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

[QuintusSertorius]

The War in Spain: Battles in Edetania, 216BC

Confident after the victories of the previous campaigning season, the proconsul Appius Cornelius Scipio and his legate Decimus Claudius Pulcher crossed the Ebro into Edetania. This was significant, for they were now taking the fight to the Qarthadastim and communities allied to them. The destination was Arse, to rescue the survivors of those still loyal to Rome.

Scipio was also keen to get this matter done, he couldn't get a decent Falernian in this benighted land, and the local wine was atrocious. His personal stocks were running dangerously low. Pulcher monitored his general with some concern, the old warhorse had always liked his drink, but this war was pushing him even deeper into drunkenness. In some respects it didn't matter, Scipio was as capable half-cut as he was sober and hungover, but he was getting careless about his personal security. His praetoria were getting sloppy and complacent, and that could be fatal in battle.

In the early spring, Burrhus Gades and his slave army tried to stop the Romans as they emerged into Edetania. Scipio eagerly offered battle.



He deployed his force in the traditional manner, the Right ala composed of Latins and Italians, the Left ala of Iberian tribesmen. He placed Pulcher on the left to keep an eye on these new additions, who hadn't quite been fully-integrated into the army. His extraordinarii he sent to the right.



At first it seems Gades might try to win the battle single-handedly. His bodyguard charged out, encouraging the slaves forward.





But then he and his army halted, and Gades couldn't get them to attack the Roman lines, despite their superiority in numbers.

Scipio ordered the advance, while his skirmishers deployed forward to harrass the enemy.



As the Romans advanced, Gades slave army simply fell back, refusing to fight.



Though Gades raged and ranted at his men, they wouldn't fight and marched away.





And so he surrendered the field to Scipio. The general pitched camp to raid the surrounding communities.



Scipio's raiding provoked a reponse from the Qarthadastim who had to demonstrate to their allies that they could defend them. An army of mercenaries, levies and others under Celeas Sabratha attacked Scipio's forces later in spring. Their two armies were evenly matched in numbers, although Scipio had a much greater proportion of heavy infantry to Sabratha's higher number of skirmishers and lights.



Scipio deployed as before, with the Italians and Latins in the Right ala, Iberians in the Left.



He noted with some alarm that Sabratha had elephants which threatened the Roman left. The Qarthadastim general also sent all his cavalry to his right, hoping to roll up the Roman left. A subordinate officer, Germelqart Gisgo commanded the Qarthadastim right.



The cavalry scattered the velites as the two armies met on the Roman left. Pulcher levelled his spear and rushed into the fray. Sabratha himself led the charge in the centre, perhaps hoping to draw Scipio into personal combat. With him came the Sacred Band, veterans and brave warriors all.



On the right, fierce Balearic tribesmen drove off the accensi, prompting the extraordinarii to enter the contest. Clouds of skirmishers hurled volleys of missiles at the Roman infantry, who grimly stood their ground and braced their shields.



On the left, the elephants advanced, sending a quail of panic through the Iberians.



Their mahouts turned them to come crashing into the flank of the Iberians and cavalry.



As the extraordinarii lent their strength to that of the Right ala, the Balearic tribesmen were punished severely.



The Campanian cavalry drove off the skirmishers, trying to give the line some breathing room.



On the left, Gisgo strayed into a maniple of principes, and one of the veteran legionaries killed his horse from under him. As the Qarthadastim officer jumped clear and tried to fight his way to safety, another legionary ran him through.



Diverting all his skirmishers to counter the elephant thread, Scipio managed to drive the beasts off, and they attacked their own troops indiscriminately in their flight.



On the right, hardened Liby-Phoenican spearmen and Numidian archers tried desparately to push the Italians back. The Campanians charged into their rear, but to little effect.



Sabratha brought his bodyguard across, forcing the Campanians to flee.



But rather than pressing home, he turn to take charge of the situation in the centre once more. The Campanians took advantage of the reprieve, finishing off the Balearic tribesmen.



The fight on the left dissolved into several localised skirmishes.



On the right, the Numidian archers broke.



Underneath the gaze of the general and their own commander, the Sacred Band fought on.



The pressure began to be felt, the lighter-armoured Qarthadastim being pushed back and taking more wounds than the Romans. Little by little, they gave ground. On the right, the Liby-Phonenicans turned and disengaged in good order, the extraordinarii giving chase.



It proved to be the last act of the battle, the Sacred Band fought to the last, and Sabratha fled the field. His men followed and the rout was bloody.



The following day, having barely had a chance to recover the wounded and bury the dead, Burrhus Gades returned with his slaves. This time however, he stiffened their resolve with mercenaries.



Scipio marched out in the same battle order as he had prevailed against Sabratha.



There was nothing subtle about Gades' tactics, he intended to use his superior numbers to sweep the Romans away. He placed his mercenaries behind the slaves to drive them on, and offer them no route of escape.



Hoping to inspire his men, Gades charged the Roman centre.



For a time the fighting was hard, the sheer weight of numbers against them pushed the Roman lines backwards.



Things were fiercest on the left.



Gades threw his mercenary reserves into the fight, hoping the Romans would be tired.



As the enemy fell back on the right, Pulcher marched the Right ala forwards.



Gades stumbled into the Samnites who swarmed over his horsemen. The Qarthadastim commander screamed for mercy before a spear ended his life.





His piecemeal army broke, tossing away arms and shields in their haste to escape the disaster.



And Scipio's victory was complete.

[QuintusSertorius]

Summer 216BC:



A disaster took place at Cannae, and the army of Hannibal crushed a consular army. A conspiracy at Capua betrayed the city to the enemy, and the Qarthadastim still foul Italian soil.

In Spain, Scipio marches to the siege of Arse, while he sends his legate Pulcher to bring drafts of replacements from Emporion.

Next turn Hannibal's army should be spawned in Campania, and thus the war in Italy proper will start.

[QuintusSertorius]

We're on temporary hold here, because my Hannibal script isn't working. Possibly because there's another character called Hannibal, and the kill_character command in the script doesn't seem to be working either. Soon as I get that fixed, I'll be back on track.

If anyone can help, the thread is here.

[QuintusSertorius]

Couldn't get the Hannibal script to work, so I gave up on it. Transported a random Qarthadastim FM and gave him an appropriate army.

Spain, Autumn 216BC

The quaestor Pulcher was attacked when bringing the reinforcements for Scipio's army across the Ebro. Celeas Sabratha and the survivors of his force thought they might catch the column by surprise.



Pulcher deployed defensively on the west bank of the river.



Sabratha wasted no time in crossing and charging, a simple, direct maneuver.



But Pulcher used his superior numbers to envelope the Qarthadastim force.



In the chaos, Sabratha fell. With his death, the fight went out of his army.



And so Pulcher was able to bring the reinforcements safely through hostile country to Arse.



Italy, Winter 216BC

The Senate, displeased with how the war was going so far, gave command to the proconsul Sextus Cornelius Sulla. An old campaigner, he promised to bring this invader to heel.

Though slightly outnumbered, they were defending Italian soil and Sulla felt that was no impediment.



But the battle was a debacle, orders getting confused in the forest and the enemy appearing as though out of nowhere from the fog. The general was caught and killed, and with him gone his men couldn't hold it together.



Rome suffered another defeat at the hands of this young Qarthadastim general.



For a time there was a great fear that he would now march on Rome itself, but he turned south-east for Tarentum instead.

Meanwhile in Spain, in 215BC Scipio was forced to withdraw from Edetania under pressure from the Qarthadastim. The communities claiming loyalty to Rome in the region weren't able to provide for his army, and hungry, he was forced to retreat to Lacetania once more.

Illyria, Spring 214BC

Taking advantage of Rome's apparent weakness after the string of defeats in Italy, the king of Makedonia sought to expand into Illyria at Rome's expense. The propraetor Sextus Cornelius Rufinus was dispatched with one legion and one ala to deal with the invasion of Rome's Illyrian allies.

He encountered an army under one Captain Euphamios. They were about equal in size, although the Makedonian army had more line troops to Rufinus' preponderance of skirmishers.



He arrayed in two lines, with his allied cavalry on the left.



Then marched eastwards over a wooded hill to meet the foe. The Romans would come at the Makedonians downhill, adding momentum to their charge.



The skirmisher went forward, harassing the Makedonian line who had no light troops of their own to respond.



Then the Makedonians closed, risking the climb to reach the enemy over enduring any more missiles.



The Roman right broke through the Makedonian left, moving to outflank their centre.



Then the left also routed their opposite line, the cavalry and skirmishers going around to threaten the Makedonian reserves.



Both wings routed, the fight continued in the centre as the cavalry hunted down fleeing troops.





Eventually even those in the centre gave way.



Rufinus had ended the immediate threat to Illyria.



Greece, Summer 214BC

Meanwhile in Greece allies attacked the Makedonian-held settlement of Thermon. They besieged the city, but when relieving forces arrived decided to offer battle.



They defeated both forces, killing the garrison of Thermon and taking the city.



Spain, Summer 214BC

Venturing out beyond the Ebro once more, trying to regain the situation, Scipio was attacked by a Qarthadastim force under Captain Milkyaton. He had both numbers and morale on his side, for his men had never lost to this foe.



They came on in the same old manner, and were beaten in the same manner.

[QuintusSertorius]

214BC:



Pictured is my Hannibal-replacement with his Hannibal-like army. Just recently gave him some Italian reinforcements.

You might notice I lost Arse in Spain - that was deliberate. There weren't actually any Qarthadastim armies bar the one that attacked after I retreated from the city. Not sure if I can manage to lose both my generals, or even if the game will be terribly forgiving if my Spanish army gets mauled. I've lost a fair bit of financial power and recruiting facilities.

Plus I'll be losing Tarentum in the next year as well as moving some reinforcements across to Lucania. Already picked out a likely general to do the leading. Got to transport someone across to Sicily, too.

Elsewhere in the world, I gave Thermon to Koinon Hellenon, though I doubt they'll keep hold of it long. That army jumped aboard ship, I plan on taking Korinthos and giving that to Koinon Hellenon, hopefully then driving the Makedonians out of Greece proper for good. Annoyingly the Makedonians assassinated the Greek mercenary general I recruited specifically to lead my little "Greek" force on the first turn he arrived. So they've also got no cavalry now.

Pahlava are now at war with Baktria, had to do some FDing to prevent something happening like in my last game where they died out. Baktria seem to have the measure of the Saka who took Baktra again a few turns ago.

Very few rebel provinces left now, which is a shame. I think I screwed up the business of gifting them money, not taking into account that 40k is the most you can do at once.

[QuintusSertorius]

Sicily 213BC

Having heard that a Qarthadastim army had landed on Sicily, the proconsul Lucius Atilius Balbus was dispatched to the island to take command of the army in the province. With him was Quintus Claudius Nero acting as his senior tribune.

Ashtartyaton Cercina, a Qarthadastim noble, had seized Agrigento by treachery, then freed hundreds of slaves to fill his ranks. His forces thus bolstered, he set to raiding and pillaging the area, threatening communities loyal to Rome.

Balbus met the invader in the fertile plains south of Etna.



Balbus marched out in the traditional manner. He stationed Nero on the right and kept his extraordinarii close to hand.



Cercina had the advantage of numbers, fuelling a bold opening to the battle.



Then he halted and sent out screens of skirmishers while he prepared his main line to attack. Balbus responded with his own skirmishers.



The Romans had the measure of the Qarthadastim skirmishers, and spirits lifted Balbus sounded the advance.



The Liby-Phoenicans tried to turn the Roman right, Nero and his cavalry charged to avert the threat.



On the left, a band of cavalry and skirmishers were dispatched to drive off the Numidian light troops. They would take little further part in the main conflict.



Freed slaves moved in support of the Liby-Phoenicians on the right, Nero and his horse were forced into the retreat.



The pursuit of the elusive Numidians continued.



On the right Cercina personally joined the fray trying to exploit the gap created by the Liby-Phoenicians.



On the left, the African skirmishers continued their retreat, only stopping every so often to halt the Romans.



Liby-Phoenician infantry rushed to the aid of their countrymen, throwing the outcome of the fight on the right into doubt as they lent their weight to the conflict.



Eventually the heavier armour of the Romans began to count, allowing them to survive prolonged contact without serious wounds. The Qarthadastim begam to melt away. Seeing how this battle was going, Cercina left the field.



With relatively light losses, Balbus had halted the invasion of Sicily.



Unbeknownst to him however, Qarthadastim agents had slipped into Syrakousai and aided in the murder of old Hiero. He had long been an ally of Rome, and now the new rulers sought alliance with Qarthadast. Moving to avenge this insult to Roman honour, Balbus marched to invest Syrakousai and restore order.

Italy 213BC

The Senate of Qarthadastim had decided that it was time Nepheris received some reinforcements in his war in Italy. They despatched Hasdrubal Rusucuru and a strong force including elephants by sea. They landed in Lucania and immediately marched for Capua.

The proconsul Kaeso Cornelius Blasio, with a new army composed of those Italians and Latins still loyal to Rome and organised in the Roman fashion, took transports the short distance down the coast to intercept them. They were about even in numbers.



Blasio deployed in the quincunx, placing his extraordinarii in the second rank of the Right ala. The Samnites, of who's loyalty he was dubious, he placed in the second rank of the Left ala. His senior tribune, Pulcher commanded the Left ala to keep an eye on them.



Rusucuru took up position on a small hill on the Roman left to observe the battle, keeping his elephants in reserve. He put his elite African pikemen in the centre, with Libyans and Garamantines on their flanks. His wings were guarded by fierce Iberian tribesmen, and Numidian light cavalry roamed around.



Blasio marched out to meet the Qarthadastim line, pulling back some of his skirmishers to act as elephant defense. He kept a wary eye on the big beasts, still resting near the enemy general. Meanwhile the opposing skirmishers traded missiles. It was an indecisive trade, both sides taking losses, but neither feeling beaten.



The Romans advanced to meet the main battle line, hurling missiles first. Blasio's plan was simple enough; rout those flanking the pikemen in the centre and envelope them on both sides.



The right engaged under the shade of some trees, and everywhere the Roman line was in contact with the enemy.



On the left, the long-awaited arrival of the elephants put fear into the Left ala, but the skirmishers got to work, felling several elephants.



The elephants caused some damage, but slowly the javelins began to take their toll.



On the right, some cavalry and velites set off to outflank the Qarthadastim left.



On the left Rusucuru charged into the fight, lifting the spirits of his men. Things were beginning to look desparate for Pulcher and the Left ala. The threat of the elephants may have been defeated, but the Garamantines, Libyans and Iberians fought hard.



On the right, the arrival of Romans in their flanks and rear routed the Iberians and Libyans. Maniples were marched round to outflank the African pikemen.



Meanwhile on the left, the Samnites gave up the fight.



Rusucuru's horse was wounded, and he was caught by the triarii. His death caused his army to dissolve.





After a hard-fought battle, Blasio had given the Romans their first victory on home soil. It might not have been against the scourge Nepheris, but he would not be strengthened.



Dardanoia 213-212BC

The propraetor Sextus Cornelius Rufinus had marched out of Illyria in the winter of 213BC to ensure the Makedonians didn't try to return to his area of operation. His winter camp was attacked by Captain Philokalos. While Rufinus had greater numbers, he was on their home territory.



He deployed on a hilltop, with his legion on the right, ala on the left.



As the Makedonian phalangites marched up the hill, Rufinus' skirmishers punished them with missile fire.



They closed and the propraetor's line infantry threw their missiles. The heavier javelins inflicted a horrible toll.



Still the Makedonian phalanxes advanced.



He sent some skirmishers to outflank the pike block.



Exhausted, cold and wounded, the maneuver set the enemy to flight.



With relatively few casualties, he'd damaged the Makedonian war effort.



In the spring, rather than turning around, Rufinus continued into Makedonian territory, seeking towns to pillage. He stumbled across a Thracian band outside Serdike. The garrison of the town, commanded by Demetrios Argeades marched out to rescue the Thracians, and Rufinus eagerly offered battle.



He marched out as before.



Wasting no time, he advanced to meet the foe.



Trying to link up with the Thracians, the Makedonian commander sent another band to slow the Romans down.



Then he charged the Romans himself, heavy horsemen in his bodyguard thundering along.



Rufinus sent his Illyrian cavalry out to charge Argeades from behind. They charged repeatedly.



They whittled Argeades' bodyguard down, isolating the big horses and their well-armoured riders.



Argeades panicked, and tried to escape.



He was the only survivor to make it clear of the whooping Illyrians, hunting down the Makedonian horsemen with lance and axe.



Argeades was slain by a javelin as he fled.



Effective resistance ended after that, and the Illyrians killed many fleeing enemy.



Rufinus entered the defenseless town of Serdike and took everything of value.

[QuintusSertorius]

212BC:



I'm not planning to keep hold of Serdike, I'll wander off next turn when Rufinus can move again. I hope it revolts to the rebels. Makedonia have been fielding some strange armies with few phalangites and lots of spearmen in them. Lots of Celtic levies in particular, which is bizarre.

I re-took Capua by siege, not sure if I want to give it back again. Tarentum is going over to the enemy shortly. Nepheris is also besieging Arpi, not decided if I'm going to try to drive him off or not.

Qarthadast re-took Garama in the desert. Not sure if they're actually fighting the Lusotanii or not, their armies are moving around a lot in Spain. My mercenary/Greek stack in Greece took a pasting protecting Thermon last turn. Not many of them left now, I think it's had some effect easing the pressure on Koinon Hellenon. I can only hope the Makedonians will send some serious forces north to try and uproot Rufinus in Serdike.