary of the field (Ur's right and Uruk's left) and a  couple of Low Hills in the opposite (western) Flank Sector and adjacent area of the Central Sector.

Uruk's experienced CinC was Hughti of the Guti in command of the infantry centre who was ably assisted by less experienced but capable commanders Eshagonnan'Donnit-nu on the right flank (in command of the Bedouin) and Lug'Alexbanda-Innit on the left in command of the bulk of the 'Battlecars' and the large but poor quality Massed Light Infantry Unit.

In view of the relative strength of Ur's 'Chariotry', Hughti's battleplan comprised a rapid central attack with the Gutian Warbands interspersed between the 'regular' Foot Spearmen Units to try and get an early 'Break' or two on the large Foot Units in the centre of the army of Ur; exploiting the Impetus of the Gutian Warbands before the likely collapse of one or more of his flanks.

This worked pretty well, as we shall see.

Opposing Uruk's array, Ur's CinC Gordonanna-Innit and his High Priest Graha-bash'um-Lugal similarly planned a rapid central attack with their more numerous 'regular' Spearmen supported by a strong 'left hook' using the majority of the 4 Onager Battlecars. On their right end of the line, Gordonanna positioned his Elite Unit of 48 Heavy Foot with Bows and a few Battlecars with a view to preventing his line from being turned by Light Infantry via the Rough Going.  Gordonunna's own poor quality and less numerous massed Light Infantry Unit (each 18 figures of FV 3-6, Militia Grade with Bows) were split between his 2 Flanks and the single of 12 Elite King's Guard Massed Light Infantry was posted on the left end of his infantry line.

Unfortunately for Gordonanna, the aggressive attack planned for his left wing Battlecars under Graha-bash'um was undermined by a degree of wariness on the part of Graha-bash'um when faced by the massed array of Camels opposite in   Eshagonnan'Donnit-nu's command. Not only would these Camels defuse any chance of the battlecars receiving any Impetus Bonus in Melee but they would also reduce them to half-dice. In addition to this, the potential for the Bedouin's Bowfire (all units totalling to a combined 64 Shooting Dice), a degree of wariness was perhaps not to be unexpected. Nevertheless, Gordnanna's plan was for a FAST, aggressive attack on this flank and so a significant part of his battleplan was immediately defused.

As it turned out, Eshagonnan'Donnit-nu's Shooting Dice were abysmal and so,even though a little slower than planned, Graha-bash'um's Battlecars did smash into the Bedouin Camels and engage them in Melee. Unfortunately, although the Camel's demise was almost inevitable (their being Militia Grade with Unit Breakpoints of only 50% or 6 'Kills'), the lack of Impetus Bonus' for the Battlecars and being reduced to half-dice meant that the Melees were more extended than desired; thereby reducing the potential for the Battlecars to turn the flank of Uruk's Infantry centre.

Whilst the other flank was also engaged in somewhat attritional and extended combat area as well, by comparison, Hughti's plan for a rapid resolution of combat(s) in the centre developed exceedingly well. One of Hughti's 3 Warbands rolled successfully for Impetus (double dice) and rolled well; inflicting significant number's of 'Kills' on both of Ur's Spearmen Units engaged. These 'Kills'  inflicted by the Guti combined with the 'Kills' inflicted by the adjacent Spearmen Foot Units on either side resulted in one of Ur's large, 48 figure Foot Units being Routed after 3 melee Turns (and successful Impetus Inroad rolls by the Guti). Almost inevitably in Gordonanna' eyes, the adjacent Unit of Spearmen then failed its Routed Past/Into Control Test and became Disordered. This led to an almost immediate Break in the following Turn. The loss of these 2 large Foot Units was too much for Ur's forces to recover from (effectively an early handicap of 96 out of the Army Breakpoint of 172) because these casualties combined with  more even and attritional losses from both armies in the Flank Sectors to simply result in an inevitable defeat for the Army of Ur hen it reached its Army Breakpoint first whilst Uruk's army was still only around 100 fewer.

To conclude then, although the melee and Shooting Dice rolling on both sides was somewhat 'quirky' (being both inspired and abysmal on both parts at times), the key part of Gordonunna;s plan for a rapid attack on the left by massed 'Chariotry' was effectively undone  buy the intimidatory effect of the Bedouin Camels which slowed the 'Chariots' almost inevitable success o much that the battle was lost in the centre by the 'elan' of (one of the Gutian Warbands.

Hughti of the Guti was most pleased and celebrated with his co-commanders Eshagonnan'Donnit-nu and Lug'Alexbanda-Innit with high fives all round.

Meanwhile,  Gordonanna-Innit and  Graha-bash'um-Lugal have had an idea!

Watch this space for next week.

Acknowledgements:

Hughti of the Guti (Hugh Cameron)
Eshagonnan'Donnit-nu (Donald Linn)
Lug'Alexbanda-Innit (Alex McFarlane)
Gordonanna-Innit (Gordon Crawford)
Graha-bash'um-Lugal (Graham Bryson)You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.

[Jon Freitag]

Another grand Sumerian sight, Simon!  I think I spot your new command stands on action.

[simonw]

Thanks Jon (eagle-eye).
Cheers
Simon

[CarlL]

Simon
You do have a very varied and interesting 25mm collection. And thank you for sharing the story so far and the photos of your lovely figures.
But I sense some bias in the photographer, (sorry I mean etcher of tablet), I mean where are the lovely (if potentially smelly and spitting) camels?
CarlL

[simonw]

Carl, thanks. There may well be some (subconscious) bias but the main photographic bias is simply due to my limited mobility I'm afraid. I struggle to photograph what's going on on the far end of the table. I rely on other photographs from the players for these views.

It is interesting actually, how some players 'hate' camels and others 'love' them; a bit like 'Marmite'.You cannot view this attachment.

[CarlL]

Arrhh yes but they dont get the coverage of the 'donkey carts'  ... you can sense my bigotry??!!

CarlL musthava camelry (close up)

[simonw]

Carl,
Cheers
SimonYou cannot view this attachment.

[Jon Freitag]

That is a lot of camelry!

[Imperial Dave]

They got the hump...

[CarlL]

BRILL, Simon.

I wondered which ones you used! Good old Irregular Mins. I have just a DBA army based on these fellows.

CarlL

PS You did well getting two riders onto so many camels, I sometimes succeeded and sometimes failed, same camels same riders but sometimes I could not get two to stay on long enough for the glue to set! These days I would cheat and embed them in Milliput!!

[simonw]

Carl, they are indeed a little 'tricksy' but 'tricky' by look and 'tricksy' by nature. I like them. I might get some more.
Cheers
Simon