002 Crimissos River (341 BC)

Details: Written by: GMT Games; Category: Sicilian Wars (600-265 BC); Published: 10 May 2008; Last Updated: 08 November 2018; Hits: 29102

Victory Results:

36 %

64 %

Total plays 267 - Last reported by alobunko on 2024-08-08 23:15:08

Historical Background
The Carthaginians learned from earlier defeats in Sicily that they had to field reliable, trained heavy infantry of their own. They formed the Sacred Band, a force of about 2,500 excellently trained Carthaginians, as good or better than the best the Greeks or Syracusans could field. They formed a part of a large army under Hasdrubal, advancing eastward to subjugate Sicily. Opposing him with a much smaller army was the able tactician Timoleon. Ever aggressive, Timoleon anxiously awaited an opportunity to strike the Carthaginians a hard blow on his terms. He got that chance when, on a foggy morning, Hasdrubal carelessly ordered his army to cross the Crimissos River without bothering to send out scouts (who would have reported that Timoleon’s army was arrayed on the bluffs just beyond the river). Waiting until about half of the Carthaginian army had crossed, Timoleon unleashed his excellent heavy infantry phalanx against the surprised Carthaginians. Most who survived fled, but the Sacred Band stood their ground and were annihilated by superior numbers, (aided by a sudden rainstorm that slowed Carthaginian reinforcements crossing the river). Seeing the disaster unfolding across the river, the remainder of Hasdrubal’s army broke and fled. The loss of so many citizen soldiers had a horrific effect on Carthage. The Sacred Band was reformed, but only once was it ever dispatched from Africa again, and then only for a very short campaign.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. The rest is history.


2	1	2	2	2	2	1	1	1

1	1	2			4	1		2

War Council

Army: Carthagian
Leader: Hasdrubal
5 Command Cards

Army: Syracusan
Leader: Timoleon
5 Command Cards
Move First

Victory
5 Banners

Special Rules
The Crimissos River is fordable only at the five bends in the river.

The Carthaginian Sacred Band is a special unit. Place a Special Unit block (if playing with expansion blocks) or a Carthaginian Victory Banner block in the hex with the Sacred Band unit to distinguish it from other Carthaginian units. Sacred Band special abilities:
• The Sacred Band will score one hit for each leader symbol rolled in close combat. A leader does not have to be attached or in an adjacent hex to confer this benefit.
• The Sacred Band may ignore one flag.
• The Sacred Band retains these special abilities until the last block of the unit has been removed from the battlefield.
The Special Unit/Victory banner block moves with the unit. It does not count as a block that can be removed to satisfy losses. This block is not transferable to any other unit. If the Sacred Band unit is eliminated, this block is removed from the map along with the last block of the unit.

Posts in discussion: 002 Crimissos River (341 BC)

Pevans replied the topic:

#28728

11 months 2 weeks ago

I wanted to try out GMT's CDG Solo System for C&C: Ancients and decided to do so with this scenario (which I'd not played before - I've played Ancients the least of the C&C family).

The first rule of CDG Solo System is that it "is not a bot and cannot be played against." Instead, it "streamlines two-handed solitaire gameplay". Each side's turn, you roll the 'Fate' die, which dictates which card/s you are able to play for that side. It's then up to you to play the card that will do best for that side.

Looking at the board, my strategy as Carthaginian is to hang back from engaging the enemy until more of the army gets across the river. As the Syracusans, my strategy is to hit 'em with the Heavy infantry in the centre and keep on hitting them.

Some useful initial cards for Syracuse let me push the Heavy infantry forward, but the Carthaginian Light infantry Evaded them with little damage while the rear troops started crossing the river. The Sacred Band had a go at the Syracusans, eliminating one unit of Heavies and Timoleon. 2:0 to Carthage.

More Heavies fell to the Sacred Band as Syracusan Lights Evaded the Carthaginian chariots (first time I've played a scenario with chariots) - 3:0.

A "Double Time" card let the remaining Syracusan Heavies hit the Sacred Band and demolish one unit (3:1). The chariots joined the other Sacred Band unit to take on the Syracusans and both died in the battle backs! The chariots because three flags meant they had to retreat far beyond the edge of the board. And suddenly it's 3:3.

What was left of the Syracusan Heavy infantry, led by Mamaercus, now pinned the Carthaginian Light infantry against the back of the board and demolished them to win 3:5. So the Syracusan strategy worked, the Carthaginian one didn't - with almost half the army still on the wrong side of the river.

(This report is also on my BGG blog - with more explanation for non-C&C aficionados and some photos: boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/152498 )

Dionysius of Omaha replied the topic:

#4194

2 years 6 months ago

Crimissos River – 341 B.C.
Brought out the boxes for C&C Ancients… Haven’t played a game of Ancients since October of 2019 and had to review the rules a bit!
Turn 6: Hasdrubal’s Sacred Band is eliminated by a Mounted Charge and the Carthaginian center is broken. Timoleon and the Syracusan army lead 3 to 1.
Turn 8: Hasdrubal charges Timoleon’s line with heavy infantry and chariots. The Syracusans suffer significant casualties.
Turn 9: General Timoleon encourages his men to surge forward and Hasdrubal’s forces take losses of up to 75% before retreating. Carthaginian chariots cover Hasdrubal’s retreat and eliminate one of Timoleon’s heavy infantry units. Both sides tied at three banners each.
Turn 12: The tide seems to be turning against Timoleon on the left flank! And Carthaginian reinforcements are starting to arrive from across the Crimissos River on his right.
Turn 14: Timoleon is forced to turn to his general in the center... General Mamercus commands his heavy troops to push the Carthaginians back across the river. The assault is dramatically successful as his heavy infantry crush a skirmish line of slingers and then continue their momentum forward to liquidate a unit of warriors. The two units eliminated on the same turn gives the Syracusans the win 5 to 4. MVP is Mamercus and his heavy infantry shattering the ranks of the reinforcing Carthaginians near the river.

GF1954 replied the topic:

#3922

3 years 3 months ago

Solo, with Carthage winning rather easily 5 - 1. The Syracusans heavies didn't have much luck, as in none, against the two heavies of the Carthaginians. The two mediums got across the river and took out a heavy themselves. Had some real fortuitous rolls for Carthage.

markgravitygood replied the topic:

#3436

4 years 3 months ago

This scenario is very card-sensitive. If the Carthaginians don't get a good Left draw and get across the river they are porked. I thought, while playing the Syracusans, I'd take my Left MC and run him down the left side to the fordable river hext at the bottom of the map, but there just is not enough time to do that.

Game 1 Syracuse, 5-3. Carth never got a foothold across the river and met their demise.
Game 2 Syracuse, 5-4. Syracuse had a miracle final turn and took out 2 units, the final unit by needing 3 green circles to kill an evading light infantry, and got it for the win. That's like a 3% shot.

What a great game.

LaurentF replied the topic:

#3001

5 years 4 months ago

Played it two times with my friend Daniel. Each time Syracusian wins 5-2.
Interesting scenario. Maybe a bit unbalanced.

Dylan Dog replied the topic:

#1781

7 years 10 months ago

Solo play. First time playing for me. 5 - 3 for the Syracusan.

Anduril replied the topic:

#935

14 years 3 weeks ago

A surprise (and lucky) win for the Carthaginians, when the succeeded in taking out the Syracusan medium cavalry and auxilia on the left flank and two of the heavy infantry and Mamercus in the center - mostly with Hasdrubal's units and some ranged help from the lights while all the medium units sat on the wrong side of the river and watched. But the Carthaginians lost every heavy unit they had winning.

badweasel replied the topic:

#380

15 years 10 months ago

Solo plays. For these ones, I had been playing with the river rules printed in the rulebook, not the ones updated in the FAQ. As such, holding the river was much easier than it would otherwise be.

Syracuse completely dominated the tempo of this battle. They first turn moved their entire allotment of heavy units Double Time to essentially take control of the river crossing. For the rest of the battle, not a single Carthaginian unit made it across. However, the Carthaginian right flank crushed the opposing cavalry and auxilia. They also managed to severely injure a couple of heavy units, but never managed to eliminate one (even when they only had a single block). Syracusan ranged attacks also proved effective in keeping units away from the river crossing.

Syracuse 5 - Carthage 3

Syracuse again had the advantage with a Heavy Unit order that pushed the center phalanx forward. The strategy was similar with them trying to hold the river to prevent crossings. Carthage did not want a repeat of last time so moved the heavy infantry and Sacred Band against the Syracusan phalanx. The initial impact seemed like it might provide the breakthrough needed to get across the river, but the line held and destroyed both the heavy infantry and the Sacred Band. From this point Syracuse used its light ranged fire to pepper the units cross the river to achieve victory. It would take a very aggressive maneuver as well as some luck to get units across the river. Of course in these two plays, Syracuse happened to have orders to quickly push the phalanx forward and shutdown the river (5 dice against 2 is a major imbalance.)

Syracuse 5 - Carthage 2

alecrespi replied the topic:

#368

15 years 10 months ago

Eric S. Raymond wrote some comments about this scenario on his webpage. CLICK HERE to read full article.

Syracusan hoplites try to bushwack a larger Carthaginian force as it crosses a river. I think the outcome of this scenario depends a lot on the luck of the Syracusan draw; the first time I played it, I got to play two Line Command cards on the first two turns and the result was a lopsided massacre and rout of the Carthaginians.
The second time I played the Carthaginians. My card luck was good and I managed to execute a successful right-flank attack with my Sacred Band heavies and chariots. This destroyed the Syracusan line, but the Sacred Band was nearly wiped out in the process (down to one block). I have to count that as a Carthaginian tactical victory but (given the scenario conditions) actually a strategic defeat for Carthage.

alecrespi replied the topic:

#14

16 years 3 months ago

this one is very nice, and also the possibility to see discussions attached to the article.

alecrespi replied the topic:

#13

16 years 3 months ago

this is the second official map from GMT CCA base game. Coment it freely here and in the forum.

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