Light Horse, You're My Heroes!

Bruce and I played a Big Battle game of DBA 3.0, in 15mm, this weekend. I didn't take any photos so pulled a "stock" photo out of the archives. . .

I used my Later Carthaginians (II/32a), maxing out the Libyan Spears and Numidian Light Horse options. Bruce played the early version of the Pontic Mithridatic (II/48) army, with Pikes instead of imitation legionaries as Blades. Not quite contemporaries, but very close in spirit! 

Hannibal attacked Mithridates on a nearly featureless plain. Our foot troops were quite similar - Pikes, Spears, Warband and Auxilia -  so fighting along the infantry lines could therefore go either way. I decided to gamble with the 6 Numidian Light Horse elements by deploying them, along with all of my Cavalry - 3 elements plus the command's General - on my left flank opposite the 3 Pontic Knights and some Light Horse, and rushed them immediately. It was scary at first, but then the Numidian Light Horse (with a second rank in support) Quick-Killed all of the Pontic Knights and broke that command. I lost 2 Light Horse during the fight, but the remaining Numidians and the Cavalry then regrouped and fell on the flank of the center infantry line, killing the General of that command and helping to break it while Hannibal himself held off the Pontic Light Horse on the opposite flank. Both of my flank commands were within 1 element of becoming demoralized when the Pontic army broke, so a well-fought contest on both sides.

DBA 3.0 is, in my not so humble opinion, the very best version of a great set of rules. They really shine in the Big Battle format with multiple commands.