by Chaim Herzog and Mordechai Gichon When I started gaming with historical miniatures 30-some years ago, one era I was interested in was the ancient period, especially battles of the Bible. While popular in England, this era is not popular around here, so I found myself collecting figs in those eras being played. Lately there are some very good ancient figs available and the release of Warhammer Ancient Battles has renewed my interest. I've never warmed up to these rules, but they do have a lot of good information. So, I dusted off the Ancient and Medieval rules developed originally by Dan Hillen and applied them to my "Awakening" campaign. I'm modifying them for the many interesting ancient armies. My campaign allows me to use figs from many eras and work on the rules at the same time, Also, I've been researching the era and discovered Battles of the Bible by Chaim Herzog & Mordechai Gichon. This book covers the wars of the Bible beginning wilh the exodus of Abraham and his clan from the Mesopotamian city of Haran through the Maccabean era. Information from many ancient sources is used with Biblical quotes added in. Some detail cl the forces involved is presented. But the emphasis is on the strategic aspect of the various campaigns. Many maps are included and diagrams of the campaign or actual baffle are plentiful (38 total). In addition, there are 53 photographs and 45 drawings of battlefields and ancient soldiers. While the book makes an interesting narrative, it is not the kind of reading that has a plot, mystery or intrigue. Rather, it is a history that will have great value when I set up a campaign or battle. One interesting aspect of the book was stones from WWI and WWII that relate situations where commanders achieved victory by using their knowledge of Biblical battles and applying the tactics from the Biblical battle to their situation. One illustration from the book is from the Battle of Michmash, an early battle of Saul. Jonathan had lead several actions that threatened the control of the Judean heartland by the Philistines. So the Philistines sent a large force, including chariots and perhaps cavalry, to reimpose their authority and quell the Israelite attempt to establish an independent kingdom. They established a fortified base at Michmash, which straddled the eastern branch of the watershed road, and the main north-south artery of the Cis-Jordanian mountains, and flanked its western branch, in easy distance for blocking it. Further more, it was in the very center of Benjamin, so the Philistines openly challenged Saul's authority and competence. According to I Samuel 13-14, Saul took up a position opposite Machmash, at Geba, with only 600 men after Jonathan and the regulars had secured it. The Philistines knew about the open quarrel between king and priest (Saul and Samuel), so they dispatched three flying columns to devastate the countryside on the central plateau. They kept a blocking force at the passage of Michmash. Saul did not dare to attack even the weakened Philistine camp, but, hoping to mitigate the extent of the Philistine raids into the Israelite hinterland, he moved his forces out of Geba into a position directly opposite Michmash. Jonathan used this state of affairs for a daredevil stratagem that by its sheer audacity promised success. Accompanied solely by his shield-bearer, he made a wide detour to the south. They disappeared into the deep gorge of Wadi Sueweinit, and when they reached the cliff near the Philistine positions, Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armour-bearer after him' (verse 13) and, by their sudden assault from behind, both men were able to slay a considerable number of the utterly surprised enemy and beat the rest into a wild retreat. This, in turn, surprised the garrison so that they mistook the fugitives for charging Israelites, and general confusion and subsequent panic ensued. Saul put this confusion to good use in a general frontal assault. The Philistine resistance seems to have been broken almost immediately. A vivid and illuminating example of the consistency of tactical values attached to topographical features in the Holy Land is provided by the 181st Brigade of the 60th Division which was detailed by Allenby to capture Michmash on 12 February 1917. On the eve of the assault, after reading his Bible, the Brigade Major persuaded his CO to call off the frontal assault and to copy Jonathan's approach by stealth, along the exact route taken by him. The position was taken with minimal casualties. This book will be a great addition to your research library if you have any interest in Battles of the Bible. Back to Dispatch July 2001 Table of Contents Back to Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by HMGS Mid-South This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com