AAR: Fields of Glory Carthage vs Rome, the revenge

 A couple of weeks later Nate and I managed a rematch. It turns out there are some FOG version 3 army lists with much more flexibility to army construction. I think one of the challenges for me with Carthage was all the mandatory units and our low point value games (due to time constraints). I ended up ejecting the light cavalry, took larger hoplite units, and manage to find space for some medium foot. I also ungraded my elephants thinking they'd last longer (i.e. not go poof after losing one base....which isn't true, but skill rerolls definitely help avoiding combat losses). 

Some eye candy to see the painted armies. Clicking on the photos should bring up larger shots....

In a totally non partisan way the Carthaginians are obviously WAY better looking. Too bad looks don't add to combat performance (the opposite if anything).

I went out of my way to try and get some bad terrain (i.e. NOT open). The green felt was....woods of some sort. Rough going perhaps, just enough to screw with heavy foot but not mediums. This is exactly were my spanish scuttari and elephants were headed. Everything else was meant to buy time. The skirmishers went out ahead to slow down Roman marching. 

 

 Light foot vs light foot tends to do not much, but to my surprise the larger unit sizes seemed to really benefit me.

 

Nate doesn't realize the pain that is going to arrive with the elephants and scuttari (impact foot) bearing down on his inferior troops.

 The carthage left flank is a bit shaken/rough/disordered, but Rome isn't in much position to push it with their cavalry inferiority. The mid field is jammed. The Carthaginian cavalry continually falls back from fights and then recharges. It's usually as frustrating for the cavalry side as it is for the heavy infantry side. 

 

 

A couple of turns later the Romans are starting to lose bases and get disordered. To the right you can see the woods have been cleared of Roman troops and the scuttari and elephants start leap frogging each other to chase and charge a collapsing flank. 

In the centre the situation goes critical as a series of cascading morale failures induces units to start running away and the panic spreads. The Carthaginians have salvaged their honour from their previous dismal showing.