Simulacrum v4n2: Alexander the Great (AH)

Alexander the Great

Battle at Arbela, 331 BC

by David Chancellor

Alexander the Great

What the designer says:

As Alexander the Great, command an undefeated army facing a Persian host three times your number. Now, 331 BC, near the Persian village of Gaugamela you too can make your bid for empire. The phalanx is forming for battle. Recapture a glimpse of history at its head…

Can you stop the only army ever to conquer the known world? Here’s your chance in this exciting match of ancient titans posed for the battle at Arbela, 331 BC. As Darius, you command the cavalry, horse archers, scythe-bearing chariots, and war elephants of the Persian host.

Alexander the Great recreates the Battle of Gaugamela between Alexander’s Macedonian army and King Darius’ Persian host. The battle, once begun, will be fierce and over quickly. There can be no retreats or withdrawals. No reforming of the lines. Morale will be the key. If it plummets past a certain point, it will be hard to turn the tide and win. Setbacks bring more setbacks and the cycle is hard to break. Units are Macedonian, Persian and Greek, and represent infantry, cavalry, phalanx, mercenary, archers, horse archers, javeliners, chariots, elephants, and leaders. Three different sized counter types distinguish phalanx and leader counters from other units. Special rules cover charges, unit maneuver capabilities, leader bonuses, missile fire, overruns, stampeding elephants, and much more

Components

1 11˝” x14” x1” flat box 1 24-page 5˝”x8˝ “ Rules of Play booklet 1 8˝”x11” Combat Results Table doublesided card 1 22”x28” mounted 2-piece game map 108 die-cut double-sided counters 30 ˝” square blue counters 8 ľ” square blue counters 2 ˝” circular blue counters 60 ˝” square red counters 4 ľ” square red counters 4 ˝” circular red counters

Counter Manifest

Persian Army

1st Chariot Chariot 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
2nd Chariot Chariot 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
3rd Chariot Chariot 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
4th Chariot Chariot 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
1st Bactrian Cavalry 4 5-2-1 / 3-1-0
2nd Bactrian Cavalry 4 5-2-1 / 3-1-0
3rd Bactrian Cavalry 4 5-2-1 / 3-1-0
Susian Cavalry 4 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Susian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Arachosian Cavalry 4 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Arachosian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Albanian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Albanian Cavalry 4 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Mesopotamian Cavalry 4 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Mesopotamian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Persian Archer 5 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Cavalry P ersian Cavalry 4 5-2-1 / 3-1-0
Persian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Persian Horse Cavalry 4 6-3-2 / 3-2-1
Gds Indian Cavalry 4 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Indian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Saca Cavalry 4 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Saca Armored 4 6-3-2 / 3-2-1
Cavalry Arabian I Infantry 2 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Arabian II Infantry 2 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Cadusian Cavalry 4 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Cadusian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Coelo-Syrian Cavalry 4 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Coelo-Syrian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Sacesinian Cavalry 4 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Sacesinian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Median Cavalry 4 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Median Infantry 2 4-2-0 / 2-1-0
Tapurian Cavalry 5 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Elephants Elephants 2 8-4-2 / 4-2-1
Cappodocian Cavalry 4 5-2-1 / 3-1-0
Scythian Archer 5 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Nomads Cavalry Kurdish Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Parthian Archer 5 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Cavalry Sittacenian I nfantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Dahae Archer 5 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Cavalry Carian I nfantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Uxian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Armenian Heavy 4 5-2-1 / 3-1-0
Cavalry Babylonian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
M ardian Archers 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Hyrcanian Cavalry 5 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Gedrosian Infantry 2 3-1-0 / 2-0-0
Caucasian Archers 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Morale (2 ea) Blank (4 ea)
Mazaeus Commander 5
Bessus Commander 5
Darius Army Commander 5
Persian Foot Phalanx 2 6-4-2 / 3-2-1
Guards Greek Mercenary 2 7-4-2 / 4-2-1
Mercenaries I Phalanx Greek
Mercenary 2 7-4-2 / 4-2-1
Mercenaries Phalanx II

Macedonian Army

Macedonian I Archers 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Macedonian Archers 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0 II
Cretan Archers 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Agrianian I Mercenary 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Archers Agrianian II Mercenary 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Archers Balacrus Mercenary 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Archers Allied Horse Cavalry 5 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Allied Light Cavalry 5 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Odrysian Cavalry 5 3-2-1 / 2-1-0
Thracian Light Cavalry 5 2-1-0 / 1-0-0
Royal Comp I Cavalry 4 9-4-2 / 5-2-1
Royal Comp II Cavalry 4 9-4-2 / 5-2-1
Agema Hypas Infantry 3 5-3-2 / 3-2-1
2nd Hypaspist Infantry 3 4-3-2 / 2-2-1
3rd Hypaspist Infantry 3 4-3-2 / 2-2-1
Thracian Light Infantry 3 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Thracian Gd Infantry 2 5-3-2 / 3-2-1
Achian Merc. Mercenary 3 5-3-2 / 3-2-1
Infantry Lancers Cavalry 5 4-2-1 / 2-1-0
Thessalonian I Cavalry 4 6-2-1 / 3-1-0
Thessalonian II Cavalry 4 6-2-1 / 3-1-0
Paeonian Cavalry 5 3-2-1 / 2-1-0
Cavalry I Mercenary 4 3-2-1 / 2-1-0
Cavalry Cavalry II Mercenary 4 3-2-1 / 2-1-0
Cavalry Coenus Phalanx 2 15-7-4/8-4-2
Craterous Phalanx 2 15-7-4/8-4-2
Greek I Phalanx 2 9-4-2 / 5-2-1
Greek II Phalanx 2 9-4-2 / 5-2-1
Illyrian Phalanx 2 9-4-2 / 5-2-1
Veteran Mercenary 2 8-4-2 / 4-2-1
Mercenaries Phalanx Baggage 2 Transport
Alexander Army Commander 5
Parmenion Commander 5
Blank Circle 1 ea
Morale 2 ea
Blank Square 4 ea

Player’s Value

Alexander the Great is one of Avalon Hill’s early classics. Designed by E. Gary Gygax (better known for his creation and development of the grand father of role-playing games, Dungeons and Dragons), and developed for Avalon Hill by Don Greenwood, the game focuses on the Battle of Gaugemala (aka the Battle of Arbela). It includes a number of early innovations like unit facing and a dynamic morale track that differentiate its play from other classics. The artwork is straightforward and functional with one glaring exception. Alexander the Great is commonly recognized as having one of the ugliest maps ever to curse a war game. A hideous blend of green, gold and orange, it looks like the results of an exceptionally nasty LSD trip. Players have been known to skip this game to avoid having to look at the map.

Collector’s Value

Alexander the Great is a typical Avalon Hill classic, not particularly rare or valuable. Boone lists low, high and average prices of 3/50/13.25 at auction and 7/70/18.97 for sale. There were also two expansions that used the Alexander the Great system. Guidon Games, the original publishers of Alexander the Great, put out an expansion counter set called Alexander’s Other Battles covering the Battle of Hydaspes, where Alexander met and defeated the Indian Prince Porus. And Avalon Hill printed a variant covering the Battle of Kadesh (Egyptians vs. Hittites) in issue 19-4 of The General.

Other games of this type

Granicus (ADA); Successors: Alexander’s Empire (AH); Successors (S&T 161); Great Battles of Alexander and the Deluxe Edition; Diadochoi; Juggernaut; Phalanx (GMT); Arbela (G. Gygax); Tyre (SPI); Alexander at Tyre (Thunder Haven); Alexander’s Generals (Xeno); Alexandros (Command 10).

Other games by the designer

Arbela; Chainmail; Dungeons & Dragons; Don’t Give Up the Ship; Cavaliers and Roundheads: Rules for the English Civil War; Little Big Horn (TSR); Dunkirk (Guidon).

Articles about this game

The General, Issue 18-1; Darius the Great Strategy: How to Beat Alexander in Alexander; Antonio Santosuosso. The General, Issue 19-4; Ramses II – A Variant for Alexander the Great; Arnold Blumberg.

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