Ilipa 206 BC - an interim game

It is now only two weeks until Sheffield Triples where we will be putting on Cerignola 1503. Everything has been painted and the terrain is ready. I've even resprayed the table's terrain cloth. To keep the cloth's finish fresh, I decided to set up an interim game on my 'arid look' terrain tiles and re-fight a battle that I have never attempted before. It is the Punic Wars, Battle of Ilipa 206 BC. It is an interesting battle, but I'm unsure how it will pan out due to the rather unique way the Romans, under Scipio, fought it. Anyway, because it will be fought as a stop gap game I'm not going to do a full write up. But, here are some pics. I have scaled it at about 1 figure : 100 men.

The Romans deployed for battle. Romans on the flanks and Spanish allies in the centre.

45,000 infantry, 3000 cavalry.

The Spanish centre.

One of the Roman flanks. Note the cavalry and velites at the back of the triplex acies formation.

The Carthaginian line. The main line runs: Numidian cavalry, Spanish cavalry, Spanish infantry, African infantry and elephants, Spanish infantry, Spanish cavalry and Numidian cavalry. The main line is fronted by a mixed skirmish line.

50,000+ infantry, 4500 cavalry.

The centre. The Carthaginian's best troops, Libyan spear men.

Mixed skirmishers, cavalry, and Spanish infantry.