SPQR, 257 BC. (vh/vh)
I made an early move on Genua, then loaded a new family member up on a bireme with a few Hastati units and over to Messena. After a long siege the city fell and I repeated the procedure with Syracuse. Thanks to the Carthaginians, who had fought with and depleted the garrison, it fell quickly. A short while later, the Carthaginians attacked Messena, and were driven off with heavy casualties. I then marched the army of Sicily over to Lilybauem, where they destoyed by the garrison and a large reinforcing army from Carthage. Not a single survivor.
Determined to take Lilybauem, and motivated by recent attacks by the Gauls, I moved my new Army of Siciliy over to take Lilybaeum and end the Carthaginian threat on the island.
Consisted of Decimus Tertius, a new son-in-law, and 10 units of pricipes. Defending Lilybaeum was 4 units of Milites, 1 Libiyan spear, 3 iberian infantry and 3 long-shield cav.
Decimus began by sapping the walls, to bypass the heavy defenses around the gate.
Actual resistance around the breaches was light, only a handful of cav and a miltes unit was present.
The Milites put up unexpectedly stiff resistance....
Decimus moved through the opposite breach and hit the stubborn Milites unit in the rear, causing an instant rout.
More defenders, Milites and Libiyan spearman, move down from the walls and block the advance near the main gate, again Decimus charges his heavy cav into the melee..casulties are high here
Decimus is in the thick of the fighting, personally cutting down scores of Carthaginian infantrymen.
The fighting moves towards the town square. The Carthaginian long-shields move into the action..
Again, Decimus charges into the fray, his unit has suffered close to 60% casulties at this point. But the Long-Shields are stopped, and pushed back...
Finally, the way to the square is cleared ........
Surprisingly, the remaining Carthaginian units wheel around and attack my second infnatry column moving into the sqaure on the opposite side. The Long-Shields hit with such force that a Pricipe unit routs on impact. Decimus sees this and charges into the rear of the Carthaginian force. There he runs into an unexpectedly tough Iberian infantry unit, and is slain....
The Carthaginian Long-Shields fight desperately, and rout 2 more Principe units...
Suddenly, a storm of pila hits the Long-Shields..its the first SPQR infantry column moving into position, and engaging...
The remaining long-shields are cut down, and the two SPQR infantry columns unite in the town square, mowing down the ferocious defense of the last Iberian infantry unit.
Victory!!!......................... However, it is costly. close to 1000 casulties, but the garrison of 625 is slain to the last man.
With the capture of Lilybauem, just a few years after the fall of ALeria and Caralis to SPQR forces, I now control a good chunk of the western med sea trade. THe unfortunate slaughter of civilians at Lilybauem did fatten my treasury somehwta, and I was able to obtain a ceasefire and trade rights from Carthage on the next turn.
On the horizon, Epirius is expanding into Greece and Macedon, and has masses two full satcks near Tarentum. They also obtained an alliance with the Gauls, who have been blocking my ports on and off. I fear they will move north towards Cannae soon. I am preparing to mass my Italian armies to meet them.
Updates as events warrant.