Hannibal Halted

The Twelve Foes of Rome Campaign

The next chapter of the campaign.

This time, we go to the Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC). Hannibal invades Italy.

Now, Bellicosus the Younger, ancestor of the great Bellicosus (our fictional hero) gets the call to defend the Republic.

Battle of Lake Betria

Bellicosus confronts Hannibal in northern Italy.

Hannibal's Gauls burst from some woods. A Roman legion drives them off. Meanwhile, the center legion advances. It is bloodied but manages to defeat the Carthaginian spears.

Bellicosus brings up the Italian allies in the center. The legion on the left continues its victorious ways. On the right, the Roman cavalry defeats its Carthaginian counterpart. Hannibal fails to rally them.

Bellicosus wins in his first encounter with Hannibal.

Battle of Taurus Plain

Bellicosus chases Hannibal into Iberia.

The Romans attack. Their legion defeats the Carthaginian cavalry while the Italian allies drive off the elephants.

The Carthaginian spears are victorious in the center but the Italian allies have continued success.

There is a stand-off in the center. But this makes Hannibal's position untenable. He retires.

With this success, Bellicosus drives Hannibal from Iberia.

Battle of the Carthage Canal

Bellicosus invades Africa.

The Roman advance wipes out the Carthaginian cavalry in the center and on the right. The Roman cavalry is blown.

Intense, bloody battle on the left and center. The legions are spent but the Carthaginian infantry break.

It's down to the elephants vs. Italian allies. The allies nearly break, but Bellicosus rallies them. Then they manage to take down the beasts.

With its army destroyed, the Carthaginians have no choice but to sue for peace.

Bellicosus the Younger has earned laurels on par with his illustrious ancestor!

Massacre in Miami

An Invasion Florida scenario

As part of a grand invasion of the US, Cuban Communists (CuComms) landed in South Florida. They seized Homestead Air Force Base. Now a column advances through Miami. But Cuban exiles wait for a chance to strike back.

Opposing Forces

• CuComms - 3 regulars, 1 elite infantry (counts as bayonets), 1 light armor, and 1 helicopter (fire support)
• Cuban exiles - 2 irregulars, 1 unreliable irregulars, 1 zealous exiles (counts as bayonets). The front line exiles are in buildings (defensive advantage).

In addition, there is an American Air Force plane in the area that can provide fire support for the Americans.

The Battle

As the CuComm column advances through the streets of Miami, the exiles strike.

The zealous exiles rush out an destroy the armor. But the CuComm elite infantry wipe out the irregulars.

 

The elites then run off the exiles' reinforcements. However, an American Air Force plane that was circling the area has spotted the battle. It strikes the CuComms.

CuComm regulars drive off the zealous exiles.

Then more regulars get into the fray (left), driving off the last of the irregulars.

The Air Force jet breaks off. The CuComms can continue their advance.

GAME NOTES

• I need to create some streets.
• I played this with Dominion of Rice and Napalm
• I used the American rules for fire support for both sides in this battle. I did not think that a Communist opening bombardment made sense in this scenario.

More LARP Distractions

I'm still focusing on LARP lately.

Right now I am putting together a guide for new player's on garbing up for the game. Here is a preview of that guide.

In the guide, I explain how you can build a kit starting with mundane clothing items. or example, you can use a t-shirt and sweatpants to create this kit.

The Pace Slows

No battle report for today. Other things going on lately

LARP Distractions

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been busy with some "smithing" for LARP,

It started when one of our members made some pirate ships to use as targets.

In exchange, I offered to make a spear. I went to purchase a fiberglass core but the rods only came in 5' or 10' lengths. I wanted a 6' core so I went with the 10' and cut it down.

Once I finished the spear, I had a 4' core. I turned that into a two-hand sword.

Someone asked for a buckler. I made one; didn't like it, so I made another.

Finally, we did a build day. I participated for a bit. I ended up with a partially-finished, one-handed sword. I completed it last weekend.

Here is some of my handiwork - two bucklers and the one-hand sword.

Twelve Foes of Rome

I actually played out the next installment of the Twelve Foes of Rome. It's the Hannibal edition. I plan to post it in March.

Bellicosus vs. Pyrrhus

Twelve Foes of Rome Campaign

Continuing with my Twelve Foes of Rome campaign.

Last time, Bellicosus (our fictional hero) conquered the Etruscans and Samnites.

Now, long after his retirement, the Senate calls him back into service to face Pyrrhus.

The First Battle

Bellicosus takes the initiative on the left. His light cavalry routs Pyrrhus's archers. But the Italian allies flee from the elephants.

The light horse (left) take out Pyrrhus's cavalry.

But then get overrun by reserve cavalry.

The Italian cavalry (left) hold! Meanwhile, a legion sacrifices itself to drive off the elephants.

This leaves Pyrrhus's pikes alone. They withdraw.

The Second Battle

Bellicosus pursues Pyrrhus and brings him to battle outside Tarentum.

Once again, Bellicosus's light horse drives off Pyrrhus's cavalry! 

And the elephants lose to a legion!

The legions press forward, routing the left and center.

Utterly defeated, Pyrrhus must retire from Italy.

Bellicosus receives a triumph in Rome!

GAME NOTES

Oops, I forget to use generals for rallying. Oh well.

My new box saw action.

Here is my "Big Battle" box. It's designed to hold 4x6 inch photographs.

Unpacking the box. I laid out my felt battlefield. The small square boxes in the Big Battle box hold armies and markers. Rules, on index cards, sit in the open lid.

Invasion Florida Redux

The Tangerines! Campaign

Last year I began a Red Dawn style campaign, featuring hordes of Commies overrunning America in 1985. I have decided to reboot the campaign

Background

• Washington, DC 1984 - a terrorist attack kills much of the senior leadership of the Federal government. After much politicking, Representative Walter Taub becomes President. An isolationist, he immediately orders de-militarization.
• Mexico, 1984 - a coup establishes a pro-Soviet Mexican government.
• Germany, 1985 - a Soviet invasion overruns most of Europe. The US remains neutral.
• United States, 1985 - sensing an opportunity, the Soviet launches a sneak attack on the US. They land in Alaska and push south through Canada and down along the American west coast. Meanwhile, the Mexicans invade Texas and the Cubans land in Florida.

Battle of Homestead

Communist Cuban forces advance on Homestead Air Force Base, south of Miami.

As the Commies (brown, top) advance on the base, American forces scramble. Mechanics and civilians join the defenders but are unreliable. The Americans manage to get an aircraft off the ground.

Commie bombardment disrupts the Air Force security teams. The Commies advance on the right and center but their attacks fail. The American plane strafes the Commies regulars (right).

But the Commies regulars press forward and rout their American counterparts.

The Commies successfully advance on both flanks.

The American center still holds but the Commie armor wipes out the reserves.

The Commie armor outflanks the center.

The Communists take the base!

GAME NOTES

• For this campaign, I will use Dominion of Rice and Napalm, Steve Parker's Vietnam War rules.
• For this game, I used the An Loc scenario, with the North Vietnamese as the Cubans and the South Vietnamese as the Americans.
• I just realized that the American Fire Support should have been Elite! That may have changed things. 😢
• Going forward, I'm not sure what to do about Fire Support. Should the Commies be able to call Fire Support every turn, like the Americans in Vietnam? I'm not sure they should be so effective.
• I also would like to find or create a scenario generator and a random force generator.

Another Project

I'm starting another project thanks to Steve Parker's newest venture, Dominion of Rice and Napalm.

It's not a Vietnam project, though. Last year, I experimented with rules for Red Dawn style games. I did not get far. My prognostications for 2026 mentioned some late Cold War battles. I think the time is nigh.

Why Rice and Napalm?

I have passed over a few recent titles in the Dominion of series.

• Blue and Grey? Kind of burnt out on ACW
• Red and White? Not really interested in RCW
• Blitzkrieg? Thought about it, but I really want to do 80s Cold War. Need helicopters!

Rice and Napalm (RaN) has a helicopter on its cover! This could be what I need.

I was initially hesitant; 1980s tech was a bit more sophisticated than 1960s. But I figured it was only $6. Why not?

I did a quick read through and I'm glad I bought it. It should work fine. These aren't rivet counter rules. What really matters is the relative effectiveness of troop types. Thus, I think I can port these to the 80s.

One tweak I plan to make is with armor. I want to distinguish between tanks and armored personnel carriers, which are all Armor in RaN. But I can give tanks the defense bonus to represent their toughness.

As I mentioned, I plan to use these rules for Red Dawn style games, with American irregulars vs. Communist occupiers. This will be easy to do, the roles just flip from Vietnam.

Project Plans

• I already have counters so I'm set there. I may make some mortars to supplement my current forces.
• I think I'll make a Modern box. I'll need battlefields and terrain.
• Got the rules.

I should be ready to go soon!