Hail Caesar 18/11/11

Jim's Carthaginians v. Mike's Gauls.

We used the new book to make up two three division armies.  All pics are taken from behind the Pune's right.  The Gauls have cavalry on their right (4 medium & 1 small light), and infantry left and centre (4 warbands & 1 or 2 small slingers).  The Punes have Spanish on their left (3 Scutari in captured Roman gear + 1 Ligurian light inf & 2 small slinger skirmishers), African infantry in the centre (2 long spear phalanxes, 2 Numidian light infantry & 2 small bow skirmisher) and cavalry on the right (4 medium & 2 light all small units).

Both sides initially advanced on each other, but the Punes allowed their centre to get ahead to meet the opposing warbands head on.  This did not quite go according to plan.  The right hand phalanx pushed their opponents back and followed up expecting victory, but a sudden dice turnaround saw them rout instead.  At the same time Gallic cavalry threw hot command dice and slammed into the left hand phalanx's flank before their supports could get up to cover it.  But the phalanx held and a counterattack by it's supports forced the cavalry to retreat. 

On the Punic left the Spanish weakened the cavalry with javelins & slings while the cavalry sorted themselves out again.

On the Punic right, the cavalry pinned the Gauls down while shifting part of their force left to help the centre.

After a period of reorganising, the Punes resumed the attack in the centre this time with cavalry and phalanx while the Gallic cavalry had their hands full with the Spanish, and the warbands on the other flank were tied up by the rest of the Punic cavalry.  The Gauls put up a good fight, but the coordinated attack was too much for them.  Both the cavalry and centre divisions broke to give the Punes victory.

Yet another very enjoyable Hail Caesar battle.  There were the usual wild swings of fortune, but the more experienced Punic command had a sound plan that prevailed.  This was fairly small battle, with just 3 divisions, each with at least 4 non-skirmisher units, totalling about 380 pts each, but it was enough for 2 players to have a good game in about 2 hours after set up.