3.6.4.8 Eighth battle turn

Eighth battle turn - orders

The tiring armies are locked in the final combat.

After the orders, the position is essentially unchanged:

Eighth 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 quite 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 (quite 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, 2, 1, 4 and 2 giving a dice roll result of 13. This results in the firing unit causing casualties in the target equal to 8% of its size (i.e. 8% x 460 = 37 casualties). The unit strength of the spearmen unit is reduced by 37.

Eighth battle turn (melee combat)

Darius's cataphracts continue to engage 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 100 of them and their melee value is 34. The unit is exhausted and has good morale. The referee rules they are engaged with 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) -3 (exhausted) +2 (advantageous position) +0 (not charging) -20 (defence value) -2 (target is veterans in close order) +3 (attacking the target's side) +0 (normal visibility) = 20. He decides to risk 6D+2, rolls a 6, 5, 1, 5, 3 and 4 giving a dice roll result of 26. This results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 49% of its size (i.e. 49% x 100 = 49 casualties). The unit strength of the phalanx is reduced by 49.

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 1,269 of them and their melee value is 19. The unit is very tired and has poor 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 (very 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 2 and a 5, making a dice roll result of 1, which results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 1% of its size (i.e. 1% x 1,269 = 13 casualties). The pike phalanx is reduced by a further 13 casualties.

Achilles is commanding the pike phalanx unit (which is 988 strong) - he decides to focus 288 troops on meeting the charge of the cataphracts and the other 700 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 exhausted and has average morale.

Against the cataphracts, Achilles makes a dice roll, with a basic value of 4 (Tactics) +2 (specialism) +0 (IQ) +25 (melee value) +0 (average morale) +0 (not charging) -3 (exhausted) -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) = -6. Try as they might, the phalanx inflicts no 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) +0 (average morale) +0 (not charging) -3 (exhausted) +2 (advantageous position) -12 (defence value) -1 (target is green in close order) +0 (attacking the target's front) +0 (normal visibility) = 17. He decides to risk 5D+2, rolls a 2, 5, 1, 4 and 3 giving a dice roll result of 17. This results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 25% of its size (i.e. 25% x 700 = 175 casualties). The phalanx inflicts 175 casualties on the spearmen as it continues to grind into them.

Meanwhile, Alexander's heavy cavalry are engaged with 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 142 of them and their melee value is 30. The unit is exhausted and has average 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) +0 (average morale) -3 (exhausted) +2 (advantageous position) +0 (not charging) -12 (defence value) -1 (target is green in close order) +0 (attacking the target's front) +0 (normal visibility) = 30. He decides to risks 10D, rolls a 5, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2 and 3 giving a dice roll result of 35. This results in the attacking unit causing casualties equal to 88% of its size (i.e. 88% x 142 = 125 casualties). The unit strength of the spearmen is reduced by 125.

Darius' Spearmen 2 fight back. 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 1,646 (1,683 -37 from missile fire) of them and their melee value is 19. The unit is exhausted and has average morale. They are engaged with 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) +0 (average morale) -3 (exhausted) -2 (disadvantaged) +0 (not 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-9, gets a 3 and 2, which results in no casualties this turn.

Eighth 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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