Battle Of Ulai - Turn Five

Situation after four turns

I at last win the dice-off (4-2) to decide who goes first.

I start with my royal chariots, which are just within charge range of a full-strength unit of Elamite archers ... but I roll 1 for move-variation, meaning my men come up short.

My one-base cavalry, being much closer, have no such trouble closing with the one-base Elamite archers. The latter pass their terror-induced morale test, and in the melee neither side inflicts a hit.

My extreme-left biblical infantry smash into the Elamite extreme-right archers. The latter's morale holds. In the melee my men receive three dice per base, and I inflict four hits. The Elamites receive one die per base, but nevertheless score two hits. Two of the four hits are saved, and the others are resolved as forcing the Elamites back a total of 6cm. Neither of the two hits my men suffered are saved, and both cause the loss of a base! This prompts two morale tests, one of which causes the loss of another base.

My other biblical infantry again show (understandable) reluctance to advance, only covering 6cm.

The three-base professional infantry, however, advance 8cm and shoot with two bases (rounded up from 1.5 after a 50:50 roll) at the Elamites immediately to their front, scoring two hits. One hit is saved, and the other forces the Elamites back 3cm.

The one-base professional infantry also advance 8cm, just failing to force a melee, and are unable to shoot.

I am sorely tempted to concede, but Reg has persuaded me to let the turn finish, before making any decision

King Teumman's extreme-left archers shoot at my royal chariots, scoring a hit, which causes the loss of a base. However, the squadron's morale holds steady.

The next unit of archers turns and shoots at my one-base professional infantry, scoring three hits! However, two are saved, and the third is resolved as forcing my men back 3cm.

They are then shot at by the two-base Elamite archers, who score a hit, but it is saved.

King Teumman's chariots then charge the same unit. In the melee they receive one die per base, plus one die per base for being chariots in the first round of combat. They score four hits, two of which are saved, and the other two force my men back a total of 6cm. However, my men receive two dice, scoring a hit, which forces the chariots to reel 3cm.

The four-base archers, near the summit of Ulai Hill, shoot at the professional infantry directly ahead of them, scoring three hits. One is saved, and the other two force my men back 6cm in all.

The extreme-right archers shoot at my one-base biblical infantry, scoring two hits, which also force my men back 6cm.

Finally, the melee between my one-base cavalry and the Elamites' one-base archers, on the north side of the battlefield, ie the Elamite left, again fails to bring about any significant action.  

My Assyrians are just about hanging on

Battle Of Ulai - Turn Four

The Elamite left-flank is in danger of being turned

Teumman yet again wins the dice-off (6-1) to determine who goes first.

He starts by turning the extreme-left archers to shoot at my red chariots, scoring two hits. However, both are saved.

The next Elamite unit also turns, and advances slightly, from where it can shoot at my cavalry, scoring one hit. It is not saved, and is resolved as the loss of a base. However, the cavalry's morale holds.

The next unit of archers cannot shoot at any of my right-flank troops, so instead turns to the right and shoots at the nearest professional infantry, scoring two hits, one of which is saved. The other causes a base to be lost, but my men, being professional infantry, do not have to test morale after losing a base to bowfire.

King Teumman's chariots shoot at the same target, scoring two hits, one of which is saved. The other forces my men back 3cm.

The archers that are immediately next to the chariots shoot at the same target, scoring four hits! Two are saved, but the other two cause the loss of a base.

The next unit of archers shoots at my other unit of professional infantry, scoring a hit, which causes the loss of a base.

Finally, the extreme-right archers shoot at my three-base biblical infantry, scoring a hit, which forces my men back 3cm.

Unless the Assyrians can close quickly, there will be none left to win what should be highly favourable melees

I start with my two-base red chariots, which charge the Elamites nearest them. The terror rule causes the Elamites to lose a base immediately. In the melee-proper I receive three dice per base, plus one more per base for being chariots in the first round of hand-to-hand fighting, and I score three hits, although two are saved. The Elamites get one die per base, but score two hits, although one is saved. The result is both sides lose a base, and both units' morale fails, meaning another base is lost. That eliminates my unit, and reduces the Elamite unit to one base.

The one-base cavalry, veering more than 30° to approach the Elamite left-flank, can only advance 10cm, and this is reduced by 2.5cm thanks to me rolling a 1 for move-variation. The unit has a 50:50 chance of shooting with its one base, but my roll for that is also unsuccessful.

My royal chariot squadron, showing rather more enthusiasm for the task in hand, turns sharply left and, thanks to me rolling a 6 for move-variation, advances 12.5cm.

On the Assyrian left-flank, both biblical units advance, although the three-base spearmen only cover 6cm.

The three-base professional infantry advance and shoot with one base (I failed a 50:50 roll for a second base) at the nearest Elamites, scoring a hit, which destroys a base, and a second base is lose to poor morale.

The one-base professional infantry, showing surprising spirit despite heavy losses, advance 12.5cm, and are able to shoot at the same target, but without success.

I desperately need to move first next turn

Battle Of Ulai - Turn Three

Looking from behind the Elamite lines at the end of turn two

Teumman again wins the dice-off (4-2) to decide who goes first.

His left-flank archers shoot at the chariots bearing down on them, rolling 6, 6, 2, 1 - two hits. Neither hit is saved. One causes the loss of a base; the other forces the survivors to reel back 3cm.

The next unit of archers shoots at the same target, also scoring two hits - but both hits are saved (I roll 5, 4, needing 4+ for heavy chariots).

The next unit of archers shoots at my two-base cavalry, scoring a hit, but this is also saved, and the fourth left-flank archery unit shoots at the same target. This time Teumman rolls 6, 6, 6, 4, and I fail to save any of the hits, two of which are resolved as causing the loss of a base, thus eliminating my unit.

The king's squadron advances slightly down Ulai Hill in order to shoot at my further-forward professional infantry, scoring two hits. I save one, and the other is resolved as forcing my men back 3cm.

The archers immediately to the right of the king advance down the hill and shoot at the same target, scoring a hit, which I save.

The next unit of archers also advances, and shoots at the nearer biblical infantry, scoring a hit, which is not saved, and is resolved as the loss of a base. However, the unit's morale holds firm.

Finally, the extreme-right Elamite archers advance a short distance and shoot at the same target, but unsuccessfully.

A good half-turn for King Teumman and the Elamites

I start with my cavalry charging the extreme-left Elamites. Under Neil Thomas's terror rule for most Assyrian troops in Ancient & Medieval Wargaming, enemies have to test their morale at this point, and a roll of 3 (average troops need 4+) means it is dodgy, causing the Elamite unit to lose a base.

First Elamite casualties

In the melee my close-order cavalry receive three dice per base, and I duly roll three hits, one of which is saved. The Elamites recieve one die per base, but Teummann rolls 5, 5, 4 - two hits, neither of which is saved. Both hits suffered by the Elamites cause the loss of a base, although the unit's morale now holds. One of the hits my unit suffered causes the loss of a base, and the other forces the survivors to fall back 3cm, but their morale fails, causing a second base to be lost.

My two-base red chariots charge the remaining base of the Elamite extreme-left unit. This time the unit does not succumb to the terror rule, but in the melee my men again get three dice per base, compared with the enemy's one. I score two hits - one is saved, but the other causes the Elamite unit to lose its final base, and my squadron does not suffer a hit.

My royal squadron continues to swing round, our of harm's way of the Elamite archers.

My further-forward professional infantry advance and shoot with half their bases at King Teumman's chariots, but ineffectively.

The other professional infantry, thanks to move-variation, boldly advance 10cm and shoot at the Elamites directly ahead, rolling 6, 1. The hit is not saved, and forces the Elamites back 3cm, where, due to the steepness of the slope at this point, I have to use a little Blu Tack to hold them in place.

Both my units of biblical infantry advance 8cm.

Both armies have lost a complete unit, but Assyrian overall casualties are higher

Battle Of Ulai - Turn Two

The Assyrian right, formed exclusively of mounted troops (chariots and cavalry), has pulled well ahead of the Assyrian left

Teumman again wins the dice-off (4-2) to see who goes first.

The furthest-left Elamite archers advance slightly and fire at the Assyrian cavalry opposite them, but roll 4, 4, 4, 2 (5+ is needed for a hit).

The next unit of archers is already in range of my red chariot squadron, and so shoots, rolling 5, 4, 3, 2 - one hit. Heavy chariots have a saving roll of 4+, but I roll a 1, and when I roll to determine the effect of the hit, I throw another 1, meaning a base is lost. This forces a morale test, which the unit passes with a 4 (elite troops need 3+).

The first casualties

Another unit of archers advances slightly down Ulai Hill and shoots at the cavalry nearest East Wood, but nerves get the better of them (Teumman rolls 2, 1, 1, 1).

The archers to the left of King Teumman's chariot squadron also advance and shoot at the same target, with much better effect, rolling 6, 5, 5, 4 - three hits (thanks to being under the watchful eye of the Elamite king?). The cavalry have light protection, meaning only a 6 will negate a hit. I roll one 6, but the other two hits are not saved, and both are determined as causing the loss of a base. This means two morale tests, but both are passed.

Teumman, apparently satisfied with what his men have achieved this turn, leaves his own unit, and the Elamite right-flank, in position facing the Assyrian infantry.

The Assyrian right is somewhat depleted

I start with my far-right cavalry who advance 10cm, losing half their movement allowance, thanks to veering more than 30° from straight-ahead. Nevertheless, this easily puts them in range of the Elamite left-flank, and my men can shoot with half their bases, However I roll a pair of 3s.

My red chariots charge forward their full 20cm allowance, which almost puts them in contact with the far-left Elamites.

I send my royal squadron to the right, however, and shield it from Elamite archery with my two-base cavalry.

My professional infantry nearest East Wood get a move-variation bonus, which puts the unit within range of the Elamite archers immediately to the right of King Teumman. My unit can fire with half its bases, but I roll 4, 2.

The other three infantry units also advance, but with the second unit of professional infantry dawdling (I roll a 1 for move-variation).

Moving first next turn could provide a significant advantage

Battle Of Ulai - Turn One

Looking at the battlefield from the south, with the Assyrians either side of East Wood, and most of the Elamites on Ulai Hill

Bird's-eye view from behind the Elamites

Looking from above East Wood

Teumman wins the dice-off (6-5) to see who goes first, but orders his men to stay in position.

I order a general advance, starting with the cavalry next to East Wood. However, move-variation (I roll a 1) means the unit only moves 15cm, instead of close-order cavalry's normal 20cm allowance, and this has the effect of keeping them just out of bowshot range of the Elamite army.

The red chariots advance 20cm, but, thanks to move-variation, the royal squadron only advances 15cm - perhaps there is unexpected rough ground near the wood.

The cavalry on the Assyrian far-right advance the full 20cm, but thanks to slightly outflanking the left wing of the Elamite position, this also leaves them out of bowshot range (this unit, which has royal-blue horse trappings, can shoot with half its bases).

On the Assyrian left, both units of professional infantry advance 8cm, but the two units of biblical infantry show commendable eagerness, if perhaps a little indiscipline, by rushing forward 10cm (in both cases I rolled a 6 for move-variation).

Situation at the end of turn one

Battle Of Ulai - Cheat-Sheet

HERE is a cheat-sheet for my adapted rules for fighting biblical-era battles with 10mm miniatures.

They are based on Neil Thomas's rules in Ancient & Medieval Wargaming, but you will need that book for specific points not covered here, eg the number of dice rolled in melees, and in general for how the rules operate on the tabletop.

Some of the modifications are a result of my studying the period, and of how I like a wargame to work, and some are adapted from Bob Cordery's Portable Wargame books.

Who Moves First?

Dice at the start of each turn, higher score moving first. Great general: +1; poor general: -1.

Generals

One elite unit is designated as the general's, receiving a +1 modifier when testing morale. If the unit is destroyed, all friends in line-of-sight immediately test their morale, and all other friendly units test their morale at the start of the next turn.

Movement

Open-order cavalry, light chariots: 24cm

Close-order cavalry, heavy chariots, camelry: 20cm

Open-order infantry, auxiliary infantry: 12cm

Close-order infantry: 8cm

Turning more than 30° from straight-ahead costs half the movement allowance, except for open-order troops, camelry and light chariots, who are not penalised.

Variation: when a unit tries to use at least 75% of its movement allowance, roll a die, a 6 meaning 25% is added to the distance covered, a 1 meaning 25% is deducted.

Missile Ranges

Foot bows and slings: 24cm

Mounted bows: 20cm

Javelins: 8cm

Archers as well as javelinmen can shoot at attackers who make contact after having started more than 8cm away (assuming the defending unit has not already fired during the turn).

Hits

5+ on a die scores a hit. If it is not saved, use the following table:

                             Elite Average Levy   

Lose base              1-2      1-3     1-4

Fall back 3cm         3+       4+      5+

A unit that cannot fall back, either straight or within 30° of straight back, eg it is blocked by impassable terrain, by enemy troops or by friendly troops not in open-order, loses a base. A unit that would leave the battlefield if it fell back, instead loses a base.

A unit in a melee whose opponent falls back may follow up and immediately force another round of hand-to-hand fighting, provided the player's unit suffered fewer hits than its falling-back opponent.

Morale

The general's unit receives a +1 modifier when testing morale.

If the unit is destroyed, every friendly unit in line-of-sight tests its morale immediately; every other friendly unit tests its morale at the start of the army's next turn.

Victory

An army losing more than half its units is defeated.

Turn Mechanics

Each unit moves, shoots, tests morale, etc, before the next unit does likewise.

Battle Length
Maximum 15 turns before nightfall usually ends fighting.

Difficult Terrain

Use the same combat table as for fighting in woods.

Cover

Troops behind cover get an extra die per base in the first round of hand-to-hand fighting.

Battle Of Ulai - Starting Positions

BOTH players will now draw a quick sketch-map of their initial dispositions on the battlefield, it being assumed that, although the Elamites have been outflanked, they had time to turn and face the Assyrians, who will enter the battlefield either side of East Wood (not an original name, but it avoids confusion).

I will have to split my Assyrian army 50:50, but it will be my choice which units start on which side of the wood.

Looking from the edge of East Wood to the Elamite position, where King Teumman has concentrated as many men as possible on the high ground

Bird's-eye view from above the Elamites of the Assyrians either side of East Wood

Close-up of the Assyrian right-flank - all mounted troops, including cavalry with archery capability (unit furthest from the wood), ie half of the unit's bases can shoot each turn, even if moving

Close-up of the Assyrian left-flank, with the two units of professional infantry on the left of the image

The battlefield at dawn (actually, the difference between this and other images in this series is that this photo was taken in natural light, rather than with blinds closed and the electric light on)

Battle Of Ulai - Picking Sides

MY opponent, 'Reg', gets to choose which army to command, and he has bravely - foolhardily? - picked the Elamites, sinking his persona into that of King Teumman, and I will refer to him as such from now on.

Next, we select our forces from the army lists.

I get to choose from the following Assyrian list.

CHARIOTS heavy chariots, elite 1-2 units
CAVALRY close-order, light protection, average 1-2 units
PROFESSIONAL INFANTRY professional, close-order, heavy protection, average 2-4 units
SPEARMEN biblical infantry, medium protection, average 2-4 units
ARCHERS open-order infantry, light protection, levy 0-2 units

Bearing in mind that all of the Elamite troops will be bow-armed, I have decided I want as many fast-moving units as is allowed, so I can close with the enemy in the shortest time possible.

Accordingly I have gone for all four available mounted units, and they will be supported by two units of professional infantry (remember, these can shoot with half their bases each turn, even if moving) and two units of spearmen.

My Assyrians (left-to-right): two units of spearmen, cavalry, two chariot squadrons, more cavalry, two units of professional infantry

The blue chariot squadron is the one that includes King Ashurbanipal.

My opponent has a much more limited list to choose from, but he has varied from the setup I posted here by dispensing with close-order archers, so his army consists of a squadron of medium chariots and nine units of open-order bowmen.

Battle Of Ulai - Setting Up

HOW the battlefield looked is largely conjecture, but I have included all the significant elements, although whether each is in its correct place is impossible to determine.

Looking from the south, with the River Ulai curving around high ground in the centre of the battlefield

In the foreground is a large deciduous wood, with a smaller wood in the centre-east and a marsh and a copse in the north.

There is some uneven ground east of the hill, but this will only have the effect of slowing chariots and cavalry, reducing their movement allowance by 50%. Infantry will not be affected, and the ground will have no effect on shooting or melees.

Looking from the northwest gives a better view of the swampy ground and adjacent copse

The Assyrians were marching from the west, with an army much more suited to hand-to-hand fighting than were the Elamites, so King Teumman used the Ulai as a barrier to protect his forces, made up mostly of open-order troops, skilled in archery, but without shields or armour.

How the Elamite army may have looked as it awaited the Assyrians coming from the west, assuming the army had chariots, and the Royal Guard of close-order archers, with the rest of the force made up of open-order bowmen

As I explained earlier, King Ashurbanipal and the Assyrians bypassed the main Elamite position, and came at them from the other side of the battlefield, forcing the Elamites to turn and fight with their backs to the river.

That is hardly a position any army would want to be in, as the Ulai here is unfordable - one of the reasons Teumman thought it would make a good barrier to protect his men. So any troops forced into it will count as drowned, and their bases removed from the table.

Battle Of Ulai

THE Battle of Ulai, in about 653 BC (the exact date is not certain, and even the name is not agreed on   - some prefer Til-Tuba) pitted Assyrians under Ashurbanipal against Elamites under Teumman.

What we know of the battle comes almost exclusively from carvings in Nineveh commissioned by King Ashurbanipal to celebrate his crushing victory.

According to these, Teumman had usurped the Elamite throne from the previous king's sons, who fled to Assyria for protection.

However, it was common at the time for Mesopotamian rulers to claim they were acting on behalf of the gods, who were outraged at another ruler's conduct.

Accusing Teumman of being a usurper was standard practice, along with allegations of raiding and oath breaking.

Whatever the truth, Ashurbanipal set aside a whole campaigning season, probably in 653 BC, to subdue Elam.

We have no idea of the numbers involved in the battle, which is typical of conflicts in this period - a good reason for using Neil Thomas's biblical rules in Ancient & Medieval Wargaming, where every army consists of eight units.

What we do know is the Assyrians were well-equipped, and I will be using my amended A&MW list for our refight.

My reasons for changing Thomas's list are explained here, the result being:

CHARIOTS Heavy chariots, elite 1-2 units
CAVALRY Close-order, light protection, average 1-2 units
PROFESSIONAL INFANTRY Professional close-order, heavy protection, average 2-4 units
SPEARMEN Biblical infantry, medium protection, average 2-4 units
ARCHERS Open-order infantry, light protection, levy 0-2 units

The general - in this case, King Ashurbanipal - will be with one of the chariot units (I'm assuming the player commanding the Assyrians will choose to take both possible chariot units, and in any case will have to take one).

The Elamite army was of a very different order, still emphasising open-order archery and fundamentally not much changed from the Battle of Siddim more than a thousand years earlier.

My list for Elam - Thomas did not include one in A&MW - is as follows:

CHARIOTS bow-armed MEDIUM chariots, elite 0-1 unit
ROYAL GUARD close-order archers, light protection, elite 0-1 unit
ARCHERS open-order, light protection, average 5-8 units
JAVELINMEN open-order infantry, light protection, levy 0-2 units

Note that I have had a slight rethink on my previous classification of Elamite chariots as light. While it is true they were used as a shooting platform, in line with Elam's cultural reliance on archery, the actual chariots were not light, in that they had neither great speed nor manoeuvrability. Accordingly I am giving them a new classification of medium, which means they move at the speed of heavy chariots, and suffer a 50% movement loss if veering more than 30° from straight-ahead. They have the shooting characteristics of light chariotry, meaning they can move and fire in the same turn. In melees they count as light, but they have the saving-throw of heavy chariots.

For this battle, whoever commands the Elamite army must select the unit of chariots - King Teumman is depicted in the Assyrian reliefs as going into battle in a chariot.

Despite his own mobility, he must have had few illusions that his army could stand up to the Assyrians in the open.

Accordingly, Teumman determined to obstruct their progress by forming up on the east bank of the River Ulai.

This is probably to be identified with the modern Karkheh, a broad river flowing in southwest Iran, although there are other candidates, and anyway the river will have certainly changed its course over the centuries since the battle.

Ashurbanipal bypassed the Elamites, thanks to specialist troops who established a bridgehead by fording the river with aid of gourds as flotation devices.

It seems the Assyrians built a temporary bridge or bridges, and may have found a shallower part of the river, where mounted troops, at least, could cross without serious fear of drowning.

At any rate, Ashurbanipal succeeded in outflanking the Elamites, who were obliged to turn and fight with their backs to the river.

The exact spot is unknown, but the terrain included swampy ground and wooded areas, and the Elamites were apparently able to situate the centre of their line on raised ground.

I will be staging the refight with my regular wargaming opponent ('Reg') who, as the guest, will get to choose which army to command.

It might be thought the battle should be something of a walkover for the Assyrians who, with their superior protection, will be heavily favoured in hand-to-hand fighting.

However, the Assyrian commander will have to decide whether his army advances at infantry pace, exposing it to a greater volume of Elamite archery, or whether the mounted units should rush ahead, which could make their flanks vulnerable once engaged in melees.