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Hannibal at Zama

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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Hannibal at Zama
    Posted: 11-Aug-2012 at 15:13
Could Hannibal have done anything more to beat Scipio at Zama? I'm talking on a tactical level. I'm of the opinion of Lazenby, with the forces he had he used all his old genius he just didn't have the materials. He expertly negated Scipio's attempts at hitting his flanks and did his best to make up for his cavalry deficiency. He used his third lined as a clear reserve and tried to break Scipio before his cavalry came back and nearly did so.
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  Quote Toltec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Aug-2012 at 18:23
He could have not waited for the outcome of the cavalry battle and pushed home with his third line of veterans, defeated Scipio's infantry and then been able to repel the Roman cavalry. Or he could have not sent his cavalry out of sight to attack the Roman cavalry at all, instead sent them into Scipio's flanks while the Roman cavalry was still absent.
 
Sending your cavalry out of your sight, then halting the battle for them to return victorious proved to be over confidence in his cavalry's ability. Napoleon was said a general should ask himself what he would do if an opponent came from a direction and if he has no answer, he has a bad plan. Hannibal had no answer to what if his cavalry lost.


Edited by Toltec - 11-Aug-2012 at 18:25
Stupidity got us into this mess, why can't it get us out?

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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Aug-2012 at 18:33
What? He couldn't rush in with his third line their were two lines in front, feeding it in would take away its decisiveness. The cavalry battle took all of two minutes or so. The cavalry were absent due to Scipio's cavalry chasing Hannibal's routed cavalry. His cavalry was attacked by the Roman cavalry after a few rogue elephants disturbed its formation. It was never out of sight until it was defeated. Hannibal was not waiting for his cavalry. He was doing all he could to finish the battle before Scipio's victorious cavalry returned which nearly worked.
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  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-Aug-2012 at 19:08
What if Hannibal encased his elephants in armor plate, protecting them from the Roman spears and preventing them running amok?
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-Aug-2012 at 19:09
Its possible yet if the elephants weren't even trained and were very young whats the chance theyd get armor?
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  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Sep-2012 at 19:08
What if more Italian towns sided with Hannibal rather than Rome, providing much-needed reinforcements? Or Rome's slaves (led by a Spartacus-like character) revolted, forcing the legions to return to crush the insurgency?
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Sep-2012 at 19:16
There were very few slaves compared to Spartacus' time during the Punic War and Hannibal could ravage thr countryside as he chose which is where the slaves would be. Which Italian cities? If Ertruria or the Latin cities had revolted that would've had a huge impact.
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