RES GESTAE SENATUS POPVLIQVE ROMANI

[divulse123]

In the year of the consuls L. Papirius Cursor and Sp. Carvilius Maximus the Senate and People of Rome completed the pacification of Arminium and provided Arpi with drainage at public expense. In the spring of that year L. Cornelius Scipio invested the city of the Tarentines and the Epirot forces therein, although he failed to secure the aid of local mercenaries, feeling that half of one legion was sufficient for the task, or hoping by a show of frugality to earn a greater stipend later with the trust of the Senate.



In the summer of that year, desiring to capture the city of the Tarentines before a relieving force arrived from Epirus, he prepared to assault the city and take it by force.



Having addressed the troops he ordered the line forward with rams so as to batter down the walls. Thereupon the Epirotes, feeling confidence in the rumor of reinforcements, or perhaps honoring the recent memory great Epirot success in Italy, met the force of Scipio at the walls, refusing to give ground. Scipio, for his part, fearing lest the Rorarii retreat under the charge of cavalry, sent his Triarii through the breach, the Hastati and Principes elsewhere occupied.








Geiton, the enemy captain, fell near the breach, whereupon the Epirotes losing courage fell back to the square, relinquishing their dead.





The Epirotes, taking counsel one with another, contrived to lure the force of Scipio to a narrow space in order that he not strike at their flanks, but that he be forced instead to fight the hoplites front against front.



After a lengthy engagement wherein both forces lost many men, Scipio, using narrow streets and alleys, outflanked the Epirotes and attacked, charging repeatedly with his guard and slaying several of the enemy with his own hand, so that in after times he became somewhat of a local hero, and his men grew the more loyal. He finally took the city before the sun went down, though with great loss.





In the Autumn of that year, the Senate and People of Rome accepted terms of peace from the Aedui. At the same time having achieved the final pacification of the city of the Tarentines, the Senate voted to repair its walls. Furthermore, a drainage system was installed in Arminium. So ended the four hundred and eighty-second year AVC.

[Africanvs]

I see you got the pics figured out. I would reccomend posting the url of the image itself instead of the thumbnail, that way people don't have to click on each one to see it full size. Nice start.

[Aaldaemon]

I agree with Africanus, while thumbnails conserve bandwith, the aar looks better with large images imo... and I feel sorry for the Epirotes in Southern Italy, I'd put money on that battle (aka driving them out from Italy) being the most played battle in EB.

[divulse123]

Yeah, I finally figured out how to resize the images. Thanks for the help Africanus. Oh, and I suppose I should let you know my "house rules." I'm not trying to re-enact history, so I'll play the game as a game, and some sort of alternate history should emerge. I like the concept of a standardized legion, so I consider 1 legion to be 2 Leves, Hastati, Principes, and Rorarii, with 1 Triarii 1 Accensi and 1 Roman cavalry unit. Added to this an equal number of Allied troops if at all possible (but money seems to be tight in this mod). Of course, modern historians are too much in love with the notion of a "standard" legion, and underestimate the variability of ancient armies in practice.

This is my first time playing EB, and so far it seems far superior to Total Realism (just my opinion of course). I play all TW games on Very Hard / Very Hard, because I don't see the point otherwise. I don't have Barbarian Invasion or Alexander, so I just loaded vanilla, patched it to 1.5 (or whatever is needed) and installed EB 1.1. We'll see how things go. Anyone have any advice for a noob like myself?

Oh, and I hope someone gets some enjoyment out of this little contribution. The other AAR's for this mod are dynamite!

[QuintusSertorius]

Ah, VH battle difficulty explains why you took such big casualties.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I've never been particularly good at Latin, so don't take my words for truth, but I think it's got to be "SENATI". Or is "SENATVS" another conjugation (u-conjugation methinks) than "POPVLVS"?

[divulse123]

Senatus is 4th declension, so the genitive singular ending of both masculine and feminine nouns is "us" with a long "u". No worries, the 4th declension is a pain because there are so few words in the darn thing!

[Africanvs]

Anyone have any advice for a noob like myself?

At very hard battle difficulty the AI will get something like a +7 to attack and defense so even low grade units are going to be powerful and the elites are going to be downright nasty. Good luck!

There is a formations mini mod you might enjoy with some great formation such as a Republican and Imperial legion formation: that way you don't have to set up all those maniples yourself if you like playing in historical fashion. You can get it here. I personally use darth's. Other than that have fun, on VH-VH you're going to have a hell of a challenge ahead of you. You're welcome for the help by the way, happy to do it.

[divulse123]

Thanks for the replies guys. Africanus, I may give the formations mod a try if I get sick of setting up my lines myself. I rather enjoy it at the moment, but if it gets tedious I may be looking for a way out. Did the AI get the same bonuses on VH in vanilla RTW?

[QuintusSertorius]

Thanks for the replies guys. Africanus, I may give the formations mod a try if I get sick of setting up my lines myself. I rather enjoy it at the moment, but if it gets tedious I may be looking for a way out. Did the AI get the same bonuses on VH in vanilla RTW?

They're hard-coded, so yes. Only difference is that this mod is specifically balanced for Medium battle difficulty.

[divulse123]

Ah, thanks. I found vanilla to be laughably easy on VH, so we'll see how this one goes. ;)

[divulse123]

In the year of the consuls K. Quinctius Claudius and L. Genucius Clespina, the Senate and People of Rome constructed a Circus Simplex at Arpi and dedicated at Taras a fane of Jupiter. In the summer of that year the roads near Capua were paved with stone. Just before the year's end, a Circus Simplex was completed at Taras and Ariminum received a Medicus; both of these were carried out at public expense. Earlier in that same year, The Senate and People of Rome accepted the offer of peace from the Epirotes who, no longer able to maintain troops in Italy, officially ceded to the Senate and People the rights already in their possession from the actions of L. Cornelius Scipio. So ended the four hundred eighty-third year AVC.



In the year of the consuls L. Genucius Clespina and Gn. Cornelius Blasio the roads of Roma were paved in stone and the system of cloacae was completed in Arpi. L. Cornelius Scipio was elected Quaestor in absentia and remained in southern Italy, carrying out his office there. He moved to join a legion sent from Roma to the city of Rhegion, in order that he might take back the city which had been fortified against Roma by one of her own citizens, A. Decius Iubellius. Investing the city he decided that a long siege was the most prudent course, having a care for the lives of his men; however, certain citizens of Rhegion disliking the manner in which Iubellius had treated the residents there contrived to open the gates of the city. In the summer of that year, Scipio assaulted the city.





Taken unawares by the sudden onslaught, Iubellius sent some infantry to the gate, in order that, by their sacrifice, he could array the rest of his forces near the center of the city having fortified the marketplace. Scipio sent skirmishers to loft their darts over the walls, as they were not very tall, and then proceeded with his infantry to force his way into the city itself. The Lucanian allies using a ram so as to force their way inside some distance from the main gate were isolated from the main force of the legion and were nearly annihilated, until the Hastati were able to fend off their own opponents and fall upon the flank of Iubellius' delaying force.





L. Scipio, taking little care for his own safety, aided the foot soldiers as they moved into the city, and proceeded to fight in the streets, moving ever closer to the marketplace.



Scipio finally reached the center of the city, where Iubellius had placed those Roman citizens who had been won over by him, and helped him establish himself as ruler of the city. Scipio moved from one side of the marketplace to the other, wherever the fighting was thickest, calling out to his centurions by name and charging many times into the lines of the enemy, stopping only when one of the Principes of Iubellius wounded him in his side.





Iubellius was finally captured and killed, but neither he nor any of his men surrendered willingly; killing nearly half of Scipio's legion, they were themselves slaughtered to a man.





In the fall of that year, a Ludus was constructed in Arretium at public expense. That winter the Senate and People of Rome finished construction of the Villa Magistratus at Arretium and, while pacifying the lands around Rhegion, voted to repair the walls of that city. So ended the four hundred eighty-fourth year AVC.

[Africanvs]

Those rebel Romans sure put up a good fight! That takes care of southern Italy. :)

[divulse123]

Yeah, it seems that all of the enemy generals I find have 8 or 9 command stars, and all of mine have 0 or 1 (but they all have 9 management and influence). I fought some of those naked maniacs last night (the gallic ones), and it took repeated charges from behind by 3 family members to break them. It was brutal. My narrative will catch up at some point.

[Aaldaemon]

Yeah, it seems that all of the enemy generals I find have 8 or 9 command stars, and all of mine have 0 or 1 (but they all have 9 management and influence). I fought some of those naked maniacs last night (the gallic ones), and it took repeated charges from behind by 3 family members to break them. It was brutal. My narrative will catch up at some point.

I truly hate that stuff to be honest... for example the king in my aar is truly a commander of legend, piling heroic victories... yet now due to some traitage he has TWO command stars... while every random rebel has a gazillion...

[divulse123]

Hah, I hear that. So far I'm REALLY liking the EB mod, it's way better than RTR. So is everyone ok with the fasti/annales style of this AAR? It doesn't read like a novel llike some of the other awesome pieces around here, but I have a goofy sense of authenticity. I have some interesting things planned for the future that I have not yet seen on these boards, so I'm hoping you all will like them (they're secret though, so you'll have to wait.) Oh, siege of Bononia coming up in about 30 minutes. ;) -Edit, I forgot there was a battle during the siege, you'll have to wait for the assault, a bloody one indeed.

[divulse123]

In the year of the consuls Q. Ogulinus Gallus and G. Fabius Pictor many improvements were made to the city of Roma and her allies. The portus mercatorius was completed in Capua, while Arpi and Rhegion recieved an horreum and drainage respectively. A circus simplex was build in Arretium and the augurum aedes was finished at Roma. These improvements were made at public expense. In the winter of that year, M' Curius Dentatus died, Primus inter Pares, Pontifex Maximus, etc. Gn. Cornelius Blasio, his heir, was immediately hailed as Primus inter Pares and promptly appointed Pontifex Maximus.The four hundred eighty-fifth year AVC ended with no hostilities against the Senate and People of Rome.



In the year of the consuls P. Sempronius Sophus and Ap. Claudius Russus the Senate and People of Rome voted to build a ludus in Capua and a medicus in Arpi. Taras was formally admitted to the Administratio Regionum Italicarum. In this four hundred eighty-sixth year AVC Roma and her allies saw no war.

In the year of the consuls M. Atilius Regulus and L. Iulius Libo the Senate and Roman People voted to build housing for augurs in both Arretium and Arpi. Capua received a circus simplex while a Villa Propraetoris was finished at Taras. The mines of Rhegion were opened and Ariminum was officially admitted to the Administratio Regionum Italicarum. This four hundred eighty-seventh year AVC was the third consecutive year in which the Senate and People of Rome saw no war with her neighbors.

In the year of the consuls D. Iunius Pera and Num. Fabius Pictor the Senate and People of Rome voted to give L. Cornelius Scipio imperium pro consule to pacify the region of Bononia. He besieged that city in the spring, having with him G. Aurelius Cotta as tribune and the better part of a legion.



During the summer of that year, an army of dissidents from the Po valley made an attack on the territory of Ariminum. Scipio, occupied with the seige of Bononia, sent Cotta with a cavalry force to join with the half-legion stationed near Arretium and engage the threat.



Cotta brought the enemy force to bay on a hill outside Ariminum and formed his battle line. As the enemy would not move to the attack, preferring rather to take cover among the trees, he was forced to attack uphill through several volleys of darts. The lines closed under the trees, and Cotta was hard-pressed to keep his troops in the fight, as they were by now tired and he was not experienced in times of doubt.







For all that his men were heartened the less by his youth, nonetheless Cotta proved the stronger on that day, as, at a prearranged signal, his Rorarii, to that point held in reserve under the eaves, issued forth upon the unprotected right of the enemy, letting fly a rain of darts before charging home. They wrought much dismay and caused the enemy line to collapse upon itself. Soon the enemy fled, making for the Po valley and hope of safety there, but no longer a coherent threat.





Cotta returned to the area of Arretium to resupply, intending thence to rejoin Scipio. So ended the four hundred eighty-eighth year AVC.

[Aaldaemon]

Well, I like the style - it's informative and easy to read.

[Africanvs]

Great new chapter, it reads like an archive with completed building projects and major engagements. Easy to follow exactly what's going on in the Republic. :) Battles are well explained and the fact that you're playing on very hard battles means that whenever I'm reading them, I'm nver sure if you're going to get crushed or not. Keep it up!

[divulse123]

Yeah, it's tough. The sieges are brutal, because they block the entrances and it's almost impossible to get the enemy to rout. How do their FM's get so many damn stars? So far, things are going well, but it costs an arm and a leg to keep replacing all of the casualties. We'll see what happens when I declare war on an actual faction instead of messing around with these silly city-states. Hmmm, Mediolanum looks interesting...

(Next up, Siege of Bononia Pt. 2, and maybe more!)

[divulse123]

In the year of the consuls Q. Fabius Maximus Gurges and L. Mamilius Vitulus the Senate and People of Rome voted to construct a magnus mercatorius portus at Roma with public funds. An aedicula Iovis was completed in the spring of that year as well. In the last week before summer began, the Boii sallied forth from Bononia to break the leaguer of L. Cornelius Scipio, who had been rejoined by G. Aurelius Cotta.



Scipio ordered his infantry to leave behind their rams so as to meet the enemy unencumbered. The Gauls, having worked themselves into a frenzy in the knowledge that they had either to fight or, facing starvation, remain within their walls growing ever weaker until Scipio mounted an assault, charged in poor order.



Scipio ordered his infantry to hold, showering the approaching Gauls with their darts, engaging only when they had passed through the hail, as few as did.



After a time, a sizeable force managed to fall upon the left of Scipio's line, but Cotta, leading the cavalry with him, outflanked this force and fell upon them, causing much distress.





While Scipio was occupied with the enemy on his left, the Gallic cavalry, having issued from a side gate, fell heavily upon his right, but the line held, eventually driving away the cavalry with their spears. Cotta pursued the enemy into the city, securing the square. The Boii made one last stand outside the city, but they fell after Cadwalador, their captain, was brought down along with his personal retinue by the principes and triarii.













In the summer of that year, a circus simplex was completed at Ariminum. Finally, before winter set in, the area around Bononia was pacified and an aedicula Minervae was completed for the people of Rhegion. So ended the four hundred eighty-ninth year AVC.

[divulse123]

In the year of the consuls Ap. Claudius Caudex and M. Fulvius Flaccus, stratae viae were finished in the area around Taras. The Senate and People of Rome voted to fund an aedicula Vestae at Ariminum and drainage at Bononia. In the winter of that year L. Cornelius Scipio, learning that the army that had invaded the lands around Ariminum had come from Patavium, besieged that city so as to punish those who had attacked Roma's allies and to prevent any additional insurgence, having G. Aurelius Cotta and M. Aemilius Paulus as his tribunes. The Senate and Roman People voted one full legion to Scipio for this expedition. So ended the four hundred and nintieth year AVC.

In the year of the consuls M' Valerius Maximus and M' Otacilius Crassus, during the spring, Patavium was assaulted, being defended by many warriors under the command of Caratawc, their chieftain.



Scipio drew up his legion and assaulted the main gate, using rams to batter down sections of the wall as well as the gate itself. As the rams were about their work Scipio ordered his leves forward to prevent the men operating the rams from being molested.





The enemy at first retreated when the walls had been battered down, allowing the men of Scipio to enter, but Caratawc, once the light infantry was pouring through the breaches in poor order, ordered his men to charge downhill at them, causing much dismay. The Samnites, stationed on the left, withstood the howling charge until a unit of principes could assist them.





Many of the lighter units of Scipio's infantry were routed, fleeing back out the breaches, impeding those who would come forward to replace them, the heavily armored horsemen of Caratawc's retinue running down many as they fled. Cotta, seeing that the banner of the enemy chieftain had stopped, impeded by a maniple of triarii whose spears were some proof against horses, especially in narrow places, at length and by a roundabout route managed to fall upon the enemy from behind. After several charges Caratawc himself was killed and his men, disheartened by his death, tried to flee. Scipio himself, with his tribune M. Aemilius Paulus, rode down the enemy and slaughtered them to a man.







The taking of Patavium was the only military action of that year. Before the winter the region around Patavium was pacified, the walls repaired, and drainage was installed. At Roma a villa proconsulis was built, at Arpi a villa magistratus. So ended the four hundred and ninety-first year AVC.

In the year of the consuls L. Postumius Megellus and Q. Mamilius Vitulus the Senate and People of Rome voted to fund many improvements to Roma and her allies. A forum was built at Capua and a ludus at Taras. A forum was completed in Arretium, a macellum in Ariminum, and a villa magistratus in Patavium. Rhegion and Bononia both were admitted to the Administratio Regionum Italicarum. In the winter of that year, perceiving that, in order to prevent further incursions into Italy by hostile forces, all lands south of the Po needed to be brought into the number of Roma's allies, L. Cornelius Scipio sent his tribunes, G. Aurelius Cotta and M. Aemilius Paulus, to Segesta for the sake of such an alliance. The Gauls in Segesta were not willing to partake of this alliance, preferring liberty to security, and therefore Cotta and Paulus invested the city in the winter. So ended the four hundred and ninety-second year AVC.

In the year of the consuls L. Valerius Flaccus and T. Otacilius Crassus the cities of Arpi, Rhegion, and Patavium recieved at public expense a macellum, cloacae, and a fanum Minervae respectively. In the autumn of that year the new horreum was used for the first time in Ariminum, while that winter Rhegion and Patavium both held races in a circus simplex for the first time. Also that winter Taras opened her portus mercatorius and Bononia built a villa magistratus. Certain Segestans, not content with the rule of Conan, a barbarian, sought to treat with the legion investing their city. Under cover of night they were led to M. Aemilius Paulus and G. Aurelius Cotta, tribunes of L. Cornelius Scipio, as well as C. Aurelius Cotta, nephew to the tribune, though they were of an age, and indeed the uncle was slightly the younger. The dissident Segestans having promised to open the gates, the tribunes taking counsel with one another, thinking it best not to wait for Scipio, as he was occupied with the administration of new territory north of the Po, decided to take the city by assault and execute the barbarian oppressor.



Conan ordered him men to repel the forces of Paulus and Cotta at any cost, not allowing them to enter the city. Having procured the service of friendly Gallic archers, Paulus, to whom, eldest, the order of the siege had been given ordered the leves and Gauls to barrage the defenders, allowing the hastati to operate their battering rams.





The enemy could not withstand the rain of darts and arrows from outside the walls and falling back to regroup allowed a short span wherein the hastati and principes could form up just inside the walls. For hours thereafter the Gauls, urged forward by Conan, attacked the line of legionaires, each charge leaving more dead, each charge slower for the number of groaning men laying in its path. The hastati and principes held the line, though they lost a number of men.





During the afternoon the Gauls retired deep into the city and Paulus ordered the hastati and principes to rest, having fought for most of the day with no respite. The triarii, whose spears and close order were most effective in narrow alleyways, led the rorarii through the city towards the marketplace where Conan and his second in command, Meriadoc, had fortified their position, refusing to retreat though they were outnumbered. Hearing the ordered step of the triarii Conan led his bodyguard against them, hoping by their defeat to open a way out of the square, but the line held. Cotta, arriving late, when the triarii were beginning to falter, fell upon the mounted Gauls, pressing towards the banner of Conan. The barbarian, seeing Cotta's standard, drove towards him and for a time they were engaged. Finally, though the Gallic mail was thick, they guard of the chieftain perished one by one, Conan among them.









Although Cotta had led his men near to the square and the last of the enemy therein, Paulus signaled a withdrawal, as the forces on foot were too tired to continue, and night was fast approaching.



After allowing the infantry to rest, and indeed hiring Gallic spearmen from the area who saw benefit in joining the Roman cause, Paulus assaulted Segesta again in the first week of summer.

Meriadoc, still refusing to admit defeat, even preferring death to surrender, led his forces against those of Paulus at the walls. There were so few barbarians left at this time that they were quickly overwhelmed, and Cotta could roam where he would, as there was no longer any Gallic horse, the few mounts remaining after the last assault having been used as food by the beleaguered. Although they fought ferociously, as cornered beasts are wont, and in no order, the barbarians succumbed.















After the city had been taken in this second assault, Paulus ordered that the walls be rebuilt and that a system of drainage be installed for the city. Before the onset of winter the legion, still commanded by Paulus and Cotta, pacified the rest of the region. So ended the four hundred and ninety-third year AVC.

[Aaldaemon]

Oh my god, you killed Conan! You bastarnae! And Meriadoc too hehhehe.

Loved the black and white screens with the generals in color... Stevanus Spielbergus stuff.

[divulse123]

Hah! Thanks. I figured the clash of a Roman commander and a stinking gaul "hairy beyond reason" was suitably epic to warrant screwing around with photoshop for a minute or two. I can't wait until I'm done with beating up on these single city entities. These sieges are brutal on VH! But if I'm gonna control Cisalpine Gaul, that means I'll have to take Mediolanum, which is held by the Aedui...