A very Pyrrhic War - Securing the Ofanto

Securing the Ofanto
The year was 278 BC, Pyrrhus' army had, the year beore, defeated the roman army at Asculum and now he was heading south. But a roman army under the command of Publius Fabius had positioned itself on the south bank of the river Ofanto standing directly in between Asculum and Taranto and the romans knew that soon Pyrrhus would have to cross by way of the single brdge or ford. Pyrrhus dispatched a small army led by the Samnite king and Hermotenes (also called Hector) of Corinth to break the roman army defending it reasoning that if his men were better than the romans they could shorly break through the bridge or ford.

Pyrrhics

• Hermotenes of Corinth (special character)
• Samnite king (barbarian warlord)
• Dionysus the Honest of Syracause (Roman senior commander)
• Bruttian heir (barbarian chieftain)
• 16 Tarentine hoplites (spartan hoplites)
• 16 Tarentine hoplites (spartan hoplites)
• 14 Samnite hoplites (spartan hoplites)
• 14 Scythian mercenarys (hun horse archers without spears)
• 7 Cataphracts (samnite cavalry)
• 13 Thessalian cavalry (armoured hun horse archers)
• 10 Epiroite peltasts (persian immortals without spears)

Roman army

• Publius fabius (Roman senior commander)
• Augustus Vespasian (Roman junior commander)
• 11 Triarii (Legionnaries)
• 11 Triarii (Legionnaries)
• 9 Triarii (Legionnaries)
• 12 Hastati (un armoured raw recruits)
• 10 Hastati (un armoured raw recruits)
• 10 Hastati (un armoured raw recruits)
• 11 Princepes (drilled raw recruits)
• 9 princepes (drilled raw recruits)
• 9 princepes (drilled raw recruits)
• 12 Velites (legion light infantry)
• 10 Velites (legion light infantry)
• 8 Velites (legion light infantry)
• 16 Equites (Illyrians)
• 18 Po valley celtic cav (celtic cav)
• 48 Po valley celts (celtic warriors)

The Romans to the south (left) and the Pyrrhics to the north (right)

The Roman army deployed their infantry in front of the bridge with the front ranks being made up of Velites and with a flanking force of 48 celtic warriors. Fabius and the cavalry deployed in front of the ford hoping to strike across the river before the pyrrhics did.

The pyrrhics adopted practically the same deployment, their 15 by 4 man Phalanx forming a wall infront of the bridge with peltasts on the flank. Their much stronger cavalry deployed towards the ford preparing to charge across supported by flanking fire from the horse archers.

The game started with the Samnite king and his samnite and Thessalian horsemen charging straight for the ford, Fabius seemed to have had the same idea and his cavalry struck for it as well. allot slower the great blocks of infantry made for the bridge with the hoplites making better ground due to the roman Velites holding back the majority of the roman infantry from marching.

By the next turn the first Blood was spilled as the Samnite king lead his cavalry in a charge across the ford, into Fabius' cavalry who were all killed to a man (including the right honurable Fabius) and straight into the celtic cavalry who turned and bolted. The Pyrrhics had their first men over the river! Over in the east the Pyrrhics started marching their Hoplites across the river, but instead of being charged by the Roman infantry the Roman Velites came to a halt holding the rest of the infantry back and began to plet the Hoplites with javeins and rocks, but they had no effect on the phalanxes.

The Pyrrhics took their oppurtunity and with the Ofanto crossed they charged into the midst of the Roman army like wolves in a flock of sheep. Dionysus charged his Phalanx towards some of the Velites who fled causing panic through the back ranks, skillfully Dionysus managed to redirect his phalanx in mid charge towards some other velites and soon the entire centre of the roman battle lin was in flight and the Tarentines were only stopped from single handedly routing the enemy by a firm unit of Triarii, whom they engaged with. Over in the west the cavalry met with just as much success and they sent a unit of Hastatii running along with the celtic cavalry. When the dust settled we could see that half of the Roman army was running away and with their army general dead it would be hard to rally them.

Dionysus storms across the Ofanto, smashing apart the roman Centre

The Pyrrhics continued to take full advantage of the fleeing Romans cutting down all but one of the units of lone standing Triarii with minot casualties of but 3 men, however it was not all fun and games for the pyrrhics and one of their very powerful (and expensive) Phalanxes was cut down as it fled from Vespasian's Princepes.

Seeing how Vespasian had so easily cut down the Hoplites the Romans start to rally and even manage to force some of the Thessalian cavalry to flee for the ford. However Hermotenes took the initiative and charged his Samnites into Vespasian's flank and he fled (what an example!). The scythian mercenary's took this moment to cross the river by the bridge, leaving just the lone Peltast (all his comrades had been killed in the missile duel that had been going on with the celts) to defend the north bank

Vespasian rallied but to the rear of his army. The allied cavalry stormed off south sending the Princepes scatterling and thundering into the Velites. growing bord with the Peltasts the Po valley celts turned their missile fire on the Samnites taking out their back rank.

The allied cavalry continued their thunderous charge south getting further and further away from the river, sending the Velites fleeing and clashing with the Celtic cavalry. Hermotenes and his much depleted unit of Sanites took action and the five of the charged into all 42 Celts.

In an amazing turn of events Hermotenes sent the celts fleeing and cut them all down as they ran, the celtic horse was also annihilated and both Phalanxes moved south. Taking the initiative Vespasian dived towards the undefended bridge and sent the Scythians bolting north as he captured the bridge.

It was quick work for the Pyrrhics to finnish off the Romans and the only unit (in the entire battle) to survive was some four or five Velites who fled the field.

The final stand of Vespasian was a dramatic moment as Hermotenes and Dionysus with their hoplites surrounding him ordered his surrender, but instead he drew his sword and lept into battle souting "Death or Glory" after this he was promptley cut down and his head mounted on the tusk of one of Pyrrhus' elephants.

Now Pyrrhus' army was free to head south and onwards to Sicilly

Game review: As Owen called it "The closest run thing you ever saw!". We've come to the conclusion (after many years) that we are equal opponents, we've fought many battles and defeated may opponents together but the battles we fight always end with annihilation and with one of us having only a handfull of men left, "very bloody afairs" as we've now termed them.

Historic review: With the Ofanto crossed Pyrrhus could continue his march and it would be hard work for the Romans to block him again. with stories of rome's defeat flying all over italy and beyond, how they fled at the sight of the Tartentines and how their general was killed within the first few miniutes of the fighting (indeed he was one of the first ten to die), Rome had difficulty maintaining psychological fear and soon many Italians were flocking to Pyrrhus.