Patran, Pharoah, Akton Ptolemy, had taken his country on the offensive. He was heading for the capital of Fezia when the Fezian commander, General Vorbis intercepted the Patrans.
King Akton (titles 'King and Pharah' are used interchangeably for Akton) had reasons to feel confident; His general, Biggusdiccus had already defeated a Fezian army further North. Furthermore, the pharaoh's army was strong and outnumbered the Fezians and he was loved by his men. With the assistance of the warlock, Taita, he always ensured that there were medical treatments for wounded soldiers. He also provided for widows and pensions for retired soldiers. A substantial amount of captured loot was given to the rank and file.
On the other hand, Akton was an incautious, impatient man. Then again, so was his opponent. Taita warned the king about the enemy archery and also their plate infantry. He advised they wait until the ballistas and elephants arrived and a flanking movement was well underway.
Instead, Akton just yelled, "Attack, Attack!" The flanking attack with the superior Patran numbers was slowly threatening the Fezians. The king would not wait. He ordered the Romans and Greek heavy infantry to attack in the center.
General Vorbis was also a reckless commander. He immediately advanced his whole army instead of waiting for the enemy to come to him. His archers caused some casualties but if the army had held back they might have got more shots in.
BELOW:
The Fezians were strong in the center and columns of light tribal spearmen began to overwhelm the Romans.
The Romans finally defeat the Fezian lights and plate but not before suffering grievous casualties.
The Lonely, nameless grave watches on, as does one of the local wildlife.
The Hillmen mercenaries, Egyptian lights and more Greek heavies arrive from the flank to help the Romans but too late for some.
Patran war elephants finally arrive.
The Romans and Greeks are heavily outnumbered in the center.
Fezian plate are hard to overcome but Taita's magic helps the Romans.
Patra's disciplined heavies
The feared Hillmen attack the fezian archers from the rear.
Romans, at left, attacked in the rear by Fezian tribals. The Romans had just, with the help of magic, defeated the Fezian plate.
Fezian artillery arrive too late.
Hillmen come up on the Fezian flank.
The Sphinx flies around to the Western flank and attacks a cannon crew. They are unable to fight back. legend has it that the sphinx asks riddles and those unable to answer die! Whatever happened they were beguiled and soon a victim of her terrible claws and teeth. Then the impetuous Fezian commander, single handed, charged her and he fell to the same fate. The fierce predator then charged a retreating, much dimished bow unit, killing all except one man who became a prisoner.
in fact. when the awful news came to Fezian ears those who could attempted to flee. Those still in combat continued to fight, to the end or until they surrendered and were mostly cut down. The Fezian hero, Barian suffered a near mortal wound and Tatia intervened for him with Pharoah.
In fact, fresh Patran columns barred the way of retreat. Only one unit escaped - a gun and its crew fled to the nearby Fezian castle.
THE ROLE OF MAGIC
This time it was the Patrans who had a sorcerer. Tatia used The Lore of Light. His first spell was to protect himself from miscasts. Mat dispelled it. Taita tried again and succeeded. (a 2+ on a D6 would, hopefully protect him from misspells). Then Taita cast a spell to cause horror in Fezian ranks. Roots and tendrills from the very earth rose up and pulled down more than half a unit of Fezian archers. But it also misspelled! Taita suffered an awful wound, but he staggered on and cast more spells. The Romans, in his view received protection of huge jagged thorns. These penetrated even the armor of Fezian plate. Even so, it took two units of Roman soldiers to finish the plate armored infantry.
The two lately arrived Patran war elephants charged the demoralized and depleted lights, squashing and tossing them on their tusks. The elephants suffered one wound each but were not badly damaged.
CONCLUSION
Despite the massacre of the Fezians they had managed to destroy two units of Romans and one of Greeks. A Greek hero also lay dead, or is he just unconscious, able to fight another day? The Fezian hero, likewise, has fallen but in territory now controlled by Patra. Barian is a prisoner.
Patran catapults arrived too late to participate in the battle. As in the previous battle, the Patrans have obtained a cannon. Will they learn to use it?
These armies must now rest for a map move. But there is a battle brewing further West, between Fritz and a Beersteiner garrison.
POST SCRIPT:
We almost forgot about supply wagons. These would have arrived during the battle unless written orders specified they remain in an adjoining hex. Mat could also have received supplies from the adjoining hex's castle (actually the capital of Fezia) but it is likely he intended an invasion of Patra and so needed the wagons. We decided that some of the wagons would have escaped as this Patran army did not have cavalry present at the battle. So, four wagons with 40 credits supply were captured.
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