In 272 BC, though I can't remember that much, IIRC there was a Carthaginian fleet that sailed to Tarentum, years after Pyrrhus had abandoned them and gone to chase ambitions in Macedonia and Hellas, and the city was either being besieged or taken, that left without initiating hostilities. In addition, in the city of Rhegion, there was a detachment of the Roman army that turned traitor and seized the city, originally being charged to protect it from Pyrrhus. What if the First Punic War broke out 8 years earlier, in 272 BC, over these incidents? Carthage picks up the coalition of Italic allies Pyrrhus built, plus the traitors in Rhegion, and a diplomatic incident involving the capture of a high-ranking Carthaginian nobleman and the detainment of the fleet is enough to spiral into war? How different would the strategic situation be? Would Hiero II maintain his alliance with Carthage, and how would the initial conflict play out in Sicily? Rome is more devastated, but has more soldiers left over from the Pyrrhic Wars, what effect would that have? And how would the Mamertines play into this?