StarCraft 218 BC: A Real-Life Space-Time Odyssey

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:09 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: A Real Life Space Odyssey | (Prologue) ::.
Imagine for one moment the world’s two great superpowers staring greedily across a vast body of water at the lands of the other. Imagine the clash of three great houses; a tale of blood oaths and vengeance; bitter titans vying for world domination.

No, this is not the cold war or a plotline from Game of Thrones. These are the Punic Wars of Carthage and Rome, an era of such military innovation as to shock the mind.

Throughout this article, the reader will be privy to a forward-looking birds’-eye view of the various theaters of importance, will witness the military brillianciesTable 1 of both sides and will even be offered insight into that real-life meta-game known as “politics” and how its influence affects the course of the war.

“Hold up, hold up. Wait just one second,” the reader may think at this moment. “I thought this was about StarCraft, not some John Brown history lesson.” The reader is correct. While reading this article, consider each side a metaphor for a different race’s mechanics. Please consult TABLE 1 (above) as this article progresses. See if you can figure out the “whodunnit” of this galactic mystery.

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:10 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Two Decades of War | (Chapter 1) ::.
To best understand this period in time the stage must first be set. In the north Mediterranean is fledgling Rome, a mite compared to her later glory. While powerful on land, Rome has no navy to speak of.

The Carthaginians know this and, after a crushing land defeat at the battle of Agrigentum, resolve to engage only on the sea where they enjoy a clear advantage. Carthage proceeds to win a string of naval battles but Rome will not surrender. By a stroke of luck, one storm-wracked Carthaginian ship washes up on Italian soil. The Romans hurriedly copy the ship’s design, cutting down an entire forest in their haste to mass produce a fleet of 100 ships.

See, Carthage is located across that great sea which at this time encompasses the known world. In order to aggress against the Italian peninsula, Carthage has two options for re-supply:

Sea: Easiest route across the Mediterranean. Used for most of the first war due to Carthage’s naval superiority from conscripted mercantile vessels.
Land: Supplies must first be sent northwest through Iberia then east through modern-day France then finally southeast through today’s Switzerland, through a few very narrow, well-fortified mountain passes in the Alps before ever reaching Italy proper. This neglects to mention the marauding tribes of Goths, Gauls and other barbarians along the way.

Clearly, navies are going to be important in this war and Rome has to catch up. Sicily, off the coast of Italy, will become a key point of contention. Control of this island will mean safety for the city of Rome. For Carthage, Sicily makes an easily-defensible forward outpost, a staging platform for future attacks on the Italian mainland. These warships will allow Rome to gain some ground–sea?–despite not knowing how to properly utilize the ships and losing far more to mother nature than to Carthage.

While based on Carthage’s design, Rome adds a kind of bridge with a sharp hook at the far end. This serves as a classical-era grappling hook, grabbing the targeted Carthaginian vessel, allowing Roman legionnaires to cross and dispatch the enemy exactly as they would on land.

This first war lasted 23 years. It spanned a generation.

+ Show Spoiler +

Carthage had a really good unit
Rome takes said unit and makes it into a weaker version but en masse and one that they can control (neural parasite)
Minor discussion of map features: foreshadowing of Hannibal’s future “elevator-drop” tactics

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:11 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Two Rise of Hamilcar | (Chapter 2) ::.
The first Punic War lasted 23 years. It spanned a generation. In the last years of the war, a Carthaginian general emerges by the name of Hamilcar Barca when he defeats war luminary Marcus Fabius Buteo. However, due to a lack of necessary support from the miserly oligarchs back in North Africa, he is never able to drive the final nail in Rome’s coffin, and his men, equipment, food and other necessities eventually deplete.

This gives Rome the chance she desperately needs after her losses to Hamilcar (whose men are growing hungry, tired and wondering day-to-day whether they are getting paid) to rally back, securing victory, ending the first Punic war.

On one notable occasion, Hamilcar’s troops, mercenaries all, are caught looting the countryside by a greater Roman force. This is not an action Hamilcar has authorized but these troops are hungry and searching for food. They are promptly killed. Hamilcar requests a truce, time enough to honor the dead, but this is rejected by Roman Consul Fundanius. Some short while later, in an ironic twist of fate, this same consul suffers a bitter defeat and requests a truce to bury his own dead. Hamilcar obliges, replies that his quarrel is with the living and the dead have paid their dues. This is the character of Hamilcar Barca, the same man who, once “defeat” comes, refuses to disarm his soldiers or return Roman dissenters despite the agreed-upon terms of surrender. He is later allowed to leave Sicily, honor intact, in the company of his still-armed forces without a hint of submission.

Hamilcar is a good and honest man even by the accounts of Roman propagandists so let it be a surprise when some years after his eventual “defeat” by Rome–again emphasizing that it isn’t so much a military defeat as a misallocation of resources by an unfriendly Council of Elders–he requires his son Hannibal to take a blood oath “never to be a friend of Rome.” Hannibal honors this all the days of his life. But why does Hamilcar and now, by extension, Hannibal have enmity towards Rome who has shown so much grace in victory?

Gaius Lutatius Catulus is the Roman general to which Hamilcar’s top lieutenant, Gisco, on behalf of Carthage, pledges surrender. Catulus also accepts the peace terms between the two sides. Except… he doesn’t have the authority to do that. The Roman Senate, unhappy with the terms, tacks on extra reparation payments and reduces the area of the Mediterranean on which Carthage can trade.

These payments will lead to Carthage’s inability to pay their mercenaries (a vast majority of their army) which leads directly to an internal conflict known as the “Mercenary Wars.” While Carthage is distracted by this, Rome invades Sardinia and Corsica, previously acknowledged as Carthage’s territory, and charges Carthage 1,200 silver talents for the privilege. This betrayal is be enough to create rancor within the best-natured man but what follows hardens hatred into Hamilcar’s heart forever: Carthage turns on him.

Led by his unsuccessful military predecessor and rival Hanno II the so-called “Great,” the aristocratic families in Carthage seek a scapegoat for the surrender to Rome. Citing Hamilcar as responsible for the terms and resulting aftermath, Hanno wants Hamilcar’s head. Carthage has a history of hauling defeated generals before the Tribunal of 100 to be crucified and, in an effort to avoid this, Hamilcar rallies his populist party.

The aristocrats favor peace with Rome at all costs. It had been their choice to support Hanno’s conquests in North Africa over Hamilcar’s efforts in Sicily, reducing the size of the navy and leading ultimately to Rome’s victory.

Hanno’s personal wealth, agricultural in nature, benefited far more from expanding holdings in Africa than from protecting merchant ships on the high sea. He votes not to continue the war with Rome, siphons resources best used in that war and then refuses to pay the Berber mercenaries after the war! Later he leads the faction opposing Hannibal and is responsible for preventing reinforcements being sent to Hannibal after the Battle of Cannae. His refusal to pay mercenaries leads to the Mercenary Wars, and is a primary reason (despite the prospect of a hot wife) the Berbers side with Rome at the end of the second war! Hamilcar, filled with dreadful apprehension, is determined to remind the aristocrats it is their failures, not his, that lost the war.

Having gained immunity from prosecution in Carthage, Hamilcar began recruiting and training a new army under the ruse of securing Carthage’s African domain. He is giving the aristocrats exactly what they want and, as such, receives no opposition. Hamilcar immediately co-opts this army, his army, and instead heads into Iberia, modern-day Spain and Portugal. Naturally, this concerns Rome.

As discussed earlier, passing through Iberia is a second route into Italy proper and so Rome sends an emissary to Hamilcar demanding to know why Carthage is positioning troops here. Hamilcar promptly explains that looting in Iberia, which is rich in silver mines, provides a large portion of the reparations payment mandated by Rome. More than happy to be “getting paid, son,” Rome’s proxy promptly packs up, goes home and smiles upon Hamilcar as he establishes the Barcid empire beginning with Novo Carthago. Hannibal joins his father conquering Iberia, cutting his teeth on the locals now in anticipation of his struggles against Rome later.

Hamilcar dies during this period but, according to some sources, leaves to his son a grand strategy, a plan for total war with Rome that Hannibal might later fulfil. Remember, Carthaginian armies have two possible supply routes, one by land and one by sea. By this time Rome has learned much about ships and ship-building and enjoys a monopoly on the sea. This suits the Iberian-based Hannibal just fine.

In 219 BC, Hannibal besieges Saguntum. He claims it as his in accordance with The Ebro Treaty, which states that Carthage may not carry out military endeavors north of the Ebro as long as Rome does not venture south of it. Rome has a loose relationship with Saguntum, however, and considers this an act of aggression against Rome herself. Saguntum begs Rome for help (whose military is entangled elsewhere) for eight months before succumbing to Carthage’s military might. Too late to save Saguntum, Rome offers Carthage two options: surrender Hannibal or prepare for war. The Council of Elders, split in opinion, asks the Roman envoy to decide for them. One member sent by Rome, Marcus Fabius Buteo, declares “Let there be war!” thus unleashing a rabid Hannibal to fulfil his father’s vengeance.

+ Show Spoiler +

Positioning the elevator-drop while Rome masses drones completely unaware.
Hannibal ventures onto creep

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:11 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Hannibal's Journey | (Chapter 3) ::.

James Portnow, Extra Credits
“The emissary stood before the Carthaginian ‘senate,’ surrounded by all the great men of Carthage and said to them ‘I hold before you both peace and war.’ The leader of the senate spat back ‘Choose what you will!’

The envoy replied ‘I choose war!’”

Rome, aware of how the first war played out, promptly reinforces Sicily. One of two consuls, who are Roman co-commanders-in-chief, accompanies that army while the other takes an army across France to attack the Barcid holdings in Iberia. This force encounters Carthaginian scouts, with Hannibal’s troops coming out on top. Despite this, a few troops escape to tell Consul Publius Cornelius Scipio.

The Scipios are the third great house to enter this conflict. Barca. Fabius. Scipio.

James Portnow, Extra Credits
“You’re going to want to remember that name, Scipio. You know how on the Carthaginian side you have the sons of the great general Hamilcar from the last war fighting together on a blood oath they swore to their father to avenge the shame Carthage suffered at the hands of the Romans? Well, this guy is their Roman equivalent. This Scipio we just met will eventually die on the field, slain by Hannibal’s armies, but his son will later crush Hannibal and turn the tide of the war and his great-grandson will go on to sack Carthage and wipe them out forever, seventy years after the story we’re telling. See, that’s part of what makes the second Punic War so epic. Blood oaths and vengeance, rivalry from [these] great houses, a war passed down from father to son, [three] bloodlines vying for the fate of the world.”

Publius sends his army on towards Hispania while he rushes back to northern Italy to rally his forces. Remember, the bulk of the Roman legions are divided, part en route to Hispania and the other stationed in Sicily as a launching platform for attacks into North Africa. Only a handful of Rome’s greenest troops along with those more apt to wield canes than swords remain in Italy proper. This Scipio is in a race against Hannibal’s armies but expects Hannibal to be held up, as the Romans are, by local Gauls. Hannibal convinces these tribes, perhaps with the assistance of a few well-placed bribes, that his only target is their mutual enemy: Rome.

This clears the way into the Alps yet, by now, it is already September. The frigid passes, bad enough in summer, are already begun to cool in anticipation of winter’s chill. The Romans are off-guard, thinking no one can move an army undetected through those tricky mountain passes at the start of winter.

Hannibal makes it through the Alps with 26,000 of his 98,000 men and gives his troops a mild rest as he recruits reinforcements from the Gallic tribes. Publius still has not arrived and must also recruit while traveling, having left much of his original army behind. The two eventually come to blows which results in Scipio’s defeat. He is gravely wounded and would have surely died had his son not arrived near the end of the skirmish. This creates a lot of good PR for Hannibal among the Gauls, many of whom now flock to his banners.

Meanwhile, the other Roman consul recalls his troops from Sicily. This man, Tiberius Sempronius Longus, wishes to charge into battle against Hannibal upon walking onto the field. He considers Scipio a coward for advising caution, thinking that the winter lull should be used for training, keenly aware that a majority of his forces are raw, non-vetted recruits.

Unfortunately, when two consuls are in the same location, they alternate command with each passing day. As soon as Sempronius Longus is in command, Hannibal is able to bait his short temper, sending a small, highly-mobile raiding party into enemy lines during the early hours of the morning. The rest of Hannibal’s forces are allowed to sleep in, eat a hearty breakfast, and are eventually stationed out of sight, behind some mountain ridges. After running the Romans every which way but right, Hannibal’s scouts lead the Romans into their trap. The Romans, roused early from their beds, not having eaten, soaked from earlier crossing a river, have no chance that frigid morning against Hannibal’s well-rested force. Slaughter. Rome mounts a retreat; Sempronius Longus and 10,000 of his best troops fight their way to safety within the throng of Carthaginian mercenaries.

This is the first major battle this side of the Alps and for certain the first time these raw recruits, farmers in all but name, encounter story book monsters, giant grey smelly mammoths with great sharp tusks, as likely to trample or impale friend as foe, standing roughly 2.5x as tall as the tallest legionnaire. To face these war elephants the infantry have only short sword and spear. Again Rome faces heart-wrenching defeat and the body count grows.

At this point, the winter has grown too harsh and battle must be delayed until the first days of spring. This gives Rome a moment to breathe, to reposition her troops and fortify her outer defenses.

Hannibal doesn’t care. As soon as it grows warmer than freezing temperature, he and his army cross a foreboding marsh where many of his troops drown while sleeping and elephants sink beneath the muck. After catching a mysterious swamp disease, Hannibal cuts out his eye to stop the spreading infection.

The only item of importance: Rome’s annihilation.

Hannibal emerges deep in enemy territory, a place no one thought he could be, No defenses have been prepared here, and hence soldiers must be recalled from the front lines. Hannibal’s army, now-hidden, camp in wait. Just as the Romans think they finally have caught up to the edges of his army, Hannibal’s forces encircle the narrow path from all sides.

Again, Roman blood flows like an Italian river.

+ Show Spoiler +

Elevator drops
Bait into controlled territory
- Compare to Marines retreating into Widow Mine range
Elephant siege tanks
- Area of Effect
- Hurts friendly units
- Immobile
- Absorbs a lot of damage

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:11 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Cunctator | (Chapter 4) ::.
So far, in terms of military tactics, there has been a notable rise in hit-and-run guerrilla tactics. Hamilcar was the first on the scene, showing great success with few resources but ultimately loses due to factional politics many miles south. Publius Cornelius Scipio then advises Longus Sempronius to stall, refuse to commit to direct engagements with Hannibal. His advise is scoffed at with bloody results. Politics, it seems, is playing as much as or more of a role than military efficacy. This is important and, unfortunately, is oft-repeated in history all the way into modern times.

When Fabius Maximus becomes dictator he institutes a new policy of engaging the enemy. Today, this ids known as “Fabian tactics” after its well-executed employment to defend Rome during this period. He chooses his position carefully, relying more on terrain than raw military numbers like previous commanders. He shadows Hannibal’s troops, maintaining the high ground and refusing to fall into any of his enemy’s traps.

Hannibal has a strong army but a weak supply line. Reinforcing by sea is nigh-impossible and the mountainous terrain and hostile territory limited land based shipments as well. His troops survive on the spoils of war: raids on farms or caravans and supplies left behind by defeated Roman legions amidst hasty retreat. Failing that, the Carthaginians could forage off the land. These foraging parties were then targeted by Fabius, further crippling Hannibal’s supply lines. This did not win him many fans in Rome where he is publicly jeered in the street, for Romans like clear and glorious battles with little patience for a subtle war of attrition.

And so, somehow aware of attitudes in Rome regarding Fabian’s “cowardly” tactics, Hannibal continues ravaging the countryside but now leaves untouched any properties belonging to Fabius. People in Rome began to whisper about the possibility of Fabius having some kind of secret deal with Hannibal. Hannibal sought to turn the people against Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus. The people insulted him in the street, naming him Cunctator, Delayer. Fabius, however, was biding time for the perfect moment.

That moment came when Hannibal entered Ager Falernus. There were only eight ways in or out of this terrain for an army that size. Five are blocked by a river, impossible to defend; two were held by Rome in fortified positions: and the other three were rapidly plugged by Fabius, leaving Hannibal nowhere to retreat. Eventually they must starve and therefore Fabian has no reason to force the engagement on anything but perfect ground.

One night, Roman sentries spotted a number of torches heading towards one of the exits. Hannibal was clearly trying to escape as the rest of the world slept. These sentries, despite Fabius’ orders to hold position, rushed to engage the army of torches in a decisive victory on their own terms in traditional Roman fashion. But when they got there, they found that a number of oxen had attached torches to their horns and pointed the right direction. Meanwhile, Hannibal slipped away under cover of night.

This was not the will of Fabius but it occurred under his supervision and was thus his responsibility. The people of Rome, highly dissatisfied with what they saw as Fabius’ cowardly tactics, now elect the Master of Horse–essentially, the dictator’s “vice president,” an office that is created alongside dictator–Marcus Minutius Rufus as co-dictator. The power of dictator exists in the lack of red tape and accountability. Two consuls are elected during normal Roman rule to balance the other. These two are also accountable to the Senate. Yet in times of war two consuls create potentially problematic circumstances, such as that faced by Publius Cornelius Scipio and Longus Sempronius. To elect a co-dictator, whose role is to circumvent the red tape entanglements of co-consuls, undermines everything the office stood for, and has disastrous results. This had never been done before and servers only to show how much the Roman people loathed a year without a convincing victory against Hannibal.

Minucius took his half of the Roman army and charged, like every other Roman general and, like every other general, was immediately out-maneuvered. His legion is nearly-wiped out and would have been had Fabian not jumped in to save the day. Minucius realizes his mistakes, resigns as co-dictator and resumes his subservient role, humbled by defeat, with a newfound respect for Fabius’ tactics. Unfortunately other Romans still have not.

The people of Rome threw Fabius out of office by the end of 217 BC, electing as consuls Gaius Terentius Varro and Lucius Aemilius Paullus. Gaius hails from a family noted for its corruption and martial ineptitude; Lucius from the patrician-aristocratic Aemelii Paulii who disband within a generation, being adopted into the two families who save Rome: Fabii Maximii and Cornelii Scipiones. These are humiliating ends for the families of these soon-to-be-humiliated consuls, for both had run on platforms of traditional Roman values: force is defeated by greater force. These new consuls raise a substantial army during the winter of 217-216 BC. They would not have to wait long, for it had been a hard winter for Hannibal and his troops were hungry. He seized a Roman supply depot at Cannae and between them, Varro and Paullus lead 80,000 troops against this position. Hannibal has 40,000 Carthaginian mercenaries, Gaul recruits and Numidian cavalry.

+ Show Spoiler +

Fabian tactics (Zerg)
- Attack Terran supply/reinforcement lines
Terran controls position then baits into that position
Zerg fight on creep (home territory)
Small skirmishes instead of large scale conflict

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:13 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Battle at Cannae | (Chapter 5) ::.
The day was August 2. The consul in charge this day was Gaius Terentius Varro, responsible for making the decision to engage. He had two armies and hoped to surround Hannibal before crushing him between them. Hannibal’s Numidian cavalry quickly dispatched their Roman counterparts but his infantry were not so lucky. The Iberian and Gallic Celts fighting for Carthage, positioned at the forward-center point of a v-formation and led by none other than Hannibal and his brother Mago, refused to break ranks, however, which allowed the Numidian cavalry to re-position, hidden, at the back of Varro’s army.

Rome’s infantry line was head-to-head with Carthage and had enjoyed a concave throughout this battle due to their greater number.s However, as the Celts were falling back, the Roman center pushed forward while Carthage’s flanks, the strongest, most-skilled of Hannibal’s infantry, still held. Hannibal saw this perfect moment and closed the jaws of his trap. The flanks tightened on the Roman legion, stopping their forward advance against the Celts. The Numidian cavalry charged into the Roman rear at this moment, murdering troops with no room to fight or flee. The bulky Roman legionnaires were forced into a confined space, too little room to even swing their swords and yet again the result was slaughter. Varro would successfully flee, unwilling to accept the consequences of his brashness; Paullus had the opton to flee but valiantly stayed to fight and die with his soldiers, asking the tribune who offered escape to tell the senate to fortify Rome and tell Fabius privately “I have ever remembered his precepts in life as in death.”

Despite the brutality of the scenario–Hannibal threatening to lash anyone not zealous enough in their slaughter, giving orders to hamstring opponents fleeing, only to later return to seal the deal–Hannibal released all prisoners much to the dismay of his commanders. He also honored Paullus’ valor–who disagreed with Varro’s decision to engage in battle but supported him nonetheless–with ceremonial rituals in the Roman tradition. This is the ancient equivalent of a Hamas general performing the taharah for a fallen member of Mossad, a thing unimaginable.

Rome lost twenty-nine of their forty-eight highest-ranking officers, at least eighty senators (of three hundred) and at least 65,000 legionnaires. By comparison Hannibal lost only around 6,000 men, many of which were his newest Celtic recruits. This battle is studied to this day as one of the most important battles the world has ever known.

Here Hannibal hesitates. He is being urged by his lieutenants to go for Rome’s throat but he is rather more comfortable with the guerrilla tactics developed by his father. He avoids the direct engagement and continues to spur revolt among Rome’s allies. This is one of the big what-ifs of history, where the fate of the world hinges on one decision by a single man, where everything after might have been different. What if he had marched on Rome?

Instead Hannibal sues for peace. This is a charitable offer considering how he has dominated the war thus far. Rome rejects the peace terms and refuses to pay prisoner’s ransoms. Rome is in a state of total war.

+ Show Spoiler +

[list][*]Zerg fights off creep
[*]Terran has great concave
[*]Zerg splits forces to attempt surround

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:15 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Weather, Witches and Wagers | (Chapter 6) ::.
So far, much of this discussion has taken place in Italy and its various territories. Remember though that Carthage is across that great sea in north Africa and the Barcid empire is flourishing in Hispania. Rome has slowly been winning control of the Mediterranean, most recently taking Sicily back from Carthage, despite numerous inventions by Archimedes holding them at bay for for three years.

Back in Hispania, the son of Publius Cornelius Scipio is in command. He will later be known as Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus but as yet has not earned that final part. Rome considers command in Spain to be suicide and this inexperienced twenty-six year old was the only volunteer.

Without informing anyone of his plans he sets a course for Carthago Novo, Hannibal’s capital. This is unthinkable as he has a far inferior force to that wihch holds Hispania. Because he told no one his plans and because this was completely implausible, he reached Carthago Novo without detection. No one expected him to be there. It is hard to find that which one does not know one is looking.

His first attack failed. But his lieutenant has managed to take the harbor, allowing Scipio to attack from all sides. He also positions some of his troops north of the city, near a lagoon that runs along the city wall. A storm sweeps in, draining that lagoon as if by magic, now allowing this force to assail a part of the wall no one thought to defend. Most of the defensive army was occupied at other engagement points, allowing these 500 men to open the city to the invaders.

This victory provides Scipio the resources and allies he would need to eradicate all Carthaginian influence from Hispania. This is achieved by chasing Hasdrubal east across the Alps and any others south. These troops in the south attempt to mount one last stand for the Iberian peninsula at a place called Illipa.

Here Scipio took a few feathers from the hated Hannibal’s hat. First he lures Mago, who had been only three days’ march from Carthago Novo when Scipio took it and was itching to do battle with this upstart. Mago is most comfortable leading his cavalry; were he a chess player, he’d favor his knights. This overconfidence proves a great disadvantage as an ambush springs once Mago’s cavalry hit the point of no return.

This engagement allows Scipio to stalemate a greater force with a lesser army. Eventually the battle dies down, soldiers retire for the night. The next day everyone wakes, eats a hearty meal, suits up in full plate armor before lining up in battle formations, strongest troops reinforcing the center and weaker along the flanks. These troops rattle their spears at the other side for many hot hours in the noonday sun before heading home, drinking a beer with the fellas and calling it a night. This occurred for many days.

On the final day Scipio pulls a clever ruse. He rouses a small group of cavalry early, feeds them. Then he attacks at first light, serving two purposes:

Mago’s hungry troops will be far less effective
Second, Mago does not have a chance to see Scipio has positioned his best troops on the flanks, imitating Hannibal at Cannae

The weak center is given orders not to engage and to slowly fall back. The strong infantry supporting Scipio’s flanks crushes through the light Carthaginian infantry, encircling the center. The result is no less devastating for Carthage as Cannae was for Rome.

Scipio cleans up the remaining Barcid presence in Hispania but Hasdrubal, having crossed the Alps, is now coming to bear on northern Italy. The goal is for Hasdrubal’s army to meet and merge with Hannibal’s in the south. This will provide Hannibal necessary forces to take Rome, forces that have been denied to Hannibal since Cannae courtesy of Hanno II and the Council of Elders. Nonetheless, it is still a very real prospect that terrifies Rome. This cannot be allowed, no matter the cost.

There is a problem, though. As usual, the Roman legions are divided among the two co-consuls, one in the north to slow Hasdrubal’s advance; the other in the south which has just skirmished with Hannibal. Neither army has the numbers to face Hasdrubal alone, and neither dare face Hannibal head-to-head. Together, though, they might have a chance. The consul stationed in the south makes a desperate gamble. If Hannibal or Hasdrubal realize the ploy, he is doomed. If either army repositions, he is doomed. Despite this, that consul stations double guards at home before leaving, displaying a facade of normalcy; then force marches 300 miles in seven days, arriving at his compatriot consul’s camp in the night.

The next day, as battle lines are drawn, Hasdrubal detects a distinct difference in the amount of Roman infantry. He tries to retreat but he is betrayed by his Italian guide who by now was seeking to curry favor with Rome. This guide leads him to a deep and wide river too dangerous to cross. He must fight here, back to the river, no path to retreat or room to maneuver. His army drowns in blood.

Scipio meanwhile has presented to the senate a plan to invade Africa. With Hasdrubal now dead, the Senate approves. Scipio begins amassing an army of veteran soldiers with the full authority of Rome behind him. Rome is finally ready to take the war to Carthage!

+ Show Spoiler +

Undetected nydus into Novo Carthago
Attempts to rallyjack Hasdrubal
Scipio steals Hannibal’s tactics (infested Terran)
Rome has split army, must converge perfectly
Rome counter attacks while defending

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:23 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Sophonisba | (Chapter 7) ::.
Remember how important Sicily is as a staging platform for either side during that first war? Scipio knows why. It is now that he earns the nickname Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus. All of Scipio’s soldiers are crated up on those now-Roman quinquiremes and hauled off to Sicily. From this position he can launch an amphibious invasion on a series of important ports and micro-manage an extensive network of scouts and spies.

One of these scouting parties, led by Gaius Laelius (the admiral who assaulted Illipa), returned with happy news. There was some political upheaval among two factions of Numidian Berbers one of which was loyal to Rome; the other faction’s prince now gave tribute to Carthage in exchange for the Phoenician beauty Sophonisba as wife and bribe.

When Scipio lands in north Africa in 204 BC he is opposed by Sophonisba’s new husband Syphax in addition to her father, another top Carthaginian lieutenant Hasdrubal Gisco. Their combined forces total 80,000 infantry and 13,000 cavalry. Negotiations begin almost immediately but Hasdrubal Gisco fails now as spectacularly as his father failed Hamilcar in Sicily at the end of the first war. One night after the discussions Scipio and his Berber ally Masinissa–Sophonisba’s ex-fiancee, the other Numidian prince, by now a refugee chased out by Syphax–sneak into the Carthaginian camp to set it ablaze. According to Roman historian Polybius the death toll exceeds 40,000.

After this, Carthaginian allies are hard to find. Numidians flock to Scipio; even Syphax considers switching allegiance back to Rome. Remember in most of his battles in Italy, Hannibal’s Numidian cavalry were a deciding factor in engagements. Now, Rome has her own and, after 203 BC, Carthage has none.

Carthage is defenseless.

They have to recall Hannibal.

Imagine what that must be like for Hannibal, who has spent his entire life waging war with Rome; lost his family’s vast empire; sacrificed his father, his childhood, three brothers, an eye; and his victory within his grasp snatched away at that last precious moment. Imagine his heavy heart, knowing what he vowed in his oath and dedicated his life to could now never come to pass. This is the Hannibal who returns to Africa.

Upon arriving, he argues in the Council of Elders not to field the recent and raw recruits in the open terrain, to delay, to fight back tooth and nail. But in the end he is ordered to take the field, ending this epic and innovative war in the way so many ancient battles often do: a brawl in the dusty desert sun. Hannibal’s infantry holds strong in the center but in the end are out-flanked by Rome’s Numidian cavalry who sandwich the rest of Hannibal’s troops.

Hanno II the Great is among the first to sign his name to the peace treaty, finally winning a war of worldview with the warlike Barcas, seeking to enter that fabled pax Romana at the expense of everything else. Hanno II is called “the Great” because Rome won. He’d be Hanno the Hated had Hannibal been victorious. Had he never lived, might Hannibal have won? Might Hamilcar? Would Rome still rule the world?

What if Zerg ruled the world? Fear the Swarm!

Hannibal Barca, in a suicide letter at Libyssa after evading the Romans for years in exile
Let us relieve the Romans from the anxiety they have so long experienced, since they think it tries their patience too much to wait for an old man’s death.

+ Show Spoiler +

Rome assimilates Carthage’s Numidian cavalry
Roman hordes on horizon
In counter-attack ZvT situations, Terran must base race or return home
Never 1A without regard to tactics

theonlyshaft

United States581 Posts

November 03 2014 13:25 GMT

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Epoliticalogue | (Epilogue) ::.
Politics and trends can be very useful. Trends allow detailed meta-anlysis, creating viable frameworks for common situations. Politics are established analyses of trends, vying for dominance. Typically, one analysis will rise to the top as the be-all end-all top idea of all time forever and ever. This is not empirically true but too often in these discussions empiricism goes out the window–people behave as if it is true.

In Rome a belief existed that might makes right. Despite incredible success, the Cunctator’s deviant politics outweigh his empirical efficacy. In other words, feeling Roman was more important than defending Rome. In StarCraft, these same arguments exist. People are discouraged from all-inning because it is bad, won’t play aggressive because it’s cheesy, won’t play macro because it’s boring, et cetera, as though these things exist in a vacuum. Don’t be predictable. Know the trends; employ them, exploit them. But never let that be all you know.

As Hannibal knows, rigid patterns quickly become predictable. If you can predict where your opponent will be and what he will be doing then he is yours to do with what you will. Distance yourself from the Hannos in your life, reject your Council of Elders and blaze your own trail. It is impossible to change the world while walking in someone else’s footprints.

Hamilcar and Hannibal, two Fabii and Scipio Africanus: the original five bonjwas.