First Newbury Play-Through: Introduction & Turn One

THE eighth battle in Mike Lambo's English Civil War book is the First Battle of Newbury, which was fought in September 1643.

Royalists under the direct command of King Charles trapped, but failed to destroy, a smaller Parliamentarian force under the Earl of Essex.

The Parliamentarians will attack from the bottom of the map

The human player takes command of the Parliamentarians, who have three units of muskets, two of pikes and two of horse.

There is a special win condition for this refight - the Parliamentarians 'only' need to get one unit off the top of the map before the end of turn 10.

If this sounds unrealistic, in that one unit would not have contained many men, remember a single unit in the refight represents many regiments in real-life.

I have concentrated my forces on the left flank, but with a small group on the other flank to act as a diversion or, perhaps, a separate breakthrough  group

The AI receives a unit of artillery and three units each of horse, muskets and pikes. They are placed according to dice throws.

The Royalists have sited their artillery behind trees, a mistake I made at the Battle of Stratton

As usual I will write up the refight as it goes along.

TURN ONE

My seven dice give me two 6s, 5, three 4s and 1. Since attack dice (4-5-6) are useless this early in the battle, I reroll the 4s but get 5 and two more 4s.

Accordingly I can only move one unit, and I choose to move forward the furthest-left muskets. I could instead have moved the unit next to them from off the same column of hexes as the artillery, but that would only lead to the artillery moving from behind the trees.

The Royalists start by firing their artillery, needing 8+ to score a hit, increased by one since they are firing through trees, but roll 6.

All three units of Royalist horse advance, with the right-flank units forming into column.

All the Royalist muskets also advance, and so do the pikes.

Royalists are advancing in unison

Summing Up The Empire Strikes Back Play-Through

Situation in 150 BC

I HAVE now played four games of Philip Sabin's Empire.

The first, a solo test game, saw the Macedonians struggle to overcome the Persians, while the Romans had little trouble containing and then eliminating Carthage, before successfully dealing with the Macedonians.

The second game, which was also solo and was posted on this blog, saw the Macedonians sweep through the Persian empire, while the Romans faced major difficulties against the Carthaginians, in the end leaving AFRICA in order to attack the Macedonians. But the Macedonians suffered from a series of revolts and an emergent Parthian state, and that left the Carthaginians as winners.

The third game was a four-player affair in which Andy's Macedonians destroyed the Persians and prevented the Romans from expanding east out of Europe.

Finally we have the fourth game in which my Romans caught Andy's Persians/Parthians at the last gasp for a memorable tie.
We hope to play more games of Empire, and have decided to keep campaign scores in which the winner of a game gets four points, second gets three, third gets two and fourth gets one.
Here are the standings after two games between myself, my regular wargaming opponent and two of out mutual friends, security consultant Richard Johnson and Andy, a serving officer in Britain's armed forces.

                                               Game One                       Game Two                            Total
Andy                                      4pts (Macedonians)         3.5pts (Persians/Parthians)   7.5pts

Me                                          3pts (Carthaginians)        3.5pts (Romans)                   6.5pts

Richard Johnson                     2pts (Romans)                 1pt (Macedonians)               3pts

Regular Opponent                  1pt (Persians/Parthians)   2pts (Carthaginians)            3pts

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 20 (160-150 BC)

Situation in 160 BC

As we start the last turn, the live standings are as follows.

The Carthaginians have 12 victory points from their imperial legacy and five from turn 10, making a total of 17.

The Romans have seven from turn 10 and 14 from their current holdings (consolidated ITALIA counts as three), making 21.

The Macedonians have nine from turn 10 and five from their current holdings, making 14.

The Persians/Parthians have 12 from their imperial legacy, five from turn 10 and five from their current holdings, making 22.

The revolt dice (5-1) see Cisalpina throw off Roman rule, reducing my score to 20.

The Carthaginians roll 5, narrowly failing to reclaim their homeland.

I attack Mesopotamia, conquering with a 4, taking Rome's score to 21 and reducing the Persians/Parthians to 21.

So it all comes down to Andy's roll. He would like to invade independent Pontus, but neighbouring Armenia is not part of a connected block of provinces, so he attacks Mesopotamia, but rolls 2.

The final picture, with the victory tracker showing the Romans and Parthians tied for first

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 19 (170-160 BC)

Situation in 170 BC

The revolt dice (4-3) strike a major blow against the Macedonians by falling on INDIA.

There is more woe for the Macedonians as Andy's Parthians finally conquer Syria.

I immediately attack Syria, rolling 3, which is enough since my two +1 modifiers, for not having a great captain and for having had a great captain within the last five turns, are enough to overcome a -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province.

The Carthaginians fail to reclaim their homeland.

The Macedonians conquer Thracia.

The Romans have edged east, but it probably will not be enough

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 18 (180-170 BC)

Situation in 180 BC

Perhaps the Romans have over-expanded, as the revolt dice (4-5) land on Sicilia.

I am drawn first, and attack Pontus, but roll 1, so it continues its independence heroics.

Andy attacks Syria again, failing with a 3.

The Macedonians similarly fail by rolling 3 when attacking Thracia.

Finally the Carthaginians again narrowly fail to reclaim their homeland, rolling 5.

With the Carthaginians no more, and the Macedonians fragmented, it is clearly coming down to a contest between the Romans and the Parthians

Sands Of Time

BROWSING in a branch of Waterstones earlier this month I came across Libyan Sands - Travel In A Dead World by RA (Ralph) Bagnold.

First published in 1935, it recounts his adventures in the late 1920s and early 1930s exploring the east Sahara by Ford car and truck.

There is not much from a wargaming perspective per se, except for accounts of Arab raids and Italian military operations.

But Bagnold's explorations formed the basis of his founding of the famous Long Range Desert Group of WW2.

Libyan Sands - historical gem

I have been very remiss lately in not posting my usual mini-reviews of books I have read that have a wargaming or history angle.

But this was such a great read that I thought I had to mention it asap.

Bagnold's study of the many sand dunes he came across proved not only useful for military operations but led to him being elected a fellow of the Royal Society.

I was so impressed by the book I have splashed out £24.53 on Amazon's last copy of his follow-up, Sand, Wind, And War - Memoirs Of A Desert Explorer.

Perhaps quite a portion of the second book will repeat sections from Libyan Sands, but there should be plenty of new content, and, as I lived in Libya for three years as a child, I am sure I will find it fascinating.

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 17 (190-180 BC)

Situation in 190 BC

The revolt dice (6-5) see Thracia throw off Roman rule, which will slow my efforts to deal with the Parthians.

Andy's Parthians are drawn first, and he attacks Syria, presumably hoping to follow up by later conquering AEGYPTUS, but rolls 2.

I no longer have Scipio but get +1 modifiers for having had a great captain within the previous five turns and for not having a great captain on turns 11-20. I attack Macedonia, but roll 1.

The Carthaginians roll 5, narrowly failing to reclaim their homeland.

The Macedonians conquer Illyria.

Illyria has lost its independence - a first, I believe, for one of my games of Empire

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 16 (200-190 BC)

Situation in 200 BC

The revolt dice (3-4) land on independent Illyria, and so have no effect.

This is the second turn in which I have Scipio. I start by easily crossing the sea to Graecia, which falls to Roman arms (I roll 5 both times). I take Macedonia, also with 5, Thracia with 3 and Asia with 2. I then give the Macedonians a break by attacking Pontus, but fail with a 1 (Pontus has been the unsung independent hero of this game).

Andy's Parthians attack Syria, but 4 is not enough for attacking a controlled province.

The Carthaginians fail to reclaim their homeland.

Richard also has to try to reclaim his homeland as the Macedonians do not have a block of four connected provinces (the minimum necessary to launch a campaign if  a block does not include the homeland), and he rolls the required 6 to liberate Macedonia.

The Romans have greatly weakened the Macedonian successor states, but are not yet in contact with the Parthian empire

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 15 (210-200 BC)

Situation in 210 BC

This is the first of two turns in which the Romans get Scipio as a great captain, with all the usual benefits, but naturally for these two turns the Romans do not get their usual turns 11-20 modifier of -1 for not having a great captain. The Carthaginians get a +1 modifier for this and the next four turns for recently having had a great captain.

The revolt dice (6-6) result in Thracia throwing off Macedonian rule.

I steamroller through Gallia, IBERIA and Numidia, and finally roll an emphatic 6 to capture AFRICA and so take over every Carthaginian province. I still have one campaign left, so I invade Graecia, but the naval crossing fails on a 1.

The Parthians attack Pontus, but roll 1 and so again fail.

The Macedonians reconquer Thracia with a 6.

That leaves the Carthaginians, who need to roll 6 to retake control of their homeland, but roll 3.

The west Mediterranean is all Roman

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 14 (220-210 BC)

Situation in 220 BC

This is the turn Carthage gets a great captain in the shape of the famous Hannibal, but first the revolt dice (1-2) cause AEGYPTUS to throw off Macedonian rule.

Thanks to Hannibal, the Carthaginians go first and have five campaigns, each with a +2 modifier for having a great captain. But they will be campaigning outside of the original Carthaginian empire, meaning a -1 modifier (but the normal -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province is ignored in the case of great captains, except when attacking a homeland). The Carthaginians start by attacking Gallia, but roll 1 and so have to use a second campaign, this time succeeding with 5. Cisalpina also falls when 5 is rolled. Hannibal then attacks ITALIA, rolling 3. His +2 modifier makes that 5, but there are two -1 modifiers, for attacking outside of the original Carthaginian empire and for attacking a homeland. For the final campaign the Carthaginians switch to Sicilia, but the naval crossing fails with a 1.

The Macedonians barely put down the revolt in AEGYPTUS by rolling 4.

I attack Cisalpina, rolling 4, which is plenty as the Romans have a +1 modifier on turns 11-20 when they do not have a great captain, and they do not suffer a -1 modifier when attacking a controlled Cisalpina.

Andy's Parthians attack independent Pontus, but roll 2.

The Carthaginians must be unhappy at the limited effect of Hannibal's great captaincy

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 13 (230-220 BC)

The situation in 230 BC

The revolt dice (1-3) see Graecia again throw off Macedonian rule.

Richard is drawn first and immediately reconquers Graecia thanks to throwing 6.

Andy's Parthians attack Syria, but roll 4, which is one short thanks to the -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province.

I attack IBERIA but roll 2.

The Carthaginians retaliate by attacking Gallia, but also roll 2.

The situation in 220 BC is as it was a decade earlier.

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 12 (240-230 BC)

Situation in 240 BC

The revolt dice (2-6) see Persia rebel against Parthian rule.

I am drawn first, and attack Numidia, but roll 2.

The Parthians resoundingly reconquer Persia with a 6.

The Carthaginians conquer IBERIA with a 6.

The Macedonians can only roll 3 when attacking independent Pontus.

As things stand the Persians/Parthians have a further five victory points coming their way

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 11 (250-240 BC)

Situation in 250 BC

From this turn my Romans receive a +1 modifier in every turn in which they do not have a great captain, ie every turn except 15 and 16.

The revolt dice (1-4) see Graecia throw off Macedonian rule.

The Carthaginians are drawn first and attack Gallia, rolling 2.

The Macedonians reconquer Graecia with a roll of 4.

The Parthians attack Macedonian-controlled Syria, but roll 1.

My Romans conquer IBERIA with a roll of 5.

Carthage is down to two provinces

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn 10 (260-250 BC)

Situation in 260 BC

Victory points are awarded at the end of this turn (and again at the end of turn 20), so it is the chance for Rome and Macedon (currently on "nul points") to catch up the established empires of the Carthaginians and Persians/Parthians, who start on 12 victory points.

The revolt dice (3-4) fall on independent Illyria, and so have no effect.

Carthage is drawn first, and attacks Sicilia, easily completing the naval crossing but rolling 4 for the attack-proper, which fails thanks to a -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province and a further -1 for attacking outside of Carthage's starting empire.

The Parthians invade Syria, but roll 1.

The Macedonians roll 6 and so at last reconquer 'Asia'.

The Romans attack Gallia, succeeding despite native unrest as I roll 6.

The Macedonians and Romans have expanded at a critical moment

Victory Points

Carthage picks up five victory points, thanks to controlling AFRCIA, IBERIA and Numidia, taking its total to 17.

The Romans get three points for having a consolidated ITALIA, and a further four for controlling Sicilia, Magna Graecia, Cisalpina and Gaul. That gets Rome's campaign off to a seven-point start.

The Macedonian successor states control seven provinces, including the double-points scoring AEGYPTUS and INDIA. That means nine victory points.

The Parthians have five provinces, taking their total to 17 victory points, the same as Carthage.

At the halfway stage it is the Romans and Persians/Parthians who visually are doing best

It is perhaps worth comparing this run-through's scores with the previous games - one solo, one four-player - I posted on this blog.

                                 Carthaginians...Persians/Parthians...Macedonians...Romans
Current                               17                       17                           9                   7
Previous Four-Player         17                       12                          11                  5
Solo                                    17                       12                          14                  5

It can be seen that Andy's Persians/Parthians and my Romans are prospering compared with the previous runs-through, the Carthaginians are holding steady and the Macedonians are struggling.

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn Nine (270-260 BC)

Situation in 270 BC

The revolt dice (3-6) see the Macedonians lose control of newly conquered Pontus.

Rome is drawn first, and I attack Gallia, which, like Cisaplina, has a -1 tribal-ferment modifier on the first 10 turns, but that proves irrelevant as I roll 1.

The Macedonians no longer get a +1 modifier for having had a great captain no more than five turns ago, but anyway only roll 2 while attacking 'Asia'.

Andy's Parthians roll the minimum 4 necessary to conquer independent Mesopotamia.

Carthage successfully crosses the Strait of Sicily, but its attack on Sicilia fails with a roll of 2.

The Parthians have five connected provinces

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn Eight (280-270 BC)

Situation in 280 BC

The revolt dice (6-4) see Mesopotamia, not for the first time, throw off Macedonian rule.

Andy's Parthians are drawn first, and he conquers Bactria with a 6.

Richard wants to avenge this defeat by attacking Armenia, but he does not have an adjacent province that is part of a chain of four provinces or is connected to the homeland, so instead he attacks 'Asia', but rolls 2.

I am next up. I could attack Cisalpina, but there is a -1 modifier for such attacks in the first 10 turns thanks to tribal ferment. I could cross the Strait of Sicily and attack AFRICA, but that would involve a naval crossing and an attack on a controlled province. However, attacking Graecia would also involve a naval crossing and an attack on a controlled province, and since the Macedonians are certainly not having things easy in the East, it comes down to Cisalpina or AFRICA, and I go for the slightly easier choice of Cisalpina, rolling the 5 needed.

Finally Carthage attacks Sicilia, but the naval crossing fails miserably when 1 is rolled.

Rome is expanding in the West, and the Parthians are resurgent in the East

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn Seven (290-280 BC)

Situation in 290 BC

The revolt dice (3-2) land on 'Asia' again, but that is already independent.

The Macedonians are drawn first, and attack Persia, but roll 1.

The Parthians attack Bactria, but a roll of 3 is not enough.

The Carthaginians again try to reconquer Magna Graecia, but roll 2.

I attack Sicilia, and succeed with 5, overcoming a -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province.

Carthaginians have been expelled from Italy

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn Six (300-290 BC)

Situation in 300 BC

The revolt dice (3-1) see 'Asia' throw off Macedonian rule.

The Romans are drawn first, and I attack Magna Graecia, seizing it from Carthage with a roll of 5.

Richard's Macedonians successfully invade Pontus after also rolling 5.

The Parthians attack the province of Persia, and another 5 is rolled.

Carthage tries to reconquer Magna Graecia, but rolls 3.

The Persian comeback, in the guise of the Parthians, looks promising

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn Five (310-300 BC)

The situation in 310 BC

The revolt dice (6-3) see Mesopotamia throw off Macedonian rule.

The Romans are drawn first, and I again fail to conquer Magna Graecia, rolling 2.

The Carthaginians successfully step into the south Italian power vacuum by rolling 5 as they invade Magna Graecia.

The Macedonians emphatically reconquer Mesopotamia with a roll of 6.

Andy also rolls 6, and so re-establishes Persian control of their homeland of Parthia, and from now on I will call them Parthians.

At the quarter-way stage it is probably the old empires of Persia and especially Carthage that are doing best

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn Four (320-310 BC)

Situation in 320 BC

The revolt dice (3-6) mean Pontus throws off Persian rule, halving the remnants of the Persian empire.

Rome is drawn first, and I try to conquer Magna Graecia, but roll 2.

The Macedonians get a +1 modifier for the next five turns as a result of having had a great captain, but it is unnecessary this turn as they roll 4 while invading INDIA.

The Persians fail to foment revolt in their homeland of Parthia, and the Carthaginians miserably fail to conquer Magna Graecia, rolling 1.

A generally quiet decade

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn Three (330-320 BC)

Situation in 330 BC

The revolt dice (4-1) pinpoint Bactria, meaning it takes advantage of the confusion caused by Alexander's invasion to throw off Persian rule.

The Macedonians conquer Persia, but fail when Richard rolls 2 while invading the Persian homeland province of Parthia (because it is a homeland, there is a -1 modifier despite the Macedonians having a great captain). Richard rolls again, but again rolls 2, finally succeeding at the third attempt. With their final campaign of the turn, the Macedonians end Bactrian independence with a roll of 3 (it succeeds thanks to Alexander's +2 great-captain modifier).

I roll a 1, and so consolidate Roman control of ITALIA.

The Persians are drawn next. Since they cannot launch a campaign - they neither control their homeland nor a connected block of four provinces - Andy tries to foment revolt in Parthia, but rolls 4 (6 is needed).

The Carthaginians attack Magna Graecia, but their roll of 4 is not good enough as the Carthaginians suffer a -1 modifier for attacking outside of their original empire.

Success in the early decades has gone mainly to the Macedonians and Carthaginians, but Rome is awakening

The Empire Strikes Back: Turn Two (340-330 BC)

Situation in 340 BC

The revolt dice (5-4) indicate Magna Graecia, but it is already independent.

This is the first of two turns in which Alexander the Great appears as a great captain, meaning the Macedonians get five campaigns instead of the usual one.

They also receive a +2 modifier, and ignore the usual -1 modifier for attacking controlled provinces, unless the controlled province is a people's homeland.

The effect of this is Richard only needs roll 2+ to conquer Thracia, 'Asia', Syria, AEGYPTUS and Mesopotamia, which he duly does.

I am up next, but roll 4, whereas only a 1 would have consolidated Roman control of ITALIA.

The Carthaginians again attack Sicilia, experiencing no problems with the naval crossing (rolling 4, when 3+ is needed) or the land conquering (rolling 6).

The Persians attack Mesopotamia, but narrowly fail with a 3.

Alexander the Great is on the rampage

The Empire Strikes Back: Introduction & Turn One

ALL four of us much-enjoyed our game of Philip Sabin's Empire, and now we have got back together to play it again.

As before the competitors are myself, my regular wargaming opponent, security consultant Richard Johnson and Andy, a serving officer in Britain's armed forces.

Andy, leading the Macedonians, won our first four-handed game.

I posted a short review of Empire here, and as usual I will write up the game turn by turn.

The first thing to do is draw for peoples, ie to see who controls the Carthaginians, Romans, Macedonians and Persians/Parthians.

The only difference this time is that anyone drawing the same people as they had last time can ask for a re-draw.

I get the Romans (I came second with the Carthaginians last time), while my regular opponent gets the Persians/Parthians, but since he had them last time, finishing fourth, he asks for a redraw, and gets the Carthaginians.

Richard draws the Macedonians (he came third last time with the Romans), and that leaves reigning champion Andy with the Persians/Parthians.

The extended Mediterranean world in 350 BC

TURN ONE (350-340 BC)

The revolt dice (4-3) select INDIA, but that is already independent, so there is no effect.

The Persians are drawn first, and Andy invades AEGYPTUS, conquering it with a 5 (4 or more was needed).

Next up are the Macedonians, and Richard successfully invades Graecia with a roll of 4.

I am drawn next, but there is nothing I can do as the Romans have to first consolidate their control of ITALIA by rolling a lower score than the turn number (impossible on turn one).

Finally the Carthaginians invade Sicilia. The naval crossing is not a problem (5 is rolled), but the attack-proper collapses on a throw of 3.

Situation at the end of turn one, in which the Persians and Macedonians have each conquered a province