Carry on Up the Tiber 215 BC
Having marched on Rome, Hannibal finds it too strong to
take so decides to slip away and find winter quarters.
The two consuls decide to intercept him.
They leave the old men of the Triarii in camp and march hard
to catch Hannibal as he crosses the Tiber to safety.
Terrain
Woods Light troops only
River Only crossable at fords (1/2 movement)
Hills Rolling
Objectives
Romans: Cut off Hannibal's retreat and/or destroy all or part of his army.
Hannibal: Ensure you keep your army intact and your path of
retreat open
The battle opens with the Romans on a parallel race with the Punic horde.
Consul Brian leads the head of the Roman Allied force across a ford
and finds the Carthaginian column of Spanish on a rise.
Consul Graham has successfully formed his strong Roman forces on the flank of his enemy.
Will they prevent Hannibal's (Paul) intended retirement?
What can Hannibal do to achieve his desired withdrawal?
Can Andy hold the hill/ford to prevent the army being split?
support their cavalry and light infantry on the far bank.
Commander Andy's Spanish troops are atop a hill guarding their
ford and the only route for the rest of Hannibal's army.
More Spanish and elephants march to support them.
Hannibal acts.
The cavalry at the rear of the column are ordered forward.
They thunder towards the Roman foes.
Outnumbered, the Roman reel from the onslaught.
Can the Roman rear cavalry survive ... the other Roman flank cavalry rush to their aid?
Meanwhile the Carthaginians form line to oppose the advancing Hastati and Principes
The Romans are attempting to match the Punic frontage while they
maneuver forward as their velites seek to close with Punic lights on the hill.
Andy and Brian feed infantry, cavalry and elephants into the meat grinder.
Success and failure are shared by both.
Units attempting to retreat are hampering the supports from advancing.
Lines are a luxury neither commanders have.
But not without some Punic treachery! How so?
Light infantry are quietly slipping into those woods.
They pose a threat to the Allied legionary forces with those open flanks...
no shields can save them from javelins thrown from this direction!
Brian is forced to use precious Hastati to guard the flank.
Hannibal has sent African infantry pikemen outwards on both flanks.
Can the Roman's prevent the move and stop such encirclement?
They hurl Velites to meet the threat and the Principe's line splits in two!
Hold the flanks is the cry... but will the Hastati centre hold too?
The elephants are repulsed... but not decisively....
It's time for the African pikemen in the centre to attack now, pinning the Hastati to front.
Desperation ensues..
The right of the line stops the outflanking African infantry dead.
They retire back to the ford.
But how fares the Roman cavalry holding the flank?
They run !
Punic cavalry rush beyond the Principes guarding the flanks.
The rear of the army is exposed!
Woah, woah and thrice woah!
Morale breaks the centre of the line and leaves
the strong flanks looking vulnerable and isolated.
BUT
Now what I haven't mentioned throughout this faithful recollection
of this game is the somewhat uncharacteristic manner in which the dice fell for Hannibal.
Modesty usually kicks in but out of the 16 units that Graham commanded,
I only managed to kill a meagre 8 of his units officers.
But you'll not hear any mention of fortune, luck or other excuses from me.
Probability is to blame.
Which brings me to the finale.
Hannibal Barca, strategic genius and magnificent leader of the Punic armies
sadly took badly to a scutum blow and had to retire from the field.
Now some may say he is dead but that's not been confirmed categorically.
Suffice to say most of his army decided they'd hurt the
Romans so much that they wandered off to grab a late tea.
That's my excuse and I'll not hear a word to the contrary ha ha.
A great scenario by David and well played by all
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