Trying larger units and a Punic War game report

With an upcoming holiday later this week, I have not done any modelling or painting. Instead, I decided to get my 1/72 scale plastic Carthaginian and Roman armies on to the tabletop. I usually play variations of the One-Hour Wargames Ancient rules, often fielding 10–12 units per side rather than the six typically suggested in the book’s scenarios.

My units typically consist of two 4" x 3" bases with up to 12 figures per base for heavy infantry, around 9 for light infantry, and 4 to 6 figures for cavalry.

My usual ancient game setup on a 6 by 4 foot tabletop.

Not wanting a large battle, I decided to play a couple of One-Hour Wargames scenarios with the usual six-unit limit. As I was setting up for the game, I thought I would try doubling the number of bases per unit. This worked very well for the heavy infantry, forming a solid block of some 48 figures that look quite impressive and gave the unit a real sense of depth. However, doubling the bases did not work out so well for the light infantry, not only did the four-base blocks seem to look wrong, but the extra depth made it difficult to position them in front of the heavy infantry. In the end, I opted to keep them as two-base units and treated them as half-units, eliminated after taking half the hits of a standard unit but still retaining their full attack value.

A 4 base unit of Roman heavy infantry and a 2 base unit of light infantry.

Game Report...

One of the One-Hour Wargames scenarios I played using the larger units was Scenario #25: Infiltration, set up on a 4' x 4' table. In this game, a smaller Carthaginian force is attempting to break through a Roman army blocking their escape route. A portion of the Roman army holds a hill overlooking the road, while additional reserves are expected to arrive along the road from both the north (left) and south (right). The Carthaginians arrive from the north-west corner with the objective of getting at least two units off the northern end of the road to secure their escape.

The battle started with a Roman heavy infantry unit occupying the hill overlooking the road. Their orders were to hold until reinforcements could arrive from the north and south.

The Carthaginian cavalry vanguard advanced swiftly, pressing ahead while light infantry began  skirmishing fire upon the Roman position. Roman reserves were sighted approaching from the north.

Harassed by the enemy light troops, the Romans upon the hill advanced to drive them off, only to find themselves confronted by the Carthaginian war elephants. At the same time, additional Carthaginian formations moved forward to engage the arriving Roman reinforcements.

With little room for manoeuvre, the opposing cavalry found themselves committed against formed heavy infantry, both suffering casualties accordingly.

The Carthaginian cavalry are ultimately routed. Roman reserves were being slow to arrive and move into position.

The war elephants continued their destructive work, scattering Roman light troops and throwing the southern Roman reserves into confusion. To the north, the momentum swings with the Carthaginians as they rout the Roman cavalry.

The road north remained blocked, but the Roman infantry holding it were weary and attacked by persistent fire from Carthaginian light troops.

At length, the Roman blocking infantry broke, opening a path of escape, but Roman reinforcements press forward, seeking to restore the situation.

A unit of Carthaginian heavy infantry and light infantry seized the opportunity to break through and escape up the road.

Two units succeeded in escaping the Romans, though one was a 2 base unit of light infantry.

Two units succeeded in passing the Roman line, though one was a 2 base unit of light infantry. As to whether they should count toward the victory conditions I am uncertain. So I will call the game a draw.

The game was most enjoyable. The larger units certainly added to the look of the game, and who does not like pushing large blocks of troops around the tabletop?

Here are the rules used...

This ruleset is a variant on Neil Thomas’ One-Hour Wargames Ancient rules. They include additional unit types, movement activation, and differently sized units.

Units Types

The game is geared towards the 2nd Punic Wars and uses the following units types:

• Heavy Infantry (4 bases)

• Gaul Warband (4 bases)

• Light Infantry (2 bases)

• Cavalry (4 or 2 bases)

• Elephants (2 bases)

• Catapults (2 bases)

• Generals can be assigned to either a Heavy Infantry or Cavalry unit for the entire game.

The units need to be consistently based. A full unit is 4 bases and a half unit is 2 bases. Light infantry, elephants, and catapults are always half units. Cavalry can be either a full unit or a half unit..

Sequence of play

Each player takes a turn to move, shoot & melee with their units in the following sequence:

1. Movement

2. Shooting

3. Combat

4. Eliminating units (& berserk elephants)

After both players have had their turn, check the Army’s Fortune.

The game ends after 15 turns.

Movement

During the movement phase a player can attempt to move their units. The procedure is:

• The first unit moved each turn is free.

• After that, roll 1D6 each time you wish to move another unit. A 2+ is success, a 1 is a failure and no more units can be moved this turn.

• Each unit can only be moved once per turn.

A unit may move up to the distances listed below:

• Heavy Infantry - 6”

• Light Infantry, Veteran Heavy Infantry, Warbands & Elephants - 9”

• Cavalry  - 12”

• Catapults - cannot move, only pivot.

Turning - Units turn by pivoting on their central point. They may pivot at the start or the end of their move.

Interpenetration - Only light infantry may pass through other friendly units (and vice versa).

Moving and shooting - Units that have moved or turned may not shoot.

Terrain

Terrain has an impact on a unit’s movement and combat.

Woods - Only light infantry & warbands can enter

Towns - No effect on movement & treat as broken ground for combat

Marshland & lakes - Impassable to units

Rivers - Can only be crossed at bridges & fords

Broken Terran (e.g. Rocky, Fields & Streams) - Only infantry may enter. Provide cover to Light Infantry and Warbands in melee, but no cover against shooting.

Roads - Units moving all their move on roads add 3” to their move distance, but cannot charge.

Hills - Units defending hills are treated as being in cover.

Charges

Charges are resolved by moving the attacking unit into contact with its target. They are subject to the following restrictions:

• Elephants. Cavalry may not charge elephant units as they become spooked.

• Turning. A charging unit may turn once, at the start of its move. This evolution may not exceed 45 degrees.

• Limited Engagement. Only one attacking unit may contact each face of the target (these being Front, Left Flank, Right Flank, and Rear).

• Fighting. Combat is resolved during the Combat phase.

Shooting

Only light infantry and catapults can shoot. The procedure for shooting is as follows:

• Units may only shoot at a target within their frontal facing.

• Light infantry have a range of 12” & assess the number of hits by rolling a D3.  Half the number of hits (rounding up fractions) when the target unit is: in cover, heavy infantry, or elephants.

• Catapults have a range of 24” & assess the number of hits by rolling a D3. (There are no modifiers.)

Combat

Units only inflict hits during their own player turn. To assess the number of hits:

• Heavy Infantry - D6

• Warband (Gauls) - D6+D3

• Light Infantry - D3

• Cavalry - D6

• Catapults - cannot attack in combat situations

• Elephants - D6

Modification to the number of hits:

• All units, except elephants, halve hits when attacking heavy infantry

• Halve hits when attacking units in woods or defending a river.

• Roll 2 D6 and select the highest score if a general is assigned to the units.

• Double the hits for flank or rear attacks.

Catapults - Are automatically eliminated in combat.

Turning Within Combat - Units may turn to face an attack upon their flank or rear if they are not simultaneously being frontally engaged. 

Eliminating Units

Full units are eliminated once they have taken 17 or more hits, and half units after 9 or more hits. 

When an elephant unit is eliminated, check to see if it goes berserk. Roll a D3 and:

• On a score of 1 the elephant immediately charges the nearest friendly unit with 12” & inflicts D6 hits. After which the elephant unit is removed from play.

• On a score of 2 the elephant immediately charges the nearest enemy unit with 12” & inflicts D6 hits. After which the elephant unit is removed from play.

• On a score of 3 nothing happens & the elephant unit is removed from play as any other unit would be.