Trasimene - The Return Match

The Rejects reassembled at Jonathan's (Palouse Wargaming) virtual home to swap sides and refight the Battle of Trasimene.  The first ended swiftly with utter Roman humiliation in two turns and less than two hours.  So now that we all knew it and the rules a little better, how would this one play out?

Steve and I were now the Carthaginians, with me taking the defile and Hannibal.

Lee and Ray were the Romans with Lee as Flaminius and Ray in the defile (where most Rejects believe he should be!!).

Very few pictures and limited report I'm afraid  See Jonathan's post for a fuller and probably more balanced account.

Steve started by advancing his line, but without being able to successfully charge except with light horse on the right flank pushing at Roman skirmishers.  Likewise, the defile saw the heavy spears advance but failed to contact with one and saw the other pushed back by Roman light troops.

Flaminius took the opportunity to move away from the lake and form a line, making a conscious decision not to combine the heavy infantry into large units.

The start of turn two saw, what was to me, the defining moment of the game.  The Romans' were able to win the initiative.  Flaminius (Lee) quickly took the opportunity to stand his line and remove the disorder from all of his units.  This now presented quite a formidable wall of infantry in front of the Carthaginian centre and right.

Nonetheless, Steve made more advances on the far right with his light cavalry.  Perhaps even developing a future threat to the Roman flank.  In the centre, he threw his warbands against Flaminius's infantry.  The result was a little mixed.  A breach had been made in the Roman line.  However, the warbands were becoming exhausted in the process.

Meanwhile, in the defile an assault by the Carthaginian heavy spears was thrown back in utter disarray.  Ray rightly took advantage to tear forward with his heavies.  After a long attritional melee, he wiped out one heavy spear unit but was so worn down that it was pushed away by the light infantry on the far left.  However, Ray kept up the pressure and, like a juggernaut, engaged my light infantry, beat them back then turned to deal out death to my remaining heavy unit in the defile.  Fortunately, the Romans were repulsed, giving the spears a reprieve.

Hannibal's heavy spears decided to come out of reserve and advance towards Flaminius' line, having decided that the battle was going to won by the lake not in the defile.

With a concentration of skirmish shooting against Flaminius' right, things were looking less bleak for the Carthaginians.  Hannibal then advanced his Scutari into contact with Roman heavy infantry.  With their point blank weapons and capable meleeing, damage was being inflicted on Flaminius' line.  Indeed, the Roman general was pushed back to the shores of the lake... but not in it!

Flaminius, perhaps galled by the shooting and the Scutari, charged the Triarii on the Roman right to engage Hannibal and his heavy spears on our left by the hill.  The Roman infantry were beaten back, pursued then destroyed. Seizing the moment, Hannibal took the fight to the medium cavalry emerging  from the defile by the lake. The combat was deadly, forcing the cavalry off the battlefield.

With Hannibal's triumphant advance, the battle was won. Rome was defeated... but it was a close battle.

Final thoughts
The Romans played a good game. In winning the initiative at the beginning of turn 2 the game swung heavily in their favour, reinforced by their successes in the defile and in re-ordering the line along the lake shore.  With their good organisation and successes in the defile, it really looked like a Roman victory was developing.

The Carthaginian Scutari caused a lot of damage on the Roman infantry.  Plus, using the ranged weapons of the skirmishers and light infantry induced disorder and a nervous tension in Flaminius' line.

At the key moment, Hannibal and his heavy infantry was at the right place at the right time to receive Flaminius' attack by the Triarii, and to then follow through.

The Romans, Lee and Ray, played well and took good advantage of the turn two initiative win.  However, good and timely dice rolls were more evenly distributed this time.

At three turns and around two and a half hours of play, this was a longer game.  It was also a more balanced one with more consideration and reflection required by the players.  A close and intriguing encounter.

Well done Jonathan.  Thoroughly enjoyable.