CANNAE: Some 2200-Odd Years Later The first turn of this re-fight followed historical record, in as much as the Romans advanced in the center and the Carthaginian cavalry pressed forward on each flank. The Roman Knights, proud but fewer in number, responded to the challenge put down by the barbaric Celtiberians, and set out at a canter. The Italian Allied Cavalry wing, however, remained in place, figuring to let the Numidians open their contest. There was no missile exchange on this turn, as both armies were still too far apart for javelins or even slings and arrows to reach a target. This changed at the opening of Turn 2, with the Roman light troops (SI per the ARMATI tables of organization) drawing first blood against the Carthaginians. Under a hail of arrows, a unit of Baeleric slingers and a unit of Spanish javelin men were destroyed. Return fire by the Carthaginian light troops was ineffective. The movement option went to the Romans in all three sectors of the field this turn, and so, the juggernaut of legions continued the steady march forward. The Knights continued their advance, and were matched by the enemy horse on this same flank. Both commanders seemed eager to "come to grips" on this flank than on the Roman left, as the Italian Horse remained in place, even as the Numidians galloped forward and demonstrated. Having had the worst of the exchange of missile fire, the Carthaginian light troops withdrew to the relative safety of their main line. The Roman light troops, encouraged, raced forward ahead of the slower legion infantry. That encouragement was short-lived however, as at the end of Turn 3, the Roman light troops were quite reduced in number. First, a unit of bowmen dispersed the Velites of an Allied legion. Then, having drawn the Roman Velites closer, the whole line of the Carthaginian force advanced. The veteran light troops stationed in the front of the first Celtiberian warband division, engaged the Velites ranged against them in a sharp fight. The advantage was held all the way down the line; the Romans losing an additional three Velite units from Allied legions, and one from a Roman legion. Now, especially on the right and left flanks of the legion line, the Carthaginian lights troops could dance safely in front of the legion infantry, showering those solid ranks with javelin, stones, and arrows. This turn also saw the first movement by the Italian Horse, who advanced toward the Numidian light horse. The turn also resulted in contact on the Roman right, as the Knights charged and were counter-charged by the Celtiberian Heavy Cavalry. Four units with an attached general made quick work of three units without a general; the Romans lost every melee, taking four break points against a division total of nine. Unfortunately for the Roman Knights, this continued into the next turn. The end of game Turn 4 saw one unit of Knights broken and streaming off the board, while the other two hung in the fight, giving as good as they received. The remaining two units of Roman Nobles each had one break point remaining. The Celtiberians were blooded on this turn however, three of the four units taking one break point each. Hasdrubal, though in the thick of the fighting, did remain in the saddle. On the opposite flank, contact was finally made and the Romans suffered here too. The veteran Numidians gave as good as they got, though one unit was broken by the impetus of the Italian Heavy Cavalry. Three units of Numidians remained engaged with four units of Allied Horse, those four units reduced from 12 total break points to nine. Hanno too, commanding the veteran light cavalry on this flank, seemed to be everywhere in the swirling combat. In the center, the heavy infantry lines had not yet come into contact, but a foolish unit of Gauls got to close and was dispersed by advancing legionnaires. The exchange between skirmishers still in melee was even: the veteran Celtiberian javelin men finally defeated the Velites facing them. Further down the line, a another unit of javelins was bounced by a unit of Citizen Velites. Next to that completed combat, some Spanish javelin / slingers remained locked in a struggle with a unit of Velites. Turn 5 saw the blooding of infantry of the line for both sides. In the center, perhaps as a foreshadowing of what was to come, two Roman Velite units launched hundreds of javelins into a fierce-looking band of Celt warriors. When the sky had cleared, one-third of those original warriors were left standing. At the same time, the Hastati of the far right Allied legion took casualties (two break points) from Carthaginian skirmishers ranged to their front. Turn 5 also witnessed the only turn in the wargame, when Hannibal had the movement option in every sector of the field. Movement was limited to the center of the field however, as both flanks saw the continuation of cavalry combats. (As Fatigue Rules were in effect for this game, it should be noted that both sides were accumulating fatigue points for the involved divisions / units. As this turn saw the first casualties taken by main line units to missile fire, it also saw the first contact between units of that line, and, as a result, further casualties. Just as in the historical engagement, the skirmishing troops evaporated through and around the ranks of the advancing heavy infantry or warbands. In a couple of instances, the light troops were caught between the Roman "rock" and the Carthaginian "hard place", and were dispersed accordingly. Each side was able though, to withdraw three or four units of skirmishers behind the main line. The foremost group of Celtiberians threw themselves onto the largest part of the Roman line - meeting Servilius and his eight legions in the center. The Romans overlapped the Celtiberians on the right end of the line however, but could not take advantage as a Spanish / Italian division was coming along on the Carthaginian left. Along the rest of the Roman line, Varro and Paullus had yet to make contact with the crescent-shaped enemy line. Their infantry was getting closer and closer however, the distance tested by the occasional pilum, thrown by an anxious ranker. As Hannibal had won the initiative for the turn, he also dictated the resolution of close combats. Naturally enough, he selected to roll for his Celtiberian Heavy Horse first. And, naturally enough, another unit of Roman Nobles fell to the ferocity of the barbarian cavalry. This left just a single unit of Roman horse on this flank, with a single break point before an open field and access to the Roman right-rear. In this death struggle, the Romans took a number of Celtiberians with them; the four units of Celtic Horse now having six break points remaining. In the center, the warbands did terrific damage to the front ranks of the veteran legions. Due to the depth of the Roman formation however, the two Hastati units that were nearly broken, held on by a small thread. Here however, the Carthaginians lost their first key unit, as the Celt warband weakened by javelin fire, was rolled-over by confident legionnaires. On the Carthaginian right flank, the cavalry combat continued, with no real advantage to either side. The Roman commander was frustrated by the staying power of the Numidian light horse. The loss of another break point by the cavalry commanded by Hanno did little to assuage this mood. The only firing for Turn 6 was resolved on the Carthaginian left, where a combined unit of African javelins and Syracusan archers took yet another break point from the right most Allied legion of Paullus' command. This did not bode well, as a horde of screaming Celtiberians was rapidly approaching. The Carthaginians maintained the movement advantage on the right and center, but lost to the Romans of the left. This did not really matter, as the cavalry of both sides was locked in melee. Returning to the left flank, Hasdrubal finally broke the will of the Roman Nobles. He advanced his whole division of four units forward, with the intent of resting them as the Spanish and Citizen Heavy Cavalry came up on their right. Movement in the center brought more of the heavy infantry lines together. It was as if the first contact between Celtiberians and Romans last turn had been a stone thrown into a pond. This turn, the ripples of that splash spread both left and right of that contact. Though weakened, Paullus' command was able to withstand the initial charge of the Celtiberians. In the center proper, there was a lot of pushing and shoving, cursing and hacking, stabbing and falling, as the Romans attempted to break the remaining Celtiberian warbands. The exchange of break points was roughly even, however. On the left of the Roman line, there was an even exchange among those units that came into contact, as well. The left- most Allied legion succeeded in only pushing back the wild Celtiberians that faced them. The Romans had better fortune on their far left flank, as Hanno and his light horse succumbed to the pressure of the Italian Heavy Horse. Hanno was assailed by a troop and speared from his mount. His unit subsequently, broke under the combined effects of the morale loss and weight of the attack. Though fewer in number, the Romans now held a distinct advantage on this flank. The one obstacle in their way: a rather menacing block of African spear men, dressed strangely like Roman infantry. (Please see Map II) In terms of Break Point totals for the opposing hosts, the Romans had lost three of their five allotted for cavalry and none for infantry. The Carthaginians has lost two; one for a warband and one for the command element of Hanno. Turn 7 was a repeat of Turn 6, essentially, in that there was no missile exchange due to the proximity of the main lines. The initiative rolls resulted in option for the Romans on their left, while the forces under Hannibal controlled the center and right. The Italian Cavalry consolidated their hold on the left and rested and reorganized a move away from the African phalanx. In the meantime, Varro's command was taken to task by successive bands of Celtiberians that fell on his green legionnaires. A Latin legion lost its Hastati rank in a charge, and the routing infantry took the Principes with them. (Mago had attached himself to the lead warband unit and therefore, increased its melee die roll.) Fortunately, the Triarii held firm in the face of this small disaster. This tragedy was repeated on the Roman right flank, but Paullus was able to stem the tide of fugitives before the Pricipes were swept away. In the center, the Romans broke two more units of Celtiberians, reducing this original four-unit division to just a single unit. On the Carthaginian left, the Celtiberian Horse were pushed along the banks of the Aufidus to make way for the fresher division of Heavy Cavalry following. Indeed, Hasdrubal had turned over command of the first division to a subordinate and went ahead with a small body guard to scout the Roman rear. A tally of the Break Points for each army at the end of this turn revealed the Carthaginians to be at 56% roughly, or just three points away from their army total. The Romans, having lost three infantry units in addition to the three cavalry units, were at six key units. This figure, just four away from the army total. As two more key units of cavalry were needed, and it did not look as if Varro would order a charge into the Africans, nor did it look as if the Africans would be able to catch the horsemen, it seemed that the Romans were safe. Turn 8 brought a continuation of the massive melee in the center of the table, as the only moving units were the African phalanxes and the Carthaginian Heavy Cavalry on the left. Because of the angle and because of control problems, Hasdrubal led the second division further into the Roman right-rear, and did not wheel his horsemen toward the exposed flank. Though there was no movement in the center sector, the Romans were happy to win the initiative and thus, determine the direction of melee resolution. On the left and then again in the center of the confusion, two warbands were worn down by the discipline of the legion infantry. There was now, a rather large hole in the center of the Carthaginian line. The field was a bloody mess however, and so Servilius concerned himself more with dealing with the Spanish divisions to his right- and left-front, than with the open space to his direct front. Hannibal's troops eliminated two more units of Allied legion infantry, bringing the key unit total to five, for this aspect of the Roman Army Break Point total. The Carthaginians stood at six Break Points; five of the six being Celtiberian warbands. On Game Turn 9, the Carthaginians secured the movement option on their right, but lost to the Romans in the center and left sectors. Again, the only moveable units were the phalanxes of Africans, the Italian Allied Horse, and the two divisions of Celtiberian / Spanish Heavy Cavalry. On the Roman left, the stare-down continued between the Africans and Italians, with the phalanx edging closer to the depleted Italians. On the Roman right, Hasdrubal struggled to get his fresh division of Heavy Cavalry into position. The Celtiberians simply continued along the river bank, trying to rest and reorganize their troops. Melee resolution was uneventful in that there was no unit broken on either side. The Romans did succeed in pushing back a couple of the warbands however. With the ongoing penalty for the Romans and the fatigue for both sides, the exchange was fairly even. At the end of the turn, Hannibal's forces had three units a break point away from routing. All three were heavily engaged by legion infantry. For the Roman "wall", there were also three units a point away from breaking. Only one of these was presently involved in melee. If this was going to be a melee of attrition and staying-power, it certainly favored the Romans over the blend of troops on the other side of the field. Turn 10 witnessed a last effort by the struggling Carthaginian line. It was a valiant last effort as the Romans (Allies) were punished severely. Instead of the Celtiberians, it was the Spanish LHI units who wrecked havoc on the tightly packed legionnaires. On the left of the main line, a unit of Hastati broke under the pressure - from both front and back. On the right of Servilius' line, a newly raised Allied legion was routed completely by Spanish troops. This time, the Triarii joined the ranks of their brothers streaming to the rear. The count of army Break Points at the conclusion of this turn revealed no change in the total for the Carthaginians. The Romans too, had no change in their total for key units of cavalry. In terms of infantry key unit however, the total was now nine. Though these additional four key units did not figure into the army Break Point total, it is a comment upon the severity of the melee in the center and upon the quality of the Allied legions. Initiative rolls for Turn 11, showed for the second consecutive turn, that the Carthaginians would control the flanks while the Romans would move first or wait in the center. On the right flank, the African phalanx pressed the Italian Horse, who maintained a comfortable distance. On the left (Roman right), Hasdrubal was still getting his troopers in order and closing the distance between himself and the vulnerable rear lines of Paullus's and Servilius's commands. The Celtiberians continued to rest along the Aufidus, some distance from the infantry struggle. The Roman commander elected to start resolving melees from his left to the right, and here, on the right is where he won the battle. Yet another Celtiberian warband fell against the shield and gladius of the Roman infantry. Having reached the designated Break Point army total of seven (7), the game was called. It was not unnoticed by both players, that Varro turned out to be the "hero" in the re-fight. But it was also noticed that he did this "heroism" from the very last rank of the Roman legion that beat the warband. Though the game had been called with this unit breaking, the melee resolution was continued in the center sector. As it turns out, the Carthaginians lost two more times, as first a unit of Spanish troops broke and then another unit of Celtiberians on the left flank gave way under Roman pressure. SUMMARY & ANALYSIS History was reversed, on an October weekend in 1998: The Romans, under the capable (?) leadership of Varro had bested the Carthaginians under Hannibal, on the fields of Cannae. It seems now that I owe apologies to Mr. Featherstone and even more gratitude to Mr. Conliffe for having inspired and provided the tools by which to make this idea a reality. It had been a phyrric victory of sorts for the Romans, losing their Noble Cavalry and thousands of Allied legionnaires. It had been a costly loss for Hannibal as well. Although, if one were to extend the wargame, it appears that only one of the phalanxes would have been lost in the rearguard action. The other phalanx and all of the heavy cavalry would have retreated across the river. Perhaps half of the remaining Spanish and Italian allies could have also made it across the Aufidus. The Celtiberian complement, reduced by half on the field of battle, would have, it is assumed, dispersed. It is also marginally interesting to estimate what would have transpired if the battle had been continued. The Carthaginian horse would have fallen onto the Roman rear, and cut great swathes through it, but would it have been enough to reverse the decision? This is, perhaps, food for thought, an exercise, or just a wargame and not historical reconstruction, for another day. With respect to analysis of the wargame and the rules amendments, I believe everything went very well. Again, it was a near-run thing for the Romans. They were just two key units away from defeat. The combats on the cavalry wings need further thinking, perhaps, so as to offer more of a guarantee - but not an absolute one - for the Carthaginians. This is especially difficult when light horse are committed against heavy. There is also the problem of re-creating / following the sweeping movements of Hasdrubal's cavalry. Movement allowances in ARMATI do not allow such grand maneuvers. Further, there is the limitation of the "wheel" as it applies to cavalry units. 26 Both players made a good wargame of it, though the gamer portraying Hannibal rolled miserably for the Celtiberian infantry. In this respect, he may have been better off letting the Romans come to him, instead of going out to meet the Roman line. This might have given him more time on the left flank to rout the Roman Knights and then swing around to engage the Allied Cavalry and / or legions, just as things were starting to get interesting in the center. He could have too, though this is stretching the history of the engagement, withdrawn his center upon the advance of the Romans, creating the concave formation instead of having it created for him. This would have allowed the Africans, as well as cavalry, to play upon the Roman flanks. Overall, the wargame was well received by the participants. Personally, it was perhaps more satisfying to conduct the research and prepare for the wargame, and write about all this, than it was to re-fight the battle. Of course, it would be a strange wargame report without the wargame. In this respect then, I guess I'm a little like my father. He enjoys building remote control model planes and boats, but he very rarely takes them out of his workshop. His satisfaction comes from the inside, ultimately, like mine. On this note, I hope this article has proved satisfying to its readers. I have more hope that this article has served to inspire. Note 26 Though the following concerns the actions of the African phalanx, I wonder if it cannot be utilized for cavalry movement as well. Lazenby notes: "The technical terms Polybius here uses (3.116.9-10) make it clear that the manoeuvre was carried out by each individual African turning to left or right, not by whole units wheeling to left or right, something which could hardly have been done in the heat of battle" (83). Lazenby then goes on, seeming to contradict this evidence when he relates the response of the Romans to this development. (83). Perhaps a simpler solution would be to increase the number of control factors for this particular wing of the Carthaginian army. 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