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This battle (which is variously dated
between 269-265 BC) was part of the chain of events that led to
the 1st Punic War between Rome and Carthage,
though neither of those powers was directly involved in it.
At the river Longanus on the plain of Mylae on the north
coast of Sicily a few miles west of Messana, Hiero of Syracuse
decisively defeated the Mamertines. The
Mamertines were a band of Campanian mercenaries
named after their war god who
had seized Messana some years before. After
their defeat at Longanus, the Mamertines would be on
the defensive. Their pleas for help along with the intervention
of the Carthaginians (they seized Messana’s
citadel not long after the battle) would lead
to Roman interest in Sicily.
In the battle, a concealed ambush, made up of some of
Messana’s original inhabitants and a picked unit from Syracuse, managed
to take the Mamertines by
surprise.
Armies:
Syracusans ( II/9):
1 x Cv or 4 Sp (Gen), 6 x 4 Sp, 1 x 4 Sp or 3 Wb, 1
x 4 Ax or 3 Cv, 1 x 3/4 Ax or Art, 1 x 2 Lh, 1 x 2 Ps.
Mamertines (Campanians,
II/8b): 1 x 3 Cv (Gen), 1 x 3 Cv, 4 x 4 Sp,
4 x 4 Ax, 2 x 2 Ps.
Deployment: The Mamertines are on the
defensive. To simulate the historical ambush,
anytime after turn two, from 2 to 4 elements of the Syracusan
force (reserved for this purpose) can enter any board edge
(including the littoral edge as a littoral landing) as long as
they are at least 600 paces
away from the Mamertines’ camp. The normal
Syracusans littoral option is replaced by this
Ambush force.
Terrain: Littoral
with a river (the River
Longanus) as one of the options. Steep hill and BUA must be
excluded as an option.
Victory Conditions: Standard DBA
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