This is the fifth scenario in our campaign representing the Second Punic War based on my own campaign rules. It represents the Battle of Dertosa which was also know as the Batlle of Ibera.
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
After Cannae, Rome struggled to rebuild its armies, but needed time. In Spain, Hannibal’s brother Hasdrubal Barca commanded an army large enough to possibly let Carthage win the war – if it united with Hannibal’s victorious veterans. Standing in his way, however, were the legions of two capable (at last) consuls, the brothers Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus and Publius Cornelius Scipio (the father of Scipio Africanus).
The Romans had crossed the Ebro to besiege the Carthaginian-aligned town of Ibera. Hasdrubal approached and offered battle, which the Scipio brothers accepted. Both armies were of similar sizes, about 25,000 men.
Both brothers knew of Cannae, but felt the only way to prevent encirclement was to quickly break the Carthaginian centre. When the battle commenced, the Roman legions fiercely attacked the Carthaginian centre, but unlike Cannae, there was enough Roman cavalry to hold their flanks. Lacking cavalry superiority (and his brother’s tactical genius), Hasdrubal was unable to surround the Romans before they broke through his centre. His cavalry joined the retreat, leaving the splendid heavy infantry to its fate. Rome was granted the time it needed to live and fight another day. Eight years later, Hasdrubal finally was able to march to Italy, but lost both his army and his life at the Battle of the Metaurus.
The Refight
The Romans and the Carthaginians faced off against each other. Rome at the bottom of this picture, and Carthage at the top.
The Roman commanders decided that their light infantry was too vulnerable in front of the legions, so ordered them to move towards the flanks.
Hasdrubal ordered his Numidian light cavalry to charge the Roman light infantry. Two units of Numidians attacked with the third in support. The first Numidians charged into the Roman, doing little damage but the hail of Roman javelins caused casualties to the Numidians and caused them to retreat back behind their own infantry. The result of the second Numidian attack was much more cautious, with neither side taking noticeable losses.
Deciding that the Carthaginian flanks were the danger, the Roman commanders ordered their whole infantry line to advance. They would push back the Numidian horse and the continue towards the Carthaginian centre.
The Numidian horse evaded the slow moving Roman infantry, but still took losses from the Roman pila.
The Carthaginian commander decided it would be better to be offensive, rather than wait for the slowly advancing Roman line. So Hasdrubal ordered his three units of the unarmoured Iberian infantry from the centre of his line to double time and attack the Romans. And a unit of Balearic slingers to attack the Roman light infantry.
The Carthaginian attack was unsuccessful and they took heavy losses, while only causing losses to the Roman light infantry.
The Roman legionaries attacked in response, even creeping round the right flank as their medium cavalry secured the left flank.
The attack of the legionaries destroyed 2 units of Iberian infantry an caused 50% casualties to a third. Only the legionaries under the command of Gnaeus Scipio took some losses.
With a shout of "I AM HASDRUBAL!" the Carthaginian commander ordered his elephants, supported by his medium cavalry, to charge the Roman light infantry to their front.
At the same time, on his right flank, Hasdrubal ordered his Iberian infantry to finish the fight with the Roman light infantry, which the destroyed.
While this was happening, the charge of the elephants was repulsed by the Roman light infantry. The elephants lost half their strength to the Roman javelins, and then turned and rampaged back to their own lines, but with out trampling any other unit.
Annoyed by the loss of his light infantry, Gnaeus Scipio led his legionaries to attack and destroy the offending Iberian infantry. In support he ordered his medium cavalry to drive of the Numidian light cavalry.
Seeing a chance to kill Gnaeus, Hasdrubal ordered his elite African infantry to double-time into the attack, with a unit of Balearic slingers in support.
Gnaeus' legionaries, the elite African infantry and the Balearic slingers all took heavy losses, but stood firm as the battle raged.
The Romans ordered their medium troops, cavalry and legionaries into the attack.
On the left, they destroyed the elite African infantry and forced the Balearic slingers to evade with losses.
On the right, three units of legionaries advanced in an arrow formation, to attack the Iberian infantry to their front causing 50% casualties.
On the Carthaginian right flank, two units of Numidian light cavalry started skirmishing with the advancing Romans, throwing their javelin out of range from the Roman swords. However, the caused no noticeable casualties.
The Romans continued their push forward in the centre, causing casualties to the defending Carthaginians as they were slowly pushed back.
Seeing that things were getting desperate, the Carthaginian commander ordered his remaining elephants to attack. They advanced past the legionaries, and then wheeled to attack them from the rear. Initially the legionaries took casualties, but the could battle back and eliminate the elephants.
Cheered on by Publius Cornelius Scipio, the Roman legionaries charged into the unarmoured Iberian infantry and wiped them out.
As they had taken so many losses, the Carthaginians lost the will to fight and retired from the battlefield, leaving the victorious Romans in possession.
Scenario Result
Roman Victory: Carthaginians 1 - Romans 6
Campaign Result
| Victories | Banners | |
|---|---|---|
| Romans | 3 | 30 |
| Carthaginians | 2 | 20 |
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