Alexander vs. Porus
Modeling the Battle of the Hydaspes using Warhammer Ancient Battles
Historicon Demonstration Game July 2003

This scenario is based on   Alexander the Great gaming supplement's Hydapses scenario. It shows how  a 'monster' game can be scaled down to a more manageable game that can involve three to four players per side. The game presented at Historicon had three players and one coach per side.

Introduction: 
Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BC at the head of a large army of Macedonians, Persian and Indian allies and retainers. The Indian King Porus met his advance at the River Hydaspes (Jhelum) near Haranpur in modern Pakistan.  This would be the first major battle between a western army and Indian elephants, and was one of Alexander’s toughest battles.                                                             
The Game Scenario:

This game is played using the Warhammer Ancient Battles ruleset.  The Macedonian and Indian units and their stats are gleaned from the Alexander the Great Warhammer

Ancient Battles supplement.  The troops and units are representational in scale and are calculated to give a good game, not necessarily represent troops in balance ratios.  Generally the Macedonian side under Alexander is roughly based on a 1:100 ratio, whereas the Indians of Porus are less well defined, with one infantry and cavalry man representing about 200 real life soldiers. Chariots and elephants each represent twenty or more real beasts or mounts.

Multiplayer

Up to six players are recommended, three per side.  One Indian player will take the role of Porus who is the army general, his Son Spitaces commanding the left wing, and the Master of Horse is in command of the Indian right wing.

The Macedonian side has Alexander in command, with Tauron in charge of the center, and Coenus leading the left wing.  Players may only move or shoot units in their own commands, Alexander and Porus may detach their own forces to other players as they see fit, but the subordinates cannot take control of player’s troops, unless given permission by the commander in chief. If the Army general is killed then command will go to the subordinate commanders.

Terrain

The terrain is mostly a flat sandy plain with the Indians formed with their left flank on the muddy banks of the Hydaspes. The river itself, is impassible.  The game is best played on a ten foot wide table with five feet of depth needed.  An area 6" from the river edge counts as ‘muddy ground’ and a movement obstacle but does not affect line of sight. The ground rises toward the Indian right wing and one low hill with light woods connects to the foothills in the distance.

Deployment

The armies are deployed as shown on the diagram at the end of this packet. The Macedonian player may decide to move Coenus’ forces to the Optional Coenus deployment area at the start of the game, this does not count as movement. Macedonian Reinforcement troops arrive on the first turn in the designated area on their baseline, they may march move that turn.  

Special SCENARIO Rules

Macedonian troops, excepting skirmishers, are not ‘Used to Elephants’. Companion cavalry and mounted characters that flee from an elephant charge, stampede or Terror may attempt to rally and reform immediately at the end of the movement.  If caught by the elephants they may only hit on sixes with no extra weapon strength.  If caught by other troops involved in the same declared charge, they will turn and fight, but may not counter-charge.  If an elephant would force these units to retreat off the table edge they get a chance to rally, if they fail they are removed. If they succeed, they rally on the table edge.

Alexander will always fight an elephant rather than be destroyed outright or flee off the table edge. Even if the unit he is with scatters, in this case he will fight on! Alexander may always rally even if he is with a unit that may not normally be allowed to rally, in this case the unit continues to flee but Alexander is separated out.

Thracian and Agrianian skirmishers may use axes against elephants.  They gain +2S against elephants but lose their shield and must strike last if they choose axes. They only gain this bonus agianst elephants.

Porus rides an extra stubborn veteran elephant, if Porus is defeated in hand-to-hand or fails a Stampede check, the royal elephant will back up 2D6" towards his baseline, facing the enemy. His beast will not stomp Indian troops, and they automatically part to let the elephant pass through. Each turn he rolls 2D6 and must fallback that amount. The elephant will halt from exhaustion three turns after it began to back up. After that, the beast and passengers may only turn in place and may not move or charge. The crew will fight normally but the elephant will no longer fight. If Porus is killed, the elephant stampedes.

Indian crew and characters riding on elephants or chariots use longbows instead of composite bows for this scenario. All bow armed infantry use the long bow.

Special rules for the Indians apply and the Macedonians from the Alexander supplement.

Victory

The battle rages until one side is demoralized when only 25% of the original models are still on the table.
If Alexander or Porus is killed then their side cannot achieve anything but a drawn result. If Alexander is killed Porus may claim a decisive victory.
If the game lasts until Turn 7 the game will end on a D6 roll of 4+.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alexander’s Army:

 

                                                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Porus’ army: