Citizens of Rome rejoice! At last you have a victory against the barbarian Hannibal! In a long desperate struggle, the Legions of Gaius "Impetuous Maximus Mike" Nero have triumphed over the hordes of "Brian, Too Cool for School" Hannibal.

The Roman Army was dived into two large wings and a small flank force. "Impetuous Maximus Mike" commanded to Roman center with two Legion Brigades, a Cavalry Brigade, a Skirmish Infantry Brigade and half a brigade of Triarii. To his left was "Rick, Can't pass Command" Marcellus with two brigades of Legions, a Brigade of light cavalry and a brigade of Skirmishers. On the right, Tribune "Carl, A Small Command is better for Me" with a half brigade of Italian Allies and a half brigade of light cavalry. Some 2230 pts. Not counting the Nero and Marcellus commanders.

Team Rome, from the left Carl, Mike, and rick.

The Carthaginian Command had Brian "Hannibal on the Right" with new player he was showing the game to. He had a brigade of African Infantry and a few units of Veterans, two units of Heavy Calvary and the usual SWARM of Numidians. In the Center "Frank Barbarous Routus" commanded a brigade of Warbands a brigade of mixed cavalry and foot skirmishers. "Bad Luck Barry" Mago commanded a Macedonian Contingent that included four Phalanxes, a Skirmisher Brigade, and half a brigade of cavalry. The Carthaginian forces totaled 1600 points without Hannibal and Mago.

Team Carthage - Frank, Brain & Barry - Frank was less happy later!

The main terrain on the board was town of Mutina in the center and a large hill on the Roman Right/Carthaginian left. Rome had a pretty good first couple of turns, aside from Rick choking on his command rolls as normal. Mike quickly swept two the right of Mutina and Carl advanced the Italians steadily up the Roman Right Flank. Hannibal got involved in some serious skirmisher activity of his right. While the barbarian Gauls of Frank moved on Mutina. Barry's Macedonians managed to beat the Romans to the main hill on the Carthaginian left.

It ended up being a long game "8 Turns" and it was looking like it was going to be a draw right down to the wire. Barry's Phalanx on the right made a few successful charges down the hill, then would fall back to the heights after re-grouping. In the center, Franks Gauls were badly mauled. They had decimated a Roman skirmisher line and following that assaulted half brigade of formed Roman Infantry expecting victory, only to find out that those Romans were Triarii. For the rest of the battle the Gaul contingent was limited to skirmishing the Roman center which the successfully did.

Important Safety Note for Gauls ' "Stay Away from the Blue Shields!"

In the town of Mutina a very confusing fight occurred. Hannibal through a skirmish brigade, only to have it flushed out by a brigade of Legions the Mike sent in. Mike Legions then advanced out of the town only to be drive back in by a Carthaginian Counter Charge of Veteran Infantry and Heavy Cavalry. Another units of heavy Cavalry flanked the Triarii in the center, but these excellent troops were up to the challenge and repulsed the threat of a flank cavalry charge handily.

Romans drive in between Mutina and the big hill.

As this was going on, the Macedonians tried another push down the big hill, but in doing so Barry presented Carl's allies with and open flank. This time the Macedonians were not able to withdraw back up the hill in such good order and were eventually sandwiched in between Carl's Italian Allies and a brigade of Mike's legions. Now the Carthaginians were just within one unit of their Army break point, and Rick using initiative charges managed to get in enough troops to kill off a unit of African Infantry. Though the battle was lost the Carthaginians struggled on and in the last round managed to inflict some grievous loss against the Romans but not nearly enough to come close to breaking the vastly larger Roman Army.

In the end, Rome lost 761 points (3 CU's) and Carthage lost 850 (4CU's). Hannibal has decided to withdraw to back to his friend the Boii as his army in now desperately small (2 CU's). Nero is no less bloodied. His force has been reduced to 3CU's back can still draw substantial ally support in Italy. Even worse, for Hannibal, the garrison of Rome can quickly reinforce Nero. Though a weekend Hannibal is tempting, Nero must be wary of Hasdrubal actions in southern Italy or a naval movement from Carthage where Hanno has quietly been amassing forces.