Apollo save us!

Interesting how immersing setbacks can be.

I'm playing the Romans and am at war with Carthage (surprise). In the late 250's BC I invaded Africa with my best general, Cotta (Imperator already, but not a conqueror yet) and one Regilius (had to send him, so close to Regulus).

Immediately the army began to suffer from a plague. Adrumento was taken, but the plague took more lives than the fighting. For four years the legion under Cotta languished in the city, not daring to do much more than cut down raids, not daring to go home, bringing shame and pestilence with them.

Both Cotta and Regilius had sons come of age in this flea pit of a city, and both young men died within a year. several battles were fought, against Xanthippus and some small forces that dared approach the Roman positions.

Opinion began to form that the Gods forbade the conquest of Punic homelands. So Cotta ordered the consecration of a shrine to Jove. The pestilence continued.

They tried resting, the pestilence continued.

The Carthaginians attacked with a moderate force including many elephants. Cotta beat them off with courage and balearic slingers. The pestilence continued.

Reinforcements were sent from Rome, even as rumours spread that Cotta himself was dead. Prayers were offered to the gods for his safety.

In the autumn of 251BC, the reinforcements arrived, Cotta joined them but Regilius remained in Adrumento. A large Carthaginan army besieged the town, but Cotta brought his new legion around engaged them vowing a temple to Jupiter should the day be carried. The foolish Punic commander sent his army up a hill piecemeal to face Regilius' troops as Cotta closed in on their rear and sent the Capuan cavalry to help the veterans. The victory was a sound one, few Punic soldiers escaped the hillside that day.

With that very turn, the plague that had beset the army since landing in Africa was gone.

Wow. EB team, you have surpassed anything I thought this could do. That was an amazingly frought set of turns for me.