I decided on an ancient battle for this months game and since I have already painted a fairly large collection of Punic war armies I thought I would pull them out for a game. My go to rules for ancient battles is the venerable set Tactica which came out in 1989. As far as I know this was the first set of full color rules ever produced. The rules have the standard gaming are as 8 foot wide by 5 foot deep table. I am guessing this table size was used as Ping Pong tables at the time the rules came out were a fairly common thing to use as a wargame table, I think they are 9 foot long by 5 foot deep. I was using a 12 and half by 6 foot table so I made the armies 11/2 standard size.
All figures in use are Hat, Zvezda or Italeri,
As I like to do I screened off the board so set up was behind cardboard walls.
Careful observeres will note the small bits of masking tape on the game board. Tactica uses deployment limits to begin the game but once play commences units can move out of the restricted zones.
The Romans deploy into there standard checkerboard battle line.
Behind the Carthaginian lines. All units except for the skirmish troops must begin the game in column and deploy into battle line by the end of turn two. This adds a massive amount of challenge to the game!!
Carthage elephant power!
The cenetr of the Carthage line has deployed into line to meet the Roman assault.
I foolishly stayed in column one turn to long as I had control of the Carthage main cavalry force on the right.
A shot from the Roman right flank looking down the line.
On the Roman right flank the oppossing skirmish lines come to blows.
My Carthage cavalry on our right is caught in a poor position!!
Light troppos from both sides are fighting it out.
My cavalry survived round one still in column!!
The Roman center is coming on! A scary sight indeed!
The cavalry battle continues on the right. My numbers would eventually tell and I would defeat the Roman cavalry but the Roman infantry is another matter.
Roman infantry awaiting my cavalry assault. In the background the Giant Hand of Roman thought!!
Left flank cavalry action. The numidian cavalry plowing into the Roman cavalry, elephants in support.
Behind the Roman lines closing in.
On the Carthage left we scored some early success againt the Romans eliminating a few Manipules!
The cenetr of the Carthage line in a death grip with the Romans.
The right of the Carthage line scores a break through, gap in the line.
Casualties mounted in the center.
The Libyan heavy infarty is holding on, securing the Carthage left flank.
Still slugging it out!
Unfortunatly for the Carthaginians the Roman war machine is tough customer. They ground down our center units and if one looks closely flanking both Carthage units in the center of the line after a break through. Tactica has a very clear victory condition in the rules. Once 6 out of the twelve Carthage heavy infantry units have been broken the Carthage army is defeated. For the Romans it was 12 of their heavy infantry units would spell defeat. The Carthage units were 24 man strong while the Romans were 12 so it is not as lopsided as it first appears. Carthage did knock out 8 Roman units before defeat was came. Over all it was a great game. Carthage has a real tough task on their hands to defeat the Romans who are really tough customers.
Thanks for having a look.
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