Sunday, August 25, 2013

Siege of Thebes 663 BC (Assyrian-Egyptian War)



In 667 BC King Ashurbanipal of Assyria went to smash a revolution in Egypt, where an Egyptian King named Taharqa had invaded the Nile Delta. A swift and powerful Assyrian military action forced King Taharqa to withdrawal, and Ashurbanipal appointed local princes supported by Assyrian garrisons to rule the Nile Delta.  Keeping to his plan to have native administrators, Ashurbanipal chose Necho I as supreme ruler of the delta and made a treaty with him. Further pressure from Taharqa’s successor, Tanutamon led to another Assyrian intervention in 664–663, when the Assyrians seized control of the city of Memphis and sacked the city of Thebes. 

Wargod of Aegyptus rules are to be used with this game. This is a historical battle but part of the fantasy world of Aegytpus long after the tribes of the Children of the Gods have been long forgotten. 


Thebes Egypt Capital of Upper Egypt

The Assyrian Right Wing facing off against the Egyptian forces of Thebes

Egyptian archers on the walls of Thebes

Egyptian ships on the Nile
The Assyrian Left Wing


The Egyptians face off against an overwhelming Assyrian army




An Assyrian archer siege tower makes its way towards the Northwest wall


The Egyptian miniatures are a mix of Black Tree Design and Vendel miniatures aka Sgt Major miniatures now. The Egyptian chariots are a mix of Black Tree Design and Ral Partha Chariots using Black Tree Design horses, as well as some bits from some Wargods of Aegyptus stuff from Crocodile Games. The Assyrians are a mix of Eureka Miniatures and Immortal Miniatures aka Warlord Games now. The Chariots are from Irregular miniatures that are also sold at Eureka Miniatures. The Babylonians are from New Line Design and the Persians that I am using on this battle (remember its a fantasy game as well) are from Vendel Miniatures aka Sgt Major Miniatures now. The Babylonians are being used as auxiliary troops. 
http://www.blacktreedesign.com/home.html
http://www.eurekamin.com.au/
http://www.warlordgames.com/
http://www.irregularminiatures.co.uk/
http://newlinedesigns.co.uk/
http://www.sgmm.biz/
http://www.crocodilegames.com/


The desert mountains are made by Battlefield Architect and the pyramids are bought from Ebay. I also made some of the terrain using Styrofoam and house paint, the ones that have the temples on top of them, that I realize now are not in any pictures
http://www.battlefieldarchitect.com/

The Fortress walls and some of the buildings are made by Philip Viverito. The more white looking buildings are made by Art of War terrain.
http://www.artofwarterrain.com/

The siege towers are made by Grand Manner and the Egyptian temples are made from Hirst Molds.

Both wings of the Egyptian army sent chariots against the Assyrian chariots and cavalry. The Assyrian chariots won the day while the Egyptian chariot assault collapsed in total defeat on both wings. The Assyrian Infantry on the left wing charged the Egyptian right ring causing a rout of the entire Egyptian right wing. The Egyptian left wing have pulled back to the outside of the city walls in hopes of coming under protection of archers on the walls. The NE side of the city has been breach by scaling of ladders by the auxilia  troops with support from an Assyrian archer tower. The NW side of the city is being hit with a siege ram and currently has not been breached.




An Assyrian siege ram is almost on fire from archers on the city walls, but has almost breached the wall.

The Assyrian left wing advances forward after routing the Egyptian right wing.


The Egyptian left wing pulls back towards the city walls. Their right flank is now totally exposed.

The Assyrian right wing approaching the Egyptian left wing.

Turns out I used a lot of the rules from Warmaster Ancients rules, they are 10-15mm rules but they work wonderfully for solo gaming. But I also used Warhammer Siege and Conquest rules for the siege engines. Tricky game to do both at once, but fun. I am a solo gamer but can game against opponents as well, since I read the rules a lot. My only weakness which I need to correct is the Warhammer Fantasy rules, only because I have briefly went over them only once or twice. I have not played a Warhammer Fantasy Battle to this date, but that will change soon.

Battle Report Turn 2

The Egyptian army retreated back toward the city gates and have repulsed to attacks from the Assyrian army. The Egyptian archers along the wall have destroyed two flank attacks by Assyrian cavalry from the left wing. The Assyrian infantry from the left wing was sent into disorder. However the Egyptian army is backed up against the city walls and if they are sent into disorder that would spell disaster. One siege unit on the NW side of the city has finally breached the city wall with scaling ladders, but do not have a large force on the wall currently. 









The Assyrian army pushed back and the Assyrian left wing is put in disorder temporarily.

Battle Report Turn 3

The Assyrians have now breached the NE part of the city. The siege ram has penetrated the walls and a force of axillary troops are now attacking the Egyptians on the walls. The Egyptian army that is protecting the main gate of the city has split into two forces and have begun attacking the Assyrian lines with archer support from the walls, but without the archer support from the city walls they would have probably already been routed or destroyed. The Assyrians have failed to do any combined attacks with their cavalry forces which are very lethal, they have been forced to pull back due to heavy archer fire from the city walls. 

The Egyptians try to exploit a weakening disordered Assyrian Left flank.

Assyrian auxiliary forces move in after siege ram breached a wall in the NE part of Thebes.

The Egyptians forces attack the disordered  left flank of the Assyrian forces. The Assyrian cavalry on the left flank have held back their attacks due to lethal archer fire on the walls.

Battle Report Turn 4

The Egyptian forces advanced upon the Assyrian forces driving the back only to be driven back and half their forces became disordered. The Assyrians now await to charge and destroy the Egyptian army. The NE part of the city is now taken and the NW section of the city is still being fought over. It is not looking good for the Egyptian rebels. If the Egyptians can rally and push back the Assyrians and put them in disorder, there maybe hope.

The Egyptian forces charge the Assyrian right flank but are pushed back

The Assyrian left flank is met with a failed charge from the Egyptian forces.

The Assyrian army charges both flanks at the Egyptian army and pushes them back sending half of their forces in to disorder back towards the city walls.


If the left flank of the Egyptian army is routed, this would spell doom for Thebes. The northeast part of the city is already in flames.