Civil War

[Quintus.JC]

What month was that again?

The Senate demanded Caesar's return to Rome (disabanding his army) in December 50BC. On January 10th, 49 BC Caesar crossed the Rubicon river (the frontier boundary of Italy) with only one legion and ignited civil war. Upon crossing the Rubicon, Caesar is reported to have quoted the Athenian playwright Menander, saying alea iacta est, "the die is cast".

[Emperor Mithdrates]

The Senate demanded Caesar's return to Rome (disabanding his army) in December 50BC. On January 10th, 49 BC Caesar crossed the Rubicon river (the frontier boundary of Italy) with only one legion and ignited civil war. Upon crossing the Rubicon, Caesar is reported to have quoted the Athenian playwright Menander, saying alea iacta est, "the die is cast".

quite helpful. I think i will try and make it out that ceasers rebelion rose directly from the ashes of my Judean rebelion.

[Emperor Mithdrates]

That night there was pandimonium. Soldiers were rushing all around the city walls preparing defences for the morning, crude catapults were being made and positioned just inside the city, ready to fire over the walls and the temporary apointed governor (Catos former prefect, Septimo) had declared a state of emergency throughout the region and conscripts were arriving hourly. Much to his surprise Cao had been made acting prefect of his cohort, promoting him from centurion. he now controlled nine centurys through his cohort. this was classed as Minute army. four cohorts was small, 8 large, ect. Cato ran from tower to tower calling to his troops to man certain positions. In order to test his skills and potential as a commander General Septimo had given his cohort half the section of the East wall, from the central gate to the North-East tower as that was the section most likely to be attacked. Macaruses century under universal command of Prefect Casius manned the exact same section but on the road just under the wall, inside the city.

When each individual soldier found their post they had to rough it on the walls for the night and survive on whatever personel rations they had brought up to their posts with them. All the female and children citizens of the city had been advised to stay indoors as the army and their conscripted husbands and fathers fought the next day. After checking all his men and assigning a few guards he also took a central possition on his cohorts stretch and turned in for the night.

It felt like he had barely got to sleep when a horn sounded from the forum. He woke with a start at the repeating drone of it. All around the city he could see other soldiers walking and hurridly picking up their helmets and weapons.

"Troops...make ready for combat" cato shouted along the wall. Around him his men roared battle cries and shouted his name. He could hear it being repeated all around the city with other commanders named. Cato looked out into the distance and saw about 40 centurys of roman men, however these mens shields were Brownish-bronze colour instead of the custom Roman-eastern Blue. The Halicarnassus army had roughly the same amount of men pluss 600 archers to help the legions man the walls. Cato also noticed that the rebels had about 6 catapults against their two. he could see the armys catapult leader arming the catapults and shouting that as soon as the rebels were in range they should keep up a constant barrage. to hassle their troop movements.

The rebels were now aranging themselves into battle lines. Cato could also just make out 16 laders in 4 groups of 4, ready to use in scalling the east wall. As he looked along at his men javelins and spears were being given out for hurling over the wall when the enemy came close enough and down by the gate some soldiers were reinforcing it with beams and logs in case the rebel catapults targeted it. now cato could see that the enemy catapults had set their targets and were firing into the city. The order for his men to take cover came just as the first rocks hurtled over his head, into the town center. Now the rebels could be seen marching with their ladders towards the walls. When they got in range his archers and spear firing soldiers shot wildley into the crowd of enemy men. And screamed at them, and as their ladders were proped up his men immediatley pushed them back down. It was then that the rebels changed tactics. The catapults now fired at the wall slowly weakening it away. Cato noticed the danger and told his men to move away from the centre of the wall. The men moved and shuffled to the sides as quickly as they could and were almost too late. Just as the last of the men were away from the center the wall came down. Now Macaruses Cohort was directly in the line of the rebel charge. As cato expected the rebels next move was to direct all men in a huge assault on the broken peice of wall.

"All men off the walls, meet up with Prefect Casiuses men to defend the Wall-Gap. Immediatley his men pushed and shoved to get down the tiny tower staircases and onto the ground floor. were they met up with Casiuses men and frmed fresh ranks, with cato and casius at the front.

"ready junior?" casius asked

"As i'll ever be" Cato replied.

"Make ready" casius shouted just as the Rebels formed a line exactly opposite them outside the city. Just then the rebels charged.

"Here we go" cato muttered under his breath.

[Carlos Matthews]

This is quite a good aar/ story. I think you may have inspired me, General Cato.

[Prince Cobra]

If you want to know what is happening in my head currently, I start to wonder what these rebels are... What are they doing in Halicarnassus? Good! I'll continue to read this in order to find out more. Yet, you should not tell me everything I want to know since there must be always something that should make me keep reading. And you know, whenever you give one answer, it is good to provoke two quewstions in your readers mind.

My advise is to avoid using numbers in your texts. For example instead of "600 archers" use " six hundred archers".

The usual Spolier

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

My humble, non-professional opinion

[Emperor Mithdrates]

There was a tremendous bang as roman shield smashed roman shield. Cato was pushed back a few inches by the direct force of the rebel charge. Glinted metal slashed out from the gaps in the shield wall and Cato narrowdly missed a few well placed jabs. This wasnt like the rebels they had fought back in Kabul. (when Cato worked in Judea) These were romans. who had trained like other romans and knew roman military tactics. It was going to be a hard battle, but eventually one side had to get tired and intern clumsy. when this happened the opposition would take advantage of the oppurtunity and try to break through the line. Cato swore that it wouldnt be him or his side.

For many minutes the lines didnt move, the Loyalists held the rebels between the walls and didnt allow them to gain any ground within the city. But eventually the rebels begain to push them back. soon Cato and Casiuses units were no longer between the broken walls and the rebels had a small portion of the street. Cato looked around desperatley. In other parts of the city the rebels had abandoned the wall attacks and were filtering round to join their commrades in attackin through the gap in the defences. Cato thought that this may be the end. His soldiers had already began to break formation and were now engaging in a series of smaller battles around the street. Then two things happened that restored hope. The catapults that had remained inactive for a long time had slowly been moving to the central forum in order to get better range, now they were aiming and firing into the bunched up rebels. with nowhere to go the rebels attacking the gap were slowly crushed or burned. This didnt really matter though as the other rebel legions were coming round to help their comrades. The main thing; that made Cato cheer along with some of the other soldiers, was that in the distance, to the North, calvary were just visible. Cato would latter find out that these came from "Everphites". A large fort that guardered the bridge that crossed the river to Nicomedia and Pergamum. At that time it seemed that the rebels hesitated. Some of the soldiers had to fall back in order to form a second battle line facing north. now that the other Loyalists from the now not-under-attack southern, western and northern walls were coming to Cato and Casiuses aid Cato thought that he could take a risk.

"ALL UNITS.....CHARGE!" he yelled at the top of his voice. somewhere near he heard Casius shout a similar thing. Their two Cohorts ran at their full spped and slammed alot of the rebels ot of the way cutting a small passage through the attacking rebels. In two seperate groups the rebels didnt fight nearly as well soon they were all but destroyed. Cheers rang out through the roman ranks. now another couple of cohorts had met up with them and Casius, Cato and the other two prefects stood at the front of their force.

Again cato gave the call to charge and their cohorts slammed into the side of the rebels, northern facing battle line that was waiting for the cavalry. The end units had to quickly turn and face the new threat but as theydid the first of the cavalry arrived. Slaming into the confused rebels the Cavalry offered no mercy. Soon the rebels battle line was little more than a barbarian horde, trying to roughly arrange themselves in a circle. Nearly all were cut down. Now there were only a couple of rebels cohorts left and they werent fighting for a loosing cause. They began to flee back along the coast to the rousing cheers of the Loyalists. The rebel General tried to organise his troops, but when a good number of the reinforcement calvary charged him, he too fled back, having to face the retribution of Govenor Atium.

That night Cato and Macarus met up in the army camp, where wound were being treated all over the place.

"you cant exactly say we didnt pay a price for this victory" Macarus sighed.

"No" Cato replied. but there was a good sized army and it makes me wonder How many others does Govenor Atium Command."

"I more concerned about whats in it for him. The Parthians have always wanted us out of the way but now they're enlisting our own men. Whats Atium getting in return for this huge risk."

"hopefully some of our spys will know. If not....then when we win this war, we'll find out of the man himself."

"you mean, if,we win."

"you herd what i said Macarus" Cato glared at him. "we out number him. we'll win"

"all together the loyalists outnumber him. but how many troops do you think the senate will send. General Ceaser is already busy with an army in Gaul. And theres rumors of unrest in Carthage. The east is on its own. and most of the east is rebels."

"we'll need to think of something soon if were tocrush these rebels then" Cato replied. Just then an emissary ran up to them.

"Prefect, centurion. Govenor-General Septimo is meeting with all Prefects and centurions in his tent."

"when Macarus asked quizically"

"immediatley. he wants to discuss our future campaign."

[Martok]

Interesting, Lord Young. I'll be curious to see if Cato and his friends next take the fight to Atium.