Huns versus Seleucids

Hun army composition is quite simple: 3 corps each made by a general, 18 ILhS and baggage. In addition, feigned flight stratagem, that is almost compulsory when playing an all mounted steppe army (army list). I was the attacker, and the terrain fell in this way:

2 big marshes, one huge gentle hill on my right (my pick), two small rocky field and a vineyard far away on the left. A terrain pretty closed.

I choosed a simple plan. The only area where my massed cavalry could be effectively deployed was on the right. I would have tried a sweeping attack there, with a little diversion aimed at the gap between the marsh an the orchard on the left. No flank march, I didn't want let the initiative to my drilled opponent.

We rolled for the deployment order, I scored 6 Seleucid 4. I added +3 to grab the initiative. Huns are not match up sensitive.

The armies deployed. My CiC corps was on the right to gain advantage from the bonus pip. The Selucid had a Cv corps supported by 1 El,  PsS and Lh on my right, a PkS phalanx 2 deep in the center, and 5 KnF wedges on the left, supported by 8 AxO and more Lh. A very weak army I thought. I was going to change idea soon.

On turn 1 I rolled low, but I needed few moves to take possession of the hill. This would prove decisive later.

The Seleucid advanced. RAxO entered the swamp to provide overlaps.

Hellenistic left stayed back, opening the columns on the side and waiting for my attack, I was in charge reach.

And I went in with height advantage. Unfortunately I rolled very low pips, and could not save pips for a feigned flight.

With an hindsight, the charge was a big mistake. I wanted to attack wedges with FF, but pips were low (1s). I was afraid to be caught with the marsh on my back, and I was thinking that 2 lines of LhS would smash 5 KnF. It would be better to wait, for I had advantage in the downhill charge on the left.

This is what happened in the combat phase. Less Huns.

The attack on the hill went better. My opponent made a mistake letting his PsS too close to his Cv, losing a couple when the Cv in front died.

The wedges charged, and losses mounted. My left wing had ceased to exist.

In the center I took huge casualties. I was a bit depressed. What kept me in the game was that many elements were just spent and not lost

On the right combat went back and forth with losses mounting up for both. The combat climax was near.

A couple of combat bounds  weakened a lot my army.

Next bound i tried to exploit the gap in the terrain. The IAxO were out of command

While the left disengaged, I attacked again in the center to trigger a feigned flight

Another downhill charge. I needed a result there and soon.

ILhS flee from combat and turn at the end of their turn. Slight error here, for the couple of LhS in the second row should have turned at the end of seleucid bound.

With the demise of the Elephant, isolated in the middle of my LhS, the seleucid right wing is disheartened.

In his turn Seleucid rolled very low pips and some of his troops left the RF. Next I finally rolled high, and was able to manouver the LhS to reform on right and attack from the sides the pursuers.

Seleucid right corps after the combat phase is broken.

Pursuers were cut down. Now the Seleucid center was starting to take casualties

With many casualties inflicted, but mostly spent Lh, the Seleucid was desperate to try to kill more huns. Here his left wing advanced and charged

The corps broken fled away, exposing the phalanx side.

Cavalry combat became fluid.

Units were engaged piecemal and losses mounted

The huns right regrouped and engaged flank and rear of the phalanx. The Seleucid were on the verge of collapse

In the confused melee on the left the Seleucid CiC was taken in the back, but survived

Both the armies were exausted, but fight went on. Flanks were no more protected and combat became even more deadly.

Huns losses were extremely high. The center corps had 12 ME of lost and spent elements, so 1 more loss would have made the corps break, furthemore disheartening both the wings.

The last desperate Seleucid pike charge was unsuccesful.

More Seleucid losses, the center is disheartened and the general is engaged.

Ares was looking away. Seleucid couldn't renew his attacks to kill the last elements he needed to win, beacuse his pip were the dreaded snake eyes.

With these rear attacks the hun won, breaking the phalanx corps.

Hun terrible losses. 21-4.  The turning point was the hill possession, while terrain and awful pips hampered a lot my plans. I was saved and kept in the game by the combat resul table, because many of my losses were just spent elements. The Seleucid suffered some few but important losses from psiloi S position, and he thought that he could have better used the reserve Lh behind the Kn wedges, once there was room to manouver and hit my flanks.

An exciting game that could be won by either of us. We both were exhausted and shaken at the end.