Most Horrible Defeat?

[Onehandstan]

What is the worst loss you have ever experienced? The worst on Eb I've had has got to be when I was the Casse and was battling a semi-elite Qathadast stack near bononia, I let my forces get isolated and slowly killed but some survived (including my 10 star general) after this my force retreated further into enemy territory with hardly any troops left so I bought loads of mercenaries hoping to avenge my men and kill the stack that beat me but unfotunately during the AI turn they snuck an elite stack including Elite African Pikemen and those guys in the green and blue (Elite Liby-phoneician infantry or something) which obliterated my meagre mercenaries and their glorious general. Oh well, he was a bribed Roman anyway!

[/Bean\]

I once (not long ago actually) role played an enemy ambush along a road with dense forest on either side. I (the Seleucids) deployed my infantry, cavalry, missile infantry and generals in a long column formation down the road. My enemy's (I forget who they were at the time) smashed into my 'unprepared' forces. What I meant to do was deploy quickly, showing my army's quick thinking and good training, but it went really wrong...the enemy had far more and better units than I originally thought, and after a long battle with many different anicdotes, my army was annhilated, along with my three generals. I just stared at the screen for a while, too shocked to do anything.

But yeah, thats mine...the accidental suicide of my thirty thousand strong army.

[Onehandstan]

ouch...
oh also in a vanilla Carthage campaign I had a whole stack of sacred band and the ones that are a step up from Iberian infantry wiped out in a single, seemingly evenly matched battle, It may have been because it was my first time using phalanxes.

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

Had a Crushing Defeat in a Custom Battle defending vs. an army made entirely of Milhnat.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Four times actually, with good / elite armies: twice as the Sweboz against the Lugians, and twice as the Karthadastim against the Noricene.

[IrishHitman]

I've only lost when I use autocommand.....

All my enemies are 8 star generals plus, which is irritating because I have to fight every battle directly...

[Cadwalader]

I once (in vanilla) had a single enemy soldier run into my square while I had all my men defending the walls. The timer ran out.

[Ibrahim]

I have yet to be badly beaten in a battle on land (in SP, not MP). my worse loss was at sea, and it wasn't in EB. twas in IBFD RR: 50 men-ships, and an entire army (750men-large settings, medium battle diff.) sunk by 30 men-ships (I was ERE, enemy WRE)

[Reverend Joe]

I once drank half a gallon of sour wine. I woke up with what was the worst hangover of my life, no exaggeration. My head felt like it had been run over by a Mack truck and my vision was literally warped because my brain and eyes were so dehydrated. Even moving slightly made me dry-heave. I have never felt anything like it before or since.

That was my worst defeat. And I bet none of you have ever experienced anything so painful in EB.

[gamerdude873]

With me, i fought a head on battle against the macedonians. It see-sawed back and forth, and then their uber general caused a rout against my really inexperienced 2nd legion. Over 2500 casualties total for both sides. Average defeat

Another was against the carthaginians. Practically same circumstances- uber general was unstoppable and after an agonizing, high casualty battle, they finally routed my inexperienced forces by getting around with calvary (damn roman calvary couldn't fight their way out of a paper sack. They got owned then my infantry got hit in the flanks) Clear Defeat

[Intranetusa]

That was my worst defeat. And I bet none of you have ever experienced anything so painful in EB.

The odds were 300 v 1800 against me, Romanii vs Seleucid for control of a major city. (I was defending)

2.5 hours in, I killed about 1500 enemy troops (half were elite phalangites) thanks to tons and tons of microing...

Then a friend instant messaged me, and my entire game crashed. 2.5 hours down the drain. O, and loaded up the game and realized that I didn't save either - I had fought 2 huge battles before the siege on that turn (1 heroic vic), so the autosave didn't do much for me.

[desert]

I take it you are no longer friends.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

My worst defeat was when i had two FMs and a full stack of experienced (1-2 copper chevs) as the Sweboz, it was against one of those super elite (gold chevs and high tier units) Rebel full stacks that the AI like to spawn for no reason. Anyways i was on my way to conquer some more of Eastern Europe when suddenly BOOM!!! Ambush. i looked at the enemy roster and almost crapped myself. I tried to run but i couldnt get away fast enough. When the actual battle started I lined up serveral units to try and bait the enemy forces while another set of units hid in the woods to ambush them. Well the enemy obliterated all of the decoy force before my amubush could spiring incluing one of my generals. They then turned around and oblitrated everyone of my men they could get their hands onincluding my other general. Out of 12000 men like idk 500 returned home alive. I would really like to know how the hell the AI does this kind of thing.

[Cute Wolf]

My most horrible defeat, when I play Romani campaign in VH/M, all goes nice, but suddenly the aedui and averni sign a peace treaty, form an alliance with kardasthim and start gang me up in all direction... I lost almost all of my city battle (my men are campaigning in sicilia)..... and in the 150 BC, the romans only remain in Sicily (but I was crippled economically, so I quit, because I know I will lost with -45829 minai in my treasury...) my trick to get IMF lend money for me (by using add_money) didn't helping me either... the aedui - averni alliance pump a lot of troops literally on italian soil.... and kardhastim block all my ports.... it was horrible...

[Conan]

I once (in vanilla) had a single enemy soldier run into my square while I had all my men defending the walls. The timer ran out.

I share your pain....

[IrishHitman]

My most horrible defeat, when I play Romani campaign in VH/M, all goes nice, but suddenly the aedui and averni sign a peace treaty, form an alliance with kardasthim and start gang me up in all direction... I lost almost all of my city battle (my men are campaigning in sicilia)..... and in the 150 BC, the romans only remain in Sicily (but I was crippled economically, so I quit, because I know I will lost with -45829 minai in my treasury...) my trick to get IMF lend money for me (by using add_money) didn't helping me either... the aedui - averni alliance pump a lot of troops literally on italian soil.... and kardhastim block all my ports.... it was horrible...

You should've used that IMF money to buy massive mercenary armies....

[Tyrfingr]

My most horrible defeat, when I play Romani campaign in VH/M, all goes nice, but suddenly the aedui and averni sign a peace treaty, form an alliance with kardasthim and start gang me up in all direction... I lost almost all of my city battle (my men are campaigning in sicilia)..... and in the 150 BC, the romans only remain in Sicily (but I was crippled economically, so I quit, because I know I will lost with -45829 minai in my treasury...) my trick to get IMF lend money for me (by using add_money) didn't helping me either... the aedui - averni alliance pump a lot of troops literally on italian soil.... and kardhastim block all my ports.... it was horrible...

Did you get the Marian reforms? Then would have been piece a cake to defend your holdings on Sicily. What version of the game were you playing and do you have a save left?

[Onehandstan]

he may have been conquered before he had a chance for marian.

[Cute Wolf]

Well, I didn't remember what version I play those ill-fated campaign , I already got marian reform (I can bulid cohortes reformata, but my sicilian holding is truly crap... I already add_money and process_cq (roleplaying overtaxing and pillaging own citizens and force them to work out massive construction work... but the gaulic gangsters always attack my men when they land... and every battle I play after landing was difficult one, i win sometimes, but all with heavy loss on my side (like Phyrrhos...) why did the gauls hate me so much (after port-block by karthaqdast)? I got exhausted by constant long battle with monotonic win - win - lost (2x win, and afer that you lost and decimated when ganged with full stack again, even with mercs) cycle, and eventually I deplete most of my FM.... the game is over if I play the true SPQR, creating an alternate dark history when the shrieking and unwashed (they didn't bulid baths... I see with my spy!) Aedui and Avernii did become a formiddable host when they learn to hug each others in brotherly love and kick romans butt, unfortunely, the romans was me, and I can't get any alliance if I play the Aedui or avernii... (i hope to imitate it when i play my barbarians... to made them wash themself in hot baths...) but i can't

[Charles the hammer]

my worst defeat was in IBRR as wre. I was defending corbuda against the vandals my troops werent the best but i had two units of calvary that were decent and thier troops werent great either. They broke through the gate and i butchered their infantry and light calvary. I killed them all and i lost less than 300 men (i had 600 they had 800.) they were left with 50 general bodyguards. I hand lost all but 15 of my calvary. they charged in and butchered about 500 men and lost about 30 and even destroyed my calvary taking the city. My troops werent great but seriously 500! It was horrible because they charged into me head on at my gates it was aggravating.

[Charles the hammer]

I cant edit but i would like to change one thing i put 500 killed it should have been over 300 men killed

[Celtic_Punk]

Duking it out with Epirotes in the hilly forests of Epiros, north of the port.

they had a fullstack, lots of elite phalanxmen. I had one of my prized early hoplite armies. (instead of my preferred Spartan ones, I had the regular hoplites with the eye on the shield)

It was my most best army at the time, full strength, and all had corporal or sergeant experience.
The old King died the turn before and I decided to keep them in country as a threat to the Epirotes while I rallied up a new General (whom became my finest, a spartan who just excelled in the agoge, and became one of those secret police dudes)

anyway, he wasnt finished his secrete police duties, and we were attacked. Epirotes marched down the hill, and I had no coast or plains to defend.


totally brutal victory, I was chomping my nails when it was down to just 20 odd men duking it out over thousands of corpses. the last guy knocked my general over and i screamed a few choice words in Gaelic, hopped outta my seat thinking he'd been slain! he promptly got up and slew the poor boy from Yugoslavia.
make a long tale short. even though I had superior tact, and I was able to out manoeuvre them and even killed half their phalanx, most of my army was tied down at the front, and the skirmishers were butchered by his cavalry. which in turn killed my flanking force, then i was surrounded and the entire army was butchered. not a soul survived.



On a lighter note the next battle was twice as bloody and out of a huge scale battle, epirote fullstack vs my quarter stack... 4 soldiers survived; 2 spartans, that general who I was grooming, and his unit's captain.

I was chompin my nails to the quick when there was but 20 odd men left fighting over the thousands of bodies. when it got down to the last epirote, he knocked my general over, i shot up outta my chair screaming a few... choice words... in gaelic. then realised he was still in the fight when he shot up and skewered the poor boy from Yugoslavia

[Cute Wolf]

next time, try to auto_win if your FM is in spartan training... to roleplay that all the spartan lecturers take up the arms and defend their students with a big spartan spirit and leather knickers and plenty of weird guys (as in meet the spartans)....

In reality, my FM on Sparta never got any mistreat from the epeirotes... They just killed when they try to cross Athena...

[Sagittarius]

Playing on Very Hard / Very Hard as Romanii. Year 230 BC, after I subjugated carthage, got full control of Iberia, destroyed southern gauls (Averni), I decided to punish the greeks who were backstabbing me from time to time for long time, since I was engaged in africa and iberia and southern gaulia I was constantly paying them bribes in exchange for peace every time they initiated a new war against me plus kept full legion just guarding the southern coast of italy. I needed that legion in every theatre of wars I was fighting but because of those treacherous greeks I could not do so.
So.. when the difficult and bloody wars in africa, Iberia and south gaulia ended in my favour, I decided to punish greeks. How? Of course invasion by sea. Means to do it? Mercenary generals from syracusae plus 3 new legions of which 1st was completed, and waiting near tarantum to embark the ships, 2nd was half formed, and 3rd was just on paper due to lack of funds. First legion had huge success - sparta, corinth, athens and finally chalkis were captured in 3 seasons... But it was already understrenght - battles were way too bloody - VH level after all :)
Of course 3 seasons were enough to complete 2nd legion 3200 men total - 1/3 of which were medium hoplites, 1/3 were were principes and 1/3 triarii... so - this was meant to be reinforcements not only suppor the occupying force but also to take few more towns, since spies were reporting quite tiny forces of enemy there. So... 2nd legion under the command of inexperienced mercenary general landed on the west shore of greece... It was out of moving points so I pressed next... Surprisingly this legion was attacked. By... veteran 10 star greek general under whose command were newly hired 6 units of cavalry - 600 men cavalrymen (I hired all the mercenary infantry in order to garrison occupied cities, so poor compy was hiring expensive cavalry) plus a bunch of tiny units with silver chevrons - like 35 hoplitai haploi, 50 phalangites, akonistai and so on- this junk was around 450 men total plus general himself - 3 silver chevrons. My 3200 legionaries versus 1100 greeks.. I am on defensive. Since there was hilly terrain and enemy had tons of cavalry and I none I could not maneuver - evemy cavarly would rout my flanks so I chose to put army on the main hill in 3 lines with general in the middle. The idea and tactics was to engage enemy safely - and when he is pinned and will start combat with first line of infantry - 2nd and 3rd lines will charge downhill and thus rout those tiny forces of enemy. That was the idea, that was the strategy, but reality was quite different, everything was well at the begining - enemy advanced uphill, got engaged, I charged with 2nd and 3rd lines - but.. what surprised me - only cavalry was fluctuating - falling back, changing positions and charging again. Greek infantry - 500 men total with greek infantry general tied up all my forces. I was fighting this way for 20-25 mins or so - enemy simply was not dying, my losses were mounting, the morale of the legion started to deteriorate, yes, I finally have beated their cavalry - few remaining enemy cavalry units 30-20 men strong around 100 ment were standing lazy on the top of hill and were observing how very close to them greek infantry is annihilating my legion. When first of my units started to waver - those cavalrymen charged for the last time and it was enough - all my force was routed. 800 legionaries survived this onslaught. Including mercenary 0 star general. Enemy lost 550 men, I lost 2400 :) Ok, great shame...
Long ago I thought general star experience mattered a lot, then I was told in this forum that only morale bonuses count - stars of generals is nothing. After this battle I am planning to get 10 star general and to make tests lol cuz after this great loss I am starting to respect high star generals again :D

[Zradha Pahlavan]

Once I had an army marching to finish off the Saka once and for all. A glorious army it was, with many nobles and horse archers. In size it matched the Saka horde and the troops were just as well armored as their opponents.
But apparently the general was a coward and a whiner. The season before the battle, he became terribly depressed.
When the battle began, my cavalry charged the enemy, a tactic which had worked very well against Saka nobles in the past [they don't run as much as regular horse archers] but even before the fight began, the general chickened out. He ran, and his troops saw his cowardice and routed as well. The battle ended and the slaugther began. The entire army was nearly destroyed, but for a few men here and there. The battle could have been won if he had fought, but he just kept running.
Unfortunatley, the general survived. He took part in the later expedition which was lead by a competent general, which finally did destroy the Saka, and he somehow survived that as well. The spineless worm now resides in a border town, where he sits around being depressed and makes the people there unhappy with his bad governance. He is a stain on the glory of Parthia even to this day.

[Onehandstan]

I suicide run is in order for him methinks.

[Tristuskhan]

Or the glorious command of a fort located on a very important pass on the path of your ongoing ennemies...