How the Pavo Family Changed the World (Rome AAR)

Well, I got bored and decided to organize my recollections of my long campaign. This is my v0.80 Romani campaign that I started about a week or so after the release of v0.80. To save this campaign I came up with a fix for the AI turn rebelling city CTD. This is my longest EB campaign (due to the 4tpy, the longest RTW, most likely).

"House Rules":
-(Near) Historic Legions

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Half Legions (near the beginning):
General
2 Hastati
2 Pricepes
1 Triarii
1 Roman Cavalry
2-4 mixed avxilias (Rorarii, Accenii, Levies, Samnites, Greeks, Gauls)

Full Stack Legions:
Early:
General (or two)
2 Roman Cavalry
4 Hastati
4 Pricepes
2 Triarii
2 avxilias (C:Rorarii, P:Velites)
4 avxilias (missile)

Marian:
General (or two)
2 Cavalry (usually regional Avxila)
10 Legionary Cohorts
2 Antesignani
4 avxilias (usually missile)
sometimes a seige engine

Imperial:
General (or two)
2 Cavalry Avxilia (Ala if no regional Avxila nearby)
10 Legionary Cohorts
2 Avxilia Spearmen
4 Missile Avxilias (Saggitarius Auxilia if possible)
sometimes a seige engine

-I will often have a small group of reinforcements/replacements following every legion

-Legions must be lead by Generals
-Roleplay Generals (usually just basic, like pleb v patrician)
-Bridge battles for 'Peacetime' only
-Somewhat historical expansion and treatment of other factions
-No slinger abuse (4 per legion max)
-No mercenary abuse (only to augment depleted troops - or in times of dire need - or roleplaying, I guess)
-Don't start any wars (at least in the same way that Rome "didn't start any wars")
-Early on I cheated to help the Germania, Parthia, and Saka Rauka and to hinder Baktria
-Built in house rules - like city restrictions and helping and hindering through script
-Enforced 'Peacetime' (I exploit AI stupidity and sometimes cheat to make peace where the AI is too stupid to accept it [never if I plan a war or expect a war with a particular faction sometime soon])
-I use a system of family run districts - different families run different parts of my empire (usually originally conquered by that family)
---The size of the district depends on the size of the family

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

To the best of my recollection: (mostly for my own keeping track purposes)
Asina - Italia
Caesar - Sicilia
Scipio Africanvs - Africa
Trifer - Illyria
Marivs - Thrace
? - Dacia
none (Glycoricvs family died out) - Makedonia
random inlaws to some family - Greece
Scipio - Asia (Ionia)
Blasio - Asia (Pontus)
Rvso - Bosphoria & Armenia
Macrinvs - Media
? - Syria
Eborivs - Judaea
Victor Asiaticvs - Babylonia & Elymais
Pavo - Aegyptvs
Nenevs - Upper Egypt & Nubia
none - Tripoli & Cyrenica
Gessivs - Iberia
Cotta - NIberia, SGaul, Massilia
Pavo - Gaul & Germania
Cotta Brittanicvs - Briton

---When a family gets too big, I'll break off branches and send them to regions that are low on governors
---I give each district a capital
---I try to make the first born of the first born (the patriach) of each family govern the capital
---I will send governors who spawn in Rome to their appropriate districts
-I cheat to move governors to their assigned town (but not generals) (governors are one guy, generals are a group of horsemen)

One thing I noticed about my campaign a while back was that the Pavo family had defined just about every major event in the Roman Republic since about 230BC. So This is the story of that family...

Here is an overview of my campaign with Roman conquests every ten years:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

264:https://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9226/264jz7.jpg
Rome defeats Epirus and liberates southern Italia. The First Punic War begins.
251:https://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2295/251rk4.jpg
The first Punic war ends quickly with Rome taking Sicilia. Rome allies with Emporion and Seguntum. Carthage attacks Roman allies and the Second Punic War begins. Carthage loses her island holdings and eventually Iberia.
240:https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/6162/240za0.jpg
Epirus blockades Tarentum. With Carthage weakened and no fear of Phyrrus, Rome invades Epirus. After Epirus falls, Rome helps her Greek allies by defeating Macedonia. After Macedonia falls, Greeks betray the Romans. Rome allies with Egypt, enemy to the Greeks. Greeks fall with little effort to the great general Victor.
231:https://img209.imageshack.us/img209/5002/231gg5.jpg
The Third Punic War starts when Carthaginian Warships attack Roman transports near Sicilia. The last of the Carthaginian upper class die in the siege of Carthage. Pergamum 'allies' with Rome. Roman legions march from Italia, Illyria, Macedonia, to Thrace to open trade routes to the East.
221:https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5966/221gp0.jpg
During this decade two nations betrayed Rome. In Africa the armies of Ptolemai marched on Lepsis Magna. Though Lepsis narrowly avoided defeat, Roman forces in Asia (much superior to Ptolemaic forces) crush city after city in revenge for Africa - a second victory for the Victor family. Meanwhile in Iberia, Iberian armies attack Roman cities after a Roman army is amushed in Celtiberia - while performing "peaceful exploration".
211:https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/530/211qi8.jpg
This is where everything started looking up for Rome. The Iberian Wars end, but the Roman forces are too depleated to continue north. Rome fails to send reinforcement because all resources are directed east. Victor and Blasio defeat Seleucid army after Seleucid army and take Asia, Syria, and Judaea from Seleucia and Ptolemai. Meanwhile Nvmerivs Pavo defends against Gallic aggression.
201:https://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9437/201zt3.jpg
Power consolidated in Asia. Pavo defeates Gaul. Pavo reforms the outdated Roman military system.
190:https://img294.imageshack.us/img294/4572/190bxj6.jpg
War with the Seleucids continues. Ptolemai has too much pride to see when he is defeated. Tired of continual raids, Roman legions march on Numidia.
180:https://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5163/180pl8.jpg
Rome consolidates power along the Rhine and Danube - allied with both Germania and Dacia. Mauretania's resources collected for the glory of Rome. Ptolemai's pride brings the fall of Eqypt. Within a year, Rome rules the most fertile valley in the known world - Ptolemai flees and cowers in fear. In the north a single legion, under the Rvso family, defeats more than ten thousand greeks and nomads to take Bosphoria. Rome looks with causion to the arising eastern empire.
170:https://img520.imageshack.us/img520/8139/170aj8.jpg
Cottas invade Britain. Victors invade Babylon. Rome consolidates power.
160:https://img234.imageshack.us/img234/5417/160kt5.jpg
From the south an army of Greeks and Nubians attack Thebais. Rome marches south to finish off the aging Ptolemai. Armenian allies to Ptolemai rise against Rome. With the loss of nearly two legions, Rome takes Armenia and makes the capital a subjugated nation. An unexpected peace is reached in Britain.
150:https://img79.imageshack.us/img79/9873/150wv2.jpg
Parthia attacks the Roman Republic. Armenia sides with Parthia and loses here independance as a result. To fund the war in the east Rome conquers the gold mines of Dacia - under a new Pavo - a Pavo with high ambitions and plans for the Roman world.
140:https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/17/140aq4.jpg
With a difficult war underway in Persia, none of the three powers seeking control gain or lose ground. After a Germanian raiding party bypasses Roman defenses by crossing the Rhine delta, war breaks out on the northern frontier. A new Nvmerivs Pavo leads four legions to victory and expand Roman influence to the Elba river.
130:https://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4394/130oc1.jpg
Dacian victory Pavo assends to the throne and becomes the first emporer of Rome. The new emperor lowers taxes, reforms the military, grants citizenship, gives away land, and seeks peace with all who will have it - only Parthia and Germania refuse. Dispite better advice, a mad Roman general marches against the remaining Dacian armies. The madman earns a triumph (not really - but he should have - he was renamed Dacicus). Roman forces attack Media on orders of the new Emperor - to take the fight to enemy lands and away from areas now very Roman in nature.
120:https://img295.imageshack.us/img295/1185/120ag5.jpg
After ruling of about ten years, the emporer is dead. His son, Servivs Talmvdivs Pavo Caesar, has taken the throne at age 22. I have established a three territory border with Parthia (Seleucids as a buffer state). All of Germania is now in Roman hands, with the last member of the Sweboz family retreating to Scandinavia. I think I have reached the extent of conquest in mainland Europe (I don't want the steppes, except maybe Olbia). Casse attacked me out of nowhere, giving me a new next target...

Current invasion of Caledonia planned.

Tale of the first of the Pavos to come...

Amazing!! You've really set the bar high for empire-buliding, Marcus. I'd ask you to post a savegame but I remember you saying in another thread that your game is heavily modded:no: . It's also nice to see the Parthians expand from the caspian to india. Please update the maps if you play anymore, I've never seen an empire quite so powerful. Looking forward to the tale of the first Pavos! :rtwyes:

Holy hell! You actually SURPASSED the the farthest reaches of the real Roman Empire! Amazing! A truely epic saga awaits us...

Bravo!:beam:

Oppivs Cicereivs Pavo

Oppivs was born in southern Umbria during the initial rise of Roman domination over Italia (the year 294BC by the Christian calendar). His father, Nvmerivs, was a plebian farmer and care much for his family, land, and for the Republic. Oppivs was the second born son of the family but didn't much care for farming. When Pyrrhus invaded Italia in 280BC to support Greek rebels, Nvmerivs went to war with the legions. He did not return.

Oppivs remembered what the 'Greeks' had taken from him. So, when Caivs Avrelivs Cotta marched on the depleted garrison of Taras in 272BC, Oppivs was among the ranks. As they approached Taras, the garrison overestimated their own strength and attacked the Roman legion. Waiting on a hill, the Greeks charged up and got slaughtered. (OOC I thought I had a picture of this battle, but I couldn't find it.) Though the battle wasn't without its costs - even the Triarii had to fight - Rome won. Oppivs fought in two more major battles - the seige of Taras and a skirmish with a group of Illyrian Epirotes that had strayed from Taras before the siege.

Epirus formally reliquished all claims on Italia (Pyrrhus had started a war with Macedon) and a Peace treaty was signed between Rome and Epirus. Once Lvcivs Cornelivs Scipio had established control of Brettia, Croton, and Rhegion with LegioII, parts of LegioI, including Oppivs were reassigned to the northern border of Roman territories to detur barbarian attacks.

By 268BC, the newly formed third legion had taken Segesta. At this time, the remnents of LegioI were added to LegioIII, disbanded, or placed for perminant garrison duty. During this time, Oppivs moved up to become Captain of the garrison at Arretivm. Oppivs showed great skill and understanding, especially for an uneducated farm boy, and was widely respected by both his men and the townsfolk alike. He even gained the attention and respect of the governor of Arretivm, Cnaevs Cornelivs Blasio.

In 265BC, Cnaevs Cornelivs Blasio assembled Legio I/III to invade the rebelious tribes of middle Cisalpine Gaul. Cnaevs Cornelivs Blasio didn't want to lead the army alone, knowing two mind were better than one. Blasio had a son, but he was too young. So, Blasio found the most capable man under his command and formally adopted him.

Oppivs Cicereivs Pavo, a plebian farmer, became a gereral and a son of the Senator Cnaevs Cornelivs Blasio. A man who had started as one of the fighting men had now come to the possition of leading a legion. Beyond that, the legion was now twice the size of the legion of old. (OOC This is where I decided to make an official legion 15-20 units.)

Bononia fell, with hardly a battle. Chief Cadwalador and his small force were defeated and the tribes around Bononia became Roman allies. Oppivs remained in Bononia with the legion under him while Blasio returned to Arretivm. Oppivs spent the next few years dealling with Gauls and being ambassador between them and Rome.

For a decade, most of Rome attension and resources were sent south to fight the Carthaginians. Oppivs didn't even know what a Carthaginian looked like, and frankly he didn't really care. He was too busy having to deal with the Gauls and their backward traditions. During this time he wed a Roman woman and started his family.

In 262BC, the aging Cnaevs Scipio Asina took command of the third legion and marched against the remaining Gauls south of the Alps. Around 258BC, Oppivs Cicereivs Pavo was sent to Mediolanium, capital of Cisalpine Gaul (still consisting of mostly allied gauls). The third legion was again placed under Oppivs' command to guard the northern reaches against barbarians, but there was little interference from the Gauls. Oppivs heard from his spies that two major powers in gual seeked to unite it but neither could gain the upper hand. The war was ravaging Gaul but left Italia safe from organized attack.

In the remaining couple of decades of his life, Oppivs Cicereivs Pavo did very little worthy of note by the Senate. Oppivs dedicated his life to administration and transformed Mediolanium into the greatest city north of Roma. He raised his three sons (he had no daughters) Appivs Cvrtivs Pavo, Spvrivs Cvrtivs Pavo, and Domitivs Portivs Pavo - who all were given governing possitions in Cisalpine Gaul when the came of age and were educated. In 255BC, Rome allied with Iberian Greeks and once again when to war with Carthage. In 242BC, the men who regularly came to replace the men in the third legion had a noteworthy change in equiptment. By 240BC, Greece was under Roman rule and around this time Cisalpine Gaul was converted from an ally of Rome into an official territory of Rome, with the Pavo family as its governors. Just before his death, Oppivs heard of the fall of Carthage, still having never seen a Carthaginian. He could only think of his father when he wondered why so many Romans hated them.

In 234BC, Oppivs Cicereivs Pavo died peacefully in Mediolanium at the age of 60. He was hardly a person worthy of note in his own time and was completely forgotten by all south of Cisalpine Gaul soon after his death. His son Appivs Cvrtivs Pavo took over as governor and moved to Mediolanivm bring with him his five year old first born son, Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo. Appivs governed Mediolanivm and on rare occation fended off barbarians. Oppivs Cicerivs Pavo was hardly worth remembering, Appivs Cvrtivs Pavo even less so, but Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo would change the Roman Republic and the whole world.

(OOC Wow I wrote a lot. Too much. It's like a long dry biography...of a fictional character. Most of it was entirely made up too (prior to adoption). If/when I post agian I'll try to keep it shorter and more interesting. At least the next guy will have more battle and change (a couple pictures too - though I wish I had more). In the end, I guess I just felt in a mood to write and here it is...)

https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/530/211qi8.jpg

OMG, you've actually got there Burebista's Empire....excellent screenshot. :thumbsup:

Great! Superb! I've now got a good aim: get to the Avgvstan Reforms, and beat your empire!
How about you post a save file, but also a .rar file containing everything you changed?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cronos Impera

https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/530/211qi8.jpg

OMG, you've actually got there Burebista's Empire....excellent screenshot. :thumbsup:

---

Does he by chance happen to be Parthian?

Burebista? He was Dacian.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Warmaster Horus

Great! Superb! I've now got a good aim: get to the Avgvstan Reforms, and beat your empire!
How about you post a save file, but also a .rar file containing everything you changed?

---

I've forgotten how much I've changed. I know I've changed the EDB (about a hundred times), the script, strat file, regions file, traits, the cultures files, the factions files, and more. But the most difficult part to add would be that I have dumped savegame compatible components of 081 into it. I've also scavenged a couple of other mods to add things like visual effects. (RTR barbarian stone walls for example.) If I have time, I'll try to see if it is possible, later. The good news is that I have a save game about every five years of the campaign (which I think I'll use to at least get some strat screenshots to post).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cronos Impera

OMG, you've actually got there Burebista's Empire....excellent screenshot. :thumbsup:

---

Getai wasn't doing anything so I conquered Sarmisugenthusa and gave it to them, the exploded with power soon after.




On a different topic:
Does anyone know how to conjugate "Pavo". (Things like "Pavos" doesn't look right, it looks more like the Greek version of his name rather than plural.) Things like possessive, plural, & plural possessive. With my limited knowledge of Latin I only know how to conjugate "-um" and "-i".

1000th Post
Appivs Cvrtivs Pavo
https://img353.imageshack.us/img353/5927/aaa04uj6.jpg

My name is Galligos moc Taximagulos. I have lead the Aedui for the bulk of my life. Long have we struggled for control of our own lands, ignorant of the usurpers at out borders. But now, with the lands of our fathers free from Arverni tyranny, we turn to those who have murdered, raped, and stolen lands that belong to us and our brothers.

https://img353.imageshack.us/img353/7218/gaul221ia8.png
(Gaul c225BC)

To the north, Belgae submits to my will. To the northeast, the hordes of raiding tribes flee before the might of Aedui power. To the east, our brothers cry out for salvation from raiders and their own savagery. To the south, the Arverni hide behind their alliances - alliance with anyone, even those who seek their very destruction. But the Arverni are not what they used to be, not longer worth my attention.

Finally, south, across the mountains, lie the lands of our brothers. For years they have sought our assistance in liberating themselves. Now is the time, my spies tell me that armies of the city of Rome march on distant lands far east, while others destroy their own alliances and weaken themselves in Iberia. I will send general Panda to the Po Valley to free our brothers. The foolish Romans have only left peasants to defend their borders. Even those who rule in occupation are peasants, sons of dirt farmers. Nothing stands in our way, by winter my armies will sack Rome.

https://img131.imageshack.us/img131/9890/aaa05my8.jpg
https://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9923/aaa09jii3.jpg
(The Armies of the Aedui)



Two Years Later
Panda retreats!?! This farmer, unaccustomed to war, this Appivs Cvrtivs Pavo defeated my army? But Panda didn't think that was failure enough and decided to lose to these weaklings again! This time against a boy! Now with defeat after defeat, Panda crawls back to me for his punishment.

https://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4633/aaa08jis8.jpg
(Two legions defend Mediolanivm - Nvmerivs sets up an ambush)

With the failure of Panda I must contend with two Roman armies, as well as an army of German cavalry led by a wild boy Roman. Raids now fall on me by German soldiers with Roman silver.

https://img353.imageshack.us/img353/8895/aaa06qf8.jpg
(Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo and Germanian allies)

But it would take the entire might of Rome to challenge me...challenge the Aedui on our own lands. And I have sent word to both my Egyptian and Babylonian allies. The combined strength of the Greeks and Aedui will crush Rome and they will be the ones murdered, raped, and enslaved.

So sayeth Galligos moc Taximafulos: Leader of the Aedui, Defeater of the Arverni, Subjugator of the Belgae, Pride of the gods

Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo
Days in the Cisapline

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/image...eneral_307.gifNvmerivs Longvs Pavo, the man who conquered Gaul for Rome. The desendant of a farmer, who became first consul of the Roman Senate. The man who changed the way the social structure of Rome had been for hundreds of years. The patriarch of a family, who lead his kin to high standing and respect. But few know of his youth. How this ordinary, plebian governor's son became the most powerful man in the known world.

Nvmerivs was born in the summer of 239BC, son of Appivs Cvrtivs Pavo. There were no signs of greatness at his birth, nor did any wisemen see anything in him. Nvmerivs was named for the founder of his family, his great grandfather (biological), who had died in the war with Pyrrhus. Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo was born in the house his grandfather had helped build, when he became governor of Mediolanivm. His grandfather Oppivs, adopted by the Blasio family, and his father Appivs had been governors of Cisapline Gaul and the same fate seemed to be instore for Nvmerivs.

https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/6162/240za0.jpg
(Roman territory and allies at Nvmerivs' birth)

Rome was in a state of great change during Nvmerivs' childhood. In 239, Greece was still in termoil. After saving the Greeks from Macedon, Rome was betrayed. The great General Victor had swept through Greece with a single legion and unified it under Rome. But still, Carthage was the greatest threat to Roman security.

By the time Nvmerivs came of age and began his military training, Carthage had fallen. Scipio Africanvs had surrounded the last of the Carhaginian senate in Carthage itself. After a two year seige, Carthage was burned to the ground and the site rededicated to Iovis. Elsewhere, a trade route through Illyria had been secured and Iberia pacified. Around this time, Nvmerivs' uncle Spvrivs made a exploritory expedition to Pannonia and brought back though Germanic mercenaries.

But war still lingered in the northern reaches of Roman control. Just prior to Nvmerivs' coming of age ceremony, his father had defeated an army of Aedui Gauls who had finally finished their Gallic Civil War. The Arverni, long time Roman allies, had surrendered the bulk of northern Gaul to the Aedui and sued for peace. In 221, at the age of 18, Nvmerivs fought his first battle and won his first victory. In the 'Battle of Longvs Pass', Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo led LegioIII to victory over a superior number of Gauls who had the high ground.

https://img133.imageshack.us/img133/8500/aaa10ax0.jpg
(Site of the Battle of Longvs Pass, relative to Mediolanivm)

The battle wasn't clearly won, though. The Third had taken great losses and was sent back to Rome to replace the old, injured, and dead. A second legion was sent to defend Mediolanivm, but the Senate refused to risk leaving the city undefended. The Gauls had invaded twice, and Nvmerivs knew that they weren't going to give up now. With his own family's money, Nvmerivs hired Gallic mercenaries, both allies from Cisalpine Gaul territories and from tribes north of the mountains that were apposed to Aedui control.

In 220, Nvmerivs raided into territories north of the mountains and suffered a close defeat due to the incompitance of his Gallic horsemen. Though Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo had one more secret left to unleash on the Aedui. With a new combined army of Gallic horsemen and his uncle's superior Germanic horsemen mercenaries, Nvmerivs began raiding the Aedui anew.

https://img353.imageshack.us/img353/8895/aaa06qf8.jpg
(Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo and Germanian mercenaries)

This was a defining moment in Nvmerivs' life. He rode with Germans and Celts, living off the land, ambushing, and raiding villages. For a year he lived this way. Many Romans would have been discussed with the company and living conditions, but Nvmerivs was not. He learned with the Germans and learned from the Gauls. Before too long Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo had learned the secrets of how the Gauls fought and how to defeat them. Even the Senate took notice and gave comindation for his victories of the Aedui.

---

In 219, the aging Avlvs Manivs Cotta, who came from a family of managers - not warriors, attacked the tribes of Aquitae and conquered the city of Burdigala. This unsanctioned act was seen as an act of war by the Arverni. The Arverni had long struggled to take Aquitae and even though they were allies of Rome, twice saved from extermination, they marched against Cotta. Cotta defended Burdigala, but the Arverni needed to be punished for their insult against Rome.

Since all of the presigious men of Rome were fighting elsewhere, the Senate turned to the next best thing, a compitant man. So, in 219BC, Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo marched two legions and an army of mercenary horsemen over the Alps and into southern Gaul...

https://img410.imageshack.us/img410/9794/aaa11lh2.jpg

Nice update! How often do you think you'll be able to update?
There's more to come about Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo, right?

There's more Nvmerivs coming. He still has two or three major events and and a couple name changes (only 1 ingame). My updating is spuratic (there has been other stuff I needed to do [that also didn't get done]), but I was thinking about the next part and I might post as soon as before morning. I was trying to use different forms for each entry, but 1 and 3 ended up the same boring style. I have an idea for my next one(s).

For anyone who is interested in "house rules", I posted the general rules I play by in the first post.

Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs
The Battle of Oltis

https://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2679/gaul219ch4.png
(Gaul c219BC)

Dearest Mother,

This is the first time I've been able to write you in quite some time. I hope
the gods find you, Honoria, and the baby all well. I still quietly greave father,
but know he would be proud of me now.

I have been assigned to the Seventh Legion and escaped the fate of the
Eighth Legion. Consul Asina seeks glory in the wastes of Iberia but I fear
that neither he nor the Eighth will ever be seen again. There are madmen in
those dark places. And no good civilized person knows anything about those
wild peoples. But that is not my fate

But the Seventh is a good group of men. The young men, like myself,
make up the Hastati, who fight in the first line. In the few months away, I
have already made good friends. Caivs, Titvs, Vibivs, Gneo, and I have
sworn an oath of friendship and swear to protect eachother in battle. Gneo
is a bit odd, but a good man. Perhaps he's had too much sun, farmer's son
after all. Our centurion is Tiberivs Alleivs, and he is quite the grizzled
soldier. Expects a lot from us too, sometimes pushing us to near breaking.

Our General is Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo, who leads LegioIII and LegioVII. He
is a pleb, but of high standing. They say he spends much of his time in the
company of mercenaries and barbarians. He even has a celtic 'prophet' who
knows the way of the woods. The stories I heard, of a pleb who defies the
ways of the world and rose to high standing, before I got here and the
stories I heard, of this wild man, total controdict eachother. The one time I
saw him, he rode with Germanics horsemen and was bearded. They say it
was a rarity to see him bearded, but for any Roman to go out like that is
indeed odd.

We assembled in Mediolanivm, but soon marched east toward Gaul.
General Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo didn't want to risk supply problems so he split
us up when crossing the great Alps. The general took the Third over the
mountains and the Seventh was sent along the coast. We followed the
coast and passed the mountains. As soon as the mountains began to shrink
away we beheld a strange sight. There in this barbarian land was a walled
Greek city.

I knew Massilia was a Greek city and Arverni protectorate. And that both
Massilia and Arverni were allied to Rome a few years ago. But I had no idea
that there were civilized people, though Greek, in a place like this. As we
neared the city, we began to see people travelling on the roads, to and from
farms. The people reminded me of the civilized Gauls near Mediolanivm but
with smug Greek attitudes. Outside the city walls stood the camp of the
Fifth Legion. About the time we were setting out on our campaign, General
Cotta had taken the city with little effort. Keep in mind this is not the one
everyone calls "Mad Cotta", who started this war, but his young cousin.

We spent a month near Massilia and Arelate, where we rejoined by General
Pavo and the Thrid Legion. Titvs nearly lost his entire ration in a game of
chance with a local Greek one day. Caivs claimed the Greek was cheating
and was ready to kill him, but Titvs stopped him, saying he was stupid to risk
his bread and it was not the Greek's fault he was out done. Caivs gave in
and the Greek ran off as fast as his old legs could carry him. I think he
needed that bread, and I think Titvs thought so too, most of the city's
stores were going to the Legions and the locals seemed to go wanting. I
expected to only encounter savage barbarians and didn't expect to see good
folk suffer as well.

We had planned to spend more time in the area and then have all three
Legions march on Gergovia, capital of the Arverni, but there was no time.
General Pavo received word that an Arverni army was gathering and about to
march on Narbonensis. So General Pavo took LegioIII and forced marched
east with LegioVII lagging behind.

And so near the Oltis river, General Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo met the armies
of the Arverni. LegioIII fought in open combat, both side not giving an inch.
The battle was a going nowhere and both sides tired. Then General Pavo
saw the right moment. He reenforced the line with the Triarii, fresh and
strong. Then he personally led the cavalry into the Arverni right flank. The
right flank broke and ran. Then the Gauls slowly peeled away until the whole
army was fleeing. The Third gave chase but were tired and many Gauls
escaped. When the Seventh arrived, it was all over and thousands of Gauls
and Romans lay dead or dying in the field of battle.

This next part I write you with hesitation. After the battle, devisions of
the Seventh were sent to find any lingering Gauls who had fled. Due to
Caivs' loud disturbances in camp the previous night, the five of us were
assigned to a group of five Germanic horsemen to scout out routed men.
The horsemen scouted on a tacking path while the five of us walked
straight. We had been at it most of the night and it must of been near
morning when the horsemen came to us. They said they had seen a fire and
believed it to be a dozen or so Gallic spearmen from the battle. So we
sneaked up, Germans on foot as well, and surrounded the small camp, where
nine hairy men huddled. Only one man had a shield, another a spear, but
they all seemed to have at least a blade. One man was on watch, but his
eyes looked like they had long since glazed over in deep thought or
regret...or maybe it was a deep fear like nothing I can amagine.

On the signal of the head scout, we jumped into the small clearing and
charged the huddle of men. A German on the other side threw a spear and I
saw the spearhead come out the back of one of the Gauls. I saw another
Gaul fall to a German just before a blade came down at my head. I was quick
enough and raised the small cavalry shield I carried to block. Then, without
thinking, I followed my training and stabbed. I could hear the Gallic blade
slide off my shield and to the ground. Slowly I lowered my shield and saw
the man's face. He looked directly into my eyes, blinked, and fell to the
ground...motionless...

I must finish now, for tommorrow we take down the camp and march north
to Gergovia. The Third is depleted and will say in Narbonensis, but General
Pavo will lead the Seventh north and I will get my first taste of true battle.

General Pavo says that he will endevor to keep mail routes open as
often and as long as he can, so please write me back and tell me of home.
And of what you will name the baby.

Your son,
Servivs Placidvs, 2nd Cohort, Hastati, Seventh Legion



EDIT: Small change. I got the time of the Gallicvs naming wrong. One battle too early.

Great read. I like the varition of the story telling.

I was worried for a while that you weren't going to update this anymore, Marcus. I like how you vary the perspectives of the story each entry.

P.S. Why don't you turn off the green arrows?

Thanks, I was planning to make each entry different. I had a plan for the third entry, but it fell apart after a couple paragraphs and ended up being like the first one.

I usually don't like turning off the arrows since I use it as a way to tell who's who in a huge fight with similar colors. Though I was thinking about loading some old saves and doing some reenactements to get some generic Roman on Gaul action for screenshots. If I do that, I'll deactivate arrows and banners for effect.

I'm currently having difficulty with my campaign and ended up getting a CTD bug in 122BC. Here is a screenshot of the previous autumn:
https://img337.imageshack.us/img337/...a103od3.th.jpg
I took the picture to show my new defended border. I can guard against all kinds of barbarians with only five forts (plus two near Mare Pontica). Since that picture, I took Gintaras-Ostan (source of my bug) and Pavo Germanicvs has marched on Gawjam-Rugoz (last Sweboz holding in Germania).

EDIT: I got past the bug.
EDIT2: Added 120BC expansion map to the first post.

Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs
The Battle of Gergovia

https://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2562/maa104jyp1.jpg

Dearest Mother,

I write you from a village just outside of the city of Gergovia. The Seventh
Legion has been given a measure of downtime and we are resting in this small
abandoned village. It is a nice, mild summer day here. It reminds me of the
summers of my youth when I would tend the fields with father.

I have just recieved your letter. I am glad that you, Honoria, and young
Gaivs are all well. Though, your talk of the farm worries me. Are you sure
there is enough labour to ensure a good harvest? I should have argued that
I was needed at home and not so readily joined the legion. And what of your
mention of the Dexivs farm? Who has purchased our neighbor's land? Please
write me more details. I worry that you live safely and well. I may be
young, but it is now my duty to lead our family.

Centurian Tiberivs Alleivs tells us to be ready to leave in the morning every
night, but has not said so the last couple days, which leads me to beleive
that will in fact be leaving soon. If we leave, and march against the Arverni
king, I don't know when I will be able to write again. I must therefore finish
this letter. I must tell you of what has happened since my last letter. I
have seen my first battle!

With the bulk of the Arverni forces defeated, General Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo
decided to march on their capital before they could raise a new army. We
didn't even wait for LegioV. And with LegioIII depleted and heading back
home, LegioVII stood alone. And so, we marched deep into enemy lands.

I expected an ambush in every dark wood or from every sharp cliff. But an
ambush never came. In fact, we didn't see a single person other than
ourselves and General Pavo's Germanic horsemen. We saw a few farms,
though the only inhabidants were stray dogs. And there was one small
village we passed, but it was empty a well, a large building in the center
burned down. But then we saw it, ahead of us stood a small plateau, on top
was a fortified city with a large wall made of rocks with a thick wooden
pallisade buillt atop. To one side was a smaller, unwalled, part of the town,
as empty as the rest of the coutryside.

Immediately we set up camp to the south-west of the town and started
felling lumber. We assembled a wall of spikes around the city, just out of
their missile range. Then we went to making seige equiptment to knockdown
their walls. But the equiptment wasn't built for use. An engineer I spoke to
said that the equiptment was only to mislead and frighten the soldiers in
Gergovia. We would only use it if we were pressed to assault the town,
otherwise we would wait them out. And so we waited, for months.

One day a Germanic rider came charging through the camp, passed the
guards, and straight to General Pavo's headquarters. Soon after, General
Pavo gathered the troops and announced that an army of Arverni was
approaching. The next morning, we lined up on a field a few miles from
Gergovia, myself in the second rank, and watched the Gauls slowly walk out
of the woods. I heard Caivs yell, "Finally! Here they come!" I couldn't see
him, but I looked over at Vibivs. I believe the same unnerved look in his eyes
were shared in mine.

The Gauls marched slowly forward. As everything was silent, I noticed
Centurian Tiberivs Alleivs look up into the sky. At first I thought he was
talking to the gods or was deep in thought, but then he squinted and raised
his sheild. There was a noise and I saw an arrow sticking from the near
center of his shield. He yelled out a command and everyone readied for
arrows and stones. Soon after, I saw stones fly over my head and far
forward, our Gallic allies were returning fire.

I'm not sure how much time passed, but before I knew it, I saw our Velites
running toward us. As the last of the ranks of Velites filtered through our
ranks I noticed the Gauls. They were now close. I thought, "How did they
get here already?" But before I could realize that much time had passed
since Caivs had yelled out, the Gauls were apon us. I hadn't even thrown a
pilum, though most of the rest around me had. I threw the one in my hand
quickly over the head of the man in front of me and drew my blade. As the
Gauls hit our line, the man in front of me fell immediately, with a spear to the
belly. Now, in the forward position, I stabbed at my comrade's killer, and he
fell to the ground.

Soon I was replaced in the forward position and I took the time to note that
the men we fought wore no armor. They did not even wear leather or cloth.
The majority had only a shield for protection. But behind them and toward
the center, I saw better equipt soldiers.

I got lost in the battle, even now I don't recall what happened. At some
point Alleivs gave the order and we broke rank to envelope the enemy. It
was at this point I noticed that there were older men fighting by my side. I
believe I even saw a Triari amongst the fighting. By noon, the Gauls in front
of me turned and ran, only a few stood and died. We gave chase, but soon I
saw General Pavo ride by, yelling orders to halt just before chasing after
them with the cavalry.

I had seen no Gallic cavalry in the battle. I was later told that General Pavo
lead an attack on them and chased them from the field. And after that, with
news from a scout, turned and ran down the men coming out of Gergovia to
reenforce the battle. That is where he came from when I had seen him on
the battle. He didn't even return to camp until the sun had set, chasing
after those who had fled.

But even fighting, himself, he had been giving orders to the rest of the army.
I believe all my previous aprrehension about him was misplaced. He is truly a
great man. The Senate agrees with me, aswell. As you have probably
already heard, General Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo was granted the title of
Gallicvs, defeater of the Gauls.

The next morning, we marched to the walls of Gergovia. The gates opened
and a two men walked out. The man in front kneeled and presented himself
for surrender and honorable death. A Roman officer quickly granted him his
death. But before the other could be killed, General Gallicvs intervened and
the man ran back into the city.

After the battle, I found all of my friends. They had all managed to survive.
We greeted eachother and exchanged tales of our fates in the battle. I
believe Caivs may have changed a bit in that battle, but then again we all
might have.

And so here I sit, in a little village, within sight of Gergovia. Those Gauls who
had been inside were sold into slavery and sent back toward Rome. A month
after the city was taken, LegioV reinforced us. But Cotta was not in
command, governing Massilia instead. Now the Legion was commanded by
General Gallicvs' cousin Manivs Placidvs Pavo. Apon their arrival, their
engineers emidiately went to rebuilding the lower city. General Gallicvs
announced that this city will serve as the north point in Roman control to
counter the Aedui Confederation. And so, now I watch as they build a
proper wall around the newly refounded city.

If we move out again, I will write you as soon as possible. But since we may
not, please write me soon. I have arranged that my pay be sent home, as I
shall sell my spoils of the battle and use them for any need of my own not
provided by the army.

Your Son,
Servivs Placidvs, 2nd Cohort, Hastati, Seventh Legion


https://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3685/aaa12zr9.jpg
(Generations later, the site of the Battle of Gergovia is still remembered.)

Wow those Gallic cities certainly look Romanized......

Excellent AAR! Keep up the good work. :2thumbsup:

Great update! And what's better, is that you can keep on playing, if I understood correctly.

Again, thanks! :2thumbsup: Though I didn't really feel that great about that entry. For one thing I was planning on it being short and it was not. I had to cut out the last couple planned story points (that were irrelevant to the gameplay) and it was still too long.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CaesarAugustus

Wow those Gallic cities certainly look Romanized......

---

Yeah, that picture was taken nearly an hundred years later. Generations later, the site of the Battle of Gergovia is still remembered.

I found my own plot hole though. The Arverni had only had access to archers for about three years at the time of that battle, so I don't think there were any there. I don't remember the enemy's army composition in most battles and very little of the battles themselves. That paragraph about the Pavo's cavalry was the only thing that I remembered from gameplay.

The next entry, if and when I get time: "The Fall of a People".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus

On a different topic:
Does anyone know how to conjugate "Pavo". (Things like "Pavos" doesn't look right, it looks more like the Greek version of his name rather than plural.) Things like possessive, plural, & plural possessive. With my limited knowledge of Latin I only know how to conjugate "-um" and "-i".

---

Since nobody seems to have answered it...

singular
Pavo
Pavonis
Pavoni
Pavonem
Pavone

plural
Pavones
Pavonium
Pavonibus
Pavones
Pavonibus

I think... (it's been long since my last Latin grammar lesson)

Keep up the good work, I'm enjoying it!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mediolanicus

Since nobody seems to have answered it...

singular
Pavo
Pavonis
Pavoni
Pavonem
Pavone

plural
Pavones
Pavonium
Pavonibus
Pavones
Pavonibus

I think... (it's been long since my last Latin grammar lesson)

Keep up the good work, I'm enjoying it!

---

Awesome! Thanks!
I started thinking back to grammar (English) and all the charts and esoteric terms and I think my head is going to explode. I've never actually taken a Latin class and the little I know of Latin is just self taught. But my confusion aside, thanks again.

Very close, Mediolanicus. Only one problem: the genitive plural form is Pavonum rather than Pavonium.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by abou

Very close, Mediolanicus. Only one problem: the genitive plural form is Pavonum rather than Pavonium.

---

I had my doubts about the genitive there :sweatdrop:
I don't know anymore when you use the standard -um or the -ium...
So I went for the one that sounded best :laugh4:

Thanks for the correction!

And I'm glad me and abou could help M.A.Antonius
just ask when you're confused and I'm sure somebody will unconfuse you

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mediolanicus

I had my doubts about the genitive there :sweatdrop:
I don't know anymore when you use the standard -um or the -ium...
So I went for the one that sounded best :laugh4:

---

That's how that got Italian!:2thumbsup:

Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs
Death of a King

Dearest Mother,

I write to inform you that I indeed still live. It has been nearly a year since
we have had a reliable route for the any mail other than General Pavonis
messages to the Senate or to the other Legions. We have been in and out
of hostile territory for months, even wintering in Gallic lands. Now, we rest
once more, awaiting the return of General Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs,
who was summoned by the Senate.

I have recieved all of the letters you and Honoria have sent me. I am sorry
that I have not been able to return word sooner and that I have worried you
both. Your letters confirm what I have heard about Consul Asina and
LegioVIII. I always knew that Iberia didn't stand a chance against the might
of Rome. It is unfortunate that Consul Asina died of illness before he could
finish off the barbarians.

And to hear that in the East, the effeminate Greeks continue to fall to the
might of the Roman Legions. The new Victor has crushed Syrian resistance
and freed Phoenicia and Judaea? And Blasio, old Blasio had crushed the
Pontic kings of Sinope? Places that I've only heard of like places of myth,
now send tribute and slaves to Rome. I fear that the Rome I left will be
completely changed by the time I return, if I return.

I am troubled to hear that farms are being purchased by the governors and
patricians. I hope this war will end soon, so I may come home and deal with
the issues of the farm. Do not fear though, the land is rightly ours, it has
been for generations and will remain so. Do not let them convince you of
anything or steal what is ours, simply because there is no man in the house.

Today I write from our camp, north of the village of Lemonum. We fought
long and hard to get here. After we left Gergovia, leaving it in the hands of
LegioV and General Manivs Placidvs Pavo, we headed to Burdigala. "Mad
Cotta" had died the previous year and the town was now managed by his
sone and the Gallic allies the Cotta family had made. Eager to prove their
loyalty and worth, the allied Gauls marched north from Burdigala. I heard
humor that General Gallicvs objected to this, but the young Cotta, being of
higher standing, insisted.

The few Gauls that returned told tale of an Arverni army of unexperience, but
desperate farmer conscripts. LegioVII immediately marched north into Arverni
lands. We fought several battles, never against more than a couple hundred
untrained Gauls. We lost very few men. One day Centurian Tiberivs Alleivs
told us to ready ourselves for battle. King Praesutagos oi Lugos of the
Arverni had marched an army to confront us.

And so, on a flat plain, skirted by trees, the king of the Arverni faced Roman
martial prowess. General Gallicvs ordered the legion to line up in three lines,
rather than maniples in order to counter the enemy cavalry. As the enemy
approached, I saw the same frightend untrained men line up in front of us.
As they approached, we threw our pila and saw great numbers of the
unarmored men fall dead where they stood. Then they charged, but to no
avail. They hit our line, which did not move, and the fight ensued. After a
short battle, the enemy began to break and flee. In a desparate attempt to
rally his men, King Praesutagos oi Lugos charged his own cavalry into the
middle of our line. Seeing a chance for glory in killing a king, our formation
broke and soon the king's cavalry were surrounded by Hastati and Pricepes.
I saw from a short distance back, the king fall from his injured horse and hit
the ground. The crowd of men surrounding him stabbed at the body until
they were content that he would never move again.

A month later we came to the village of Lemonum. As soon as we had rams,
we broke down the gate and charged the city. The only soldiers there to
face us were some of those who had escaped the previous battle and the
King's son, surrounded by his bodyguard. They simply waited on the small hill
in the center of town. We encircled the hill and on General Pavo's order, all
infantry charged from all sides. With this, the last King of the Arverni died
and Rome achieved victory.

It is rumored that General Pavo Gallicvs confiscated the bodies of both Kings,
but that is probably just rumor to discredit a great man.

A while after taking the village, a message arrived from the Senate, calling
General Pavo Gallicvs home, and so he left. After a while, General Manivs
Placidvs Pavo arrived (his brother, Gallicvs' cousin Galerivs Pitvanivs Pavo,
being put in charge of LegioV and Gergovia) with replacements to be
combined with LegioVII and bring us back to full strength. It is funny, I have
only been out here three years and now I feel like the old man amoungst
these new recruits. General Manivs Placidvs Pavo is much more of "proper"
Roman, compared to General Pavo Gallicvs, but doesn't seem as intelligent.

Caivs has taken to gambling with the new men and has finally found someone
he can beat. Titvs is constantly reading all that he can get his hand on from
officers and traders, though it is hard to get good Roman writings up here.
Gneo and Vibivs had both been practicing and drilling, but that is what we
are all doing most of the time anyways, while waiting. And so we continue to
wait and see our fate and the fate of our great leader.

Your Son,
Servivs Placidvs, 2nd Cohort, Hastati, Seventh Legion

https://img66.imageshack.us/img66/8899/gaul216pm2.png
(Roman Gaul, after the defeat of the Arverni at Lemonum)

OOC: I wish I had some screenshots of that campaign. I at least have a couple pictures of Aedvi-Roman conflict.

Nice update, as always! I like the various "backstories", if I may call them that. The last paragraph, for example, and the first four.

I felt like I had too many and too long side stories. I had actually edited some of it out and cut many short. I like writing the fiction part, though. I am glad they aren't seen as unnessicary by readers.

I'm trying to remember at which point Pavo Gallicvs changed legions, to know at what point Servivs Placidvs' part of the story will end. I think LegioVII was his main army and vanguard in Gaul until he retired to become Consul in Roma.