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

[QuintusSertorius]

Quintus why dont you switch the map textures with the ones from roma surrectum, as the lord did , they really look amazing , and its not that hard to do

Personally, I prefer the EB ones. Though that´s just me.
I hope this can come alive soon again.

I'm too lazy to mess around with them, to be honest, and I don't mind the original EB ones.

I've not had much time to play recently, which is why there have been no updates. Just got back from a long weekend (wedding anniversary!) and going to be away from home for a couple of days as well. I might be able to squeeze some brief play in before that.

Nice AAR! I'm curious how long it takes for you to finish one turn with all this diplomacy needed constantly?

Varies a lot. Assuming nothing else going on, it adds about a minute or two to a turn. I've usually got my diplomats stationed at factional capitals ready to go straight into action.

[QuintusSertorius]

At long last, an update, I had some free time tonight. Most of it was spent fighting battles in Makedonia.

Makedonia 212BC

The propraetor Sextus Cornelius Rufinus continued his campaign of harrassment, taking the fight right into the heart of Makedonia itself. First he encountered Captain Aschines on the road to Pella. Numbers were about even.



He deployed on the reverse slope of a hill, and waited for the Makedonians to come.



Both armies marched towards each other, confident that their bravery would count the telling factor.



The Makedonians charged.



The Thracians on the right routed.



They were pursued by some of Rufinus' skirmishers and all his cavalry.



More skirmishers slipped around the fighting line to threaten the Makedonian rear.



Some of those in the centre started to drift away from the fight.



Even the Hypaspistai thought it was hopeless.



In the flight afterwards, Aschines was ridden down.



And Rufinus' first step on the journey was complete.



The Makedonians desparately threw another army into Rufinus' path.



But they fared no better than Aschines.



Rufinus reached Pella and invested the city. It was then that a smaller Makedonian force attempted to relieve the settlement. Rufinus marched out and offered battle.



Once again he was victorious.



He destroyed the Makedonian warmaking abilities in Pella, then marched away with sacks of plunder. On the way back from Pella he was attacked by Priamos Argeades and a large Makedonian force.

During the battle Priamos was killed by one of the principes.



The Makedonians never recovered from the loss of their general, and couldn't make their superior numbers count.



Sicily 212BC

Meanwhile in Sicily, Lucius Atilius Balbus took Syrakousai after a brief battle outside the walls of the city. It was restored to a client ruler friendly to Rome, and the war in Sicily was done.

[QuintusSertorius]

211BC:



Had some annoying reinforcement-bug issues with the battles in 212BC, which is why they didn't get the full battle report treatment. Some dumb AI behaviour meant they were easier than they should have been.

I gave Taras to Qarthadast, but it rebelled right back to me. I might try it again soon, possibly using that army to kill off the slave army that was the garrison.

Pella's been recovered by Makedonia (minus it's barracks, naval yard and smithy), I expect they'll take Serdike if it doesn't rebel to one of the barbarian factions. Rufinus is on his way home, he finally won the right to triumph after all those battles and sieges. His army is pretty much done anyway, not in any condition to fight any more battles. I might ship another "Greek" army over to Greece to try to kick Makedonia out of Korinthos. Hopefully this time the general won't get assassinated.

Pahlava and Baktria are at war, lots of to and fro in ownership of settlements on their shared border. Still having to use FD to slow their advance into Seleukid territory. Keeping a close eye on the two of them lest one suddenly vanish.

Epeiros are still idle.

Kappadocia was rebel for a bit, the Seleukids failed to take it then Pontos did. I may have to turn my attention to them once more. I may have to start giving the Seleukids some serious cash so they'll be a viable threat in 200BC-ish.

I notice the Casse have nearly finished their conquest of Britain.

Otherwise it's all looking good.

[QuintusSertorius]

The War in Spain - 210BC to 208BC

The proconsul Appius Cornelius Scipio had been recalled to Rome by a number of events. The Pontifex Maximus had died, and he wanted to be in the city for the election of a new leader of that college of pontifices. He was also due to celebrate a triumph, and wanted to stand in the consular elections of the year. Thus he left Decimus Claudius Pulcher in command of the army in Spain, with a propraetorian imperium. The young man had served ably as his legate in the campaigns since his arrival, thus Scipio wasn't worried.

In the winter of 210BC, a Qarthadastim army gathered on the west bank of the Ebro, threatening an invasion of Lacetania. At this time Pulcher was extremely ill with a fever, but against the advice of his doctor, he marched out of winter quarters to face down the threat.

Captain Himilcar outnumbered the Roman force by a small margin, but the commander was a better subordinate than general.



Pulcher drew up in the usual manner.



As his slingers began to harrass the Qarthadastim, Himilcar advanced his cavalry.



Halting his army, he sent forward some heavy infantry to test the Roman resolve on the left.



Meanwhile on the Roman right, heavy and light infantry crashed against the Right ala.



On the left, a cavalry skirmish erupted in front of the line.



The heavier Liby-Phoenician horse was driven off by the arrival of Iberian spearmen. The Gallic auxiliaries gave chase.



On the right, the reserves from the ala were thrown into the fight.



Skirmishers moved to outflank the mob of Qarthadastim.



As Himilcar tried to feed more men into the melee on the right, Pulcher sent his skirmishers to hit the reinforcements in their flank.



The Italians endured the pressure, and the Qarthadastim began to waver.



Seeing which way this contest was going, soon even the heavies were routed.



The Left ala and First Legion pushed up to keep the momentum going.



That prompted the rout of the entire Qarthadastim force.



Himilcar soon joined his fleeing army.



Although he had to be carried back to his tent by his praetoria, Pulcher had achieved his objective.



In 209BC both the returning general from Spain, Appius Cornelius Scipio and Sextus Cornelius Rufinus celebrated triumphs, over the Qarthadastim and Makedonians respectively. As a result of the lavish spectacle each man put on, they won their election campaigns. Scipio to the consulship, and Rufinus to the praetorship.

Meanwhile in Spain, Pulcher's illness continued, and eventually he was forced to leave his army while he convalesced in Emporion. Fortunately the propraetor Decimus Aemilius Mamercus had been dispatched from Italy, and took command of the army, bringing reinforcements with him.

Wasting no time, Mamercus crossed the Ebro and began raiding communities allied to the Qarthdastim. That provoked the desired effect, bringing Mytonnes Saunites and Captain Himilcar out to battle. Collectively the two armies were about equal in size to the Roman force.



The two armies approached from different directions. Unconcerned, Mamercus arrayed his forces to meet Saunites and ignored Himilcar.



He detached his slingers, some cavalry and his extraordinarii to deal with Himilcar, then turned his attention to Saunites.



Saunites and another Qarthadastim noble, Akbar led charges of cavalry.



Their men followed eagerly, and for a time the Romans were under threat in the centre.



Meanwhile in the battle behind the Roman lines, Himilcar fell. The survivors of the battle with Pulcher fled.





Mamercus waited calmly while more Qarthadastim troops joined the battle.



Mamercus sent his skirmisher out to the wings to outflank the enemy lines.



Saunites lingered in the front too long, and was slain.



His men began to lose heart.



The Qarthadastim army collapsed, and the Romans struggled to keep pace in the pursuit that followed.



With few casualties, Mamercus had gained the confidence and loyalty of Pulcher's army.



Pressing on towards Arse, Mamercus caught Akbar's troops foraging outside the settlement. The commander of Arse's garrison immediately marched out to relieve Akbar.



Wasting no time, Mamercus marched to deal with Akbar. Abdmelqart was delayed, and the general wanted the foraging party dealt with.



Akbar's party was mostly defeated when Abdmelqart appeared with the garrison of Arse. Mamercus wheeled his army to address the new threat.



In full sight of the arriving Qarthadastim, Akbar was killed.



Some of the allied skirmishers got carried away chasing down the remnants of Akbar's force, some cavalry were sent to rescue them before Abdmelqart's men overwhelmed them.



There was nothing of subtlety or tactical nous about Abdmelqart's attack. He counted on superior numbers to sweep the Romans away.



Leading a bodyguard of Iberian horse, Abdmelqart charged.



In time the superior discipline and morale of the Romans tipped the balance, and the Qarthadastim turned in flight.



One Abydos tried to gather what troops he could, but the defeated army melted away into the Spanish countryside, leaving Arse undefended.

[QuintusSertorius]

208BC:



The recovery in Spain has begun. I've got some troops to garrison Arse from Emporion so Mamercus can continue down the coast to Mastia. I might try to bring Pulcher by ship once he's well.

Nepheris and his super-stack are idle outside Taras, which I re-took.

The war in Makedonia has ended for me, though I might start giving Koinon Hellenon some money to help them.

Things are pretty stable elsewhere in the world, Baktria and Pahlava finally declared a ceasefire, although Baktria is being harrassed by Saka again.

Seleukids are losing the war in Syria, in spite of me moving Ptolemaic armies away. Had to push the Germans back across the Rhine again. They'd taken Bagacos when I wasn't looking.

Atiqa rebelled again, my spy doing his work there.

[hrrypttrbst]

Good story,great battle!

[General Appo]

Man, Mamercus is really raking up the kills now. He must have earned a Triumph by now, right?
Hope to see the Casse Naval Invasion script in action soon.