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Reckless! Reckless!! That's what avenging a Roman woman's blood called?! The whole assault comes down to one thing, if the city has walls, we will use them to our defence and maybe hold off the assault till further reinforcements arrive. If the city doesn't have walls, we will sack it, disturbing the Greek lines and giving the Illyrians a chance to attack their front lines. I'm here to fight, and having me execute this assault will shorten the need of getting a whole army here.
Which spy has the Consul to support the invasion?
[QUINTUS]: Senator Vibius Pleminus, I appreciate your eagerness for this command. I am attempting to request to the First Consul that you be allowed to accompany our expedition as my Tribune, however, he is not currently receiving private messages. I would be honoured if you would join me.
However, I do hope you realise exactly what the expedition is walking into. With no immediate prospect of reinforcements, marching into the Greek heartlands, it is possible that no one will return. This would be no great tragedy in the case of an old fool like me, but you, Senator, have a promising career ahead of you.
Dying for the Republic of Rome is the career I'm after, Senator Quintus.
The closest agent to Apollonia was Cassius Paulinus, who was monitoring the Illyrian front. He is already near the city and has been ordered to attempt an infiltration when Legio IV lands on the coast. Quintis Classicianus has journey from Gaul to take up Cassius' former duties in Illyria and will support Legio IV in the event that Cassius fails.Quote:
Originally Posted by Braden
Do not think that I have forgotten your services, Senator Curtius. Your reports from Africa continue to be of immense value in monitoring the Punic-Numidian War. You have informed me of many great battles. The general picture that has emerged is that the Numidians have fended off Punic might through sheer numbers and have even held Carthaginian cities for a short time, but they are consistently falling to far smaller Punic armies that are better armed. It is a slow process, but the war is slowly turning in Carthage's favor.
As for Senator Vibius Pleminus, I shall grant your request. In such a difficult situation, an experienced Tribune would be most helpful to Quintus and Legio IV. However it is a long trip from Legio III's fort in Cisalpine Gaul to Tarentum. Senator Quintus will have preceded you by six months by the time you arrive. He will have to do without you in the initial fight to take the city, but with any luck the city will remain free of siege long enough for you to slip in. I salute your bravery; with more men such as you, Rome shall rule the world.
Senators, I wish to report that Fortuna has smiled upon Rome and the expedition to Apollonia has begun with great success.
Cassius Paulines and Placus Laelius journeyed through the Illyrian warzone to reach the city by land, prior to the arrival of Legio IV Gallica. Cassius scouted the city for a short time and noticed the presence of a Greek agent watching the city for just such an infiltration as was about to be attempted. Placus Laelius slipped into the city and skillfully eliminated the man. This allowed Cassius to freely roam the city and he was able to bribe the gate guards to abandon their posts only days before Legio IV arrived.
Senator Quintus has surprise on his side and will be able to assault the city without waiting for a prolonged siege. With luck, he will have fully fortified the city and prepared its defenses long before the Greeks can arrive in force.
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Quintus the Victor, as ever. Jupiter blessed our Republic greatly when he gave us a man of Quintus's undoubted talent. Now excuse me, I must give thanks and make offerings for the success of our Hellenic expedition.
If a message of gratitude and continued support can reach Senator Quintus I hope that the Senate can convey their continued astonishment at the Senators ability to be able to succeed when the odds are stacked against him.
May I be the first to send my personal support to him at this time, and a special mention must be made for our covert team that arrived in the city and enabled Quintus to enter without delay.
Surely, their actions deserve note and reward.
My best wishes and Gods speed go to Senator Vibius Pleminus, in the hope that he arrives and can join Quintus before the Greeks arrive. As do the same sentiments go to our Consul and the armies he sends to Quintus’s aid.
Make haste fellow Romans, with a truly heroic venture such as this Mars does not expect failure.
A good start to this bold and risky venture. The Greeks have great amounts of troops in the vicinity and they will be sure to launch a powerful counterstrike. Then again, our men have the advantage of our best general and a good defensive position. Can we we hold out long enough for reinforcements to arrive ? I am all my free spending all my available time pleading with the Gods to stand with our brave men in their our of need and I urge my fellow senators to do likewise.
Quintus' victories were inspired and his losses few, but he shall need every last man. As expected, the Greeks immediately invested Apollonia in the Autumn. The force is small and Quintus will surely destroy it, but it will continue to bleed his strength...
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Is that ANOTHER stack I see further up along the Dalamtia coast? I shall indeed pray for you and your men, Quintus.
Someone enters the great halls of the Senators, and addresses the gathering.
Vibius Pleminius has left this note to be read when he embarks on his adventure:
"Dear Senators,
I now ride to Greece, to the land of myths and spears. This journey was started upon my request, and I find it pleasing for you to accept it. A huge burden it is for Senator Quintus to carry, especially at such an age. And I appreciate it more; your trust, to let me accompany him in this deadly voyage. I'm currently travelling as fast as I can to support him, and I hope time won't fail me. Just one favor I ask of you, and that is to take care of my wife, if I may die for the glory of the Republic."
You bravery does you credit, senator Vibius Pleminius, be assured my prayers will accompany you.
Senator Pansa, you underestimate Senator Quintus' military prowess. Do you not recall that he single-handedly destroyed the Punic armies on Corsica?
Nevertheless, I wish you luck. May the gods smile upon us all!
I would just like to commend our first consul on the wonderful job he is doing in all aspects of his rule but most specifically in the area of preparing our cities for the recruitment of auxilia and ultimately true roman soldiers. Future consuls will be indebted to the senate foremost for having the foresight to see the necessity of this improvement for future generations and our current consul for executing the senate's orders in a prompt and effective manner.
The Greeks seem to be growing more determined to oust Legio IV Gallica from their territory. A larger force than last season has besieged Apollonia. While it is led by a mere captain, he has brought with him a group of fanatical Spartans. It is rumored that in addition to their impressive skills, they possess the physical strength of three normal men. We shall see...
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Senators,
As you will surely know, if you have read the updated First Consul Report, two seasons have passed since Quintus' great victory over the Spartans at Apollonia. Yet, it seems like an eternity. I have moved Consular I Army as fast as humanly possible, and we are within sight of the transport fleet. We shall be able to embark and relieve Legio IV Gallica in the Autumn.
I fear, however, that we shall be too late.
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I have written to you with haste, but it is inevitable that even as you read these words, Legio IV Gallica will be in her darkest hour. The assault has begun, Senators, and I fear how it will end. Quintus, Vibius Pleminius, and all of Legio IV Gallica are vastly outnumbered by quality enemy troops who are determined to take the city. More lie in wait nearby. If they hold for the remainder of this season, Consular I Army can arrive in strength and aid them against the other Greek forces. If they hold... If they hold...
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I ask you, Senators, to pray as you have never prayed before. Make personal sacrifices to Jupiter, Fortuna, Mars and Mercury along with any other God you hold favor with. Senator Quintus and Senator Vicius Pleminius are brave men, but without divine intervention, surely they will fall. I fear the seas will soon run red with noble Roman blood.
I never supported this war senators, but as we have embarked in it, I believe we must bring it to a favourable resolution. Besides, after all the efforts that Quintus has made for this republic it would be unfair to him to let him die in foreign land. I senators, volunteer to bring reinforcements to Greece by the land route, hopefully diverting some of the greek reinforcements to confront me, and with Mars' help arrive there before our brave army is sent to the other side of Charon's river.
I request a praetorian army, Senators, and I put myself forward to command it and lead it wherever the Gods want me to lead it.
Forgive me, but are you not a mere tribune? What right have you to lead a Praetorian Force? No offense meant, but I think your service would be better leading a legion or, better yet, as a secondary officer in a legion. I seem to remember that you are a Skilled Bureaucrat, should you not govern a city? We already have a full consular Army re-inforcing Quintus, and our money would be better spent promoting economic growth, not seending more young Roman boys away from home.
By any means, I would like to congratulate Quintus on another stunning victory. We should have time to reinforce him now, and all of Greece opens up to us.
Finally, I would like to thank this house and Consul Verginius for allowing me to serve the Republic once more in the field. I will not let you down !
I am merely putting myself at the disposition of the Senate as I believe this is a good moment to strike from a different direction to divert attention from Quintus' army.
I must say I am disappointed that we have not agreed to the offer of alliance of the Illyrians. Their request for a tiny sum for an extended period would hardly make a dent in our profits and it would greatly assist our efforts in the war with the Greek cities. Perhaps next time we will not be so hasty to turn down their offer.
A letter reaches the Senate from the front, carried by a farmer wearing filthy clothes. It is from Vibius Pleminius.
"Senators, I write to you after my first battle, the one that happened in Winter. The terrifying night was awaken by the steps of hoplites, and the torches of Romans. It has been a nasty fight, but just a pinch from the great hoards we hear about. One brave man of my escort had fallen, Vagitus Amelius, I'm writing to you hoping that you'd deliver the news of his death to his wife and family, for he died with honour each person would like to bear. He charged alone into a horde of greeks; greeks grouping on one roman warrior, and by that lost his soul, to honour and glory rather than shame and death. The situation gets harder by the fall of another sun, and the rise of another moon. Rumors come to us that an army of 2000 men is marching to us, 2000 led by a lion.
The men are eager, they're all happy to lead this journey, to be amongst the first to start our expedition into the greek lands mythology. The many victories they had had cheered them up more and more. In fact, their spirits only got strengthened by the death of every other man, for with every death, another reason, another goal, another hope is formed in the horizon. The streets of the city are decorated by the shiny shields of Spartans, the land outside it watered with blood, and packed with bodies. It is fear greeks feel when they approach us, and it is saviour we give by killing them.
The word I am to write, is a word I feel shame writing. Reinforcements are needed, and fast. For staying in this city is only killing our spirit, and it will be almost a year soon that we stand taking hits, rather than hitting. If Quintus is to die -Which I fear, and pray not-, I just want to assure you that I've been known for my good commanding skills, even better, my defending ones. I may not reach or even come near the great skills of Quintus, but I hope I won't fail you either.
At all costs, help is essential; fast and furious. I will write to you if we live another session, so wait for my next answer, may it ever arrive."
A formal alliance with the Illyrians would do little but to put in writing what is already occuring. They will fight the Greeks and Macedonians whether we ally with them or not. They are in a struggle for survival that will not be influenced by Republican politics. Not a single thing would be changed by this alliance and thus I did not see a reason why we should pay and receive no benefit. If the Illyrians had demanded 6,300 dinarii immediately, I suspect your feelings would have been different. The only effect it would have would be to assist the Illyrians in funding their war effort. If the Senate wishes to do this, I suggest a motion be proposed at the next session, barely one year from now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Death the destroyer of worlds
A messenger arrives at the Senate floor, carrying a letter. Without a word he hands the letter to the Senate Speaker, who reads it aloud.
"To: Ex-Consul Quintus
CC: Roman Senate
From: Quintis Classicianus
'Good Ex-Consul, I pray that this message will get to you in good time. I ask you to be vigilant! If you can hold off this one Greek army then your work will be done.
I am currently stationed in Illyria, as you know. While the Illyrians are hapless in open-field combat, they fight like lions when defending a city, usually Dalmatia. Here the Greek and Macedonian armies continue to bleed.
Surely Greece can not keep this up, losing so many armies to both you and Illyria. As long as you defeat this last army, Consular I Army will arrive and surely Greece will have nothing left to counter it. I tell you again: Be vigilant! After this, the land of Olympus will be ours!'"
It should have been clear from the start that a small-scale invasion such as this, with no reserve forces, was a foolish idea. Although I suppose I don't have grounds to complain, as I should have pointed this out while the motion was being voted upon. I fear I was too distracted by other matters being discussed during the previous session. In any case, I'm confident that Quintus will be victorious, or, at the very least, take many Greeks with him.
I already did that, but it failed.Quote:
Originally Posted by TinCow
OOC : Isn't it worth the money to fight battles together with the Illyrians ? The best battle I've ever played was with a small German army (allies) coming in as reinforcements. I only had a battered legion against 1.5 Macedonian stack (on VH). I thought I was toast, but the Germans went absolutely psycho on the Macedonians and altough they were routed eventually, I won the battle with 80 men standing or something. I would have paid 30K to see that battle again ~:)
By what you rate it like that?! To save the honour of the republic, sacrifices must be made.Quote:
Originally Posted by FLYdude
And how, senator, I ask you this. How can our honour be stained by not attacking the Greeks?
It is irrelevant now Senators. Vibius Pleminius has given his life in service of the Roman Republic, dying a glorious death on the battlefield - a death that he knew full well might be his reward for bravery, courage and Roman virtue.
The stand made by Quintus, Vibius and Legion IV will go down in Roman history as one of the greatest battles ever fought by our Republic. Mark my words Senators, in years to come, historians will rank Appollonia alongside Thermopylae, Quintus alongside Leonidas and Legio IV alongside the 300 Spartans. I salute the bravery and fighting spirit of our soldiers, and the leadership of Quintus and Vibius.
I shall give thanks offerings to Jupiter Optimus Maximus that he has seen fit to bless out city with men such as these two.
And Consul Augustus Verginius, I have a request. I not only supported the motion to launch an attack on Greece, I actively promoted it. Yet it was other men that went to their deaths whilst I lay idle in Italia. I beg of you Consul, send me to Greece with the next batch of reinforcements, that I may avenge the death of Vibius the Brave, and salve my own guilty concience with Hellenic blood.
Well spoken, friend Amulius! But, alongside Thermopylae? No, senator. Above that! Remember that the Greeks lost, but our Roman arms have triumphed against seemingly insurmountable odds! This is surely the greatest triumph of history!
Senator Quintus, I express my deepest sympathies for your loss, and it weighs heavily on my heart as well, as although he was only my step-brother, he was very close to me. My condolences to Vibius' wife as well, the lovely Severina.
Enough of the grieving. This loss is truly a tragic one for Rome, and not one that will go unavenged. Any and all Greeks will be met by Roman forces and crushed. Their presence is intolerable, and their precious artifacts are fit to be sent to Rome as a compensation for the death of a true Roman.