Monday 15 September 2014

Umbria 216BC-Hannibal vs Maximus

I WOULD SUPPOSE THAT,IN EVERY WARGAMES CLUB IN THE WORLD,THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN NOT EVERYONE AGREES WITH A TACTIC OR FORMATION ETC. HOWEVER,IT IS HOW THESE DIS-AGREEMENTS ARE SOLVED THAT,IN MY OPINION, SAYS AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THE PLAYERS AND THE CLUB.
LAST NIGHT WE HAD TWO OCCASIONS WHEN EITHER HANNIBAL OR HIS ROMAN OPPOSITION,DID "CONTROVERSIAL" MOVES,SO WE STOPPED THE GAME,FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES (LITERALLY) TALKED IT THROUGH,APPLIED WHAT KNOWLEDGE WE HAD,APPLIED A BIT OF LOGIC AND GOOD OLD COMMON SENSE,AND SOLVED THE ISSUE-GREAT STUFF,AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY REASONS I ENJOY WARGAMING WITH MY FRIENDS,PAUL AND BRIAN.

Oh I'm back to normal font-I don't understand computers,or how they can change from one thing to another,never mind,what about last night's game?
Paul took the part of Hannibal and his grand mix of troops,and Brian and I took the part of the Romans.

This is the scenario and map,I was facing the dreaded Numidians,Brian controlled the far legion and the fort troops.

This is ageneral shot of the table before any troop movement-look at those lines-perfection,what could change these lovely formations??


The Numidians have burst forth from the trees,and stopped my move towards the fort-I have this sinking feeling!!


Brian's far legion has formed a line,awaiting the Celt/Gallic onslaught,however,there has developed,a large gap between him and the fort-Paul had noticed this,and sent his cavalry and Elephants to see if he could cut Brian off-this is going to be tight!!


In a valiant attempt to stop Paul's cavalry and elephants,Brian has sent his meagre cavalry against them-outnumbered 2:1,he fought a good fight-for a couple of moves,then his morale broke and he was forced to retire!


Meanwhile,my legion is suffering from Paul's hit and run tactics,and he has now brought his Spanish infantry onto my flank,left open when I hastily chased a unit of his Numidian cavalry back to the woods-woe is me(and my legion!!)-Lines are still good though!!!!!!!


We have decided to bring the fort troops out to fill the gap,just in case Paul decides to send his elephants against us-as if!!!!!-Brian is fully engaged with his whole line,against elephants and warbands-come on Brian,you can do it!!

I have managed to wipe out Paul's Spanish troops,using a combination of Princepes and Triarii(yes I had to use the Triarii!!!),but Paul has had the audacity to send some Numidian light infantry against my solid line(which,I must admit,had been weakened by successive waves of javelin throwing cavalry-my god this man knows how to use these mounted devils!!)


Brian sent his velites against the elephants,and made them go "Amok"-however they ran "amok" through our troops!! his cavalry are beating a hasty retreat to the flank,which is doing very well-well done old chap,stout fellow!!-lovely lines in front of the fort-Hannibal was,at this time,having doubts about winning!!


Not a pleasing sight!!Elephants running "Amok"-I've got 16 of these Resin beasts,bought at a market in Newcastle-some would say I got a bargain-however if you're in front of them on the wargames table,I'm not so sure!!!


An impetuous attack against the fort troops,cost Paul's heavy cavalry,heavy casualties,and they were driven back,Brian had secured his flank,and my flank was slowly gaining its composure,ready to mount an attack against the Numidians,so Hannibal threw in the towel and the Romans(to their great relief) were declared the winners.
Great game,very well played-roll on Thursday!










































4 comments:

  1. Intrigued to know what those controversial moves were!

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    1. One involved Paul attempting to put his elephants into the back of an existing cavalry melee-improbable and unprecedented-so we worked it out that he could move them into the melee from the flanks.The other involved my Velites wanting to throw their javelins at a unit of charging Numidians-we decided they could but then had to take morale for being charged,with the Numids passing through them,so had an insecure rear!!
      Cheers,matey,Johnc

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  2. Indeed, Elephants are a notorious unpredictable bunch - especially against horses. See polybius, Livy and Arrian. Mind you, I read an article about Hannibal's elephants were actually a now extinct species of North African Elephant - they were rather small- not your monsters that artwork seems to portray.[I knew my about to complete Classics degree would come in handy!]
    Second situation would seem reasonable to assume the velites would turn and run at first sight of Numidians with some brave souls throwing the odd spear.
    I am sure the Society of Ancients would have 22 paragraphs in their rules covering such an event

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    1. Good observations,and well put old chap-you should have a go you know!!

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