COG - Pyrrhus

[Karvon]

I've recently begun a playthrough with ilpars of the Pyrrhus scenario included in roguedjack's recently released Campaigns of Glory. I am playing Pyrrhus and ilpars the Romans. As COG doesn't support online play, ilpars is running the game in hotseat mode and I'm submitting orders via PM as I receive updates from him.

280 BC

Our opening diplomatic overtures to Thurii are rejected. The Romans have more luck and successfully woo Asculum to their alliance.

We recruit a 1200 and 700 pt army in Tarentum.
The Romans recruit a 1200 pt army in Maleventum and a 400 pt army in Rome.

We attempted to march to Venusia, but bad roads and weather delayed our arrival, only to find the Romans had marched there from Maleventum. With more friendly areas nearby, the Romans ended up with 1500 pts to face our 1300 pts on a hilly Mediterranean battlefield.

The map of the area

[Karvon]

280 BC - Battle of Venusia

We met the Romans in the hills near Venusia. They drew more support from their allies than we did, so we were outnumbered, 1500 to 1300 pts. A chain of steep hills ran from the opposing far right sector down through the center sector of our right flank. A stream cut through the hills and ran across the center of the field. On both sides of the stream, the steep hills stretched out into gentle lower slopes towards the center of the field overlooking the stream. Several patches of rough ground were on the lower slopes, as well as a small woods on our side. A small steep hill sat along our center back edge, across from this long ridge. On our far left, on the Roman side of the stream, ran another ridge of mixed steep and gentle hills.

Given that we were outnumbered, I decided to concentrate my forces along the slopes of the hills on my right. We initially deployed our forces in the center. A division of medium foot hid on the reverse slopes of the small hill. Our phalanx, screened by our lights, formed up on the left of the hill, with our horse and elephant division covering our left. We immediately began shifting right, our medium foot swinging wide off the small steep hill, followed by our phalanx. Our horse shifted right behind the infantry, dropping of the elephant and a pair of horse to help cover our right flank.

The Romans deployed a medium foot division supported by a couple of horse on their right, facing the hills. Their heavy foot formed up in the center, screened by a few lights, and a division of horse covered their left flank. They quickly shifted their left flank horse to contest our seizing the high ground on our right, while their infantry wings wheeled to face us.

venusia 1 01.jpg (124.95 KiB) Viewed 369 times

Our phalanx moved into position along the slopes of the hill. Our medium foot and horse drove off the Roman horse and lights on our right, but ran into a screen of triarii. These guys put up a heroic fight, shrugging off losses and getting flanked; generally fighting till the last man and autobreak. This proved to be a very fatal delay for us. The Romans were able to shift their right wing horse to bolster up their threatened left.

venusia 1 02.jpg (481.45 KiB) Viewed 369 times

The Roman medium foot and screening lights worked their way up on to the small steep hill to threaten our left flank. Our horse danced a bit to keep them from being too aggressive and saw off a light or two. Regretfully, our elephant, despite having a general to soothe him, quickly turned tail and fled the field when some of the light foot got by our horse and peppered him with javelins.

The Roman legion marched up to face off against our pikes led by a couple of generals. They charged up the hill and basically demolished my phalanx over a few hours of fighting. My heavy foot seemed very disheartened, failing most of their CT checks and crumbling quite quickly.

Through the personal intervention of our generals, we managed to rally about half our phalanx, screened by our horse, and our mediums and lights finally saw off the enemy horse and triarii, but it was too late to save the army, and it collapsed just short of dusk after a long day of fighting.

venusia 1 03.jpg (126.95 KiB) Viewed 369 times

Final score Roman 60 Pyrrhic 48.

Our survivors retreated to regroup back in the friendly city of Tarentum.

[Karvon]

280 BC

Following the battle, both sides dispatched embassies in attempts to lure more allies to their side.

Despite a friendly attitude, Thurii repeatedly rejected all entreaties to join us (7 failed attempts).

The Romans persuaded Corfinium to join them, after several rounds of talks. They marched an army into Boivianum, but the Samnites successfully withstood their siege, and with the end of the year, the consul led his legion back to Rome.