Battle of Illipa 206BC using Ancients Battlelines Clash

Introduction

This is game 44 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 9 of the 10 I managed to play in November.

Battle of Illipa 206BC

With the last Carthaginian army left in Spain, Hasdrubal Gisgo and Mago fight Scipio for control.

Some internet links I used for the scenario:

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

http://olicanalad.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-battle-of-ilipa-206-bc-using-to.html

I also used Phil Sabin’s Lost Battles.

Troops

Roman

4 legionaries, Heavy Infantry

4 Allies, Heavy Infantry

4 Velites, Skirmish Infantry, javelins

1 Cavalry, Medium Cavalry

1 Veteran Cavalry, Medium Cavalry, elite

Leader with LG on right.

Army control ability +2

Breakpoint: 11

Carthaginian

4 Spanish/Africans, Heavy Infantry

4 Ligurians, Heavy Infantry

4 Skirmishers, Skirmish Infantry, javelins

1 Numidian cavalry, Light Cavalry, javelins

1 Cavalry, Medium Cavalry

1 Elephant, ELE

Leader with the Spanish/Africans in the centre.

Breakpoint: 11

Scenario changes

I represented fatigue in my rules in that once disordered, a unit received a -2 modifier, not a -1.

Deployment

Deployment - Romans on the left.

Game

Both sides advance.  The Carthaginian elephant get close enough to a Velite unit to cause it to fire at the elephant.  Fire has no effect, and the Velites decide to retire from the battle.  It does mean the Elephant charges straight into a legion unit. The elephant does badly (rolled a 1) and is disordered.

The Carthaginian elephant gets into combat quickly.  It routs shortly after.

On the Roman turn the Cavalry charge the Numidians that fire (for no effect) and evade.

On the Roman right the Roman cavalry and the Numidian cavalry are skirmishing.

The Elephant is not going to go well, now disordered (and fatigued) and doesn’t get the charge bonus this turn.  If the Romans roll a 1 that would be great for the Elephants.  But they roll a 2 and the Elephant routs.  The Romans do not pursue.

The lines are closer, only the Elephant has been a casualty.

The centre Roman Allies advance against the Carthaginians. The skirmisher clash sees one unit disordered before the skirmishers all retire.  The other Allied units charge into the Carthaginians.

The Roman infantry charge the opposing Carthaginian 

Most are disordered.  Disorder is worse for the Carthaginians as the scenario rule for fatigue sees a -2 modifier for disorder, rather than -1.

The left centre Roman heavy infantry charges. Next turn the Carthaginians do nothing and this will force the skirmishers to fire and delay combat with the Roman Heavy infantry.

The left of centre is a skirmish clash. 

The Roman left flank heavy cavalry impetuously charges against the Carthaginian heavy cavalry.  The Carthaginian unit is disordered.

The Roman left cavalry meets the opposing Carthaginian cavalry.

And then routs, the Romans pursuing.

The Carthaginian cavalry eventually routs and the Romans pursue.

Tragedy for the Carthaginians in the centre.  Unlucky dice rolls (lots of 1s) sees three heavy infantry units rout.  To offset this they got lucky and routed a Roman unit.

The Carthaginians lose three heavy infantry units, the Romans lose only one in return.

The Numidians fire on the Roman cavalry and disorder them.  The Romans charge the Numidians that fire and evade.  Their fire is effective and the Romans retire from the battle!  (a few lucky rolls here)

On their tight flank the Romans are disordered by the Numidian missile fire.

In the centre, the Roman unit that did not charge now charges and one more Carthaginian heavy infantry is routed.

Another Carthaginian heavy infantry routs.

On the Roman left side of the battlelines, the skirmisher manages to disorder both opposing heavy infantry! (And I realised after the game I was playing my own rules wrong – have no idea what made me do so.  Only one unit can be adversely affected by one unit firing at two, and the second Carthaginian unit should have reacted by charging the skirmishers.  Ah well, at least this error it did not affect the outcome of the game.)  The Roman cavalry are getting into position to attack the Carthaginians in the rear.

The left Roman centre is still not in melee.  The Roman Cavalry is in the rear of the Carthaginian lines.

On the Roman right, the leaders clash but are both disordered.

On the Roman right it is leader Vs leader but still locked in melee.

In the centre, another Carthaginian heavy infantry unit is routed.

The Carthaginian centre collapses.

The Carthaginians have reached their breakpoint and the Romans win.

The Romans win.

Verdict

An interesting game.  The fatigue rules of the extra -1 for disorder had a huge effect.  In the rules a difference of 1 in melee is a big deal and so where normally there would have been a lot of blood shed on both sides, it was mostly the Carthaginians where it occurred.  The takeaway is to not fight fatigued!