For those of you who have been following Mark’s “What Was Old is New Again” series covering Peloponnesian War design and strategy, please enjoy another selection from the years ago published Volume 28 #1 of The General. This four part article series is a replay of Peloponnesian War featuring Kevin Boylan as the Athenian Player, Doug Whatley as the Spartan Player, and Mark Herman as the Neutral Commentator. To read part one, follow the link here. Enjoy! -Rachel

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Turn 2

Political Phase

Random Event Segment: The Random Event die roll is “4”; Thrace changes sides in the war. This event places the Abdera and Maraneia (Athenian coalition spaces) into rebellion.

Delian League Rebellion Segment: There are no rebellions since the Athenian SCI is a positive number.

Leader Selection Segment: The leader picks are Callicratides for Sparta and Pericles for Athens. Since Callicratides has the higher Strategic Rating, the Spartans will conduct the first operation.

Doug: This event increases Athens’ problems in the north and should give me some opportunities, particularly near Amphipolis. If I can divert Athenian energies into this area, I may be able to keep him from raiding my coasts while reducing his revenue. As Mark will no doubt mention, the Spartans historically used a very similar strategy of fomenting and supporting rebellions against Athens during the Peloponnesian War. Hopefully, it will prove as successful for me as it was for them.

Kevin: As the old saw goes, “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” The incipient rebellions in Chalcidice and Thrace force me into a reactive posture this game turn. If they should spread (which is quite likely if the Spartans send an army or two in support), my treasury will soon be in bad shape and my Bellicosity sharply reduced. Thus, the order of the day is counter-insurgency operations, combined with the usual recreational coastal raiding along the Peloponnesus. Fortunately, I think I have enough talents in my treasury to do both this turn … if the omens are favorable!

Operations Phase

First Spartan Operation: Callicratides activates a Spartan army of one Cavalry and seven Hoplite SPs and marches it toward Amphipolis, picking up four additional Theban Cavalry SPs (cost, 800 talents, leaving 3,150 in the treasury) as it passes through Thebes. The Spartans are intercepted by the Thessalians at Larisa. In the resulting skirmish, one Spartan Hoplite SP is eliminated. When the Spartan army arrives at Amphipolis it is intercepted by the Athenian Allied Hoplite SP located there, and a skirmish occurs resulting in the loss of the Athenian Allied unit.

Doug: I struck at Amphipolis because it is a key strategic point along the land route to Byzantium and Asia Minor, and occupies a central position between the rebellions in Chalcidice and Thrace, from which support can be lent to both. Assuming that Kevin’s operations this turn will mostly be aimed at putting down the rebellions, I plan to use my subsequent operations to seek battle with whatever forces he sends north (especially the numerically weaker ones). This strategy will help ensure the survival and expansion of the rebellion, while giving me an opportunity to rake in a heap of Victory Points. I removed all the cavalry from Thebes (a point of some question) because I wanted to have sufficient cavalry on hand to ensure that I will have the cavalry advantage in case I have to fight a battle against the large Thessalian cavalry force.

Kevin: Well, since there’s no cavalry left in Thebes, the ZOI of the force there no longer extends into adjacent spaces. If the need arises, I’ll be able to send forces north through Delium without fear of interception. Considering that the Hoplite force inside Thebes is still quite sizable, I would have to send much larger forces if there had been any risk of interception. For the moment, however, I’m going to mount an amphibious operation against the rebels in Potidea.

First Athenian Operation: Pericles leads an Athenian expedition of three Naval and three Hoplite SPs against the Potidaean rebels, arriving without interference. The Athenian treasury is reduced from 4,800 talents to 3,000.

Doug: Whaddya know? Pericles shows at Potidea with a weak Hoplite force and no Cavalry. Looks like just the target I’ve been waiting for. I can activate one Cavalry and two Hoplite SPs at Sparta, proceed to Corinth and pick another Hoplite SP, and then march north to do battle with Pericles. My battle modifier will be at least “+3” (+2 for Spartan Hoplites, +1 for Cavalry advantage) versus Pericles’ “+1”. It will almost certainly be “+4” due to my leader (unless I draw Pleistonax with his +O Tactical Modifier) and could be a “+5” if I draw Brasidas or Lysander!

Second Spartan Operation: Once again the auguries are bad for further Spartan operations.

Doug: I can’t believe it! Another failed Auguries die roll.

Kevin: So far I’ve passed my auguries rolls, but Doug’s second straight failure sets me to thinking that I’m about due myself. I’d like to send another expedition north to help suppress the rebellions; but at the same time I’d also like to wear down the Spartan treasury and Bellicosity level by raiding the coasts of the Peloponnesus. Problem is, I might not get a chance to run another operation after this one, and I don’t want to leave either element of my strategy incomplete. Fortunately, Doug’s decision to take his cavalry out of Thebes now turns to my benefit by leaving me a way out of this dilemma. Since the force in Thebes no longer projects a 201 into Platea, I can send a small army to Naupactus by that route without fear of interception. Therefore, I declare an operation with Maraneia as its objective space, and, having drawn Phormio as my leader, use him to activate one Hoplite SP at Athens. This tiny force then marches to Naupactus, activates the Naval SP (total cost of 600, leaving 2,400 talents in my treasury) and proceeds on its way to Maraneia by sailing around the Peloponnesus, ravaging the entire Spartan coastline enroute.

Well, this will truly test Sparta’s mettle! Yet, while Sparta’s incapacitated army essentially gives Athens a free hand for the rest of the turn, the effect is quite minimal since the Corinthian navy is blockaded and there aren’t many ways that the Spartan army can seriously injure Athens anyway, except in offensives against Attica to reduce Athenian revenue.

Second Athenian Operation: Phormio’s army moves (as Kevin just described) and arrives in Maraneia without interception.

This operation is feasible only because the lack of Theban cavalry opens up the direct land route between Athens and Naupactus. The lesson here is that “combined arms” can be just as important in a game covering ancient warfare as they are in simulations of modern conflicts. Whenever possible, both players should try to keep at least one cavalry unit with those of their forces that occupy strategic choke-points (Athens, Corinth and Thebes are the three primary examples).

Third Athenian Operation: Athens fails its Auguries roll. Since both sides have now failed auguries, the Operations Phase comes to an end.

Kevin: I just knew I was going to fail this auguries roll! Luckily, I was able to kill two birds with one stone in that last operation, since it was absolutely vital that I ravage the coasts of the Peloponnesus this turn. Doug’s decision to remove all the cavalry from Thebes has proven to be a major error.

Combat Phase

There will be three sieges this Combat Phase (Sparta versus Amphipolis, and Athens versus Maraneia and Potidaea). But first, the Athenian naval SP at Sicyon and the Corinthian fleet are in each others’ 201, so a naval battle must be resolved.

Naval Baille: The battle is between one Athenian naval SP (“+2” die modifier for Athenian Naval SPs) versus three Corinthian Naval and five Hoplite SPs (“+2” die modi­fier for three Naval SPs versus one). The battle is naval because the Athenian force is exclusively naval. The Athenian die roll is “3 “; (1 +2) versus a Spartan die roll of “5”; (3+2). This results in the Athenian Naval SP being eliminated (if a second Athenian Naval SP had been present, it too would have been destroyed).

Sieges:

Siege of Amphipolis–Sparta fails, and the army is placed in the “Going Home” box.

Siege of Potidaea–Athens succeeds and gains 300 talents in booty. The “Going Home” roll leaves one Hoplite SP as a garrison while the remainder of the army is placed in the “Going Home” box.

Siege of Maraneia–Athens fails and the army is placed in the “Going Home” box.

Revenue Adjustments: The Athenians gain 300 talents, increasing their treasury to 2,700 talents.

Aggregate Victory Point Total: Athens’ total is “-5” (-15 for the defeat in the Naval Battle, and +10 for the successful siege); Athens’ Strategy Confidence Index is “0”. Sparta’s total is “+10” (+10 for the victorious Naval Battle, while no points are lost due to the Athenian siege of Potidaea because the space was merely in “Rebellion” and not a Spartan coalition space); Sparta’s Strategy Confidence Index is “+ l “. The aggregate Victory Point totals thus far are, Athens: +25; Sparta: -35.

Doug: Well, the Victory Point swing this turn evens things up somewhat, although my coast was once again ravaged, and I failed to ravage Attica in return–meaning that Athens will be able to collect an additional 1,000 talents for the Eisphora.

Kevin: Apparently Phormio just cannot get the hang of conducting a successful siege. Last turn he failed at Potidea, and this turn he screwed up at Maraneia–both costly setbacks for Athens. In each case, Phormio’s Tactical Modifier meant that the siege could only fail on a result of ” 1″ on a six-sided die.

Rebellion Phase

Continued Rebellion Determination Segment: The Potidaean rebellion is put down due to the 20! of the occupying Athenian Hoplite garrison. Scione, Maraneia and Abdera remain in rebellion since no Athenian ZOIs project into these spaces.

Rebellion Expansion Segment: The rebellion spreads to Thasos and Cardia.

Administrative Phase

Revenue Collection Segment: Athens collects 3,200 talents (base of 3,500 minus 300 for four spaces either ravaged [AmphipolisJ or in rebellion [Abdera, Maraneia and Scione, Thasos, Cardia]), plus the Eisphora, for a total of 6,900 talents. Sparta collects 1,950 (base of 2,500 minus 550 for 11 spaces ravaged by the Athenian navy) for a new total of 5,100 talents.

Strength Point Construction Phase: Athens builds an Allied Naval SP, placed at Chios; reducing its Treasury to 6,700 talents. Sparta builds another two Spartan Hoplite SPs at Sparta, reducing its treasury to 4,700 talents.

Armistice and Surrender Phase

Bellicosity Adjustment Segment: Athens’ Bellicosity remains at “11” (one-half of Athens’ current SCI of 0). Sparta’s Bellicosity declines from “6” to “5” (one-half, rounded down, of Sparta’s SCI of + 1 causes no shift, but a -1 is applied for the 11 ravaged spaces).

Doug’s strategy of attacking Amphipolis and supporting the northern rebellions should have produced more striking results than it did, but that’s what you get for cursing the gods! In any case, I think that Doug should have targeted his first operation against Larisa. If the Spartans can eliminate the large Athenian Allied force located at Larisa, the road to the north will be wide open, allowing them to mount a whole slew of small, cheap (1-2 SP) operations in support of the rebellions. Now, with 20/20 hind­sight, we can see that Doug wasn’t going to get to conduct any subsequent Operations due to bad omens; but I still think going after Larisa would have been the better move. Yet, despite Sparta’s setback, Athens’ VP lead actually diminished this turn. Doug is by no means out of the game yet. Since every battle can affect the Victory Point total by 25 points (+10 to the vic­tor and -15 to the loser), four significant victories are all that’s needed to put Sparta in the lead.

Doug: That’s one thing I like about this game; you are never totally down and out. You always feel that you can turn things around swiftly with just the right combination of strategy and a little luck. If I can only pass some Auguries rolls in the upcoming tum, I think I still have sufficient forces and time to reverse Kevin’s lead.

Kevin: So far, my operations have been shaped by the need to react to Spartan moves and the expanding rebellion. The only area in which I have been able to pursue a coherent plan is with the coastal raiding. In all honesty, the fairly advantageous situation in which I now find myself is more a consequence of luck and Spartan errors than any brilliant strategy on my part. Whether or not I’ll be able to convert my current advantage into a final victory is anybody’s guess. As Doug says, if he starts making his Auguries rolls, and therefore gets to win a series of battles and sieges, the whole game could turn around in a heartbeat.

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Articles in this Series: Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4