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Korvessa19 Sep 2014 10:35 p.m. PST

I posted this on the Scarab site awhile ago, didn't get any responses (but lots of looks) thought I would try it here.

I wanted to model Hannibal's tactics with the bowed line.
So I used a scenario specific rule I made up. The Spanish & Celts in the center were allowed to retreat up to 3" in exchange for combat resolution points (1 point per inch). It worked as I had hoped. Here is the entire report:

Cannae experiment – part two

The kids are away at scout camp, so it was a good day to not go to work (it's good to be the king/boss) and give my solo Cannae another crack. I retooled the army lists a bit.

From what I can tell, the Roman cav performed pretty poorly, after having the snot beat out of them a couple of time recently, so I used stats for allied cav on both flanks. I upped the Iberian Heavy cav CA by one point, based on another set of rules. One of the Celt cavalry units was unarmored, based on same rules set. Finally, I wanted to make one of the Celt foot units a little tougher, as veterans, so I used the Bruttian stats for them. I also maxed out the Cartho SIP, figuring they would need them (they did).
Romans are named after their shield design

The Carthos –
Left Flank – Mago with standard & 2 SIP
Celtic Cavalry (12 heavy, 8 medium)
Iberian cavalry (10 medium, 10 in skirmish)

Center: Hannibal with standard and 3 SIP (Posted with Celtic vets)
Units from left to right
Libyan veterans (24)
Iberian foot (30 – the Blues)
Celtic veterans (24-the Brutts)
Celtic warriors (18)
Iberian foot (18)
Libyans (24)

And skirmishers – spread out in front
Iberians(10)
Gauls (12)
Libyans (12)

Right Flank – Maharbal with 2 SIP
Balaeric slingers (10)
Numidians (3x6)

Rob B. had suggested larger units with the Numidians. However, I find the small one works, as they won't survive a combat anyway, and the small size helped them be more nimble.

As for the Evil Empire (Romans)
Left Flank – Praetor with standard & 1 SIP
Allied Cavalry (12 & 10)

Center – Consol with standard & 2 SIP (posted with Legio w/armor)
From left to right:
Peltasts (8)
Allied foot (24) – facing Libyans
Leves (8)
White Boars (15 hastati) – facing smaller Iberians
Yellow stage (15 hastati) – facing Celt warriors
Leves (8)
Reds (15 armored hastati) – facing Celt veterans
Red/Yellows (15 armored hastati) –facing large Iberians
Peltasts (8)
Allied foot (24) – facing Libyan vets

Line two:
Yellow boars (15 Princeps)
Red Stags (15 Princeps)
W/P (15 armored princeps)
Y/P (15 armored Princeps)

Line Three:
Triarii (15)
Triarii (armored 15)

Right flank:
"Roman cavalry" (3x8)


During the battle narratives, the Roman score is always given first, regardless as to who attacks.

1) Nothing special, cartho cav advances on both flanks, but they keep their "bow" formation in the center.
2) Celts route one of the Roman cav units – but they escape; The Iberian light and heavy team up (the light using a glancing attack) and route their opponent as well – which also escapes. The Iberian HC pursue into the final Roman cavalry unit as it covers the escape of its comrades. During the Roman phase, the Cartho skirmishers manage to delay the Roman attack in the center, and still have time to evade behind the main line. The Iberians & last Roman cav unit fight to a standstill.
3) Both sides use an SIP for strategic advantage – which takes 3 roll-offs before the Romans win (the only time they won it during the game). The Roman line continues to advance. The slingers are overrun by allied cava. The Carthos finish off all three Roman cav units and either overrun them or chase them off the board. The Numidians continue to ride circles around allied cavalry – skirmishing when they can; but being more concerned with staying out of their charge arc. The Carthos move their skirmishers to the flank of the Libyan spears, as it is closed to being threatened by allied cav.
4) Mago moves his cav off the board and will attempt to ride to the aide of the hard pressed Numidians. The latter continue to skirmish and evade. The Romans make contact with the forward units of the Carth line:
• The white boars (+ glancing) push back the Iberians (5-4 victory), but they retreat 1" and break contact.
• The Yellow stags smash the Celt warriors (7-2 victory),but they retreat 3" and Hannibal only keeps them hanging on by using an SIP.
• The Reds push Hannibal and his Celts back (5-4) 1"
• The Red/yellows (+ glance) push back the Blues (6-4) who retreat 2"
5) Mago's cav arrive on board (I decided to let them arrive on a D5 or 6. Mago used an SIP to reroll). He has the two heavy units advance to the rear of the Roman center, while the two lighter units ride to the aide of the Numidians. The Romans continue to press the Carth center. One of the allied cav units was able to disperse one of the Numidians with dart fire. The other allied cav decides to ignore the harassing Numidians and try and stop some of Mago's cav
• The white boars (+ glancing) defeat Spanish again (6-3), they fall back 3" but the boars maintain contact.
• The yellow stags again crush the Celts (7-1),they fall back 3" and Hannibal is barely able to keep them in the fight by using an SIP
• The Reds defeat Hannibal& vet Celts (5-4), they fall back 3" – breaking contact to avoid being isolated.
• The R/Y defeat the Blues (5-3), they fall back 2" – breaking contact
• The allies charge the Cartho vets and fight them to a standstill (5-5)
The Cartho line is now more or less straight.
6) Mago continues to ride to the rescue (it's a long way). No new combats, two continue from the turn before:
• The white boars are dispersed by the Iberians (5-5) in a hard fight.
• The allies are pushed back by Cartho vets (4-5) but they pass morale.
The Romans continue to pressin the center, hoping to bust through before the cav can arrive. Both Triarii units turn to face rear and the smaller allied cav unit charges the smaller Celt cav hoping to buy time:
• The allied cav fight the Celts to a standstill (1-0)
• The allied foot charge Libyan spears(5-3),but the latter stays.
• The red boars push the Iberians back (6-3) 3"
• The yellow stags defeat the Celts (6-1) they try to fall back – but route anyway-they escape pursuit however
• The reds defeat Hannibal & the Celt vets (6-2) he is wounded and they fall back 3"
• R/Y fight the Blues to a standstill (4-4)
• The allies are routed by the Libyan vets (3-8) – they are overrun
7) Rome uses up its last SIP in a vain attempt to capture strategic advantage. On the Cartho left, the vets have turned inwards.
• The allied cav continues to get the better of the Celts (3-2) but they stand fast. The Iberian light try to help (glancing) but can't turn the tide.
• The allied foot are hanging on against the Libyans (4-5)
• The red boars push the Iberians back (7-5) another 3"
• r/y fight the blues to a standstill (4-4)
Both Triarri units ‘advance to the rear' to give some room before Mago attacks.
• The Italian cavalry finally destroy Celtic light cav. The Spanish light cav route in sympathy.
• The allied foot are finally defeated by the Libyan spears (2-6), they route and are overrun.
• The red boars defeat and disperse the Iberians
• The yellow stags finally route (6-1) the Celt warriors, they escape
• The w/p are defeated by Hannibal and the Celt vets (5-6),but they hang on
• The R/Y are dispersed by the Blues (Their support had to turn to face the Cartho vets on their flank)
The Romans are in a bit of trouble, as both Libyan units are now turning inwards to flanktheir opponents, but two of their units (yellow stags & red boars) did succeed in punching a whole through the Cartho center.
8) Although their center is pierced, the Carthos are upping the pressure on the flanks
• w/p are again defeated by Hannibal & Celts vets (5-6) they break and are overrun. Hannibal pursues into the supporting reds
• The y/p fight the Blues to a standstill (1-1) – however, they are in serious trouble as the Libyan vets are maneuvering to their left so they can join the fight
The Roman turn:
• The yellow stags charge the recently rallied Celts (5-1) & disperse them
• Hannibal & his Celts defeat (2-6) & disperse the reds
• The Y/P get the better of the blues (4-2), but they fight on – unfortunately they route when they see Hannibal disperse the unit on their flank.
The Romans in the center are almost surrounded.
9) The End.
The Numidians and Iberian light cav surviving skirmishers disperse an allied cav unit and contain the other.
• Mago & the Iberian HC coupled with the Libyan spears attack but are beaten by the (unarmored) Triarii (5-4) but they stay with Mago's SIP
• The Celtic HC attack the other Triarii with support from Iberian skirmishers, they are defeated (5-3) but stay in the fight
• The Blues and the Libyan vets hit the routing Y/P in the rear, they are easily defeated (1-6), overrun and the Consul & his standard are captured – they fall just short (1") of hitting the Triarii in the rear.
The hard fighting yellow stags & red boars march off the board, ignoring the harassing skirmishers. The red stags chose not to follow their Hastati and make a last ditch effort to capture Hannibal. The Triarii fight on.
• The red stags fight Hannibal's depleted Celt vets to a standstill (4-4), succeed in killing the army standard bearer, but cannot capture the standard.
• Mago & his cavalry, along with the Libyan spears destroy and disperse (3-10) the Triarii; the pursuit falls just short of the flank of the red stags. The Praetor and his standard fall to the Iberian cavalry.

Unlike my last attempt, this felt like the Battle. Final thoughts:
• Mago & his cav were able to quickly defeat the Romans in his area. They were able to ride to the opposite flank to help the Numidians as they did in battle. The Allied cav was able to defeat on Celtic unit – but too late too help the battle.
• The small Numidian units were able to keep the Italians busy with skirmishing so they couldn't turn the infantry flank.
• The Romans got a serious push in the center and did in fact break through. I think the fall back rule (Span & Celts were able to gain a combat results point for falling back up to three inches; 1 point per inch). This saved them several times. They were able to hold out just long enough by giving ground for the units on the flanks to do their work.
• The Libyan spears were able to defeat the allied foot and turn the flank. Not sure they could have done it against the more powerful legions. Once they did this, the Romans had to turn to face (likewise with the Triarii to face the cav), and this messed up the manipular support. As soon as that was gone, the Romans faded fast.
• Romans were able to do the maniple swap a couple of times. I thought it worked well. The support bonus would have been devastating without the retreat rules.


The Survivors

The Carthos –
Left Flank – Mago
Celtic Cavalry (7/12 heavy, 0/8 medium)
Iberian cavalry (7/10 medium, 7/10 in skirmish)

Center: Hannibal (wounded) with standard (killed)
Units from left to right
Libyan veterans (20/24)
Iberian foot (15/30 – the Blues)
Celtic veterans (11/24-the Brutts)
Celtic warriors (0/18)
Iberian foot (0/18)
Libyans (19/24)

And skirmishers – spread out in front
Iberians(10/10)
Gauls (12/12)
Libyans (11/12)

Right Flank – Maharbal
Balaeric slingers (0/10)
Numidians (12/18)

Romans
Left Flank – Praetor with standard – captured
Allied Cavalry (12 & 10)

Center – Consol with standard -captured
From left to right:
Peltasts (0/8)
Allied foot (0/24)
Leves (6/8)
White Boars (0/15 hastati)
Yellow stage (12/15 hastati) – exited board
Leves (0/8)
Reds (0/15 armored hastati) –
Red/Yellows (0/15 armored hastati)
Peltasts (0/8)
Allied foot (0/24)

Line two:
Red boars (12/15 Princeps) – but surrounded
Red Stags (8/15 Princeps) – exited board
W/P (0/15 armored princeps)
Y/P (0/15 armored Princeps)

Line Three:
Triarii (12/15) – but surrounded
Triarii (armored 0/15)

Right flank:
"Roman cavalry" (0/24)

CeruLucifus20 Sep 2014 12:13 p.m. PST

Very interesting, thank you for posting. Any pictures?

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