"In Uruk he built walls, a great rampart ... Look at it still today: it shines with the brilliance of copper." --The Epic of Gilgamesh Imagine watching a movie in which Charlton Heston is riding a chariot in front of an army of extras. They slowly walk across a dry barren field, billowing up clouds of dust. There is an air of anticipation and fear in their walk. On the other side of the field is another group of extras, armed with shields and spears. Charlton, dressed in ancient Egyptian robes, reins in his horses and halts the column with a dramatic flare. Then he whips his horses forward, plunging into battle; spear in hand. Why do people play ancients wargames? A good Question. The history of wars from 3000 BC to 500 AD is filled with paegentry and excitement. Colorful epic films about Spartans fighting Persians, Romans fighting everyone, and a blue million bible stories work to wet the appetite to begin gaming this genre. The model painter will enjoy the diversity of the armies available. Historians enjoy the evolution of the basic institition of war, from Its roots in Sumeria to the high mark of Alexander the Great. There is even something for rules writers. Ancient war is simpler than Tanks and Airplanes. It is a good place to study the heart of what warfare is. Ancient wargames are not really a "period" (like Horse and Musket games) but the wars are linked in peoples minds. Sargon of Akkad never fought Julius Caesar. Their only real connection is that they often appear together in text books on ancient civilization. The other thing that links these men together is that they fit into a long tradition of "great warriors." Gilgamesh, Sargon, David, Darius, Alexander, Caeser, and more, are still know today for their exploits. All in all ancients are a wonderful genre to play, but there are a few problems. Ancient wargaming seems to be flawed due to some basic problems in the way wargame rules view warfare. Wargames focus very heavily on the importance of armament and formation in deciding battles. The number of men killed is very important and maneuver is emphasized. Our games often times boil down into a slug match of dice rolling which quickly becomes boring; and which fails to capture the spirit of the ancient world. Ancient warfare, especially lip to 1000 BC, has more to do with ritual combat (like football) than with the maneuver of men and materials in world war two. The omens must he read before any battle can begin. Champions, like Goliath, most fight, and who ever wins will have the advantage in the up coming battle. In the Mahabarata Krishna, the heros chariot driver, is forever telling the hero to strike while the omens are against the enemy. Some how, WRG Ancients rules don't capture this element of the liturature. Ancient warfare also involves a fair number of sieges. Wargames seldom do a good job at making these fun to play. So what is an answer to this problem? You guessed it -- a matrix game. Introduction Developing a Game Events of the Game The Political Matrix  DEVELOPING A GAME Once upon a time there was a wargamer whowanted to play an ancients battle. He went to his local wargames club but no one was interested. So the gamer came over to the club early one day, with miniatures in hand, to play a solo game. He set up a battle field in which a small army was defending a pass from an attacking force. Both sides had infantry, charioteers, and a few priests. The gamer decided that the defenders were Hebrews and the attackers were Eygptians. He felt he was almost ready to start playing. The wargamer realized that he needed rules on how to settle combats. Since he was the only player he decided to keep the rules really simple. He remembered that he liked rolling dice so why not have combat be settled by rolling a six sided die for each figure in contact with an enemy figure (or a hands length away for missile troops). A roll of six would mean a hit and cause the figure to make a morale saving throw to stay. The save would be made on the roll of a six as well. He decided to modify the die roll of charioteers by plus one to hit and save so they would be tougher. With this he was ready to play. The wargamer was in fact ready to play, but he decided that he wanted this game to be more than an excuse to roll dice. It just so happened that he had a copy of "The Peninsula Campaign" Matrix Game. So he decided to use it in his game. THE MATRIX The Peninsula Campaign Matrix was made to resolve large scale troop movements during the Napoleonic wars. For a moment the wargamer thought it would have nothing to do with ancient warfare. Then he looked at it closer... Actions: 1. Normal March 2. Forced March 3. Rest/Prepare 4. Rally 5. Ambush 6. Skirmish 7. Open Battle Results: 1. Victory/Defeat 2. Morale Increas 3. Fatigued 4. Recruit/Desert 5. Retreat 6. Rout 7. Halt There is nothing in this matrix that would not fit in the distant past. In fact the matrix makes it clear just how little the basics of war have changed between 1200 BC and 1807 AD. So the gamer laid the matrix out next to the battle field. The wargamer had played solo games before and encountered a big problem. Since he was playing both sides, he knew what the enemy commander was planning to do. He found not using thels special information hard when running his favorite side. He thought that the matrix might help him get around this problem. Reasons: 1. Tactical Advantage 2. Terrain Effect 3. Large Formation 4. Small Formation 5. Weather Effect 6. Supply Lines 7. Motivation 8. Battle Cry 9. Angers/Drops 10. Fear 11. Shame 12. Love 3 Wild Cards that can he anv element that "should" be in the matrix.  The player resolved to make one matrix argument a turn for each side in the battle. He decided that to be impartial he must make a "good" argument for each side every turn. Then he would let the die roll decide what arguments happened and which one didn't. This was easy for him to do since he had played a number of matrix games in the past and knew that you just "made up" the arguments. The wargamer was pleased with his idea to turn over some of his decision making power to the MG that he decided that no battle would happen between the armies if an argument did not initiate it. "This will allow for my armies to get quite close to one another without having to fight" he thought. This would also create the possibility for lulls in the battle since an argument could be used to cause an ongoing fight to stop. After making all these decisions about using an MG to run the decision making part of the game the wargamer became dissatisfied with the simple rules he came up with before. Then it hit him that the Matrix Game could be used to alter/modify the battle rules as the game went on. Not only could it do this, it might actually make the game more fun and unpredictable. This would make the two sides try to jockey for advantages in the form of dice modifiers to hit or to save. Now the wargamer was ready to play. THE EVENTS OF THE GAME The wargamer played a game that when analyzed afterward seemed to be broken down into three major phases. There was a preliminary phase, in which both sides did things that seldom to never happen in regular wargames. Then there was the big fight in which the two armies beat on one another (like what most regular wargames do). This was followed by a pursuit and wrap up, which again had strange events happen in it. The wargamer started the first phase of the battle with the two armies facing one another across a field. The Hebrews were formed up in the middle of a pass, blocking it. The Eygptians needed to go through that pass. So the arguments begain. Since no fighting could take place till an argument said it did the wargamer could take some time before launching into the slug fest. He noticed that though the Eygptians out numbered the Hebrews a little, if they traded off blow for blow it would be at best a pyric victory. So the gamer had both side use their arguments to "fish" for advantages.  Action: Wild card - A flock of white birds flies over the Eygptian army. Result: Wild card - This is a good omen for the Eygptians. Reason: 1. Battle Cry - Look holy birds! 2. Motivation - The Gods are with us. 3. Fear - We have nothing to fear. Action: Terrain Effect - The Hebrews are holding the high-ground. Result: Tactical Advantage - They get a +1 to hit and save. Reason: 1. Retreat - They have a clear line of retreat. 2. Small Formation - small formations do better In small places. 3. Wild card - They can not be flanked here. Action: Skirmish - The Hebrew Champion challenges the Eygptian champion who declines to fight. Result: Shame - The Eygptians are shamed due to their cowardness. Reason: 1. Fear - The champion is a coward. 2. Battle Cry - The Hebrews rub it In. 3. Motivation - The Eygptian's motivation to fight may be evaporating. Action: Skirmish - The Eygptian Champion goes out to fight. Result: Morale Drops - The Hebrews become disordered during the skirmish due to shoving people to get a better view of the fight. -1 to hit and save. Reason: 1. Love - They love a good fight. 2. Anger - Get out of my way. I can't see! 3. Motivation - I want to see what is going on.  The wargamer noticed that for the most part the Eygptian side had lost more by jockeying for position than It had gained. When the Hebrews became disordered the odds returned to even. In light of this, the gamer decided to argue that the Eygptians began a general advance to combat. The argument won and the game moved into the battle phase of the game. The wargamers was enjoying the matrix arguments so much that he decided to keep on making them even after the melee was begun. After each round of combat he made an argument, like before. Only he noticed that the arguments he wa making were suddenly of a completely different sort. Instead of fishing for advantages, the arguments were directed solving more immediate problems, like rallying the Hebrew line! Action: Fear - The Hebrew charioteers are paniced by the attack. Result: Retreat - They retreat to the edge of the board. Reason: 1. Large Formation - There sure are a lot of there! 2. Small Formation - Our boys sure are disordered. 3. Motivation - Live to fight another day. Action: Rally - The prophet tries to rally the Hebrews. Result: Morale Increases - They reform. Reason: 1. Motivation - do or die. 2. Love - Save the prophet! 3. Battle Cry - Israel! Action: Rout - The Hebrew infantry routs off the board. Result: Open Battle - They will not fight back when running. Reason: 1. wild Card - The Charioteers ran off. 2. Large Formation - we are out numbered. 3. Terrain Effect - There is a clear line of retreat. The wargamer was busily rolling the dice for the battle when the first of his gaming friends came in. He asked who was winning. At first the wargamer said the Hebrews were -- because they were scoring more hits than they were taking. Then the Eygptians won two arguments in which they pushed the Hebrews out of their position of advantace, and then routed them. The arguments turned out to be decisive in the outcome of the battle.  The wargamer decided to do a few more matrix arguments to see what happened after the battle. Again he noticed that they changed in tone. No longer, did he need to worry about beating the enemy. So the Eygptians took the time to bury their dead in a manner pleasing to their Gods. The New player who had walked In was interested in this and asked if he could argue to the Hebrews. The wargamer said sure, so the New Hebrew commander began to rally his troops. Action: Wild Card - We bury our dead in all pomp and ritual. Result: Wild Card - The Gods bless the survivors with a +1 to hit. Reason: 1. Victory - We won. 2. Wild card - We have learned how to fight better. 3. Rest/Prepare - We have a big party. Action: Recruit/Desert - The Hebrew stragglers from the battle gather together. Result: Rally - The New Commander rallies them to fight on! Reason: 1. Fear - There is safety in numbers. 2. Anger - They can't beat us like that! 3. Shame - The commander questions their manhood. The wargamer was ready to wrap up the game and get ready for the main game of the day. But the new player said he hadn't gotten to fight any. The wargamer thought about it for a moment and realized that they did not have to stop. The matrix he had been using was originally designed to run campaigns so If they wished they could keep it going. After all as the Eygptian, it would be easy to_ walk in and plunder the Hebrew kingdom. THE CAMPAIGN The wargamer decided that his Fyghtian army had three main goals in this campaign. 1. To plunder the land as he went. 2. To hunt down the remnants of the enemy army, and 3. to subdue the people. His opponent goals were evan simpler. All he wanted to do was to keep an army in the field and stop the Eygptians from conquering the land. The players had no map to work on so they decided that the only terrain features that would be Important would be the one mentioned in the matrix arguments. With that they started to play. Action: Normal March - The Eygptians move out into enemy lard. Result: wild Card - They plunder as they go. Reason: 1. Love - They love money. 2. Supply Line - They are living off the land. 3. Motivation - Greed Action: Ambush - The Hebrews ambush a looting charioteer. Result: Victory - They kill him. Reason: 1. Small Formation - he didn't see them 2. Tactical Advantage - They surprised him. 3. Motivation - They were blinded by their greed. Action: Forced March - The Eygptians force march and catch the Hebrews in a hill fort. Result: Wild Card - The siege them there. Reason: 1. Anger - The killed the charioteer. 2. Motivation - Revenge! 3. Battle Cry - They have NO honor.  After a short manuever campaign, the wargamer had succeeded in bottling the would be Juda Macabee in a miniature version of Masada. This started a new battle. Unlike the field battle though, this would be a seige. The Hebrew defenders were given an automatic +1 to hit and save. Following this the players began to fish for advantages. Action: Forced March - A Hebrew figure slips through the seige lines. Result: Supply lines - He brings in much needed supplies. Reason: 1. Weather Effect - It was night time. 2. Tactical Advantage - Surprise! 3. Small Formation - The guards did not see them. Action: Tactical Advantage - A traitor slipped into the fort along with the supplies. Result: Prepare - He stands ready to open the gate when it is attacked. Reason: 1. Wild card - Treachery. 2. Motivation - We paid him good. 3. Anger - He hates Macabee. The preliminary phase of the siege went on for a little while until once again the wargamer realized his Eygptians were losing ground. So he launched an assault which with some effort was able to destroy the defenders. So the war was over. The Eygptians had won. This did not please the Hebrew player at all. Rather than give up and admit defeat, he said that his commander had a second cousin who was not with him. Now that cousin would have his chance to be a hero! The wargamer pointed out to his friend that this was getting a bit beyond what the campaign matrix could handle best ie agreed that it was only reasonable the the war would go on. But at this point It had to end so they could play something else. THE POLITICAL MATRIX The wargamer was correct that the campaign matrix was not really equipped to handle where the game was heading. It was to a point that it was more of a political conflict rather than a military one. Clausewitz turns out to be correct in seeing war as an extention of politics. If the wargamer had had a political matrix (like the one below) he would have been able to continue the game. If that had happened, it seems likely that the Hebrews would have come back and eventually started a new war to have their revenge on the Eygptians. Who knows, they might win the next time.  Actions 1. Punish 2. Mob Action 3. Rule of Law 4. Military Action 5. Debate 6. Overthrow 7. Kill 8. Make a decision 9. Negociate/Bargain 10. Refuse to obey 11. Plot/Intrigue Results 1. Reputation good/Bad 2. Make Friend/Enemy 3. Project Complete 4. Subdue 5. Political Advantage 6. No One wins 7. Status Quo Reasons 1. Tradition 2. Evidence 3. Logic 4. Law 5. Honor 6. Act of Nature 7. Social Class 8. Envy 9. Fear 10. Shame 11. Hate 12. Love 13. Lies 14. Coersion 15. Loyal/$act Stab 16. Art/Culture 17. Economy 18. Public works 19. Bureaucracy 20. Corruption 21. Religion AFTERWORD The experiences of the wargamers solo game came be done with almost any period using the two matrixes In this article. Feel free to try them out. Back to Experimental Games Group # 13 Table of Contents Back to Experimental Games Group List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by Chris Engle This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com