Well, this are the experiences from my first game with the Alemanni:

You have 2 possible choices, either go south or go west.
I did take Campus Quiddi, but it is not worth much unless you plan to use it as a Buffer against the Burgundians/Langobards whatever.


The Strategy can be probably summed up like this: Go Sought take Rome.
This is quite easy.
Get and Army up and ready to pillage France as you will need the money to defend Italy from the Hordes.
Pillage Spain if you cant Pillage France anymore.
Fortify the Alp passes to the East and the North better than I did.
As you should have some 20 provinces, go for Aquinicum to fullfill your objectives.

I acutally tried to settle Aquinicum and than hasted to get my provinces before the Hordes would come, but was not quick enough.


No to a more detailed look at my campaign:

In my campaing (vh/h) I went south.
The Roman field army attacked me in the field, using their tendency to go for my general a lot, I was able to split up and beat them.
Their Gallic Army attacked me, (only led by a Captain) in one of the newly aquired settlements.
I was able to fend them of by defending cleverly.
Italy was weakly defended and taken easily.

Thinking in the lines of pre BI (with the Germans) I was like: OK, I can pump out Chosen Archers, Elite Axes and good Cavalry from Romes Forges, its only mop up. Right?
Wrong
I was able to consiladate a bit, however, the Gothic, and Vandal Hordes Came in (and strangely bypassed the Rive guard in Aquinicum, it looks like a Hordes initial move can ignore Zones of control).
I figured that my Infantry heavy forces could use some aid terrain wise and choose to place on full army (under my faction leader) at the bridge, the second army was garrisoning the walls of Mediolanum.
The problem was, I had 8 Full Hordes Stack in Northern Italy who where just running back and forth.
In effect, my 2 Main field armies where kept up there.
My 3 army sliped by at a time and went for the Balkans.
After having happily sacked Aquinicum, I was greated by the next problem:
The Sarmatians. Who allied with me and passed by into Frankish Langobardian lands.
Well, after it I discovered why, the Huns, with their stupidly full stacks of Cavalry where right behind him.
I split Aquincums Garrison, And went forth to defend the Donau crossing.
During these battles, I discovered several "strange" things.

A) The Schiltron Sucks.
I had put my Spear Warbands behind the Bridge in severeral Schiltron formations, this should, in theory be quite good as the Huns could not pass by them or move around them etc. I used Lombard Berserkes to counter their infantry/attack entangled Cavalry.
I usually had at least parity Archery wise (its unwise to fight the Huns without at least 4 Archer contigents anyway).
In the 8 battles I fought, my Spears losses where everytime higher if the Spears where in Schiltron formation, contrasted to them beeing in a usual formation lined up in the usual "V" Shape.
If someone could enlighten me on the Schiltron advantadge I would be glad to hear it.


B) Chosen Archers beat Hunnish Ligh Cav in a mellee if you deny their charge Bonus.
Their Light Cav usually tried to swim through the river, I found that my Chosen Archers where well equipped to deal with them.
I had some Burgundian Lancers to pose as Swing defenders though.

C) Lombard Zerkers are fun:
Usually, my Lombard Zerkers fared better against their Cavalry than my Spearman (granted, my Spears got charged while the Lombards moved in as a counter force), in addition they swin very fast. After I had routed them, my Lombards went after the Hunnish forces in the river, what followed beared more resemblance to "The White Shark 1-3" than to a battle.
However, they seem quite prone to take losses, even if they are just cleaning the bridge from the Hunnish infantry.





After some 8 battles, I had to withdraw to refill my troops. Sadly, the replacement bridge guards got toasted by 2 conesecutive Hun attacks.
It is just that you somehow, even if you win, you take such an incredible amount of losses.

Meanwhile, the Vandals and Goths where still running around in Northern italy.
I could not attack some 8 stacks with 2 if the Huns where on the way so I bid my time.

After a pretty long time, the Huns also joined the party in Italy, and finally the Hordes started to kill themselves of a bit.

The Vandals and Gothes duked it out and some 2 Stacks dissappeared.
The Goths sieged Mediolanum, moved back.
The Vandals attacked my Po-Bridge Garrison and where beaten badly.
Than the turnaround happened, the Huns, for some unknown reason, moved the faction leaders away from their main troops.
Only one heir remained with his army, the rest was more or less isolated.
My Mediolanum Garrison got one heir, while Suomar(head of the Po-Garrison), my trusty old (63 years) faction leader moved out to duke it out the the Hunnish army.

To make it short, he moved in, cut Attilas(I am not sure if the guy was Attila,could have been named differently) head of and the rest of my army orderly retreated from battle, while trusty old Suomar was covering the retreat.
I actually ment him to die in an orderly cool Barbarian fashion, but he just would not have it that way.
As the Huns where out, the Goths reduced the Vandals sought peace and finally moved into France.
Sumoar also missed some other Heroic death opportunities. Instead of dying to the Goths he proceded to beat the crapp out of them.
Well, it looks that person escorted by 47 3 Silver Chevron Elite Cavalry recently outiftted in Romes Forges and having a Swordbear, a Shieldbearer a Veteran and some other stuff in their retinue just dont die easily.
Right now I am working to stabilize my northern flank and secure Gaul.
It has been pretty fun for now.