Hippocrates' consisted of roughly 7000 hoplites, more light infantry than
the Boeotians (although of lesser quality) and fewer cavalry. That is not
much to work with. It is unlikely that, when he left Athens, Hippocrates
thought he would face any sizable opposition enough to threaten his force.
I gave the Athenians four armored phalanxes, thus giving them an even yet tough line of battle. Their phalanxes will not stand up for too long in a straight up fight against the superior sizes of the Boeotian phalanxes, especially the Thebans. But they will stand just fine for a few turns, and the extra phalanx will give the Athenian player a little more room to be tricky.
Both sides have proportionately too much cavalry but to keep the Boeotian horse superior I gave the Athenians slightly less and made one light cavalry. The cavalry was placed on the wings with the light infantry, and thus (due to the terrain below) really did not have much of an impact on the battle. The athenian heavy cavalry got heavy armor (obviously no real evidence it was either way) simply to counter the Thebans, who were simply eating points. But then I also feel that in simple game terms, greek cavalry without armor is pretty hamstrung. The 4+ save afforded from the armor actually gives them a use by making the horse as resiliant as a hoplite, but the small number keeps them fragile. Be wary of missile casualties.
Likewise with the light infantry, Thucydides does not have a high opinion of the non-hoplite force that accompanied Hipporcates. In fact he even mentions that many of them were unarmed, probably just locals and tag-alongs hoping to pick up some extra booty as the army passed through. Thus I gave Athens mostly javelin skirmishers - probably far exceeding their real worth in the battle.
Hippocrates General 150 150 24 Hoplites - lt armor ld mus 298 24 Hoplites - lt armor ld mus 298 24 Hoplites - lt armor ld mus 298 24 Hoplites - lt armor ld mus 298 1192 6 light cavalry 66 6 heavy cavalry - hvy arm ld mu 112 178 15 javelins 60 15 javelins 60 15 javelins 60 15 javelins 60 15 javelins 60 15 javelins 60 10 javelins 40 10 slings 40 10 short bows 40 480 ---- 2000
Thucydides was relatively kind (for us wargamers) with his treatment of
the Boeoatian army. He claimed they had seven thousand hoplites, a thousand
Boeotian cavalry, and around ten thousand light troops.
I gave the Boeotians three phalanxes. A large well equiped Theban phalanx, mostly because I think the 6x6 phalanxes look too cool. But they are also much more apt to survive the battle of attrition against the 24 man phalanxes I gave to Athens. For the other two phalanxes I gave them 25 hoplites. The Boeotian phalanxes are faced with a tough decision - form nice squares so they easily have the upper hand when it comes to attrition, or opt to a wider frontage to negate the extra phalanx of Athens from flanking, or go with some mixed concoction (my preference).
The Boeotians obviously had a fair amount of quality cavalry, although I still had to exagerate their numbers to keep them to a minimum tolerance of playable and have a superior hand to their Athenian counterparts. I gave the cavalry armor & spears for the same reasons as Athens - mostly to spend points without increasing their number even MORE but also to instil a practical minimum utility to have an effect on the game.
Thuydides also mentions that the Boeotian light infantry were of a caliber higher than the rabble that traveled with the Athenian army. They were better armed and more worthy of mention. Thus I gave the Boeotians quality light infantry (peltasts and plenty of ranged missile support). Proper use of their light troops will also keep that extra Athenian phalanx from running rampant.
Pagondas General 150 150 Thebans 36 phalanx - lt armor ld mus 442 Haliartians, Coronaeans, Copaeans 25 phalanx - lt armor ld mus 310 Thespians, Tanagraeans, Orchomenians 25 phalanx - ld mus 260 1012 8 heavy cav - spear hvy armor 154 8 theban cav - spear hvy armor 194 348 15 peltasts - ld mus 115 15 javelins 60 15 javelins 60 15 javelins 60 15 slings 60 15 slings 60 15 bows 75 490 ---- 1998
"Hippocrates had got half through the army with his exhortation,
when the Boeootians, after a few more hasty words from Pagondas, struck
up the paean, and came against them from the hill; the Athenians advancing
to meet them, and closing at a run. [2] The extreme wing of neither army
came into action, one like the other being stopped by the water-courses
in the way; the rest engaged with the utmost obstinacy, shield against
shield. [3] The Boeootian left, as far as the center, was worsted by the
Athenians. The Thespians in that part
of the field suffered most severely. The troops alongside them having given
way, they were surrounded in a narrow space and cut down fighting hand
to hand; some of the Athenians also fell into confusion in surrounding
the enemy and mistook and so killed each other. [4] In this part of the
field the Boeootians were beaten, and retreated upon the troops still fighting;
but the right, where the Thebans were, got the better of the Athenians
and shoved them further and further back, though gradually at first. [5]
It so happened also that Pagondas, seeing the distress of his left, had
sent two squadrons of horse, where they could not be seen, round the hill,
and their sudden appearance struck a panic into the victorious wing of
the Athenians, who thought that it was another army coming against them.
[6] At length in both parts of the field, disturbed by this panic, and
with their line broken by the advancing Thebans, the whole Athenian army
took to flight. [7] Some made for Delium and the sea, some for Oropus,
others for Mount Parnes, or wherever they had hopes of safety, [8] pursued
and cut down by the Boeootians, and in particular by the cavalry, composed
partly of Boeootians and partly of Locrians, who had come up just as the
rout began. Night however coming on to interrupt the pursuit, the mass
of the fugitives escaped more easily than they would otherwise have done.
[9] The next day the troops at Oropus and Delium returned home by sea,
after leaving a garrison in the latter place, which they continued to hold
notwithstanding the defeat."
Needless to say, the tide of the Peloponesian War was starting to turn against Athens.
