3rd Legion - Roma's Bulls

[CountArach]

3rd Legion – Roma’s Bulls

This is my first AAR. I am a RTW veteran and love EB, so I thought, why not? This AAR will simply follow the fortunes of the 3rd Roman Legion. You will notice that I have already started the game at the time of writing, and simply this is because I did not have a 3rd legion at the time. I will be using EB 0.81 and BI.exe.

EDIT: I am playing VH Campaign and Hard Battles.

Also once the legion is disbanded (See below), I will follow the fortunes of the new legion. This means that I should hopefully keep going until the very end of the campaign.

Rules
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=79935
The above is a link to the make up of my legions through time. I will strive to use them as historically as possible, but I find that after a few battles Hastati have taken a real beating and as such I may have to recycle them to the rear of the line.

Every 16 years every unit in each legion will be disbanded, usually in Italy. No exceptions.

For every legion disbanded, I will raise a new one.

I am allowed to retrain, however I will not merge units together, unless forced to do so by the game.

In winter all armies must be either laying siege to a city, in a city, or in a fort at the end of the turn.

Consular armies may only be led by consuls OR a pro-consul still serving the army.

Praetors and Pro-Praetors may lead single legions.

If I have no one who is either of the above ranks, then I will work my way down the Cursus Honorum, starting with Ex-Quaestors. Though there will still be exceptions to the rule, but that is all role playing.

I must have a Casus Belli.

While I am building whatever level of government I choose to use I will have to have a legion in the general area, not necessarily in the city though.

Just as a side note, whenever I say it is the year of the consulship of two people, they will be the two consuls that the game gives me. If I only have 1 or neither then I will just use historical names.

No cheating, ever or at all. This includes toggling Fog of War. If I want to learn something
I reserve the right to add to these rules or bend them whenever I choose.

Index
Book 1
Chapter 1 - Rome's Heroes
Chapter 2 - Battle of Sardinia
Chapter 3 - Siege of Karali
Chapter 4 - Counter-Siege
Chapter 5 - Retaking Sardinia
Chapter 6 - Third Battle of Sardinia
Chapter 7 - Invasion of Iberia
Chapter 8 - Tragedy Befalls
Chapter 9 - Homeward Bounds
Chapter 10 - The Last Great Deeds
Chapter 11 - Last Actions

Book 2
Prologue
Chapter 1 - First Actions
Chapter 2 - To Kill a Gaul
Chapter 3 - A Second Attempt
Chapter 4 - Going North
Chapter 5 - An Offer
Chapter 6 - Do Your Duty

[CountArach]

Chapter 1 – Rome’s Heroes



262BCE – Spring – The consulship of Lvcivs Postvmivs Megellvs and Quintvs Mamilivs Vitvlvs

The year is 262 BCE, or 491 years since Romulus and Remus founded the glorious city of Rome. Rome has risen from being a fledgling city-state under Etruscan rule to greatness! She now owns the entire Italian Peninsula. She has come to achieve dominance over her former masters, the Etruscans, the Lucanian and even the troublesome Samnites, who until 28 years ago were in a state of open war against Rome.

Yet Italy herself is not enough.

What is there that could possibly stop Rome from achieving far more? Who is there that would dare to defy Roman strength at arms. We shall thrust our Gladius’s up to the hilt into those who would dare to openly fight us.

However, there is one who would see us fail. One who would see us die.

Carthage

The name comes off the tongue and leaves the taste of manure behind it.

They are strong, yet we are stronger.

Our armies have spent the last 10 years campaigning in Southern Italy, yet there was always one problem we had. We did not have enough grain. Then we look across from Rhegiom in our south and we see Sicily. Sicily, a land who is blessed by the Gods in her bountiful fertility.

We have it from the best of sources that Sicily openly aided our former foe Epiros. Pah! Even united these pathetic Greeks can not stand against our might! They were weak!

And they suffered for it

Our first 2 Legions crossed the straight. The 2nd Legion took a foothold in Messana, and as I write this the 1st Legion is besieging Syracuse, though that could go on for another year at least.

But what of Carthage? She did not sit idly by as she should have. No, she defied us; she declared war on us under the pretence that Sicily should remain “free”. These Greeks know nothing of freedom. Their petty tyrants war against one another and for what? So that Carthage may further expand her sphere of influence?

So now we were at war with Carthage, however both of our legions were occupied. The 1st was besieging Syracuse, and the 2nd was securing Messana and turning it into the first Roman province.

We needed more men, and the 3rd Legion was to answer that call.

We needed to punish the Carthaginians, and the 3rd Legion was to answer that call.

We needed heroes, and the 3rd Legion was to answer that call.

A new Legion was commissioned and raised immediately. They came from all the Latin colonies spread around the peninsula. Some even hailed from Roma herself, particularly the wealthier Triarii and Equites.

Yet this legion needed someone to command it, but who? Rome has few able commanders, many of them being off campaigning in Sicily as it was, yet there was one man who came forward. His name was Cnaevs Scipio Asina. He was an Optimate and a patrician. A man with True Roman blood in him. He had spent much of his wealth on many of the people, having purchased several parades, and more importantly, he was a great public speaker. He could out debate any other politician of his time.



So he got the job.

“But what to do with this new legion, what to do with the Carthaginians?” The Senatores pondered.

Then Scipio came forth and offered a daring plan. A plan that would bring a swift end to this war with complete victory for Rome.

He would take the Legion, His Legion, to Sardinia, and there he would strike the Carthaginians a blow. There he would teach them the price of defying Rome.

New ships were ordered to be constructed.

The 3rd was to set sail.

[Warluster]

looks promising, looking forward to future chapters!

[CountArach]

Thanks Warluster

I've got the next chapter played out. The 3rd Legion sees their first combat :o

[Dooz]

Woohoo! The fightin' 3rd! Looking forward to their exploits. This is extra awesome because I was planning on a Roman AAR starting with a campaign already in progress, specifically the newly begun Gallic wars, 236. Good to see a similar idea being played out. I'll probably just follow this one instead, do something else another time. Go Legio III!

[CountArach]

Chapter 2 – Battle of Sardinia
262BCE – Summer – The consulship of Lvcivs Postvmivs Megellvs and Quintvs Mamilivs Vitvlvs

Dear Father,

Well my enlistment with the 3rd Legion went well. Due to my experience with the 1st Legion at the disaster at Taras in 270BCE, I was appointed Signifer of the 1st Principes Maniple. This is a great honour, and will do much to help me regain face after I shamefully fled from the battle.

As you know, we have been sent to Sardinia to seek vengeance against the Carthaginian menace. No sooner had we dropped ashore and created a standard camp, than our scouts reported an enemy army approaching.



The orders were sent out to prepare for battle. We were to be ready by mid day. The Centurion oversaw our readiness, his Optio hitting those who did not move fast enough. All of us were ready an hour ahead of time, and we deployed in battle formation.



I took up my place on the left hand side of the maniple. We were deployed in the standard 3 line battle system. At the very front were the Leves, those too poor for their own equipment. Behind them, and in front of us, were the Hastati and the Samnite Spearmen. We came next, along with our Lucanian Allies. Then behind us were the Triarii and the Rorarii. The Accensi again were behind that, ready to unload their slings over our heads.

Our general, none other than the great Cnaevs Scipio Asina took the right flank with his personal bodyguard and the Left flank was held by the Equites. They were simply to protect our flanks. This would be an infantry battle. None are better than Roman Infantry.



The enemy came over the hill and approached our position. There was little unity in their line, which was not surprising considering that these were little more than a hastily thrown-together militia.

As they approached faster, the order was given for our men to unleash hell with their javelins.



Many of the enemy’s shields were pinned to their bodies and arms, causing much pain and many of the enemies were simply pinned to the ground by the steely point. Yet the majority just kept on coming unperturbed.

They crashed into the Hastati with the roar that only steel on steel can produce. We watched on. A signal would be given when the time came.

The Hastati fought valiantly for a long time, and in that time I looked up and down our line. To my right the Samnites had been charged by some militia, had broken them, and were now caught in a fierce battle with some reserves. The Rorarii on our right also were clashing with some enemies, however these ones were particularly elite. To my left the Lucanians were holding, though just barely. They were aided by some triarii who were sent forward to hold the line.



Then the order came to charge.

The Hastati had had enough; the enemy hard received further aid from more units, stretching the Hastati almost to breaking point.

The Centurion gave the order, and by the Gods did we charge.



The enemy had foolishly shown their flank to us and they just could not stand the combined pressure of our assault on their flank and the Hastati’s renewed attempts against their front.

They ran, and we cut them down.



After that the enemy’s centre had been broken, so we were just left to mop up the survivors. The Triarii had dealt with the threat to the Lucanians, however the Rorarii were still struggling against the enemy’s on that flank. These were their best troops in the region. The centurion halted our legion, a difficult thing to do whilst we were pursuing, revenge for the fallen fresh in our minds. Yet he managed it. He wheeled us around and marched us to the enemy’s flank.

For the last time that day we charged.

These men were much more organized than the citizen levy that we had previously broken, and even with their flank falling slowly to us, they held their ground. That is, until Scipio Asina charged their rear.



Never before have I seen a cavalry charge. Our men for the most part just stepped back and stopped fighting, watching as these brave riders, our Commander at their head, ripped into the enemy’s rear. The enemy had few men aware of this threat and could do nothing. They were caught between three units with no where to run.

So they were cut down.

Father, it was a great battle. I feel as if already I have atoned for my disgrace at the Siege of Taras. Spread the news in Rome. We won a great victory this day.



Your loving son forever,
Spvrivs Cordivs

[DavidSmith]

CA;

Thanks for the inspiration. Geesh, it's like reading a Bernard Cornwell novel. Very inspiring. If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions:

1. How do you 'save' your in-battle screenshots (they are awesome). I too, would like to keep track of campaign through AAR's?

2. What was the Options setup that you used (Visuals, etc.)?

3. Do you use the guard mode for most of the units. You've done a nice job it appears, handling the troops, tactically?

4. Any other advice or directions for a rank newbie to EB and RTW?


Thanks,

Dave
http://www.miniwars.com

[Orb]

great going!

[Boyar Son]

CountArach!, that was an update we've been all waiting for!!

Well, I guess it is harder to kill if you see your victim's face and helpless....

[CountArach]

Nice... sweet.

Very well done. The idea of such a "plot" is well thought of. Seems to me it's inspired by the first century BC, with the various plots of treason...
So, Vibius was only a pawn in a bigger game than he thought... He's going to return to Rome and be in the army again, eh?
Once more, well done!
You were right to continue this.

Indeed, I did get a lot from that political climate.

Yeah, deceit! Treason!! Sinister plotting! I like it!

That was great, CA. Glad you continued.

Yeah, I am glad I continued as well, I was very happy with how that Chapter came out.

Great Job...Keep it up

Thanks!

Woohoo, a new chapter! Exciting too. I thought for sure he was going to be crucified. Maybe he still will, the dirty samnite...

lol, I considered having him die, but I am glad I went with the route I went along.

CA;

Thanks for the inspiration. Geesh, it's like reading a Bernard Cornwell novel. Very inspiring. If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions:

1. How do you 'save' your in-battle screenshots (they are awesome). I too, would like to keep track of campaign through AAR's?

2. What was the Options setup that you used (Visuals, etc.)?

3. Do you use the guard mode for most of the units. You've done a nice job it appears, handling the troops, tactically?

4. Any other advice or directions for a rank newbie to EB and RTW?

1. A program called FRAPS (Google it, trust me), it is utterly brilliant and saves so much time and toruble. Instead of copying and pasting Screenshots into Paint (Which I did for the first four or so chapters), I am able to take pictures as the action is running, and can take far more of them.

2. In terms of Video Settings, I pretty much use max for everything except shadows (Because it is a huge system Lag) on 1024x768. I also turned off Flags and Green Arrows, because they annoy me and kill an AAR for me.

3. Yes Guardmode is a God-send when you are outnumbered 2:1. It means that your soldiers get tired much, much slower. It also ensures that you have a line to hold. Unfortunately it is near impossible to charge with it, so I turn it off just before ordering a charge.

4. Hmmm, just keep playing the game and getting better. Eventually you will get some solid tactics going that will win you most battles and which can be modified for many different situations.

great going!

Thanks!

CountArach!, that was an update we've been all waiting for!!

Well, I guess it is harder to kill if you see your victim's face and helpless....

Yeah lol, I was very happy with how that came out. Just one of many things I thought of on the spur of the moment.

[Wolfman]

At last Roma's mistake is gone. The Gods are relieved. His soul is in Hades in the deepest recesses of Tartarus land of the Damned . Nice update by the way i like how you tied political intrigue with the soldiers obvious hatred for Fracvs into this chapter resulting in his assassination. Good work!