This is the first 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
Hannibal has completed his epic march across the Alps, but has lost fully half of his soldiers in doing so. The Consul in Southern Gaul, Publius Cornelius Scipio, has shadowed Hannibal’s advance following the coastal route. He intercepts Hannibal in Northern Italy as he is rebuilding his army with Gallic recruits. Neither commander is willing to bring on general battle, but Scipio does advance his light troops and cavalry, unaware of how much better the Carthaginian cavalry was than his own. Hannibal counters with his cavalry, including the fearsome Numidian light horse. Hannibal gives Scipio a tactics lesson. His heavy cavalry smashes into the light infantry, drawing the Roman cavalry into the fight. At that point, the Numidians hit both flanks, driving off the disorganized surviving cavalry, wounding Publius Scipio in the process. One capable Roman now knew how formidable Hannibal’s army was. Unfortunately, three other inept Roman Consuls would lose thousands of Roman soldiers at The Trebbia, Lake Trasimenus, and Cannae because they failed to heed the warnings.
The Refight
The Romans and the Carthaginians faced off against each other.
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| View from the Roman lines |
The Carthaginian Commander ordered one unit of Heavy Cavalry in the centre to advance and supported this with one unit of Light Cavalry on each flank.
The Roman Consul, countered this by advancing his whole line of light infantry.
The Carthaginian Commander continued with his strategy and ordered one more unit of Heavy Cavalry in the centre to advance and supported this with one more unit of Light Cavalry on each flank.
The Roman consul ordered his light infantry to skirmish with the advancing Carthaginians. The light infantry rushed forward, hurling their javelins at the enemy, but before the cavalry could react, the light infantry returned to their original positions.
The Carthaginian Commander ordered forward his two remaining heavy cavalry units in the centre to complete the line.
The Roman consul ordered the light infantry to remain in place, not wanting to enter charge range of the Carthaginians.
The Carthaginian Commander ordered forward his left flank Numidian light cavalry, to skirmish using their javelins against the Roman medium cavalry and light infantry. They caused some casualties among the light infantry, but the medium cavalry stood firm against them.
As the advanced, the Roman cavalry caused the Numidian light cavalry to retire before them. This allowed the Roman cavalry to surround one unit of Numidians with their commander Mago.
But unfortunately for the Romans, Mago resisted and the attack didn't go as planned, and the Romans took heavy losses and retreated.
The Carthaginians ordered forward their Numidian light cavalry on their right wing, and withdrew what was left of Mago and his Numidians on their left wing.
The Romans ordered forward their 2 units of medium cavalry onto their left wing in order to counter the advancing Carthaginians.
Hannibal led his heavy cavalry in a mounted charge straight at the Roman light infantry in the centre.
Seeing the charging Carthaginian Cavalry, the Roman light infantry chose to evade and fell back towards the relative safety of their own cavalry, taking only slight losses in the process.
Publius Cornelius Scipio chose to counter attack, and led his medium cavalry in a charge straight at the Carthaginians.
The Carthaginian cavalry we wiped out, but with severe losses to the Romans, and Hannibal was forced to flee for his life.
Marharbal, the Numidian commander, led his cavalry in a charge at the remains of the Roman medium cavalry.
This charge was a great success and destroyed all but one of the Roman cavalry units.
The battle now hung in the balance, with both Carthaginians and Romans sensing the possibility of either victory or defeat.
The Roman centre tried a final attack on the Carthaginians, but failed.
The remaining Roman light infantry withdrew, leaving the Carthaginians in control of the field of battle.
Scenario Result
Carthaginian Victory: Carthaginians 6 - Romans 5
Romans 5 victory banners and 1 glory point
Carthaginians 6 victory banners and 2 glory points
Campaign Result
| Victories | Banners | |
|---|---|---|
| Romans | 0 | 5 |
| Carthaginians | 1 | 6 |
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