This is not an army for the unskilled or inexperienced wargamer, but can be deadly in the hands of a sneaky general prone to laying battlefield ambushes.

The army list should include:

• A General (in a red cloak)
• A fair proportion of fighting cavalry (Gallic, Spanish and nobility)
• Good light cavalry, which will evade whenever doing so will avoid combat, but will attack flanks and rear. Those who like house rules might consider giving the LC an increased factor for delivering fire to flank and rear, to compensate for an inability to close to combat with troops frontally. Sometimes Numidians would encourage their horses to trample enemy infantry during rear attacks.
• Good skirmishers with javelin and shield.
• Mediocre Light Infantry with javelin and shield
• Poor Light infantry with javelin and shield
• A goodly supply of African elephants with two crew if required!

There should be an attempt to make use of moderately rough terrain on the table as it accords to the rolling lands of Numidia. Medium slopes with generous clumps of thickets and trees would be most accurate. As much use should be made of concealment as possible, and wherever possible attempts should be made to put troops to the rear of an enemy force. Where rules permit an ambush, always make use of the facility.

Take a lesson from the Nomads and try to operate in combined arms groups of cavalry and infantry in the centre and/or either of these two supported by elephants. The Pachyderms should be used to slow and hold the enemy and not as the striking force. Again, those who like house rules might consider increasing the effectiveness of infantry and /or morale while the elephants are with them and inflict penalties ifelephants break close to them. Historically, send the cavalry forward in small units. When attacked evade them through small units of light foot in support, who can then pelt the pursuer with javelins. If these pursuers are cavalry, then the support of elephants becomes very useful. Prior to the Punic wars the infantry would form up in large uneven masses and all but skirmishers would be of poor quality. Cavalry would remain as Livy puts it "The best mounted troops in Africa."

Following the Second Punic War it is reasonable to assume some of the influence of Statorius remained and use small units of light infantry.

As a completely different experience it would be acceptable to field an army which includes Statorius' heavy infantry. These would be close order and have good morale. Troops were almost as varied as a Carthaginian army and perhaps these make a good alternate enemy for them.

All Numidians, can be attired in a simple light or white coloured sleeveless garment, belted at the waist and clasped at the shoulder.

The light infantry might carry a round or an oval shield all others their round shield. All were equipped with iron headed javelins and apart from the Celts and Spanish and some nobility hand weapons were not carried. They wore their hair in ringlets and were dark but not black skinned. The best known image of Numidians is from Trajans Column, but other archaeological evidence does not contradict the illustrated physical appearance. They are noted by all authors as having little in the way of horse furniture for their small horses, some not even possessing bridles. It have been conjectured that the ancient writers used the term bridled and unbridled to distinguish between well equipped and horsed cavalry and others, but there is no conclusive proof of this.

The Numidians; gave great trouble to the Romans when fighting for the Carthaginians, contributed significantly to the defeat of Carthage when they changed sides, and at various times were able to destroy more than one Roman army. To beat these natives required supreme effort and careful training. Once the Nurnidians became Auxiliaries of Rome, good treatment and reliable payment ensured loyalty. In battle they might not be able to stand up to some of Rome's enemies directly, but they were easily capable of embroiling their opposite numbers in a lengthy and diverting combat while the Roman infantry won the battle elsewhere. In short they were a dangerous enemy to Rome and a more than useful ally, who Rome found useful enough to allow to continue with their native style of fighting long after other peoples were absorbed into the Imperial system.

More Numidians

The People
Numidians at War
Numidian Cavalry
Numidian Infantry
Numidian Elephants
Wargaming with a Numidian Army