AAR - Normal Level

[massina_nz]

Right, this time I suspect I'll be in for more of a challenge, especially with enemy generals being able to decline combat. I'm also expecting the AI to prove a harder challenge as well.



Hasdrubal moves all his forces into New Carthage as I'm expecting the Romans to invade Spain early again, and I suspect he will be vulnerable with his army in the field.

I concentrate my four fleet units into port at Carthage.

I end my turn and draw Hannibal on the march and recruit 1 Spanish infantry in New Carthage

Rome plays rebellion in Spain – I lose 3 units since I’m in a city I lose the elephant and cavalry units because they are of less use in defending a city. And then lose a Spanish infantry as well, leaving just 2 African infantry + 4 militia in New Carthage.

Hannibal loses his sole elephant to natural causes option card. Then Rome plays African desertion card – I don’t want to weaken Hannibal – so chose 1 of the 2 African infantry in New Carthage - gosh! Spain now looks very weak. To back that up Fulvius leaves Genua and takes Emporion with the aid of the roman siege option card

Marcellus moves from Rome to Placentia then into Cisapline Gaul – I intercept and play the cavalry manuever punic trick – since Marcellus is rated as a 7 general I can't use ambush or surprise. The AI is already playing better entering Cisapline Gaul with a 7 rated general rather than a 4 rated general.



I lose 4 hits and lose my 2 African infantry units and inflict 6 hits and 3 routs.



I then destroy or rout the remaining Roman units, with no loss – I kill all the remaining Roman units and Marcellus in pursuit and draw extra African unit card.


The old one step forward - one step back



Will have some relatively strong opposition to face next turn.

[massina_nz]

I choose to re-inforce Spain this turn.

God the unit pool in Carthage is much smaller than at basic level! Seriously so!

I choose to build 2 navy units

I play extra African unit in Carthage and place an African infantry. If I’m going to re-inforce Spain this turn, then I may as well do it with as many units as possible. Then Hanno takes 5 units from Carthage to New Carthage

I play Gallic aid and get 3 Gallic units then besiege Placentia – this game I will aim to take out cites via longer sieges. I just can't afford to lose many units in storming cities – also there are no large Roman armies at the moment so I’m safe to besiege cities.

I end my turn and draw Macedonian/Pontic aid – so maybe I’ll focus on Umbria/Ancona in order to get Macedonians into the war. I recruit 1 Spanish infantry in New Carthage and a Gallic infantry & cavalry in Cisapline Gaul.

The Romans concentrate their forces in Tarentum, 6 units strong.

There is no action in Spain


Could end up to be a form of a cold war in Spain as both sides can recruit 1 unit per turn.

[massina_nz]

I choose send army to Gaul senate command – I’m going to need to get extra troops and want to send Mago to Gaul and leave Cisapline Gaul manpower fresh. I think I’ve spoted an opportunity in Umbria/Ancona so may have to leave Cisapline Gaul without a leader this turn.


Placentia becomes easier to take.

VPs currently are 102(Carthage) to 130(Roman)


Starting positions

I see an opportunity as there is a Roman leader in Ancona with only a small force in attendance. So Hannibal storms Placentia losing one Gallic infantry in the process, then I play Hannibal on the march – secret mountain pass to bypass Ariminium and Hannibal enters Umbria, then I play Hannibal may remove 1 Italian Allied unit on Ancona, and besiege it. I play this card now, because if the Romans attempt to relieve the siege at least I’ll have one less unit to face.

Mago goes to Gaul, and Himilco goes back to a Carthage from New Carthage.

I end my turn and I draw Hannibal on the march. Then recruit 1 Spanish infantry in New Carthage and 1 Gallic infantry in Gaul

Livius concentrates a large force of 12 units into Umbria and attempts to break my siege of Ancona, I can’t afford to fight him and the militia in Ancona, so I break the siege and the Romans draw an option card. I underestimated how many units the Romans could mobilise to relieve the siege.

Livuis then offers battle and I gratefully accept and play the surprise punic tactic


I score 8 rout hits which is my max anyway


I then score 5 hits and two routs and only need to rout one of my units.

Leaving 6 routed units to pursue

I destroy 4 units in pursuit, six would have been nice! But 4 was the expected result. – because I had 12 dice (6 cavalry units x 2 dice each) at 5,6 (on a D6) to hit – I draw Hannibal on the march and Livius gets promoted for lasting => 2 turns against Hannibal, however I did destroy 10 Roman units for no loss so it was a crushing victory. Livius retreats to Ancona, Luceria goes over to me. Livius then plays recruit 2 extra units in Ancona.


End of turn positions

[massina_nz]

VPs haven't changed much and stand at 104 to 136

I chose to re-inforce Italy so I can bring Mago back from Gaul

I move Hannibal back to Cisapline Gaul by taking Arminium this time, losing 1 Gallic infantry in the process, then I besiege Genua. I didn't want to besiege Ancona again as the Romans will probably do the same thing as last turn. and they'd get a free option card, and I have no punic tricks left to play.

Now I don’t need to move Mago to Cisapline Gaul, so I leave him in Gaul.

I don’t do much else, I really need Genua for my fleets in Carthage to become active and agitate against the Romans.

I draw punic tricks, great!

Then recruit 1 Spanish infantry , and 3 Gallic infantry, 1 Gaul and 2 with Hannibal.

Romans play Spanish desertion so I take a Spanish infantry from Hasdrubal in New Carthage as I don’t want to weaken Hannibal's force.

Romans don’t do much except retake Arminium and Luceria for the loss of one unit.


Yikes how do I keep up with this!




http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/507 ... e2fb52.jpg

[Surtur]

The Romans know how to raise an army! Hannibal must make use of all of his tricks.

Best of luck and thanks for sharing!

[massina_nz]

I choose to re-inforce Italy as I want to send Hannibal to fight the Roman army in the field there (after storming Genua), and I want to send Mago to Italy.



I take Genua with loss of a single Gallic infantry. I then use the secret mountain pass option of the Hannibal on the march card and go to Umbria with Hannibal and 11 units. I guess Servilius will refuse battle if I go in with all 11 units so just use 5 cavalry units to attack him, he accepts, I guess the AI doesn't withdraw when facing equal odds.



I keep my punic trick card for a larger battle – and rely in Hannibal's superior generalship

I score 4 hits and a rout and lose a unit to rout



I bring back the routed unit into the front line and score two hits each and I choose to lose my Companion cavalry unit rather than lose two units. Then Servilius retreats but I kill him andhis remaining forces in pursuit. I draw re-inforce Hannibal with any 2 units.. Hannibal then returns to Cisapline Gaul.

I play Ponitc Aid to recruit two extra African infantry units and send Himilco with 3 African infantry to Genua from Carthage.


Positions at the end of my turn.

I end my turn and draw re-inforcements card, recruit 1 Spanish cavalry, 1 Gallic infantry with Hannibal and 1 Gallic cavalry in Gaul.

Only significant Roman move is Minicus leaving Rome with 11 units and going to Umbria and re-taking Arminium. He then leaves his army in the field in Umbria! Another opportunity for a field battle!




Sicily stays in the Roman fold

[massina_nz]

I choose to improve African defenses , so I can recruit 3 units in Carthage. – 2 African infantry & 1 African cavalry

VPS are 119 to 150

Hannibal crosses over to Umbria to attack Claudius, taking Arimnium without loss on the way.

I can’t separate my forces this time because I’m moving into the province, but the tides are fate are with me as Claudius can’t avoid combat. I play the Ambush option punic trick.



I hit 7 and rout 7 – and only have to rout 3 units. However I only kill 2 of the remaining 6 Roman units in pursuit

I end my turn and draw Treachery. Spanish manpower is exhausted so no recruiting there. I'm still able to recruit 1 Gallic cavalry in Genua and 1 Gallic inf in Gaul

Little movement in Italy by the Romans as Hannibal is performing a blocking function in Umbria.

In Spain Gracchus decides to besiege New Carthage


Romans still recruting heavily


Number of Roman leaders increase.

[massina_nz]

I choose to re-inforce Spain. I have to be careful here, I want to ship troops from Carthage to New Carthage to break the siege there, but the leader I move with only has a 5 rating so he will have to break the siege, not the 7-rated Hasdrubal that is in New Carthage, so that wouldn't be as effective. Another option is for Hannibal to double move to Spain and break the siege himself but that would leave Italy weakened. Instead I move Himilco to Spain from Genua with 4 units to break the siege, and hopefully get a bonus option card for doing so.



Gracchus breaks his siege, and now Hasdrubal can attack him in the field he has a slightly better command rating than Gracchus, so will he able to bring 1 routed unit back a turn into the front-line which would be a handy advantage.

Rather than stay in the field Mago besieges Emporion.

Then Hasdrubal attacks Gracchus and the Roman accepts battle


Romans have two more units than me, no wonder Gracchus acepted battle.

The dice gods favour me, I score 3 hits and 3 routs and only lose 1 hit and 1 rout.


I now have superority in numbers.

I score 2 hits and 2 routs versus 1 hit. Gracchus retreats from battle and I destroy another unit during pursuit.


More good news, Emporion goes over to the Cartharginian cause, and Gracchus has to retreat to Cisapline Gaul, losing 3 units due to attrition.

I draw Revoit in Syracuse. Then play both of my Extra unit in Africa option cards, and build 2 African infantry units in Carthage.

I activate Hannibal then play Treachery on Ancona it goes from 3 units & 4 Militia to just 1 unit remaining.

Hannibal then takes Ancona with-out loss.

I then play re-inforce Hannibal and send an African infantry and an African cavalry to Hannibal in Ancona. I leave all the infantry units in Ancona and take all 5 cavalry units with Hannibal to attack Gracchus in Cisapline Gaul. Again the dice gods seem to favour me and I out-maneuver him and force him to fight a pitched batle.



I destroy all the Roman troops in first turn for the loss of a Gallic cavalry unit, Gracchus is killed and I draw Emergency levies/Romans remove 1 unit from 2 groups

I decide to leave Hannibal in the field in Cisapline Gaul.


My positions in Spain and Northern Italy are much improved.

I end my turn and draw Hannibal on the march and only recruit 1 Gallic cav with Hannibal.

Scipio then moves with 8 units from Rome to Cisapline Gaul (losing 1 to attitrion) , Hannibal boldly intercepts but Scipio refuses battle – an excellent outcome for me, as it leaves all my cities in Cisapline Gaul untouched and Scipio is still in the field for my next turn.

Fabius takes Luceria, then attacks Arminium where I have a substantial garrison.

The Romans score nothing and I score 1 hit and 3 routs, the attack is broken off and Fabius retreats to Asculum

Romans draw re-inforcements in Rome and place four new units in Rome.


Despite heavy losses this turn. Roman recruiting is still plentiful.


Five 7-rated leaders to face next turn.

Wow what a successful turn for me – just got the sequence of actions just right, and a few favourable dice rolls. VPs are now very even at 128 vs 130.

[massina_nz]

VPs stand at 128 to 130, so very close to parity now.

With Spain now secure it’s time to re-inforce Italy and I build 2 African infantry in Carthage. there really isn't a lot of choice of units anyway.

Hannibal starts first and attacks Fabius and manuevers him into battle, Fabius then exercises his right to retreat, and loses 2 units in pursuit and 2 to mountain attrition. – so I get to draw another Hannibal on the march (I now have 3). Hannibal follows Fabious to Umbria and attempts to engage him in battle but Fabius goes into camp, Hannibal stays in the field to interdict any arriving Roman armies in their turn.

The troop build-up in Italy is achieved by sending Hasdrubal to Cisapline Gaul from Spain with 8 units, Mago to Placentia with 4 units from Gaul, and Hanno moves from Carthage to Genua with 6 units

I move my entire 8-unit fleet out of Carthage into the Iberian seas, as I’ve left Spain relatively empty I don’t want the Romans sneaking back in. And I'l risk the possible storms.

I draw extended march/extra Spanish/Italian unit and can’t recruit anywhere

Scipio takes 8 units from Rome into Cisapline Gaul (hmm, have seen this before),he loses 2 units to attrition and I decide to intercept with Hasdrubal, a bold but calculated move as I think I have the slight advantage. The Romans play drunken Gauls and my sole Gallic unit is routed.


Not a good turn I receive 2 hits and 2 routs and inflict 2 hits



I return one of my routed units to the front line. This time I receive another 2 hits and 1 rout (thankfully I can take both hits against my African infantry) and inflict 2 routs on the Romans.



I get a better third turn and inflict 3 hits and lose 2 Spanish infantry. 1 hit is scored in pursuit – and I draw extended move and Scipio stays in Cisapline Gaul.

Nero then attempts to leave Asculum, Hannibal intercepts and Nero can’t avoid battle.



I destroy 1 infantry unit and 3 are routed for the loss of a Gallic infantry and a routed Spanish cavalry



I then destroy all the Roman units and Nero in the second turn, but lose 2 Gallic units in doing so.

Before I draw another card I have to play one as I've reached my limit of 7, I play revolt in Sycracuse, but it fails, although I get to draw punic tricks as a replacement, cool!


Roman recruiting knows no bounds (this seems to be quite different to the basic level game as the Roman recruiting began to wane at this point IIRC)

[IainMcNeil]

You seem much more successful than me. I don't think I fully understand the combat model yet.

[massina_nz]

I think the key to the game is card rotation, like most Trading Card Games I've played before, you've got to get the cards flowing through your hand, which means you've got to attack the Roman leaders and defeat them as often as you can and start a virtuous cycle, drawing one card after another. The more cards you can draw the faster you will whittle down the Romans. Also Hannibal is king, if you want to fight you want to fight with Hannibal

[massina_nz]

Starting positions

Romans still have 2 armies in the field at the end of the previous turn

Given I can’t recruit anywhere; I choose to upgrade defences in Africa so I can get 3 African infantry units.

VPs are still at parity; 121 v 123. All that action last turn, and it was a good turn for me, left me in a similar starting position as last turn. So I’m going to use the starting dispositions to get some more card-flow going. I play remove 1 unit from two groups to reduce both Roman field armies in camp to 2 units each, Mago then assaults Valerius’s camp in Cisapline Gaul. I lose 2 Gallic infantry units, and kill and rout a roman unit and score no hits in pursuit. Mago gets promoted and I draw recruit/remove Italian unit. Valerius escapes (and escapes attrition) to Erutria

Hasdrubal then forms a 9 unit army in Cisapline Gaul and follows Valerius, assaults his camp, loses a Gallic infantry, but kills Valerius, and draws Pontic/Macedonian aid

Hannibal then takes over and plays remove 1 allied Italian unit from Livius’s army, I then assault his camp and destroy it with the loss of 1 Gallic cavalry and draw another option card, I then take 3 units out of Ancona to re-inforce Hannibal

Himilco then moves from Genua into Umbria and picks up the remaining 4 units in Ancona and besieges Asculum

I then play remove 1 unit from 2 groups to reduce the armies in Tarentum and Rome in case they move in their turn


Postions at the end of my turn

I end my turn and draw punic tricks and recruit 1 Spanish infantry, 1 Gallic infantry and 1 Italian infantry.

As somewhat expected Fulvius moves from Tarentum to Umbria with 5 units, I intercept with Hannibal but he retreats into camp, I decline battle as I can’t risk storming such a well-protected camp. I may get a chance next turn. But I’m not sure if you can provoke an encamped army into battle.



So I recruit 6 units and lose 4 in the turn, the Romans recruit 8 and lose 8. It's a gradual process.

[massina_nz]

I choose to focus on African defences and recruit an elephant and an African cavalry unit; they were the only choices left.

Hannibal takes command and out-manoeuvres Crassus into battle – guess that answers my question from last turn, you can force a battle with an enemy army in camp



I play cavalry manoeuvre – and destroy Crassus and his army for the loss of 1 African infantry, and draws revolt in Sicily.Hannibal then concentrates his forces in Umbria.

After capturing Asculum Hanno moves to Genua, for recruiting purposes. Mago moves 3 units to Hasdrubal in Etruria. Himilco moves to Carthage, so he can move re-inforcements to Italy next turn.

I draw extended march and recruit 2 Italian ally units

Fabius then moves from Rhegium to Latium and concentrates his forces into 15 units, moves to Etruria playing extended march, attacks Hasdrubal – I don’t think I have an advantage so I decline combat.




Positions at the end of the turn

Maybe a better move this turn was to move Hannibal to Bruttium to bottle up Fabius in Rhegium, and then send Hasdrubal & Mago to Cisapline Gaul and Umbria respectively.

[massina_nz]

Hannibal crosses the central spine of Italy and attacks Fabius in Etruria, who declines. He is too wily a fellow.

Hasdrubal goes to Umbria and Hanno takes 8 units from Carthage to Genua.

I draw punic tricks and recruit 1 Italian ally unit at the end of my turn.

Fabius moves back to Bruttium. Africanus moves into Umbria from Rome, upon which Hasdrubal intercepts and Africanus accepts battle



Whoa! Africanus plays his own special pump card (can’t remember what it was called) which pumps up all his units for 1 turn. It’s only valid if he is not fighting Hannibal, better watch out for this next time. Despite this the first turn results are pretty even as I have several double-dice units.



I get better results routing most of the Romans in the second turn and killing 4 units in pursuit. I draw a card and Africanus retreats to Corfinium

[massina_nz]

I choose to re-inforce Spain this turn and get no new units, the pool is dry.

Hannibal moves into Latium to screen Hasdrubal who lays siege to Rome

Mago lays siege to the Roman army in Corfinium as well.

I end my turn after I play Revolt in Sicily and Syracuse comes into the Poeni fold. – it doesn’t really help that much, just helps with VPs.

Fabius sallies out of Corfinium to fight Mago.



We keep trading blows until eventually the only two units left are a companion cavalry versus an Italian allied infantry unit. I win! Phew - that was close.

The remaining Roman army retreats to Rhegium.


Finally Roman recruiting begins to dip, I think besieging Rome has a lot to do with it.

[massina_nz]

Countdown to victory? I need to stop re-inforcements being sent to Rome.

I play revolt in Sicily and now control the entire island.

Hanno moves to Etruria from Spain, Mago moves to Apulia. Hannibal uses secret mountain pass to move to Bruttium and besieges Rhegium, these are all blocking moves to prevent land movement of Roman troops.


Postions at the end of my turn.



Mamilius gives battle with Hanno in Etruria – after a couple of turns the Romans are reduced to a couple of units, they retreat to Pisa and Perusia goes over to Carthage.

Caethegas launches abortive seaborne attack on Cisapline Gaul from Tarentum, and loses both his units and his life.

Africanus leaves Rhegium, gosh I needed to blockade the army in port with my Navy, it’s been hanging around in Spain too long! I completely overlooked that!

He arrives in Tarentum and attacks Himilco in camp



He loses a couple of units but successfully breaks into the camp and destroys entire Carthaginian force – Africanus gets promoted (argh! he will be even stronger) and draws an option card

Romans only recruit 1 unit.

So a pretty below average turn for me. But at least the siege of Rome has progressed one year

[massina_nz]

I can’t really afford to divert my forces to a secondary goal, so I’ll have to leave Rhegium behind.

I choose to re-inforce Italy so I can send my fleet to Italy to keep the Roman armies in port.

I move my sole 9-unit fleet to the Ionian sea see where it routs the Roman 6-units fleet there, only one Roman unit survived. I lost 3 fleets, so the result was in my favour. Now I can stop the army in Tarentum from relieving Rome. Unless I get storms in the Ionian sea. One reason why I didn’t attack the Roman fleets in the Tyrrhenian Sea, because I had no friendly ports there and a storm at sea would have wiped out my navy.

Hannibal then lifts siege of Rhegium and takes Consentia without loss, drops off 4 units in Latium and crosses over to Apulia taking Venusia on the way

What will the Romans do next?



The 4 units in Pisa attempt to mobilise but are defeated in Battle by Mago, they lose half their units and Mago forces survive unscathed.

Tuditanus then leaves with 1 unit from Neapolis to Rhegium, and re-takes Consentia for the loss of one unit.

So the Romans don’t do much.

[massina_nz]

There are only 8 units remaining in Rome, 4 of them militia. Now is the time to attack Rome before the Romans relieve it. Hannibal leaves Apulia, picking up the 4 units he left in Latium last turn, combines with the 9 units besieging Rome and assaults it. After 4 turns the Capital surrenders, I lose several units but mostly to rout.

[IainMcNeil]

Well done!

[massina_nz]

Well done!

Thanks, I was quite lucky in some of the pitched battles and being able to draw some of the Roman generals into pitched battle with Hannibal. If the Romans had gone all out in relieveing the siege of Rome, I would have been hard pressed to stop them. I think having to deal with the Carthaginian senate wishes in the Hard level, will make it much more difficult to grind the Romans down.