Ambush

The jungle provided cover for ambushes: fighters could hide, attack passing troops and then retreat. Mines and booby traps threatened soldiers even when no enemy was visible. This made movement dangerous and meant that American troops could suffer casualties without having an obvious target to fight back against.

Hannibal prepared an ambush along the restricted route beside Lake Trasimene. During the night he occupied the surrounding hills. Polybius places Hannibal with Spanish and Libyan troops on the hill ahead, Balearic slingers and spearmen on lower slopes, and cavalry and Celtic troops in an extended line reaching back to the entrance of the pass.