I am Scipio

Before writing about Scipio's glorious (or ridiculous) victory at the gates of Carthage, just a quick word to say that it's like an ants nest outside the Casa Epictetus: frenzied activity, but everyone seems to know exactly what they are doing. Readers can rest assured that no one can put on a major sporting event like the British.

A fire engine gets stuck under the finish line at this week's Otley Cycle Races

Anyway, Scipio defeated a force three times larger; a fact that made no more sense than his defeat at the hands of a force half his own in the the previous battle. It was a combination of the terrain, the effect of having a higher command number and the allocation of victory points. The three of us involved have different interpretations of the exact issues, but I for one really don't think it's working. We shall certainly be changing the rules for the hastati - redesignating them as medium - but whether the triple acies is reflected in any movement or morale sense is up to James and will come as a surprise next week.

Peter's favourite film

Anyway, I have finished yet another turn in front and have an established - if small - base in North Africa with a reasonable sized force in place to first destroy the Carthaginian field army and then besiege Carthage. That's the plan anyway.

In other news my walls have turned up so a siege is back on the menu. Still missing are my War of the Spanish Succession troops. Regular readers will recognise the irony in this, because I didn't really want to do it in the first place. If ever there was a benefit to being a major Stoic philosopher it is now.

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters" - Epictetus the Stoic