[Romani AAR] It began on seven hills...

[Chirurgeon]

Soooo much deaatttth, over and over and over again... To think I thought my Sauromatae to be butchers... they ain't got a patch on the Romans... should have played with larger unit sizes myself. Quintus' aar is the one that truly reads like continuous genocide lol.

Since the Romans were particularly apt at Genocide and winning this AAR is keeping theme with what Rome actually did. Its not old man in togas hanging out eating olives and drinking wine...its stabbing a falcata into another mans belly and then selling his family into slavery. Brutality at its finest. You must ask yourself who is more barbaric?

[Aaldaemon]

Since the Romans were particularly apt at Genocide and winning this AAR is keeping theme with what Rome actually did. Its not old man in togas hanging out eating olives and drinking wine...its stabbing a falcata into another mans belly and then selling his family into slavery. Brutality at its finest. You must ask yourself who is more barbaric?

Quite so Chirurgeon... and while Quintus says he's being merciful, he must remember he _has_ to destroy Carthage and Corinth - I expect nothing less than massacring the population and the destruction of every building in those two cities.

[QuintusSertorius]

Well, I am also fomenting rebellions with the intent of making AI factions go to war. That's not terribly merciful, I guess. Already put the Hai and Seleukids at war, my next project is the Hai and Pontos.

[QuintusSertorius]

167BC:



The war with Epeiros is done - they are no more. But they do still exist in one form as Kyrene. They've got three full stacks over there and I'll periodically give them money if they're looking under threat. I've got a long period of peace now until I destroy Qarthadast, Makedonia and Koinon Hellenon, perhaps time to start some trouble in Spain. As it stands, I've not actually taken any Lusitanii provinces off them.

Still working on getting Pontos and Hayasdan to war with each other. Seleukids are needing some serious finance aid to stay alive, Pahlava are moving a little too quickly for my tastes now. Baktria have rebounded and now I'm struggling to keep them wiping out the Saka. Balance is a difficult thing indeed. I'm wondering if I should give the Saka some of the Parthian provinces.

Much as it pains me, I think it's about time I started standardising my armies. After all the Italian allies by this time were fighting in pretty much an identical fashion to the Roman part, by all accounts. Much as I love my variety, there isn't really justification for it. While the Bruttians make good hastati analogues, I don't really have anyone else who works for the rest. Plus it's been a couple of generations since the end of my Second Punic War.

Bland armies here we come, but I suppose it's preparation for the Marian reforms.

[Medical Toaster]

Quintus,

I am following your list for province take over dates for my own campaign and have noticed here that you have not taken Baikor by 179 B.C. as stated by your list. Have you got new information or have the struggles in the east put Iberian actions on a slight delay.

Thanks for the great AAR!

[QuintusSertorius]

Truth is I haven't got the greatest information on the conquest of Spain; it was a back and forth kind of thing so I've slowed it down some. It is my next target, I might have a go in a few years.

163BC:



I'm not entirely happy with my settlement of Anatolia; mostly because it still leaves Koinon Hellenon and Makedonia making too much money. I'm tempted to take their settlements off them and give them to Epeiros, but I'm not sure if that would be even worse in it's own way.

Pahlava roll on, Hayasdan have actually taken some Seleukid provinces, although they're off north again.

I've revised two of my armies now, they're mostly Roman because the allied part is "Italian". The ones in Spain I haven't touched, and I need to recruit a new army for Sicily.

[General Appo]

Continued good work. Just be very careful with the Seleukids, don´t want them wiped out yet for quite some time (an 80 or something like that, 100 if you count the Roman rump state).

[QuintusSertorius]

They've been getting financial support almost every turn, along with aiding in the placement of their armies and some additional units in places. I might give them back the provinces Hayasdan took, maybe that will pull their attention back south again. And give the Seleukids some funds.

Been taking it away from Pahlava, but I think now they have Seleukeia and Babylon they're rolling in it.

[QuintusSertorius]

Small wars in Spain, 162BC

The quaestor Appius Fabius Maximus had gone out to Hispania Ulterior with his father, the proconsular governor. His pater was fully-occupied with matters of administration in the provincial capital, Gader, and gave his son authority to prosecute an action against the local tribes. Finding no one to fight, Maximus besieged a nearby settlement and set his men to ravaging the landscape.

The response wasn't long coming, a warband gathered under a local chieftain.



The Romans outnumbered the Iberians by a large margin, but Fabius took no chances.



The first group arrived, their skirmishers harrassing the Romans from behind the fighting line.



The actions of the Gallic allied cavalry routed one band. Others soon followed.



The second warband attacked from the other side.



Meanwhile the remnants of the first group were ridden down.



On the right things were touch and go. Shock infantry and the warchief's personal guard fought hard.



Fabius ordered the Left ala and First legion to begin an enveloping maneuver.



The warchief tried to flee from the fight, leaving his men to their fate.



But the allied cavalry hunted him down.



Dismayed by his cowardice, his men gave up.



Fabius had his first real victory as commander of an army.

[QuintusSertorius]

161BC:



My slow conquest of Spain, I doubt I'll be able to keep Sucum-Murgi, but hopefully Baikor will stick. I made the mistake of not enslaving (ie Expelling) the population and there's a lot of them that don't like Rome. Plus the young quaestor is a bit rubbish as a governor. No levels in anything.

The Seleukids haven't won back their heartland, I just FD'd them a couple of provinces to slow the Parthians down a little bit. Between them and the Hai things aren't so good for what's left of the once-mighty empire. I gave them Cilicia as well, don't want Pontos too powerful too soon.

Ptolemies are fighting back in Judea/Nabataia, might have to transport some Sabaen stacks to give them a hand there. Now that the Qarthadastim are fighting Kyrenaia (Epeiros), they're not faring so well against the Mauretanians. War on two fronts, I guess.

Makedonia and Koinon Hellenon are stalemated, which is good.

[||Lz3||]

are you using MAA city mod?

just guessing

[QuintusSertorius]

are you using MAA city mod?

just guessing

No; so I do have some huge metropolii (is that a word?) amongst my settlements.

[QuintusSertorius]

I'm going a bit slower than my "30-year rule" for advancing up my government types in Spain and Illyria. It's 159BC and it feels a bit soon to be moving to Romanised provinces already in those locations.

[QuintusSertorius]

Small Wars, Pannonia, 158BC

Decimus Sergius Esquilinus was quaestor to the governor of Illyricum, a man who had come to a public career a little later in life than many others. Thus he was keen to make his name through action and thus accelerate his progress up the cursus honorum. The governor was comfortable enough running things from Segestica, so Sergius took the army to stir up trouble amongst the local tribes.

He quickly found what he was looking for, approached by a delegation from an ousted king looking to reclaim his throne. He had once ruled in Vindobona, and if the Romans restored him he would curtail the activities of the Getic tribes in the region.

Vindobona wasn't heavily defended.



After a brief investment, Sergius ordered the assault. After savage fighting, the settlement was taken.



157BC:



Been some changes. I gave Vindobona to the Aedui, who are remarkably still my allies, and haven't attacked me yet. More buffer zoning between me and the Getai, as well as weakening them and balkanising the map some more. Sergius has picked up Warmonger, even though he's only fought about three battles. Seem to be getting that annoying trait far too often. You can see Samnites and Bruttians in the army, but I stopped recruiting them a while back. Using up the stocks of them that are still hanging about. Not going to keep Ak-Ink, just raid it.

Sucum-Murgi and Baikor remained loyal after all that, and are now being developed. Not too long before both armies there are extricated and replaced by levies. The Lusotanii are going to take Numantia again, not a problem I can fight my Celtiberian War against them, and give it back to the Aedui again.

The Seleukids continue to shrink, but slower than they might otherwise thanks to lots of cash given via the console and some hindering of Pahlava, Hayasdan and Pontos. I gave Saka some Parthian lands to the far north to reduce their treasury potential a bit. Plus they're supposed to be settling down, not continuing to roam the steppe. Saka finally took Baktra.

Useless Saba lost Meroe. Still it's only to the Rebels, so that's not too bad.

Makedonia are playing silly buggers and not trying to retake Demetrias.

[QuintusSertorius]

Small Wars, 157BC:

Serguis pursued his war against the Dacians to it's conclusion - a siege of their capital.



In the hilly, wooded terrain it was difficult to get a complete picture of the battle.



One band of archers attempted to surprise the Roman force, they were driven off by the allied cavalry.



A Getic chief was killed in the fighting.



With his death all organised resistance ended.



Sergius pillaged their capital and forced them to sign peace agreements and promises to pay tribute and honour Rome.

154BC:



I've just realised, having had a decade or more of little to do, really, the next decade is going to be manic with wars all over the place. Just about to start things in Spain again, plan is to take Numantia and give it to the Aedui once more, and take Oxtraca. Only the latter is going to be a very slow thing, it's a 20-year long war so it'll mostly be low-level fighting. Pictured is an "provincialised" army, thus the Left ala is composed of Iberian troops. Once the Italians there are dead, I'll use some more Iberians, assuming I can recruit some more lorica caetratii, who are rare.

But I've soon got the Fourth Makedonian War and the Third Punic War to fight. I've already started mobilising for both - I recruited another army to replace the one in Illyria, and sent it to Sicily. I'm also going to get an Italian general (a la Sittius) and start recruiting African mercs to land in Numidia when the other army lands in north-east Africa.

I'll add one other army to the one in Illyria for the big push against everyone in Greek. Initially it'll be about the Makedonians, and giving a few of their settlements away. Then Koinon Hellenon, who I may use as the generic "Asiatic Greek" faction for a bit before I create Asia Province in the 130s. Tylis, Byzantion and Nikaia are all going to barbarian factions for a bit, saves me the effort of integrating them. I'm forseeing having the dual problems of not enough governors (might use Greek generals a fair bit) and more cash than I can spend at once, when Greece is mine.

May also need some more ships, Makedonia and KH both have some serious navies. Armies in Pergamon are going to be busy as well, with the Makedonian and KH provinces in Anatolia, who will start getting antsy when my Roman armies are stomping around their homelands.

The Seleukids are proving surprisingly resistant, holding on to what they have (with financial support) against the Parthians, Ptolemies, Hai, Sabaen and Pontos. Epeiros-Kyrenaia keep trying to take Lepki, which is a bit annoying.

[QuintusSertorius]

Iberian Wars, 153BC

Appius Aurelius Cotta, quaestor of nearer Spain, marched out to punish the Celtiberian tribes, who were raiding communities allied to Rome. He fell upon the raiders as they returned to their stronghold.



Neither side got the measure of the other, and in the end Roman numbers carried the day.



Campaigning against the Lusitanian tribes, Appius Fabius Maximus was attacked by a large army.



He deployed on a hilltop.



Heedless of the steep climb, the Iberians advanced up the hill to the attack.



On the right, the allied cavalry moved to outflank a group of Iberian elites.



In the centre tired Iberians began to flee.



Panic spread like wildfire, turning flight to rout.



The Iberian chief was killed as he ran.



And Fabius had won the day.



Later in the season, Fabius was attacked by a second Lusitanian army.



Again he took up a commanding position on the heights.



While it was a closer-run thing, his rested men fought downhill to victory.

[QuintusSertorius]

152BC:



Pictured is the rump of the once-mighty Seleukid empire. The whole thing fits in one screenshot. Still they're doing a good job of holding onto what they've got, so credit to them.

Had a couple of CTDs in the AI turn, fortunately non-replicable, but just gave up on re-fighting a reinforcement battle for Numantia which CTD'd on victory. I'll worry about it tomorrow, it's late.

Still gearing up for wars in Africa and Greece, put an Italian general on a ship to land in Mauretania and hopefully pick himself up a mercenary army. Going all-Numidian, or as close as I can manage for him.

Saka and Baktria are no longer at war. Instead Baktria and Pahlava are having a go. Possibly because I gave Aria to the Parthians in the hope it would either rebel, or the Baktrians would want it back. Hopefully that should slow Pahlava's steamroller-ing of the Seleukids by diverting attention in the opposite direction.

The Sweboz seem paralysed by the appearance of the Casse in their midst. Don't seem to want to attack them, so they're now fighting the Arverni on that narrow shared border.

I pushed the Lusotanii back to southern Ireland, they'd taken the north and Scotland off the Casse. I'm going to give them Tylis in a bit, the Aedui Byzantion and the Getai Nikaia. Given the effort it's taking to micro-manage so many factions, I'm tempted to destroy Makedonia and Koinon Hellenon, and leave their old provinces that I won't take immediately as rebel. Only concern is a big swathe of rebel territory in Asia Minor might encourage Pontos and the Seleukids to start expanding there.

I'm not going to preserve Qarthadast, they've had their time in the sun. Plus nowhere I could really put them, besides making them Numidia, perhaps. Seems a bit much, though.

[||Lz3||]

are you going to enslave (A.K.A exterminate) Qarthadast and then destroy everything inside it ??

that would be cool...

vengance!!

[General Appo]

How do you intend to take out the Carthies? Use move_character to take all their cities (and of course abandon them) or another way?

[QuintusSertorius]

are you going to enslave (A.K.A exterminate) Qarthadast and then destroy everything inside it ??

that would be cool...

vengance!!

Enslave, yes, not sure about destroying everything. I might do, it would make assimilation easier.

How do you intend to take out the Carthies? Use move_character to take all their cities (and of course abandon them) or another way?

I've got an army in Sicily waiting to be transported to take Atiqa first, then roll on to Adrumento and finally besiege Qart-Hadast itself (possibly landing another force at Lepki if need be). Meanwhile I'm already shipping an Italian general to Mauretania, where he'll raise a mercenary Numidian army to start rolling in from the west.

Mauretania I'll give to the Saba, Mashiliem and Numidia I'll probably let go rebel. I'm actually quite tempted to then FD the Saba out and have most of Africa rebel.

[General Appo]

That´s all good, but what of Phasania? Letting it rebel and say the Garamantines are controlling it would work for me.
It´s actually pretty strange that Garama is part of the raiding targets, considering the Romans didn´t raid it until 19 AD. Or so my meager sources say.

[QuintusSertorius]

That´s all good, but what of Phasania? Letting it rebel and say the Garamantines are controlling it would work for me.
It´s actually pretty strange that Garama is part of the raiding targets, considering the Romans didn´t raid it until 19 AD. Or so my meager sources say.

Not a bad idea, to be honest the more of the map that's rebel, the better IMO.

[Aaldaemon]

I'm a bit saddened to see the state of the once mighty Seleucids... Strangely enough I'd kind of like to play this map as them... rebuild the Empire! - seeing that your map looks delicious when it comes to who controls what.

[QuintusSertorius]

I'm a bit saddened to see the state of the once mighty Seleucids... Strangely enough I'd kind of like to play this map as them... rebuild the Empire! - seeing that your map looks delicious when it comes to who controls what.

It's going to get quite a bit more mixed up, too!

[QuintusSertorius]

Fourth Makedonian War, 150BC

Thessaly

Roman demands for Makedonia to cease all warfare without the consent of the Senate had fallen on deaf ears. Rome's revenge took some time to gather, but was total. Two consular armies were dispatched to Greece to punish the temerity of their once-allies.

The first, under Decimus Sergius Esquilinus, was a new formation of fresh drafts. There hadn't been time to properly weld them together into a legion, but years of warfare against Qarthadast and others had made Roman military thinkers complacent. They'd forgotten that it was through constant fighting and marching that the previous generation had beaten Nepheris and taken Spain. While the men were confident in their general's record, he was not so sure about their experience.

He attacked the main Makedonian army in the mountains. He had numbers, but the mercenary general Kalisthenis had hardnened veterans amongst his ranks.



After some marching and counter-marching, the lines finally met on a wooded slope. Sergius' tribune Numerius Cornelius Rufinus, son of the consul, commanded the position of honour on the right. Gaius Thurinus commanded the left.



Orestes Pellaios, a Makedonian noble commanded the enemy right wing. Wasting no time, he charged the allied slingers, provoking a response from Thurinus and the equites extraordinarii, along with some allied cavalry.



Unaware of the fighting on the left, Sergius ordered the army forward to meet the Makedonian line.



With fighting all along the line, there was little Sergius could do but encourage the men in his immediate vicinity.



Spotting an opportunity, he ordered unengaged maniples around the Makedonian line.



On the left, Pellaios was overcome.



The fight ground on for an hour with little sign of a victor. Rufinus caught sight of Kalisthenis, and charged after him bringing allied cavalry and some of the triarii with him. Fighting his way through the Greek's bodyguard, he ran the enemy general through with his sword.





Both Makedonian wings routed.





But the elite heavy phalanxes in the centre stood their ground.



The fight dragged on and on, both sides reaching their limits of endurance.





Then little by little, the surrounded phalanxes began to tire.



Eventually even they gave way.



A Pyrrhic victory had been won, but Sergius' army was in no condition to carry the campaign to the Makedonian capital. He immediately sent to Italy for reinforcements.



Anatolia

Meanwhile in Asia Minor, Pergamon was acting in concert with Rome to defeat Makedonia's Asiatic Greek allies. Taking up the mantle from Euergetes, Publius Fabius Sopatros commanded one of Pergamon's armies, and marched to invest Ipsos.



The relieving army were delayed, so Sopatros got to work.



His skirmishers whittled down the first army's light troops.



Then the line engaged with a clash of shields and weapons.



His light troops and cavalry moved to envelop the enemy left.



The light cavalry charged the enemy general.



Caught off guard, he was overwhelmed.



As though on cue, his death heralded the arrival of Makedonian reinforcements.



But the panic had already begun to set into his army, who were unaware that their salvation was at hand.







The arriving army came on as a disordered mob, with little sign of direction.



Some elements were routed immediately.



The remainder didn't stand.





Their leader was killed fleeing.



And in contrast to the Roman effort in Makedonia proper, Pergamon had won a great victory.

[QuintusSertorius]

150BC:



The theatres against Makedonia. My main aim is to blitz them out of Asia Minor and those outside of Makedonia. They're going to be gifts to other factions. Ipsos has a skeleton garrison left now after Sopatros' victory, that's going to Koinon Hellenon, same with Side. I think I'll leave them as the "Asiatic Greek" faction for a while - least til it's time to create Asia province. The alternative would be to make the Kingdom of Pergamon proper, but that would mean a load of client rulers and fiddling with scripts. Wouldn't take that long to knock off Mytilene, Ipsos, Sardis and Side.

Nikaia I've given to the Getai, Byzantion is going to the Aedui. Tylis when I get there is for the Casse or Arverni. It's a quick solution that doesn't benefit any one faction overly, and prevents the creation of a power base in the region too. Pella and Thermon I'm keeping. Once I turn on the Greeks, Demetrias is first, then a blitz of Greece.

I realised why the first battle was so hard; almost all of the troops were super-veterans. Here's the reformed phalangites:



I'd originally spawned them in Thermon and Demetrias to stop the Makedonians being steam-rollered by the Greeks, since they seemed incapable of recruiting them, even though they could. Now here they were being used against me. Same goes with 7-experience peltastai, who were better than my principes. They had three of the former, and four or five of the latter. Against my newly-recruited army. Until the enemy general died, it was touch and go, I thought I was going to lose. Everyone got badly mauled.

In not too many turns I've also got to think about my war in Africa, plan is to roll up Qarthadast from two directions. Got an Italian general recruiting African mercs, I might resort to using create_unit if I can't roist up enough of them. Or bribing some Sabaen stacks.

I gave the Aedui Numantia back after it surrendered without a fight. Busy, busy.

[QuintusSertorius]

149BC:



Brief update, just started the new year and have now declared war on Qarthadast with an invasion of north Africa and investment of Atiqa (offscreen). Also about to land a mercenary army near Siga.

Byzantion was taken by siege and is now in the hands of the Aedui, who can hopefully keep hold of it since it's bordering on rebellion. Nikaia seems safe with the Getai. Tylis I think I'll give to the Arverni to keep things fragmented, not sure if I want the Casse around these parts.

My Pergamene armies are on the move, one to be resupplied then take Mytilene, the other to take Side and give it away.

Had to raise the siege of Pella, but as you can see that allowed a complete resupply with fresh troops from southern Italy. The leftovers now become reinforcements. Hopefully that full stack of Makedonians won't just garrison themselves in Pella, but will actually come out and fight.

[||Lz3||]

the screenshot after you said "Some elements were routed immediately." (post number 235, fifth picture from the end to the beggining) is awesome!

makes me want to play whit huge settings so badly ... but crap!! my laptop has it's graphic card attached to it so I cant change it! and its a crappy useless intel of 128 mb so I can only play whit large settings ....otherwise I wouldn't be able to siege huge cities whit big armies...

[QuintusSertorius]

A world at war, 149BC

In the year 149BC, the Roman Republic was at war on several fronts. A low-level conflict continued to burn in Spain. The war with Makedonia rolled on, and a treacherous action by the Greek city-states brought them into the conflict, seeking advantage now their main rival was occupied with Rome. Rome had also grown concerned about the ability of Qarthadast to wage war without the Senate's consent, and the manpower they were putting into their military effort. The spectre of Nepheris was raised and ordinary Romans knew the fear of those dark days.

Africa

The invasion of Africa began with the investment of Atiqa, a city that had once harboured Roman sympathies. The propraetor Caius Claudius Pulcher, along with his quaestor and legate Cnaeus Aemilius Scaurus brought an army across from Sicily. They were immediately attacked by a small relief column.



They had absolute numerical superiority, yet defending their homeland, the Qarthadastim made a fight of it. They brought several elite formations to the battle.



In the fighting, the commander of Atiqa's garrison was killed.



The rest were quickly mopped up.



Anatolia

Meanwhile in Asia Minor, several Asiatic Greek communities banded their armies together to attack Rome's ally, Pergamon. Her armies were away doing Rome's bidding, leaving the city weakened.

They surprised the retired Italian mercenary General Pulcher while he patrolled the city's environs.



His men fought hard, but they were outnumbered. The man himself managed to escape when he could see the situation was lost.



He had barely escaped one battle when, falling back on Pergamon Pulcher was attacked again. This time the garrison of the city spotted the approaching army and marched out to rescue him.



This time the battle was a very different affair, and the eastern Greeks were routed decisively.



Epirus

Acting in concert with the east Greeks, those on the mainland attacked Roman Epirus.



However after laying siege, they retreated on the arrival of one of the proconsuls and his army.



Anatolia

In revenge for the men lost in the surprise attack, Pulcher led some of the garrison of Pergamon out to attack the Asiatic army.



The memories of his brave soldiers were avenged and their shades placated in a crushing victory.



Marching to depose the Makedonian allies from Side, Sopatros happened upon a band of freed slaves.



They were quickly eliminated.



Africa

West of the Roman forces, their Numidian allies, led by an Italian mercenary attacked one of Qarthadast's allies in Mauretania. Curius had numbers on his side, but his troops were mainly skirmishers and other light infantry, not the sort to stand in the line of battle.



He built three rams, and had a simple plan - take the gate and the walls either side so his men could pour in and use their numerical advantage. First his skirmishers moved in to soften up the enemy, and crucially drive off their elephants.



Then they streamed into the city and the fighting for the streets began.



The garrison commander was killed in the streets by some Garamantine mercenaries.



The final fight took place in the town square, where an elite phalanx waited to sell their lives dearly.



The struggle was hard and long.





But they weren't immortals, just men, and eventually succumbed. Curius now had a base of operations to store his supplies.



Makedonia

Having resupplied his army, Sergius heard reports of another Makedonian army marching from Pella. He came out to meet them and offered battle.



He deployed in the usual manner, and allowed the enemy to approach.



His slingers whittled down their light cavalry and skirmishers.



Then he ordered the advance.



For a moment some artillery scared the men, Sergius ordered his velites to kill their crews.



Then they turned their attention to some naked Galatians.



As the cavalry duelled on the wings, the main line advanced to meet the enemy.



The velites took their places on the wings to support the cavalry.



Initially there was stalemate.



Then slowly Roman maniples began to slip around the enemy flanks.



On the left, the allied cavaly routed their opposite numbers.



The loss of cavalry cover shattered the confidence of some on the Makedonian flanks.



Marching back to the battle having routed their opponents, the pedites extraordinarii happened upon the enemy general and charged.



His bodyguard fought well, but were eventually driven off.



Sergius stayed put behind the fighting line, encouraging his men and scorning the enemy.



Rufinus had been chasing routers, now he charged the rear of the Makedonian line, sowing panic.



Hovering but undecided over whether to stay or go, the enemy general was caught by the allied cavalry.



He fought valiantly, but was badly outnumbered. Meanwhile, outflanked and surrounded, his battle line collapsed.





He himself was killed trying to flee.





And a decisive victory had been won.



Pella was invested once more, and this war might soon be brought to a close.

[QuintusSertorius]

149BC:



Only a couple of turns on and more change. Byzantion and Sinope revolted to Koinon Hellenon, now they're at war with Pontos (EDIT: I just spotted on the map that Charax revolted back to the Seleukids too). I'll leave it for now, but it's not going to stand. Sergius was resupplied with the survivors of the previous battle - I'll have to send more reinforcements over there should be lose much more. Didn't get as badly chewed up this time, what with their lack of elite phalanxes.

The army besieging Thermon has a half-stack of garrison troops from Epidamnos and Ambrakia waiting to move in once it's taken. Then he can swing round and take Demetrias before turning south for Greece. The stack at Pella is headed to Tylis to give that away before Makedonia is all but done.

Cheeky KH attacked me for no reason, I was planning to do them in soon anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter really. All I lost were some merc leftovers I used for replacements, the general managed to survive. He's actually been retired now, I don't even need him. Gives me a pretext to kick them out of Greece, though.

My conquest of Africa has begun. I realised Atiqa still has the barracks I built there in the Second War all those years ago, so I can recruit Numidians. I included a siege battle for the sake of change, I usually don't bother because I find them boring, but I figured why not.

A lot of battles for one turn, I don't know how people playing without FD and such manage with battles all the time. I'd get bored if every turn was like that, especially some of the stupid things the AI attacked me with. Why that stack of slaves was wandering around I don't know - they only killed one of my men and were wiped out.

These all-Roman armies, while bland, are very effective and easy to resupply too.

Had some funny buggy stuff going on with who was in command in the first African battle - it said the legate was, yet the other guy was, only the legate was the one credited with the battle. Really annoys me how the engine chooses who's in command.

Also got a bit annoyed with the suicidal generals ruining some otherwise good battles.