Battle Report 04/01/08
Later Carthaginians vs. Graeco-Bactrian
List Options: Hannibal in Italy, Graeco-Bactrian pre 151 BC
This is a historical matching battle. The battle could have occurred, considering the 2nd Punic War has been escalated by Philip of Macedonia joining the war not only by word and therefore the Graeco-Bactrians going to support the Romans. Hypothetically Rome could have been much more at bay than after Cannae, but Philip has lost sea battles. So finally the Graeco-Bactrians could have landed in Italy to face Hannibal. Actually they have been the Invader in that battle. Hannibal may have tried to intercept the disembarking, but came to late (that is: He has used the galley option, but no waterway has been deployed). This scenario is not very likely (especially seeing the huge masses of horses, the Graeco-Bactrians must have brought with them over the sea!), but much more likely than most battle we find in DBM elsewhere.
Terrain
This battle happened in an open field. A fordable river streamed along the way of the invading Graeco-Bactrians on their left flank. The only terrain features have been both on the far end side of the river, directly adjacent to it, on the Carthaginian side: On their table edge woods, followed by a village (suitable for Carthaginian ambushes, but not apparently sized.
Carthaginian Army
Hannibal relied on his historical main pillars: A bulk of superior Lybian veteran spearmen and masses of fierce Gallic warbands. The rest of the army should support those troops. Dangers for this army are especially knights riding down the Gauls, but also being outflanked. Against the knights only light horses could have a chance to disorder them before their blow. So Hannibal afforded the maximum number of Numidian and Spanish light horses and put them together in a sole light horse command, including light guard of their commander. This command could be flexibly used as skirmishers, especially to lure impetuous knights, or on a flank. The actual flank guard would be a command of Gaul cavalry on the spearmen`s flank and a manned fortified camp and/or terrain on the warband`s flank. One elephant, accompanied with Spanish scutarii as well as some psiloi would additionally reduce the risks of mounted troops to the Gauls. Troops for rough going has been passed on more or less, relying on a small overall frontage instead.
This army is similar to my first tournament Army. I registered a historical Hannibal army but found to still miss some warbands to size that when training with this battle. Therefore I used some Spanish auxilliaries as I would have used my warbands, but on an other way I would have used the auxiliaries if I would have choosen exactly that used army by “free will”: As a second line behind the only two-ranked Gallic warbands. There they stood firmly without any contact or use until the end of the battle;-(
Tactics against Graeco-Bactrians
Against this opponent a pike phalanx as well as a big number of Iranian lancers, accompanied with many, many light horses and backed with bows and auxillaries of little value have been expected. Well, that is what came! Since the field on the near side of the river has been totally plain, the Carthaginians decided to use their fortification in the middle of that field as their left flank and deploy narrowly between the camp and the river, the Gauls on the left, the spears on the right. There was not one inch of unoccupied space between. The heavy cavalry stood in front of the spears and the light cavalry screen command stood as advanced as possible – as did the Iranian lancers, directly opposing! Tactics would be to lure the lancers out of formation and letting fade out their attack. The lancers could then be killed peacemeal by the plenty mounted troops and also by the spears. All what have to be avoided is that they ever reach the Gaul frontline. The breaking of the lancers would not decide the battle, so afterwards the massive front of Lybian and Gauls have to start their counterattack against the remaining foot troops to give the final blow, with both sides struggling on both cavalry wings with their surviving horses during the advance. The village has been neglected by the Carthaginian plan, betting that the enemy will anticipate a huge ambush inside and therefore will not attack, only one unit of psiloi occupied it. Risky, as war is risky.
Graeco-Bactrians deploy
With their camp to the far edge of the plain, and their pike phalanx in front of it, the Graeco-Bactrians showed their plan directly: Not to engage foot. With horses in front of them, adjacent to even more (Suka allied) horses, adjacent to the feared lancers, this would be a riders` deal for them. The lancers were the weapon, bolstered with infantry masses behind, and even more horses between them and the little space remaining to the river. A good deployment. The Iranian lancers immediately charged.
The battle rages
Not a second has passed and the Spanish-Numidian light horse screen began their orderly retreat. So strong and fast have been the Iranian advance, that there was not a single place to exploit their line nor a single second to think on how to lure them. Would have the light horses in a sparsed line, some fleeing, some holding, the formation of the onrushing knights would have give opportunities to face about and to kill some. But there was none. The light horses retreated and retreated and got closer to the firm line of infantry. On the flanks, the Graeco-Bactrian used their massed light horses to try to surround the secured flanks of the Carthaginian army. On the Graeco-Bactrian left, a detachment of two units crossed the river to test the village – they went badly and never have been seen again. On the Graeco-Bactrian right, the Saka ally attacked the screen of skirmishing Numidian javelinmen in front of the fortification – with great success of course. On the far end, some horses galloped for a flank attack on the unmanned side of the camp fortification . They made in finally there late in battle but where driven off by the baggage crew easily.
The Carthaginian skirmishing line now broke off: On their left side, most of the Spanish went off to meet the Saka, on the right side, some of the Numidian troops turned back in order to give way for the onrushing Gallic cavalry. They engaged the Bactrian horses at once and beat them quickly and easily.
At this phase of the battle, the lancers began to loose formation. But too late: The maneuver space between the Numidian horses and the infantry front line has got too narrow for the riders to break off contact. Many off them were spierced and the remaining began to flee. With no where to go they have been totally annihilated by the onpressing lancers.
The Gauls and Lybian stood in an unbattered line, watching the slaughter just feet before them. The Lybian on the right began to wheel in and, flank secured by the victorious but still fighting Gaul horses, pushed against single groups of the Iranian. They made their way, but too slowly. Finally, the mass of the lancers made it to the Gauls line of infantry and crushed in them with great effect. The battle was lost.
Reflexion
It`s all about deployment, isn`t it? Well, yes and no. When deploying, the enemy composition nor organisation nor plan nor position is known. Also a good deployment can be proofed to be improvable in that very situation. But the improved deployment for that very situation could proof horrible wrong if the enemy has a different mind. So a good deployment is a deployment strong to all what might come. The Graeco-Bactrian organisation and deployment has been excellent. No doubt. The Carthaginian deployment also showed little improvement capabilities in that sense. Also shifting the Gauls to the left side of the fortification would have give more pressure on the opposing pikes and a tactical glue for the Iranians on how to reach them. But what if the Graeco-Bactrians would have deployed for the village to gain? No, deployment has been good on both sides!
The army compositions both also proofed strong. There hasn`t been a lack of troop types or of quantities. They both could go for battle in the same formation again without blaming the headquarters!
The battle has been lost due to tactical blunder: The light horse screen didn`t work. They didn`t lure the lancers out of formation. Why this didn`t happened is because of failure on a micro-tactical scale. If at bay, also a small mistake is deadly. The odds in front of the lancers has been bad from the beginning and the horses had a single chance, which they couldn`t exploit.
Well – we Carthaginians will beat those Graeco-Bactrians soon, for sure!