PBeM For PBeM Noobs

[Braden]

Phalanx Pikemen vs Silver Shield Pikemen.

The only real difference between them is the improved morale and stamina of the Silver Shields. Is that worth the extra cost and a two turn build? If Legionaries are available then certainly No. A Phalanx pikeman front line supported by some units of Legionaries gains as the Legionaries are just better at fighting.

So, building progresses on Legionaries where possible. Silver Shield pikemen will be used where no other alternative is available and then only a few units scattered about to anchor a battle line. Besides the Legionaries are cheaper.

[Menelmacar]

Hi there!

Finally just got promoted to full membership, which means that now I can actually post here rather than having to ask around for others to talk for me.

So, here I am, ready to actively join in. Just got the pm from Braden, so whenever things start for me, I'll hop in. Braden, do take your time, I might have some extra shifts at work next week, so I probably wouldn't start playing before the weekend anyway.

Happy to be here at last!

- Menelmacar

[Braden]

Just to update everyone. Its the Winter of 225BC and good old Demetrius has just past on at 73. The Romans are pushing back against us now but we're still kicking their butts, we have 43 regions and armies in production - btw its all three roman factions in it now!

[Braden]

Please note that I have placed a Battle Report in The Mead Hall:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...24#post1097224

Although it is from this campaign and I am only half way through my tenure, I thought it appropriate to put this full battle report/story on the forum now.

[econ21]

Very nice story, Braden.

And a good idea to focus on a key battle - sometimes our battle reports end up just being a catalogue of details. Focussing on just a few makes for a more satisfying read.

Did you manage to take any screenshots? I often forget in the most heated battles (which general wants to turn photographer at a critical moment?).

[Braden]

Sorry but no screen shots, all was panning out to be a normal...I win hands down battle until the Brutii turned up only meters from my rear! I just didnt have time for screen shots (I never use Pause) so I went into a high-descriptive narration for the battle in the hope that it can be visualised ok anyway.

Most of my write up will be fairly normal aka "Kings Diary" style but peppered with a few indepth battle reports around the key encounters.

Glad you liked it. I laced it with an undertone that you may or may not have got, which I thought was appropriate given the history of the main characters involved......

[econ21]

Well, I did wonder about the undertone - I could not recall if the two leads were father and son, but I guess not.

It's fun when unexpected stuff happens in a battle, like the Brutii appearing suddenly behind you. I recall a MTW battle in a snow storm where I could see nothing and somehow got disorientated, so I could not work read the mini-map correctly. I only realised almost too late that my whole army was facing the wrong way, with the enemy bearing down on me and within spitting distance!

[Braden]

The campaign is coming along nicely after the sudden Roman-alliance onslaught. They really did catch our Empire with our pants down, with armies just not up to fighting a post-Marius Roman army.

Pulled off a very close victory last night where the game gave me hardly a chance as I was facing TWO Julii Preatorian Cohorts + 1 x archer and 1 x Roman Cavalry support. My forces were just 1 x Levy Pikemen, 1 x Phalanx pikemen, 1 x Militia cavalry, 2 x archer units + General.

Needless to say my small army was utterly devastated but the General really carried the day, outflanking and continuously charging the enemy as the militia cavalry teased units out of formation. A really tough fight, but a needed one as the Julii army was outflanking my main fighting armies in Greece and was on track to besiege Tessalonica or Apollinia or Larissa all of which had little defence. It was funny to see 20 Greek Archers chase down a broken Preatorian Cohort though…….

So it falls to good old (well, 26 year old) Zoilos (now I think a eight or nine star general!) to push the massed Julii and Brutii forces back to Italy.

We’ve also started pushing back the Scipii from Libya – first victory last night using one of the 100% Seleucid armies using Silver Shield Pikes AND Legionnaires.

Still….loads more Romans where they came from and as I’ve only got 5 turns left (2.5 years) it will certainly fall to the next person to finish this one.

Currently we have 43 regions under control but have not broken into Italy yet.

[Braden]

Just to let everyone know that I’m nearly finished with my segment. I’ve PM’d Menelmacar to let him know the .sav file will be available from Monday (27th).

I also hope to post my combined write-ups (i.e. write up plus battle reports) on Monday also. I’ve just got to work out the optimum size for the pictures.

[Menelmacar]

Menelmacar will be online and ready on Monday.

[Braden]

90% of my “Report” is now posted. Within the report I have links to a few fuller battle reports which are placed in the Mead Hall. I need to make my next batch of screenshots a bit bigger but other than that everything is in order.

I welcome any comments, feel free to discuss my strategies etc.

My tenure will be finished over the weekend and an updated .sav will be put in the storage (I’ll post the file name here as well as PM it across).

On a side note….once the full campaign is finished, I’ll compile .pdf version of the whole campaign (for myself mainly), obviously copies will be available on request.

[Ludens]

Good going, Braden. You seem to be doing fine.

However, I am a bit less enthusiastic about having three threads in the Mead Hall for one campaign. Would you mind if I merged them into one? This means you would have to change the links in your write-up, but since it is possible to link to a single post (as opposed to the entire thread) I don't think this will pose a problem.

[Braden]

Oh yes, that's ok. Merge all the battle reports into one if you can.

Will I have to update the links?

[Ludens]

Oh yes, that's ok. Merge all the battle reports into one if you can.

Will I have to update the links?

Only that of the second report. The first and third are still working. The new link is https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...45#post1100645.

[Braden]

Quick post - not sure if I'll get the chance to finish tonigh as planned, friends are round. If I do finish - great! good job Braden. If I don't - bad job Braden, no biscuit!

if this doesn't get completed tonight then I will strap myself to my cpu tomorrow night and FORCE myself.

Edit - 1130pm and I've done it! The .sav is uploaded titled "BradenSeleucids221.zip"

[Gaulgath]

Gah, I haven't been active on this forum for a month. :( So who will be going next, I would be glad to try. And I have high speed internet now. :D

[econ21]

Well, Menelmacar was supposed to pick up the game last Monday but he has not posted yet. I'll PM him to see if he is still game. But as far as I can tell, after him, you should be next in line, Galgauth.

[Dutch_guy]

wow Simon what did you do to your name !

Sorry for the of topic yell of ignorance.

[econ21]

wow Simon what did you do to your name !

I'm belatedly going internet anonymous...

[Monarch]

wow Simon what did you do to your name !

Sorry for the of topic yell of ignorance.

LOL. I was just thinking *woh, they've got a new mod*. thanks for pointing that out, how much of an ass would I have looked "congrats econ on making mod!"

[Menelmacar]

Hi guys,

sorry for the silence this week... girl-friend troubles popping up out of nowhere... I guess I'll have to drop out off my turn - sorry for not having told you earlier, I wasn't home all week. But I heard you have another person intersted in hopping aboard? So, do let him or her join! Somebody should definitely be enjoying this.

Sorry for the inconvenience! Will hope to be back soon though.

Bye for now!

- Menelmacar

[econ21]

Thanks for letting us know, Menelmacar.

Galgauth, it looks like it is all yours if you want it. Please post here when/if you download Braden's savegame and get it working.

[Braden]

Ok quick update for Galgauth as I haven't had an opportunity to post my details of the last two turns - written up but at work...me, at home on vacation..

Anyway, Just one step away from Italy now. Segestica was secured on my last turn by our now 8 star General Zoilos (a tender 28 years of age!) and the Scipii utterly crushed in Lybia.

So, consolidate initially and then move on Italy....

[Gaulgath]

I have been PMed, and I will now take my turn on the PBM.

EDIT: Errr, what's the file name?

[econ21]

Errr, what's the file name?

BradenSeleucids221.zip

[Gaulgath]

Ah, thanks for that! I have downloaded it and things are going well! Right now I'm focusing on destroying the Julii so I can get to Italy and then destroy those foolish Romans!

[Glaucus]

Do you want to play Barbarian Invasion or Vanilla?:
How many PBeMs have you played before? (0 is fine!):
What is your prefered faction?

Thanks,

Simon AKA Soveriegn

I like RTW, though I do have BI. Don't like BI nearly as much as RTW though. I have never played a PBeM before, though now seems a good time to start. I like pretty much any faction, you can make any of them work, phalanxes can beat legionaries and vice versa as long as you know what your doing. If I can still sign up for this particular PBeM, I would like to, and if not, I would love to give the next one a shot. Thanks, Glaucus

[Braden]

Glaucus,

You may get a shout with this current campaign but more likely the next one....which has only just started.

See: Horns of the Bull and related threads, but basically its Carthage so you'll still get to use Phalanx's (eventually).

[Gaulgath]

I lost my write-up notes! All well, I'll just have to do the best I can!

EDIT: Ok, I finished the write-up, and I have uploadeded the PBM in the filespace! Its name is Seleuicids211. So who's going next?

[econ21]

Good stuff, Gaulgath,

Anyone want to take the next 10 years? We can't be that far away from our target of Rome and 50 provinces. But it looks like it will take some hard fighting to get there.

If we don't have any new volunteers, I propose recycling through past players. I'd be happy to go again.