First wargame of the year.

The first game of the year for me (best wishes for the new year to all readers, by the way!) was a battle from a Second Punic War campaign I've got going which uses a modified version of Reiner Knizia's simple area control / card battle game Hannibal vs Rome for the strategic action and Lost Battles to resolve the combats generated.

This particular encounter is set in Hispania, north of the Ebro (said in one's best George Lazenby voice), and pitches a card value 5 Carthaginian army against a value 4 Roman army.

When converted into my Lost Battles OOBs, the 4 value card gives the Romans 74 points of fighting value and the 5 card produces Carthaginians with 78 points of fighting value.

Units in the Roman army: 10 x legionaries, 2 x heavy infantry, 3 x heavy cavalry, 2 x levy light infantry, 1 x light infantry, 1 x light cavalry, 1 x average commander.

Units in the Carthaginian army: 1 x veteran heavy infantry, 11 x heavy infantry, 1 x levy heavy infantry, 2 x elephants + skirmishers, 1 x levy light infantry, 1 x veteran heavy cavalry + average leader, 2 x heavy cavalry, 1 x veteran light cavalry, 1 x light cavalry, 1 x average commander.

Turn one:

Rome moves first, dominating the center with light units and moving the cavalry out onto the wings.

Carthage responds by advancing elephants and heavy infantry. Unusually, the heavy infantry is here used to screen the elephants. It costs a lot of command points but we need the jumbos fresh for use against the legionaries.

Turn two:

Rome attacks with the light infantry and scores a double hit on one zone, meaning that both the heavy infantry and the elephant are flipped to their spent sides. So much for the screen! After this the main body advances. On the Roman left the heavy cavalry charges in from a distance, but cannot do any damage. The other flank remains in place.

Carthage also advances her main infantry line into contact and most of the Roman skirmish screen is dispersed. The cavalry battle on the Carthaginian right begins well with a strong attack causing one Roman unit to become spent.

A close shot of the Roman left centre.

Turn three:

Rome makes a number of attacks but the success rate is negligible. With an attack limit of three rather than four in place for this battle, only three foot or two cavalry units can fight out of any Roman controlled zone, making it harder to score hits.

Carthage has better results, particularly in the cavalry battle on her right, where the Romans are close to breaking already.

Turn four:

Rome is still finding it difficult to manufacture successful attacks.

Carthage has no such problem: her cavalry is dominant, and the right wing breaks through.

Turn five:

Rome has some joy in the centre, scoring two hits, but it is slow going elsewhere.

Carthage's left wing now drives off the Roman cavalry opposing it. The right wing commences enveloping the Roman legionaries. The Roman infantry line is still formidable, however: half of the units are fresh and legionaries are always stubborn in a fight.

Turn six:

Rome yet again fails to press the attack conclusively.

The Carthaginian cavalry now hits the Roman line from the rear and casualties begin to mount.

Turn seven:

The Romans manage three hits this turn, but the end is coming fast: the consul is wounded while trying to prevent a rout, and the Roman centre collapses.

Turn eight:

The Carthaginian cavalry finishes the job it started, and the survivors flee.

Conclusion:

A strong Carthaginian victory to begin the campaign against Rome. The next battle will likely be in Sicily or Sardinia as Rome tries to strike a return blow against the foe. Both sides have four battle cards remaining. Rome holds cards 1, 2, 3 and 5; Carthage cards 1, 2, 3 and 4.