It was on Very-Hard for both campaign and battle difficulty and it was the summer of 269' (i think), my scribe informed me of Hannible's birth an irony due to the fact that i was pushing up the Italian Penninsula, defeating the Scipii and pushing the Brutii into their city in Greece where my allies the Greek Cities were beseiging their last city.. From Capua my army set out for the jewel of Italy.. ROME! As the shroud cleared i saw a massive Senate (purple) Army to Face me. As he blocked my way and my Force was very weak.. Only a general, (my faction heir), 3 (80/80) Iberian Infantry, 1 Elephants (containing 10/12), 1 slinger unit (78/80), one sammite mercinaries (80/80), 1 Skirmishers (80/80) and 4 Light Cavalry (52/54).. They all had 2 chevrons except my general who was in triple silver chevrons.. I sent the spy who travelled with my general to spy on him and he revealed 4 generals, 3 vetites, 3 hastati, and some 2 - 3 principes.. and 2 triarii!! Anxious to get extra troops i clicked on the mercinary scroll to reveal zero volunteers.. My diplomat tried to bribe him but they were not accepting.. another julii army was near by.. it was small and headed by a "loyal General" i bribed him and he became the reinforcements..
Battle was Joined.. Since i was attacking i was confident he would just form a battle line.. i lined my men up as following..
Sl Sk
S I I I E
GccccG
my plan was to just piss him off with my massive cavalry advantage.. I dunno how he set up his line but i think it was infantry at the front and vitetes behing them.. the generals were spread out amongst the line..
I started the battle.. I sent my cavalry out on the left to try drive away some of his troops.. he moved his troops around and sent one of his generals backed up with vetites and triarii to attack my left flank.. i charged his cavalry from the side with mine and killed his general and i pursued to vitetes until all the triarii had reached my horses.. i retreated them and kept doing charges and retreats until they routed..
While this happened my main force was attacked by his cavalry on the right flank and he advanced with all his troops.. my slingers caused many casualties amounst them.. and i sent my elephants against his general that charged my right flank.. they routed at the sight of the elephants.. now his hastati and principes were clashing with my line.. the slingers and skirmishers retreated and backed up my men.. i split my cavalry into groups and i charged each vitites unit and routed them.. i then proceeded to attack his rear with the cavalry.. one by one they routed.. but my sammites had given way and fled.. my iberian infantry.. taking very heavy casualties must now be thinking about it so i charged my cavalry and the very centre of the line and inspired my troops to fight on.. the elephants were routing the left entire right flank, triarii and all were running away only to be hit in the back of the head by slingers.. they all routed.. about a thousand of them fled.. they still out numbered me and if they stayed and fought i say they woulda won.. my cavalry purssued the lot and cut down nearly all of them.. It truely was the Heroic Victory..
I had very little left after the battle.. my entire remanining iberian infantry neatly fit into the one unit.. my sammites were down to 7 men.. my cavalry were pretty well of not suffering too many casualties due to the sheer amount of them in most charges.. slingers and skirmishers were unscathed aswell as the elephants.. i lost over 200 men but he lost 1000+ men.. by all means a HEROIC VICTORY..
"Tell them in Lacedomian, passer by..
Obiedint to their laws, here we lie.."
Herodotus Histories..
"Against one million in this place,
fought 4,000 Peloppenians, Face to Face.."
Herodotus Histories..