Pyrrhus 277 BC: Sicily Hypothetical

[MengJiao]

  Well, Pyrrhus did go to Sicily in 278-276 BC or so.  Most of the island rallied to him since the Carthegians sort of thought he would just go away...which in fact he did eventually, but not quite as quickly as Mago (the Carthegian bigwig on the spot).  Mago might have been able to get most of the western part of the island to move against Pyrrhus and in this case we have supposed that Pyrrhus has ambushed his ambushers crossing a river early in the morning.  Pyrrhus is outnumbered in everything except heavy infantry, catapults and elephants, but he has the high ground in a central position and his enemies are in the middle of crossing a river at two points.  Seems like a possible win for Pyrrhus.  Here he has unleashed the elephants in the dawn's early light against the enemy light troops crossing the river.  Note that Pyrrhus' Gauls are slower, but more cohesive (though less numerous):

 

[MengJiao]

  Well, Pyrrhus did go to Sicily in 278-276 BC or so.  Most of the island rallied to him since the Carthegians sort of thought he would just go away...which in fact he did eventually, but not quite as quickly as Mago (the Carthegian bigwig on the spot).  Mago might have been able to get most of the western part of the island to move against Pyrrhus and in this case we have supposed that Pyrrhus has ambushed his ambushers crossing a river early in the morning.  Pyrrhus is outnumbered in everything except heavy infantry, catapults and elephants, but he has the high ground in a central position and his enemies are in the middle of crossing a river at two points.  Seems like a possible win for Pyrrhus.

  About half an hour into the battle and Pyrrhus is getting his forces in order, though his loses are pretty heavy.  He still has the high ground and the elephants and more heavy infantry and more catapults so maybe he'll win this one:

[MengJiao]

  About half an hour into the battle and Pyrrhus is getting his forces in order, though his loses are pretty heavy.  He still has the high ground and the elephants and more heavy infantry and more catapults so maybe he'll win this one:

  A little later and loses are about equal while Pyrrhus' line is holding -- but how much more hammering can it take?  Of course, Mago's loses might get to the point that his army breaks first:

[MengJiao]

  About half an hour into the battle and Pyrrhus is getting his forces in order, though his loses are pretty heavy.  He still has the high ground and the elephants and more heavy infantry and more catapults so maybe he'll win this one:

  A little later and loses are about equal while Pyrrhus' line is holding -- but how much more hammering can it take?  Of course, Mago's loses might get to the point that his army breaks first:

  Ugh...curtains for Pyrrhus: the Syracusians held out well, but the Carthegenians rolled over everyone else.  Hamilicar killed Nicanor and that was it -- the Pyrrhratic army broke and Pyrrhus left Sicily earlier than he wanted to.