Second Punic War - Lake Trasimenus (217 BC)

This is the third scenario in our campaign representing the Second Punic War based on my own campaign rules. 

The scenario was played using the Commands & Colors Ancients rules but on hex terrain from Kallistra and using 6mm figures from Baccus instead of blocks.

The History

Much of Hannibal’s "genius" for warfare lay in his ability to take the measure of his opponents’ abilities and intentions. His opponent in 217 BC was Roman Consul Gaius Flaminius, a vain and incompetent patrician. Armed with this knowledge, Hannibal determined to set a trap for his opponent by ravaging the countryside to spur Flaminius to action. True to form, Flaminius rushed headlong into pursuit of Hannibal, marching his army through the narrow defile next to Lake Trasimenus where Hannibal’s army lay in wait. Hannibal posted his veteran infantry as a blocking force, hiding his light infantry and cavalry in the hills. As the day of battle dawned, a heavy mist covered the area – Flaminius further aided Hannibal’s plans by neglecting to send out scouts. The Roman vanguard stumbled into the Carthaginian blocking force, and the battle was joined. Almost immediately the ambushing Carthaginians descended from the hills and fell on the Roman column before the soldiers had enough time to deploy. Flaminius died early in the fighting; more than half of his army died along with him, either in the desperate fighting or drowning trying to escape. It was noteworthy that the only portion of Flaminius’s army to escape intact was the vanguard – those soldiers fought their way through Hannibal’s best infantry to do it. It surely was not through lack of bravery that the Roman army met disaster at Lake Trasimenus.

 

The Refight

The Romans and the Carthaginians faced off against each other. Rome at the bottom of this picture, and Carthage at the top.

Hannibal ordered his right flank forward and to move onto the hill.

The 3 units on the extreme Roman left advanced to counter the Carthaginian movement.

Two units of Gallic warriors and one of Carthaginian cavalry charged over the crest of the hill and into the Romans infantry below.

A Carthaginian cavalry unit moved forward into the defile to attack the auxilia beyond.

The charge over the hill was stopped, they took heavy casualties and were repulsed. Even the general leading the charge was killed; although in doing so the Roman's took heavy losses themselves.

The Carthaginian cavalry in the defile was slightly more successful, in that they inflicted losses on the auxilia without any noticeable casualties themselves.

The Roman infantry in the centre moved forward to attack the few remaining Gallic warriors.

The Roman medium infantry attacked the Carthaginian slingers hoping to drive them off.

The remaining Gallic warriors were wiped out.

The cavalry slaughtered many slingers but took surprisingly heavy losses themselves

The Gallic warriors on the hill, charged down and wiped out the Roman legionaries and killed Consul Gaius Flaminius.

The Carthaginian slingers, which were under pressure from the Roman cavalry, retired over the hill to safety.

The Carthaginian auxilia, with their commander at their head, advanced to face the Roman cavalry causing them to evade back to the safety of their own infantry.

With a cry of "Avenge The Consul !!", the Romans attacked the Gallic warriors. Their auxilia and light infantry surrounded the warriors as the remaining cavalry charged head-on.

This attack was not as successful as it was hoped, the Roman cavalry was destroyed and the auxilia and light infantry took losses. The Gallic warriors to heavy losses themselves, but still stood firm.

In the centre, one Carthaginian unit wiped out the remaining Roman auxilia while a second unit caused the Roman light infantry to evade.

On their left flank, a unit of legionaries advanced to attack the Carthaginians from the front while a unit of light infantry sneaked over the hill to take the cavalry from behind and cut of their possibility to evade the coming attack.

The legionaries wiped out the Carthaginian cavalry and the auxilia on the hill wiped out a unit of Numidian light cavalry which could not evade because they were packed in so tightly.

Hannibal order his Numidian light cavalry to move towards his centre. In doing so they skirmished with the Roman light infantry causing them to retreat back over the hill.

Seeing the lone band of Gallic warriors, a long way in front of their comrades, the Romans attacked them with their light infantry, in a bold action that could win the the battle. One unit through their javelins from a distance while the other charged in for hand-to-hand combat.

However the Roman attack was not successful, and the brave light infantry we surrounded by Carthaginians and wiped out. 

The Carthaginians had defeated the Romans, but it was not the major victory that Hannibal had hoped for; the Carthaginians had lost almost as many men as the Romans.

Scenario Result 

Carthaginian Victory: Carthaginians 6 - Romans 5

Campaign Result 

	Victories	Banners
Romans	1	17
Carthaginians	2	17