Hannibal

**Ayanami030** · December 30, 2010, 03:37 PM

I have defeated Hannibal's invasion to Rome for awhile, I couldn't help but noticing that there was no elephants in their army. Correct me if I am wrong, I thought Hannibal brought them to Rome to the fight. although many of them died. For the reference, isn't it better to add those unit into their army? That would be more fun and realistic, what you say?

**The Doubtful Guest** · December 30, 2010, 03:51 PM

Ancient history isn't my main thing so correct me if I'm wrong. But I believe only a few survived right? I think the slot in Hannibal's army is better spent with a group or late-Libyans or something then a handful of elephants, but that's just me.

I feel you though man everyone has little personal things they would like changed or added in the mod.

**Nota'** · December 30, 2010, 03:59 PM

I think only one survived to the battle of tresime. or maybe only one survived after the alps, so they werent a major influence.

**Apio Claudio** · December 30, 2010, 04:08 PM

just one survived but when he was breaking his way to italy he died. Read the fall of Carthage by Adrian Goldsworthy

**chris10** · December 30, 2010, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Apio Claudio

just one survived but when he was breaking his way to italy he died. Read the fall of Carthage by Adrian Goldsworthy

not really...fellas...Hannibal brought 37 Elephants...

He came down to 1 Elephant after the battle of Trebia which took place in deep December 218 bc.
Even Hannibal was victorious he lost lots of veteran warriors, the entire gallic mercenary troops and lots of wounded soldiers died because of the cold...as well all his war elephants except one died because of a desease

sources:
Polybius Historíai 3,10,5-6.
Livius 21,9,3-11,2.
Delbrück, Ancient warfare,1900
Mommsen,Roman History,1869

Having in mind the startdate of the game I think it is correct that there are no Elephants in Hannibals Army as by this date he had none anymore although for gameplay reasons I would have loved to see them in his Army...however...in my expansion Hannibals Army will have Elephants...among other nasty surprises...just for the kick ass effect

**Striker** · December 30, 2010, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by chris10

not really...fellas...Hannibal brought 37 Elephants...

He came down to 1 Elephant after the battle of Trebia which took place in deep December 218 bc.
Even Hannibal was victorious he lost lots of veteran warriors, the entire gallic mercenary troops and lots of wounded soldiers died because of the cold...as well all his war elephants except one died because of a desease

sources:
Polybius Historíai 3,10,5-6.
Livius 21,9,3-11,2.
Delbrück, Ancient warfare,1900
Mommsen,Roman History,1869

Having in mind the startdate of the game I think it is correct that there are no Elephants in Hannibals Army as by this date he had none anymore although for gameplay reasons I would have loved to see them in his Army...however...in my expansion Hannibals Army will have Elephants...among other nasty surprises...just for the kick ass effect

Looking forward to your expansion then, let's see what Hannibal can do with these "nasty surprises"

Edit: Yay 300th post!

**Caesar Julianus Morelli** · December 31, 2010, 02:03 PM

Hmmm....

**Striker** · December 31, 2010, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Caesar Julianus Morelli

Hmmm....

Could you............... elaborate?

**Ayanami030** · December 31, 2010, 06:40 PM

Just out of curiosity, how did the Romans handle with the elephants at that time? I knew in the game you can order your archers to shoot fire arrows on them, then they will panic. What about in reality?

**Kozmonavt** · January 01, 2011, 05:36 AM

Originally Posted by Ayanami030

Just out of curiosity, how did the Romans handle with the elephants at that time? I knew in the game you can order your archers to shoot fire arrows on them, then they will panic. What about in reality?

Elephants could only charge in a straight line, so they simply got out of the way and then captured them in the rear. That's what happened in Hannibal's final battle in Africa. As you may know, he used his remaining elephants at Trebia on the Celts, who had no idea what was unleashed on them and just ran away. Before they figured this out, they pretty much just showered them with javelins, pigs and flaming objects, hoping they would either hit the rider or inflict enough pain. This didn't work on Pyrrhus, because he protected elephants with skirmishers. If they had to engage them in melee, they could try to cut off their tusks, but apart from that they were pretty much screwed.

**Jaujon** · January 02, 2011, 03:19 AM

Elephants were actually part of Hannibal's tactics on the field of battle, not just a fantasy addition.

Originally Posted by Ayanami030

Just out of curiosity, how did the Romans handle with the elephants at that time? I knew in the game you can order your archers to shoot fire arrows on them, then they will panic. What about in reality?

They actually got badly blooded by elephants in a first time, but they finally figured out how to deal with them. At the battle of Zama, they spaced their maniples so that the elephants would run through the gaps, getting powned by velites from both flanks.

**RedGuard** · January 02, 2011, 11:04 PM

want more info on the subject read this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Histories-Oxfo...4&sr=1-2-spell

reading it right now. Polybius talks alot about war elephants and specifically say that at the battle of traesamene lake hannibal rode on his last elephant, it seems they had been killed off from the cold and the alps crossing. fun to read and you'll recognize quite a few quotes in RS from the book