The final battle in out C3i Module from c3i # 26 Great Battles of Magna Graecia.

Alexander and his Epirote army face off against the might of the Lucanian and Samnite armies.

A wide array of forces spread across the map. The Samnites use formations familiar to us all as early Roman Legionary tactics.

The Epirote army has a lot of flexibility in setup and I chose ot skip way left and make the Samnites come to the Epirotes, despite the exposure of the Right Wing. Alexander flush with reinforcements after his last victory is set to attempt to knock out the last resistance on the lower peninsula.  He has additional Phalanx’s and some replacements of the Medium infantry as well as a welcome influx of more Cavalry.

The Samnite forces leap into action  lead by Herrenius and charge into the woods that hold the right flank for Alexander. The fighting is bloody and one sided. Medium and Light Infantry flees the ferocious attack.

Zeuxis charges fearlessly into the flanks of the Van of the Samnites. His heavy horse wreck havoc.  Seeing the rapid advance on the right Alexander orders his heavy line into a mad dash to engage the stationary line of Lucanians ahead.

He also personally charges into the fray, wiping out the equally matched Lucanian cavalry led by Aspanius.

As the lines crunch together, the battle evolves into a massive scrum.

The die rolls fare well for no one. Alex is under pressure to bring the battle to a swift conclusion, as he sees the right collapsing quickly. Skirishers screen, and his valiant Cavalry harass and disperse the Van of the Samnites.

Here below we see the line folding in, and forces peeling off to aid the right of the Epirotes.

Busting through the woods the Samnites charge into slightly tougher opposition.

The Phalanxes do their bloody work, and clear the first line of Lucanians.

Whirling dervishes have nothing on this battle!

Now the mediums prep to take the brunt of the fight.

 

On the right the Cavalry of Zeuxis has chewed up many of the  Samnites, but the Legio and Samnite Light Horse intervene to slow the carnage.

Finally the Epirote right breaks for good.

 

 

Alexanders army is in tatters. He yields the field and visions of Magna Graecia fade.

Note:

It may have been interesting to attempt to reverse the attack, and have the Epirotes take on the Samnites first with a decent sized force screening the weaker Lucanians…. Could the Phalanx and heavy Infantry formations won on the rising ground?