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