Standard Zama deployment for refights

This post describes the Zama troops and a standard deployment.  It will get referenced in future posts of Zama refights.


Background for Zama refights
So, after playing a cavalry heavy battle (Callinicum) it is onwards to trying out a classical battle.  I have relied heavily on the Society of Ancients Zama Battleday 2010 pack.  I won't repeat what is there.  However, trying to recreate it on a 2'x2' board has it own issues - mainly the multiple lines of infantry.   I have gone for separating the lines for a standard deployment. If the rules seem to work better with the lines touching (Armati would work well here) then I will have the lines touching.

This post outlines a standard deployment and troop classification that I will use as a template for the replay deployments.

The following diagram (using Dia) shows deployment - Blue for Carthaginians, Red for Romans.

 Standard deployment for the Zama refights

 

I am not sure how fast Zama will play out.  In Callinicum refights, it was generally 12 stands for the Persians and 13 stands for the Byzantines.  For Zama, I have 23 stands for the Romans and 19 for the Carthaginians.  It may not be as fast as I hope.  Some rules that have units made up of multiple stands (such as Irregular Miniature Ancients rules or Terry Gore's Ancient Warfare) will play faster and may actually be more suitable for refights like Zama rather than Callinicum.

Each stand is about 1000-4000 troops so the representation of lines is not really true.  In reality, I should maybe collapse the heavy infantry lines into single stands.  But then it would not be as much fun.  And this way I can see how rules play out with multiple lines/reserves, something not evident in Callinicum.

How to handle the manipular system?  I will use whatever the rules state.  Most do not have anything so that will make it easy!

Onto the the forces...

Troops
A general description of the troop types that will help with converting them into the various ruleset classifications.

Roman
1 Heavy Cavalry - Veteran, regular, trained, loose order, armoured (breastplate), shield, spear.
4 Light Cavalry - Veteran, irregular, trained, skirmishers, javelin, no armour shield
4 Velites - Veteran, regular, trained, skirmishers, javelin, no armour, shield
4 Hastati - Veteran, regular, trained, close order, heavy infantry, armoured, shield, pilum.
4 Principes - Veteran, regular, trained, close order, heavy infantry, armoured, shield, pilum.
2 Triarii - Elite, regular, trained, close order, heavy infantry, armoured, spear, shield.
4 Light Infantry - Poor, untrained, irregular, loose order, unarmoured, shield, javelin/various, uncontrolled.

The Numidian Light infantry should be uncontrolled: I think I will add a rule that these troops will not move and only charge or missile fire if enemy troops move into range.  This is based on the fact they played no part in the battle.  In Armati, making them uncontrolled would handle this.

Carthaginians
1 Heavy Cavalry - Average, regular, trained, loose order, armoured (breastplate), shield, spear.
2 Light Cavalry - Average, irregular, trained, skirmishers, javelin, no armour shield
2 Elephants - Average, irregular, untrained, African.
2 Skirmishers - Average, irregular, untrained, skirmishers, javelin, no armour, shield
4 Light Infantry - Average, irregular, untrained, loose order, light infantry, warband, unarmoured, various weapons, shield.
4 Medium infantry - Average, regular, trained, close order, heavy infantry, light armour, spear, shield.
4 Heavy Infantry - Veteran, regular, trained, close order, heavy infantry, armoured, long spear, phalanx, shield.

Other bits
Command and control - Scipio should have better control of the army that Hannibal of his.  If the rules differentiate army command and control, I will give the Romans an edge.  The breakpoint of armies for some rules may need to be changed to a fight to the death, else the game is over before the two rear lines have a chance to meet.

The very last point is how to keep the cavalry out of the battle for so long - in 202BC, the Roman cavalry pursued the opposition for awhile before returning and hitting the rear of the Carthaginian Veterans - the first few lines had already been fought through.  I will have to see how each ruleset handles it and possible introduce a rule to force the cavalry to pursue to a base edge before about facing.  We shall see.

Finally, here is a picture with the troops set up as per the diagram.

 Zama deployment - Romans at the bottom.