Solo Hail Caesar Game-Successors Clash

 This battle was fought many months ago but I just kept forgetting to add it to the blog lol

I have used my Xyston 15/18mm Raphia collection with a few extra 'Persian' types thrown in.

Now as this was a solo game and me not being 100% confident with Hail Caesar rules I took my time and made plenty of mistakes lol.  One thing I did add in to offer a little bit of randomness was use a 'Bolt Action' style activation system.

Each division commander was given a numbered token, a corresponding numbered toke was placed in the PAW dice bag and then they were drawn out randomly. The token drawn meaning that the respective commander was activated that turn, not perfect but it added a little something for solo play.  One thing I did allow was crossing and closing fire by ranged armed troops.

I really enjoyed this game and I do enjoy Hail Caesar rules, easy and fun to play.

Now for the pictures....

The armies array for battle, Ptolemy on the left and Seleucid on the right.

Sorry for the light horse basing they are from my Achaemenid Persian collection which are not complete yet!

A view from the Seleucid side.

And a view from the Ptolemaic side

When I put the armies out they 'felt' bigger lol

Opening moves with Seleucid taking the offensive. 

Poor Eastern archers about to get hammered by Galatian warband!

The Galatian's hit the Seleucid light foot and begin to make inroads.  The skull markers are the casualty markers, each has a number on it indicating how the unit is doing.

The cavalry on the flanks get to grips.  The red tokens next to the round based commander is his randon command number drawn from the bag.

Seleucid elephants hit Ptolemy's pike! I don't think it went well for them lol 

Clash of the beasts.

Ptolemaic elephants clash with mercenary Greek cavalry again sorry for the unfinished bases. 

The heart of Ptolemy's army.

I think I called it a day here, after a good few hours.  The Ptolemaic wings were in no fit state to continue so they chose the sensible option and retired.

The markers I use.  The wooden skulls are casualty markers, the 'dead' represent 'disordered' one marker, 'shaken' two markers.

I made the dead tokens out of spare or broken figures.

The markers in action.

For a first attempt at a solo game, I do miss my wargames club I quite enjoyed it.  The random activation, although not perfect worked quite well and definitely added a different aspect to the game.

Battle of Raphia 15mm

Over a few years I have been collecting and painting Xyston 15mm figures to represent the armies of Ptolemy and Seleucid.  This project is just about finished, painting wise with the last batch of elephants to complete.

However the enforced period at home, due to no international flights gave me an opportunity to do the basing of these armies.

These, not so great pictures will give you an idea of how they have come out.

I intended to do a 'parade' of the armies laid out for battle, but that will have to wait until I am home next.  

Enjoy the eye candy.

 Ptolmey's elephants

 Ptolmey's Generals and cavalry

 Seleucid Generals 

Greek mercenaries and Asiatic troops

Greek skirmishers

Arabs

Companions

Greek light horse, Hellenistic Thracian's in this case 

Galatians

Greek skirmishers

 Greek mercenaries

Ptolemy's Basakil and 'Peltats' long spear and pike armed elites 

Seleucid Pike

I promise better photos and the correct descriptions off of the army lists once I get home

15mm Raphia Project

I am so close to completion of this epic task(well the painting anyway), just 4 Seleucid elephants left paint.  I have the elephants but not the crew unfortunately due to a 'packing' mishap lol.  But the good people who supplied them are fixing it for me....Thank you Stu!

 Elephants and cavalry all ready to be based and presented to their respective kings.

 The last base of cavalry, Seleucid heavy horse...

 Armoured elephants, the pride of the Seleucid army.

 The other style of Seleucid elephants straight from the Hindu Kush, with Macedonian pikemen on board.

And finally Ptolemy gets his last two pachyderms.  

I am not looking forward to basing the two entire armies however I am looking forward to getting the all out on the table!

15mm Raphia Project-Yes More Elephants

The herd keeps growing, this time 4 more, 2 for each side.....I decided to change up the Seleucid crew up slightly and give them only bowmen and Ptolemy with spearmen.

Nearly there...so close lol