609 Olpae (426 BC)

Details: Written by: GMT Games; Category: Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC); Published: 26 January 2012; Last Updated: 09 November 2018; Hits: 8883

Victory Results:

47 %

53 %

Total plays 38 - Last reported by SimSportPlyr on 2024-04-30 19:40:07

Historical Background
During the Second, or Great, Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) the Athenians recognized their inferiority to Sparta in land warfare, and chose to fight with proxy forces and at sea. Nevertheless, there were many small battles, and the clash at Olpae is representative. In 426, the Spartan general Eurylochus was operating in western Greece with a small force of Hoplites. He convinced the Ambraciots to invade Amphilokia, and their forces joined him at Olpae. In response, the Amphilokians called on their allies and the nearby Athenian fleet under Demosthenes. Demosthenes only had a small force, but was chosen to be the strategos, or commander, of the allied army. Eurylochus deployed with his Peloponnesians on the left and Ambraciots on the right. Demosthenes countered with his Messenians on the right, Arcanians in the center and Amphilokians on the left. Seeing that his army was badly outnumbered, Demosthenes extended his left wing with light troops and posted a picked force in hiding to ambush the Spartan right. When the lines clashed, Demosthenes sprung his ambush and routed the Peloponnesians, killing Eurylochus. Meanwhile, the Ambraciots also routed the Athenian left, but Demosthenes was able to keep his victorious wing in good order and attacked these troops, completing his victory. This victory recharged Demosthenes’ career, but gained little for Athens.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?


1		1	4	5		1	3

2	1		3	2	3		2

War Council

Athenian Army
(Use Greek light blue blocks)
• Leader: Demosthenes
• 6 Command Cards
• Move First

Spartan Army
(Use Spartan orange and
bronze Hoplite blocks)
• Leader: Eurylochus
• 5 Command Cards

Victory
6 Banners

Special Rules
• The Athenian ambush force may be deployed onto the battlefield when the Athenian player plays an Inspired Leadership Center or Right Command card in the section noted on the card. When playing a Leadership Any Section, the force may be deployed in either the Center or Right section (Athenian player’s choice). Place the units adjacent to or on a vacant forest hex. Place the leader with one of the units. These units may not move but may battle, and may Momentum Advance after a successful Close Combat and Bonus Close Combat if eligible.

• The Hoplite Infantry rule is in effect.

• Three Spartan units are special bronze five block MH units.

Posts in discussion: 609 Olpae (426 BC)

The-Admiral replied the topic:

#50173

7 months 2 weeks ago

Mark-McG wrote:
Since the special rule says they may not move after placement, I'd tend towards "not moved".

I was thinking that maybe they could not move because they are already considered to have done so in the act of moving out of whatever cover they had?

Not a big issue though either way.
I have played 4 solo games and they went as expected. The Athenian ambush was sprung on their first turn twice and their second turn once and they won all three games. The one game in which the ambush never occurred the Spartans won.

Mark-McG replied the topic:

#50159

7 months 2 weeks ago

Since the special rule says they may not move after placement, I'd tend towards "not moved".

Aside from the ambush springing, it isn't detailed how it was sprung.
en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Hist.../Book_3&oldid=370015

The army of the Peloponnesians was the largest and outflanked their opponents; and Demosthenes fearing that his right might be surrounded, placed in ambush in a hollow way overgrown with bushes some four hundred heavy infantry and light troops, who were to rise up at the moment of the onset behind the projecting left wing of the enemy, and to take them in the rear. When both sides were ready they joined battle; Demosthenes being on the right wing with the Messenians and a few Athenians, while the rest of the line was made up of the different divisions of the Acarnanians, and of the Amphilochian carters. The Peloponnesians and Ambraciots were drawn up pell-mell together, with the exception of the Mantineans, who were massed on the left, without however reaching to the extremity of the wing, where Eurylochus and his men confronted the Messenians and Demosthenes.

108 The Peloponnesians were now well engaged and with their outflanking wing were upon the point of turning their enemy's right; when the Acarnanians from the ambuscade set upon them from behind, and broke them at the first attack, without their staying to resist; while the panic into which they fell caused the flight of most of their army, terrified beyond measure at seeing the division of Eurylochus and their best troops cut to pieces. Most of the work was done by Demosthenes and his Messenians, who were posted in this part of the field.

The-Admiral replied the topic:

#50126

7 months 2 weeks ago

Are the ambushing units considered to have already moved or not? I.e. would Aux units using ranged fire get 1 or 2 dice?

Riclev replied the topic:

#27578

11 months 4 weeks ago

Four games, three victories to the Athenians and one to Sparta. The determining factor in every outcome was whether or not the ambushing force appeared - without it the Athenians are simply overwhelmed by the Spartan hoplites.

Regarding where the ambushing force appears, we decided that all units must appear adjacent to each other and either in or next to a wood in the appropriate map section.

GF1954 replied the topic:

#3227

4 years 6 months ago

2 solitaire games with the Athenians winning twice, 6 4, and 6 -5. Both contests very close.

Mark-McG replied the topic:

#2033

7 years 4 months ago

Something that came up was how to read in the ambush Special Rule
"Place the units adjacent to or on a vacant forest hex. "

Does it mean each unit is placed in/next to a forest hex, OR, all units are placed next to a single forest hex.
I have always read it as the former.

However, in reading it that way, it is possible that the Athenian ambush force can scatter, and not be a continuous string of units which is the condition of the Leadership card. Being a special rule, this may be irrelevant, but it does add weight to the latter reading.

In OT play, I think the 1st reading has been universally used. So play it that way for the OT.

War Council

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