Roman: Brutii

[rotorgun]

Plan seems strategically and tactically sound. Nice attack in Anatolia -- who knew how quickly they'd fold after some casuaties.

Only add on might be a couple of raiding armies to distract Julii and Scipii response. These would be 10-14 card cavalry only armies sent to ravage and distract -- isolating the SPQR even more. Not worth it to weaken your main effort though, this is for "if resources allow."

Hello Seamus! It's good to hear from you again. Sorry for not replying to your posts sooner; work, holidays, and home projects have been the order of the day.

Your advice seems sound. I was actually considering such a possibility, but never entertained the idea of cavalry raids....how intruiging! It puts me in mind of the tactics of Nathan Bedford Forest and Jeb Stuart during the War between the States. They were masters of the cavalry raid. These techniques were used to great effect by one Betrand Du Guesclin of Brittany during The Hundred years War as well. It was called Le Chevauchee, which means cavalry raid in French. It was highly effective in tying down the forces of the English as they tried to prevent them. I thank you. I will attempt to implement them in the final phases of this campaign, which, if "providence doth not hinder", will commence tomorrow.

What campain(s) are you engaged in now? Are you still playing a Brutii game, or are you moved on to another. How is your French war going in MTW? I'll look for your posts about that in the MTW threads.

Thanks a great deal.

[gardibolt]

Tried a Brutii campaign in 1.5, after having done a bunch of barbarians and Carthage; I was amazed at how easy these guys are after that experience of shoddy troops and worse economies. They're like printing money. I'm building everything I can, hired every mercenary in sight, never exterminate, and I'm still having trouble keeping under 50,000d. The Greek Cities melted away before me and now Macedon is doing the same. Everyone on the map is terrified of me and I get offers every turn of alliances. Really, really a weird experience.

That will all change, I expect, once the civil war comes, though right now at 20 territories I have high popularity with both the Senate and the people, thanks to ravaging everything and obediently doing all the Senate missions quickly. The Julii and Scipii have both expanded substantially (though I messed up the Julii by taking both Patavium and Mediolanum; I would have gotten Marsila too except I had to put down some rioting in Mediolanum and the Germans offered me Iuvavum in exchange for a ceasefire and I had to go stock it with troops). The civil war is likely to be long and bloody, especially since I no longer seem to have the option to bribe other Roman troops, no matter how much money I have. When did that disappear? I used that to great effect in 1.0. Will I get that back once the civil war starts?

[Seamus Fermanagh]

MTW campaign was played for a stretch. France was absorbed, then war with the HRE netted me all of the low countries, Saxony and Switzerland -- while defending the south against Spain -- when a rapid double civil war smashed me back to the North French coast and cost me half of England itself. Not quite back to my borders on that one yet.

The current RTW for me is a Scip campaign. Trying to get the Jollies outlawed first, but they keep hanging at one pip. Senate missions for me are annoying -- no Hyperboria (yet) but Carthago Nova when fully deployed against the Eggys.

How'd the Brutes finish up for you?

[gardibolt]

Still in progress. The Macedonians in their last stand gave me some trouble---they had a ton of cavalry in their final army of 2000 and I had too many missile units in the army I sent after them, which was less than half that size, so I got soundly whacked. A better-proportioned force went after them the next turn, I assassinated the faction leader and they fell like dominos.

Thrace then foolishly attacked me and is paying the price. They put a stack on a boat which I promptly sank (I rule the seas) and I'm heading over to Carthage, which the Scipii seem to be ignoring (It's now owned by Numidia, somehow). My Machiavellian plan is to take western Africa, forcing the Scipii to get involved in a mutually destructive war with Egypt. Brittania has eliminated Gaul, so I expect they will be tackling the Julii.

I'm up to 238 BC and am hoping I don't get the same 237 BC crash I got with my Carthage game; if I do, then I'm done with this game for good.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Sorry to be unclear, I was responding to Rotorgun.

Gardi', your campaign seems to be following a clear pattern, so I have had little comment.

[rotorgun]

Still in progress. The Macedonians in their last stand gave me some trouble---they had a ton of cavalry in their final army of 2000 and I had too many missile units in the army I sent after them, which was less than half that size, so I got soundly whacked. A better-proportioned force went after them the next turn, I assassinated the faction leader and they fell like dominos.

Thrace then foolishly attacked me and is paying the price. They put a stack on a boat which I promptly sank (I rule the seas) and I'm heading over to Carthage, which the Scipii seem to be ignoring (It's now owned by Numidia, somehow). My Machiavellian plan is to take western Africa, forcing the Scipii to get involved in a mutually destructive war with Egypt. Brittania has eliminated Gaul, so I expect they will be tackling the Julii.

I'm up to 238 BC and am hoping I don't get the same 237 BC crash I got with my Carthage game; if I do, then I'm done with this game for good.

Hello Gardibolt,

It appears that you are having a good early game with the Brutii. I like your plan to disrupt the Scipii with an invasion of Numidia. It will be somewhat difficult to logisticlly support such a plan as Numidia is far from your base of operations, but could be of some use If you succeed. Leaving all that Egyptian wealth to the Scipii seems rather generous. I was able to really boost my economy by taking over Egypt during my canpaign. It was not an easy task, as those nasty Egyptians were quite a challange. (I almost started to have nightmares hearing those Apis horns that their leaders always seemed to blow right before an attack!) Alexandria, Memphis, and Thebes are incredibly rich cities, well worth a campain to capture them. Jeruselam is the hardest city to rule I realize, but not impossible.

I also had great fun capturing the Anatolian provinces as well. The coastal ports will bring you an immense profit in trade, something worth considering as you will need capital once you go to war with your fellow Romans. A considerable amount of trade income is lost once the war begins, and the extra denarii will come in handy. Let the Julii fight Brittania however; it is true that they are indeed quite mad it seems. It took a few years off my life fighting these stubborn tribes.

What happened to cause your crash? I had this happen a few times as well, but thank the Lord I had my campaign saved seperately from the autosave that happens whenever you finish a turn.

Good luck with your campaign. I have enjoyed playing the Brutii immensley.

[gardibolt]

Hey rotorgun, thanks for the feedback. The seizure of Carthage and then Tingi went well, thanks to the mercs I picked up marching across north Africa. The next step will be invading Spain and giving me a second front to attack the Julii when the civil wars come. My plan is for the Scipii and Egypt to wear each other down; I'm hoping that my timing is such that when the war comes that the Scipii will be vulnerable. If it comes too soon, they'll have many stacks with Egypt right behind them (at the moment they have six full stacks just south of Carthage); if it comes too late they may have conquered Egypt and become a wealthy powerhouse. I expect though, that my seizure of Iberia will be enough to outlaw me and then I can start in earnest on my brethren. Conveniently, the Senate just asked me to blockade Novo Carthago, which fits perfectly into my plans. And in the process, I can wipe out the final Gallic territory. :D

I already own almost all of Anatolia, and the cash is just rolling in, between 30 and 34,000d per turn. I have an alliance with Pontus, who has been reduced to 2 provinces by the Armenians, who in turn are under attack by the Egyptians. But I've built forts at the approaches to Anatolia and stuck nearly full stacks in them to hold off the Egyptians from casting a greedy eye on my territories. Thrace is on the ropes, and Dacia is starting to get nervous; I see them sending troops to the borders they share with me. But I'll let them start the war. I'm in no hurry.

No 237 BC crash in my Brutii game (down to 232BC now and just got the Marius Reforms thanks to my palace in Patavium), so the other one in my Carthage campaign must have been tied to the fact it started as a 1.0 campaign.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Rotor'

Sounds like you're dreating the kind of pell-mell finale that will be highly entertaining!

I do think you'll draw them out and hammer them in the field, then it'll be the turn of rome itself.

If only those foolish old men had seen the wisdom of appointing you dictator without all of this pettifogging.

By the way, are you looking for a "Master of the Horse?"

[rotorgun]

Hey rotorgun, thanks for the feedback.

No 237 BC crash in my Brutii game (down to 232BC now and just got the Marius Reforms thanks to my palace in Patavium), so the other one in my Carthage campaign must have been tied to the fact it started as a 1.0 campaign.

Your welcome indeed. I think you have a sound strategy in establishimg a base of operations in the west. It will probably call for some creative governing of any provinces captured there, so far away from your capital. I still have to watch my colonies in Britannia very carefully as they are far from my capital of Athens. I decided to make Athens my new Brutii capital about mid-game to lessen the unrest effects in my far flung eastern provinces. It also increased the trade income quite a bit as well. (Tarentum and Croton do not seem to have Ports as good as the Athenians do.)

I think your right about the crash thing. It was probably a conflict between 1.0 and 1.5 or something like that. In any case, just keep a good back up save if you are concerned. Well...have a great time. Talk to you later.

[rotorgun]

MTW campaign was played for a stretch. France was absorbed, then war with the HRE netted me all of the low countries, Saxony and Switzerland -- while defending the south against Spain -- when a rapid double civil war smashed me back to the North French coast and cost me half of England itself. Not quite back to my borders on that one yet.

The current RTW for me is a Scip campaign. Trying to get the Jollies outlawed first, but they keep hanging at one pip. Senate missions for me are annoying -- no Hyperboria (yet) but Carthago Nova when fully deployed against the Eggys.

How'd the Brutes finish up for you?

Sounds like an interesting situation developing in both of your campaigns. I shall seek further developments in future posts.

As for me, it is currently 29 BC in the campaign. I am still in the final preparations for the planned invasion of Latium. I had to perform my monthly military duties for the National Guard, which, unfortunately, put my gaming hobby on a bit of a hold. I've taken your advice and am now about six turns from completing the suggested cavalry raiding forces, albiet somewhat smaller in size than your recommended 14-16 units. I opted for about 8-10 Roman Cavalry units launched from three different cities, Tarentum in the south, Segestica and Iuvavum from the north. It seemed more prudent, as the Jullii are buildind their defenses of Liguria, Etruria, and Umppia more rapidly than I anticipated, and it has forced me to accept a truncated timetable. I will also have to go on the defensive against Pontus while seeking a ceasfire from them. I've offered them protection but they ask for too many hard won cities in return. It is no bother as they have been very much cut to size already.

My basic plan is still the same in regards to general strategy - hit the Jullii hard in their weakened Gaullic provinces to distract them and hopefully draw some of their Spanish legions north while using my northern cavalry to raid Liguria, thereby fixing the garrisons there for a spell. Lilybaeum, and Messana, both Scipii owned, will be taken by storm, drawing a furious response from their North African armies. This will be thwarted by my already vastly superior naval forces by a close blockade of the entire Western African coast. This will force both factions into a naval biluding campaign which they can ill afford.

In central Italy, My two, largely Urban Cohort/Preatorian Cavalry/Onager, legions will assault Arriminum and Arretium. Simultaneously, another two, three cheveron, silver shield legions will move on Capua to capture the Scipii capital. These maneuvers should draw at least one or two of the three Senate legions away from Latium. If they don't move to support their loyal factions they risk a possible assault from six legions later, so I surmise that they will do so. Once I have drawn them into the fray I will send in my reserves from Attica and the Dalmation shores to secure my gains, and then launch my own ancient version of the Anzio invasion from Sicilia to take on the remaining Senate forces. Hopefully these forces will be annihilated in a Gotterdamerung of their own making (It serves them right for not making me Dictator for life!) by whatever forces are available to assist the landing force. If all goes well, Rome should fall between 20 to 10 BC.

This is the Commander's intent, currently being sent by currier to all the Consuls, Preators, and Legates of the Legions. What say you Seamus? Does this plan have a leg to stand on?

Viva Longa a Imperator!