Lost Battles: Magnesia 190BC

Rome began with Eumenes who forced the withdrawal of the Scythed Chariots, no one else suffered from this flight from the field but the continued combats wore down the levy light infantry. The Roman veteran cavalry swiftly dispatched the Galatian levy horse on the Seleucid left, this caused the yet to be bloodied levy heavy infantry on the Seleucid left to withdraw. Fighting in the centre was inconclusive while the Seleucid levy skirmishers on the right became spent. 

The Seleucids countered, somewhat on the back foot, the Roman advance had pressed the Seleucid in the rear of the battlefield so they needed to push the Romans back. They started in the centre the Seleucid Light Infantry pressed the velites back being able to retreat behind the legions they avoided a second hit. The Seleucid phalangites used their depth to push the Roman legions, there were two successful attacks one had to all out attack by becoming spent, hoping that the greater numbers of Seleucids would pressure the Romans with less troops, causing veteran legionaries to become spent. The second was also an all out attack but this time the phalangites in their effort expended two veteran legionaries as well as themselves. The Seleucid left after seeming quite brittle pushed back hard, Eumenes guard (who forgot to rally) took a hit along with the Roman allied cavalry and the veteran Cretan archers.

The Romans after taking some hits knew they had to press their advantage, having control of most of the battlefield was dampening the spirits of the Seleucid troops just as much as the damp conditions were dampening bow strings. Roman velites pushed themselves almost to breaking point to shatter the Seleucid levy skirmishers. Another Seleucid skirmisher swarm was shattered, the resultant morale of the Seleucids saw a levy heavy infantry rout and the withdrawal of an average heavy cavalry and the levy cataphracts. The flight inspired the withdrawal of last light levy troops in the centre.

While the cavalry on the left withdrew to fight another day, the remaining troops felt the pressure, they had to start breaking Roman troops before the Roman right regrouped to attack their flank. The elephants pressed some veteran legionaries inflicting a hit as Antiochus finally got into the fight his Agema wrecked havoc on the Roman lines with allied legionares and veterans becoming spent. The cataphracts followed in the carnage and in their attempt to emulate the kings guard exerted themselves inflicting damage on two veteran legions.

The Romans used to dealing with elephants and inflicted a double hit the levy phalangites taking the brunt of the elephants wrath. A following veteran legion finished off the elephants and the levy pikes routed from the field. Antiochus himself was under threat the Agema received a hit but the king rallied his men.

The king knew this was his last chance, after his men rallied they once again undertook a thunderous charge destroying veteran legionaries and the Velities sheltering behind them. Roman morale held despite the looming threat of light cavalry to their rear who appeared after skirting along by the river. The Silvershields brought their strength to bear shattering average and veteran legionaries, this caused the remaining veteran legionaries to rout as well at the velites in the centre. The light cavalry now headed to threaten the Roman centre but the phalanxes did not make any headway.

By now the victoriuos roman right was geared to strike the flank of the phalanx and after the final phalanx became spent a unit of pikes were shattered causing the rout of the remaining two and the levy light cavalry quietly withdrew, the victorious Roman right now swept towards the Seleucid camp, the Roman centre now thier opposing troops dissipated, turned to finish the Silvershields with another shattered phalanx and another two routing units after a attack from their left flank. Antiochus could only withdraw, the cataphracts routed following the kings decision and Antiochus he hoped to rally his army to fight again, and that the Romans were bloodied enough to slow their advance into Asia Minor!       

Rome 

Shattered: 1 x ALE, 2 x VLE, 1 x ALI  

Rout: 1 x VLE, 1 x ALI 

Spent: 3 x VLE, 1 x AHC, 1 x VHC, 1 x VLI                                      
74 Seleucid VP (94 with handicap)

Seleucids 
Shattered: 1 x LHC, 2 x LLI. 1 x IEL, 2 x APH

Rout: 1 x LHI, 1 x LPH, 4 x APH, 2 x ACA

Withdrawn: 1 x SCH, 1 x LHI, 1 x AHC, 1 x LCA, AL + VHC
109 Roman VP

Clear Roman victory (Narrow victory with handicap)

Very Bad Day in Cisalpine Gaul

I made a couple of army lists for Strength and Honour, based loosely on the Battle of Trebia. I also wanted both armies to have a chance at winning so I used the points system to buy roughly equal amounts of troops. Also based on my Lost Battle refights of Trebia I wanted the Roman infantry to outclass the Punic while the Punic Cavalry would outclass the Romans. By the time I added the Generals the points cost was skewed towards the Carthaginians who ended up with 6 generalship points to Rome's 1.    

Both Armies advanced, the Carthaginian Infantry did so expecting to be pushed back, hoping the advance would give them space to fall back, they just needed to hold on enough for the cavalry to encircle to Roman lines. The legions advanced steadily confident in their superior combat abilities the cavalry just had to hold long enough to break the Punic lines. 

The cavalry wings advanced both Roman wings were out classed and the Roman left wing was set to be overwhelmed by flanking Numidians. However the Equites despite overwhelming odds and losing most combats held their nerve and kept in the fight even successfully defending against a Crunch. Mago had to use his generalship point to avoid losing an attack combat despite having the advantage. This prevented the Numidians from getting around the flanks, the Equites falling back frustrated the efforts of the flanking force. On the other flank the Gallic cavalry pushed back the Roman horse although it wasn't all plain sailing, a Grind result frustrated the Punic momentum on the flanks. Eventually the Romans were disordered and began to retire they were on the brink of being destroyed!

As the cavalry wings of the Romans were being pushed back towards their rear, the legions marched fourth Sempronious' emphasis on attack proved to be the true Roman way. Attack after attack went Romes way, the Carthaginians burned through Defence points in rerolling terrible Discipline rolls. The Romans called a Homunculous Est! Hannibal used a generalship point to remove a card before the reveal. Despite this the Carthaginian army became fatigued and that would make the results of bad rolls worse. Eventually the terrible Discipline rolls with no options for rerolls lead the various infantry units to become disordered units began to retire, and another Homuculous Est! was called but Hannibal burned a Generalship Point to cancel it, merely delaying the inevitable. After another round of combats Punic infantry contingents went from retiring to routing with 3 units routing 1 retiring and another disordered Sempronius' victory was complete and it was a victory worthy of a triumph! A whopping 42 for the Carthaginians after so many disasters and the Romans save for a crumbling but hobbling on right flank and 6 legions losing their velites were still only sat on 13 break points.

With Hannibal a fugitive in Cisalpine Gaul would it be a matter of time before a Gallic tribe hand him over to Sempronius for leniency. Those that were waiting to see what happed after the battle would undoubtedly stop sharpening their spears and send gifts of thanks for repelling the invader from Cisalpine Gaul.     

Lost Battles Ilipa 206BC

In honour of The Society of Ancients Battle Day 2024 I set up the battle of Ilipa using Lost Battles by Philip Sabin, the successor rules to Strategos II which is still offered on the society's store page. It's been a very long time since I was a member and hope to re-join one day in the not too distant future.

The scenario was set up as per the book, but when I set the battle away I realised I mixed up the Roman commanders so they swapped wings in comparison to the published scenario. I took a few photos of the Roman deployment with the back scene before swapping them for the Carthaginian pictures.

Ilipa pitches a Carthaginian army of roughly 70,000 infantry, 4000 cavalry and 32 elephants versus the Roman army of about 45,000 infantry and 3000 cavalry. A significant numerical advantage to the Punic army and Scipio took measures to equalise the fight. It involved Scipio deploying for battle day in day out, with his best Roman troops in the centre and his Iberian allies on the wings only to not commit to a fight that day. Hasdrubal mirrored the deployment, his best African troops in the centre and Iberians on the wings until one day they were roused earlier to form up for battle, so like every other day they deployed as before, but without being fed or watered. 

However on that day Scipio was going to fight and his troops made sure they were prepared, furthermore Scipio's legions were opposing the Iberians on the wings and his allied Iberians were in the centre opposing Hasdrubal's African infantry. Now Scipio waited some time so that the Carthaginian infantry would feel the pang of hunger and being parched beyond human endurance. It was then when Scipio attacked. 

With the Carthaginians on the back foot hoodwinked by Scipio deployment, he then further troubled Hasdrubal's army by flipping the turn order, this after deploying in a position to attack, allowed Scipio to launch the first strike. The Roman allied Caetratii struck the first blow against the Balearic slingers. On Silanus' wing the Romans caused a hit against the Elephants and Scipio's wing began to press the Carthaginian Scutarii. Both cavalry wings began to attack and the Roman allied Scutarii in the centre advanced to further pressurise the wrongfooted Punic army.   

The Punic allied Iberian skirmishers are quickly brushed aside allowing Scipio's wing to rapidly apply pressure on the Punic right rear zone.

The isolated elephants brace the Roman assault taking a hit. 

Despite this aggressive and vicious Roman advance, the Carthaginian army was not too battered. The Iberian cavalry unleashed a thunderous charge against the veteran Roman cavalry shattering the unit, a very early blow but it barely caused the Roman army to flinch.  

The Iberian Cavalry swing around to threaten Scipio's wing

Fighting in the centre ensues, the Carthaginians hoping to break Rome's Spanish allies.

The Elephants, despite being spent, continue to cause concern to Silanus, while avoiding being shattered themselves.

The Iberians opposing Scipio, gave the legionaries much trouble, however become very fragile, but the Iberian cavalry operating behind the Legions becomes a distraction helping to prevent the Romans from inflicting that next hit, even with the personal leadership of Scipio. 

The Punic Right Wing holds its own and inflicts hits on the Romans.

The Iberian Cavalry descend on the Romans inflicting a double hit on the spent Velites, they break but Scipio manages to rally the Legionaries taking the second hit. 

The attack on the Elephants cause them to panic and inflict devastation on the Iberian Scutarii. 

After inconclusive fighting the Roman cavalry inflict a double hit on the Numidians but owing to their nimbleness the light horsemen manage to avoid being shattered outright. This continued for a few more rounds before the Romans eventually prevailed and would go onto threaten the Punic left wing.

The Liby-Phonecian infantry in the centre pressed home their attacks, becoming spent themselves to inflict double hits. However because of fatigue this would make their future attacks more difficult.

Two units of Liby-Phonecian heavy infantry become shattered and the Punic light troops rout with them but the centre holds and continues to fight but owing to their fatigue struggle to land any hits.

The Iberians manage to inflict hits on the Legions across the field but Scipio keeps the line intact by rallying the troops and a morale boost by his mere presence.

The Punic centre collapses after two further shatters, Scipio figured them to be his biggest liability but they proved themselves resisting the Punic attacks, with help from the fatigue suffered by Hasdrubal's army. He tried to rally his troops but was himself struck down.

Silanus' wing was under some pressure from the relatively fresh Iberians, he did manage to prevent a unit from breaking by rallying them.

The tired Iberian cavalry struggle to hit home with their attacks.

The victorious Iberians begin to march around the Punic rear, if the Punic allied Iberians had been fresh they may have prevailed against Scipio's wing, Scipio feeling relieved that his underestimation of the Iberians didn't end in disaster. Despite rallying away hits previously eventually a unit of Roman veteran Legionaries were shattered. The Romans counter attacked and shattered a unit of Scutarii sending the remnants of the Punic force into flight.

The fighting became more desperate on the Roman right, a veteran legionary unit was shattered also on this wing however the Iberians were taking hits themselves and with the looming threat of Roman cavalry they routed when they realised that the Punic Right wing fled, leaving them the last remaining troops on the field, so took to flight leaving the Romans to finally expel Carthage from Hispania. 

Victory points worked out from the book version:

Carthaginian losses: Shattered; AHI x 5,  AEL x 1,  ALC x 1, ALI x 1, Hasdrubal Killed.

Routed: ALI x 2,  AHC x 1, AHI x 7. 

127 VP for Rome

Roman losses: Shattered; VHC x 1, ALI x 1, VLE x 2.  

Routed ALI x 1. 

Spent; ALE x 2, VLE x 2, AHI x 4, ALI x 1.

71 VP for Carthaginians, a Major victory for Rome.

+46 VP for handicaps pushes it to a Narrow game victory for Rome. 

As ever Lost Battles provided a tense and interesting solo re-fight. I didn't expect the Roman cavalry to be shattered so quickly, but Scipio's greatest asset was the fatigue suffered by Hasdrubal's troops. With spent heavy infantry needing to roll an 11 to cause a hit there were quite a few 10s which would have shattered lots of Scipio's units had they have been under normal circumstances. This affected the cavalry also that kept falling short of a hit and despite their initial breakthrough were unable to capitalise on it. There were some hits landed that would have caused shatters but Scipio rallied 2 units and Silanus rallied 1, however they couldn't rally them all, the Carthaginians managed to cause quite a bit of damage to the Romans and fought well. Overall the best fighters on the field were the Iberians on both sides, the Romans and African infantry attested to that, as well as the Roman cavalry.