How would you have changed the battle?

[floofthegoof]

That's what always happens in the simulations. The Romans face outboard, counterattack, break through, turn around and start attacking the flanks and rear of the Carthaginians. It works every time. However, that's not what happened at Cannae.

When panic sets in, all military strategy goes out the window.

From what I have read of early Roman history, I get the feeling that in the time of Hannibal, Roman methods were designed to win a simple, stand up fight. I don't think 'strategy' was ever used against them before Hannibal. The importance of holding the flanks was completely unknown to them if you look at accounts of previous battles.

Conversely, it seems that every Carthaginian battle I read about, no matter who the commander is, an attempt is made to press inward from two overstrength flanks. I think the Carthaginians just came up with a method that the rest of the world wasn't ready for, similar to the German blitzkreig of WW2.

Plenty of counter-strategies are available when the threat is known and analyzed, but if you don't know it, the results are complete and devestating. There's really nothing you can do differently unless you can see into the future, but if you can see into the future, you can't fail to be victorious.