How to make Hannibal into a real terror

[vaalen]

After playing this game, I think it could use a little more detail on what made Hannibal unique.

First, Hannibal in RL won three decisive tactical victories in his first three major battles with the Romans, nearly wiping out the Roman army each time. There is no way this will happen in the game, at least not that I can see. He used three distinct strategies that the Romans later referred to as "Punic tricks". After Cannae, he was never able to pull off such a victory, at least not against a big Roman force. That is because the Romans became much more careful at scouting, and avoiding battle in areas where Hannibal could use his superior cavalry.

I have a boardgame on the conflict that actually gives Hannibal cards to play, that give him great advantages, but only for a few battles. These cards have a greater chance of working against a poor commander, and working early in the war. But they can only work once.

I am wondering if it would be possible to give the Carthaginians the ability to use events to have a similar effect, but only once for each strategem. In the first battle, Hannibal concealed a picked force that was behind the roman lines when the battle began, and whose attack from the rear when the Romans were engaged was decisive.
In the second battle, Hannibal pulled off one of the most effective ambushes of all time, wiping out a Roman army that was marching on a relatively narrow path before they could deploy. In the third, Cannae, Hannibal used a unique formation that resulted in his much smaller army surrounding a huge Roman army, and wiping them out.

Second, Hannibal was able to keep his army supplied in Italy for 15 years. He was a master of logistics, a skill he learned in the barren wastes of barbarian Spain. Perhaps he could be given a unique special ability that keeps his army in supply at most times, since he was able to do it in Cisalpine Gaul and Italy. This would also help out the AI, which really has trouble staying in supply.

Just a couple of ideas.

[dans221]

Hi Vaalen, I'm curious -- what is the Hannibal boardgame you've mentioned here?

[Ruskolnikov]

HI

Possibly this http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/234/hannibal-rome-vs-carthage

..and there is a PC game that seems to be based on it http://www.matrixgames.com/products/388/details/Hannibal:.Rome.and.Carthage.in.the.Second.Punic.War

regards

Mark

[TJD]

HI

..and there is a PC game that seems to be based on it http://www.matrixgames.com/products/388/details/Hannibal:.Rome.and.Carthage.in.the.Second.Punic.War

regards

Mark

I was a tester on that game and wrote an AAR for the Wargamer on it -- I can't recommend it highly enough. Beautiful game and its AI was superb. It's a shame James hasn't come through with another title.