Agathocles in Africa

[Prufrock]

For something different I thought I would try a battle I didn't know a great deal about, Tunis, 310 BC, part of an expedition by Agathocles, tyrant of Syracuse, to hit Carthage in its own territory.

The first post features the initial dispositions and the second the battle itself.



As usual for me, the rules used are Phil Sabin's Lost Battles / Strategos system, and the game was played solo.

I think I need to read up a little more on Agathocles. He seems to have been quite an interesting character!

[Imperial Dave]

And an unknown for me too!

[Keraunos]

I must read up on Agathocles and Phil Sabin's rules.  Ignorance is not bliss.

[Imperial Dave]

Moi aussi

[Duncan Head]

For those unfamiliar with the battle, the source is Diodorus XX.10-13.

[Prufrock]

For those unfamiliar with the battle, the source is Diodorus XX.10-13.

Thanks, Duncan!

[Imperial Dave]

Echo that!

[Erpingham]

Lots of interesting things in that battle.  Plenty of morale related stuff, anti-chariot tactics, the ineffectiveness of cavalry against formed hoplites, the lack of situational awareness that leaves troops at the back of a formation clueless about why the army is retreating - lots of things to recreate in a refight.

[Imperial Dave]

Indeed. Good observations Anthony

[Prufrock]

Yes, it's a good one all right.

[Ian61]

Did you get to release any owls? It's an aspect I found very odd. It seems Agathocles had been collecting owls and then released them to improve morale. I brought it up in the Alala! Facebook pages little while ago to add a card for this - 'release the owls'. 
(Check out 11.4 in Duncan's reference)

[Duncan Head]

'[R]elease the owls'. 

Produce the owls!

[Erpingham]

I brought it up in the Alala! Facebook pages little while ago to add a card for this

Does this suggest that you have been tempted to try a refight with Alala!? 

[Ian61]

I brought it up in the Alala! Facebook pages little while ago to add a card for this

Does this suggest that you have been tempted to try a refight with Alala!? 

Indeed it's one I would like to do but we will have to work out some chariot rules first.

[Erpingham]

we will have to work out some chariot rules first.

Should be fun, as, from what I recall of earlier conversations, we don't know a lot about how Carthaginian chariots operated.