Victory Results:
 60 %
Record a victory for BOTTOM ARMY  40 %
Total plays 73 - Last reported by jakobovitz on 2024-03-19 07:06:43

Historical Background

During the Iberian War against the Sassanid Empire in the year 528 AD, Emperor Justinian dispatched Belisarius and a small force of infantry from Dara to guard a workforce constructing a fort at Thannuris. The Sassanids heard of the movement and dispatched a proper army to take back the area. These soldiers were not to be taken lightly. Prior to the Hun’s defeat in Gaul, the only nation to defeat the Huns had been the Sassanids. Belisarius sent calls for reinforcements. Bouzes along with his brother Coutzes, assumed to be sons of General Vitalian, marched into the desert to reinforce Belisarius. When the Sassanid troops came into view, the two young and ambitious brothers acted rashly and attacked. Sources are unclear as to whether the Sassanids waited behind obstacles that disordered the Byzantine cavalry and then attacked it, or simply used their larger force to encircle the Byzantines as they charged out of range of Belisarius and his infantry. Whatever the stratagem, the Byzantine cavalry was mauled and fled in disorder. Coutzes was killed. Belisarius wasted no time in ordering the remainder of his forces to disengage and retreat to Dara.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

War Council

Sassanid Army (Use Tan blocks)

• Leader: Not Known
• 5 Command Cards
• 4 Inspired Action tokens

Byzantine Army (Use Purple blocks)

• Leader: Belisarius
• 5 Command Cards
• 2 Inspired Action tokens
• Move First

Victory

6 Banners

Special Rules

  • The Sassanid Medium, Heavy and Super Heavy Cavalry units are armed with bows.
  • The Byzantine Medium, Heavy and Super Heavy Cavalry units are armed with bows.
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Discuss this article in the forums (10 replies).
apergis1@verizon.net replied the topic:
1 year 6 months ago
My wife and have played this scenario four times. She played the Sassanid. I play the Byzantines. She has won twice. I have won twice. We have found that the decisive action always occurred between the cavalry on the Byzantine left.

We are still feeling out the tactics that one has to use in this game.
clavain replied the topic:
2 years 11 months ago
Played solo, but crappy cards for the Byzantine and excellent ones for the Sassanid made this a 6-0 walkover and one of the quickest games of C&C I have ever played. Line Command, Leadership Any Section with Mounted Charge followed by Leadership Any Section with Mounted Charge and a bit of cleanup and it was all over.
Magmik replied the topic:
2 years 11 months ago
Sassanids win 6-4
ColCampbell replied the topic:
3 years 2 months ago
Played last Thursday.  Game went very similar to actual battle.  Sassanids won 6 banners to 2 for the Byzantines.  Byzantine left flank cavalry was almost completely destroyed and one of its leaders was killed.  See my blog for some pictures --  ColCampbell's Barracks

Jim
esparver73 replied the topic:
3 years 8 months ago
The Sassanid right charged against the scattered Byzantines but they retreat and formed a line with the rest of the army, holding the ground. There was a large fight on the center of the map between heavy and cataphract cavalry, with the upper side going to the Byzantines thanks to a leader loss, for a Byzentine win 6-3.
kostas63 replied the topic:
3 years 9 months ago
Vittoria Bizantina 6-3. I bizantini danno inizio alla battaglia compattando le fila della cavalleria sulla loro sinistra. I Sassanidi superiori in cavalleria pesante caricano immediatamente ma la cavalleria media bizantina evade rendendo vana la carica nemica. E' la volta della cavalleria bizantina di caricare e stavolta con maggior successo. I cavalieri sassanidi arretrano fino a bordo campo e perdono un loro generale. In mancanza di meglio i sassanidi avanzano timidamente con la loro fanteria e mandano gli arcieri a cavallo a disturbare la cavalleria bizantina. Ottengono lo scopo ma la cavalleria media bizantina ha ancora abbastanza forza per eliminare le ultime unita' catafratte sassanidi.
Cro Magnon replied the topic:
3 years 9 months ago
Sassanid 6; Byzantine 1
wilson replied the topic:
4 years 2 months ago
Third attempt: Byzantine win 6 banners to 3
Despite Sassanid charge, Byzantine first strike helped its left flank destroy majority of the Sassanid flank. Sassanids recovered somewhat with repeated heavy cavalry charges but they could not recover from 5:1 down.

Byzantine HI also we’re able to advance but realised no use against evading Light bow cavalry
wilson replied the topic:
4 years 2 months ago
Played intro scenario twice so far, love it... 6-3 then 6-2... difficult for Byzantines, but got close first attempt by being aggressive, lost 2 leaders though... 2nd attempt didn’t get close... need to try and use my Heavy Infantry more
g1ul10 replied the topic:
4 years 5 months ago
Two games: scores (Sassanid-Byzantine) 3-6,6-5

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