The slightly unorthodox AAR for my new 1.6, lowered rebel/pirate spawn rates, night battles enabled Gaul campaign. The first episode is the meeting at Massilia of Brennus and his sons in 264, recalling the events so far. It is heavily role-played, rather than power-gamed. I may be using scripting to help my role-play later.

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Brennus sat down at the head of the table, half a goblet of wine in his hand. He turned to his eldest son, Eporedorix, who was already turning slightly red with the alcohol. Eporedorix grinned drunkenly back. Brennus looked over his shoulder at his bard, ‘You may begin.’

The bard began,
‘Twas six years back, when dreaded lack of weal
And many foes would curse the Gaul,
Despising all his beard and demanding for his fall.
Thus the brave Brennus and his sons would ride,
Shining in the glorified manner of Gods.’

Vindex yawned audibly, while Rianorix was unsettled, caring not for such verse and wanting to return to his city of Numantia.

‘These five men, all so brave,
With no fear for sword or for grave,
Did swear an oath to reap the souls of all
Those who dared to curse the fair land of Gaul.’

Eporedorix occupied himself instead with the wine. Lugotorix sat there with a sense of duty and an appreciation of poetry.

‘Father of them all was bravest Brennus…’

The poet continued for a while then got to the war with the Britons,

‘And with many a trumpet’s striking sound
Great Brennus circled the walls around
With the heads of rams
And laid them open, lambs to the slaughter
Were these Britons, whose chariots and pomp
Has left –’

Vindex interrupted, ‘Tripe!’. He cried out. Eporedorix was the only one who didn’t look up. ‘Dad,’ he began to Brennus, ‘Were you not overcome by the Britons at first?’

Brennus nodded, ‘yes, they sent twelve-hundred men at my six-hundred and then managed to muster three hundred reinforcements. Were it not for those chariots I’d have thrown them back into the sea there. Regardless, their victory was shortlived, for they had lost one thousand men. I rolled up most of their men in night battles with my remaining troops, and then with one hundred and seventy reinforcements I surrounded Samarobriva. Belenus, chieftain of the Britons, had still got a hundred more men than I, and he had chariots.’

Brennus took a sip from his wine, and Lugotorix took a similar sip from his. Vindex looked on intently.

‘Well, they sent their infantry out of the gate and sent their chariots towards another gate, meaning to outflank me. I rushed the infantry and overran them, driving them back into the city. I then formed up my own infantry force in the central street and the chariots crashed into them. I assisted them and Belenus was cast down. The other Briton leader, Sanaius or something equally absurd, was overcome in a similar fashion, and the Britons were cast from Gaul.’

Brennus looked pointedly at his son. ‘Haven’t you been doing something?’
‘I was serving under Epp, here.’
Eporedorix looked across dimly, and then looked down.
‘Well, since he’s in no fit state too, you tell the story.’
Vindex said ‘well, mind you, I was only here for the latter part of the campaign. They tell me Arretium had the gates opened by spies and that Ep struck it at night and seized the place. Then there was some skirmish outside Segesta, and that, being unwalled, fell too.’

He continued as Rianorix looked dully towards the door, ‘I arrived after that and together we assembled a grand host and besieged Ariminium. The Julii sent a small force to besiege Arretium and we ignored them. A senate army went to relieve them and our elder brother is a genius when it comes to war.’

Eporedorix looked up, suddenly betraying none of his inebriation,

‘Ah yes, I sent our mercenaries in front and drew out Publius Maxentius, before the Julii could arrive. It was quite successful, and the senator retired. However, he rallied his men and came in again. This attack of his was anticipated and absorbed by warbands while my swordsmen remained fresh. My infantry absorbed the Julii bodyguards, and my cavalry outflanked them. I killed one of their generals in personal combat, while Flavius Julius was cut down by a swordsman and Maxentius was overrun by light cavalry. After that victory, I stormed the town with its few remaining guards.’

Vindex interjected as his elder brother’s speech became more slurred,
‘The men who had besieged Arretium turned back to repel us, but finding it was too late, they became petty Italian brigands.’

Brennus simply said, ‘All-consuming in the battlefield and tavern, no? Eporedebrius Victor.’

Rianorix smiled sarcastically, ‘While you would toy with words, I would return to Numantia.’

‘Ah yes, what have you been up to?’
‘Managing the city of Numantia and guarding it from attack. It feels like a dereliction of duty to come here while my men are besieged.’

‘You, Lugotorix?’
‘I manage the accounts of Mediolanum, that is what I do best.’
‘Well, you simply must come to Alesia with me when I go. I want your aid in finances there.’
‘But Rome would be an ideal place for my managerial skills to be exercised –’

‘I would not have you become an oversized Roman. I want you to spend a few years in Gaul.’

Rianorix immediately asks, ‘may I have an army to join my son at Narbo Martius and return from there to Spain? I must leave!’

At that moment a horseman entered, ‘Victory has been gained in Iberia over the besiegers, but we have been again besieged. I come from the captain who gained the short respite, requesting your return.’ He looked at Rianorix, who nodded.

‘Father?’

‘I give you two-hundred and fifty spearmen and a hundred cavalry. As well as assistance of the treasury for your campaign. Go swiftly and fight well.’

Rianorix bows before immediately leaving to mobilise his men.

‘Now, I have called you here to see how you are doing, and sadly Rianorix has had to leave. I see that you, Vindex, are impatient for your own command.’

‘Not every man can go to Corinth.’ Objected Lugotorix with his favourite Greek saying. ‘Eporedorix is twice the commander you are. He ought lead against the Romans.’

‘I thought you’d say that. And while not every man can go to Corinth, I’m certain that I can. I request seven hundred infantry, one hundred cavalry and one hundred and fifty ships to prove it.’

Brennus is quite taken aback, he eventually nods, ‘I should not restrain your talent longer, with the rhetoric that Eporedorix is the best. One day he will be in my place, and when I am not there, he will be needed against the Germans. You must develop your abilities in Greece.’

Vindex, quite surprised at the agreement, also leaves to ready his men.

Brennus says, ‘come Lugotorix, we leave for Alesia.’
Eporedorix looks up from the floor, ‘why do you hire such an awful poet?’
‘There are some moments, son, when I could swear you’re sober.’

Eporedorix picks himself up from the floor in the morning and shrugs his shoulders. What was it he’d meant to ask about again? Oh, an army to take Rome. By the Gods, where had they all gone?

Oh well, he’d just have to hire men from his own cities: Arretium and Ariminium. Maybe his sons could get some from Patavium and Segesta. Travelling light he’d get to Mediolanum before Vindex.

He slowly resisted the urge to have another drink. Why had his father banned him from building taverns? He mounted up and rode towards Italy, with Rome in his mind.