When Colourful Armies Collide

[Chris]

Compared to the lists in other rule sets or supplements to those rule sets (here, I am thinking of Hail Caesar, the Biblical & Classical booklet, Extra IMPETVS 4, the section on Rome and the Mediterranean, and armies 40 and 46 in Might of Arms), the Later Carthaginian and Later Seleucid army lists in ARMATI 2nd Edition (pages H and J respectively) strike me as rather bland, perhaps even a little bit boring. However, having a greater level of experience, a better record of enjoyment, and indeed, a higher level of comfort with the procedures and overall systems of  ARMATI than with the other sets, I opted to stay with these simple but not simple-minded rules for a planned and very fictional engagement between Carthaginians and Seleucids.

In order to avoid the problem areas encountered with past projects, I limited myself to double-size armies for this scenario. Additionally, I took yet another unsparing look at the numerous amendments tacked on to these well established rules. Feeling much more at ease with the armies under my command (I would be the general of each force) and satisfied with the review and revision of the rule adjustments. I proceeded to set up my table for the planned encounter.

A simple coin toss determined that I would take the role of the Hannibal-like leader. Strapping on my helmet, cuirass, and cloak, I proceeded to conduct a brief inspection of the battlefield (a stream was the only terrain feature; it meandered down the center of the table from short-edge to short-edge) and then took note of what kind of formations I would be facing in battle (elephants, cataphracts, and scythed chariots - oh my!). Once these two tasks were completed, I arranged my troops on the tabletop.

I placed all of my heavy cavalry (Spanish and Celts) on my left. There were 7 units in total, deployed in 4 divisions. One of the Spanish units was rated as veterans. These experienced horsemen operated on their own. My center consisted of 2 mixed formations of Celts and Spanish. Each formation contained 3 units of warband flanked by a unit of Spanish foot. Each formation was also screened by skirmishers. I had 9 units (6 of javelins and 3 with slings) of these mobile missile men at my command. Five units were posted in front of the right division; 4 took up station on the left. Four units of African foot were positioned as a reserve force on the right side of the center deployment. (One of these units was also classed as veterans.) A small contingent of Italian allied foot was placed to the right of the Celts and Spanish. This division contained 2 units of heavy infantry. I placed my 2 groups of African elephants to the immediate right and slightly forward of the Italian troops. The entire right wing of my army consisted of 7 units of Numidian light cavalry. These squadrons were arranged in 6 divisions. My third and final unit of veteran troops was also on this flank.

To prevent or at least limit any interference of bias or wargamer's omniscience with regard to knowledge of the field and of the enemy's deployment, I let a 1d10 tell me how the Later Seleucids would deploy for battle. On the right flank of the Seleucid line, 3 divisions of cavalry were placed. The division at the end was light cavalry. To its left was a division of heavy horse (FV of 4), and then the division of Cataphracts. Continuing left down the line, there was a group of Galatians (2 units of warband; move 6 inches and BP of 4, contrasted with the Celts, who moved 9 inches and had a BP of just 3). These irregular troops were "screened" by a squadron of scythed chariots. To the immediate left of the Galatians was a unit of light-heavy infantry. A pike phalanx dominated the center of the Seleucid deployment. The 2 units of elephants were formed on the right side of this block of pikemen. The Argyraspids (2 units, 1 being veterans) came next. These were followed by 9 more units of phalangites. The phalanx did not present an even front. The elephants were held in a kind of reserve on the right. There were 6 units of pikemen in the first formation and then 5 more units positioned slightly forward. Viewed from 100 feet above, the formation of heavy infantry and pachyderms looked like a short staircase. Three divisions of skirmishers (a mix of archers and javelin men) screened the phalanx. Two divisions of light infantry (peltasts) held the gap between the center and the left flank. The formations on the left of the line included a division of camels (2 units), and further to the left, a division of heavy cavalry (2 units) screened by a division of horse archers (also 2 units).

First blood was drawn on the Seleucid left flank when these same horse archers let fly with a well-aimed volley into nearby swarms of Numidian light cavalry. Afraid of being  overwhelmed by enemy numbers, the horse archers then galloped away. The Numidians did not pursue but they did give the Seleucid heavy horse on this flank a very wide berth. In point of fact, it seemed that  the cavalry of both sides were rather willing to let the enemy take the ground on the other side of the stream. In the span of  a few turns, the Numidians and elephants were roaming around on the Seleucid left, and the Seleucid heavy cavalry and horse archers were moving freely on the Carthaginian right. Some camel troops were brought up to try and contest the Carthaginian advance, but these animals and their riders did not fare very well against the elephants. A division of light infantry did better, though they did pay a dear price in forcing half of the elephants to panic and flee back toward their own lines. Figuring they now had an advantage, the camels rejoined the fighting. They were quite mistaken. Occupied by Carthaginian elephants, the camel troops were taken in the flank by Numidian cavalry. In a matter of minutes, only 2 more units of Seleucid light infantry were left to defend the left flank and rear of the phalanx. By way of comparison, things went much smoother on the Seleucid right flank.

The Spanish heavy horse on the far left of the Carthaginian line was surprised when it was checked by Seleucid light cavalry in melee. (The Spanish unit had a fighting value of  4 and rolled a 1. The Seleucid unit had a fighting value of 2 and rolled a 6. Ouch!) Fortunately for the Carthaginians, numbers and weight eventually told and the Seleucid light cavalry were routed. However, the Seleucid cataphracts and other division of heavy horse were able to force their way across the stream and make a shambles of the other Spanish and Celtic cavalry formations. The Galatian warriors added their numbers to this assault. The squadron of scythed chariots made an appearance as well, though it did not target enemy horsemen. These drivers wheeled and made for the unit of Spanish foot holding the far left of the Carthaginian center. A successful charge disordered and wounded the Spanish formation, making it vulnerable to follow up attacks by the lone unit of light-heavy infantry in the Seleucid army.

The Celts and Spanish troops of the Carthaginian center pushed forward to secure the defensive line of the stream. Their skirmishers splashed over the water obstacle and were soon exchanging missiles with their Seleucid counterparts. Broadly speaking, the volleys of arrows, javelins, and sling stones were ineffective. (There was a fatigue marker or two placed on an occasional unit of heavy infantry, but nothing more serious.) The action grew more intense when the slow-moving phalanx finally reached the bank on their side of the stream and decided to push across in order to make an all-out attack. The "staircase" shape of the large Seleucid formation flattened out as first the left side of the phalanx, then the middle, and then the elephants made contact with enemy troops. Sufficed to say, half-naked barbarians with little or no protection did not do very well in melee versus well-protected pikemen, let alone against angry and armoured gray-skinned animals carrying small fortresses full of troops on their backs. Scores of Celts and Spanish foot soldiers fell trying to hold back the advancing wall of pikes. A brief bright spot occurred when one group of elephants panicked and ran away from the slashing swords of the Celtiberian warriors. A more promising development involved the arrival of Numidian light cavalry at the back of the phalanx in addition to some unformed squadrons of Spanish heavy horse on the right rear corner of the Seleucid formation. Unfortunately, the light horse could do nothing more than harass the occupied pikemen. The Spanish heavy cavalry were more of a threat, though they did target their charge against two of the most powerful units of pikemen in the phalanx. The Seleucid general joined his men in the swirling melee, directing reserves to shore up the line and often engaging enemy horsemen in battle. Even though the formation was attacked from the front and rear, the Seleucid pikemen held their ground. Using their training and the reach of their primary weapon, the pike, they succeeded in grinding down the Carthaginian troops facing them. The fight against the Spanish cavalry was a more desperate contest (one of the phalanx units was disordered), but the pikemen stubbornly held their ground. In rapid succession, key unit after key unit was destroyed or routed on the Carthaginian side until the morale tipping point of the army was reached. The final calculation showed how one-sided the battle had been: the Carthaginians lost 11 key units (13, if one counts the panicked group of elephants and  the veteran Spanish cavalry who had the misfortune of being run into by a squadron of  panicked Seleucid elephants) against the 2 key units (both camel troops) that were routed on the other side of the field.

Even though I had been thoroughly trounced by the Seleucids and proven most unlike Hannibal in my abilities as a general of a polyglot army, I found this battle to be more enjoyable than the past half-dozen or so recently staged. While the "60 percent scale" limits the size of armies I can put on the tabletop, it does provide for easier reading of  the unit stats and such. (The information on the half-scale counters is rather difficult to read, especially under less than optimal lighting conditions.) I used normal 2/3rds scale rulers. This, along with the increase in light cavalry movement rates from 15 to 18 inches allowed the battle to really move along. The Seleucid horse archers, for example, were letting loose with effective arrow volleys at the start of the second turn. And while the landscape of the tabletop was not spectacular, it turned out to be sufficient and it did provide for some tactical considerations. As the general of the Carthaginians, I thought it prudent to move up quickly to the bank of the stream and adopt a defensive position. If the Seleucids took the bait and attacked across the shallow water obstacle, I would at least get a positive modifier on the initial round of melee. As the narrative has shown, this temporary advantage did not prove to be a benefit. On reflection, I should have allowed for a chance for units moving across the stream to become unformed or slightly disordered. This modifier would have conferred an additional advantage to troops defending the opposite bank and in the specific terms of the combats between phalanx units (deployed in depth) and Celtiberian warbands, would have produced even-chance melees. The adoption of this scenario rule would have also impacted the action on the Carthaginian left flank, where the Spanish and Celt cavalry could not stand up to the advance of the Seleucid cataphracts.

Focusing on the large melee in the center of the field, I wondered about the validity or realism of taking away the impetus rule that is so evidently integral to ARMATI battles. Here, I am remembering the attack of Spanish heavy cavalry (admittedly unformed) into the right-rear corner of engaged Seleucid pikemen. The one phalanx unit had the general attached and was able to repulse the Spanish horse. The neighboring unit, however, did not roll very well and lost a unit BP as well as earned a disorder marker. Under the original rules, this unit would have broken and produced at least one "routed-into" morale check (if not more) for neighboring units. There seems to have be a chance then, if played with the rules-as-written, for the Carthaginian heavy cavalry to have enveloped and eviscerated the Seleucid phalanx. Along the same lines, it was interesting to see what little impact the Numidian light cavalry made when they launched attacks against the rear ranks of the engaged phalanx. I understand the rules on this point, but perhaps there should be some sort of morale modifier applied to melee die rolls when units are engaged in this manner. 

Reviewing the "big picture" aspects of this fictional battle, I found it both interesting and entertaining to see that many of the cavalry formations on both flanks avoided fighting each other and tried (in most cases unsuccessfully) to wheel and close in on the enemy flank and or rear. This was especially true with regards to the Numidians. At one point, they had 5 units of light cavalry roaming around behind the Seleucid phalanx. A percentage of these horsemen did move against the rear ranks of the pikemen and another group did take on an isolated unit of Seleucid light infantry, but their overall contribution was negligible. Again, it seems to me that there would be (or should be) some sort of impact on the morale of enemy units in this position. This modifier would translate directly to the unit's ability to perform in melee.

In summary, though this was a counterfactual scenario (I am not aware of any recorded battle where Carthaginians fought Seleucids) and serves as evidence that I need to do more work on the rule amendments (perhaps even repeal one or two), it was still a rather enjoyable and satisfying encounter.

[Patrick Waterson]

You are right, Chris: Carthaginians never fought Seleucids (there were too many Romans, Ptolemaic Egyptians and other peoples in the way).  We can however assume an alternate history in which Antiochus III wins at Raphia in 217 BC and goes on to conquer Egypt.  With this under his belt he trounces the Parthians, acquires Asia Minor and acquires Macedon and Greece (and Illyria and Thrace) around the time when Hasdrubal leads his army into Italy to join Hannibal and the joint forces of both brothers take Rome.  By 202 BC or so the Seleucid domains are united and Antiochus prepares to do what Alexander did not: lead his forces to conquer Europe.

Meanwhile, the Carthaginians have subdued Italy and hunted down Scipio in Spain.  Gaul provides a steady supply of mercenaries and they prepare to move east.  General Hahno (sorry!) is tasked with seizing Greece from the Seleucids, with the results we have seen.

The battle had, in my judgement, the right result.  The Seleucid pikes cleared away the heterogenous Carthaginian troops and laid the foundation of victory despite the cavalry on the Carthaginian right doing their best - obviously Raphia had been a Seleucid success and the phalangites were unworried by cavalry on their flank!  Overall, I would have bet on the Seleucids because of their superiority in long pointy sticks on basically level terrain which gave the Carthaginians what we could metaphorically call an uphill fight in which things progressively went downhill (wonderful thing, metaphor, and completely topography-defying).

[Chris]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks  for taking  the  time to  read and reply. Appreciate your counterfactual consideration re a possible but not very probable meeting between these two cultures. (In my "research," I did note  the close chronology of Raphia and Cannae.) Appreciate the Carthaginian name - I just may borrow this if  I take the field again as a  Punic commander.

On further reflection, it seems that I may have weighed the chances (though not intentionally) against the Carthaginians. I should have set up a different landscape, allowing for  some  sort of ambush by hidden Numidians  and  or Celtiberian warbands. This might have made the engagement even more interesting. The jury is still debating what kind of modifier(s) a shallow stream would have  on the ordered ranks  of a pike phalanx.

Thanks again for reading and replying.

Chris

[Patrick Waterson]

I appreciate your taking the time to report your exploratory battles, Chris.

Regarding the effect of a stream on a phalanx, the answer is probably not a lot: Alexander's phalanx crossed the Granicus without any apparent disorder or other problems, and their Seleucid semi-descendants could presumably do the same.

If Hannibal had been fighting Seleucids, he would probably have attempted to lure them into a Lake Trasimene type ambush or, failing that, coaxed them into attacking Trebia-style on a cold and rainy morning to take some of the sunshine out of them before they got to grips.

Here is to the future career of General Hahno!

[aligern]

Wargamers tend to split over the question that raise here Chris. Are troop types and equipment largely irrelevant or are they fundamentally important.  If one believes that equipment matters then the Seleucids are a top army,with pikes, cataphracts, peltasts,specialist light  infantry , mounted javelins, horse archers. If kit is the main difference (given it is being used by competent, well motivated men) the Seleucids should whip the Carthaginians, who deploy vanilla infantry and cavalry, inferior elephants and only match up in the light infantry and javelin light cavalry department.
An alternative view has the kit being of relatively minor importance, so that Carthaginian cavalry can fight lancers effectively, their infantry can hold against pike, their Numidians can cope with Tarantines and Scythian horsebows.  Armati tends towards the latter so the Carthaginians have , fir exampke, African FT whobare as good at fighting firward as the best pike . As most rules have a points system that makes the best equipped or more effective troops more expensive I would expect the Carthaginians to be more numerous and to be able to use this to create a spare unit that can manoeuvre onto the flank or an advantage in light cavalry that can be used to hamstring the cataphracts from behind. However, frontally the pike are going to eat Spaniards and Celts so the battle becomes about wheter the zcarthagnians can keep their heavy infantry alive long enough to enable them to win n one or other flank.
Roy