With my copy of the rules firmly grasped in my had I too ke the field with my LAP killer army against Parthians last night.
Darius invaded Parthia in the spring arriving on the field of Battle at 0900 there was a risk of dust storms at this time of year.
The terrain had two large GH on the Persian left table edge and a crag to the front left adjacent on to the furthest GH and in the Parthian deployment zone. On the Persian right there was a smaller Gh and in front of that 240mm away a half size SF.
Darius deployed first with his own command on the left of the deployment zone comprising 8 Cv(s), 4Cv(o), 2 Kn(f); to his right a Persian Sub with 2 Cv(o), 2Lh(o), 10Lh(f), 3ExP. The 3rd Cmd was off table as a delayed arrival and comprised Greek Sub Gen, 12 Cv(i), 6Lh(o). The cheesey aspect was a 4 element strong Reg Bg(f) army baggage cmd behind the CinC cmd. Fiegned flight and ambush Stratagems also choosen.
Parthians deployed with PIA ally of 3 Lh(o)[incl Gen], 2Lh(i) opposite the expendables and CinC with 4Kn(x) and 14Lh(f) back on the table edge on Persian far right. there were two other identical commands to that of the CinC flank marching on each flank.
Parthians assumed that the missing Persian cmd was either flank marching or concealed.
Persians moved first and both commands did two march moves forward as homogenous groups the Exp in front of the Lh cmd. Partian PIA marched towards the Exp CinC dallied on the table edge neither flank march or delayed arrival showed any interest in turning up. At this point the PIA command declared a fiegned flight as the CinC had trhown six for his pip dice and not moved.
Turn 2 - Persian Cv(o) from the cinc peeled off and marched into the rear of the fleeing PIA(Far enough from them not to hold from fiegned flight) but only contacting one and killing it.Others had enough pips to hold. Parthain flank march on Persian right decided it would arrive next bound, CinC stayed on table edge.
Turn 3 - Persian Cav broke PIA by killing gen and 1 more Lh Parthain flank march arrived on Persian right and the Lh did 2 marches along table edge heading for the baggage the kn did one march move. Other flank march decided it would arrive, also CinC began to roll straight forward. The exp went off to do their thing headin for the remaining PIA
Turn 4 - Persians wiped outremaining element of PIA by now these 4 Cv were behind and to the left of the Parthian CinC command. The 2 Cv in the Lh cmd peeled off to delay the Lh(f) from the flank march on the Persian right. Darius began to turn his Cv & Kn to meet the left flank march - still no sign of the delayed arrivals. At this stage the Parthainwer chuckling in glee that they just about had the Persians surrounded. As for Darius he was heard to mutter "am I boverred - naw". Parthains cast the bones, hey presto instant dust storm. every one slowed to 80 paces movement and visibility.
Turns 5 & 6 little happened as every one struggled in the storm .
Turn 7 - Perian Pips totaled 12 so dust storm ended game back on enemy Lh(f) on Persian right broke into 3 groups for seperate mach moves to begin envelope ment of Persians. left flnak march only threw a 1 so only marched on withthe night and 4 supporting Lh[ I did not understand the rational for this] darius manged to complet trun to left with his cmd.
Turn 8 - Parthian doom looms as Persian delayed command arrive wit 5 Pips forcinn all of the flank march command to Persian right to flee resulting in the Persian Cav(i) and Lh(o) hitting them in the rear. The resulting combats in this bound saw the fleeing Parthian command demoralised with the loss of 1 kn(x) and 5 Lh(f). The flank march on the Persian left was now out numbered and overlapped by a wall of Cv(s) and kn(f), the 4 cv(o) for this command were now racing for the rear of the Parthain CinC Lh with the Persian Lh closing on then frontally .
At this stage our time was up and the Parthains conceded victory to the Persians as they need to kill only 2 more ME to break the demoralised command.
Question : Should impetous expendables be affected by movement restrictions in dust storms - it just seemd a bit of an anomaly to us last night.
