Clash of Empires Battle System Revealed

The Trojan War

The most likely date for the Trojan War was about 1250/40 BC. According to legend the war was brought about by the abduction of Helen, wife of Menelaus , King of Sparta. She was taken by the Trojan prince Paris who took her back to Troy a city in western Anatolia and seat of King Priam. Paris and Hector, the greatest fighter for Troy, were his sons. In retribution the King of the Achaean Greeks (Mycenaeans) Agamemnon assembled a huge armada and sailed to western Anatolia and there waged a war that lasted ten years. In the Iliad Homer’s poetical account of the Greek attack on Troy the poet describes the final days of the war. The core of his writings deal with the acrimonious relationship between the Greek hero Achilles and Agamemnon and also includes the involvement of various vengeful gods who interfere in the affairs of men. The most notable event in the epic story is when Achilles kills Hector in revenge for the death of his friend Patroclus who was killed by Hector. In his turn Achilles is killed by Paris whose arrow is guided to the Greek heroes vulnerable heel by the sun god Apollo. Finally, the siege of Troy ends in a ruse to gain entry into the city (the wooden horse) whereupon the city is sacked and all the inhabitants massacred. At the end of the story, the gods angry with the destruction of their temples and other sacrilegious acts cause a storm to fall upon the returning Achaean fleet causing many ships to be lost.

Biblical Armies

Mycenaean

Mycenaean military organization was based upon some sort of feudal system. Chariot owning nobles called eqeta, or followers owed allegiance to a king and when mustered for battle produced an effective close combat force. The main part of the infantry consisted of close formation spearmen equipped with large body-shields and long thrusting spears. These were probably recruited from a prosperous section of the community and were in turn supported by less well- equipped archers, slingers and javelinmen.

The Anatolians

Like the Hittites the Trojans may have relied mainly upon a formidable shock force of heavy chariots crewed by the armoured warriors of a feudal aristocracy. These were supported in battle by allied contingents of close-order spearmen provided by neighbouring states. The Hittites were skilful practitioners of the surprise attack.

Clash of Empires

Using the Clash of Empires rules the battle strength and capabilities of the belligerents can be shown as follows: -

Mycenaean Army

Feudal Army type with a Combat Rating (CR) of ❶ which based on the number of army units i.e., 40 converts to a +12 Fighting Bonus (FB). Battle Dice 2D6 (highest scoring die only). Special Abilities: Shield Wall which imposes a -1D3 modifier on an opponents Battle Roll which increases to a -1D6 if their FB is greater than that of the opponent. In addition they get +1 to Initiative for Lightning Attack. The Mycenaean army also gets a 1D6 Battle Advantage Die for Supreme War Leader in Command (Agamemnon) and a 1D6 numerical advantage for opponent outnumbered. Last but not least the Mycenaeans have a Battle Dice reroll capability for Hero (Achilles).

Trojan Army

Feudal Army type with a Combat Rating (CR) of ❶ which based on the number of army units i.e., 35 converts to a +10 Fighting Bonus (FB). Battle Dice 2D6 (highest scoring die only). Special Ability: Surprise Attack which gives the Trojans a +3 modifier to their Battle Die score. Double modifier if FB greater than that of the opponent. They also get a Battle Dice reroll capability for Hero (Hector).

Clash Battle System

After rolling for Initiative the Battle Roll for each army consists of the following procedure:

•  Roll Battle Dice (highest scoring die only)

•  Plus, Combat Rating (CR) to Fighting Bonus (FB) (conversion dependent upon number of units).

• Plus, Battle Bonus calculation determined by Army Type and FB.

• Plus, Advantage Dice (representing a numerical, tactical or other special advantage)

Highest score wins and the difference between the two Battle Rolls determines the number of casualties.

Combat Rating to Fighting Bonus Conversion and Casualty Tables not shown.

Biblical Battle Log

Domain = Aegean (Mycenaeans)

Battle = Trojan War     Date: Year 9 Turn 10

Initiative	Battle Dice (Modifier)	CR to Fighting Bonus	Battle Bonus	Battle Advantage Dice	Total Score
1D6 +1 4+1 = 5	2D6 (1D3/1D6)  4 and 1 (Highest Die only) Hero Reroll 5 and 2	❶ x 40 = +12 FB	No odds or evens 1D3 = 2	Supreme Leader in Command 1D6 Opponent outnumbered 1D6 3+2 = 5	5+12+2+5 = 24 Shield Wall 1D6 = 3

 Domain = Wilusya (Anatolians or Trojans)

Initiative	Battle Dice (Modifier)	CR to Fighting Bonus	Battle Bonus	Battle Advantage Dice	Total Score
1D6    = 5	2D6 (+3/+6) Surprise Attack   4 and 1 (Highest Die only) Hero Reroll 5 and 1 5+3 = 8	❶x 35 = +10 FB	Odds Dice 1D6 = 4	N/A	8+10+4 = 22 22-3 (Shield Wall) = 19

Battle Bonus Calculation Table

FB	Warband	Feudal	Part-Standing	Standing
1-4	1D3(1D6)	1D3(1D6)	1D3(1D6)	1D3(1D6)
5-8	1D3(1D6)	1D3(1D6)	1D3(1D6)	1D6(2D6)
9-12	1D3(1D6)	1D3(1D6)	1D6(2D6)	1D6(2D6)
13-16	1D3(1D6)	1D6(2D6)	1D6(2D6)	2D6(3D6)
17-20	1D6(2D6)	1D6(2D6)	2D6(3D6)	2D6(3D6)
21-24	1D6(2D6)	2D6(3D6)	2D6(3D6)	3D6(4D6)
25+	2D6(3D6)	2D6(3D6)	3D6(4D6)	3D6(4D6)

(#D#) = Enhanced Battle Bonus on odds or evens Battle Dice.

Note: - Both sides roll 5 for Initiative so there is no tactical advantage. The Mycenaeans have a powerful hero in their ranks, namely Achilles, which means that they get to reroll an initial Battle Dice score of 4 and 1 getting a 5 and 2 instead. (There are still no odds or evens dice so no enhanced Battle Bonus). The 5 is the highest die and this goes towards the total score along with +12 FB and 2 which is the result of the Battle Bonus Calculation. This together with their Advantage Dice score of 5 gives the Mycenaeans a total score of 24. As for the Trojans they score 22 the product of Hector’s Hero Reroll and what can be interpreted as a successful surprise attack upon the Mycenaean camp. Crucially, however, they have no Battle Advantage Dice and the Mycenaean Shield Wall further degrades their total score from 22 to 19. The difference between the Mycenaean and Trojan scores is 5 which means that the loser suffers 50% (17 units) casualties and the winner 15% (6 units) on the Casualty Table.

The Mycenaeans go on to besiege Troy for nine monthly turns and by Year 10 Turn 7 the Trojans are out of supply. Thereupon, the Mycenaeans storm Troy and with the aid of a siege engine known as the ‘wooden horse’ they break into the city and massacre its inhabitants. Unfortunately for the Mycenaeans when moving their navy back home they roll a 1 and are caught in a storm losing 75% of their ships.

The Mycenaean army led by Agamemnon fights a major battle against the Anatolians before the gates of Troy in western Anatolia. Figures by Irregular Miniatures from their 20mm Biblical range. Painted by Silurian and from the author’s own collection. The numerical strength of each army is denoted by blank coloured poker chips. Game board from the Clash of Empires: The Biblical Conquest Game.

What was probably the historical city of Troy was discovered in Turkey in 1873 by Heinrich Schliemann (1822-90). It is generally accepted that the Trojan War was associated with a venture by the Mycenaeans a rich and powerful civilization of the Aegean whose chief stronghold was Mycenae in the north-eastern Peloponnese, Greece. It may even have been the case that the Mycenaeans were so weakened by their expedition against Troy that it precipitated their own demise at the hands of the Sea Peoples. It is significant that their dynasties end about this time.

Sources

Boulter, M L. 2009/2023-24: Clash of Empires: The Biblical Conquest Game. A Silurian War Games Ltd publication.

Cotterell, A. 1989: The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Myths & Legends. Cassell Publishers Ltd.

Eagles, R. 1990: Homer - The Iliad. Published by Penguin Books Ltd.

Mellersh, H.E.L. 1995: Chronology of the Ancient World, 10,000 BC – AD 799. Helicon Publishing Ltd.

Stillman, N.R. and Tallis, N.C. 1984: Armies of the Ancient Near East 3000 BC to 539 BC. A Wargames Research Group Publication.

Article Front Page Picture

Ancient Greek Phalanx. Trojan War. Retrieval Patroclus Body Homer Pottery, National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece. From Farsala 510-500 BC. After Alamy. (IY04212203)