216BC Cannae

A Headless Body Production
Venue: An undisclosed basement
Event: 216BC Cannae
Players: Steve Turn and John Forsythe running Carthaginian
Phil Gardocki and Garth Parker running Rome
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.

This is a running of one of four scenarios created by Dan Hazelwood. For the full pdf, go to the forum and look up Punic Wars Scenarios for ADLG.pdf.

The Forces:

Carthaginian
Commanded by Hannibal (Baal is Gracious) the Strategist, Hasdrubal (Helper of Baal), the Brilliant and Hanno (the nephew), the Ordinary
6 Spanish and Punic Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry, 3 Elite
4 Numidian Horse, Light Cavalry, Javelin, Elite
2 Numidian Foot, Light Infantry Javelin, Elite
2 Spanish Heavy Swordsmen, Armor, Impact
4 Gallic Warriors, Medium Swordsmen, Impact
3 African Heavy Spearmen, Armor, Elite

Breakpoint...21 

Romans
Commanded by Gaius Terentius Varro, Minicus Rufus and Lucius Aemilius Paulius, all Ordinary
13 Hastati or Principes Heavy Swordsmen, Impact, 8 Mediocre
6 Triarii, Heavy Spearmen, Armor
2 Velites, Light Infantry, Javelin
5 Equites, Medium Cavalry, 1 elite
Breakpoint... 26

Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" "Heus!" or "Auć!", this implies a disorder from missiles. Letters in parenthesis represent some value change for the specific unit. For commanders it is s for strategist, b for Brilliant, c for Competent and o for Ordinary, u for unreliable. For troops it is e for Elite, and m for Mediocre. Other abbreviations, Hvy Heavy, XB Crossbow, LB, Longbow, Jav Javelin, 2HW 2 Handed Weapons, B Bow, Kn Knight, HKn Heavy Knight, HC Heavy Cavalry, Md Medium, Sgt Sergeants, LC Light Cavalry, Chr Chariot, Cat Cataphract, Pa Pavise, LI, Light Infantry, HG Hand Gun, FKn Foot Knight, Hvy Spear, Heavy Spearmen.

Inappropriately capitalized words are used to highlight terms that are specific to the game. For example Brilliant, Competent and Ordinary have specific game values for the commanders.

"XX" implies a unit killed in that location on that turn.

Deployment:

After these losses of the Battles of Trebia and Lake Trasimene, the Romans appointed Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus as dictator to deal with the Carthaginian threat. Fabius used attrition warfare against Hannibal, cutting off his supply lines and avoiding pitched battles. These tactics proved unpopular with the Romans who, as they recovered from the shock of Hannibal's victories, began to question the wisdom of the Fabian strategy, which had given the Carthaginian army a chance to regroup. The majority of Romans, at least those that would not be required to fight, were eager to see a quick conclusion to the war. It was feared that, if Hannibal continued plundering Italy unopposed, Rome's allies might defect to the Carthaginian side for self-preservation.
 

When the Consul (basically a co-president of the Senate) Fabius came to the end of his term, the Senate did not renew his dictatorial powers and command was given to consuls Gnaeus Servilius Geminus and Marcus Atilius Regulus. In 216 BC, when elections resumed, Gaius Terentius Varro and Lucius Aemilius Paulius were elected as consuls, placed in command of a newly raised army of 8 legions to engage Hannibal...

The scenario has preset the deployment of all forces, and the game starts with the Romans having already made their first move.

Hasdrubal has a strong force of Punic and Spanish Cavalry on the Carthaginian left. One element of Cavalry was later found missing and added before turn 2. Blue dice on the stands denote elite units.

Hannibal's infantry take occupy the center of the line.

On the Carthaginian right is a large force of Numidian light horse, led by "the nephew".

The introduction/deployment pictures of the Carthaginians were taken from their side of the board. The rest of the battle report will be taken from the Roman side of the board. Sorry for the confusion.

Hanno orders his Numidians forward and with javelins, score the first hit of the game.

Hannibal orders a general advance.

With their late arriving Spanish Cavalry now in the line, Hasdrubal orders a general advance.

Turn 2:

Varro orders a charge of his Cavalry. The Numedians perform their well practiced evade move. Red dice on the units denote mediocre units. White dice denotes an embedded commanders.

The red line is a demarcation between the Roman left and center.

The center command charges off the Carthaginian lights as well. The main body advances behind.

Having read the history, Lucius orders his foot forward, but retreats his horse.

The Numidians return, and score another hit.

Hannibal orders his Spanish and Gallic allies to retreat.

While Hasdrubal continues to press forward with his horse.

Turn 3:

Varro's legions turn and face the Numidian horse running around their flanks. His horse charge, and this time, the Numidians stand to fight.

Minicus Rufus orders his legions forward. His flanks covered by Paulius's foot.

Paulius's orders his horse to charge.

Hannos Numidians run down a troop of Roman cavalry

Hannibal further retreats his Spanish and Gallic allies, and recalls his African spearmen.

Hasdrubal has lost a troop of horse, and maneuvers another for position.

Turn 4:

This is literally the only turn where Varros had more than two command points to spend. He zoc's one Numidian, and flanks another.

Minicus Rufus continues to advance. His left flank is secure due to Varros's efforts, his right is covered by Pauluis's foot.

The Carthaginian attack on the Roman right is a bust. A Punic and a Spanish horse troop have been destroyed, and the Roman right flank is secure.

The last of Varro's horse have been destroyed.

With a mighty ululation, the Gallic warriors are released! Their attack on the Roman vanguard is somewhat successful. Each side taking a hit.

Hasdrubal is his still trying to press his attack. His advantage in horse is still 4 to 3, and his horse are all armored.

Turn 5:

Varros again orders charges on the Numidians. Again, they evade.

Hannibal has drawn his line in the sand. Minicus Rufus orders a charge with all his available legions.

Paulius's legions also attack

Paulius (the element with the white and blue die) is now engaged. So his actions are limited to at most, one unit other than his own.

Paulius's troop is taken in the flank.

In the River Styx, the tale is told. The Carthaginians have lost 10 of 21, the Romans have lost 14 of 26.

Turn 6:

Varros may be down two troops of horse, but he is keeping the left flank clear of opposition.

One Numidian light horse (blue die) has leaked through the lines. Two Triarii turn to challenge it.

The elite African spearman are proving their worth.

Paulius has rallied, but is still being hard pressed.

The score at the Tree of Woe is now 13 to 18

The Numidian horse are not brought up to support Hannibal's main line.

The battle at the line, where the press is thickest, is still in doubt. a Roman Corhort is destroyed, traded for two Gallic warriors. But the rest of the Roman line is heavily disordered.

Paulius's legionary line has been penetrated. But he is beyond caring as his personal troop is flanked and destroyed.

Bringing the Roman score to 21 of 26.

Turn 7:

Varro's gets one of his legions into combat. The Numidians uncharacteristically, stand!

On the right, the battle still continues.

So what are the odds of Heavy Swordsmen Impact Mediocre against Heavy Spearmen Armor Elite?

Not as good as you would think, considering the Legions have +1 Impact on the opening round.

Infact, the odds are horrible. The Mediocre Legions will win just 3% of the time, ordinary just 17.7% taking 6 rounds on average to beat the spearmen. The only bright side is that on average, the spearmen will take 5-6 rounds to defeat the Legions.

Having support, like on the right changes the odds to the legions winning 35% of the time, but still taking 6.7 rounds.

Last Roman Cavalry is down.

Putting the Carthiginans at 17 towards their demorilization level of 21.

And the Romans at 24 towards their demorilization level of 26.

So the game continues!

In the center, units fall on both sides.

Both lines are at the crumble point.

The Roman right flank has lost another cohort.

The Triarii on the Roman right stand, but disordered.

The Carthiginans score an epic win with a score of 20 towards their demorilization level of 21.

With the Romans actually beyond their demoralization level of 26.

Since all sides know how the battle actually ran, efforts were made to prevent that from happening.

The Roman left was able to mostly keep the Numidians from turning that flank, but at a cost of losing 2 horse, and only getting one of their legions into combat.

The Roman right lured the Carthaginian horse somewhat into a trap, but was unable to get their Triarii engaged until the flank was already lost.

The center command was able to expand their deep ranks somewhat before contact. But then it was an issue of quality over quantity. With most of the Carthaginian line either armored, or elite, or both.