3.6.4.7 Seventh battle turn

Seventh battle turn - orders

Not many hours of daylight remain and the battle has nearly run its course. Darius commits his forces into one last charge against the enemy, which Alexander anticipates. These orders are then revealed simultaneously.

Because Alexander's heavy cavalry are faster than Darius' Spearmen, their countercharge takes effect before the Spearmen can reach the Archers.

As a result of these maneuvers, the deployment at the end of the seventh battle turn is as follows:

Seventh battle turn (missile fire)

On Alexander's right flank, Alexander's Archers 3 unit (460 strong, with a missile value of 20) is led by Ptolemy, who has a Tactics score of 5 (with +2 specialism in leading a unit in battle) and an IQ of +1. The unit is slightly tired and has good morale. It is standing and firing from a normal firing position (i.e. nether advantageous or disadvantageous) at Darius' Spearmen 2 (with a defence value of 12) in close order. To determine how many casualties are delivered this battle turn, Ptolemy makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 5 (Tactics) +2 (specialism) +1 (IQ) +20 (missile value) +2 (good morale) -1 (slightly tired) +0 (normal firing position) -12 (defence value) +0 (target in close order) +0 (normal visibility/wind) = 17. He risks 5D+2, rolls a 2, 5, 3, 4 and 2 giving a dice roll result of 19. This results in the firing unit causing casualties in the target equal to 11% of its size (i.e. 11% x 460 = 51 casualties). The unit strength of the spearmen unit is reduced by 51.

As they charge, the cataphracts fire at the phalanx. The cataphract unit (103 strong, with a missile value of 19) is led by Darius, who has a Tactics score of 3 (with +1 specialism in leading a unit in battle) and an IQ of +0. The unit is very tired and has good morale. It is moving (hit and run) over open terrain (i.e. neither advantageous or disadvantageous) at the phalanx (who have a defence value of 20) in close order. To determine how many casualties are delivered this battle turn, Darius makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 3 (Tactics) +1 (specialism) +0 (IQ) +19 (missile value) +2 (good morale) -2 (very tired) +0 (normal firing position) -2 (moving) -20 (defence value) +0 (target in close order) +0 (normal visibility/wind) = 1. He risks 2D-5, rolls a double 4, giving a dice roll result of 3. This results in the firing unit causing casualties equal to 1% of its size (i.e. 1% x 103 = 1 casualties). The unit strength of the phalanx is reduced by 1.

Seventh battle turn (melee combat)

Darius's cataphracts charge into Alexander's Phalanx 3. Darius is commanding the unit personally and has a Tactics score of 3 with a specialism in battlefield strategy of 1 and an IQ of +0. His unit of elite cataphracts are armed with lances, there are 103 of them and their melee value is 34. The unit is very tired and has good morale. The referee rules they are charging into the side of the phalanx (defence value of 20 in close order). To determine how many casualties are delivered this battle turn, Darius makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 3 (Tactics) +1 (specialism) +0 (IQ) +34 (melee value) +2 (good morale) -2 (very tired) +0 (normal position) +1 (charging) +6 (cavalry charging with spears) -20 (defence value) -2 (target is veterans in close order) +3 (attacking the target's side) +0 (normal visibility) = 26. He decides to risk 8D+2, rolls a 6, 5, 3, 2, 1, 5, 3 and 4 giving a dice roll result of 31. This results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 71% of its size (i.e. 71% x 103 = 73 casualties). The unit strength of the phalanx is reduced by 73.

Darius' Spearmen 1 meanwhile continue to engage with Alexander's Pike phalanx 3 from the front. Belzar is commanding the unit and has a Tactics score of 4 with a specialism in battlefield strategy of 1 and an IQ of +1. His unit of green troops are armed with spears, there are 1,605 of them and their melee value is 19. The unit is tired and has average morale. They are engaged with the pike phalanx (defence value of 20 in close order). To determine how many casualties are delivered this battle turn, Belzar makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 4 (Tactics) +1 (specialism) +0 (IQ) +19 (melee value) +2 (good morale) -2 (tired) -2 (disadvantaged position) +0 (not charging) -20 (defence value) -2 (target is veterans in close order) +0 (attacking the target's front) +0 (normal visibility) = 0. He decides to roll 2D-6, gets a 6 and a 5, making a dice roll result of 5, which results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 4% of its size (i.e. 4% x 1,605 = 64 casualties). The pike phalanx is reduced by a further 64 casualties.

Achilles is commanding the pike phalanx unit (which is 1,125 strong after the missile casualties) - he decides to focus 325 troops on meeting the charge of the cataphracts and the other 800 on engaging the spearmen. Achilles has a Tactics score of 4 with a specialism in battlefield strategy of 2 and an IQ of +0. His unit of veteran troops are armed with pikes and their melee value is 25. The unit is very tired and has good morale.

Against the cataphracts, Achilles makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 4 (Tactics) +2 (specialism) +0 (IQ) +25 (melee value) +2 (good morale) +0 (not charging) -2 (very tired) -2 (disadvantaged position, being attacked in the flank) -29 (defence value) -3 (target is elite in close order) +0 (attacking the target's front) +0 (normal visibility) = -3. He decides to risk 2D-9, rolls a 6 and 5, giving a dice roll result of 2. This results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 1% of its size (i.e. 1% x 325 = 3 casualties). The phalanx inflicts 3 casualties on the cataphracts.

Against the spearmen, Achilles makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 4 (Tactics) +2 (specialism) +0 (IQ) +25 (melee value) +2 (good morale) +0 (not charging) -2 (very tired) +2 (advantageous position) -12 (defence value) -1 (target is green in close order) +0 (attacking the target's front) +0 (normal visibility) = 20. He decides to risk 6D+2, rolls a 2, 6, 5, 1, 4 and 3 giving a dice roll result of 23. This results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 42% of its size (i.e. 42% x 800 = 336 casualties). The phalanx inflicts 336 casualties on the spearmen as it continues to grind into them.

Meanwhile, Alexander's heavy cavalry charge into Darius' Spearmen 2. Alexander is commanding the unit personally and has a talent for Tactics (+2), a Tactics score of 7 with a specialism in battlefield strategy of 3 and an IQ of +2. His unit of elite heavy cavalry are armed with spears, there are 219 of them (after missile casualties) and their melee value is 30. The unit is very tired and has good morale. They are attacking the front of the Spearmen unit (defence value of 12 in close order). To determine how many casualties are delivered this battle turn, Alexander makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 7 (Tactics) +3 (specialism) +2 (talent) +2 (IQ) +30 (melee value) +2 (good morale) -2 (very tired) +0 (normal position) +1 (charging) +4 (cavalry charging with spears) -12 (defence value) -1 (target is green in close order) +0 (attacking the target's front) +0 (normal visibility) = 36. He decides to risks twelve dice, rolls12D, rolls a 5, 4, 2, 3, 4, 1, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2 and 3 giving a dice roll result of 40. This results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 106% of its size (i.e. 106% x 219 = 232 casualties). The unit strength of the spearmen is reduced by 232.

Darius' Spearmen 2 return the charge. Shadrak is commanding the unit and has a Tactics score of 3 with a specialism in battlefield strategy of 1 and an IQ of +0. His unit of green troops are armed with spears, there are 1,915 (1,966 -51 from missile fire) of them and their melee value is 19. The unit is very tired and has good morale. They are charging the heavy cavalry (defence value of 18 in close order). To determine how many casualties are delivered this battle turn, Shadrak makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 3 (Tactics) +1 (specialism) +0 (IQ) +19 (melee value) +2 (good morale) -2 (very tired) +0 (normal position) +1 (charging) -18 (defence value) -3 (target is elite in close order) +0 (attacking the target's front) +0 (normal visibility) = 3. He decides to roll 2D-3, gets a 3 and 6, which results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 4% of its size (i.e. 4% x 1,915 = 77 casualties). The unit strength of the heavy cavalry is reduced by 77.

Seventh battle turn - consequences of combat

At the end of the battle turn, the units in the battle have the following status:

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