Campaign turn 2 / 3 and the Battle of Pisae

Following the Battle of Trebbia there is a lull in the fighting as both sides seek to improve and consolidate their positions. It turns out that Rome has few cards on which it can activate its generals and Carthage fails to take advantage. 

(C = Carthage, R = Rome, # = Strategy card ID number played)

C4: Carthage places three political control (PC) markers in Corsica Sardinia and gains majority control of the islands.

R46: Event "Recruit Auxiliaries". Scipio is reinforced with 2 CU.

C42: Rome lost control of Croton in Lucania due to the political repercussions of  Battle of Trebbia - Carthage takes control of the port.

R61: PC marker placed in Alena (Corsica).

C50: Event "Adriatic Pirates". Hanno hires fast pirate ships to transport him to Croton. (The cards and circumstances are falling nicely for Carthage).

R58: PC marker in Arni in Apulia (lost due to the political repercussions of  Battle of Trebbia).

C5: Hanno marches to Panormus in Sicily.

R15: PC marker in Nice (Massilia).

C55: PC marker flipped in Panormus in Sicily and a PC marker is put in Nuoro in Idubeda (Spain).

R31: PC marker in Druentia (Gaul).

C63: PC markers in Narbo, Emporae and Nemausus (Massilia).

R7: PC marker in Rhone.

Turn 3.

Political Consequences of Turn 2: Rome loses 2 PC markers (Druentia and Rhone).

Roman Elections: Flaminius is made Proconsul in Rome. Paulus and Fabius are elected as Consuls. Fabius takes over the army in the north, Paulus controls the army in Rome.

R37: Rome plays first with a "Minor Campaign" card. Flaminius sails from Rome to Sassar on Sardinia. Paulus marches north to Pisae dropping a CU at Cosa as he goes.

C52: Event "Pestilence". Fabius loses 2 CU.

R44: Event "Recruit Auxiliaries". Fabius reinforced with 2 CU.

C3: Hanno atempts to march back into southern Italy but Rome counters with a bad weather card and he is halted at Messana.

R30: PC markers in Cosa and Pisa (Etruria) and Sassar (Sardinia).

C26: Event "Syracuse Allies with Carthage". Wow!!!

R21: Flaminius tours Sardinia (Sassar to Sassar) dropping a CU at Garales and Nuoro.

C34: Major Campaign card. Hanno marches to Heraclea. Mago leaves Hannibal and moves onto Nice. Hannibal marches south and attacks Paulus at Pisae.

THE BATTLE OF PISAE

Paulus 8 CU plus 2 CU for allies.
Hannibal 7 CU plus 1 CU for allies.

Hannibal plays Ally Deserts and takes a CU off Paulus. They will have 9 CU each.

Hannibal will have a hand of 7 Commands and Colors cards. Paulus will have a hand of 5 cards.

 Both sides deploy. The deployment is not balanced. Note the lines of small yellow pin heads which mark the Commands and Colors table sectors (left right centre) - they are small enough to be unobtrusive but large enough not to go unnoticed.

 Rome goes for an unbalanced deployment with weight in the centre and on their right.

 Carthage opens hostilities with a rapid attack against the lightly held Roman left.

 Rome presses an attack on their right.

 The centres advance upon each other and the skirmishers do their worst.

 Carthage commands the summit of the hill in their centre left...

 ....and makes a strong flanking attack from the direction of the hill in their centre right. Here the Romans are hard pressed. 

The Romans swing onto the opposite wing of Carthage - the battle is slowly turning anti-clockwise.

 Carthage is winning on their right.

 The centre is yet to come fully to grips.

 Rome holds a marginal advantage on their own right.

The battle will be continued next Wednesday evening.