Battle of Lake Trasimene 217BC using Ancients Battlelines Clash

Introduction

This is game 39 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  The latest version of ‘Ancient Battlelines Clash’ is on its own blog page. I am play testing the rules by replaying all the Peter Sides scenarios from his Historical Battles books.  ABC is designed to finish in around 30 minutes on a 2'x2' table.

I have been slow in play testing these rules for the last few years.  For November 2019 I set a challenge to play the 10 First and Second Punic Wars battles in the book.  This battle is game 4 in the attempt.

Battle of Lake Trasimene 217BC

It is six months after the terrible Roman defeat at Trebia.   Rome raised new legions and sent them north under Gaius Flaminus.  Hannibal deployed his troops in ambush in the hills along Lake Trasimene.  Completely unaware, Flaminus marched the Romans along the plains between the hills and the lake.

Here are some internet sites of interest:  

http://olicanalad.blogspot.com/2011/05/lake-trasimene-scenario.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lake_Trasimene

https://www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/maps/60-second-punic-war-218-202-bc/259-006-lake-trasimenus-217-bc.html

Troops

Carthaginian

Carthaginians

And two heavy infantry that would into fit in the previous picture.

4 Heavy Infantry (Iberians & Africans)

2 Gallic Warbands, Heavy Infantry, warband

4 Skirmishers, slings

3 Medium Cavalry

2 Numidian Light Cavalry, elite

ACA +2

Leader with the HI

Breakpoint: 12

Roman

Romans, Lake is behind them.

4 Legionaries, Heavy Infantry

4 Allies, Heavy Infantry

4 Velites, javelins

2 Medium Cavalry

Leader with a Heavy Infantry

Breakpoint: 10

Scenario changes

None.

Deployment

The Carthaginians are all on a rise and will count as uphill for all combats that take place where the Romans are deployed.  If any Romans do retreat and are pursued, this will be not counted as uphill.  Being downhill is bad.

Lake to the left, Head of Romans march at the bottom with two Carthaginian Heavy Infantry facing it.  All Carthaginians on a hill.

Game

Numidians move to behind the line.  Carthaginian cavalry charge to opposing cavalry. Disorders all round.

The Carthaginian cavalry, lead by Hannibal, charges downhill into the Romans. No ruts though so next turn the cavalry will be at a disadvantage.

Gauls move up but do not charge.  The Carthaginian heavy infantry are attacking the forward deployed Romans.

At the head of the Roman column the Carthaginian blockers charge in.

Some disorders occurred with the Carthaginians doing better (one not disordered).  But then one Roman is destroyed.

...and manage to destroy one Roman heavy infantry.

The Roman centre advance to try and take control of the centre.  They advance towards other Carthaginian heavy infantry, the Gauls and flank the cavalry.

The Romans try and control the centre and advance up hill to the opposition.

The right legions make contact and locked in melee.  Centre legions see the Velites suffer badly at the hands of the Carthaginian slingers.

Contact with the Carthaginian heavy infantry in the centre.

But the legion that flanked the cavalry sees the cavalry rout.  It advances into the cavalry with Hannibal but Hannibal survives and destroys the cavalry to their front.  The other Roman cavalry is also destroyed.

The Carthaginian cavalry charge left their inner flank exposed.  An Allied heavy infantry attacked one cavalry unit in the flanks and routed it.  It then advanced into Hannibal that not only survived that attack but also routed the Roman Cavalry attacking him to the front.

Carthaginian cavalry wheels and attacks the Roman infantry.  Locked in melee.  Hannibal survives the flanking infantry (rolled a 6).

The now freed Carthaginian supporting cavalry unit attacks the Romans, who survive.

The Gauls charge the legions.  All disordered.

The Gauls charge downhill into the Romans and all are disordered.

Carthaginian heavy infantry wheel and move to flank the Carthaginians  (and are disordered by doing so) and manage to rout the legion, who is also Flaminus the leader (a 6).

Back to the Romans at the head of the march.  Another Roman unit routed and the heavy infantry surround Flaminus (the general unit) and rout it.

This causes the Romans to reach their breakpoint and they lose.

The end.

Verdict

I think I forgot to apply the +1 modifier for attacking downhill in a few of the melees (I know I did when the Gauls charged down the hill).  I also poorly executed the action on the Roan rear with the Carthaginian cavalry and left them too exposed.  This made the game a lot closer than it should have been, the Carthaginians were lucky not to lose Hannibal in a reversal of history!