Hasdrubal vs Celts 208BC

Last night saw Paul,acting as Hasdrubal Barca,leading a newly-recruited Spanish force,over to Italy to help his brother Hannibal.However a Celtic force,led by me,was massing at the Rhone,trying to exact a tribute payment to cross!!

The table before any movement,my tribesmen are "lurking" on the flank,and about to attack the Carthaginians in the rear(or so Paul was led to believe!!)-the troops in the foreground were just there as a threat-but of course,Paul didn't know that either!!

I had selected the warbands on the flank of Paul's column,to be my best troops,and duly sent them in against the Spanish first,hoping to gain an early success-and I did,winning the melees and killing most of the officers-hurrah!!-However,Paul never gives up,and fought back magnificently,eventually driving me back.

Despite the flank attack going on,Paul kept the head of his column together and moved them towards the river,where I only really had an archer unit,a light cavalry unit and a unit of heavy cavalry-had I made a big mistake??

I had written in my battle plan,for the far left troops,consisting of 4 warbands,some skirmishers and 2 cavalry units,to "feint" towards the rear of the column,and then turn to attack the centre of Paul's line from in between the gap in the mountains-this photo shows that happening-however,as usual,things didn't go to plan!!!

This is the view from Paul's side of the board,showing my attack on his flank,and the "gap" attack about to take place-nice straight lines!!!!!

Paul is using his elephants well,and by keeping them close enough to my cavalry,is forcing me to fight dis-ordered-the swine!!-this is the fight at the river,which is not going too well

Back at the centre,my initial success has been thwarted by good use of skirmishers,and the fact that my cavalry failed to charge home on the Spanish unit nearest to the gap-woe is me!!

My far left "holding force" is being beaten to a pulp by Paul's cavalry and,again,great use of his elephants-dis-ordering me-these were to be the eventual game winners for Paul,who drove me away and then was in a position to attack my exposed flank!!!!

This is it happening!!-cavalry all over the place,infantry being elephantised(new word!)-what do I have to do??

The head of the column is just about ready to cross the river,although it is still being assailed by arrows and javelins!but the centre and far flank is in tatters-looks like the end..........

Yes it is-hardly a Celt in sight-we didn't want your rotten money anyway!!
Once again a good game,lots of movement,melees,shooting and laughs-well done Paul,roll on Sunday,probably Colonial,and hopefully Brian will be able to join us.