Symrna
I feel like I have failed here. Whilst I captured the city, I failed. 31 dead Italians tell me with their blank eyes that I failed.
I sent a message to the Consul requesting permission to hire local Mercenaries in which to storm the walled city but his positive response arrived too late. Had I delayed a further week, perhaps this report would sound different but I doubt it for it was not in storming the walls that my failure came.
Finally we faced a member of the successor nobility, and I took great care in the planning of the assault.
We faced one unit of archers and I feared the death that they could rain upon us whilst our brave men marched to the walls. I placed two siege towers either side of the city gates ahead of us and a third to the East of the city where it would be, hopefully, unopposed.
Immediately I could see the archers to our right of the main entrance waiting for our approach. We decided we would not give them any targets so I ordered the Principe’s to Hold with their siege tower and allow the Hastati to advance on the Left.
With the Principe’s shouting and distracting the archers in front of them but out of range, the defenders completely ignored the Hastati’s advance.
…and they set foot upon the walls completely unopposed.
Once they had taken the gates and finished off the archers in hand to hand combat, the archers didn’t get a chance to loose a SINGLE arrow!, we advanced through the city. The Eastern assault was also unopposed and they advanced also towards the city square.
There waited one Phalanx unit and the General himself. As is normal for me I sent my Peltasts in first and this is were the error occurred.
One unit centurion was too keen to see his name in the book of honour, his Peltasts marched forward and assailed the enemy generals unit from afar…..however, the general ordered a charge to them and the Centurion waited too long.
The unit was caught in the charge and slaughter ensued! I double-timed a unit of Principe’s to their aid and they swiftly despatched the General himself but not until 25 Peltasts lay dead..
The rest was a matter of encircling the enemy Phalanx and it lay with the Italian Swordsmen to finish the deed by assaulting the rear of the engaged enemy unit
The ratio of casualties compared to how many defenders we faced was higher than I wanted
Luckily though many were saved, including all casualties from the assaulting Hastati’s….I am rightly pleased with this.
….for the Republic of Rome, another Wonder of the world is captured!
The temple has much wealth for the Republic and alongside what personal monies I have gained from my two previous victories I dedicate these monies to building temples throughout the Republic.
Perhaps it is guilt for the un-necessary losses we had this day, but whatever the reason the Republic can benefit from this better than I.
(OOC Save file: http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/...r-manius-2.zip )
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