This being a report of the tenth battle in the fictional miniatures campaign entitled "The Macedonian & Punic Wars". The battle was resolved using DBM 3.0.

For many years the Gallic Confederation and successive Roman armies have fought over the provinces of Northern Italy. Casualties continue to mount as one after another Roman armies are defeated in the battles of the northern and central provinces. Indeed the Gallic host was only thrown back from the gates of Roma by the intervention of a Syracusan army.  Now, as before, the two armies come together in yet another conflict, but now the Romans have advanced back across the original border into the Gallic homeland of the Boii.

As the villages throughout the province of Boii began the great harvest of 232BC the Romans under Consul Lepidus deployed for battle against the Gallic host commanded by Aneroestes. After the loss of several armies under lesser generals Lepidus found his army now deep in the rear of the Gallic provinces having marched with great skill into the enemies homeland.

Lepidus's veteran legions amounted to 18,000 Roman and Italian foot in regular legions consisting of Hastati and Principes along with Triarii and Velites. Supporting the legions were some 3000 Roman and Italian cavalry[1]. Notably absent from Lepidus's command were the Italian light troops [2] so often seen in the battles of the Gallic Wars which have now been fought in the Italian peninsular for the last five years.

Aneroestes meanwhile commanded a great host amounting to no less than 35,000 warriors [3]. However Aneroestes was devoid of mounted troops and indeed faced the Romans with no cavalry. This issue alone was to have great effects on the results of the battle. It would seem that this is often a Gallic practice as the battle at Massilia during 240BC the Gallic forces also deployed for battle with little cavalry.

Lepidus determined to attempt to concentrate his outnumbered legions against the Gallic defenders and quickly carry the attack to the enemy before his flanks could be swamped by the mad rushes of the Celtic warriors now deployed before him. Deploying in depth, but without the support of the Italian infantry who fight in loose formations Lepitus hoped to defeat the barbarians with well drilled regular formations of close fight foot. A small body of Tarantine cavalry was posted to the extreme right flank in an attempt to delay a large allied tribe. It was obvious that this tribe was to be launched on the Roman flank so Lepitus was in no doubt that his attacks must be executed with vigour and courage.

Lepitus rode along the lines of his veterans and as the Romans hailed his courage and trumpets sounded many of the veterans must have wondered the future as many new only to well the history of the wars. For some five years Rome had seen the defeat all of her armies at the hands of the barbarians. Indeed not one victory had been won in open battle against the barbarians. Was the second battle of Boii, fought only miles from the earlier battle which hailed the beginning of the wars to be any different to all the others? Lepidus ordered the immediate advance of the legions.

Aneroestes meanwhile was somewhat surprised at the frontage taken up by the Romans, some of his veterans reminded him of the battle at Massilia where a Greek army also had formed in depth. He at once realised the risk he himself took of being outflanked as a considerable gap existed between the two tribes making up his army. While the allied tribe was ordered forward Aneroestes determined to push forward and destroy the Roman infantry before the Roman Velites and cavalry could attack his flanks. The warriors with trumpets sounding and shields clashing advanced.

The initial clashes occurred on the flank of Aneroestes main body as the Roman Velites and cavalry pushed forward. Much to Lepidus's alarm these attacks were repulsed and still the Gauls advanced. As the barbarians closed on the Hastati the warriors broke into a wild run at the Roman lines. The wild rush was to much for the first line and the Hastati of the Roman left broke. The Principes then closed to restore order, but they to broke as the unstoppable warriors pushed forward clambering over the dead. Lepidus's heart sank for in just 30 minutes his left flank was in disarray and the army was close to demoralisation. Desperately he transferred Principes from the centre to hold the left and ordered the centre and right of his line to charge forward in a desperate attack. Once these orders were issued he focussed on the right flank where he ordered the cavalry forward in one final attack.

Suddenly the gods smiled on Lepidus. All along the line the legions advanced knowing that the freedom of the Roman world rested on them and with great strength fell on the disorganised Gauls. Attacked by these veterans the Gallic will to fight disappeared and while one moment a Gallic victory was almost guaranteed suddenly the Gallic host broke.

Lepitus at once ordered a pursuit and in the following hours and late into the night the once great barbarian host was pursued until it was scattered. Gallic casualties amounted to some 30,000 warriors while Roman casualties amounted to just 3000 citizens. Aneroestes was killed in the retreat.