Battle of Trebbia 218 BC (Part 1)
Dated: April 22, 2008.
We used our own rules, in full development, based on the Battlecry game. For the fight and orders, we use dice marked with "I" for infantry, "A" for artillery, "C" for cavalry and a flag for "moral blows". The Carthaginians outweighed the Romans, mostly due to outnumbering in cavalry and of course …by having elephants. The Roman center consisted of 2 units Velites, 4 units Hastati, 2 units Principes(veteran), 2 units Triari (veteran) and one of Roman allies.
The deployment was a rather classic one. The Roman right flank had only 2 units of cavalry, the right flank having 2 units cavalry, 2 units allies and 2 units Gaul warriors. The Carthaginian right flank had also 2 units of Gaul warriors, 2 units of Gaul cavalry, 2 units of elephants and 2 units of Numidian infantry, the center having 6 units of heavy infantry, 2 units of veteran African infantry, and 2 units of light infantry. On the right flank 3 elephants 2 units of Gaul cavalry and on the extreme right 2 units of light Numidian cavalry and 1 light Numedian infantry.
The Romans tried to gain the upper hand on the flanks by charging with their cavalry. On the left, their were stopped by the Gaul warriors and a charge by the elephants, immediately killing the Roman cavalry general and after a few turn completely destroying the Roman horse. The price for the Carthaginians was an elephant turning mad and stampeding off table, the other one stopping out of command range. One Roman allied Gaul units started a charge, and also one Roman allies unit did, but both starting the fight isolated doomed their faith, the other Roman allies unit going the same way. The last unit on the Roman left , a unit of Gaul warriors took position on a hill and was charged by the remainder of the Carthaginian Gauls and destroyed. The Roman left was annihilated.
On the right also the Roman cavalry surged forward, one being countercharged by an elephant. The fight between those 2 units continued almost the whole battle, rendering them both to almost nothing. The other roman cavalry unit did hit the Numidian infantry in skirmish disposition overrunning them completely and making a break through charge on the Numidian cavalry, making casualties but being stop in their tracks. The numeric superiority of the Numidians resulted in the destruction of the Roman unit.
In the center, the first turns were only used to skirmishing between the Velites and the African light infantry. As the Roman players saw the situation on the flanks turning sour, the heavy infantry units were sent forward hitting the African light infantry. These were stiffened by the Carthaginian heavy infantry. The Romans were starting to break through the Carthaginian lines, but the by now ended fights on the flanks mend the Carthaginian flank units turning toward the center. An elephant destroyed half a unit of Velites but started stampeding around. The uncommitted Gaul cavalry on the left flank was taken by Hannibal himself on the flank of a hastati unit, destroying it, and continuing the fight with one of the principes units. The triari had to be directed to the flank, taken of the pressure of the Carthaginian lines.
By now, the Roman general should start to retreat, but as the player is an adept of the fight to the last men, he tried to resume the advance, resulting in the remaining units fighting isolated and being slaughtered to the last men.
It was a Carthaginian triumph, but the price was heavy, as Hannibal, to keen in participating in finishing of the last Roman stands, perished.
Thanks to Steven Swiers and Peter De Ridder for the painting of almost all the figures, Ronny De Zwaef bringing up the Numidian Cavalry conversions. Thanks to Alex, Steven, Ronny, Patrick, Geert, Adrien for their enthusiastic participation and being a sport in this 3 hours game. Thanks to Hät for enabling us to play this game by producing the wide range
of figures for this period. We are waiting impatient for the other items to be available, so we can use appropriate command figures etc
Regards
Dirk Donvil
Belgium
Battle of Trebbia
Many thanks to Mr. Donvil