Playing with Hittites

[DaveMather]

I took Hittite Empire to the Challenge 15mm 400AP  for a couple of reasons  its the only 400AP army I have that is 100% finished and also I had enjoyed using it in playtesting mode as it had a good mix of troop types.

My first use of Hittites (Sep 2004 how time flies) is reported in http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/DBMMlist/message/15640

The army for Challenge after much deliberation (especially over whether to use the Brilliant General - who made it in at the last moment and whether to use the Kn(O) or Cv(S) option) turned out to be as follows

Hittite Empire 1274BC

Command 1

Sub-Gen Reg Kn(O)
6 x Hittite Chariots Kn(O)
2 x Syrian Chariots Reg Cv (S) as per appendix
3 x Scouts Reg LH(I) as per appendix
1 x Anatolian Ax (O)
26.5 ME

The hammer or strike command call it what you want this is the command that is most likely to do the hard fighting and most likely to get highest PIP - the Anatolian may go wide on the flank to prevent marching (and is expendable)

Command 2

Muwatallis c-in-c (Brilliant general Reg Kn(O)
12 x Hittites Pk(F)
12 x Gasgan warbands Wb(F)
1 x Hittite Chariot Kn (O)
2 x Gasgan slingers Ps (O)
28ME

This is the break the other guys infantry in the centre command - the Pikes deploy 3 deep on the flanks and then have warband (4 deep) next to them so the front is

PWPWPWP

Against infantry you are F so should get first charge
Muwatallis helps control the Wb (which the other subs no longer can) and can get them to move short to charge distance on a 1 PIP (if he doubles the dice)

You fight the Pike combats first as these are 5s thus maximising the Wbs chances of taking out 2 ranks (had been using the Hittite spear as Bd(F) for the last year following some postings on YahooDBMMList and TNE but had to revert to Pk for the Challenge)

Against skirmishing mounted this will struggle
the Warband then need to move to the rear and the Pk form up 2 deep and hunker down - hoping the mounted troops in our own army will prove to be the battle winners.

This command is most likely to get the lowest PIP dice as it just keeps moving forward and gets Muwatallis free PIP
No Anatolian as Muwatallis cannot command vassals.

The single chariot Kn is to operate with Muwatallis once the infantry have been successfully delivered as the Infantry all pursue so once they are in they are in - Muwatallis and his "bodyguard" would then look to exploit opportunity in the line - A Kn(O) with a +3 (via Brill stroke) can be decisive (or so I hoped)

Command 3

1 x Sub Kn (O)
3 x Syrian chariots Reg Cv (S)
3 x Gasgan/Anatolian chariots Irr Cv (O)
1 x Syrian archer Ps (O)
1 x Syrian psiloi Ps (I)
13 x Syrian Horde Hd (O)
6 x Hittite Conscripts Hd (O)
1 x Anatolian Ax (O)

27ME

The refused flank or counter attack or just soak them up with the Horde command or flank march and drive your opponent back command

Command 4
6 x Irr Bg (O) (the Stargate handy for reinforcements)
3ME (plus 3 ME to commands 1-3)

Stratagems

Concealed Command as brilliant stroke only
Changing deployment - this was to get the match ups correct - with Ag 2 would be defender around 50% of the time so ability to swap commands was worth the money (so i believed) 

That was the army and some rationale about what it was going to do so a low level cunning plan was already forming. The likely deployment was command 1 , 2, 3 and the likely PIP allocation H L M.  Terrain choice would be largely dictated by opponents type - but the infantry would be very comfortable operating in rough terrain.

Will post up battle reports in the next couple of days (hopefully with pics) as to how they faired against their 5 opponents.

Regards

David Mather

[LAP1964]

In the apendix it says MARYANNU royal Reg Cv(S) otherwise Irr Cv(O)  in the Hittite list the Syrians are just chariots not MARYANNU