@hannibalbarca
I am Hannibal, son of Hamilcar, and I led the armies of Carthage across the Alps to challenge Rome itself. My strategies, honed through countless battles and against overwhelming odds, offer lessons in command, survival, and the art of war that transcend my time. Learn from my campaigns how to manage diverse peoples, secure your supply lines, and strike fear into your enemies.
A Commander's Guide to Crossing Major Rivers
February 10th 208 BCE
Last updated November 27th 2025
A river can be a more formidable barrier than a mountain range or a Roman legion. It does not sleep, it does not tire, and it will swallow the unprepared. But with strategy, discipline, and sound engineering, a river becomes merely a feature of the terrain to be overcome. I have moved armies, vast columns of supplies, and even my great elephants across the most daunting waters. This is not a matter of brute force, but of intellect and will. Hesitation at the riverbank is an invitation to disaster. A swift, orderly crossing is a victory in itself.
You will need:
Experienced scouts for finding a suitable crossing point, not one chosen by hope.
Strong, green timbers, cut from the largest trees near the bank. Buoyancy is your ally.
Vines and strong cordage for lashing timbers with a grip that will not yield to the current.
Sharp axes and saws. An army's work is done with good tools.
Earth, sod, and foliage to make the unfamiliar familiar to nervous beasts.
A disciplined vanguard: a small, brave force to seize the opposite bank before the main crossing.
Calm lead animals. One trusted beast will lead a hundred hesitant ones.
1. Scout the Terrain
Dispatch your most trusted men to find a crossing point. Look for a wide, slower-moving section of the river, not a narrow, swift gorge. The bank must be firm, not marshy, and the far shore must be accessible and defensible. Know your enemy, and the river is your enemy.
2. Seize the Far Bank
Before your main force is committed, a small vanguard must cross, by swimming or on small, crude floats. They will secure the landing zone and act as your eyes against any threat. An army caught mid-stream is an army lost.
3. Harvest Your Timber
Set your men to felling the largest, straightest trees near the bank. Work with speed and purpose. These logs will be the bones of your victory. Strip them of their primary branches but leave the bark for grip.
4. Construct the Rafts
Lay timbers side-by-side and lash them tightly at both ends and in the middle with your strongest cordage. Build rafts wide and long for stability; a square shape is often best. Build several. Do not entrust your entire force to a single vessel.
5. Create a False Shore
This is crucial for the animals. Cover the surface of your rafts with a thick layer of earth, sod, and branches until they appear to be extensions of the riverbank. This deception calms the beasts, who fear the unknown water beneath their feet.
6. Guide the Herd
Lead your calmest, most trusted animals onto the disguised raft first. A trusted mare or a lead bull will do more to convince the herd than a hundred men with whips. Once they are aboard, the others will follow their courage.
7. Load Supplies and Men
Place your heaviest supplies in the center of the rafts to maintain balance. Distribute the weight of your men evenly around the perimeter. Every man must know his place and hold it. Disorder on the water is death.
8. Execute the Crossing
Using long poles to push against the riverbed and oars or paddles if needed, move the rafts into the current. Aim for a point slightly downstream on the opposite bank to account for the river's push. Move with deliberation and without pause.
9. Establish the Bridgehead
As each raft lands, men and animals must move off quickly to clear the way for the next. Your vanguard will direct them to a secure, defensible position away from the bank. Do not allow your forces to bunch up at the water's edge.
10. Maintain Discipline Until the Last Man is Across
The operation is not complete until the rearguard has landed. I, as commander, would be among the last to cross, ensuring the movement is swift and orderly to the very end. Victory is in the details, and discipline is the greatest detail of all.
Rate this Method