Alex, assisted by Richard, umpired a Second Punic War (218-201 BC) clash using Field of Glory Ancients rules (3rd edition) and Alex's mouth-watering 28mm figures. John, Alex and I were on the Roman Republican side, while Brian, Doug, Rob, and Richard were the Carthaginians. The game lasted seven turns, and proved to be decisive.
Deployment
Both sides alternated in deploying their armies on a smaller table than usual. The terrain was open apart from three small hills, a river, and two camps.
Doug populated the Carthaginian centre with spearmen and medium infantry, whereas Brian placed two units of Numidian cavalry and two lots of light infantry on the Carthaginian right flank. Rob deployed on the Carthaginian centre-left with elephants and medium foot (scutari), and cavalry; he then added more Spanish cavalry on the left of the Carthaginian line.
The Romans deployed left to right as follows: John placed a superior legion on the Roman left along with some light infantry, while to its right I placed my average legion in the centre with more lights. John then deployed two units of Roman cavalry on the far left, behind his legion. Finally, Alex placed Gallic cavalry and infantry on the Roman right.
Turn 1
As Doug kept back the main infantry force, Brian moved up on the Carthaginian right with his cavalry and light infantry. Meanwhile Rob advanced on the left with his cavalry.
A Roman general advance saw John and I both move up our light infantry and legions, while Alex moved on the hill on the Roman right with his Gallic foot and moved his cavalry. John then moved forward with the Roman cavalry on the left.
Turn 2
Brian and Doug's light infantry continued to advance, as Rob's Punic horse moved up on the Carthaginian left.
I crested the hill in the centre with my light infantry, and advanced my legion, while John's cavalry made progress on the Roman left.
Alex's Gauls now occupied the hill on our right, as his superior Gallic cavalry approached the Carthaginian horsemen.
Turn 3
Rob launched a cavalry attack by one unit against Alex's Gallic cavalry, and by one more cavalry unit against the Gallic cavalry and a unit of Gallic infantry. The resolution of the clash was lengthy as there were so many units involved.
Meanwhile, Doug's slingers closed in on my legion, while his spearmen began their advance and the elephants moved off. Doug disordered the unit of Hastati on my far right with his slingers.
Brian fired his slingers and bows against the Roman cavalry and light infantry but did no damage
Rob's cavalry attacking the Gallic infantry drew their melee, but the Carthaginian general attached to the horsemen was killed!
John charged Brian's bows with his Velites, but the combat was indecisive.
John's cavalry went in against Brian's slingers, who evaded.
In the main melee of the turn, Alex's cavalry unit and Gallic infantry fought Rob's Carthaginian cavalry. Rob's cavalry, fighting both an infantry and a cavalry unit, were routed (eventually moving 15" away) and were pursued by the Gallic foot.
Turn 4
Rob's unit of Libyan cavalry on the Carthaginian far left charged Alex's Gallic foot archers, which evaded. But the Libyans still hit the Gallic swordsmen now in front of the archers.
Doug, meanwhile began a general advance in the centre with his spearmen, and caused my Velites to evade.
Doug withdrew his slingers - who had missed my Hastati - and pushed his elephants forward.
Brian was compelled to pull back his bowmen and advanced with his Numidian cavalry towards John's Roman cavalry.
In one melee on the Roman right, Rob's Libyan cavalry inflicted the loss of two bases on the Gallic swordsmen; these were disordered and close to routing.
A second melee saw Rob and Alex's cavalry clash, and Rob lose one base.
John now charged one unit of Roman cavalry against Brian's Numidians, who lost a base, even as he moved another cavalry unit against Brian's second unit of cavalry.
Both John and I withdrew our Velites and John kept his legion moving forward.
Now Alex managed to rout one of the Carthaginian cavalry units on the Roman right, which fell back and he followed up in pursuit. Things were going well for the Romans...
Unfortunately for the Romans, Rob's Libyan cavalry defeated and routed the Gallic swordsmen on the hill. They were duly destroyed and the Gallic bowmen behind them were forced to fall back, pursued by the Libyans.
Turn 5
After lunch, Doug's battle-line continued to move forwards relentlessly.
John managed to rout one of Brian's outclassed Numidian cavalry units on the Roman left, while the other Numidians were forced to evade the other Roman cavalry.
I now decided to charge Doug's light infantry, and as they evaded, I pushed on against the elephants. I lost an infantry base but passed the legion's morale!
Both John and I were closing in on the main Carthaginian line, almost touching Doug's spearmen now.
Rob's Libyan cavalry on the Roman right now changed formation in order to advance behind the Roman lines.
Doug's line of spearmen finally charged the two Roman legions. After interminable dice rolling, not much was decided.
Alex's cavalry with a superior general, which had pursued the broken Carthaginian cavalry, were now surrounded by Doug's Scutari from the front and his light infantry from the rear. Despite taking three hits, they survived a morale test, much to everyone's surprise!
Brian's command was suffering losses. His light infantry was duly routed by John's cavalry. Rob and Brian now decided to swap commands, as Alex's cavalry charged Doug's Scutari and won. John's cavalry continued to make good progress on the Roman left.
My Velites, behind my legion, turned to face the Libyans, while my Triarii behind my right-side Hastati unit, threatened by the elephants, formed an 'orb'. My Hastati had now lost four of eight bases to the elephants, and soon lost another two, and routed. The Roman right was being pushed back, even as the Carthaginian right was in dire straights.
Even so, Doug's main line of spearmen was mullered, losing a number of bases to John's and my legions.
Turn 6
But Brian, now on the Carthaginian left, attacked the Gallic infantry with his average Carthaginian cavalry, even as he threatened to attack my general with his Libyans...
Again the superior Gallic cavalry were surrounded, and controversially turned to face both Doug's Scutari and skirmishers. In a number of related combats, most were drawn.
The elephants again attacked my Triarii, indecisively. Meanwhile, my Principes and John's Hastati managed to rout two of Doug's spear units.
Unfortunately for the Romans, two of our legionary units routed as well soon after. My Principes fled, allowing Doug's spearmen to pursue.
Each side had lost three units this turns so far. John now charged Rob's remaining Numidians with his cavalry.
Gallingly, my Triarii on the right were routed by the elephants after losing a base.
It was clear that the Carthaginians were winning in the centre and on their left, despite losing on the Roman left.
Turn 7
As the Carthaginians consolidated in the centre, Alex's Gallic cavalry were being surrounded and boxed in by two Scutari units and the light infantry. Alex's Gallic cavalry was finally destroyed in a huge melee. The infantry supporting the elite Gallic cavalry was now routed by Richard's cavalry.
Although Brian's Libyan cavalry advanced, they could not shake off the Gallic bowmen.
Doug's spearmen defeated my other unit of Triarii, and advanced further. The Roman centre and right had collapsed.
Although John degraded Rob's Numidian unit, and I managed to kill Doug's general in the centre, the Romans had lost!!
Conclusion
All agreed that the game was great fun with wonderful figures. Apart from Alex and Richard, everybody was new to the rules. Alex said that he thought the rules were as good as any set he had encountered. Brian and Rob pointed out the relative ineffectiveness of light infantry (yet its fast movement relative to cavalry), and the fact that units can move and fire but not fire and move. Rob praised the figures and said that the rules could not be judged on the basis of one battle. Doug was annoyed by the superhuman Gallic elite cavalry, which were surrounded three times before popping their clogs. Richard pointed out that having larger light infantry units would give them more dice to fire with. Such debates are par for the course. All in all we had a riveting day's play. Thanks to Rob for hospitality, and to Alex and Richard for umpiring. We rarely do ancients, so this game was much appreciated and positively thought-provoking. Happy birthday Alex!
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