Hannibal ad portas- Hannibal at the gates

I got an email early in the week before our end of the month fight challenging my Romans to a showdown. The opponents were to be Nick's new Carthaginians and in line with his determination to have more figures in the world than anyone else - he also supplied some more Romans. Nick's Carthaginian force was still too big so we called in some of Ross' veteran Legions to help. Well, Nick got his troops packed and sent to my place in a fleet of road trains- he always does things to excess and as the Band of Wargame Brothers assembled for the end of the month meeting in the understated elegance of my garage - we had an historical rematch- Carthaginians vs Republican Romans.  Seven of the Brothers assembled and four played the Romans - Ross, Roger, Geoff and myself as C in C. Hannibal was played by Nick. Paul and Phil were his subordinates....

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The Roman Line

The Carthaginians

The Roman Hastati Advance

Center of the Carthaginian Line

The Roman Hastati on the Left engage the Carthaginian Skirmishers

The Main Battle Lines in the center about to clash

The Roman Commander (me) behind the Princeps

The Hastati move against the African Spearmen

The Roman Princeps in echelon.

Overview of the table

In the center, Allied Spanish troops clash with Gauls

A view of the table at turn six

Gallic Warband advance on the Carthiginian left.

The Hastati harass the Carthaginian Elephants.

With an overwhelming superiority in Elephants, the Carthaginians on their left and commanded by Paul,  initially began to make mess of the Roman right flank- commanded by Roger and Geoff who had the right center. The Roman cavalry had trouble dealing with the pachyderms and the right flank was decidedly shaky. On the left the Carthaginians, commanded by Phil,  fielded  two units of elephants, some savage Gallic cavalry, skirmishers and Numidians. They found themselves up against some Roman velites backed up by a couple of units of Hastati and two of Triarii- a tough task.

The Roman Center

Roman slingers

The Gallic warband prepare to charge

The Gauls advance

Ross' Princeps in the center- under any set of rules these guys are formidable- and they are deadly when Ross has them holding a hill!!

Carthaginian Elephants

It was in the center that the troops were thickest and the fighting fiercest. The Spanish heavy infantry that were allied to Rome were swept away by rampaging Gallic warbands but their sweeping advance came to  a dead stop when they ploughed into the steady ranks of Ross' veteran Princeps and a few units of Hastati- then the grinding match began. The Gauls were joined by the African Veterans, Spanish warband and Carthaginian spearmen. Like all our Armati games, this one was exciting and could  have gone either way- but in the end, by the smallest of margins (one unit) the Romans snatched the victory and sent the Carthaginians scuttling back to Carthage!



Gallic Cavalry

Foreground: Spanish Infantry allied to Rome- about to get snotted by Nick's rampaging Gauls
and behind them (right) Roman Hastati in support

The Roman Triarii defending the left rear of the Roman line- they came under heavy pressure from units of skirmishers and the Gallic cavalry commanded by Phil

Numidian Cavalry on the Carthaginian left clash with the Roman Heavy Cavalry

Turn Four from the Roman Left

Clash on the Roman Right- Roman Triarii and cavalry take on Carthaginian cavalry,skirmishers and those damned elephants!!

A ferocious stoush in the Center.

A close up view of the Center

The Rear of the Roman Line- Gauls in the distance

The Hastati on the extreme left of the Roman line.