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

[QuintusSertorius]

Lusitanian War, 139BC

Appius Fabius Maximus had been recalled to Rome, and it fell to new men to finish the war with the Lusotanii. Tiberius Claudius Pulcher and his legate Servius Sergius Catalina were those men. They had cornered the last resistance in Oxtraca when their lines were attacked. The Iberians outnumbered the Romans, but most of their force was composed of recently freed slaves hastily armed for the defense of the capital.



Tauro's band were summarily routed, and Zelicoi's mob arrived to find the Romans comfortably ensconced on a hilltop.



The skirmishers took a heavy toll on the unarmoured ex-slaves.



On they came, hurling rocks but staying out of close combat.



Zelicoi made his presence known, charging the front line in an attempt to inspire his men.



The legate Catalina led the Roman and allied cavalry in a charge to kill Zelicoi and his bodyguard.



The impact was shuddering, screams of horses filling the air as man and beast were slain.



They pulled out and prepared to charge again.



Zelicoi fought on, heedless of the losses to his bodyguard.



But one man could fight only so long unmolested, and he was pulled from his saddle.





Pulcher pressed the moral advantage, ordering the advance.



The enemy fell back, breaking into two groups. He was forced to split his army, sending the Iberian Left ala and First Legion in one direction, and the Second Legion and Latin Right ala in the other.



When they finally got to grips with the enemy, the fight didn't last long.



Many slaves were captured and put in chains once more.



137BC:



The Seleukids realm, still under threat and shrunk a little bit more of late. Oxtraca is now mine, and there's peace with the Lusotanii. Numantia is still under siege. About time I started thinking about Asia Minor. My client ruler in Pergamon died so I'm now building a type III as it's been "bequested" to me. Which means Sardis, Ipsos and Side should also follow. Which means a fight with the Greeks once more.

Been trying to cause some rebellions but not having much success even with assassins sabotaging things.

That last was an annoying battle, because the freed slaves kept running. In the end I just had my cavalry charge to pin them down, then my infantry had to run to engage them and stop them slipping away again.

[Swordmaster]

Are you aiding the Seleucids or do they manage to ward off the Parthians on their own?

[General Appo]

He´s been aiding the Seleukids, and quite a lot. Or at least he was, he´s begun cutting down on the financial aid a bit, after they looked too strong. I´m guessing he might start giving them cash now again since they´re under threat again.

[QuintusSertorius]

Are you aiding the Seleucids or do they manage to ward off the Parthians on their own?

He´s been aiding the Seleukids, and quite a lot. Or at least he was, he´s begun cutting down on the financial aid a bit, after they looked too strong. I´m guessing he might start giving them cash now again since they´re under threat again.

As General Appo says, the only reason they're still around is because I've been protecting them. Until recently they were getting 10-20k every turn and having their armies moved to convenient spots to defend their settlements. I also spawn extra units in any besieged settlement, and move threatening enemy stacks away. Now Pahlava are at war with both the Saka and Baktria, I'll port more of their stacks to that front and away from the Seleukids. Parthia have been getting hit with negative money most turns, too.

[Swordmaster]

Alright, I was wondering whether they'd be more able if they could concentrate on defending Syria instead of an entire empire, hence why I asked. I've never seen them do that, since Syria is usually the first thing they lose, instead of the last. But I figure the Parthians are relentless in their onslaught, poor chaps.

Quite an enjoyable AAR, actually. I love your historical approach. To such an extent actually that I'm off playing another Romani campaign.

[QuintusSertorius]

Alright, I was wondering whether they'd be more able if they could concentrate on defending Syria instead of an entire empire, hence why I asked. I've never seen them do that, since Syria is usually the first thing they lose, instead of the last. But I figure the Parthians are relentless in their onslaught, poor chaps.

Quite an enjoyable AAR, actually. I love your historical approach. To such an extent actually that I'm off playing another Romani campaign.

Glad you're enjoying it!

I'm in a quandry as to how to deal with Asia Minor now. KH have three provinces which should have been bequeathed to me in 133BC. I could just take them off them, but they're currently my protectorate.

I'm thinking when the time comes, I might just FD them to me, and give them Karia (after taking it off the Seleukids) so they've got Rhodes and Hallikarnassos. The Ptolemies could do with losing it anyway, they keep producing half-stacks who just sit on the coast like they don't know where they're going.

[Swordmaster]

He´s been aiding the Seleukids, and quite a lot. Or at least he was, he´s begun cutting down on the financial aid a bit, after they looked too strong. I´m guessing he might start giving them cash now again since they´re under threat again.

I'm talking about the last decades, actually.

[QuintusSertorius]

I'm talking about the last decades, actually.

There hasn't really been a time where I've not monitored and shepherded them. They did start expanding on their own in the last decade or so, Charax rebelled to them and they even besieged Seleukeia, so I stopped giving them money for a few turns. Now they're slowly losing ground to the Ptolemies again, and the Parthians are getting bolder, so back on the support.