The Empire Strikes Back - An SPQR AAR (with all assorted gadgets)

**Olaf Blackeyes** · 11-25-2008, 23:03

That right there is why most of us win battles in RTW or any TW game. Im the AI were even 1/3 as good as Sun Tzu or Megas Alexandros, i guarentee you that there would be 8 times the number of defeats in these AARs as there are now.
Why is it that its sooo hard to set up a battle between two different people on the internet?

**A Terribly Harmful Name** · 11-25-2008, 23:35

The sight of the Epirote army coming uphill dominated the day as the positioned Romans laid, silently and in good manner, nailed to the hill and expecting them. A brief cavalry pursuit was laid on the routers of the unfortunate regiment that vainly tried a charge before routing quickly at the sight of so many Romans, but by then all of Scipio’s men, including Scipio himself, awaited them on top of the hill. He could discern the Greeks: their phalanx was of a militia type, probably male landowners of some sort. At least the consolation of Scipio was to know that everyone there, including himself, would rather be taming their own fields instead of killing themselves; but Scipio was no naïve, neither a pacifist.

As they approached, the horns sounded and the army was propelled forwards, including to the pikes. A furious wave of men went down screaming in the direction of the Greek phalanxes, who held steadily. Meanwhile, Scipio charged his cavalry into the Greek Cavalry hoping to rout them and get behind the Greek line.

Amidst the Hastati the fury of the moment took place. “CHARGEEEEE!!!!!”, they screamed, before meeting the pikes of the Epirotes. One Hastatus, a young man called Lucius, was impaled immediately when he forgot to put his shield on front of him leaving it open for for a thrust. The mistakes of the young had no margin of error in the harsh school of war.

“Forward, men!” – A fierce fight ensured. The Principes charged a group of hoplites trying to flank the Hastati, and as result these same hoplites, no more than a militia, quickly routed when facing a superior force and penalized by the bad terrain. The Epirotes were tired from the march, and on top of that they were facing waves of enemy infantry. Not even their large pikes prevented some Romans to infiltrate the phalanxes and force them to use their swords in a clearly one sided slaughter.

“That man is a damn fool” – Scipio thought, when giving a brief glance at the battle lines. Usually displacing a phalanx would require a flanking maneuver, but facing upwards a hill with men pouring through the gaps would test the strength of elite phalangites, dedicated to the business of war with their lives. Never mind a bunch of farmers and traders who apparently did not hold a sarissa until days before being forced into battle.

Scipio’s particular situation, however, was quite terrible. His own cavalry showed their immense lousiness: when faced with the Tarentine cavalry, the Roman Citizen Cavalry was taking casualties at an alarming rate, and Scipio himself could see that the Greeks were carving a path closer and closer to him. Fearing for his life, and battling the Greeks, he made a sign for the Cornicen.

“The Cavalry wing requests reinforcements!” – A polished military voice told, mechanically. – “On to battle, Romani! Let’s go, running!”. “Aye, Centurio!”

“AHHHHH!” – The Triarii came just in time. Scipio was fighting the Greeks desperately, dodging their swords. He retreated with his men and charged again, faithful to the principle he was taught. By this time the Triarii, tough spearmen, had already turned the tides for the Romans, and the Tarentine cavalry was reluctant to face them.

At this moment, the battle line was relatively steady. The phalanxes showed strength enough to stop the Romans on their tracks, and a bloody match ensued between them and the Hastati. But now, something was different! A wave of screams was heard, and just nearby more and more men, the skirmisher wing of the Roman army, collided with the fragile flanks of the Greek militias. To them it was enough, and they routed almost in synchrony with the Tarentine cavalry foolishly contesting with the spearmen on the left.

The Battle of Taras ended with a victory for the Romans. The rest of the time was spent pursuing the routers in their futile run for safety. To the Greek dead, one thing was certain: their king demanded them, and in return for their service, the cold hand of death was their only payment.

The Capture of Tarentum

Scipio lost little time, and laying siege to Tarentum, he found the gates open. His spies apparently had sabotaged them! Thanking the Gods for his luck, he poured into the city and destroyed the Epirote remnants, capturing it after a brief conflict. The Epirote War, and the Prologue, as Archesilaos could state, were over!