[Romani AAR] It began on seven hills...

[QuintusSertorius]

218BC:



Initially the war in Spain was rather cold, but now the Qarthadastim have mobilised troops to fight (helped in large part by me using move_character to teleport armies from Africa to Spain). Emporion is threatened, and the nearest Roman army is the proconsul Appius Cornelius Scipio, his transports only just past Massalia.

They don't arrive in time to prevent the Qarthadastim besieging Emporion, but as soon as their boots kiss terra firma they march to the town's relief.

[QuintusSertorius]

First Battle of Lacetania, 218BC

Having barely dried their feet, General Scipio's army went to the relief of Emporion, besieged by the army of Captain Bodinelqart.



Scipio was surprised when the Qarthadastim leader didn't retreat in the face of superior numbers. Evidently he was confident in the position he held, and responded to the offer of battle.

Scipio deployed his men in the traditional fashion, his chief tribune Kaeso Sergius Orata commanding on the right wing in the position of honour.



The Qarthadastim advanced, then halted to dress their lines. Not to have his men feel their general lacked confidence, Scipio responded in kind.



Some of the enemy broke from their formation to charge the Roman lines before they settled themselves down. The main battle line, however remained unengaged. Scipio watched for the activity of the elephants Bodinelqart had at his command, for he could already see they were unnerving his men, even at a distance.

On the right a mass of cavalry charged the Roman skirmishers, and for a few moments it seemed they might be driven off entirely. But the timely arrival of Orata and his Gallic cavalry turned the tables.



The enemy light horse were routed, while some other selected troops were fed into the fight by Bodinelqart. Orata and his Gallic horse pursued the Qarthadastim light horse for a while, effectively leaving the conflict.



On the left, the Qarthadastim heavy horse charged home, pushing the allied slingers back. The Campanian cavalry responded, but they were outmatched by the heavily armoured Liby-Phoenicians on big steeds.



Libyan Spearmen came in support of the heavy cavalry, and Scipio sent in the Samnites to aid his Campanians.



The Bruttians joined in the engagement on the left, which was rapidly drawing all attention. Spotting the approach of elephants, Scipio ordered his velites to attack.



Bodinelqart sent more men to the fight on the left of the Roman line, more Liby-Phoenicians eager to aid their countrymen. Both generals kept the bulk of their forces in reserve, waiting for the other to react. Scipio could tell how nervous his men were of the elephants, he couldn't afford to risk sending them forward until they were dealt with.



Some freed slaves were thrown into the mix, and the elephants withdrew. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, the velites pursued them.



The elephants returned, charging into the melee and sowing massive chaos and confusion. Spotting the danger, Orata spurred his troop in an attempt to stop the panic.



Unnerved by the smell and sound of the large beasts, Orata's horse threw him. He was trampled by one of the elephants.



But the confusion sown by the elephants affected the enemy as much as it did the Romans. Some men began to look over their shoulder, and in no time unease turned to flight.



Resistance on the left collapsed entirely.



In the centre and right, the Qarthadastim elite infantry fought on regardless.



The Romans moved to encircle them.



Meanwhile Bodinelqart ordered the general retreat.



The Qarthadastim elite fought on bravely, but it was in vain.



The day was Scipio's. He had killed or captured half the enemy force with relatively light casualties. But the loss of Orata soured the men's mood and took any joy there might have been from the victory.

[QuintusSertorius]

217BC:



Disaster! A Qarthdastim army did the unthinkable and marched across the Alps in the dead of winter. The army sent to respond as the passes began to thaw was defeated, and the one after that. Taking advantage of the vaccuum, the previously loyal tribes in Cisalpine Gaul have risen in revolt. Those in Liguria joined them. And now a foreign army is on Italian soil.

Well, not quite, I gifted those settlements to the Gauls, Hannibal won't appear for another few turns. Just before that happens, I'll be gifting Capua to Qarthadast. That way he won't try to wander off to Spain. Hopefully he won't just sit in the city either. I might add to it's garrison to stop him doing that.

Elsewhere in the world, I've reset Pontos to the coast and moved their armies away. I need the Seleukids strong before I attack them in a couple of decades time.

In Spain I gifted Celtiberia to the Aedui a few turns ago. I also gave Turdulia to Qarthadast in the hopes it would provoke the Lusotanii to attack them, but no such luck. Their alliance is as strong as ever. Which is annoying.

[QuintusSertorius]

Campaigns in Lacetania, 217BC, part 1

Late in the spring of 217BC, General Scipio halted his men and constructed a marching camp. He didn't want to over-stretch his supply lines, nor advance too deep into the countryside without being sure of the loyalty of the local tribes.

While in his camp, his scouts and spies reported the approach of a Qarthadastim army, Bodinelqart and the survivors of the last encounter returned for more. Scipio was puzzled as to why the Punic commander would seek battle again so soon, without even drawing reinforcements. Perhaps he was confident that his elephants would do better this time. Perhaps he feared being replaced if he didn't quickly earn a victory to expunge his defeat. Perhaps there was some other, inscrutable reason. Despite being outnumbered two-to-one, Bodinelqart sought battle. Scipio's men were eager for vengeance for Orata, and cheered when they were ordered to march out of the camp to offer battle.



Scipio's army drew up on the top of a hill, looking down the wooded slopes to where Bodinelqart advanced.



Bodinelqart led with his elephants, hoping to sow disoder and rout the Romans with the first charge. He rode one of the elephants himself, perhaps adding to the confidence he felt.



Elephants and cavalry charged clear of the trees, entering a hailstorm of missiles from both the Roman light and line troops. Wary of the elephants, centurions ordered the men to throw everything they had, regardless that it might leave them with nothing for the enemy infantry when they arrived.



His overconfidence led to his end, Bodinelqart was killed by a sling bullet which took him in the throat. He died choking on his own blood as he tried in vain to dig the pellet out.



Soon all the elephants were driven off.



Elite infantry emerged from the woods and, heedless of the loss of their commander engaged the Romans.



Supporting them came Numidian skirmishers.



The extraordinarii and Campanian cavalry looped around the line to threaten the elite's rear.



And in a short while, the pressure broke the resolve of even these very brave men.



The Gallic cavalry drove off the skirmishers.



Surrounded, the elites in the centre broke.



But those on the left fought on.



In the end, though, they could not survive alone and were forced to flee. Bodinelqart had foolishly thrown away his life and his army.

[QuintusSertorius]

Campaign in Lacetania, 217BC part 2

Having crushed Bodinelqart, Scipio was surprised when a few days later his camp was threatened once more. This time by the local tribes, who either out of loyalty to their Punic masters, or else fear of another oppressor gathered a force and attacked. They were led by a fearsome warrior called Elazuno, who scorned the Romans and their effete ways.



Much as he had done before, Scipio deployed atop the same hill overlooking the forest. His men were confident taking up the same positions that had brought victory so recently.



Using the cover of the forest, Elazuno, a canny raider attempted to sneak around to flank the bigger Roman force. Scipio had outriders keeping tabs on the enemy, and readdressed his line to meet the ruse.



In a brave, if somewhat foolish move, Elazuno shouted his men forward, straight up the hill at the Romans.



They charged into a hail of javelins, then halted to deliver their own missiles. Meanwhile the Gallic horse spurred off to challenge Elazuno and his bodyguard.



Just as against Bodinelqart, the extraordinarii and Campanians moved to outflank their enemy.



Expending their missiles, the tribesmen charged.



As the enveloping maneuver took place on the right, the velites looked to repeat the maneuver on the left.



Elazuno ran from the Gallic horse, and unable to see their leader the Iberians lost heart. Their confidence evaporated and they tried to escape.



Elazuno didn't even look back as he and his horsemen fled the field like cowards.



The day was Scipio's and once again with very few casualties.



As spring turned towards sweltering hot summer, embassages were received from the local tribes who promised not to attack the Romans any more. Scipio didn't press for a more punitive accomodation, he needed the locals supportive, or at least outside of the bigger conflict with Qarthadast.

[QuintusSertorius]

Battle in Lacetania, summer 217BC

Early in the summer of 217BC, Scipio received some reinforcements from Rome, along with a new legate and quaestor, Decimus Claudius Pulcher. The men were heartened both by the replacements and the arrival of Pulcher, who some had fought under in Cisalpine Gaul when he drove off the Cenomani.

Scipio had made some minor changes to his army in the months since the battle with the local tribes. He'd consolidated the surviving Bruttians into one command and brought in some local fighters to serve in the Left ala.

With his force back up to full strength, he pressed on towards Arse, stopping in some wooded country on the Roman road to pitch camp. Spies among the local tribes whispered of a large Qarthadastim force marching towards the Romans, ready to kick them out of Spain. They were led by a half-Iberian noble called Mytonnes Saunites. They outnumbered the Romans by a small margin, but a significant part of their force were recently freed slaves.



Scipio marched out of his camp and arrayed his forces on the road, keeping the legions visible in the centre, but hiding the two alae in the woods. The right wing was commanded by Pulcher, the left by the cenburion in charge of the extraordinarii. They had a strong position halfway up a hill.



Saunites ordered his men to advance. He feared little from these Romans, beating Bodinelqart had handily removed a rival for supreme command in Spain. His heavy calvary rushed for the Roman left.



The rest of his army charged up the hill, tiring themselves out. His heavy cavalry caught the allied slingers unawares, cutting many of them down. The extraordinarii marched to their rescue, knowing that if they cavalry gained a foothold they could roll up the entire line. The Gallic horse drew another group of Liby-Phoenician cavalry away from the rest of the army.



In the centre the Iberians and slaves charged.



Gallic mercenaries and Numidian skirmishers joined in support of the heavy horse, and a desparate scrap broke out on the left.



Rather than engaging, the slaves in the centre began to drift away from the fight as the Iberians and African infantry moved to engage.



On the right, more Gallic mercenaries and Maure skirmishers pushed the Roman slingers back. Pulcher looked for his moment.



Using the cover of the fighting on the left, Saunites and his bodyguard slipped behind the Roman line.



Still the fighting continued on the left, with no sign of a resolution in sight. The Gauls were well-armoured and skilled, and despite their fatigue fought fiercely.



Sautines attacked the allied slingers once more, many of whom were already injured or dead. The triarii from the First Legion were ordered to support them.



For a time Sautines and his band threatned the Roman centre.



But he was wounded in the scalp, and a worried ward pulled him clear of danger.



The Gauls on the right were caught between the triarii, Bruttians and Pulcher's cavalry, and mauled badly. They decided discretion was the better part of valour.



Seeing the Gauls flee, and suffering many dead and wounded themselves, the Iberians fled. Pulcher led the Bruttians and his cavalry to outflank those remaining.



The return of the Gallic horse routed the mercenaries on the left. Soon resistance there crumbled.



His wound staunched with a makeshift dressing, Sautines attempted to salvage something of this battle.



But it was too late, most of his army were already in flight.



He tried to slow the Romans down anyway.



However the day was already lost.



He fled the field, narrowly escaping being slain himself as Pulcher spotted him while riding down fleeing Iberians.



A great victory had been won, further hampering the Qarthadastim war effort in Spain.

[QuintusSertorius]

Autumn 217BC:



Scipio's victorious army is threatened immediately by a slave army led by Burrhus Gades, along with the remnants of Sautines force. There's another Qarthadastim army nearby led by another FM.

Elsewhere in the world, Baktria have lost their capital to the Saka again, although they have troops around so should retake it.

The Iberians look to be trying to start things up with the Arverni again (even though they're allies). The Aedui in Celtiberia don't seem to want to move, they're recruiting more troops to add to the formiddable amount they already have.

Seleukids are holding now that I teleport any serious opponents away from them. There's a lot of Ptolemaic troops languishing in the Egyptian desert years away from causing any harm.

Still a stalemate in Greece.

I'm now three turns away from the appearance of Hannibal, assuming it all works. Two from giving Qarthadast Capua.