A Wargamer in Cyprus: Men of Bronze: The Tyrant of Cyprus

The Tyrant of Cyprus

I've finished reading and assimilating "Men of Bronze," the wargames rules that is. Great name for a gay lifestyle magazine though. A project covering Hoplites in Cyprus is an idea I`ve been considering for quite a while. In fact I planned a Tyrant of Cyprus game a couple of years ago, and the notes and map for that are copied below, so these look like the rules for me. My problem to resolve is the perennial wargames issue; "the perfect scale."

Not that any scale is perfect of course. I already have a few 6mm ancient armies, including Macedonians, but not a Greek Hoplite one. They are easy to store, easy to get out and use, easy on terrain and can look effective as double ranked on 20mm MDF squares.
On the other hand are those new plastic Hoplites from Victrix and Warlord in 28mm.

These look spectacular rather than just effective, but have terrain and storage issues, as well as being more difficult to set up, needing a full table. I have a sneaky feeling my existing terrain, white plaster houses with terracotta pantile roofs may look just about passable as Ancient Greek. Worked for Hollywood in their 300 movie.

The price comparison is actually pretty even. Eight Hoplite groups and the other Psiloi types are going to be about £50 for both 28 and 6mm. (and for 10mm and 15mm when it comes to that) Actually on price it's interesting to note that 1/72 is half the price, I just don't like any of the figures.

Logically then the answer is 6mm all day long, but... then look at those 28mm Hoplites! So my choice has been made with the heart not the head. 28 mm Men of Bronze will be my autumn/winter project.

I'm going with ten figures to a normal unit, and five figures for lights or Cavalry. An army can be raised from a single box. This is less than 100 figures, so storage is less of an issue.

Taking it forward I'm trying a game of Men of Bronze, using my 6mm Romans as Hoplites just to see if I'm going to enjoy the rules. The 20mm base width would be almost identical to a 28mm game.

Tyrant of Pathos
My Campaign notes

In 500 BC the Cypriot Cities joined the Ionian revolt only to be defeated by the Persians. Tyrant of Cyprus goes with the idea of "what if... " A successful Ionian revolt would have lead to a struggle for supremacy on the Island. With strong links to Athens as well as the Phoenician cities in the middle East Cyprus was a centre of naval power so Posiedon's Warriors will also be given an outing in this campaign along with Men of Bronze.

Cyprus is the Island of Aphrodite, and I will give each of the seven cities a different divine patron as well as the god's temple and statue to protect. The favour of a god will give each city a different feel. Pathos, with Aphrodite goddess of love as Patron will have +3 on its population roll. Salamis, with Poseidon the Sea god will have +3 on shipbuilding. Amathus has Ares god of war and is one of two cities on the island that can raise an elite Hoplite group.

If an enemy city can capture the statue they gain the bonus/favour of the God. If they capture towns then the points from those are added to the city.

A single Event card will be drawn for each summer campaign season. Among these are political changes, Persian interventions, the discovery of the Shrine to Zeus and his statue on Mount Olympus, and Zeus' Wrath the great city wall destroying Earthquake.

If I go for map movement rather than fixtures, marches between cities would take a day, plus an additional day for each dotted line boundary crossed. Thus the march from Pathos to Marium will take two days. Salamis to Tamassus would take seven days. Only movement by road or track is allowed.

Cities move in random order, using Weekly turns.

Force Costs
Drilled Hoplites 10 pts
Militia Hoplites 8 pts
Peltasts 4 pts
Slingers 4 pts
Psiloi 2 pts
Greek cavalry 8 pts

The Seven Cities	Units	Available Units
Paphos	30 Points	Elite Hoplites 12 pts Drilled Hoplites 10 pts Militia Hoplites 8 pts Peltasts 4 pts Slingers 4 pts Psiloi 2 pts Greek Cavalry 8 pts
Marium	24 Points
Curium	24 Points
Amathus	30 Points
Citium	24 Points
Salamis	30 Points
Tamassus	24 Points
Towns	Units	Available Units
Palaipaphos	4 pts	Peltasts 4 pts Slingers 4 pts Psiloi 2 pts Greek Cavalry 8 pts
Neapolis	8 pts
Idalium	4 pts
Golgi	4 pts
Tremithus	4 pts
Ledra	8 pts
Chitri	4 pts
Cardasia	4 pts
Lapethus	4 pts
Soli	8 pts

The Seven Cities
Paphos: Aphrodite, +3 to population increase roll
Marium: Artemis, Fields an additional Peltast group.
Curium: Demeter, +3 to food and wealth roll.
Amathus: Ares, allowed a single elite Hoplite group.
Citium: Athena, allowed a single elite Hoplite group
Salamis: Poseidon, +3 on warship building
Tamassus: Hades, casualties at roll +1 to return from the "dead."

Scenario Decisive Battle
Battle complication 4. Delayed units

Before battle each unit must pass a discipline test or be delayed.
Standard 38 Point Armies. Essentially... line up and fight.

Bronchitis, the Strategos of Marium has challenged the City of Pathos to battle. In response the Pathian Commander Achinarse has emerged from the city walls and offered battle. My guess would locate these events somewhere near Bar Street.

Pathos

2 Drilled Hoplites @20

2 Militia Hoplites @16

1 Psiloi @2

Total 38 Points

Marium

3 Drilled Hoplites @30

1 Militia Hoplites @8

Total 38 Points

My 6mm figures are mounted on 20mm MDF squares, making the footprint almost exactly that of the 28mm,

The forces line up. Both sides are missing a hoplite unit

The phalanx footprint of a unit with a 20mm bw for each figure.

Both sides close

An Arete point to charge and one to countercharge

The charge vs countercharge melee is fought immediately. Two hits vs five hits. One unit loses a courage point the other loses two. Both pass the discipline check

As one side shuffles to sort out support from the Militia Hoplites the other pays an Arete to charge in its initiative activation.

The charging unit fails to gain any courage point losses after making only one hit. The other side gets three hits so minus one courage to the enemy.

The Psiloi fight. With an Armour of 1 only a single hit is needed to remove a courage point. Here one side is wiped out. Kolossi castle making an appearance to the flank there, since I bought that this morning and unthinkingly put it down on the table whilst I finished the game!