250 BC - First battle of Terminia

 Punic Wars - First Fight

Six months ago, the “Ludi Roca Fortis” club launched a Punic Wars project. Six players painted a Saga army: two Romans, two Carthaginians, and two Greeks.
To celebrate the end of the painting season, we organized a giant game with three players on each side.
The action takes place in Sicily, in the east of the island. The Roman army is two-headed: a consul, a professional soldier, has been joined by a tribune, a politician who won his seat in the Senate. To assist them, a Greek tyrant has joined them with his army of hoplites.
On the Punic side, there are also two Carthaginian leaders. One comes from the metropolis at the head of an army of citizens, the other from the colonies with a group of Numidian and Spanish mercenaries. Both groups have an elephant. As on the Roman side, a Greek leader has joined them, with a band composed mainly of warriors armed with javelins.

The Carthaginians defended their territory against a Roman landing. Their side of the table had three objectives (a temple, a village, and a water source). The Romans had to protect their ship, an oasis, and baggage sheltered by palm trees. 

The Romans chose to deploy on either side of the Greek troops. By placing him in the center, they ensured his loyalty. 
On the Carthaginian side, the Greek held the right wing, in front of the temple. The Carthaginians were in the center and on the left wing.
The first turn saw a timid advance by the Romans, while the Carthaginians remained in their deploiement zone.  Only the elephants move to prepare for a charge. The number of Saga dice is limited in the first turn, so we content ourselves with observing each other. 

In turn 2, things start to happen. The Roman right wing uses defensive capabilities to wear down the Carthaginians. The elephant in the center charges a group of Greek hoplites and destroys them with the support of its archers. The Roman left wing exhausts itself in fruitless combat against masses of light infantry. 

Turn 3 is the time of defeat for Rome. A Carthaginian elephant finds a gap in the Roman defense and comes to pay homage to the tribune. It flattens him with its feet. As a small consolation, the Punic lieutenant on the left wing also meets his death. 
In the center, the Carthaginian commander-in-chief charges and destroys another Greek unit. 
Rome's only success is on the left wing, where a unit of light infantry is destroyed but without causing panic in the Punic ranks. 

In view of these mixed results, the surviving Roman leaders decide to retreat and leave the battlefield to the Punics. Carthago victrix!