Read Total War Rome: Destroy Carthage for Free Online Page B

in North Africa that had forced Hannibal to surrender and the city of Carthage to lay itself at Scipio’s mercy, almost thirty-five years ago now.
    The table was lit by four candles at each corner, and by an open skylight in the roof. In the gloom Fabius could make out a dozen or so figures standing back in the shadows, including the bearded figure of Polybius, taller than the rest and some fifteen years older, attending today as their professor in order to better his understanding of Roman tactics for a special volume in the Histories that he was writing.
    Scipio was leaning forward with his hands on the table, staring intently. Fabius quietly passed him the bronze greaves he had been carrying, and Scipio put them on, deftly tying them behind his legs and nodding acknowledgement to Fabius before looking at the table again, concentrating. Fabius knew the protocol. They had finished reconstructing the actual battle, and now were entering the realm of speculation. Each one in turn would come up to the table and alter a series of variables, and the next would suggest possible outcomes. It was a game of tactics and strategy to show how easily the course of history could have been altered. Scipio as leader of the group was the last player, and Polybius as the previous player had set him the challenge.
    â€˜You’ve taken away the Celtiberians,’ Scipio muttered.
    â€˜They’re mercenaries, remember?’ Polybius replied. ‘Almost the entire Carthaginian army is mercenary. I’ve imagined that on the eve of battle they’ve demanded their pay, and Carthage has no gold left. So they’ve melted away into the night.’
    Another voice piped in. ‘Have you heard the rumour that the Carthaginians have revived the Sacred Band? An elite unit made up entirely of Carthaginian noblemen. They say it’s been resurrected in secret, for the last defence of Carthage, should we attack again.’
    Scipio looked up. ‘My friend the playwright Terence told me that too. He was brought up in Carthage, so should know. But it’s irrelevant to the game. At Zama it’s the year 551 ab urbe condita, and the Sacred Band was annihilated years before.’ He turned back to the diorama. ‘So, removing the Celtiberians makes Roman victory even more assured.’
    â€˜Not necessarily,’ Polybius replied. ‘Look at your food supplies.’
    Scipio glanced at a cluster of coloured counters behind the Roman lines, and grunted. ‘You’ve depleted it by three quarters. What happened?’
    â€˜In the lead-up to the battle the Romans ravaged the land, taking all of the crops at once instead of foraging carefully with a view to a long campaign. For three weeks before the battle the legionaries have lived on half-rations.’
    â€˜So, morale plummets. And physical ability. An army lives on its stomach.’
    â€˜And I’ve made another change, the third one I’m allowed. Scipio Africanus, your grandfather, has told the legionaries that there will be no looting in Carthage if they take the city. All of the treasures stolen by the Carthaginians from the Greeks in Sicily will be returned.’
    â€˜Even worse,’ Scipio muttered. ‘No food, no loot.’
    â€˜But there is one saving factor,’ Polybius said.
    â€˜What’s that?’
    Polybius came forward out of the shadows. ‘Another change: my fourth and final one. Five years before, Scipio Africanus has been allowed by the Senate to create a professional army. He has set up an academy for officers, the first ever in Rome, in the old Gladiator School, identical to the academy here today. As a result, when the legionaries go to war they have the pride and solidarity of a professional army. They fight for one another, for their honour, and not for loot. And the officers have simulated past battles just as we are doing, they’re always one step ahead of the enemy. So they win the battle, as we