BATTLE REPORT#8 -Trebia,trasimene,Cannae.

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Battle Report #8 - Hannibal vs Rome.



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Ok,so i kind of diverted some previous battle reports to doing random battles ,rather than tactical masterpieces-so the next few will be classic exemplary battles.

Background -

The mediterranean world,on the conclusion of the first punic war.The maritime power of carthage[originally a phoenician colony] ruled the western mediterranean until they were brutally defeated in a decades long and devastating conflict known as the first punic war by the rising republic of Rome.


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In sicily,hamilcar barca had fought a lone battle for carthage remaining undefeated and earning the nickname 'barca'[thunderbolt] for his speed.Abandoned by the senate he returned to carthage after the war to destroy the rebels in the civil war.Rome meanwhile had added insult to injury by seizing sardinia and corsica.Eager to get the powerful general out of carthage the carthiginian politicians send him to spain to consolidate their holdings there.

Meanwhile,the new superpower of the mediterranean,Rome believes she is invincible.And there is solid ground for such confidence,having united all italy[one of the most populous regions of the entire world at that time]she possesed the largest strategic manpower base in the world by far.Combined with its conscription policy and irrestible legions meant Rome had no peer on land.On sea,the romans had seized primacy from carthage after the 1st punic war and now controlled the western mediterranean.



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As Rome revels in her strength,hamilcar before leaving for iberia[spain] takes his 9 yr old son Hannibal deep into the temple of carthage,and on a blood sacrifice asks him to swear that as long as he lived he would be an Enemy of Rome.

Hamilcar expands carthage's empire in spain and is followed by his son-in law hasdrubal.The gold and silver mines of spain restoring carthiginian power.Rome,busy crushing a gallic invasion-makes a treaty with hasdrubal whereas the south of the river ebro was considered carthage's sphere of influence. At hasdrubal's assasination,the army unanimously proclaims hannibal,now 26 as their commander.



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Saguntum had allied to Rome,but was actually south of the Ebro.Hannibal's sack of Saguntum led Rome to demand carthage hand him over to Rome.The carthiginians refused and rome dispatched an army under Scipio the elder to crush hannibal in spain.The Second Punic War had begun.

Hannibal's Strategy -

Hannibal had no intention to sit and recieve the romans in spain.Hannibal clearly considered the nature of roman power-and came to the conclusion that Rome could only be defeated in Italy.
The cornerstone of Rome's power was a strategic manpower base that in theory could produce 7,00000 infantry and 70,000 cavalry.More than half of this manpower base was provided by rome's italian allies,who paid no taxes but had to render military service to rome's armies.Not all were content.Carthage on the other hand rarely used its own citizens for war,bulk of its army being mercenaries.In any case its manpower could never even come close to Rome,the fact that had aided roman victory in the 1st Punic war.Hannibal thus understood that Rome could afford to raise and send army after army to spain and take losses.Meanwhile any carthiginian losses in spain would encourage the recently conquered iberian tribes to defect.
The only way to defeat Rome,was to fight in italy itself.By winning battle after battle on italian soil and demonstrating to the italian allies rome's inability to protect them and weakness,he could encourage them to break free of Rome eroding Rome's manpower to sizeable proportions.
But there was one problem,his fleet was tiny and Rome ruled the seas.By land,the coastal route would be blocked by Roman forces and her ally-the great walled city of massalia.Hannibal thus resolved to think and do the impossible - move thousands of miles by land through the pyranees mountains,uncharted territory inhabited by the fierce gauls ,then through the Alps mountains and invade italy.



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The only surviving contemporary bust of hannibal,middle aged in his forties.The carthiginians were phoenician by descent,with north african admixture.[nearest equivalent of today would be the lebanese or libyans,though they both have arabic content]

Hannibal's March -

Hannibal mobilized his Polygot multiethnic mercenaryforces for his epic march.Simultaneously he sent forward ambassadors to the recently roman-subdued gallic/celtic tribes of north italy to forge an alliance.They would provide him a base of supplies and military manpower in italy.
Hannibal assembled three armies for his war of retribution.He dispatched 14,000 spanish infantry,1200 cavalry and 900 balearic slingers to reinforce carthage[basically carthage's whole field army was in spain] in north africa against a roman invasion.
Secondly he entrusted his brother hasdrubal to hold spain with 12,000 solid libyan spearmen,800 balearic slingers and light infantry,1800 elite numidian light cavalry,750[spanish and african heavy cavalry and 21 war elephants.
Finally,he moved with an invasion force of around 75,000.

First he had to subdue the spanish tribes north of the ebro.This done in a lightning campaign with hard fighting,he garrisoned the area with 11,000 troops and another 11,000 spanish troops he let go to join hasdrubal as they were reluctant to leave spain and cross the pyranees.He entred gaul[modern france] after crossing the pyranees with 50,000 infantry and 9000 cavalry.


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From the pyranees to the rhone river despite hostility of the gallic tribes,by gifts of gold mostly the carthiginians were allowed to pass.On arriving at the rhone hannibal's army numbered 38,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry and 37 elephants.Rest having been let go to protect lines of communication or refused/dead to attrition.

On reaching the rhone,he found the fierce Volcae celts massed to oppose him.Knowing adirect attack impossible.Hannibal sent a force to take an alternate route upstream while the main army fixed their attention.On a prearranged smoke signal,this force attacked and set alight the volcae camp distracting them as hannibal's army assaulted across the river.Caught in this 2 prong attack-volcae fled.Hannibal got the elephants across ingeniously.Elephants had refused to board rafts on the river.Hannibal had his engineers build larger rafts,attatched together in pairs and tied to the banks.Then the rafts were carefully camoflaged with dirt and vegetation to make them appear land and 2 female elephants led to them.The rest of the elephants then boarded them.As the elephants were on,the rafts were cut free.The elephants panicked at first but then crowded towards the center.


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Roman Response -

Leaving aside its normal garrison forces,the romans mobilized a first wave of 64,000 infantry and 6200 cavalry.One force of 8,000 roman infantry[2 legions] plus 14,000 allied infantry[note allied infantry fought in the roman fashion as legionaries,but were not as disciplined] and 2200 cavalry were sent under Publius scipio the elder to invade Spain.
A Second army under Sempronius Longus of two roman legions[8000 foot and 600 horse],plus 16,000 allied infantry and 1800 cavalry in sicily was to invade carthage.
A third force of 2 additional roman legions,plus 10,000 allied infantry and 1,000 cavalry was sent to north italy to keep the gauls under the heel.

Scipio was delayed by an attempted gallic uprising,then recieved alarming news that hannibal had crossed the pyranees and was advancing on italy!He sailed to the great coastal allied city of massila with a force of 25,000 intent on using it as a secure base to halt the carthiginian advance along the coast.
On reaching massila he was shocked to hear that hannibal was only a few days away.He sent a recon force,which surprised a detatchment of carthiginian cavalry.Hannibal now knew the romans had arrived.However he didn't give battle as he had to get across the alps before winter ,the coastal road was blocked by massila and a frontal assault against superior roman forces would be suicidal.By the time scipio came to attack the carthiginian camp hannibal had slipped away .Scipio sent his force onto spain and hurried towards north italy to gather the troops there,in case some of hannibal's troops survived the alps.


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From the Rhone the carthiginians reached the foot of the alps in mid-october.Here they were opposed by the Allobroges celts who held the higher ground that led to trail into the mountains.Discovering that they only held their outposts at daylight,hannibal seized them with his light troops at night.Despite this,in the fierce battle that followed hannibal routed the celts and attacked their villages seizing supplies.
Next another mountain tribe came and offered food and guides.However the treacherous guides led the carthiginians to a ravine where enemy army awaited in ambush.Hannibal foreseeing this possibility,had placed his cavlry and baggage in the lead and they got through quickly.The infantry got through after hard fighting,but after losses from boulders rolled down.
In these 2 encounters several elephants were lost as they slipped from the cliffs.



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From here on nature became the enemy.Snow began to fall hevaily and the africans and spaniards used to sunny weather suffered grieviously.On the 9th day the carthiginians reached the summit of the mountain.Then the downhill journey began,slopes were steeper and fresh snow made extremely treacherous footing.Many fell and died,others were too tired to ever rise again.To compound problems a landslide had blocked the route and no detour could be discovered.Again with ingenuity,the great boulder was heated with bonfires then soaked in wine and vinegar to crack it open.After days of labour to widen the path,hannibal's army went through.
After 140 miles through the alps,5 Months after leaving spain and a thousand mile journey later-Hannibal's survivors could finally see the lush valleys of Italy as they emerged from the Alps,late october.Hannibal and his army had accomplished the unthinkable.

Must watch Video,get the feel.

''We will find a way or make one''- Hannibal Barca

Next:The armies,the journey continues.

 

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THE ROMAN ARMY -

In 218 BC the roman republic possesed the finest armies in the world.The roman legions had driven pyrrhus of Epirus out of italy and would soon eclipse the phalanx as the premeir formation of the time.
Add to this was Rome's inexhaustible source of manpower.
However,the romans did have some flaws.The very conscription laws that made these enormous armies possible also meant that legions were not yet,full time professionals of later ages.They were however still drilled and disciplined.
Another flaw was the Senior leadership,roman low level leadership of centurions was excellent-But higher up armies were led by consuls.Elected magistrates who were politician cum generals-not full-time military men.On the other hand,the carthiginians while didn't make up any significant part of their armies with citizens-retained all command positions for mercenary armies to native carthiginians.The carthiginian senior leadership were mostly professionals.
Finally the roman cavalry was mediocre and was a somewhat neglected arm.In the days before the stirrup,only very disciplined cavalry could go head on with heavy infantry.
However these defects were more than made up by the steamroller that was the roman legion.A sophisticated,flexible yet brutally effective formation.



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The roman infantry consisted of the young hastatii,the older more experienced and armoured principe.And the final veteran triarii.Hastatii and principe fought by throwing their heavy javelin Pilum and fighting in close combat with shield and short sword.They made up the first and second line of a legion.
The triarii fought as spearmen in the last line.



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Roman triarii,principe and velites.Velites were light infantry who played the role of skirmishers and screened the main infantry line,harassing the enemy.



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Roman infantry.



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Finally,the roman cavalry or equites were small in number[300 per legion of 4000+ infantry] and protected the flanks.



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Roman Pilum heavy javelin and spear.The pilum bent on impact meaning if it didn't kill an enemy it would get stuck in his shield and render him shieldless.



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Roman short swords of this time would be simila to the greek xiphos.It was during the second punic war that romans adopted the later Gladius hispanensies[spanish sword] from the iberians after seeing the deadly effectiveness of the iberian falcata.

Next:Roman Army Tactics.

 

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ROMAN BATTLE TACTICS -



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Each Manipular roman Legion consisted of 4200 infantry and 300 cavalry.
1200 Light Velite Skirmishers as a screen.
1200 Hastati,1200 Principe and 600 Triarii in three lines[Aces triplex] deployed in checkerboard formation,plus 150 equites on each wing.

How the Legion Worked -



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In Yellow are the hastati.In Red,the principe.In Blue the trairii and in aqua the velites.
1.Velites skirmish and harass the enemy forces with javelins.
2.After expending their missiles they fall back through gaps.This was an important innovation since in other armies of the period skirmishers would have to either retreat through their own armies ranks, causing confusion, or else flee around either flank of their own army.
3.The hastati were arranged in 10 Maniples of 120 men each.Each maniple was divided into 2 centuries each of 60 men.[here each yellow box represents a hastati century.Every century was led by a centurion.].
4.Same for principes,10 maniples each with 2 centuries.
5.Triarii again are deployed in 10 maniples but each with only half 60 men.Each triarii century would therefore be 30 men.Sometimes only 1 century is depicted for triarii[like in topmost graphics in game image].Triarii acted as barrier troops who would usually stay uncommitted,if the hastati and principe failed to break the enemy line-they could either fall back behind the triarii who would present a barrier of pikes to a pursuing enemy and withdraw from the battlefield in order or alternatively as a final tactical reserve for a final combined assault with survivors of first 2 lines.
6.On each flank were 150 equites each divided into 5 turmae each of 30 horsemen.



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A legionary century charging.Note-The century shown here is a late republican one of 80 men 8 ranks deep.The century of the punic period would be 6 ranks deep of 60 men.The men correspond to chainmail clad principe.



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1.The posterior century of the hastati swings forward creating a solid line ready for engagement.
The hastati now advance and assault the enemy.
2.The principe await in the rear.
3.Further back are the triarii and the reformed velites.



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1.The rotation begins.Most important thing to note is this rotation didn't occur simultaneously at all wings of the line[as i HAD to show in the figure],wherever there was a lull in the fighting[melee combat was intensely physical and nervous experience],the exhausted hastati century would slowly withdraw backwards keeping their swords and shields pointed towards the enemy.
2.The Principe forward centuries would swing forward and take their place.



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1.Hastati and principe present maintain a solid line while keeping the pressure on the enemy[remember ,rotation of whole line didn't take place simultaneously as i said earlier]
2.The relieved hastati centuries fall back through the gaps.
3.The posterior principe centuries swing to take their place.



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Same story,the remaining hastati centuries fall back as well.Replaced by popsterior principe centuries.



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See how principe have taken over the assault from the hastati who have reformed in the rear and continue the relentless assault of fresh troops.

The manipular system allowed engaging every kind of enemy even in rough terrain, because the legion had both flexibility and toughness according to the deployment of its lines

The romans used troop rotation either by centuries which was the lowest operational manuevre unit,or by single file.In the following manner.Ignore the later part of the video where soldier breaks ranks.Observe early part how centurion controls the rotation of individual troops.During the maelstrom of battle it is also possible that as the units merged into line, the general checkerboard spacing became more compressed or even disappeared, and the fighting would see a more or less solid line engaged with the enemy. Thus gaps at the beginning of the struggle might tend to vanish in the closing phases.In this case legionaries from rear lines could rotate in small groups like this.

This type of rotation required no lull in the fighting and kept all the troops fresh,if a century was six ranks deep-every man would probably fight for 5 mins once every 30 minutes.



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On top,manipular legion.Below that-the posterior century of hastati creates a solid line.
At the bottom,legionary fighting style.The legionary would throw his pilum either killing or wounding the enemy soldier or disabling his shield.Now he would stay behind the protection of his shield exposing very little of his body,his shoulders and body being clad in mail armour and head in helmet.He would thrust an enemy back with his shield boss and then stab him in the intestines with his short sword.A simple and brutally efficient method.



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Roman soldiers in a maniple had a 6 ft by 6 ft "fighting square" around them, giving soldiers ample space to fight with their swords.

ADVANTAGES OF THE ACES TRIPLEX -

1]Flexibility - The advantages of gaps are obvious when a formation is on the move- it can more easily flow around obstacles and maneuver and control are enhanced and, as the Romans did in the pre-Marius republic, place baggage between the lines meaning that the cargo cannot be easily captured and that the army can quickly get ready for a battle by using it as cover.The legion was more manueverable than say a solid phalanx block and far less vulnerable to flanking.It also combined excellent fire and shock in one soldier-the legionary with pilum and gladius.It could engage on broken ground.
what made the Roman approach stand out is that their intervals were generally larger and more systematically organized than those of other ancient armies. Each gap was covered by maniples or cohorts from lines farther back. A penetration of any significance could not just slip in unmolested. It would not only be mauled as it fought past the gauntlet of the first line, but would also clash with aggressive units moving up to plug the space.

2]Line Spacing,Stamina and Relentless Pressure - Another unique feature of the Roman infantry was the depth of its spacing.The advantage of the Roman system is that it allowed the continual funneling or metering of combat power forward over a longer period—massive, steadily renewed pressure to the front—until the enemy broke.

Historian Polybius describes-
''"When the first line as a whole had done its best and become weakened and exhausted by losses, it gave way to the relief of fresh men from the second line who, passing through it gradually, pressed forward one by one, or in single file, and worked their way into the fight in the same way. Meanwhile the tired men of the original first line, when sufficiently rested, reformed and re-entered the fight. This continued until all men of the first and second lines had been engaged. This does not presuppose an actual withdrawal of the first line, but rather a merging, a blending or a coalescing of both lines. Thus the enemy was given no rest and was continually opposed by fresh troops until, exhausted and demoralized, he yielded to repeated attacks."

Next: Carthiginian Army

 

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THE CARTHIGINIAN ARMY -

The carthiginian army was a polygot,multiethnic force made up of mercenaries.It was hannibal's strength of sheer character that he would achieve the things he did with such a diverse and heterogeneous force operating on Rome's soil,cut off from aid.



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Carthiginian Command Staff - Hannibal's subordinates were First rate.Carefully chosen from his veterans in spain.In senior leadership hannibal had a advanatge over the romans.



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Spanish light infantry,excellent for skirmishing and ambush-but unarmoured.Armed with javelins and falcata short sword.



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Balearic Slingers- famed light infantry throughout the mediterranean.Used deadly stone or lead bullets.But useless in close combat.



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Spanish Heavy Infantry.Solid reliable assault infantry.Fought similar to the roman manner,minus the roman discipline and technical finesse.



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Hannibal's gallic allies provided much of his manpower in italy.Brave,impetous but fickle they had a thunderous charge-but became discouraged on being unable to break through.The gauls fought in a different manner with a slashing longsword and shield.Many shunned armour,some even fought naked[naked fanatics] to demonstrate their awesomeness.Head to head they were at a distinct disadvantage against roman legionaries unless they could catch them out of formation.The gallic heavy cavalry was however every bit a match for the romans.Hannibal used them as expendable troops.




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Hannibal's elite light cavalry-were the numidian skirmisher cavalry.Perfect for raiding and ambush,these born berber horsemen would pepper an enemy with javelins for the kill before finally finishing off the weakened foe.



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Hannibal's most formidable infantry were the african /libyan spearmen who fought in a phalanx.These veterans were well armoured and a key assault force.Behind is a carthaginian heavy cavalryman.

Last but not least,were the carthaginian african forest elephants.Though not as big as their indian counterparts they were a terrifying shock force.



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Carthage's army was thus extremely diverse and thus there was no standard carthaginian tactic as such.It all depended on the commander's ability and the troop types available.

 

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The Battle of Trebia 218 BC



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When news reached of Hannibal's crossing of the alps,In rome the senate was stunned.They had expected a leisurely war in africa and iberia.And now a carthaginian army was in italy!Hannibal had seized the initiative.In a hurry,the romans cancelled the invasion of africa and recalled sempronius from sicily to move quickly to reinforce scipio.
Hannibal meanwhile took stock of his forces-He had a mere 20,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry left to challenge the full might of Rome on its own soil.These were however his finest,veterans of conflict with man and nature.He was joined by a few celtic allies but needed a quick victory to reassure them,the elephants having done much to impress them.
Meanwhile scipio had rushed to north italy and taken command of the legions and allied forces there,he wanted to quickly locate and engage the carthaganians,whom he reasoned would be exhausted from their journey.He also wanted to prevent any celts pfrom joining them and thus hastened to action .

Near


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the River Ticinus scipio led forward an advance force of 3,000 cavalry and 7,000 light infantry to seek out the enemy.They are ambushed by hannibal's numidians and other cavalry and routed.Scipio is wounded and his life saved only by the heroic intervention of his son the young scipio[later africanus].The Battle of Ticinus River cost the romans over 2000 casualities and celts now joined hannibal en masse.Hannibal had meanwhile proceeded to destroy the ligurians-celts allied to rome.
Scipio fell back on high ground at the picaenza on the trebia river and awaited his colleague sempronius's arrival.Sempronius arrived to find scipio unable to take the field.Scipio urged caution,but sempronius resolved to remove the barbarian from italian soil and earn glory for himself in a battle as soon as possible.[his term as consul was nearing its end].Both armies now camp on opposing banks of the Trebia river.
Hannibal's force numbered 30,000.[20,000 infantry + 10,000 cavalry and 20+ elephants.]
Sempronius's Force numbered 42,000[18,000 roman infantry,20,000 italian infantry + 4,000 cavalry]


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1.Hannibal completed his preparations,chose his battlefield and then at dawn,sent his numidian light horse to attack the roman camp vigorously.
2.An enraged Sempronius pursued the numidians with his own cavalry[who turn and retreat] and marches out his whole army to cross the river and permanently punish the carthaginians.
''The day was raw; snow was falling; the troops had not yet eaten their morning meal; yet, though they had been under arms for several hours, he pushed them across the fords of the Trebia, with the water breast-high and icy-cold. Arrived on the farther side, the Roman soldiers were so chilled that they could scarcely hold their weapons. Hannibal was ready to receive them. His men had eaten, rubbed themselves with oil before their camp-fires, and prepared their weapons''
3.On crossing the river the numidians suddenly turn and begin to attack the strung out roman cavalry.
4.Sempronius Withdraws his cavalry to the flanks and pushes his light velites forward to engage the numidians.
5.The roman light troops and numidians exchange fire,casualities are light-but the velites expend all their missiles.Meanwhile both armies form up for battle.Numidians retreat to join the carthagianian cavalry.
6.Hannibal had placed his brother Mago with 1100 picked cavalry and 1100 infantry in ambush position further away behind a hill and vegetation the earlier night.



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1.The Roman skirmishers withdraw to the flanks.
2.The Roman infantry Sledgehammer advances ,sempronius and the romans in the center and italian allies on the flanks.On extreme sides are the cavalry- equally distributed with around 2,000 on each wing.
3.As the Romans advance they are harassed by the light infantry who then fall back to the flanks.
4.Hannibal places his spanish and celtic infantry in the centre Flanked by his elephants on both sides and his elite african infantry.
5.On the flanks are his cavalry 4500 on each flank.
6.Hannibal's cavalry attacks on both wings against the outnumbered roman cavalry.



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Note-[Ignore the errant white arrow along the river and out of place 4-mistake]

1.Sempronius launches his principal assault on the opposing center.
2.The outnumbered roman light infantry and cavalry are routed on both wings.
3.The exposed Roman flanks are suddenly assaulted by hannibal's light troops and african infantry.The italians begin to crumble as hannibal unleashes his war elephants who trample the packed ranks.


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[Leaving aside the historical inaccuracies in regards to this battle- An idea of an elephant assault]
4.Hannibal's cavalry wheels in attacks the rear and flanks.
5.Mago senses the moment and falls on the roman rear from his ambush position and romans are surrounded.



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1.The carthiganinians trap the romans from all sides.
2.Sempronius and his veteran roman legionaries form a hollow square and punch through the opposing centre and leave the battlefield.They retreat to camp by recrossing the river upstream.
3.A handful few allied survivors flee back.Rest are massacred.

Result -
Roman Losses had been very heavy.Almost the entire allied contingent was wiped out.26,000-28,000 in total.Losses in the following pursuit may have increased total losses to around 32,000.
Hannibal lost 4000-5000 and some elephants.Most of his losses were replaceable celts.

Causes of roman Defeat -

1]Surprise- Hannibal achieved total tactical surprise.His ambush force was in perfect position to fall on the rear of the romans at a critical hour.

2]Psycology - Knowing ur enemy's mind is half the battle.Hannibal lured his proud roman opponent into his trap .The elephants were also used as terror weapons to demoralize the enemy.

3]Arrogance - Never underestimate ur enemy is a most common maxim of war.The arrogance of sempronius and his overeagerness for battle in pursuit of personal glory worked against the romans.In his defense,the reaction of most if not all roman nobelmen would be similar.He had seriously misjudged the calibre of his opposing number.

4]Intelligence - Sempronius didn't bother at any intelligence gathering.His lack of reconssaince meant he failed to detect mago's ambuscade.

5]Preparation - Hannibal chose his battlefield,put his pieces in place and then made his move.His troops well fed,rested and warm.The impetous advance by sempronius led the hungry,cold,freezing romans to a already decided battle.This would be Rome's first taste of hannibal's tactical cunning.

6]Terrain - Hannibal chose the battlefield and placed his ambush force as well as cavalry in perfect positions to exploit his only advantage in elephants and horse.Sempronius failed as a commander as he allowed himself to be drawn into a field of battle where hannibal had ample space to manuevre his mobile assets-his strength.Thus sempronius played the game by hannibal's terms .

Next: The Battle of Lake Trasimene 217 BC.

 

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Battle of Lake Trasimene 217 BC

When news of trebia reached Rome,the senate mobilized its second wave of troops by raising four new legions.As hannibal and his army went into winter quarters,the romans elected their Consuls for the new year-Servilius geminus and Gaius Flaminius.


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Point 5 is site of Battle of Trasimene.1 and 2 denote sites of Ticinus and Trebia.

The majority of the recently conquered italian states were in the south,were hannibal expected to find allies.However to realize his aim of disintegrating the roman confederacy he had to invade southern italy.The Romans set about to prevent this.Two consular armies were stationed as blocking detatchments-
One at arretium under Flaminius with 2 newly raised legions,plus sempronius's veteran survivors of 2 further legions and allied troops for a total of around 31,000.
At ariminium ,Geminus waited with a similar force of 2 newly raised legions plus 2 veteran survivors and allied troops.The Roman plan was to pin him down with one force,and then his location being ascertained the other force would approach and crush them in a pincer.This same strategy had worked 8 years ago against a gallic invasion,which was smashed at the battle of telamon.Flaminius had led a succesful campaign against the gauls on its aftermath and was re elected consul based on his record.
But hannibal eluded and outflanked Flaminius by marching through the presumably impassable arno valley marshes and swamps.He contracted a disease in the swamps that cost hannibal his left eye.All the surviving elephants also died.However he had escaped the roman trap.
Geminus was marching to join flaminius and hannibal sought to now lure flaminius into battle before they could unite.To accomplish this he proceeded to ravage the rich countryside in full view of flaminius and even marched his army in front of his eyes.Finally an exasperated Flaminius broke camp from arretium and followed.This was not a impulsive action,but a calculated one.For the roman plan to crush hannibal between 2 armies-flaminius needed to follow hannibal,but at a distance to avoid a premature battle.


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Here coming across the lake trasimene hannibal identified a perfect Ambush site.
Hannibal - 22,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry.
Flaminius-31,000.



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To the north was a series of heavily forested hills where the Malpasso Road passed along the north side of Lake Trasimene. Along the hill-bordered skirts of the lake, Hannibal camped where he was in full view of anyone entering the northern defile, and spent the night arranging his troops for battle. Below the camp, he placed his heavy infantry upon a slight elevation. Here, they had ample ground from which they could charge down upon the head of the Roman column on the left flank, when it should reach the position. His Cavalry and Gallic infantry were concealed in the hills in the depth of the wooded valley from which the Romans would first enter, so that they could quickly sally out and close the entrance, blocking the retreat route of the Romans.

The night before the battle commenced, Hannibal ordered his men to light campfires on the hills of Tuoro, at a considerable distance, so as to convince the Romans that his forces and camp were further away than they actually were.

The morning of June 21, the Roman troops marched eastward along the road running near the northern edge of the lake,the deep morning mist and wooded hills obscuring the carthaginians from roman view.
The vanguard suddenly came across the carthaginian light troops and camp in the distance which they believed to be the rearguard and promptly charged forward to clear the way.As the whole Roman coloumn entered the defile on hannibal's signal-war cries rang out and the entire carthaginian
army charged downhill and smashed into the totally surprised romans,many of whom didn't even have time to draw their weapons.
The Carthaginian cavalry and infantry swept down from their concealed positions in the surrounding hills, blocked the road and engaged the unsuspecting Romans from three sides. Surprised and outmaneuvered, the Romans did not have time to draw up in battle array, and were forced to fight a desperate hand-to-hand battle in open order. The Romans were quickly split into three parts. The westernmost was attacked by the Carthaginian cavalry and forced into the lake, leaving the other two groups with no way to retreat. The centre, including Flaminius, stood its ground, but was cut down by Hannibal's Gauls after three hours of heavy combat.Only the vanguard managed to cut its way through but was hunted down and annhilated by maharbal's Numidians.The lake trasimene ran red with blood.

In just four hours of fighting hannibal had dealt a total defeat on the roman army in the greatest ambush in military history.

Losses - Roman losses were crushing.15,000 dead including consul flaminius[killed by a gaul with a vendetta from his campaign against them],10,000 prisoners .Of the 6,000 that escaped were also hunted down and eliminated.
Furthermore 4,000 Roman reinforcements were also intercepted and destroyed just a couple days later to add to the pain.
All this had come at a meagre price of 2500 killed.

With his way clear,hannibal now moved on southern italy.

Reasons for Roman defeat -

1]Deception - Hannibal's deception of the romans by lighting his camp fires in the far distance lured them in.The morning mist and hills completed his work.

2]Surprise - Hannibal again achieved total tactical surprise.The battle was over before it even begun.

3]Reconassaince - The romans again failed at properly scouting their advance route,a lesson they failed to learn from Trebia.

4]Terrain - Once again,hannibal chose the battlefield immaculately with his eye for the perfect ambush spot.



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The gaul Ducarius decapitates Flaminius.

Roman Response:The Unprecedented Move.

Terror and panic gripped Rome at the news of Trasimene.The senate appointed Fabius Maximus Dictator by suspending the constitution for 6 months.Fabius put into practice the 'Fabian strategy'-To avoid pitched battle at all costs and follow and harass hannibal's supply lines.Grinding him down in attrition warfare by using Rome's superior manpower.
The romans were unimpressed by these tactics and when fabius's master of horse Minicius[second in command]won a minor skirmish over the carthaginians elated they gave him equal powers to fabius and half the army.However hannibal now lured Minicus,now overconfident into a trap at the battle of geronium mauling him.On the verge of total destruction he was saved by intervention of fabius's army,on whose approach hannibal sensing a two front battle withdrew.

Soon,Fabius thought he had hannibal trapped as his army had entered a valley to gather forage with passes on all sides which the romans sealed off.Hannibal had entered a potential trap on information the city of capua,second largest in italy might defect and needed a demonstration of power nearby.Just as Fabius thought he had his man, Hannibal totally fooled the romans again.

''
Hannibal made careful preparations to break out of the trap, but not through a pitched battle as the Romans had hoped. The day before Hannibal put his plan in motion, he had most of his men eat a hearty supper and go to bed early while leaving the campfires burning. 2,000 oxen from the captured herds were selected, along with 2,000 camp followers to drive the cattle and 2,000 spearmen to guard the whole gang, cattle and all. Dry wood and fagots were tied on the horns of the oxen. An officer called Hasdrubal, in charge of army supplies as his role as Quarter master general (the same who would later lead the heavy cavalry at Cannae), oversaw the whole operation. Once the preparations were complete, this group was to move towards the pass being guarded by 4,000 Romans. However, combat with the Romans or capturing the pass was not to be their objective. There was a saddle below the camp of Fabius to the east, and on the north west of the pass, at the foot of Mount Callicula. The Carthaginian spearmen were to capture and hold the saddle. There is a story recorded by Appian (Roman History 7.3.14) that Hannibal executed 5,000 prisoners so that they would not cause trouble before the march, an incident which is not mentioned by either Polybius or Livy.


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Fabius Maximus.

The night action
At the appointed time, after the third part of the night had ended, the Carthaginian army roused itself and made ready to march as silently as possible. The picked a force with the oxen marched to the saddle, and when they approached the slopes, the wood and faggot tied to the horns were lit by the camp followers. The terrified oxen began to flee and stampede up the slopes of the saddle, creating an illusion of thousands of torches moving up the mountainside. The lights and sounds of the spectacle attracted the attention of the Romans in the camp of Fabius, and also the Roman detachment guarding the pass. The reaction of the forces were different.


Fabius refused to move from his camp despite the pleas of his officers and the urgings of Minucius. The Roman army made ready and stood at arms but did not move out. Fabius did not want to fight a night battle, fearing a Punic trick to draw the Romans into a battle over broken, uneven ground, where Roman infantry will lose their edge as their lines would be broken, and communication would be hampered. Hannibal had previously hoodwinked and destroyed two Roman armies at Trebbia and Trasimene and the cautious Fabius did not want his army to be the third. Thus, although Hannibal still managed to trick the Romans, the Romans only suffered loss of face but not the loss of another army.


The Roman force stationed at the pass, with no Fabius to restrain them, deserted their posts at the head of the pass to attack what they thought was the main Carthaginian army trying to outflank their position and escape across the saddle. As soon as the Romans left their position, Hannibal's main army left camp, with the African infantry leading, the cavalry, the baggage train and the cattle herds marching in line after them, and Celts and Iberian infantry guarding the rear. The Carthaginian army moved through the pass unmolested, as Fabius did not challenge them. The Roman force attacking the saddle was bewildered when they confronted the lights on the saddle. The cattle ran amok, breaking their lines, the Carthaginian spearmen ambushed them, and a wild melee ensued. As dawn broke to make matters clear, a group of Iberian infantry was seen scaling the saddle walls to join the ongoing pandemonium on the saddle. The Iberians, being experts in mountain warfare, engaged the now scattered Roman soldiers and killed over 1,000 of their number, and managed to rescue the Carthaginian camp followers, the spearmen guard and some of the cattle well before the main Roman army could intervene.''

This Battle at Ager Falernus waned Fabius's clout in the senate,and the romans fed up with his delaying tactics and Hannibal running rampant over Italy ,afraid that its allies would now defect didn't renew his dictatorship.Instead they took an unprecedented step and ordered the greatest mass mobilization in their history.

Next: The BATTLE OF CANNAE.

 

[asad71]

How often we have seen innovation in tactics and improvisations winning battles. Hannibal to Babur to Montgomery to Gen Giap -all were masters in these.

 

[Srinivas]

I like Hannibal, he was the one who made Rome to fall on its knees. A dare devil who made the passage through the Alps possible with shear determination. Credit also goes to his father for making Hannibal.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

THE BATTLE OF CANNAE



Finally with their patience totally exasperated-in 216 BC Rome decided to end the hanibalic threat once and for all.To do this it raised the greatest army in its history.
8 new overstrength Roman Legions were mobilized along with equal or more Allied troops.Both new consuls Paullus and Varro would combine their armies into 1 supersized juggernaut.As both consuls held equal authority,they would alternate command each day.
This was an unprecedented step-Usually Rome won its battles with 2 legions plus equal allied forces led by a consul.In emergency,the field force might be 4 legions plus equal allied foot.
The Romans thus put forward its largest field army ever-around 90,000.Bulk of it legionaries.
The total citizen manpower deployed in all theatres throughout the empire for Rome[including navy] had now exceeded 150,000.Adding the allied contingents it would be 300,000.

The romans studied their defeats and came to 3 conclusions regarding hannibal's success.
1]Prime Cause of hannibal's success was his ability to ambush the romans.The romans resolved to move cautiously with Reconssaince and give battle only on open terrain without ambush spots.

2]Another cause of the carthaginian success was its cavalry.Thus ground for battle was to be chosen to restrict its ability for manuevre and prevent it from outflanking the roman cavalry.

3]At both trebia and trasimene,the roman heavy infantry in the center had punched right through the carthaginian infantry.Thus it was reasoned,if the cavalry could hold on for long enough the legions could again rupture the carthaginian line and bring victory.To facilitate this,the maniples would strengthened and packed in greater depth for added punch.

All these were reasonable observations.



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Meanwhile Hannibal continued his rampage and seized the major Roman supply depot at cannae.The loss of their supply base as well as the commanding position cannae ofered to its holder over the sarrounding district caused consternation among the romans and they moved to oppose him.
On their way,varro succesfully repelled an attempted ambush by a small carthaginian band.This greatly bolstered roman morale,even though the encounter had been a skirmish.

Both Sides encamped on the left side[west bank] of the river aufidius with the town of cannae behind the carthaginian camp.The sheer size of the roman army intimidated the carthaginian commanders,an officer called gisgo voiced his concerns to hannibal.Hannibal is said to have replied-
"another thing that has escaped your notice, Gisgo, is even more amazing—that although there are so many of them, there is not one among them called Gisgo.''Thus hannibal was supremely confident despite the odds ranged against him.
On paullus's day he refused battle offered by hannibal on the east bank.Next day Varro,confident and somewhat vain accepted the offer.
Roman Forces - 92,000[76,000 on field.10,000 guarding camp.6,000 cavalry.]
Carthaginian forces- 50,000[8,000 african heavy infantry,6,000 spanish heavy infantry,14,000 celtic/gallic infantry,12,000 light-medium troops + 4,000 numidian light cavalry,2000 spanish heavy cavalry,4000 gallic heavy cavalry]


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Romans in RED ,carthaginians in BLUE.

As can be seen,to the romans it was a perfect battle spot.There was no vegetation for an ambush.Ground was flat but compressed as both flanks were secured by hills and the river aufidius,thus the carthaginian cavalry would have no room to manuevre or outflank the romans.
They had chosen the battlefield for the first time and had overwhelming numbers.
So why did,hannibal choose such a battlefield?He clearly understood the Roman battering ram approach.And while by densely packing their legions on the compressed space meant the carthaginian cavalry had little space for manuever it also meant roman numbers were not used to extend their own line and attempt to outflank hannibal[who due to vastly less number of troops couldn't keep up].Also the sun would be in the roman's eyes as they advanced.

1.Both sides light skirmishers engage each other as their armies deploy behind them.
2.The Roman pack their infantry into deep maniples,reducing the space between them but increasing the punch and weight.Deputy Servillius commands the infantry line.The vetarn roman legions are in the centre with the allied heavy foot on the wings.
3.Hannibal deploys his army behind the skirmisher screen in a novel convex formation,with alternate companies of spanish and celtic infantry.The veteran iberains to steady the fickle gauls.The density of the troops greatest at the centre,then falling away towards both gently refused flanks.The main goal of this formation,was to break the forward momentum of the legionary advance and slow them down to buy enough time to allow for events on other parts of the battlefield to unfold.Mago commands the centre,and here hannibal places himself.
4.The romans divide their cavalry equally on 2 flanks.3000 each.Varro commands the allied cavalry on the left flank.
5.Paullus commands the right wing cavalry again numbered 3000.The task of the roman cavalry was to hold back the opoosing cavalry at all costs long enough for the oversized manipular legions to plough through the carthaginian infantry.This would be aided by the restricted frontage of the battlefield,meaning the carthaginian cavalry would need to take the roman cavalry head on in a frontal assault to dislodge them.
6.Hannibal however,does not divide his cavalry equally among 2 wings.On the right flank he leaves maharbal with 3000-4000 numidians.
7.On the left flank hannibal concentrates his entire heavy cavalry force of gauls and iberians under hasdrubal,thus gaining a local superiority of 2 to 1 over the roman cavalry in this sector.
8.Hannibal's ace in the hole are the 2 divisions of his veteran african spearmen which he deploys further back behind the cavalry and totally unseen by the romans .


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1.Both light troops fall back.
2.Hannibal opens the battle with a massed cavalry charge from his left flank cavalry against paullus's roman cavalry.They are forced to launch a frontal assault however and the battle here is brutal and very bloody.The romans are pushed back by sheer weight of numbers.


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3.Paullus who had been injured early on by one of the bullets of a balearic slinger is dismounted by his injury.Many of his men thinking this signal dismount as well.This compounds the problems for the already faltering line and the romans are routed.
4.On the right wing hannibal instructs maharbal and his numidians to pin down varro's cavalry.This they achieve easily using their peculiar style of fighting,riding up throwing their javelins then fleeing back.This constant skirmishing causes losses in varro's line,but he is able to hold his position.
5.The roman infantry juggernaut advances rythmically.The first to make contact are the centre legions directly opposite the crescent.The hastati throw their pila and slam into the opposing ranks.
However,the momentum of the roman attack is slowed down by the peculiar formation.They also have to adjust to the alternate fighting styles of the celts and iberians.One fights with a slashing long sword,the other the thrusting short sword.
6.The legions to the immediate sides of the centre legions are instinctively drawn inward towards the nearest enemy,that is the thrust out carthaginian centre.The compression of the romans towards the centre of the line thus begins.The other legions are also being fatigued by being marched further than they should and with the sun in their eyes.
7.Meanwhile the african heavy infantry stands still deep into the carthaginian rear.Invisible to the romans among the chaos and the huge dust and also because of the light skirmisher cover nearby.



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1.Hasdrubal rallies his cavalry.He sends one contingent to keep up pursuit of the surviving roman cavalry,most of which are wiped out.
2.Then in accordance with hannibal's plan he wheels his heavy cavalry around,circling through the rear of the whole roman force.
3.Suddenly hasdrubal's force arrives at the rear of varro's italians who are crushed from both sides now and totally destroyed.
4.Meanwhile in the roman centre,paullus having survived the cavalry encounter takes command of the centre legions and urges his infantry forward.
Carthaginian crescent shape changes as roman pressure on the centre builds and more and more roman reserves are pumped in to puncture the line.At first the convex shape is pounded flat,and then pushed back and back into a concave shape.Hannibal and mago move around the line shouting encouragement to resist a while longer to gain every precious second.
With centre assuming a concave line and about to collapse,the romans sense victory and the overcrowded roman centre and reserves surge forward,rapidly filling the salient.
5.Suddenly the african infantry,hitherto uncommited are visible on the flanks as they move.In their haste to destroy the carthaginian centre,the romans had outflanked themselves!



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1.Maharbal pursues the allied italian horse survivors,again wiping most of them out.
2.The Roman centre finally breaks through as the celts collapse.
3.Suddenly the african heavy spearmen reserves swing inward in a compact Phalanx formation,lower their pikes and slam into the totally stunned roman flanks.


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4.The whole roman line loses its momentum,as the flanks densely packed due to the deep maniples try to unsuccesfully turn and face this new menace.Hannibal and mago use these few moments of hesitation to rally the survivors of the centre and the light infantry and again join the fray,thus plugging the gap in the centre.Faced with attacks from all sides,and so densely packed that they can't effectively wield their weapons-the legions begin to fall back.
5.Hasdrubal now for a second time reorganizes his heavy cavalry and crashes into the roman rear,cutting of this last escape route.



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Surrounded from all sides,unable to use their weapons due to lack of space-the depth of their own formations now turned against them-the romans are slowly slaugtered throughout the day as the carthaginians tighten the noose.Paullus is cut down with his men.The entire roman force-Rome's greatest ever field army is annihilated.Hannibal had won an unbelievable victory.

Losses-

It was the greatest battlefield victory of all time.Hannibal had successfully executed a move thought nigh-impossible - The double envelopment of an army superior in both numbers and quality.
The roman losses had been catastrophic.55,000-75,000 infantry killed.2300 cavalry dead.Further 4500 infantry and cavalry were captured shortly afterwards.80 roman senators were killed in the battle,including the consul paullus.Cream of Rome's political leadership completely wiped out in a single day.
Hannibal lost 5700 killed and more wounded.4000 gauls and 1500 spanish and africans.Plus 200 cavalry.
Cannae remained the single bloodiest day on a european battlefield till the Battle of somme 1916.



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Reasons for Roman Defeat-

1]Know Your Enemy - Hannibal knew exactly what the romans intended to do,their familiar battering ram assault being all too predictable to him.He turned his enemies greatest strength-the depth and weight of their infantry into their greatest weakness.
2]Deception - Hannibal's deception was masterly.He kept his african reserves well hidden from Roman eyes behind his cavalry.
3]Surprise - Hannibal once again achieved total tactical surprise with his libyan phalanxes.He knew the battlefield didn't allow for ambushes or outflanking.His unique deployment made sure that the romans ended up outflanking themselves.It was a gigantic ambush in open sight.
4]Leadership - The carthaginian senior commanders performed very well.Hasdrubal performed a complicated cavalry manuevre as well as reorganizing his cavalry after 2 charges.Maharbal and mago too followed their instructions to the letter.The timing of the carthaginians was superb.And on top was the genius of hannibal.
5]Concentration and economy of Force - Hannibal unlike the romans didn't split his cavalry equally,but concentrated them on his left to gain a decisive local superiority.He also kept his trump card uncommitted till the decisive moment.On the other hand,the crescent shaped formation with 2 refused flanks was the embodiment of economy of force to delay the romans with minimal forces.

Aftermath -
Cannae sent shockwaves through Rome.It was the republic's Darkest hour.In panic the senate gathered manpower from whatever source it could- criminals,freed slaves.Forces recalled from other Fronts.Full mobilization of all male manpower was declared.The walls were fortified.But hannibal never marched on rome.He sent and envoy to the senate offering moderate terms.But the senate refused to even meet him.Any other state of the ancient world would have collapsed after a series of such crushing defeats - but the romans decided to fight on.
There has been great debate as to why
hannibal didn't march on Rome immediately.Indeed maharbal urged him to saying-
'' Hannibal you know how to gain a victory ,but not how to use it''.
Later roman scholars claimed this decision saved Rome.
However recent scholars on closer inspection contend that hannibal just didn't have the manpower to lay siege to massive city like Rome with its defenses,and Rome still had manpower reserves left.A failed siege of Rome would have nullified the shock of cannae.
However the psycological impact of Hannibal's army outside Rome's gates could well have shocked the romans into a treaty.The debate continues.

Much of Sicily and all of southern italy revolted from Rome after cannae.But her closest latin allies and those in the north remained loyal upsetting hannibal's calculation.He had been a hundred years too late.These had been absorbed into the roman confederacy long ago and accepted the romans over the foreign carthaginians.Rome's Hydra like ability to come up with more men manifested itself again.
After cannae the romans never again tried to defeat hannibal in pitched battle with a single large army.Under Fabius again,they utilized several independent armies, still outnumbering the Punic forces in numbers of armies and soldiers. The war still had occasional battles, but was focused on taking strongpoints and constant fighting according to the Fabian strategy.
When hannibal's army moved to defend one allied italian town,the several idependent armies of rome would avoid pitched battle and concentrate on another carthaginian italian ally.All the while harassing his supply lines.The carthaginian politicians abandoned hannibal in italy,prioritizing reinforcements to other sectors.
Still there was one moment when the fate of the world hung in the balance.Hasdrubal,hannibal's brother arrived from iberia through the land route and attempted to link up with hannibal.If he succeeded hannibal would finally have enough manpower to directly attack Rome.However as luck would have it the romans intercepted hasdrubal's message to hannibal telling of his arrival in italy.Hasdrubal's force was intercepted and destroyed at the battle of metaurus by a desperate roman army-hannibal didn't even know he was there until it was too late and didn't move.
For 16 yrs hannibal's army in italy rampaged through italy,abandoned by his home country.He reamined undefeated winning more than 20 battles-but these were battles for strongpoints and cities.Not pitched battles of the earlier scale.


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As roman armies defeated carthage's remaining generals in iberia and scipio africanus invaded africa and defeated 2 more carthaginian armies,the carthaginian senate recalled hannibal from italy for a last hopeless battle with hastily raised levies against scipio's veterans and the now defected numidian cavalry,allied to rome at Zama.His first and only defeat.
Hannibal remains a tragic hero of sorts.A man so brilliant that he single handedly brought the greatest Superpower of his time to the brink of destruction by sheer force of will and imagination.Rome never forgot hannibal,even hundreds of years later in the heydays of the roman empire after carthage had faded from memory-a crisis was answered with the rallying cry,'Hannibal at the gates'.
He remained to history Rome's greatest enemy and her worst nightmare.In this hannibal kept his oath.

Legacy-
Cannae remained the holy grail for tactical perfection for future commanders.From frederick,moltke,eisenhower all tried to recreate a modern cannae.
Germany's masterplan for World war I the Schlieffen Plan was to be the german general staff's modern recreation of cannae.
Hannibal remains one of history's greatest commanders,and if a man is to be measured by his enemies, arguably the greatest of antiquity.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

How often we have seen innovation in tactics and improvisations winning battles. Hannibal to Babur to Montgomery to Gen Giap -all were masters in these.

Montgomery wasn't really known for some tactical brilliance.Won through superiority in material and firepower and good organiznational skill.Babur and Giap though great commanders in their own right would still not be in hannibal's league.

Is the Roman tactics section clear to everyone?Coz its a little complicated.Don't mind asking if anyone has any confusion.Thanks.

 

[notorious_eagle]

@AUSTERLITZ

Well done, you have outdid yourself here.

We all will be waiting for your further analysis of Battle of Zama. Finally Hannibal meets his match here in the form of Scipio Africanus. Scipio had read Hannibal so well just like Hannibal had read the Romans in the past.

 

[asad71]

Montgomery wasn't really known for some tactical brilliance.Won through superiority in material and firepower and good organiznational skill.Babur and Giap though great commanders in their own right would still not be in hannibal's league.

Is the Roman tactics section clear to everyone?Coz its a little complicated.Don't mind asking if anyone has any confusion.Thanks.

I agree with you. My point was regarding innovation and improvisation.Montgomery,though not brilliant enough (perhaps his boss Alexander was more of that) did resort to ruses to fox the Germans.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

@AUSTERLITZ

Well done, you have outdid yourself here.

We all will be waiting for your further analysis of Battle of Zama. Finally Hannibal meets his match here in the form of Scipio Africanus. Scipio had read Hannibal so well just like Hannibal had read the Romans in the past.

Zama really was a near hopeless battle for Hannibal.Bulk of his infantry was fresh levies,except for his surviving veterans to face scipio's veteran legions.He was totally outmatched in cavalry due to the defection of numidians.Even his elephant corps was hastily raised and poorly trained.Still it was nearly even till the cavalry returned.And in scipio he faced a superb commander who countered the elephant move ingeniously.But still scipio himself considered hannibal the greatest general.Hannibal himself was much more modest,when scipio and hannibal met many years later in asia minor-scipio asked hannibal who he ranked as the greatest general.
Hannibal ranked alexander first,pyrrhus second and himself third.When scipio countered what about his defeat at zama,hannibal said that if he had won at zama he would place himself as the greatest.
In any case ther was no comparison between hannibal and alexander's opposition and resources available to each.

Thank you all for the great response.I'll get started with Yarmuk and Leuthen now.