Later Carthaginian vs Classical Indian

In this game I used a later carthaginian army with a large infantry center made by punic spearmen. The army, representative of the punics operating in Spain, has also a maxed iberian contingent and the usual elephants and numidian support troops.

My opponent played classical indians, still testing tactic and composition.

As attacker, my main concern was represented by enemy elephants. I set up the two boggy flat to hinder enemy mounted arm. I had to set up first. This let me deploy the numidians inside the wood, able to exit out and harass enemy left. Looking at enemy deployment, I had not many chances frontally. The best opportunity was to not let enemy right to deploy, and attack it from two directions, exploiting traffic jams and irregular pips. The large brush on the right was excellent ground for my auxilia. I gave the higher pip to CiC right corps

These are the enemy troops faced on the right. The flank guard, made by 2 IBdI was quite exposed. The Chariots and the Elephants belonged to two different corps, so the enemy could have enough pip to counter my attack. True is that the terrain was very closed and this was an advantage for me

The opening stage of the battle saw the punic attack on the right and some redeployment of troops in the center. The Indian, under pressure, used all the pips to redress the lines and change facing to counter the outflanking. Its center stayed still

The attack proceeded well thanks to the high pip given to the CiC corps. The outflank by spanish troops was parried by the chariots. There I had to stop on the brush edge, not having the strenght to engage frontally the enemy

On the far left the Numidians were successful to tie a large number of enemy troops and drain pips. Also this attack slowed a lot the indian advance in the center.

Slowly the spearmen and the elephants gained a foothold in the enemy line. Now some indian chariots were in danger. The indian moved forward the elephants kept in reserve to fill the gaps

At this stage of the battle the Carthaginians had the initiative. The indian center was still uncommitted.

Punic without any quick kill troop and facing high quality indian element needed a lot of time to inflict casualties. It didn't help also the large BP that indian army enjoyed

With the right wing crippled and losses in both the other corps, the indian decided to risk the attack in the center. It was too late

Both army centers started to clash, but there was few time left to have a decision in this sector

Time was called with the indian right wing disheartened. Indian CiC risked to be killed once many gaps appeared in the right sector. The battle finished with a punic winning draw, 15-10.

A nice game. Indian is a powerful and big army, very difficult to face. The decision to use the bogs in the center probably spared my hoplite corps, but also made much slower the process to inflict losses to the enemy. The indian defended well, and could have scored better with some more initiative in the center.