15mm Wargaming for Fun and Sanity: Of Gods And Mortals. Amazons besiege Athens. Version 1.

Perseus led an interesting life. One of the most famous in Greek Mythology, with his adventures making him one of the original Heroes, a time long before the Trojan War and the birth (their descendant) Hercules.

Ruling over the city, Perseus and Andromeda would have many children together, with their family's reign lasting for generations to come.

The earliest Athenian buildings date from the Late Bronze Age, particularly about 1200 bce when the Acropolis was the citadel. Around its top was built a massive wall that probably marks the union of the 12 towns of Attica under the leadership of Athens, traditionally ascribed to Theseus. The palace of the king was in the area of the later Erechtheum, but almost no traces of it have been identified. The town, insofar as it was outside the Acropolis, lay to the south, where wells and slight remains of houses have been found.

Siege of Athens

Plutarch states that the Amazons had most likely conquered most of the Athenian state, the portion of the city where the Amazons had camped bear many Amazonian hallmarks, names and graves. Once the Amazons set siege on Athens, both sides remained disengaged for a period of time. Theseus then attacked the Amazonian camp, the left wing of the Amazon army stood in a place in Athens that came to be known later as the "Amazoneum", and the right flank reached to the Pnyx hill. The Athenians attacked the Amazonian right wing, situated on the Pnyx, Plutarch states that the tombs of the fallen from this battle could be seen then along this area. The Athenian attack was repulsed by the Amazonians on this side, and the Amazonians counterattacked and pushed the Athenians as far back as the temple of Eumenides. On the other wing, where the Athenians attacked from the temples of Pallas and Ardettus and the Lyceum drove back the Amazonian left to their camp.

Many versions of the myth exist, one myth states that Antiope was slain fighting by a javelin. In another version of the Myth Antiope led the Amazons in battle against the Athenians and was wounded in the fighting, upon which Molpadia killed the wounded queen to save her from being captured by the Athenians, another version where Antiope is the wife of Theseus relates that she helped secretly transport wounded Amazons.

A peace treaty was concluded on the 4th month. The Athenians agreed to make sacrifices to the Amazons before each festival of Theseus. Plutarch writes that more Amazon graves suggest that the Amazons had to fight more battles with other Greeks on their way back to their home.

Note on kit. This is the early/middle bronze age, and right out in the sticks. Armoured is a relative term meaning some protection, even if it's a big shield and the aggressive attitude of a warrior culture.

Did Amazons exist? Or did did early horse using tribes use younger/lighter people of both sexes as cavalry? Centaurs could be the best on the biggest, also using a shield to protect the horse. That will slow them down, but allow them to get close to some enemy.

Irregular Miniatures. Alas the Small Yorkshire Gods of wargaming are now gone. There are 4 manufacturers featured in these games. Bulk of the Amazons are theirs. (Many moons ago in the before time I had a very bad back that meant I lived in an office chair, leaning on my table. To help keep my mind off it I found a box from Irregular to hand and based up the Amazon army pack. They are now finished!) I still have umpteen 6mm armies and a few other Victorians needing doing up!

Battle Valor (through kickstarter and the good offices of https://www.dragonfroggames.co.uk/amazonians) for the remainder/juvenile Amazons and centaurs, newly bought, 4 hero/leaders conversions coming up. Bulk of my Trojans, not used here, plus some cracking big nasties. This honour is extended to Splintered light for cyclops, centaurs and more.

Museum miniatures. If you haven't noticed, the bulk of the human forces. I begged Dave (we rule the world) for nude javelins. Here is batch 1. More to come, I need to add shields for even more variety. I bought loads for my Gods go to war proposed participation game but I gave up when I couldn't get the players. That left me with a pool of mostly done figures, so I've gone through several batches, concentrating on the lighter troops.

L put a lot of time into converting and finishing this lot, so for once I cannot apologise for unfinished figures!

Of Gods And Mortals. No big surprises here. The Amazons worshiped Ares and Athens is the city of Athena.

I'm suggesting the scenarios Temple Under Siege (p44) for the raid on the Amazon camp plus the Athenian stand at the temple of Eumenides. So a good days "swapsies" there.

Battle in the Sacred City. (p45) For the initial Amazonian siege and the Athenian attack on the right wing.

Here's a thought. If you have 4 players and a 6x4 table you could play both together, with the Gods having to decide where to manifest, possibly swapping when they get stomped?

Or can they move in mysterious wars betwix tables? Suggesting that you point as 1 huge force, 1 god, 5 Heroes?

1_ Temple Under Siege (p44) Raid on the Amazon camp

Amazon defends.

Ares Q2 C5 Group fighter, Combat master, Hammering blow.

Shapeshift Boar Q2 C4 Forester, Long move, Dashing, Poison. 376.

Legends
Hippolyte (Queen) Q3 C3 Armoured, group fighter, mounted 95
Amazon Chariot Hero Q3 C3 Armoured, mounted 87
Amazon Mounted Hero Javelin Q3 C3. Mounted Long move shooter short 96

Mortals
13 Amazon spear Q4 C2 Greedy (head takers) @ 12 = 156
8 Amazon maiden javelin Q4 C1 Greedy, shoot short @ 8 (rare, max 8) = 64
4 Centaur Q4 C3 Drunkard. Long move @ 31 = 124

God 376

Legends 278

Mortals 344

Total 998

1_ Temple Under Siege (p44) Raid on the Amazon camp

Athenian Attack

Athena Q2 C4 248

Prophecy Roll 3 dice BEFORE game, can swap for C or Q dice any unit.

Protection

Shapeshift Owl Q2 C3 Long, Flying.

Legends

Perseus Q3 C3 Armoured, combat master, mounted 99

Queen Q3 C3 Armoured, group fighter, mounted 95

2 x Achaean Chariot Heroes Q3 C3 Armoured, mounted 87

Mortals
4 Picked Warriors Q4 C2 Armoured @ 20 = 80
24 Citizen Spear Q4 C2 @15 = 360
7 Dregs Q4 C1 @ 8 (rare, max 8) = 56
8 Javelin Q4 C1 shoot short @ 11 (rare, max 8) 88

God 248

Legends 368

Mortals 584

1,200

2 Temple Under Siege (p44) Athenian stand at the temple of Eumenides. Amazons Attack

Ares Q2 C5 Group fighter, Combat master, Hammering blow.

Shapeshift Boar Q2 C4 Forester, Long move, Dashing, Poison. 376.

Legends
Hypolyte (Queen) Q3 C3 Armoured, group fighter, mounted 95
2 Amazon Chariot Heroes Q3 C3 Armoured, mounted 174
Amazon Mounted Hero Javelin Q3 C3. Mounted Long move shooter short 96

Mortals
2 Amazon Cavalry Q4 C2 jav Mounted long move shooter short @ 25 = 50
16 Amazon spear Q4 C2 Armoured @ 20 = 320
8 Amazon maiden javelin Q4 C1 Greedy, shoot short @ 8 rare= 64
4 Centaur Q4 C3 Drunkard. Long move @ 31 124

God 376

Legends 278

Mortals 365

Total 558

1201

2 Temple Under Siege (p44) Athenian stand at the temple of Eumenides. Athens defends.

Athena Q2 C4

Prophecy Roll 3 dice BEFORE game, can swap for C or Q dice any unit.

Protection

Shapeshift Owl Q2 C3 Long, Flying. 248

Legends

Perseus Q3 C3 Armoured, combat master, mounted 99

Queen Q3 C3 Armoured, group fighter, mounted 95

Achaean Chariot Hero Q3 C3 Armoured, mounted 87

Mortals
4 Picked Warriors Q4 C2 Armoured @ 20 = 80
8 Citizen Spear Q4 C2 @15 = 120
6 Dregs Q4 C1 @ 8 rare = 48
8 Javelin Q4 C1 shoot short @ 11 rare. 88
4 Slingers or archers Q4 C1 shoot Medium @ 13 = 52

God 248

Legends 368

Mortals 388

1,004

3 Battle in the Sacred City. (p46) The initial Amazonian siege

Amazons Attacking.

Ares Q2 C5 Group fighter, Combat master, Hammering blow.

Shapeshift Boar Q2 C4 Forester, Long move, Dashing, Poison. 376.

Legends
Hypolyte (Queen) Q3 C3 Armoured, group fighter, mounted 95
Amazon Chariot Hero Q3 C3 Armoured, mounted 87
Amazon Mounted Hero Javelin Q3 C3. Mounted Long move shooter short 96

Mortals
4 Amazon Cavalry Q4 C2 Bow Mounted shooter Medium @ 27 = 108
9 Amazon spear Q4 C2 Armoured @ 20 = 180
8 Amazon maiden javelin Q4 C1 Greedy, shoot short @ 8 rare = 64

God 376

Legends 278

Mortals 352

Total 1,006

3 Battle in the Sacred City. (p46) The initial Amazonian siege

Athens Defend

Athena Q2 C4 248

Prophecy Roll 3 dice BEFORE game, can swap for C or Q dice any unit.

Protection

Shapeshift Owl Q2 C3 Long, Flying.

Legends

Perseus Q3 C3 Armoured, combat master, mounted 99

Queen Q3 C3 Armoured, group fighter, mounted 95

Achaean Chariot Hero Q3 C3 Armoured, mounted 87

Mortals
4 Picked Warriors Q4 C2 Armoured @ 20 = 80
16 Citizen Spear Q4 C2 @15 = 240
8 Dregs Q4 C1 @ 8 rare = 64
4 Javelin Q4 C1 shoot short @ 11 rare = 44
4 Slingers or archers Q4 C1 shoot Medium @ 13= 52

God 248

Legends 281

Mortals 480

1,009

I managed to get Sacred City played. Proved to be a bloodbath with the legends clashing in mutual destruction, the gods clashing but not going and most of the mortals getting pummeled!

The players enjoyed it. I was playing a game with a new player (nothing like it to concentrate on the rules) so only got a few pictures.