Portraying the Poeni

[Chris]

PORTRAYING THE POENI


What might a Tactica II Early Carthaginian army list look like? Would there be points of similarity between it and the Carthaginian (2nd Punic War) list which is found on page L13 of the spiral-bound rulebook? My guess is that there would some commonalities and or shared unit types. Readily stipulating to the fact that I have absolutely no experience when it comes to creating army lists and embarrassingly little experience with playing at war using Arty Conliffe's Tactica II rules, especially when compared to veterans like Mark Grindlay, Dr. Paul Innes, and Simon Watson [1] (perhaps Silver Shields would be a more appropriate title for this trio of accomplished gentlemen?), I still wanted to give it a try. The following tables, for better or worse, and for the constructive criticism and remarks or blanket disinterest they might generate, are the product of this admittedly and completely amateur, average student-of-ancient-military-history effort. Without further ado then, let me begin - or attempt to begin - with a consideration of the mounted arm.

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[shaun holdsworth]

seems like the right stuff is being used, not up on Tactica , the Lybians spear should be less good the Greeks thats why they were used . Not sure if the Carthage citizens other than the Sacred Bank were used outside of Africa. Am sure somebody who knows more than me will be along soon to fill in the blanks

[Chris]

Shaun H -

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. As you say, I am quite sure that somebody who knows more than I will (perhaps) wade into this topic and make corrections and or fill in the blanks.

Cheers,
Chris

[Duncan Head]

Not sure if the Carthage citizens other than the Sacred Bank were used outside of Africa.

I don't think we really know for certain. At Crimisus/Krimeisos there was a body of 10,000 heavy infantry, probably including the 2,500 Sacred Band; so who were the other 7,500? Some people have certainly thought they were non-elite Carthaginian citizens; others that they were non-Carthaginians, probably Libyans.

Thus Nick Sekunda in Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare, vol. 1:

Plutarch (Tim. 27-9) notes that at the battle of the River Crimisus in 341, the 10,000 Carthaginian hoplites were equipped with iron cuirasses, bronze helmets and large white shields, and were drawn up as a phalanx in 400 files each twenty-five deep. The elite unit of the army was the Sacred Band, numbering 2,500 (Diod. Sic. 16.80.4). This suggests the infantry was organized in units of 500 men.

But Plutarch actually says that the 10,000 were thought to be Carthaginians, not that they were; so maybe the Greek observers just couldn't tell at a distance what nationality they were:

These the Corinthians conjectured to be Carthaginians, from the splendour of their armour and the slowness  and good order of their march.