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April & May 216 B.C.[/color]
April 216 B.C.
Publius Cornelius Scipio’s army attacks
Cissa (Tarraco) but
Indibilis holds the city.
Both forces were even but Romans suffers almost twice casualties. Both armies end the turn in the same region.
The Carthaginian fleet instructed to move from
Carthage to Hispania with reinforcements is ambushed on the African coast by an enemy fleet (composed by Roman an Massalian ships)
The battle outcome is good, the Romans lose two
triremes elements but the important thing is that
Hasdrubal Calvus can move on and reaches the Hispania’s coast without more incidents.
Situation in
Cisalpine Gaul
The 20,000 Carthaginian reinforcements coming from Hispania land on the Ligurian coast smoothly as planned. Most of the troops will leave for
Clastidium to the north to rest and regain their cohesion, battered by the long naval voyage, while a detachment of Iberian cavalry will move east to take the mountainous provinces of Liguria in order to isolate
Placentia by land.
Now the Carthaginian fleet will return to Hispania but will make a first stop at
Cissa as the weather has worsened and returning to
Carthago Nova is more than a month trip. In
Cissa the fleet could rest some days before moving again southwards.
It is a bit risky ordering the fleet to stop at
Cissa as the city is being threatened at present by the Proconsular Roman army, but the recent victory of
Indibilis against the Roman army gives confidence that ilergetes will withstand much longer and that the city will remain under Carthaginian control.
More Gallic volunteers (free Gallic replacements).
More troops are recruited in
Carthage.
The massive naval movement executed in this turn takes its toll but luckily the Carthaginians had a good supply of naval replacements assembled thanks to the commercial ports and other random events.
VPs.
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May 216 B.C.
Another combat in
Cissa (Tarraco) and another ilergetes victory.
It was a tough fight but although casualties have been even the Romans have lost many more elements. In two turns in a row Romans have lost nearly 15,000 men for 10,000 ilergetes.
This situation now gives advantage to the Iberians, who are enjoying the defensive terrain bonus, are more rested, have a good defending skill leader and have better supply sources that allow the Iberian army to replace theirs losses faster.
But the most important event comes from Hispania. An Iberian tribe, the
turdetaniis, don’t stand anymore the taxes and the exploitation of their lands by the Carthaginians and take arms against them.
The Carthaginians are accustomed to these revolts because they know this province very well from time ago and know that the Iberian tribes have never been submissive. This is the land where Hannibal's army has been fighting for years and where their men have been earning their wages with their blood. This is the first crisis the Carthaginians have to face.
Three cities come under
turdetaniis control with the revolt.
The three rebel cities are rounded in the screenshot. There's a powerful army of about 20,000 men in
Conistorgis but the most important city is
Brutobriga that has a level 2 fortification. Carthaginians react moving
Hasdrubal army with 40,000 men to
Baecula in order to be closer to rebel territory.
Meanwhile in the northeast the situation is as follows.
It’s almost certain that will be another battle in
Cissa in the next month . On the other hand
Himilco will hold his army in
Saguntum as a reserve for if necessary to come into action either against turdetaniis in southwestern Hispania or against the Romans in the northeast . His army now numbers about 30,000 men.
It is important to highlight the key role of the
ilergetes army that is impeding the progress of the Roman army, blocking its path to southwestern Hispania. By stopping them the ilergetes allow the Carthaginians to deal with their internal affairs with confidence and without time pressures. By doing so, the Carthaginians can make plans to send reinforcements to Cisalpine Gaul or deal with the turdetaniis, for example, without being concerned about the Roman army in northeastern Hispania. That's why the Ilergetes are acting defensively, to safeguard the cohesion and structure of his army without suffering any serious setback that can open a free path to southwest for the Roman army. In Hispania the Carthaginians have to play with the idea of using this province to reinforce Hannibal recruiting Iberian troops, and playing “cat & mouse” when dealing with the Romans, distracting them and gaining precious time.
Cisalpine Gaul situation is as follows.
The Iberian cavalry will continue its journey to isolate
Placentia while the supply depot in
Mediolanum will be expanded. The arrival of 20,000 men in this turn will require better logistics but there are now 3 supply depots delivering a good outcome and the weather is good, so the logistic situation has improved a lot.
VPs.