CHallenge for Pez'

[Seamus Fermanagh]

hardly a challenge. No bribery and no mercs and then we're talking.

As per the original challenge, that would have left Pez' with:

3 well-garrisoned initial cities but unable to build troops aside from watch and peasants.

Unable to bribe troops or bribe off armies.

As good as he is, 50 provinces using assassins, spies, ships, and town watch would be a bit much to expect, no?

SF

[pezhetairoi]

well, fighting Egyptian chariots with town watch would be....challenging? *grimace* Oh yeah, I can see peasants beating spear warbands... o_O

Yeah. But I can live with no mercs--that was my own unofficial rule, since 10 units cap on mercs was as bad as no mercs.

[pezhetairoi]

Anyway. The promised final update.

---------------------------------XXV

SENATE:
Herius Mummius: Pont Max
Galerius Vinicianus: Censor
Lucius Julius: Praetor
Flavius Victor: Aedile

DONE:
Patavium: Peasants
Segestica: Trader
Iuvavum: Roads

JABA returns to Patavium
________________________________-
The JEF is renamed JAG (Julii Army in Gaul) and storms Lugdunum

A: Flavius Victor (Julii)
D: 1545 K: 40 L: 1491
Df: Vindex (Gaul)
D: 40 K: 63 L: 1

Clear Victory; Lugdunum is occupied, but my poor precious hastati...
_________________________________________________

Leaving the Velites units behind to garrison Lugdunum, JABA moves between the Gaulish 17-unit army and Lucco, whose force is west of Lugdunum.
Sextus Antio heads for the Senate Trap.
Senaculus of Sabis bribes a rebel army blocking the way to Germania for 1400d, then establishes trade relations with Germania as per Senate orders, and sells it maps for 4000d over 2 turns.

SENATE: Barb Cav Mercs granted (Arretium)

The Senate reward sets out for JAG.
The peasants from Patavium are sent to disband in Mediolanium to raise population.

ORDERED
Patavium: Peasants
Segesta: Port
Mediolanium: Land Clearance
Arretium: Governor's Palace
Ariminum: Blacksmith

----------------------------------XXVI

PRETURN
_______________________________________
The Gaulish 17-unit army attacks JAG.

A: Brennus (Gaul)
D: 2428 K: 196 L: 16
Df: Flavius Victor (Julii)
D: 1331 K: 2331 L: 1161

Heroic Victory; Soutnern Gaul is secured. Notably, this is only the fourth battle in which I have used an ambushing column in a forest in flank attack in 9 campaigns.
________________________________________________

Lannildut of Britannia gets alliance with the Julii and trade rights, and is sold maps for 4500d.

DONE
Patavium: Peasants
Massilia: Governor's Villa

To capitalise on victory JAG besieges Narbo Martius, and is joined by Hastati reinforcements from Massilia.
JABA leaves for the pass to Lugdunum from Mediolanium en route to Alesia.
The Senate army in the Senate Trap is bribed for 11662d, gaining 3 Velites, 3 Principes, 2 Hastati and 2 Triarii, all of whom are 3 bronze or 1 silver, weapons +2 and defence +1. Herius Mummius and Galerius Vinicianus join this army, and it is named JOB (Julii Overseas Battlegroup). It heads for Arretium port to take ship for Spain as the Julii grand fleet (whatever you call 6ships) sails for Arretium to ferry JOB over.
Cnaeus Geta bribes 2 Scipii Hastati units (1 decimated) and 1 Velites units (decimated) for 406d. It is meant to join JOB through a detour of the JOB ferry-fleet to Sicily. This is called Force 406.
Alliance with Macedon is broken. I am sick of those buggers refusing to give me any money for maps and getting their asses whipped by Greece, and sick of the Brutii not hitting them for six.
Segestica is given to the Brutii to kickstart their [overdue] expansion.
Force 406 besieges Syracuse to force war upon the Scipii, who are at peace with Greece.
Senaculus of Sabis arrives at Mogontiacum.
The Western Alpine fort is evacuated and its Home Guard garrison returned to Segesta, there being no more need for the fort.

ORDERED
Arretium: Peasants
Ariminum: Peasants, Governor's Palace
Patavium: Land Clearance
Iuvavum: Wooden Palisade
Lugdunum: Town Watch
Massilia: Barracks

------------------------------------XXVII

Spain allies with the Julii and is sold maps for 3500d.

DONE
Arretium: Peasants
Ariminum: Peasants
Lugdunum: Town Watch
Segesta: Port
Mediolanium: Land Clearance
Iuvavum: Trader

NEW FACTIONER
Marcus Julius (Arretium)

Cnaeus Geta sells maps to Carthage for 3200d.
The peasants in Arretium and Ariminum are sent to Arretium to join JOB. They will be dropped off at Caralis to populate it.
A large Carthaginian army headed for Messana is bribed by Cnaeus Geta for 2160d. Sextus Antio bribes 2 Scipii Hastati and 1 Velites for 575d at Capua, and another army of the same nearby for 520d. These head for Arretium to join JOB, which has just enough space left for them. Force 406's role changes from reinforcement of JOB to an independent force of intervention as an instrumentof foreign policy.
JABA empties the remaining in the pass to Lugdunum and leaves for Alesia.
Numerous Town Watch units sent from Massilia to Lugdunum are disbanded in Lugdunum, upgrading it.
The capital is moved to Mediolanium.
__________________________________________-
JAG assaults Narbo Martius.

A: Flavius the Mighty (Julii)
D: 1325 K: 480 L: 1235
Df: Belenus (Gaul)
D: 480 K: 83 L: 1

Clear Victory; Narbo Martius is occupied. I justify my unacceptable losses by claiming warlord cavalry and druids.
_________________________________________________

Force 406 maintains siege on Syracuse. It is, of course, intended to weaken the army inside and/or lead the Scipii to join in and/or starve it eventually (over the course of 30-40 turns if need be) into submission so the Scipii can be given it.
_________________________________________________
The cavalry of JAG moves out to crush the new Gaulish faction leader, Lucco. He hasn't even been awarded his expanded bodyguard yet.

A: Flavius the Mighty (Julii)
D: 267 K: 41 L: 267
Df: Lucco (Gaul)
D: 41 K: 0 L:1

Heroic Victory; Lucco never stood a chance.
______________________________________________

Senaculus of Sabis heads for Batavodurum.

ORDERED
Narbo Martius: Shrine to Jupiter, Town Watch
Massilia: Diplomat
Lugdunum: Governor's Villa

---------------------------------------XXIIX

Syracuse sallies and a Greek field army is landed. This is a signal for Force 406 to vamoose to Messana. Thankfully, the Scipii FINALLY besiege Lilybaeum.

DONE:
Narbo Martius: Town Watch, Shrine to Jupiter
Iuvavum: Wooden Palisade
Arretium: Governor's Palace
Ariminum: Blacksmith
Patavium: Land Clearance
Massilia: Barracks, (Dip) Julianus Dentatus

Decius Curtius spots Alesia.
Senaculus of Sabis reaches Batavodurum.
JABA moves for Alesia.
Julianus Dentatus moves to bribe a 108-horse rebel family member and his army.
JOB boards ship for Spain while waiting for the elements bribed at Capua (who have weapons +2) to arrive.

ORDERED
Narbo Martius: Trader

----------------------XXIX

DONE
Lugdunum: Governor's Villa

JABA continues for Alesia.
A large Gaulish 10-unit army marches from the west for Narbo Martius. Julianus Dentatus moves to intercept.
JAG retreats towards Massilia to prevent attack from the Gaulish army--the army is not worth a battle or casualties to destroy.

ORDERED
Massilia: Militia Barracks

------------------------------------XXX

The Turn of the Mysterious and Unexplained:
The Scipi lift the siege on Lilybaeum.
The Gaulish army disappears.
The 108-horse Rebel army disappears.

DONE
Narbo MArtius: Trader

Senaculus of Sabis heads for Damme.
JABA besieges Alesia.
JAG returns to Massilia.
Cnaeus Geta bribes a CArthaginian army in Central Sicily for 520d and another for 240d.
Force 406 besieges Lilybaeum to keep Carthage off balance despite the Scipii respite granted to them.
JOB sails for Spain, dropping off the 2 peasant units on Sardinia en route.

ORDERED
Lugdunum: Paved Roads
Iuvavum: Land Clearance
Massilia: Diplomat

---------------------------------------XXXI

Lilybaeum sallies, and force 406 withdraws to renew the siege next turn.
_______________________________________________
The Battle of Alesia is re-enacted in style with the odds drastically reversed.

A: Captain Matugenus (Gaul)
Erbin of Axona (Gaul)
D: 403 K: 50 L: 0
D: 953 K: 25 L: 1
Df: Decius Julius
D: 2108 K: 1331 L: 2009

Clear Victory; Alesia is occupied. This was an exercise in AI stupidity with the enemy's warbands and swordsmen running for units that I simply retreated from contact while others that they didn't notice came up and whacked them in the rear, routing them before they even caused a single casualty. Need I say more?
___________________________________________________________________

A large Spanish army is sighted heading for Narbo Martius. Eeek. Even JAG would be hard-pressed to stop that one without major bites being taken out of its troop strength. Julianus Dentatus moves to intercept, but it is doubtful that he will succeed because he is low in influence and the treasury is low in denarii.
The Scipii now turn to besieging Syracuse. What the hell is wrong them stupid fickle blueskirts?

DONE
Massilia: (Dip) Placus Pilatus
Ariminum: Governor's Palace

__________________________________
The cavalry of JABA strike a Gaulish factioner near Alesia.

A: Decius Julius (Julii)
D: 338 K: 63 L: 335
Df: Virssucius (Gaul)
D: 63 K: 3 L: 1

Clear Victory; at least Virsuccius managed to hurt some riders but otherwise this solo incursion towards Alesia just loses the Gauls another factioner.
_____________________________________________________

JABA recuperates in Alesia.
JAG units wait for completion of Militia Barracks in Massilia to afford facilities for retraining of the Hastati.
Spain breaks alliance. Perfect, JOB had been intended to transgress over Spanish soil to get to Numantia but can now just storm through Osca to get to Numantia.
JOB sails for Osca.

ORDERED
Lugdunum: Town Watch
Narbo Martius: Town Watch

------------------------XXXII

The Brutii besiege Thermon. At last, after so many turns of seeing one-two unit Brutii forces drift over the Adriatic coast for god knows what, I now see design as these forces begin concentrating into fists.
The Scipii maintain siege on Syracuse.
Inexplicably the Spanish army retreats from Narbo Martius back into Spain.
An inferior German army invades Central Gaul en route for Alesia. This means Germania will have to be invaded in a pre-emptive strike soon.

DONE
Narbo Martius: Town Watch
Massilia: Militia Barracks
Iuvavum: Land Clearance

SENATE: Blockade Corinth.

The far larger JABA enters the red zone of a German army to send a very obvious hint to it.
The Spanish having retreated, Julianus Dentatus moves west to ensure they do not make it past the Pyrenees again.
JAG retrains in Massilia.
JOB sails on for Spain.
Force 406 besieges Lilybaeum.

ORDERED
Caralis: Governor's Villa
Narbo Martius: Governor's Villa
Alesia: Peasants, Shrine to Jupiter
Massilia: Paved Roads
Arretium: Forum
Ariminum: Biremes

---------------------------------------------XXXIII

Lilybaeum sallies, and Force 406 retreats.
Thermon is taken.
Syracuse is taken.
The German army gets the hint from JABA and retreats.

SENATE:
Lucius Julius: Pont Max
Galerius Vinicianus: Censor
Herius Mummius: Consul
Flavius the Mighty: Praetor

DONE
Ariminum: Biremes
Alesia: Peasants,SHrine to Jupiter
Lugdunum: Paved Roads

JABA enters the red zone of a large Gaulish army standing on the bridge west of Alesia, trying to get it to attack JABA.
Julianus Dentatus bribes a Gaulish army for 1300d.
JAG moves for Lemonus.
JOB lands near Osca.

----------------------------XXXIV

DONE
Caralis: Governor's Villa
Narbo Martius: Governor's Villa

JAG moves towards Condate Redonum.
JABA moves for Condate Redonum.
Placus Pilatus bribes a marauding Germania army at lugdunum for 2198d.
JOB besieges Osca.
Julianus Dentatus moves for Iberia to attach to JOB.

____________________________________________________________________

Okay, I have to go, will post till here. I have enough material to last till turn 49, so stay tuned for more next monday.

[pezhetairoi]

----------------------------------XXXV

DONE
Segesta: Market
Massilia: Paved Roads

JABA nears Condate Redonum.
JAG continues for Lemonum.
___________________________________
JOB storms Osca.
A: Marcus Julius (Julii)
D: 2397 K: 288 L: 2276
Df: Lucco (Spain)
D: 288 K: 125 L: 1

Clear victory; Osca is occupied.
_________________________________________
The capital is moved to Massilia.
Senaculus of Sabis returns for Trier.
Julianus Dentatus moves into Iberia and heads for Numantia.
Cnaeus Geta realises it will soon be time to move into Africa, as Sicily is as good as conquered.
Zeuxis of Gomphi moves for Thrace.
Appius Nepos moves for Corinth, but no bribing is to take place despite a full treasury as the Greeks are turning their attentions on Macedon, not on the Brutii. Let them fight it out.
Sextus Antio moves for Capua.

ORDERED
Osca: Militia Barracks
Massilia: Port
Patavium: Peasants

---------------------------------XXXVI

DONE
Patavium: Peasants
Arretium: Forum
Caralis: Port
Narbo Martius: Port

Lilybaeum has been stormed.
Placus Pilatus moves for Samarobriva.
Sextus Antio bribes 2 units of Scipii hastati for 440d.
Julianus Dentatus continues for Numantia.
Senaculus of Sabis heads for Trier, which is threatened by the armies of the Britannic ally. Trier is meant for JAG.
Cnaeus Geta and Force 406 merge and await transportation to Africa.
Maps are sold to Dacia and Thrace for 2000d each, and Thrace allies with the Julii.

ORDERED
Osca: Town Watch
Narbo Martius: Paved Roads
Lugdunum: Market
Alesia: Peasants, Temple of Jupiter
Iuvavum: Barracks
Patavium: Peasants, Shrine to Jupiter
Ariminum: Shrine to Jupiter
Arretium: Shipwright

Damn, have to go again.

[The Stranger]

hmm seems like Pez is a darned good commander. i dont think i can fight with low quality troops, i'm a all out defence strategist and focus on heroic stances vs way larger armies, that can be done with hastati (against high cost) but not with town watch.

i am a bit confused.

D is starting army
K is kills
but is L lost or Left

[pezhetairoi]

oh no, emperor umeu, I used hastati. My armies are all hastati, the only difference that all of them were once Brutii, or Scipii hastati. None of them are built by me. I only use town watch for garrison except in the beginning when I had to use them to supplement my numbers. I think I'm good, but not that good that I can win battles with town watch. :)

D is number deployed, K is number they killed, and L is number they had left. So all those L: 1s mean that I simply slaughtered every soldier before they had a chance to flee off the field. For some strange reason if there's a factioner in the army they always say L: 1 even though there is clearly no one left. Or 2, of there're two factioners, and so on.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I've learned quite a bit vicariously here. Trapping and bribing in tandem, using diplomats as "flying columns" to create an army from nothing. Cool stuff Pez.

On 1.0, I think you'd have to limit yourself to town watch to be in trouble.

SF