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2013BC at Williamsburg Muster
Had a great time at the Williamsburg Muster this year! Got to run a few games and play in a number of others against regulars and new opponents. This is a quick AAR for the ancients game I ran using the QILS rules and units from our Heroes of Urartu scenarios.
It is the early Bronze Age on the Anatolian plateau.
Beyond the walls of the Nairi clouds of dust smear the horizon. Foreign troops
are coming again.
The game had players to commanding skirmish sized bands of early Bronze Age armies in a king of the hill battle. Control of the city was established by being the only force with units in two of the three critical areas: the lighthouse, the garrison, and the temple.
We ran a few games. This is a review of the first game, which had six players. The armies available were:
- Barbarians - Close combat only, but high defense
- Nairi Civilians - Low combat skill, but higher numbers
- Akkadian - Long range capability at low odds
- Hittites - Close combat only, but high probability of kill
- Assyrians - Short range capability, but very accurate
- Kassites - Medium range and medium accuracy
The first game began with a rush for the objectives. Each team trying
to secure one at the outset, and then hold it while obtaining a second.
The Hittites employed a different strategy, splitting into two teams
from the start and heading for two different objectives. The Kassites,
Hittites, and Assyrians each gained one of the key locations.
Then the struggle began. At the temple, the Kassites dug in, hiding among the pillars. The Akkadians and Hittites swarmed the temple. The Hittites rushed in while the Akkadians laid back and took pot shots. The Hittites were successful in gaining the temple, however, they lost a lot of forces, so the Akkadians were able to sweep in and take over.
Meanwhile, at the lighthouse, the Hittites took an early hold. The Barbarians
split between the lighthouse and the garrison. At the lighthouse, the Hittites
were able to hold out while the remaining Barbarians mixed it up with the
civilians. The civilians had numbers and went down quickly, but not without
inflicting heavy casualties on the Barbarians.
At this point the Assyrians swept down from the garrison to clean up the remains of the civilian-Barbarian battle. The survivors were too weak to make a play for the lighthouse, so they fell back and waited for reinforcements.
A few of the civilians had headed toward the temple and were met by some Akkadians advancing out. They were obliterated. The Akkadians then stepped up their advanced party, leaving only one figure to protect the temple. It payed off, since the second wave was able to overcome the Hittites and take the lighthouse. This allowed the Hittite player to take and hold two objectives, and win the game.