[List II/9a] Syracusans 212 BC

Syracuse was a city of Greater Greece, located on the east coast of Sicily. The city was founded in 734 BC by Greek settlers from Corinth.

In its history, as an independent city, it was governed by tyrants, interspersed with short democratic and oligarchic periods. In 304 BC, the tyrant Agathocles took the title of king (basileus), title taken up by his successors.

Syracuse remained independent until 212 BC, when it was conquered by the Romans during the Second Punic War. It later became the seat of Roman domination in Sicily.

My army, constituted in BBDBA format, represents the Syracusan army in 212.

The figurines used are those photographed in the page devoted to the classical Greeks. On the other hand, some particularities concern the typically Syracusan platelets.

Some Carthaginian figurines are integrated on platelets to represent the use of Punic material (coats of mail, helmets ...) by some Syracusan hoplites.

Some shields bear motifs copied from Syracusan coins.

The army also employs a few mercenaries: two Iberian plates and a plate of Ligures. It is also possible for him to align Gauls (4Wb), which I do sometimes using my Gaulois bases (alas basement in 3Wb)

Iberian mercenaries

Ligurian mercenaries

Archimedean mirrors

    In 215 BC, Archimedes organized the defense of Syracuse in the face of the invasion of the Romans and of General Marcellus during the Second Punic War, during which the inhabitants of Syracuse had allied themselves with the Carthaginians after being the allies of Rome for nearly half a century. 

For three years he built war machines to resist the Roman galleys facing Syracuse. 

 Anthemius of Tralles (474-534) tells the story of the use of catapults and fiery mirrors in this battle become legendary

.Référence: Le cabinet de physique de Sigaud de Lafond

The use of mirrors as a weapon in themselves is impossible according to archaeologists. Experimental archeo attempts are best at 160 ° C, well below the 350 ° required to ignite a trireme.

The pointer hypothesis relies on the need to group several projectiles on the same target. The target ship is designated by the mirror. A priori, several bronze plates (an article even speaks of hexagonal shapes but I do not know why) Several ballista with flaming features then unite their shots against the same ship.

On the other hand, it goes without saying that this mirror is in no way fixed on a ballista itself.

I think of the general shape of the mirror of Lavoisier by adding pivots to the mirror itself (for the general form, I know well that for Lavoisier, it is quite different since the sun is directed towards the rear of the craft ). But that will be for later, when I will tamper with my current balistes. At least one of the balists will not be transformed in order to be able to be aligned, without a mirror, in other Greek armies than that of Syracuse (Phocaeans)

The version chosen by Greg Kelleher for his 15mm Syracusan army. He seems to have opted for the weapon mirror. Even if it's impossible, it gives a funny thing:

The archimedes balistes as I presently represent them (two of them will later be endowed with a mirror.

These ballista are Hät 1/72 plastic (with servants 28mm foundry) The rendering is nice and the low cost (about 5 € for 4 pieces of artillery)

[List II/5] Greek cities in "12 elements DBA"

The large number of Greek figurines I have allows me to align different cities, which allows us to set up a campaign on the theme of the ancient Greek wars.

List II / 5a Spartans
It is an army designed specifically in DBA by my son Antoine. She has her own page on this blog: "Étranger, va dire à Sparte qu’ici Nous gisons, dociles à ses ordres."

List II / 5b Athenians
The city that I find most interesting historically. One of his interests is the possibility of changing a psilos to archers (3Bw) What I can do for now, not having 3Bw Greek.

List II / 5c Thebans
It is an army destined to be played in big battle. I still lack six figurines of riders to be able to align them as such. When the army is over; She will have her own page on this blog. Meanwhile, it is played with a Thesalian ally, which reduces the number of riders needed.
An arrangement is however necessary because the Thessalian general (Cv) is represented by an LH (always this lack of riders) easily identifiable by its blue crest and played as Cv during the friendly parties.

List II / 5d Théssaliens
The Thessalians have the particularity, for Greeks, to have many light riders.

List II / 5th Etolians
A plethora of light infantrymen (Ps) This reduces the striking force but gives the army a great flexibility which has every interest to take advantage of the cutlery and can, in any case tickle the enemy lines in a particularly painful way for the latter.

List II / 5f Phocaeans
This army possesses the rare peculiarity of an artillery for a Greek army of that period. A quarter of the troops are also light infantry.

List II / 5g Italotes

Greek colonies in the Italian peninsula. This army offers a structure comparable to that of the Thessalians, lining up an important light cavalry. It is a pity to be able to line up with Oscar allies because this would have made it possible to constitute a pretty and colorful BBDBA army.

List II / 5h Sicilians

It is noted that this army does not represent that of Syracuse which has a clean list in the rules and on this blog.

List II / 5i Other Greek armies in Greece
Here we have the "classic" version of the hoplitic armies. A hoplite wall, a cavalry in reserve (or an extra hoplite) and a little psiloi for difficult terrain.

List II / 5j Expeditions of Outremer
Such, for example, that of Xenophon. Little variety of troops. 100% lancers. A line. A wall. Simple and often efficient, although its heavy and monolithic aspect sometimes makes this army vulnerable.

List II / 5k Spartan expedition to Asia (Brasidias)
A light version of the Spartan army. The opportunity to play these terrible beards while enjoying more tactical flexibility.

List II / 5L Greek Black Sea Cities
This army enjoys the support of its Scythian neighbors.

List II / 9a Syracuse
This army is at the origin of my purchase of Greek figurines. It was built in BBDBA version and has, in the rules and in this blog, its own page.

[Classical Antiquity] Assault of the Syracuse Greeks against Seleucid Syria (BBDBA)

The impressive Seleucid army

The battle opposes the Greek army from Syracuse to the Seleucid army. The Greek is the attacker.

The game was played with the Big Battle DBA (BBDBA) rule with 36 bases per army.

The terrain chosen by the Seleucid player includes an arm of the sea, a river, two roads, some woods and a field, far from where the action will take place. A good part of the battlefield remains unobstructed in order to allow the loading of the chariots, elephants and knights, terrible weapons against which the Greek are well disarmed.

The row of poplars, along the road, is only decorative and will be removed if it is to generate the unfolding of the battle.

Greek army

 The Greek general has opted for a particular deployment. Fearing the strike force of the Seleucids, he abandoned the center of the battlefield. Supporting his defensive strategy on a wood and river, to the right of the battlefield. On the other hand, a more aggressive corps is destined to go along the coast and throw itself on the Seleucid right in order to preserve the initiative on one of the battlefield points.


 Celtic mercenaries having abused the pint on the preceding vigil, the Greek general thinks it more prudent to leave them in the boats and to disembark them when they have desolated. What Seleukos does not know.

Seleucid right wing

The Seleucid cavalry is assembled on the right wing of the army in three successive waves. The light riders (LH) at the head, followed by the riders (Cv), themselves pressed by the cavalry of shock (Kn). As the BBDBA rules allow, the subordinate generals have dismounted to fight feet, at the head of the phalanges. The platelets of Kn pass under the direct command of Seleukos, the general in chief

Left extremity of the Greek right wing.

The Greek right wing rests on the river

Worried by the presence of the numerous elephants (6 pads, the sixth of the enemy's army!) And the chariots, the Greek general left two pieces of riveting close to one another so that their shots could, If necessary, to support each other.

Seleukos, launched his army on the whole line of battle. The effort is accentuated on his right wing, where his cavalry manages it very quickly reaches near the Greek ranks.

The surprise landing of the Gauls.

 The poker stroke of the Greek general then occurs. Celtic mercenaries emerged from the boats, much to the surprise of the Seleucids. (The Greek being the attacker, the platelets appear at the beginning of his first tale ... after the first Seleucid movement)

They quickly engage the enemy light riders on the beach. The struggle is desperate on both sides, the Celts risking a drowning assured if they are repulsed and the recoil of light riders caught flank being generated by their companions.

The Greek horsemen rush into no man 's land in the center of the battlefield, in order to be able to slow down the bulk of the Seleucid forces.

The Celtic mercenaries manage to set foot on the mainland. The situation becomes critical for Seleucid light riders.

View of the landing from the Greek ship (the photo allows me to notice that I have a lance to paint ^^)

 The Seleucid heavy cavalry sprang to the rescue of its isolated companions, lifting a thick cloud of smoke over the plain.

Too isolated, the light cavalry is annihilated before the arrival of this late support. It is attacked from the front by the hoplites and taken by flank by the Celtic mercenaries and a unit of light Greek riders who have detached themselves from their companions guarding the center of the battlefield.

In the shelter of the river, the Greek army is advancing. The hoplites rush to keep the bridge, the artillery is reoriented to support the troops who have remained on the other side, while the cavalry and the psilois go straight ahead in search of a fordable passage well beyond The Seleucid line.

The Seleucid heavy cavalry, arrived too late to support its light troops, is, in turn, stuck in the Greek line.

Séleukos and his heavy shock cavalry

Seleukos and the Cavalry of Shock observe from the third line, the assault of the heavy cavalry. A chariot and phalanges are sent in support in order to avoid asphyxiation of the riders, attacked from all sides.

The Seleucid heavy cavalry is annihilated.

Right extremity of the Greek left wing.

In the center of the battlefield, the Greek horsemen do not make the weight and fail to retain as much as they wanted the enemy line. They then retreated to lean on the right extremity of the left wing of their army. The Seleucid warriors hit hard on the hoplites present in this area of ​​the battlefield.

The bridge over the river is in under hoplites' control.

Seleucid left wing bypass

The Greek psiloi and heavy horsemen (led by the general-in-chief) forded the river behind the Seleucid line, near the encampment of the latter. "It stinks a lot" for the Seleukos army

Note: lacking Greek heavy riders, these bases are represented by Gallic mercenary horsemen, which comes to the same n term of play and is not historically shocking for an army of Syracuse.

 Having no cavalry on its left wing, the Seleucid can send as fast troops only slingers in order to desperately attempt to cut the road of the camp to the skirmishers and the Greek cavalry.

 The hoplites abandoned the bridge to throw themselves on the exposed side of the Seleucids, the artillery having shot down one of the most menacing elephants.

 Against any prognosis and probability, the Seleucid slingers blocked the enemy advance towards their encampment. Their heroism even saves enough time to allow a heavy chariot to come to support.

The wing of Seleucid cavalry, demoralized and largely destroyed, is on the run. The Greek general succeeded in reorganizing his troops patiently so as to remain in order for the priest who was preparing against the Seleucid center, which was very powerful but heavy and not very manoeuvrable.

 A critical moment for the Seleucid slingers blocking the road to the camp. They will survive this episode and will repel their opponents (again against any probability ^^)

The Ligurian and Iberian mercenaries of Syracuse hold the wood on which the Greek right wing rests and neutralizes an important enemy strike force.

 The heroic defense stood firm and the road to the Seleucid camp is now cut off for the Greek general.

 On the other hand, on the battlefield rises, the losses are too great for the Seleucids and the army, demoralized, runs away.

The victory came to the Syracusans.

 The only consolation for Seleukos: after saving the encampment, the slingers succeeded in rejecting the Greek general to the river, and it was by retreating, from the water to the waist, that he attended the victory of his army and To the Seleucid rout.

In terms of game, the victory is very important, the Greek player having lost only 3 pads out of the 36 engaged. Viewing the power of the Seleucid army this was very unexpected (and does not reflect the battle, where things were not so decided)

As part of our "championship" internal to the player group, the scores obtained are 71 to 3. Which is, at this time of the championship the largest score.

(72 kills, the Seleucid kills three> 3 pts, so the Greek has 72-3 = 69 points + 2 bonus points for killing one of the three enemy generals)