Part 1 [LW142]
Part 2 [LW143]
Part 3 [LW144]
Part 4 [LW145]
Note: The (false) Red Pharaoh was personally leading the dawn attack on the temple, where resided the Blue Pharaoh. That action, described in LW 145, takes place on the Temple/Palace complex immediately east of Abnub. The battle action described below takes place simultaneously at the northwest of the city of Abnub. Now, to the action….
With the tide of battle gathering apace around the two pharaohs and their immediate location, things were also livening up on the other shore.
The Red Pharaoh’s 4-Horse Heavy Shock Chariots had had an uneventful passage on the road from Gebel to Abnub and having passed the broken ground to their left, had spread out across the plain pointing in a southerly direction.
[Wargaming note: I was a bit unsure if 16 horses pulling four heavy chariots, each with a crew of four men could perform a silent approach march at night over unfamiliar terrain. To get around this I noticed there was a slight East/West rise on the road they were traveling, which had sufficient height to both deaden their approach and also to allow them to deploy into their attack formation. Generous, considering it was my troops they were aiming to ride down!]
The Blue Pharaoh’s elite infantry were exactly that and had risen before dawn and were busy breaking their fast in the chilly pre-dawn. Not being encumbered with the luxury of tents, the soldiers just rolled up their sleeping mats and blankets and stacked them neatly ready for the transport camels.
With the growing light the charioteers shrugged off their traveling blankets, checked the harness on their steeds and generally prepared for battle in an experienced and business-like manner. Watching the night recede Uri of Hatti strode amongst his small force and wondered where the supporting heavy infantrymen were. Time was getting short and if he did not attack soon, the surprise would be lost and the chariots would face an alert and ready foe. The dawn grew lighter, the early morning mist coated man, animal and vehicle with a wet sheen but still no foot soldiers appeared.
Commander of One Hundred, the young Ahmeni, was also watching the approaching dawn and was secretly thrilled with being in command of the regiment, if only for a short time, while his commander was at his devotions with the True Pharaoh. Veteran warriors watched the young officer with affection because although he was in reality a political appointee due to his high birth, Ahmeni had worked hard to learn the ways of the warrior and shared all the hardships and trials alongside his men. He was the least battle hardened and experienced amongst the meal-eating unit with yet the chance to prove himself yet to come. Hopes of glory and of distinguishing himself, hopefully with the sight of his beloved pharaoh burned deep within the young man’s breast.
[Wargaming note: I knew nothing about this young warrior and had to create his profile from systems previously published in Lone Warrior. With his old and experienced commander I knew the unit would behave well but the uncertainty of the youngster added to my solo pleasure.]
Uri of Hatti could wait no longer and decided to attack without his infantry support, relying on the sheer power of his heavy chariots to smash the enemy and compel him to rout. The silent command was passed between the chariots and the horses leaned into their harness and the vehicles slowly began to move forward. This manoeuvre had been practised many times by the experienced crews and the line moved advanced without a hitch. Each chariot was about one chariots width away from its neighbour and this distance was only altered when the terrain forced it to be so. The horse leaned harder into the harness as the slight rise which caused the dead ground was encountered and additional effort was required.
Throughout this slow advance only the charioteers had stayed on board while the rest of the crew walked to the rear of the chariot in order to save the strength of the steeds for the coming fight. Just short of the crest the line halted and Uri with his chariot commanders advanced slowly forward using every piece of ground they could to keep hidden. From their vantage spot, they could see the camp of the infantry, which could be easily located by the many campfires around which troopers huddled to keep warm and enjoy their first meal of the day. It would be a straightforward downhill charge, with no obvious obstacles to stop the shock chariots from smashing through the unsuspecting infantry and opening the road to the city. The scene was set and the invaders cautiously moved back to their waiting vehicles, upon which all the crews had mounted in anticipation of the expected orders to attack.
The surprise was complete!
Down the slight slope moved the chariots in ever-increasing velocity; the pounding hooves of the straining horses threw up great clumps of grass and earth. Whips and reins lashed the foaming backs of the galloping horses and with their eyes wide with exertion the solid line of chariots hit the breakfasting infantry. Straight through the fleeing spearmen rode the charioteers shooting down their enemies with bow and arrow and piercing their bodies with their javelins and spears. The noise was unbelievable, as foot soldiers were trampled under the hooves and heavy wheels of the swift moving vehicles and the sound of the men mingled with the screams of the horses galloping to the extent of their strength.
The young Ahmeni, Commander of One Hundred, had no chance to demonstrate his bravery or command of men in battle because he was one of the first to fall with an arrow in his back and then the left most chariot finished the job by running over his body.
The vicious and highly successful attack had taken but a few minutes from when the chariots had crested the ridge until they had cut their bloody way through the unsuspecting men of the Blue Pharaoh. Now came the hardest part of a shock chariot charge and that was to rally the troops afterwards and maintain the cohesion necessary to attack again if necessary. There were no other troops near the infantry encampment and Uri had sufficient ground in which to carry out his manoeuvres, with his highly trained troops. Slowing the madden horse down to a speed at which it was safe to turn, while at the same time ensuring there was no collision with other vehicles demanded the utmost skill from the highly trained and experienced drivers. This was a time consuming tactic but essential if the charioteers were not to be trapped between the reforming spearmen and the city of Abnub.
[Wargaming note: I use different types of turning circles for the various chariots my armies have and I combine them with WH Chariot War rules which gives me plenty to think about and usually a good game. I regard the manoeuvres of chariots much in the same way that ships throughout the ages have manoeuvred on the high seas, namely that they cannot turn on a 6p or dime! My charioteers are given the benefit of the doubt regarding speed, but the 4-Horse Shock chariots in this part of the battle had a turning circle, which was twice the size of the lighter and therefore more manoeuvrable 2-Horse missile chariots. When all else fails see sketch..]
Not to scale! Trust you see the difference in the 2-Horse missile chariots on the left could easily turn tightly and therefore out manoeuvre the 4-Horse Shock chariot, who would use a turning circle like that on the right. The 2-Horse missile chariots were used to fire and retire whereas the 4-Horse Shock chariots were designed to get in close and ‘mix it’ with the opposition.
[A word of warning if you consider using chariots and the WH Chariot War. Be very careful and ensure your chariot wheels do not touch otherwise you could be facing an instant de-bus by both crews! The famous ‘Solo Integrity’ is required when using this rule but I can assure you that in multi-player games the slightest contact very seldom fails to be noticed!]
Back to the Battle
While the frenzied horses were whipped around, the shattered infantrymen were beginning to gather themselves for the obvious second round of the murderous encounter and small groups of men picked up what unbroken weapons they could find, on the littered ground and began to pack together to face the reforming foe.
A ragged but determined line of spearmen steadied themselves for the onslaught and with the desire for revenge pounding through their bodies they began to sing their regimental battle anthem. The sound of which brought the dazed members of the unit into the automatic response that hours of mindless drill had instilled in them and the backs became stiffer and the heads higher as the song soared to the newly awaken heavens. Three men deep but depleted infanteers faced down hill to where the enemy chariots were finally sorting themselves into their battle formation and this time because it was an uphill charge and their horses were no longer fresh the chariots were wheel hub to wheel hub across the redden ground.
On the crest of the hill now at the rear of the Blue Pharaoh’s elite infantry, a silent but highly menacing crowd of belated chariot support infantry began to form up. Uri spotted their presence and shouted at his men to keep the attention of the enemy on the chariots while the infantry began their attack. [PBI*]
* PBI – Poor Bloody Infantrymen
More Chariot Saga
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