The Battle for West Melton

The Carthaginians had had enough. After continual antagonism from the Romans ("how dare they oppose our expansion into Sicily/Spain/Italy. I mean, really!") the Carthaninan leadership thought to end Roman impudence once and for all. Thus, they sent forth Nikolos (Nicholas - all of the Hannibals were busy at the time) to teach Rome a lesson (Actually, the idea was to give Dave's newly painted Punics their first outing. It's so much cooler playing with well painted figures!)

And so it came to pass that the two mighty armies did meet upon the field of battle. Nikolos didst espy the enemy from across the field (as you do - Ps, Bd, Sp with Cv in the rear) and set up his men accordingly - skirmishers on the flanks (Ps one end, Ax 'tother), the venerable African Spearmen in the centre with two, count 'em two Elephants to their right. Nikolos held back in the rear his Gallic body guard (looking suspiciously like a Gaul himself) with his trusty cow-hide-shielded Numidians in support.

Nikolos did take the initiative, and with fortune smiling upon him (Wha hoo! Rolled a 6!), did successfully redeploy his elephants to his right flank. Davidicus succumbed to this clever ruse, and didst send forth his own mounted reserve to face this unexpected move.

At the other end of the field, the indomitable Baeleric Singers and Numidians (they who are also of the cow-hide-shields) made first contact with their Velites counterparts. True to form (can you have form on your first outing?) they quickly dismissed half of the imputent Romans that were facing them. Hah! (Pitty I didn't have the PIP's to do anything else with them for the rest of the game. Rule of thumb, don't stick your General way out on the opposite flank...)

And so the two mighty mounted generals did clash back and forth, whilst the gallant Caetrati held off the Polybian Heavies, ensuring that the big bad Romans didn't mess with the glorious, nay cunning plan.

Alas, time did start to run short for the noble Carthaginians. Whilst Nikolas was dueling it out with Davidicus on the flank, the Roman foot got stuck in to their lighter Cart counterparts in the centre. The noble Carthaginians fought with great bravery (but not much tenacity - they started falling in short order), but there soon developed a crisis in the centre. In an effort to shore up his diminishing infantry, Nikolas did send forth an elephant to strike fear in the hearts of the heartless...

Meanwhilist, in spite of the odds, indeed in a most cruel abandonment by the fates (not to mention the dice), the Polybian horse didst hold out against the superior might of the Carthaginian flank. Alas! for the true cause of civilisation and niceness everywhere in the face of the barbarian agressors! (Well, ok so the Carts were the invaders...but why let the facts get in the way of an otherwise good story!) For the might of the Carthaginian centre did seem to dissapear before Nikolos' own eyes.

And to add to the humiliation heaped upon their noble heads, the Roman horse even managed to push back the mighty elephant! How rude!

And thus it did end...with a great wailing and gnashing of teeth. Or was it a cold beer...?

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