ADLG - Game Report 272

Seleucid (42) vs Early Carthaginian (54)

Day Two in Alicante, a rainy day initially outside, but inside the conference venue for the event it was warm, dry and the tables were ready for battle. For my second game I was pitched into another Carthaginian (in this case the early variant) enemy commanded by Felix. He opted to defend in the mountains leaving me to determine how I was going to attack. On balance it was reasonable terrain to have with a wooded steep hill on Greek left and impassable terrain on the right. I deployed the Cavalry command on the right with the infantry left and centre.

As we advanced the Carthaginians started to redeploy their army, with the goal of them trying to find something soft and squidgy for their chariots to fight, other than charging down a pike shaft.

At least it didn't look like the Carthaginians would easily be able to slip around my flank. At this stage the Carthaginian's had almost completed their manoeuvring, all that was left was for their heavy spearmen to turn to face the pikes.

A pre-emptive charge by the Carthaginian chariots attempted to roll over the Greek cavalry, and although the Galatians have suffered the Cataphracts are more than holding their own. The Greek militia have been held back in reserve to recover and be ready to act as a speedbump for the enemy chariots in the event that they try to move to their right down the Greek line.

On the right the Greek light cavalry were engaged by the Chariots to buy more time for the Greek infantry to do their work. However, whilst there are Carthaginian infantry casualties the pikes and legionaries have also taken hits, and a unit of Thorakiti has been destroyed.

A Carthaginian Chariot was successfully destroyed, and the enemy centre has been broken. However, on the left wing the Greeks were unable to prevent the Carthaginian peltasts from moving around the flank of the legionaries.

Outcome

A very hard-fought battle that eventually went to the Carthaginian's who lost 20 of their 26.

Two games into the competition and I was one and one.

Lessons Learnt

I lacked the command points to move the Militia cavalry reserve forward to support the left flank. They should have been closer to the action.