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| Trojans, lead by Aeneas, charge into a group of Achaeans containing Odysseus & his companions |
After watching the movie
Odysseus in the theaters, and reading battle reports from
Irregular Wars using their rules set,
Ilium: Game of Heroes, we decided to give it a try. Players control one of the Achaean or Trojan heroes from the Trojan War, and along with a force up 5-6 companions called Promachoi, skirmish in an effort to earn glory.
Ilium is a different game than most, as your goal is not to wipe out the opponent's troops, but instead to earn the most honor, or Kleos. So, you could kill more of the enemy but still lose the game. Instead, it is about making a name for yourself that lasts down through the ages. This is very satisfyingly "Homeric" in theme.
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| We enjoyed our first skirmish using Ilium: Game of Heroes - set during the Trojan War |
A good example of how to lose in
our 20th century minds but win in Homer's is -- of course -- Achilles. Yes, he dies in the end to Paris' arrow (sorry for the spoiler!). However, as I would tell my 7th grade students every year, here we are more than 3,000 years later still talking about him. Here's a
clip from the movie Troy which my students would watch (and then tell me what they would do in his place). To this day, I feel it is one of the most true, Homeric scenes in the movie.
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| Clever Odysseus & his Promachoi deploy last, occupying a mud brick home on the Trojan flank |
None of us were controlling Achilles in this game, though. My friends Mike S and Keith brought their troops over and set up four contingents to battle on the dusty plains of Troy. Keith and Jenny would fight for Troy and controlled Trojan Aeneas and Asteropaios, leader of the Paionians. Mike S gave me Odysseus and he took Machaon, leader of the Trikkaians. We set up the tabletop for the first scenario, Battle on the Plain, but with only two continents instead of three. We figured this was a learning game, and best for each of us to control only one force.
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| Aeneas & his Trojan companions, left, respond to the Achaean ransacking & charge forward |
After terrain is set up, you roll randomly to see where on your side's board edge your contingent will deploy. Jenny's Paionians ended up in the Trojan corner while Mike S deployed the Trikkaians in the opposite corner, beyond two fields of crops. Keith deployed Aeneas and his companions not far from Jenny's Paionians. Each hero has a special ability or two, and Odysseus is that he deploys last and places his force anywhere on the board, but not within 6" of an enemy figure. I set up next to the sun-baked, mud brick home, with my two archer companions in good firing positions on the roof. The Trojans muttered something about "cunning Odysseus" and reacted with rage to our ransacking of a Trojan farmer's home. Aeneas' Trojans began racing towards the house in an effort to stop our looting. Meanwhile, I moved Odysseus, with his three Promachoi in a wedge shape in front of him, between the home and the advancing Trojans. Our pair of archer's let fly but missed with both of their shots.
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| Meanwhile, Machaon & his Trikkaians race towards the farmer's fields to reinforce Odysseus |
There is a definite balance to this game. For every contingent on a side, that many chips of their color are placed in a bag, plus one. They are drawn one at a time, so it
may alternate back and forth or it may not, as luck may have it. Once all each contingent on a side has activated on their chip, the final one of their color is a bonus or "Wild Card" activation for them. One Hero
or band of companions on that side is chosen get a single action, as opposed to the two they got on their first activation. There are also two "God" chips for each side in the bag. If they are drawn consecutively, one of the Olympian gods appears to help that side (as often happened in
The Iliad). The balance in
Ilium also extends to the actions that figures can take. Heroes can potentially shoot or melee twice, but Promachoi only once. However, a figure can take an action to "Concentrate" before a shot or strike in melee, giving it a +2 to its 1d10 roll. So, Heroes in contact with enemy have to decide to make one big hit with Concentrate or two slightly weaker ones. Promachoi, only able to attack once, will usually Concentrate before their only attack and have a better chance than otherwise against Heroes.
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| The Trojans charge in, with two companions on each side fighting boldly but with neither injured |
As the skirmish opened, Aeneas urged his companions to attack the invading Achaeans, and they surged forward, one companion making it into contact. Soon, another Trojan warrior was battling a companion of Odysseus, while Aeneas' two archers were letting fly with their own arrows. Despite having a more difficult shot at the archers above them firing from the roof parapet, the Trojan archers scored the first kill. Undeterred, the surviving Achaean archer slew a Trojan warrior racing forward below him. The battle swung back in favor of the Trojans, as one of Odysseus' Promachoi was slain. Odysseus begins the game with five companions, while Aeneas has six, so the Achaeans were in danger of being outnumbered.
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| Both Achaean 'God chips' are drawn consecutively & Poseidon appears to help the Greeks! |
Knowing he had to do something, the clever hero sidestepped the Trojan warrior in front of him and hurled his spear at Aeneas, inflicting three wounds on him. Most heroes take between four and eight wounds, Aeneas can take seven (but the gods watch out for him, as you will see!). Aeneas hurled his spear back at Odysseus, but the clever hero spun at the right moment, taking only a graze of a single wound. As Odysseus' blood dripped to the ground, the earth began to shake. All the Heroes and Promachoi cried out in alarm. A massive figure strode forward, taking its place at Odysseus' side. The Earth-shaker, Poseidon, had arrived on the Greek side! Fresh hope and vigor spread through the Achaean ranks. We had drawn our two God chips back to back, and Poseidon replaced one of Odysseus' Promachoi.
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| After tossing their deadly short spears, Aeneas & Odysseus close to contact, each inflicting wounds |
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battle, Machaon was advancing at the head of his Trikkains. His three archers began moving into the crops, though a Paionian arrow whistled through the air and a Trikkaian archer tumbled to the ground and lay still. Undeterred, the Trikkaian leader raced into contact with one of the Paionian archers and cut him down. However, this left the victorious hero face-to-face with Asteropaios and three of his shield bearers with their huge tower shields. The warriors advanced, hemming Machaon in from three sides. Asteropaios urged his men on, hefting his two spears and waiting for the right moment to hurl them at the sore beset Machaon. One shield bearer charged forward, but the Trikkaian leader struck him down. Two spears flew as the warrior tumbled to the ground, and Machaon was struck wounded by Asteropaios' deadly aim. The other two shield bearers immediately charged from each side, and the leader of the Trikkaians was sore beset!
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| After striking down the Trojan opposite him, Poseidon Earth-shaker charges Aeneas, too! |
Meanwhile, the Earth-Shaker cut down the Trojan Promachoi in front of him, and raced to Odysseus' side. Together, the two wounded the Trojan prince until he was just one wound away from falling. Just as Odysseus' bronze sword darted in for the fatal blow, clouds swirled around Aeneas. The Achaean hero's strike was deflected by some force. Winds blew dust into Odysseus and Poseidon's eyes as Aphrodite closed her arms around her mortal son and flew him a short distance away, setting him down next to one of his archer companions. Frustrated, Poseidon shouted strong, coarse words to his former lover and fellow Olympian, who smiled and waved her finger tauntingly at him. Poseidon roared in laughter, picking up Odysseus and raced with him towards Aeneas, where they surrounded the Trojan leader, again.
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| With the Achaeans winning the fight against the Trojans, the battle shifted to the other flank |
Clever hero and towering god struck again, and once again -- just as the blows were about to land -- mists closed in about Aeneas. Aphrodite's musical voice rang out like a clear trumpet, "Fickle Earth-shaker, you will not get my beloved mortal son so easily!" When the mists cleared, Aeneas was nowhere to be seen. The victorious duo heard the clang of bronze on bronze, though, and turned to see their ally, Machaon surrounded. Even though the Trikkaian archers had charged into the rear of the Paionian warriors, their leader was bleeding from many wounds. Odysseus outpaced the Earth-shaker and was the first to land a blow on the Paionian leader. However, Asteropaios Trojan ally struck one final blow on his Trikkaian opponent, but it was deflected by Machaon's shield. As shouting enveloped the duel on all sides, the Paionian leader withdrew from battle. Suddenly the small contingent was surrounded by mighty hosts of Achaens and Trojans. War cries engulfed them from every side. The main forces had arrived, and the Heroes and the Companions withdrew behind their lines, satisfied they'd inspired their respective armies with their displays of prowess.
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| Machaon, hero of the Trikkaians, strikes down a Paionian archer who killed one of his men |
With the end of Turn Six, the game ended. We scored the match a 3-0 Kleos victory for the Achaeans. However, in consulting online afterward with the rules author, Nick Wright, we discovered that we had done Aeneas' disappearing act incorrectly. He should never retreat off-table when the gods and goddesses rescue him. He is simply picked up and removed to another spot on the baseline 6" away. Oops! I guess our game should have been a 0-0 tie, instead! Although it may sound like he is invulnerable, Keith needed to roll a 7+ on 1d10 for the Olympians to intervene. He was just 2-for-2 in doing so when Aeneas would have suffered a mortal wound! With the other three Heroes surviving (barely, in the case of Asteropaios and Machaon, who each had only one wound remaining), there were no other opportunities for earning Kleos. Had we had one more turn, though, someone would likely have scored!
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| Asteropaios & two of his shield bearers close in on the sore beset leader of the Trikkaians |
I enjoyed
Ilium for a number of reasons. One, I have always been fascinated by Bronze Age warfare. There are not a lot of games set in that period, and even fewer skirmish rules for it. Two, building a force is super easy! The most companions any hero has is six, so you have to paint only seven figures for your contingent. Three, the chip draw makes the game unpredictable. One one glorious turn, the Achaeans drew both their chips and their Wild Card before the Trojans acted. Plus, the potential arrival of the Gods can always throw a monkey wrench in player's plans. And finally, there is decision making to do. When attacked in melee, Companions and Heroes must choose to "block" the enemy strike, which increases the number the enemy must roll to hit, or use their lower Defense number and preserve the ability to do an Opportunity Strike in return. Plus, Heroes can spend one of their two actions to "Gibe" (ridicule, belittle) an opponent, which will give bonus Kleos if they follow up with a strike that kills the enemy. Heroes can also choose to do two normal attacks or one with Concentrate, which gives a +2 to your roll. Lots of clever game play and tactics for the Odysseus inside you!
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| Meanwhile, Poseidon & Odysseus have chased down Aeneas & prepare to strike him down again |
We will definitely play
Ilium again. So, I foresee at least another 7 miniatures in my "Acquired" tally below, sooner or later! I encourage folks who enjoyed this battle report to pick up the rules either from Nick at
Irregular Wars Wargaming or from
Wargame Vault. If you liked the sound of this type a game, give it a try -- you might enjoy it, as we did! Thanks to my friends Keith and Mike S for supplying the figures and driving over for a weekday afternoon game.
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| Both Machaon & Asteropaios opposite are each down to a single remaining wound, but neither falls! |
MINIATURES Acquired vs. Painted Tally for 2026- Miniatures acquired in 2026: 210
- Miniatures painted in 2026: 179
TERRAIN Acquired vs. Painted Tally for 2026
- Terrain acquired in 2026: 14
- Terrain painted in 2026: 36
SCATTER Acquired vs. Painted Tally for 2026
- Scatter acquired in 2026: 34
- Scatter painted in 2026: 75
