Granicus: Late Spring 334 BC

Started by MengJiao, September 15, 2020, 09:05:19 PM

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MengJiao

   There's not a lot of certainty about Granicus except that the river offered some definite advantages to the defenders (Satrapal Persians and Greek Mercenaries) and that some aspects of the Persian plan worked, that Alexander was nearly killed about half-a-dozen times, and that some of the Macedonians thought a more circumspect Alexadrine plan of attack would have worked better than Alexander's supposed solution of attacking right away late in the day directly into the most obvious entrappments of the Satrapal Persians who were both defending the river and "staying on the high ground" in the two contradictory "primary" accounts of the battle (both written centuries later).

   Given all that, added rules to make the river a variable problem (ie not good terrain for defense or attack and costing 1-4 movement points above the tributaries and 1-6 below) and set up my own classic Alexander trap system featuring a nice "weak-point" in the defense that is really a trap and assumed that Alexander fell for it (as always has happened against all the Alexander-player-opponents of my youth and possibly in reality as well) and this is what happened on turn 2 -- don't worry Alex is unharmed but the battle isn't going totally against the Persians yet:


MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on September 15, 2020, 09:05:19 PM
   

   Given all that, added rules to make the river a variable problem (ie not good terrain for defense or attack and costing 1-4 movement points above the tributaries and 1-6 below) and set up my own classic Alexander trap system featuring a nice "weak-point" in the defense that is really a trap and assumed that Alexander fell for it (as always has happened against all the Alexander-player-opponents of my youth and possibly in reality as well) and this is what happened on turn 2 -- don't worry Alex is unharmed but the battle isn't going totally against the Persians yet:

   Still turn 2 -- the Hypasts, Nicantor and Parmenio (red plume helmet man) may save the day by attacking where they suggested to Alex.  They have just routed some Persian cavalry that crossed to finish off some routed Macedonian Cavalry.

   On the other hand...some modern maps suggest why Alex went the other way around:  scrubby trees and easier crossings upstream.  So on a replay, I may see how that might have worked.  It does offer a bit of explanation at least maybe.

MengJiao

#2
Quote from: MengJiao on September 16, 2020, 10:12:31 AM


   Still turn 2 -- the Hypasts, Nicantor and Parmenio (red plume helmet man) may save the day by attacking where they suggested to Alex.  They have just routed some Persian cavalry that crossed to finish off some routed Macedonian Cavalry.

   On the other hand...some modern maps suggest why Alex went the other way around:  scrubby trees and easier crossings upstream.  So on a replay, I may see how that might have worked.  It does offer a bit of explanation at least maybe.

   As turn 4 opens, the Persians are starting to show some signs of strain...one unit out of command and some rallies not going well.  This is partly because on turn 3, the Macedoneans rolled so well on command that they forced some Persian commands to move too early or not at all.

    Turn 4 is more normal and, while the Persians are having some problems, the Macedonian losses are much higher and include one commander (Don't worry its not Alexander or the game would be over instantly as in "Game Over").

    The hypasts (essentially elite hoplites) are doing well and the Macedonian phalanxes are pushing across the river in the center despite taking some losses.

     More photos if something dramatic happens.

     Oh!  Most of the phalanxes are across the river (first move of turn 4):