On Thursday, October 27, The Lion's Den members returned to a grand old set of rules: WRG 6th edition. After years of attempting to sort out the nuances and picayune idiosyncrasies of Tactica, D.B.A, D.B.M., as well as a few homegrown rules, the club found WRG, well, refreshing, if one can believe it.

Imbedded in that almost fifteen-year old system is a solid method for recreating some of history's greatest battles. I also defy any system to devise a better method for basing figures. Ah, to know at a glance if your opponent is HI or LHI, MI or LMI . . .

Joe Tremel graciously brought out his sets of Macedonians, Athenians, Spartans, and Thebans for the Battle of Charonea in 334 B.C., the epic clash between King Philip II of Macedon with his son, Alexander, and a combined Athenian/Theban force under the commands of Pelopidas and Demosthenes of Athens, with Theagenes of Thebes as a fonnidable ally. Histoncally, The Athenian/Theban force met Philip just north of a narrow pass to Southern Greece, hoping to repel the invading Macedonians. Philip's goal lay chiefly in a desire to first unite all of Greece, then invade Persia with a massive army.

Ken Van Pelt and Jon Haworth took the parts of Philip and Alexander, respectively, and John Cordry, James Northern, and myself commanded the defending Athenians/Thebans. John, James, and I knew the odds were heavily against us; before the game Joe explained that Philip's army destroyed the Athenians when Demosthenes rashly attacked the much sturdia Macedonian pikemen. Nevertheless, we were determined to stem the tide of Philip's onslaught and change the course of history.

Right.

Having set ourselves in a defensive position, with my Thebans guarding the pass, John, James, and I allowed the Macedonians to march toward us. I held my ground, keeping the edges of the pass at my flank thus neutralizing Alexander's (Jon's) cavalry. Our right flank was secure. It was Pelopides' and Demosthenes' (both played by John Cordry) duty to hold Philip's charge on our left. James, commanding a unit of Spartans which Joe added for an evening (though not historical) effect, protected the center.

Although Pelopides and Demosthenes fought valiantly, the triple ranks of Macedonian pikeman proved too much. Wave after wave assaulted the Athenian forces, until finally two units of our left flank turned and fled. As the Theban commander, I realized that the day was lost, so I removed my forces through the pass back to my city in Thebes, where I would no doubt one day be assaulted by Philip and his juggernaut.

Lose, but Not Really

It's not often, I suppose, when a player loses and still has such a grand ole' time. Once we re-learned the mechanics of WRG sixth edition, play went smoothly and without argument (a rare thing indeed for any wargame). I have heard many deride WRG 6th edition, but I cannot understand why.

Once Phil Barker's rather sophomoric grammar is deciphered, the rules prove to be without peer.

The battle itself was decided in a matter of two hours, allowing us time to debate strategy for a bit before heading home. I must say, however, that Joe Tremel added a couple of his own touches to the rules, based on his scholarship. His figures, as all those know who has seen his work,. are magnificent.

Long live a united Greece!