"How to use the victrix carthagenian box." Topic

You got 24 veterans and 24 libyan and skirmishes.

So i would use veterans for Italy. Libyans for spain? And both for africa?

I don't know that much about the war in spain, but i don't think the carthagenian had any huge victories to outfit them self in roman gear?

Also libyans would work great in fights against the new Spanish pladtic troops to.

Well they mauled the armies of the two Scipio's, before Publius' son of the same name was sent over with fresh forces. But I've not read anything that suggested the Carthaginian armies in Spain took over Roman gear as Hannibal had some of his men do in Italy.

I always assumed that he had some Libyans in Italy as well. Maybe not, but it seems likely and would be impossible to disprove.

But weren't those libyans the ones that became hannibals veterans? The libyan hoplites became the veterans?

Yes, I think Gunfreak is correct; the Libyan contingent would have started off in Hoplite gear and and picked up the Roman gear later. I suspect that there were VERY few 'hoplite' equipped infantry left in his army after a few years.

-Will

And I have to observe, honestly, does it make much difference?

Just use the heavy infantry as heavies and the lights as lights.

Good point

Geez.
The topical discussion is how much equipment Hannibals veteran Libyans adapted from defeated Romans. And, how much of their tactics they adapted; i.e. did they stop being hoplite types and become close order swordsmen?

Two complete Roman armies either captured or wiped out in Italy, would have meant plenty of spare armour for leather or lightly armoured Libyans. So after a couple of years, most of Hanniblas veterans would have been using Roman mail and Roman shields.

There was a reasonable level of replacement for the army in Italy, at least initially, so mixing both regular Libyan spearmen, and veterans in captured Roman equipment, in the same army in Italy would be quite reasonable. And of course, the Libyan skirmishers were ever present.

Of course the most logical place to mix all types is Zama in 202BC. The veterans at Zama had probably been in Hannibals armies for 15-17 years so by that stage would have been a mixture of Libyans, Bruttians, Campanians, Spanish, Gauls and probably some Romans!

If the Carthagenians were all using captured Roman equipment towards the end of the campaign in Italy, would they appear to be mirror armies ala the opposing forces during later Roman civil wars?

JSears, probably a very mixed lot, as suggested above. But in the civil wars they used very similar tactics, too, so – for example- I don't know that you'd have seen Libyans throwing heavy pila at Romans even though they're wearing capture Roman armor. (Though no doubt some Italians, maybe those fighting for Hannibal, used throwing spears much like the light pilum).

The carthagenians were spearmen even with roman armor and shields. So romifed carthagenians would look kinda like triarii

I'd also assume they'd grab the gear but still fight in their own original style