Biblical Dry Run - Turn Six

Situation at the start of turn six

Hebrews

Reg declares a charge by his left-most auxiliaries against my two-base spearmen. Part of his unit has to pass through rocky ground, but auxiliaries are not affected by this and so the charge easily strikes home. There is no charge-bonus under the rules, but the auxiliaries have four bases against the spearmen's two. Reg rolls 4, 2 and two 1s - one hit. I roll 6 and 2 - also one hit. Neither hit is negated even though we both roll a saving throw of 5 (troops with light armour are only saved by a 6).

The Hebrew auxiliaries in the rocky ground opposite my chariots fall back as far as they can, which is 6cm (they lose half their maximum move for turning, but are unaffected by the terrain). The one-base Benjaminite slingers line up alongside them.

The other unengaged auxiliaries shuffle forwards and sideways slightly, presumably preparing to charge my Sherden if the latter, as seems likely, prove victorious in their melee against the Ephraimites.

The Gadites on the hill throw their javelins at my archers, who have formed a defensive circle, scoring a hit, which is not negated. Being open-order infantry, the Gadites are allowed to fire and then move, a rule they take advantage of to flee from the direction of my approaching three-base chariot squadron.

The four-base Benjaminites shoot at my marine archers, but fail to register a hit.

In the melee between the Ephraimites and my Sherden, the former score one hit against the latter's two. None of the hits is negated.

In the other melee my marine spearmen score two hits, but the Simeomnites score three. No hit is negated, which means under totting up that both units lose a base. The Simeonites are elite, but that does not stop shaky morale causing them to lose another base (Reg rolled a 1). The marines also lose a base to poor morale, meaning both units are down to one base in what has been particularly bloody hand-to-hand fighting.

The battle still feels very much in the balance

Egyptians

My left-flank chariot squadrons move to the left of the rocky ground facing them, so as to keep the Hebrews in the rocky ground within mounted-bow range. The royal squadron (the main body of its chariots are painted blue, a colour chiefly reserved in Egypt for royalty) shoots at the Benjaminite slingers, scoring two hits. Thanks to the target being in cover, the hits are halved, and the remaining one is almost negated, but Reg rolls a 5 - one short of the 6 required for a saving throw by lightly armoured troops. My other left-flank squadron fires at the same target, scoring a hit, which is halved, and disappears on a 50: 50 chance.

My three-base chariot squadron mounts the hill in pursuit of the Gadites, and shoots at them, scoring a magnificent three hits, although one is cancelled by a saving throw.

The archers on the hill also shoot at the retreating Gadites, being allowed two dice as the former are in a circle. However they roll a pair of 6s, and neither hit is negated, so the Gadites lose a base, and a second one when their morale plummets (Reg rolled a 1).

My marine archers shoot at the full-strength Benjaminites, scoring a hit, which is halved for cover, and then disappears on a 50:50 chance.

There are three melees to resolve.

My Sherden inflict two hits on the Ephraimites, and suffer one in return. All the hits stand, which means the Ephraimites become the first unit to be eliminated.

In the bloody second melee the Simeonites score a hit, but I negate it with a saving throw of 5  (the marine spearmen have medium armour).

Finally my ordinary spearmen fail to inflict a hit, but the auxiliaries fighting them score three, one of which I manage to negate.

The tide of battle seems to have swung Egypt's way, especially since the Gadites must be regretting their earlier impetuousness