The Puniceus Paludamentum

The Puniceus Paludamentum
A History of the Roman Empire

Introduction:
Much legend surrounds the founding of Rome. What is known is the eventual destiny of this city. The early history of Central Italy is a tumultous one. Countless wars, broken alliances, and faltering agreements resulted in several centuries of nearly continual warfare. Whether the Etruscans, Samnites, or Gallic tribes the battle for Central Italy took a long time to sort out. In the end Rome stood over her enemies and became the undisputed ruler of Central Italy. At the time of the start of this historical portrayl Rome controled five major cities with their respective ports. Capua, Rome, and Arretium were the most advanced of the five. Arriminum and Apri in the south had been recent additions and were not quite advanced enough to be granted citizenship. Under times of crisis the three forementioned advanced cities could raise troops to defend Rome and her interests. One of the things that allowed Rome to be an acceptable yoke over a defeated foe was that the Roman yoke, in many cases, did not abolish local traditions. Many cities became allies of Rome with the agreement that they would send troops to defend the "homeland". Roman arguments apparently worked well for if allied cities did not send troops all the members of that alliance would suffer defeat. Rome and her city subjects maintained a symbiotic relationship that would endure for a very long time.
This is not always the case however. Many times throughout her history Rome took extreme measures to guarantee her security. If a culture was unwilling to accept Roman rule they were conquered. Rome in her history has been paranoid of being invaded and sacked like so many cities of the ancient world. In fact in 390 BC the Gauls stormed south out of the alps, having been displaced by migratory Germanic tribes, and settled in northern Italy. Eventually the Gallic presence in northern Italy would lead the Gauls to a conflict with old enemies of Rome the Etruscans. Although Rome delighted in the Etruscan defeat, they feared the eventuality that Gallic armies would soon be at the gates of Rome. In fact the city was sacked and only survived when the Gallic chieftain Brennus agreed to depart the city for 1000 lbs of gold. It is a plausible argument that the Roman empire would have never existed had the Gauls refused and simply destroyed what was remaining of Rome. How the world would look without Rome is an interesting topic alone but one that will not be discussed here.
Roman persistance and paranoia helped forge an empire. Her greatest challenges yet lie ahead. Enemies surround the fledling republic. In 272 BC Rome is rather secure in Central Italy, but to the south the Greeks from Epirus have had colonies for many years. Epirus wants the Roman Peninsula and is determined to conquer it for themselves. Off the coast of the toe of Italy lies the rich fertile land of Sicily. Occupied partially by the Carthiginians and by Greek sympathizers it could be an explosive area. North of Rome, in the northern reaches at the foot of the Alps the Gauls have settled in rather comfortably. Although the Gallic tribes are quiet it is inevitable that they will be on the move again and a likely direction is south.

Chapter I - Romanization of Southern Italy.
Beginning in 270 BC Rome appointed a consul to deal with the Epeiorite entrenchment in Southern Italy. Cnaevs Cornelius Blasio assembled an army and set out for the Capital of Kalabria, Taras. After a nearly two year siege the garrison inside the city charged out and desperately tried to dislodge the besiegers. The result was a slaughter of the Greek garrison and the gates of the city were thrown open and Roman rule welcomed. The battle itself was initially played out by the missle troops of both sides and eventually the Greeks decided to engage the lines of the Romans only to be thrown back. The garrison commander tried a flanking charge into the Roman lines only to be killed by a countercharging Roman Cavalryled by the military tribune and nephew of Consul Blasio. The victorious Equites turned their attention to the skirmishers in front of the Roman lines and subsequently destroyed them. The cavalry managed to get inside the city cutting down all the fleeing Greeks. It was quickly over as the last remnants of resistance melted away. Consul Blasio led the army back to Capua to refit and rest and then put down a small rebellious group of Samnites before returning to Southern Italy. After wintering in Rome the Legion loaded themselves onto waiting vessels and sailed to Rhegium in Bruttia. Rhegium was besieged for slightly more than a year where upon they surrended without a drop of blood being spilt. By 265 BC Central and Southern Italy were united under Roman Rule.
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Battle of Taras Video Highlights
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...tleofTaras.flv
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In central Italy progress was being made on a road system designed to open up new trade routes with southern Italy. Regional governments were established in the two new provinces acquired. Diplomats from Rome finally worked out a peace treaty with the Gallic tribes in North Italy and managed to establish trade. As of now the tribes are not united and do not represent a threat to the republic. Trade into north Italy will allow the Senate to further monitor the situation. A side effect of the acquisitions in the south was the introduction of thousands of slaves. Sanitary improvements throughout Italy has led to a population boom and with that an ever increasing demand for Grain and other food stuffs. The Italian peninsula is not ideal for vast tracts of farming. However adjacent to the Italian Peninsula is the fertile Island of Sicily. The black volcanic soil supports a seemingly endless tide of grains. The city of Messana has been contested by Greece and Carthage. Estimates that the population of the peninsula had doubled since 280 BC would certainly put pressure on the Senate to find a reliable source of grain. Egypt supplies grain as well as Carthage but both of those exact a high price to the republic. Mainly because Rome is powerless to stop it. A great debate roared in the senate for several days before an army under Consul Blasio was to pressure the city of Messana to join the Republic. In exchange for Rome's protection against the independent city, Messana would ship Grain to Rome for nearly half the price that Carthage and Egypt charged. Egypt was not overly concerned and was confident that they would find other markets. However Carthage was greatly offended and felt betrayed. In a desperate move Carthage ceased grain shipments to the Republic. Although Messana supplied some grain, Carthage still supplied almost a quarter of all the grain consumed in the Peninsula. The vast majoritiy of it was grown right in Sicily. After failed attempts to renegotiate, an army from Rome was sent to Sicily to secure as much grain as possible to supply the quickly growing Republic.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ChapterI-I.jpg
^Territory as of 265 BC

Alright im back!

Yay!

BTW; your videos are getting much better.

There is a learning curve involved with the video editing thats for sure. Thanks for watching :)

Roma Invicta!!!! Good to see you up and running again.

Thanks wolfman I will have an update tonight

Chapter II - Campaigns of Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily
In 264 a Roman Consular army under Consul Cotta arrived at the gates of Messana in Sicily.
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^The Eques Legionis in charge of the Cavalry of the consular legion

After failed attempts to convince the garrison to leave, the Romans promptly surrounded the city and slowly choked off the inhabitants. After a year and a half the city surrendered and Roman government institutions established. The priority was to increase the grain flow to Rome. Through slavery, rebuilding of the port, and expanded farming that goal was achieved. For the moment the republic had secured enough grain to continue feeding its ever growing population. Food for the people would be a motivating cause in other times of the Republic as well. After the fall of Messana an envoy from Africa arrived declaring war on the Republic.
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It was largely a symbolic gesture as Carthage never really actively resisted Roman involvement in their island provinces. Lilybio fell after a year long seige and then after a 2 1/2 year seige of Syracuse it too fell to Roman forces. After placing governors and garrisons in the major cities of the island the Consular army returned to Italy. Consul Cotta arriving in Rome was impressed with the changes to the city. "Everywhere there were people. The streets were choked with a huge populace that had a voracious appetite for grain. Grain is the gold of this city. With it we prosper...without it we suffer. We are inexorably tied to this substance." - from Consul Cotta's memoirs.
The wealth of Sicily was flowing into the coffers of the Republic and an unprecedented building boom was ongoing. Archeological evidence suggests that every major city in Italy was erecting walls, Baths, sewers, administrative complexes, grain storage, and many other civil structures. Visitors to Rome in particular were impressed with the improvements.
After a brief respite the Consular army resumed its march and sailed to Corsica which quickly fell. Sardinia also fell without too much of a fight. During the invasion of Corsica the Romans had found a new addition to their forces. Balearic slingers offered themselves as mercenaries during the seige of Corsica.
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http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...ndSardinia.flv

^Video of Slingers and Skirmishers in Action
Singlehandedly they nearly eliminated an entire unit of militia. Combined with skirmishers the small groups of militia were hunted down with only a handful of Roman casualties. This is incredibly significant because it meant that Citizen troops (hastati, princepe, Triarii) would have less work to do in battle. In his memoires Consul Cotta remarked: "These slingers hurl stones so fast they are scarcely visible. Upon impact they cause much mayhem and death. Every stone that brings a man down is a man I dont have to kill later." Consul Cotta hired more slingers and sent them to Arretium where they would be employed against other enemies.
By 252 BC Rome had emerged as a major power in the Western Meditereanean. In 20 years the city had gone from insignificant to instrumental. The power of Rome was beginning to be felt. Carthage had experienced this first hand and others would also feel the sting of Roman might.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterII-IX.jpg
^The Republic as of 252 BC

Chapter III - Pacification of Northern Italy
With Romes attention in the islands that extend along its length to the West in the north potential trouble was brewing. The Aeudi tribe had sacked Massaleia. Massala was a Greek colony that traded extensively with the Romans. Word of its demise scared the senate into action. Celts and other barbarians had migrated far to the south of the Po River. In fact Gallic villages had popped up less than a days ride from Etruria. Etruria is the province north of Rome, in which Arretium is its capital. Peace had been achieved with Carthage and its wake new actions could be taken against the north.
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A new Consul was dispatched to subjucate the area between the Po River and Central Italy. This Consul, Lucius Cornelius Scipio, would be one of many of a family that would influence Rome for some time. The Scipio's had arrived. Consul Scipio would make a name for himself and together with his sons would take war to Northern Italy.
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From 251 BC to 243 BC a large swath of northern Italy would be pushed in submission. Often the villages or cities that resisted would be sold into slavery. These slaves would be sent to Sicily to work the large farms that had sprung up after the Sicilian invasion.
Three major battles took place in this time frame. The battles of Segesta, Bononia, and Patavium would be th only major engagement that the Romans would be involved in. Most of the time was spent Beseiging various resistant cities. A second legion was raised to protect the consular legion against any possible movement by the Aeudi tribe.
During the Campaign the use of Samnite infantry was heavily relied upon. Rome had called upon the cities of Arpi and Capua to provide these stalward troops. Making up the front line in front of the hastati these spear wielding soldiers stood their ground and almost never broke rank.
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They stopped enemy cavalry charges and allowed the skirmishers to operate safely behind them.
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If they were on the verge of breaking they would be withdrawn to behind the Triarii and allow the Hastati to fight for a while. As the Samnites ran between the hastati and retreated the hastati would unleash a punishing barrage of javelins into the face of the enemy. The Samnites knew their role in the consular legion and it was very important. Many Samnite maniples gained quite a name for themselves and were handsomely rewarded. The style of fighting that the Romans employed meant that the enemy always had the grim reality that they would be fighting fresh troops. As soon as the Troops in the front were tired or exhausted they would be withdrawn to the rear to rest. Each time the Romans withdrew a line the enemy would be facing better trained and rested troops. If the battle went long enough the front line troops( samnites/hastati) could be redeployed for flanking maneuvers. In the seige of patavium for example, the Samnites were redeployed on the flanks of the enemy pressing the hastati and boxed the enemy in on three sides. This is terrible for the enemies morale and they subsequently ran for the city. Exhausted and surrounded the enemy would almost always flee.
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^Scenes from Battles in Northern Italia
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...hernItalia.flv
^Video of various battles
The Strict organization of this system meant that communication had to be perfect. Consul Scipio used his eldest son to help him with this. His son was in charge of the cavalry.
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Known as the Eques Legionis, Gnaeus Presentius Scipio, would perform cavalry maneuvers to prevent enemies from flanking or destroy isolated or demoralized units. In the battle of Bononia he employed the Calvary Extroidinaire to take down the enemy general which had managed to get isolated from the rest of his army.
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Consul Scipio was considered a hero back in Rome for his actions against the tribes in the north. These tribes were independent and small however. To the west lay the plentiful members of the Aeudi tribe who have no love of the Republic. Peace in northern Italy would ultimately depend on these tribes submitting to Roman rule.
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^Extent of the Republic as of 243 BC

Looks like you're almost back to where you were on your last one. Keep up the good work!

Yep! I only lost a few days it would seem. I live just north of Orlando. Where do you live?

Just a bit South of Orlando. Opposite ends I guess. Nice to meet a fellow Orlandoer? Orlandoinian? What do you call someone from here anyways?

Orlandonean i think...Orlandite sounds weird. I live near DeLand in Orange City..you live in like Kissimmee? Update tonight :)

Chapter IV - Pacification of the Aeudi and Unlikely Alliances
In 243 BC the Roman Republic found itself in an uncomfortable position. To its west and north a great war was underway between three "barbarian" nations. The Sweboz, Aeudi, and Arverni tribes were battling it out over land on the other side of the Alps. Getting involved with expelling the Aeudi tribe might invoke the wrath of the other two nations. It was a Gamble but one that Consul Scipio made anyway.
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Consul Scipio attacked the city of Mediolanum and would result in a bloodbath of the Aeudi.
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After two years the Aeudi had had enough and retreated to their stronghold of Masalla. Naturally Consul Scipio followed them there and with another legion keeping the peace in Northern Italy, laid seige. The King of the Aeudi, Divicoi, had rallied his men in his homeland and crossed the Rhone river in a great attempt to dislodge the Roman tumor. The Romans justified the move saying they were responding to Masallas call for help. Historical perspective is needed here because what one must realize is the fact that the Masalla residents had all been put to the sword several years previous to the Roman response. In all liklihood it was a justification for continuing the fight against the Aeudi. What is now apparant is that despite repeated attempts to stop the Arverni from attacking them the Arverni were apparantly pleased at the recent turn of events and renewed their offensive against the Aeudi homeland. This meant the Romans would not have to fear the Arverni joining in the fight against them. In a giant battle that involved hellenistic mercenaries, gallic troops, and the Roman formations, a clear winner would not be known for some time.
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The Aeudi threw their men against the Roman lines pushing the Romans backward. The Samnites and hastati found themselves fighting next to each other after several hourse of charges and pushing forced them backwards. With King Divicoi encouraging his men the Aeudi fought like animals and only relented when they were completely exhausted. The Romans were tiring too as they had withdrawn their first two lines of infantry after taking quite a beating for most of the day. In the afternoon the Principe had to hold the line while the hastati and Samnites recovered in the relative safety behind the Triarii. The Triarii were not sure if they would see fighting so they rested on one knee awaiting the call to battle. It never came. The death of the Aeudi King shattered the resolve of his men and they fled.
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Some of the wounded made it to Masalla where they stayed for another month before the city fell to the Roman forces.
Battle scenes from the Aeudi Campaign:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...diCampaign.flv

Consul Scipio sent emissaries to Gergovia in order to secure an alliance with the Arverni.
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The area west of the Rhone would be theirs. In exchange however they were to stay out of the Iberian Peninsula. Consul Scipio seeked to add the riches of Iberia to the coffers of the Republic. Already a hero for his actions against the hated gallic tribes, Scipio was on the verge of a triumph for his achievements. The senate declared him Princep and approved his consulship for a second time. At the age of 30 Consul Scipio had achieved what no Roman could have dreamed possible: Peace in the whole of Italy. So in less than six years the Romans had evicted the Aeudi, secured all of northern italy and sealed an alliance with the Arverni. That meant the Legions of Rome were free to operate wherever they wanted with no enemies on their borders.
The war with the Gauls had changed Roman approaches to combat and the limited contact with the Iberians had encouraged a military evolution. New pedigrees of troops were being pressed into service from the great cities of the empire. A new legion with different weapons, armor, and training would join Consul Scipio in Iberia. Iberia was a land of great promise and a familiar nemesis.
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^Extent of Roman Republic, 237 BC

Three cheers for Samnite Spearmen!

Roman Legions in Combat + Barbarian Enemies = FUN! :laugh4:

Polybian reforms already? Nice. And you're video skills are getting better. What are you using to record them anyways?

Yeah, I live around Kissimmee. Or as the tourists like to call it, "Kissisisimee". :tongue2:

Owen: Yes the barbarians are fun to play against but they are not pushovers. The sheer press of men against my lines shoves guys everywhere. The battles are long and brutal. Thank god the Romans have better discipline. The samnites are awesome. Too bad i cant recruit them from Iberia. I have to ship them over there.

Marcus: I use a program called FRAPS which captures stills and videos. I actually bought the lisensed version so i could make videos longer than 30 seconds. Ah Kissimmee. Long ways from me but were still both close to orlando...tells you how big that city is getting.

Thanks guys for following the story. Chapter five has started out rough. I will give an update in the next few days!

Update tonight :)

Great AAR!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chirurgeon

Thanks guys for following the story. Chapter five has started out rough. I will give an update in the next few days!

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Let me guess the Arvernii made peace with the Aedui and attacked you?

No not quite that bad..I hope they never make peace...Im depending on them to keep fighting while i snatch Iberia away.

Chapter V - Disaster at the hands of the Aeudi
In 237 BC the InterGallic war reached a new level when the province of Narbo Martinensis and its capital of Tolose fell to Aeudi armies. The senate of Rome had decreed that the Aeudi could not share a border with the Republic and their presense cannot be tolerated. Any successful invasion of Iberia could not occur till the Aeudi Tribe was forced back into northern Gaul. Consul Marcus Flaminius Scipio, the hero who conquered northern Italy, was dispatched to evict the Aeudi Tribe from Tolosa. A huge army was hold up inside the city of Tolose and some very capable Chieftains of the Aeudi were less than a seasons march.
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The victories at Mediolanum and Masalla had given the legion under command of Consul M. Scipio great confidence. Scipio took one consular legion to beseige the city and left a second behind at their fort guarding the crossing of the Rhone River into northern Italy. Military historians agree that he should have taken the second legion. During the Seige of Tolosa about six months into it a massive relief force engaged the Consular legion. M. Scipio deployed his men in a less than favorable environment. Basically he deployed them in the bottom of a bowl. Unable to find better ground before the battle commenced Scipio was convinced that he could use a large rock formation on his right to guard the right flank and then press the enemy on his left flank. His plan was to turn the enemy so that they would be pinned between the rock and the legion. Things were dicey from the get go. The great Aeudi Chieftain, Lugort oi Aurvaritaea, who essentially was there king and had never lost a battle showed up with his best men. War hardened veterans of countless engagements with the Arverni had made morale something of a no factor in the battle. It was clear that the spirit of the Aeudi was particiluarly high on this day. Add to this the fact that the Gallic tribes could run down a hill and smash into the lines added to the prospect of victory. The key to this fight was not the melee fighting infantry but rather the slingers that the Aeudi had brought with them. Five lines of slingers would take their position on the hill and rain stones on the Romans all day during the battle. The slingers would be able to hurl the stones further and with more accuracy from their high vantage point. This created carnage on an unprecedented scale. Nearly half of the army was destroyed in the subsequent barrage. The Romans in trying to deal with the press of men and the barrage of stones caused the samnites to flee the field. Its the first time the Samnites would flee a battle. Normally this would not be a problem as the Hastati/princepes/Triarii would be able to hold the line. However the lines were at about half strength and had great difficulty holding thier own. Even the cavalry were not immune to the slingers. In desperation the cavalry were employed to try and break the Aeudi's left flank. It worked. However more gallic troops were marching down the hill and the Romans, having given chase, ran headlong into the reinforcements. This was more than the legion could bear. Systematically each maniple began to rout until the entire army was fleeing the field. The losses for the legion were immense. Only about 25% of the legion survived and made it back to Masalla.
Scenes from the Battle of Tolose:
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterV-II.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterV-III.jpg
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https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterV-VI.jpg

Video of the Battle:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...atatTolose.flv
During the rout, M. Scipio fell from his horse and was seriously injured. He had to be placed with one of his body guard units until he could make it to Masalla. Scipio in his anger sent the second legion with a clear mission to destroy the city of Tolosa at any costs. The second legion was also beaten and forced to withdraw. M. Scipio would never again command because of his injuries and because of his utter failure. The other hero of the Northern Italia campaign would be the new Consul. Gnaeus Scipio, who served as teh Eques Legionis, would assume the Consulship and before he could attack the Aeudi city of Tolose it fell to forces from the Arverni. However he achieved several victories agains that Aeudi, Including one against the previously undefeated leader of the Arverni.
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Four years of campaigning against an enemy that had been underestimated spelled disaster for the Republic. It took another four years for new legions to be trained and brought to Masilla for deployment to Iberia.
In northern Italy the German tribe, the Sweboz, would make their entrance. They attempted to sack the city of Patavium but fortunately the legion based in Northern Italy under the command of Consul Cotta, threw the Germans back over the Alps. The loss of the two legions at Tolose clearly motivated the Germans in their thinking. The republic having been weakened by the loss of 50% of their military were vulnerable. By 229 BC however the Republic had recovered and were employing better trained and equipped troops. Commonly called the Polybian reforms these changes would clearly benefit the legions.
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Having learned various techniques from their enemies the Romans have demonstrated their flexibility in warfare. The ability of the Roman war machine to adapt to changing conditions is what made it so successful. The consular armies still relied heavily on allied troops. About 25% of the army would be non-citizens in formations that work best for whatever area they are from. In the Spring of 228 the War for control of Iberia would begin. The Senate approved Gnaeus Scipio for another Consulship and with a total of three legions set about on a grand campaign to put Iberia under the thumb of the Roman Republic.
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^Extent of the Roman Republic, 230 BC

Excellent update!!! Roman discipline was crushed by celtic feroucity on this sad sad day. Hopefully those brave men that died can be avenged in the near future. Roma Victa!!!

Thanks wolfman. This was a hard update for me. I still cant believe five units of slingers nearly destroyed my army.

Update tomorrow...Chapter VI :beam:

Chapter VI - Securing Coastal Iberia
Although Iberia offered much promise it was also a land divided. The entrance of Rome into the Iberian scene in 229 BC meant that there were four factions vieng for control over the peninsula. In addition to Rome there is Carthage along the Mediterraenean coast, The native Iberians occupying the Interior, and The expanding Arverni confederation. The latter had been warned not to enter into Iberia in agreement with the alliance. However Rome's spies in Gaul had revealed that the Aeudi tribes had reached an agreement with the Germanic Sweboz to attack the Arverni.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterVI-IV.jpg
In ten years time the Arverni would go from powerful to desperate. Once again it appeared that the Republic was destined to have another collision with the Aeudi.
The one city, Emporion, that had not fallen to any of the factions fell to Roman forces in the fall of 229 BC. This gave the Romans a secure port on the upper right hand corner of the peninsula. Consul Gnaeus Scipio led his forces south across rough terrain and met a small force of native Iberians which were quickly scattered.
Expecting a Carthiginian garrison, Consul Scipio found instead native Iberians occupying the town of Arse. After a nearly two year Seige the Iberians surrendered and a small garrison was left with Consul Scipio in the city. G. Scipio would oversee the reconstruction of the city and the completion of roads to the north in order to better secure suppllies. The Roman fleet was spending alot of time avoiding the Carthiginian fleet and it was costing the Consul much needed supplies. Consul Scipio awaited a new legion in city of Arse which were enroute from the city of Masilla by land. During his stay in the city the Native Iberians were growing restless. With most of his legion marching north to meet up with the fresh recruits, Consul Scipio would be left with a skeleton Garrison. It was during this vulnerable time in the winter of 228 that the Carthiginians apparently encouraged the native Iberians of the city to revolt. Led by Carthiginian agents the people of the city turned their attention to Scipios villa in the center of the town and attacked it. Eventually after several days of fighting they broke through and killed much of the garrison and Consul Scipio fell amongst the defenders.
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His corpse was paraded through the streets and the Iberians found themselves with renewed confidence in defending their homeland. Obviously this paralyzed the efforts of the Republic in conquering coastal Iberia. The senate met in emergency session and named a new consul. The new Consul, Appius Vagienius Cotta, was the current governor of Masilla.
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At the age of 46 he was not young but did have considerable influenced and was generally respected. He marched to connect with the main force that was now encamped on the Ebro River. After reforming the army he marched the men and brutally sacked the city of Arse putting the rebelious natives to the sword. Any confidence the Iberians had gained was now shattered in the face of two full consular legions. For the moment Consul A. Cotta ignored the Iberians and instead focused on the Carthiginians in there city of Carthago Nova.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterVI-V.jpg
After several months of beseigement the Carthiginians sent a relief force under command of , Aderbal, who was in all purposes a King.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterVI-VI.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterVI-VII.jpg
Having trekked from Gader it took a while for them to reach their city. The Romans deployed themselves on a large hill in which the Carthiginians were clearly at a disadvantage of trying to wrest them away from. Although the Carthiginians fought well they did not have the numbers to dislodge the Romans and after Aderbal was killed the entire army fled back to Gader.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterVI-IX.jpg
Carthago Nova fell into the hands of the Romans but would be a difficult province to manage due to the natural unrest of the area. Consul A. Cotta stormed west along the southern coast of Iberia finally arriving at the important and last city of Carthage in Iberia. Gader withstood the besiegement and in a large battle the new leader of the Carthiginians,Yutpan , emerged to relieve the city of the Roman attack.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterVI-XII.jpg
A grand battle took place in which the Romans had much difficulty in stopping the Carthiginian's superior cavalry. Again Carthage was undermanned and although they had great discipline the Romans began to wear down the Iberian troops that the Carthiginians were using. After about two hours of fighting the Carthiginian center broke and the hastati gave chase. The Samnite spearmen had been withdrawn due to heavy casualties on their flanks. With the center collapsed the Romans pivoted their lines and attacked the units on their flanks. The remainder of the Carthiginians fled and ultimately made it back to their fleet where they sailed back to Africa.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterVI-XVI.jpg
Battle Scenes from the Iberian Coastal Campaign:
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterVI-XV.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVI-XIII.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterVI-XIV.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVI-VIII.jpg
Video of the two battles with the Carthiginians:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...stalIberia.flv
Gader had fallen and now Rome had complete control of all the Mediterannean ports that Iberia had to offer. Having this control however was somewhat deceptive. The vast interior of Iberia was untamed and without that properly subjucated it would only be a matter of time until the Native Iberians ( or the emerging Arverni) would contest Roman holdings. A decision was made to press into the Iberian Interior. After taking a year to rest troops the Romans had impressed the Iberian locals and many villages offered their own warriors to help fight. Apparently the Iberians that lived in the former Carthiginian held territory were so impressed with the effectiveness of the Roman military that they began to offer themselves as mercenaries. Although skeptical, the Consul had no choice due to the fact that his main front line troops were running thin. The Samnites had performed admirably but there numbers had dwindled to the point that new units had to be called from Italy or he could use native Iberian Troops. In 222 BC Consul Cotta made the decision to press into the Interior of Iberia.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVI-XVII.jpg
^Extent of Roman Rule, 222 BC

Excellent choice of expansion! Iberia has 2 reputable forms of income: Mines and Trade. Be warry of the Sweboz to the north their expansion is alarming. I've heard many people say that they stopped their Roman campaign because of Sweboz hordes.

Thanks for the advice with the Sweboz. I am using two legions in Northern Italy to stop their advances. About 225 BC they started to really focus on Patavium. I am going to try to be sneaky and become allies with the Aedui, declare war on the Arverni, and make peace with the Germans. Hopefully it will work out. After Iberia I might take a hard look at north Africa. Carthage is weak and could be a good avenue for the Republic to expand. Its a necessary thing because Carthage is only 3 days sail away :). Anyways I will likely have another update tomorrow. Thanks for watching :)

In order to make peace with the Aedui make sure you are not bordering them first capture and offer any next to border province and give it to the Arvernii. Then they might agree to peace also map info and trade rights and ~10000 mhai always sweeten the deal.

The Arverni are almost dead at this point. The Sweboz and Aeudi have ganged up on them.

Wow, you had a general get killed in rioting? I've never seen that happen. Your AAR is still great. Can't wait to see the next update. :2thumbsup:

By the way, what does your title mean? I'm assuming it's Latin, but I haven't started my Latin class yet, so I can't read it.

It means Purple Cloak. The purple Paludamentum is the color of the Empereror :)

Im working on a huge update I hope to have it loaded tomorrow(Sunday). Basically its the entire Iberian Campaign which took quite some time. Also got a cool video of a huge battle. There were more than one but this one was "epic". Also I disabled flags and arrows under the guys feet. WOW what a difference. Now it looks like a real battle. Plus I made minimum UI. Ive got some screenshots of this but no video. Chapter VIII will have videos that look so much more realistic without the stupid arrows and flags. Stay tuned. ......

Chapter VII - Subjucation of Iberia
In 222 BC only the coast of Iberia was secured. In 220 BC Consul Cotta, now over 50 years of age, set forth into southern Iberia with goals of securing two major cities from the Lusitanns, Sucum Magi and Baikor. The Guadalquivir river however stood between the Romans and the assemblage of native Iberians. consul Cotta found a ford further downstream and marched up to meet the Iberians who were inside of a fort at the time. The speed of the Roman advance caught the Iberians off guard and before they could respond they had been promptly surrounded. Several weeks into the seige the Iberians flung open the gates to engage the Roman army.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterVIII-I.jpg
As they pressed toward the Roma lines the Romans took a position on a hill That would overlook the fort and the battlefield. The Iberians fought uphill against the Romans. As they pressed they slowly began to tire. The staying power and discipline the Iberians had forced the Romans to slowly move up the hill in order to allow their troops to get fresh again. The Iberians did not do this rather used all their men simultaneously. The effect was that the Iberians did get tired but at a slower rate. Finally with the Princepe holding back the Iberian mass of men, the allied troops who had rested charged down the hill and broke the resolve of the Iberians. Two weeks after this battle Consul Cotta noted with admiration the ability of the Iberians to resist fatigue. "Had the Iberians employed our same tactics of resting the maniples in succession it is likely that we would still be fighting this battle!" - from Memoirs of a Consular General.
Scenes From the Battle for Southern Iberia:
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVIII-II.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...erVIII-III.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVIII-IV.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVIII-VI.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterVIII-V.jpg
Video of the Battle:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...hernIberia.flv

Impressed by the Iberians Consul Cotta knew the value of these troops and quite accurately predicted that the men of Iberia may very well determine Roman expansion. After two seiges and several years the two cities of Sucum Magi and Baikor fell to the Romans. Consul Cotta requested a new Consul and the senate voted Lucius Vitulacius Cotta as Consul.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVIII-XI.jpg
The new Consul was the son of the old one and had been in Rome and quickly traveled to Iberia. Consul A. Cotta was feeling his age and had been plagued with arthritis. He choose to administrate the area of Southern Iberia.
Southern Iberia was secure and now the most difficult part of the campaign began. The Arverni under pressure from the Aeudi had been essentially pushed over the Pyranees and occupied a sizeable area within Iberia. Eventually the Arverni presense would have to be dealt with but before that the Native Iberians, or Lusitanns, would have to relent to Roman rule. Battle after battle were fought for just about every mile of the interior.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...erVIII-VII.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVIII-IX.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterVIII-X.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...erVIII-XII.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...rVIII-XIII.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...erVIII-XIV.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...erVIII-XVI.jpg
Having entered Iberia with three legions it was clear that might not be enough. Using Iberian mercenaries stemmed the tide of losses by the Romans but eventually more troops would be needed. By the time the Romans reached the city of Tyde in the extreme northwestern corner of the peninsula the hatred of the Romans was painfully obvious. After Capturing Tyde and putting the people to the sword the City would continue to fight occupation and threw out the Garrison twice.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terVIII-XV.jpg
Eventually Consul L Cotta would pacify the province but he had to halt his campaign for several years to ensure that Rebelion did not occur. With Rebellion behind them Consul L Cotta asked Rome for more troops. Putting down the rebellion in Tyde had cost more men than he estimated. Once again the Campaign stalled and finally after a few years another Legion arrived at Emporion and began to make the long overland trip to Northern Iberia. The landscape of Northern Iberia was much more harsh than the south. Mountains and rivers were some of the geologic limitations to connecting the various provinces. Road building in these areas would be slow and frustrating. Consul Cotta moved across northern Iberia laying seige to the new capital and the new legion under command of Numerious Bulla laid seige to the Arverni city of Numantia. At this point with the Roman legions back up to strength any hopes of successful resistance was forgotten. Ultimately the great warriors of Iberia surrendered without a drop of blood spilt. In 208 BC Numantia fell as well and with it came the responsibility of ownership of another peninsula.
Governing Iberia was difficult because Rome used a volunteer army and over the next several decades it would become difficult to keep citizens as soldiers. The solution to this was colonization. The lands of Iberia were awash in vast mineral deposits and other natural resources. Hordes of Italian citizens traveled to Iberia and established vineyards, mining facilities, ship building, and many other industries. Silver and gold had been discovered and an elaborate and expensive plan was put into place to get some sort of infrastructure going. Roads had to be built, sanitation had to be improved, and corruption would have to be checked. The latter was quite difficult due to the fact that so many natural resources fell into Romas lap at once. Accounting for all the gold and silver from the mines was very difficult.
The time from 229-207 BC showed some of the fastest expansion the Republic had ever undergone. The number of territories Rome controlled was growing at a breathtaking rate.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...VIII-XXIII.jpg
Although the riches and manpower of Iberia fell into Roman control it would be some time before the business of Iberia would be turning a major profit. The expenses of running the Republic were very high. The expenses of paying legions to fight in far-away lands also ate into the revenues. The Gallic problem and the Germanic problem were huge according to Roman sources. The senate was unwilling to fund a war into Gaul or anywhere else north of the Alps. Consultants who had traveled to Germania and Gaul had largely agreed that few natural resources were available to use in those lands. After a large debate it was determined that the spoils of the invasion could not justify the invasion itself. The number of men it would take to subdue the northern lands was too high of a price to pay. Many senators felt such an invasion of either Gaul or Germania would bankrupt the republic. However the Senate also knew that those areas would have to be dealt with eventually. The Germans especially were continuing to try and capture land south of the Alps. It took two legions in the Po River Valley to keep the Germanic masses in check. Iberia would be one area necessary to fund an expansion north but it would take more than the riches of Iberia to successfully pull off that war. Another source of Income would have to be found. It just so happens that a diminished but rich trading empire existed less than three days sail from Roma.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...rVIII-XXII.jpg
^Extent of the Roman Republic 207 BC

Excellent new chapter! So, the Iberian wars are finished inside of one chapter eh. Might I make the suggestion that after defeating Carthage you send a legion to the Arverni held settlement of Tolosa so that your lands can be connected. I would also suggest putting forts in the passes i.e.the one north of Mediolanium and the other one that is north of Patavium. I would also put a fort on the little strip of land east of Patavium. This should slow the germanic horde.:viking:

Thanks Wolfman. Ive been keeping two legions at Patavium using the city to replace lost recruits. At the moment I dont have much to worry about. The Aeudi offered an alliance! The Aeudi have attacked ther Sweboz across the Rhine. The Sweboz have stopped attacking me and have taken thei troops away. Until the Aeudi break the alliance i dont see any reason to be overly concerned. Nice to see the alps free and clear of the Germanic Hordes. Thanks for the compliments on the update. Alot of work went into that

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chirurgeon

Thanks Wolfman. Ive been keeping two legions at Patavium using the city to replace lost recruits. At the moment I dont have much to worry about. The Aeudi offered an alliance! The Aeudi have attacked ther Sweboz across the Rhine. The Sweboz have stopped attacking me and have taken thei troops away. Until the Aeudi break the alliance i dont see any reason to be overly concerned. Nice to see the alps free and clear of the Germanic Hordes. Thanks for the compliments on the update. Alot of work went into that

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And the Senate refuses to take advantage of this situation? What kind of senators are you rasing Chirurgeon?

haha ones that only care about Carthage apparently. What would you wish the senate to do?

Hi mate,

Really enjoying this ! Just as good as the other one that went tits up ! Just wondering could you let us know what your consular armies look like ? And you say you have two legions guarding North Italy, are they 10 unit stacks or 20 unit stacks with or without generals in each ?

Cheers mate, keep up the fine writing !!

Denbo:laugh4:

Hey Denbo thanks for posting. And thank you for the compliments. Ill get a pic of what a typical consular army looks like in the next update. One of the rules I have is that I cant have an army without a legatus legionis. I will likely have an update tonight sometime.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wolfman25

Excellent new chapter! So, the Iberian wars are finished inside of one chapter eh. Might I make the suggestion that after defeating Carthage you send a legion to the Arverni held settlement of Tolosa so that your lands can be connected. I would also suggest putting forts in the passes i.e.the one north of Mediolanium and the other one that is north of Patavium. I would also put a fort on the little strip of land east of Patavium. This should slow the germanic horde.:viking:

---

Well it was two chapters. One chapter was dedicated to capturing coastal Iberia and the second was dedicated to capturing the interior portion. Hate to be nitpicky but both those chapters were alot of work!! :sweatdrop: Anywayz I will have another update tonight.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chirurgeon

haha ones that only care about Carthage apparently. What would you wish the senate to do?

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Judging by your last update half the Alps are still under control of the unwashed German hordes. This area can turn quite a profit from mining.
Well it seems to me a 'Ambitious' (Selfish/optimistic) would take advantage of the inability of the Germans to defend their border territories.


Just a thought.

Edit: Yay update!

Chapter VIII - Consolidation
The years between 207 BC and 200 BC were some of the most peaceful in the history of the Republic. In Iberia progress was being made on Infrastructure. Mining was beginning to become more efficient, Agricultural villas were established, and great Roads linked the cities.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterIX-I.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterIX-III.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterIX-III.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterIX-IV.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterIX-V.jpg
Ports were being upgraded as well. The Military machine that had rampaged through Iberia with the strength of three legions had now been reduced to just one legion. Situated in the foothills of the Pyranees the main purpose was to babysit the Arverni and Aeudi tribes to the north. Two more legions existed in the Po River Valley between Patavium and Mediolanum. By 200 BC the two legions were being merged with the veterans leaving to return to their former careers.
In 201 BC an alliance was forged with the Aedui Confederation. The history of Roman diplomacy with its Gallic neighbors is convoluted at best. Rome has always seem to side with the tribes that are dominant and this dominance seems to change constantly. For now the Aeudi have the upper hand. The Sweboz tribe which had conquered every other Germanic tribe north of the Danube and East of the Rhine was now in a large scale border dispute with the Aeudi. Seeing that they had to divert their forces North the Sweboz requested a ceasefire.
In 200 BC however this all changed when a Carthiginian fleet engaged the Romans around Sicily. Even though the Romans won the engagement the Senate convened a war council and demanded revenge. With the coffers filling up with Iberian wealth and the north secure many of the senators felt it was divine destiny to rule Africa. The gods had provided peace in the north so that a proper opportunity was had to invade the Carthaginian lands. To this date Carthage and Rome have squared off twice in their history. The first Punic war was for the control of Corsica, Sardinia, and the bread basket of Sicily. The Second time was over Iberia. Carthage's record against the Romans was not very good and as a result Rome's confidence was high. A final war was about to be embarked but Carthage would not go easily into the annals of history.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterIX-VI.jpg
^Republic as of 200 BC

Small update but tomorrow will be much grander. Enjoy!

I must say I'm impressed by your AAR and would love to have such time on my hands, but my Sauromatae campaign that's now in 194 started around the first of April and I'm still working on it I took about a week off from it while I worked on the money script but still I guess gaining control of most of the known east is time-costing.

RedMeth:
School is out for me so time is not a problem. Doing this is a cheap way to kill time. Actually i really do enjoy this. Between my workout schedule, going to the beach, and bar hopping I set aside time for this endeavor. Much like an author sets time aside for writing. On another note: Just watched the extended DVD of Gladiator. I think i watched the first battle like five times. Lots of extra scenes in there that gives the plot more depth. Thanks for the compliments, you guys keep me going :2thumbsup:

Ok the update is taking longer than I thought. Its going to cover a larger time frame than normal. Roughly 48 turns or 12 years. I had a few CTDs in this time frame as well which set me back. The update will be soon :)

Chapter IX
In the year 200 BC Rome made the bold initiative to invade Africa. Never being a seafaring nation the Romans worked very hard to create a naval link between Italy and Sicily and Sicily – Africa. In 200 BC Two legions under command of Appius Vaginius Cotta and Caius Hispalus Bulla landed around the Carthiginian capital of Kart-Hudast (Carthago).
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...erIX-III-1.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterIX-II.jpg

With the bulk of their forces in Mauretania Rome had some time to lay waste to the Carthiginian coast. In 199 BC the capital fell and each year another city until 195 BC. A total of three major cities fell before the Carthiginians could amass an army to deal with the invasion.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terIX-VIII.jpg
And then outside the city of Lepki on the Eastern edge of Carthiginian territory a substantial army engaged the army of Consul Cotta. The battle would be brutal and much was at stake. If the Romans prevailed then they would have the momentum to invade the western half of Africa. If the Carthiginians prevailed they would have time to reclaim their coastal cities East of Kart-Hudast. Either way both armies fought a desperate fight. The son of former consul Lucius Cotta died while leading the Cavalry on a counter charge of the Carthiginian cavalry.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terIX-VI-1.jpg
The Punic cavalry was superior to what the Romans could field and as a result the flanks of the Romans, particulary the left flank, was beginning to feel the heat. Unfortunately for Carthage they did not field enough heavy infantry to sufficiently break the left flank. The Center of the Romans was being pushed back by the ferocious phalynx of the Carthiginians. When the general Domitius Cotta perished the sway of the battle began to favor the Carthiginians. Only pure resilience and discipline saved the Romans. The death of the Carthiginian leader allowed the Romans to capitalize on the stunned lines of the enemy.
With their morale low the Roman leader Consul Cotta pushed his men for one more charge. One more charge and the people of Rome would see them as heroes. The men rallied and finally broke the Carthiginian lines.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterIX-V-1.jpg
The battle was one of the bloodiest Rome had fought since the defeat at Tolose. The number of losses for each side was equal and equally staggering.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...erIX-VII-1.jpg
After the victory Consul Appius Cotta had no choice but to return to Sicily to await a new Legion. His was so diminished and the men so exhausted he let them return to their homes. The senate criticized the move saying that valuable veterans with true field experience had been released but Consul A. Cotta stood by his decision. In addressing the Senate he told them that “Until you trade your togas for armor, your parchments for shields, and your pens for swords, you have no right to draw conclusions from my actions”. This would be several altercations the senate would have with the Consul. Because of his victory and popularity with the commoner the Senate was reluctant to strip him of his Consulship. Consul A. Cotta returned to Africa to continue his offensive against the Carthiginians. By 194 BC Carthage was sending its western army against the Roman threat. With elite African infantry, superior cavalry, and accomplished numidian skirmishers the Romans would be in for another desperate fight that could very well steal the momentum of the campaign. Marching west the Romans saw an opportunity that could very well help them in the battle ahead. Between the Carthiginian Army and the Roman army lay a river that would have to be crossed. It was the beginning of the campaign season and as a result the snow melt in the Atlas mountains meant that the Chelif river would be swollen. Only one bridge spanned the river.
Consul Bulla quickened his pace and forced marched his men to get to the river first. Consul A Cotta would not arrive in time for the battle. The Romans deployed on the East bank of the river and the Carthiginians were forced to deploy on the opposite side. For two weeks nothing happened. And then during a crisp morning the Carthiginians stormed across the bridge. Running headlong into the Samnite spearmen and having great difficulty protecting their flanks the Carthiginians found themselves fighting on three sides. The Carthiginian general whipped his men and tried to get them across the bridge and to push the Romans backward. It worked for a while until the men were exhausted and suddenly the front of the Carthiginian column panicked and the rout was on. Being pushed from behind some men jumped into the raging river and quickly drowned. Others tried to run back across the bridge only to be crushed. Most tried to run through the Roman lines. This was essentially suicide as the Romans slaughtered the mass of the fleeting enemy. Several roman maniples after the battle were exhausted after the wholesale destruction of the Carthiginians. After the battle one of the Centurians from the Princepe remarked that he never thought he would grow weary of killing Carthiginians but after the battle he had his fill.
Aftermath of The Battle of Chelif:
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterIX-XI.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterIX-XII.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terIX-XIII.jpg

Consular Army (minus a skirmisher unit):
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterIX-X.jpg

Video summary of the two battles:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...eforAfrica.flv
^Check out the skirmisher that gets chucked like 20 feet from the cavalry charge at 0:40 seconds

The Battle of the Chelif river would be the last time the Carthiginians would put up meaningful resistance. Historians have questioned why Bashelik Barka sacrificed his entire army just to engage the Romans at a clear disadvantage. The battle was considered to be one of the biggest military blunders ever made. Had Carthage preserved her best troops and engaged the Romans on a more suitable battlefield clearly Rome would have had their work cut out for them. The war would have likely dragged on for much longer.
By 188 BC Carthage was effectively neutered as an empire. Having lost her coastal cities, survivors fled to the Balearic isles or deep into the Sahara. Rome in 188 BC became the champion of the Western Mediterranean.
With the fall of Carthage behind them the Senate recalled Consul A Cotta. Discussions were being made about what to do with the Alps Region.
A heated debate ensued as to who should lead the legions. Consul A Cotta had turned into a hero at 20 years of age. Never in the history of the Republic had such a young consul been assigned. The son of the Princeps, A Cotta was destined for good things. At 15 he was the youngest to win the Eques Certamen. This is a contest that tests ones prowess on a horse. At the age of 18 he fought five men in a mock battle, beating them all soundly. In that same year he commanded in a large drill battle out-maneuvering his opponents. This man had been groomed for greatness.
The Arverni tribe in southern Gaul were again on the move. With the Aeudi busy with the Sweboz in the Rhine region the Arverni made some territorial gains and this did not go un noticed. With the war in Carthage winding down and the coffers filled from the riches of Africa, the Senators were demanding that some sort of action be taken against the Arverni Tribe. The Rhone river had traditionally been a natural boundary against the Gauls but with the addition of Iberia to the Republic, many felt this didn’t apply anymore. Protecting Iberia from the Arverni would ultimately lead to the annexation of Southern Gaul into the Republic. Consul A Cotta would again have command of the legions.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterIX-XVI.jpg

Sounds like this A Cotta is destined for greatness. I have 2 agree with Jesus_saves about your senate though. What type of senate do you have? They sound like a bunch of fat, corrupted, greedy pigs only out for themselves, not the Republic. Before I finish I have a question. Shouldn't you have Marians by now since the reforms hit 200 BC and it now 188 BC. Again cool update!

I am not sure but i think the earliest they can occur is like 172 BC. Also i think you have to have 45 provinces under your belt and i have like 38 or so. A Cotta will be destined for greatness but another Consul will also make an impact in the next chapter. Marius reforms didnt happen till like 107 BC if i remember correctly. Any of you guys know if you can play past 14 AD? I wouldnt mind playing a little further if there are areas I havent added by then.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chirurgeon

I am not sure but i think the earliest they can occur is like 172 BC. Also i think you have to have 45 provinces under your belt and i have like 38 or so. A Cotta will be destined for greatness but another Consul will also make an impact in the next chapter. Marius reforms didnt happen till like 107 BC if i remember correctly. Any of you guys know if you can play past 14 AD? I wouldnt mind playing a little further if there are areas I havent added by then.

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I think you can but the 4 turns per year script stops working.

Ok my mistake I just checked the FAQ and your right 172 B.C.. I remember MAA I think saying that you can continue playing after 14 A.D. but the script stops. working

Edit: Oh Jesus_saves just answered your question.

ah ok thanks guys

Just.... AMAZING!!!!!
I'll be waiting for next chapters!!!!!

@Lusitan: Thanks for following...I should have another chapter in a few days :)

Quite the blitz your Romans are on there! Taking Iberia and North Africa in quick succession......well done!:smash:

Looks like those Cathaginians are using good amounts of Liby-Phoenician Infantry......every time I face them in my different campaigns, they use annoying amounts of Citizen Militia, which makes battles in North Africa exceedingly boring for me. :furious3:

Anyways, bravo!

@Owen:
Well I must say that the Carthiginians are some of the toughest I have encountered. For me the battles were nailbiters except the Bridge battle. That was a ridiculous massacre. If they fielded like 10 phaylynx with skirmishers and cavalry i would be toast...but alas they did not. Currently the Aeudi are raping the Sweboz and I am also taking care of business with the Germans. I have also had some family drama and some shakeups on the political scene. I should have an update relatively soon

Congratulations on 1,500 views! By the way, the Rhone river is the one that runs North-South just west of Massilia, right? I was never sure what the name of that river is.

@ Marcus Cornelius:
Thanks on the views. I find it weird that so many people look at it but only 4% leave a comment. Makes me wonder what i have to do to boost my "ratings" lol. Yes the Rhone River is the river that runs north south by Masilla. I actually did a flyby of it on google earth. Its a pretty wide river in places.

Perhaps most people don't leave a message because they're so amased, they can't leave a decent message :2thumbsup:
Anyway I really like your AAR:yes:

I noticed that alot of other topics in the forums are the same way...must be alot of "lurkers". Thanks Conradus for the compliment. I should have an update this weekend.

And if every lurker left a message, you would have had 50 (at 30 messages per page) pages already for this thread. You would need to start a new thread just to make the AAR accessible.


Lovely AAR.:2thumbsup:

Good point d'Arthez! And thank you. Wow three pages. Never thought i would see that! Thanks all!!

Chapter X - Pressing North, Gains in Gaul, And The Great Vanquisher

The time frame from 188-180 BC showed more gains for the Republic but also setbacks. The promising young Consul A Cotta while in Africa travelling between cities was attacked and killed.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterX-XIX.jpg
The Carthiginians used the ensuing chaos to team up with their allies, Arche Selucia, and undermine Roman influence in the Region. A second legion was organized but would not arrive till 180 BC. The Senate had to name a new Consul and choose Numerius Bulla to fill the role.
As one of the younger men from the African campaign and the son of a senator,N. Bulla organized the legion he commanded and sacked one of the Saharan outposts the Carthiginians were holding on to. With only one major city remaining, Roman Scouts indicated a large Selucid army approaching from the East. Using Lipki as a base of support Consul Bulla begged for help from Rome. It would be slow coming. By 180 BC the situation in Africa was becoming precarious.
Further North one particular Legatus would make a huge impact. C. Prisclianvs left the Po River valley with the instuction to secure the alps region from Germanic incursion.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterX-XVII.jpg
The Sweboz tribe was retreating after a series of staggering losses from the Aeudi of Gaul. Rome seized the opportunity and captured territory in the Alps. The Germans resisted but the paltry resistance was shattered time and time again. Countless Germans perished and the senate seeing an expansionistic opportunity to create a buffer between Italy and the Germanic forests. The Danube River offered a natural boundary with limited crossings enabling the Romans to secure Pannonia. The capture of Pannonia and the vanquishing of the Germanic Tribes south of the Rhine, allowed the Romans to breathe a sigh of relief.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...terX-XVIII.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterX-VI-1.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterX-VI.jpg
Battle Scenes from the German Campaign:
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterX-XV.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterX-XIV.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterX-XIII.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ChapterX-V.jpg
Remaining Germans had retreated to Illyria and had taken up residence in the town of Segestica. In 180 BC the young Commander was awarded the suffix Germanicvs to his name.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterX-XX.jpg
Debate raged as to whether the man would recieve a triumph for his actions. He had not even been named Consul. The other Consul was in Gaul fighting the Arverni Tribe. In a large battle outside of Tolose(not far from the Roman defeat) Consul Bulla organized his men and assaulted the Arvernian lines. The battle went poorly for the Arverni and any hope of the Tolose fiasco being repeated was shattered when Roman cavalry hunted down and destroyed the Gallic Slingers.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterX-XII.jpg
With their capital gone the survivors fled to the modern day region of Bordeaux where the survivors were trapped and sold into slavery. Some members of the tribe managed to settle in Moesia so the Arverni were not completely eliminated.
Battle Scenes from the Arvernii Campaign:
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterX-VII.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterX-IX.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...hapterX-XI.jpg

Video of Various Battles in Gaul and the Alps Region:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...pterXMovie.flv

The Republic was now connected between Iberia and Italia via southern Gaul. The Romans continued their support of the Aeudi allowing the war in Germania to continue and providing peace to most of the Gallic region. Having been at peace with the Aeudi for over 20 years meant that trade routes had been set up and much cultural exchange was occuring. Roman citizens and the Aeudic tribal members lived in peace side by side.
The population of the republic had exploded. Nearly a million citizens now resided within the realms of the republic.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...apterX-XXI.jpg
No where was this growth more obvious than in Italy. Archeological evidence supports the time frame between 190-180 saw a huge population boom. This of course does not count the non-citizens which makes up an even greater number. Relative peace across the whole of the western Meditereanean coupled with adequate food supplies equated a large population explosion. Unfortunately in later years this population explosion would demand a huge agricultural industrial complex that would mainly utilize slave labor. Many Romans would be put out of work and a solution would have come to fruition that would deal with the huge unemployment problem.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...pterX-XXII.jpg

Nice! I think you just made history as being ( correct me if I am wrong ) The first Romani AAR Who has a general near getting a triumph. Congrats! So were are you going to expand next? Greece? Egypt? Asia Minor? The Balkans?

Wolfman, that's no triumph just a conqueror of Germania trait, I had a general in my Romani who was a conqueror of germans, gauls and greeks and still didn't get a triumph.
Great AAR but the hard part is just starting, hope you like green...

Thanks Redmeth I just Relised my mistake and corrected it.

The men still have to name him imperator. Red meth what do you mean about the green part?

The Aedui look at that green mass, It's gonna be a lot of stabbing and naked guys running around in Gaul.

Oh haha im colorblind...to me Rome and the Aeudui look exactly the same. I thought they were both Red

Yet another great chapter.......

Great AAR. I hope You will continue it to the end.

Its a good AAR

and yes the Lurkers never leave comments

Thanks guys for the continued support. I should have another chapter soon.
@deadmeat: I have followed your AAR too. Good story.

Great AAR. Keep em coming!

Thanks Bootsiuv. Update today!

As much as I would like to post the next chapter I cannot. The game is crashing during 171 BC. Since about 200 BC the CTDs are happening more often. Now its happening every 4 turns or so. But usually if i restart it does fine. Now this particular CTD happens either during the Sweboz turn or the Rebel turn. The same CTD has happened four times in a row. Very frustrating indeed. Any suggestions?

Just downloaded the .81aV2 patch and it worked! Thank god i was getting very concerned.

Post your savegame, maybe someone on the team can fix it, open a thread in the bug reports sections. It would be a shame if you got stopped by a CTD.
EDIT: Glad you got it working

Chapter XI - War With Epirus
In 180 BC a low level war with Selucia over the Eastern holdings of Africa took place. However due to quick maneuvering the legions of Africa were able to thwart any attempts of the Selucids from crossing the rivers and making any real gains. Each time the Selucids tried to cross and push back the Romans it resulted in complete disaster.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-12.jpg
The desert battles of 180 BC would later evolve into something much more grim. Other areas of Africa were restless also. The plague was ravaging Mauretania and in the distant city of Salas the people felt they no longer wanted Roman rule and entered into blatant rebellion.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...entum/XI-8.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...entum/XI-7.jpg
To calm the situation a legion was raised and would become a permanent feature in Western Africa. Iberia also began to rebel and a legion would be raised to be sent there as well. By 180 BC the number of legions scattered around the republic would number 10. Two of these legions would be based in Iberia, One in southern Gaul, One in Northern Italy, One in Pannonia, Two in Epirus, and three in Africa. This placed a huge strain as the citizens that served in these legions demanded more and more from the Senate. A good chunk of the land owners in Italy were being stationed elsewhere. It was clearly a situation that could not be maintained indefinetely.
Just as the 3rd punic war was winding down word reached Rome that Epirus had sealed an alliance with the Sweboz tribes in Germania.
It was inconcievable that these Greek neighbors would do such a thing. It was also unacceptable. Rome sent diplomats and asked the Epirote King to cancel the alliance and it was refused. Even a generous offer of 10 000 mnai would not sway them. Diplomacy morphed into military very quickly. Epirus had 3 large field armies each one hovering around the city of Delminion along the Dalmation coast. The hero of the Republic, Cnaeus Germanius was once again asked to gather the legions for war.
Accompanying him would be a great horsemen, Oppius Crispus Flavinius, who would act as the magister equitum( master of the horse).
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-11.jpg
Although much younger than C. Germanius he would play a pivotal role in the campaign. The first target was the capital of Ambrakia located far in the south. With a minimal garrison and an element of surprise two legions would come ashore and capture Ambrakia fairly quickly. After leaving behind a small garrison and keeping an eye to the east C. Germanius swarmed north and encountered one of the three standing armies Epirus possessed.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...entum/XI-9.jpg
The training and discipline of the legions overwhelmed the enemy.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-23.jpg
Despite being outnumbered in all three major battles the Romans prevailed because they had what the Epirotes did not.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-19.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-18.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-14.jpg

O. Flavinius, controlling the cavalry was personally responsible for killing two of the Kings sons. So effective the Roman magister equitum was in deploying the cavalry by the end of the conflict in 171 BC many men would flee the horses before an ensuing charge could connect. Sometimes reputation it would appear could be a weapon. Time and time again the legion with its base in Ambrakia would supply fresh troops to the field and the attack on the armies of Epirus was unrelenting. After three dramatic losses the entire Epirote army would find themselves in the city of Delminion. After a long seige the last of the Epirotes died and with it a civilization.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-22.jpg
And within 9 years since the onset of the campaign, Rome had added three more powerful provinces to its collection.
Scenes from the Campaign:
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-21.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-20.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-17.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-13.jpg
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-16.jpg

Video of the Campaign:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...WithEpirus.flv
The Macedonians, however, embroiled in a distant war in Anatolia did not pay much attention to its protectorate and its demise. The fall of Epirus however would get the Macedonians attention . It would not be long before the Macedonians viewed Rome as a threat to their sovereinty in the Aegean peninsula.
https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-24.jpg

Special Feature: The Republic through time - Territorial gains from 272-171 BC

Enjoy!

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https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h...ntum/XI-24.jpg