The Story of Souls: A Sweboz AAR

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Note to self: Elephants+City battle=Death
Chapter Sixteen: Endgame
(From the Latin book:)
Spring 230BC
Ah victory is sweet. Just last week Gaius sent me news that he had taken Carthago. It was a hard fight but for his forst true command he did admirably. After we took the place we burned it down to get revenge for the first two wars, and their terrible losses. There will be a Roman city built upon its place. Here is the report of the battle.
After a nearly year long siege he finally got the man power to storm the walls. The armies formed up upon a lovely summers day.

The army commanded by Gaius was one that had faced death and adversity many, many times. The Carthagoains were mainly militia and other troops that were worthless. However there were two exceptions. First was a unit of Superb Elite African phalanx infantry.

Secondly was a unit of Elephants, a staple of all Carthagoain armies by this time.

As the battle got under way, we began with a sneak attack. The only siege tower we had was pushed to a point far from any enemy troops to facilitate the climb of our Triarii. This was so that we could sneak our elites up and over before the enemy could react.

At about the same time several ladder units came under heavy fire from the few Numidain slingers still loyal to the Carthagoains. However all of them made it to the walls without too many casualties. At the same time the ram made it to the gates.

((This is the first time in my EB gameplay that a ram has made it up to a stone wall. I was AMAZED.))
While the ram was breaking down the gates, another unit of Hastati began to dig under their walls. However up on the wall two maniples of Hastati and a maniple of Princepes were having a firece fight with the Numidain slingers.

It was tough but they were winning so it wasnt a big concern of mine. However it did take them longer to kill some slingers than i thought it would. However as i watched the fight up top the walls to the left of the gatehouse collapsed. The miners did their work well.

After the walls collapsed and the gates broke. I ordered my men into the settlement. Right off the bat we faced off against a few units of militia. We also faced down the Elite Africans. It was a short but hard fight.

This fight i got into myself, as my legionaires held their attention, i charged home into THEM. I took a few times but in the end they broke and were butchered.
In the meanwhile my Trarii and several mainples of heavy infantry snuck around the main fight to the center of the city and began a fight at the town square. It was harder due to the fact that the militia units would not surrender before our obvious victory.

Our next true test were the Elephants, though. These big creatures are fearsome to behold. However i ordered my Velites to start lobbing their javelins at the fools. It didnt take very long for some to go down. Then i saw a man in rich armor order his elephant to feel. The rest followed suit.

I realsied that this man was their Sophet or leader. I was estatic. If i could capture or kill this man it would end any Carthagoain nation and all resistance to Roman rule. I ordered my troops in pursuit.
When the few remaining Elephants went to the center of town they were greeted by a wall of spears. Most walked right into them. And of course the one with the Sophet aboard went down and fell on top of the poor fool. He died instanly.

The heart drained from his men instantly, i could tell. Soon only one elephant was left. I knew it was only a matter of minutes before it too fell, for it was full of holes and it was bleeding. So i order my men to ignore the poor thing and finish off the remaining militia, while the slingers killed the elephant. However when they tried to do so, something horrible happened. The elephant apperently went berserk.

((Time for oh crap!))
It began to charge through my men like butter kill EVERYTHING it could see.

((OK time for an
INTERMISSION
I once read that if u ever had a group of elephants in a city you should avoid them. I think it was in Chureigon's Lusotannan AAR. Let me tell you folk he was right! I mean the one remaining elephant in this part of the battle went berserk and went on a killing rampage. ONE elephant = 1/3 of a legion dead. I shit you not! In fact when i saw what was going on i almost shit myself. One elephant killed 400+ men. I watched amazed and only managed to get one screenshot of the carnage (Ty fraps for chosing that moment to @$@! up on me).

It was EXACTLY like Churiegon described it to be, some kind of sick bowling match. Human pins flying everywhere.
And heres the aftermath.

And before you ask NO this is NOWHERE NEAR THE WORST PART!! This was the only clean part of the battlfield though. In fact i can guarntee you that if i removed the building to the left it would double the number of bodies, and including a third of my Triarii. Truely the worst part was the area where most of the men were fighting right behind the dead elephant cuz it went through ten ranks of my own men before it died. So to anyone who says elephants suck, YOUR WRONG. ONE elephant= 400+ men. Thank you for your time.
END OF TRANSMISSION (Chaotic static sounds) ))

It went left then right then left then right again. My horse paincked and fled carrying me with it till i fell off The worst part of the leftover carnage was the area just behind its body. It went through ten full ranks of Samite Hastati and Pricepes and THEN thorugh a rank of Carthagoain militia before one of the militia spears pierced its heat killing it instantly.

The battlefield had turned into utter chaos. However too many of the enemy where dead to take advantage of it. In the end it was bloody but a victory no the less.

And so Carthago fell. I am ordering its complete plundering and desruction as i write this. I will rebuild a Roman city here. and it will be a great city.
From my junior's notes it appears to be a hard fight. However he still won an important victory. So he will be rewarded. Also i must learn how to make elephant go on a killing spree like that for future use. But for now i must leave off, there are reports that need to be filed and work that needs to be done.