Trebbia 218 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Initial deployment from the Roman side

Carthaginians with Mago's ambush 
visible in the top left, off the table

First blood to the Romans!

Mago's ambush attacks the Roman rear

Romans Darken the Sky
destroying two units of slingers

Cavalry join the ambush

Roman right flank collapses

Last Tuesday afternoon I played a solo Command and Colors Ancients game out in the shed. The scenario was Trebbia 218 BC with Hannibal's Carthaginians fighting a Roman army, under the consul Sempronius Longus. Both sides had the same number of command cards but Mago's ambush really made it a tough scenario for the Romans. The special rules for the ambush meant any leadership card played after the Carthaginian player's first turn could be used for this. In my game an I Am Spartacus card was played, five dice rolled, two leader symbol results meant any two units of choice could be used. 

Two warrior units attacked the rear of the Roman infantry. Polybius says (III.74) the troops used in Mago's ambush were Numidian infantry and cavalry but I only read this after the game and had used Gallic infantry and cavalry for the ambush. The Romans played a Darken the Sky card and destroyed two units of slingers. Mago's ambush once launched was devastating with the Roman right flank collapsing. Despite this the Romans fought back well and it was only once a combined attack in the centre of Gallic and Spanish cavalry and infantry that the Roman centre collapsed as well. In the end the Carthaginians won a hard fought game 7-5 victory banners.

Side view

Roman centre is under pressure too

Gallic and Spanish cavalry attack

Spanish infantry join the attack in the centre

Roman centre collapses

Carthaginians win a hard fought
game 7-5 victory banners