Victory for Cyrus

The troops painted, it is time to play-test the Persian amendments for Alala! in preparation for the Society of Ancients Cunaxa Battle Day 29 March 2026.

Artaxerxes’ infantry are arrayed with fearsome scythed chariots in front.

As the chariots advance, Episthenes’ Greek peltasts move out to counter them.

The peltasts destroy one chariot but another passes through them inflicting some damage.

The chariot carries on to crash into Cyrus’ Greek hoplites. The Greeks have been careful in their devotion to the Gods and are able to play an ‘open ranks’ card. The chariot passes harmlessly through their ranks and crashes somewhere to their rear.

On Artaxerxes’ left, Tissaphernes advances in strength against the Greek peltasts, forcing them back with casualties.

Meanwhile Cyrus and Clearchus have sounded the signal to advance and move forward to engage in the centre and on Artaxerxes’ right.

Personally leading his massed Persian cavalry, Artaxerxes raises the Royal Standard and is joined by ‘the hound from hell’ (both cards from the God Pack which give advantage in combat).

Cyrus and Artaxerxes lead their cavalry against each other. The combat is inconclusive but Mithridates throws a javelin which severely wounds Cyrus (another God Card). With only 1 Command Point left, Cyrus is reeling as both units retire to rally.

With his peltasts in trouble, Episthenes’ Paphlagonians charge into the flank of Tissaphernes’s cavalry but they have little impact. The Paphalogians fall back and the peltasts break and run towards Cyrus’s camp.

The camp in sight, Tissaphernes’ men surge forward in hot pursuit hoping to secure the camp’s treasures for themselves. The idea of turning around to help their comrades does not enter their minds.

Tissaphernes’ help would have been of great value as now Clearchus’ Greeks are closing on the Persian infantry. The Persians let loose a volley of arrows but it has little effect.

The Greeks give the ‘War Cry of Enyalius’ (another card from the God Pack) and the Persian line crumbles and breaks before contact.

So the game ends with an outcome almost perfectly mirroring the historical battle. The chariots were great fun but inflicted only minor damage. Tissaphernes broke Cyrus’s right wing but then rode on to loot the camp. The Greeks broke the Persian infantry before contact. Cyrus was severely wounded by Mithridates javelin —  in the historical battle he was killed. As he narrowly avoided death Cyrus was victorious.

The Persian rule amendments for Alala! worked very well in the most part. We did, however, feel that the massed archery from the Persian Sparabara was too ineffective so I have increased its power and posted a new set of amendments on my website. We intend to have another play-test before the Battle Day.

Most of the figures are Newline Designs 20 mil with some 1/72 scale platics.