114 Gabiene (316 BC)
45 %
55 %
Historical Background
After Paraitacene in 317, Eumenes was desperately trying to keep the united Empire of Alexander alive for his heirs. The following year, Antigonus emerged early from winter quarters and force marched across the desert to catch Eumenes off guard. Eumenes detected the move and the two armies closed on a salt plain near Gabiene. Antigonus' force had 22,000 infantry, 9,000 horse and 65 elephants. Eumenes’ army was down to 17,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry and 114 elephants. Both sides deployed in a classic Alexandrian set up. The battle opened with the skirmishers and elephants engaging in a confused melee. Antigonus’ cavalry charged home against Eumenes’ left wing cavalry, routing it. In the center Eumenes’ Silver Shields prevailed again in an infantry attack that forced back the Antigonid phalanx. Meanwhile, Antigonus’ cavalry force was pressing in on both flanks and also captured Eumenes' baggage train (camp). It had been another close battle but Antigonus had prevailed. Antigonus negotiated with the Silver Shields to exchange their commander for their captured baggage, and Eumenes was betrayed and put to death. Antigonus was now the undisputed leader of the Asian satrapies, and would soon make a bid to reclaim all of the Empire of Alexander for himself.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. The rest is history.
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War Council
Antigonus Successor Army (Use Eastern Kingdom blocks)
• Leader: Antigonus
• 6 Command Cards 
• Move First 
Eumenes Successor Army (Use Greek blocks)
• Leader: Eumenes
• 5 Command Cards
Victory
7 Banners
Special Rules
• The Silver Shields is a special unit. Place a special unit block in the same hex as the Silver Shields unit to distinguish it from the other units. The Silver Shields will score a hit for each leader symbol rolled in close combat and may ignore one flag.
• A unit from Antigonus' army that captures (enters) Eumenes' camp hex gains one Victory Banner for Antigonus. The unit must stop on the hex, not just move through the hex. The camp may only be captured once, and when the Victory Banner is gained it may not be lost.
Tags: Expansion 1, Antigonus, Elephants, Eumenes, Successors, 7 banners, Silver Shields
Elephants on both sides lead to entertaining chaos. Much of this scenario depends on just how much havoc each side can wreak with the things.
I gave my opponent, who was just learning the game, Antigus and the command-card advantage. He promptly ran an elephant into my center, demolished one unit of heavies, and did half damage to a second. He followed this up by running Peithon's cavalry down to my camp hex for the extra banner. It was looking pretty dicey for a while; he was up 4 banners to 0 at one point with two of my elephants gone. The Silver Shields and my medium infantry retrieved the situation by punching through his center.
This one is well balanced, with similar tactical challenges for both sides and Antigonus's command-card advantage compensating nicely for Eumenes's slightly higher weight of metal.
