[IB AAR] Severus The God

[Juvenal]

Thank you everyone for posting, it is great to know my story has fans, and good motivation for me to continue.

@Kohvi - I want to have established the characters of the major players and have a sense of historical context for when the Picts invade Gaul. It will help me get away from the list-of-victories narrative that you would normally get from playing RTW.

@Lysimachos - Ah, you have shamed me into looking at your AAR (which is excellent as I had expected). I will comment there when I have made more progress.

@Musthavename - Well I do have new ideas, but I am having to steer a narrow course between the twin perils of boring episodes and incoherent story-line.

@Selifator - I am very grateful for your praise, but don't feel that it is compulsory. Just expressing interest in my story is sufficient for me, especially if you can explain what you like or dislike or think is missing or wrong.

@Xavier Dragnesi - I have been doing a lot of planning and not enough actual writing.

@SeniorBatavianHorse - Well I am certainly assembling something, but I'm not entirely sure what it is going to be yet.

@wr1ght - Thank you, there is a new update about the Franks coming soon.

@bomberboy - Sorry, the Picts are still a couple of episodes away, I think they are going to invade in part VI acording to my current draft.

@Mr. Cursed - That is certainly what I am aiming at. I'll try not to get too boring with these "history" episodes.

@Legio Caesar - I have been experimenting with changing the provinces in Britannia, but it would lead to a lot of follow-on work (new characters and armies, balancing, testing etc). Anyway IBFD 8 is on the horizon.

@PowerWizard - I feel like a researcher when I look into what was happening in Gaul while Severus was living out his saga in Britannia. It is a good way to get story ideas.

[Selifator]

Well, if you could fit some espionage action in, an attempt to stall the horde. That would be nice, though that is merely a suggestion since I don't even know if you have any agents at all.
For me the point with suggestions is, for the writer it can be rather difficult to implement them. Every reader will experience the story differently, and where it might be less fun for one, it might be exciting for another. Furthermore, I as a writer, have a certain style and find it difficult to change that. And since we can't control ingame events from the AI, it can be difficult to implement suggestions for army movements or battles.
So I can give suggestions, but I don't really know where. I think that you are a great writer, you use a difficult mod both in the battles and in the history, you can convey the feeling from that era really well. So personally, I'd rather have you do your thing and enjoy it as your personal work than suggest things from my side.
Reading books and aar's is so much fun because you can see other people's view's and ideas for the game and for storytelling.

Ok, rant is over. I think. Though I could go on for another couple of pages.

[Juvenal]

IV: RISE OF THE FRANKS

“Multi committunt eadem diverso crimina fato; Ille crucem scleris pretium tulit, hic diadema”
(Many commit the same crimes with a very different result. One bears a cross for his crime; another a crown)
Juvenal

The Salian Franks had long been associated with the Limes of northern Gaul, first as raiders and enemies of Rome, but later as loyal Roman allies against the newer waves of Germanic migrants pushing against the Rhine Limes.

By the time of Emperor Honorius, the Franks were well on their way to becoming leaders of the confederation of Germanic peoples along the Rhine. They had already subsumed the mighty Chatti and were now rivals to the Alamanni, and of the barbaric Saxons who were pushing aggressively south out of Scandinavia.



When Constantine III rebelled, Faramund, High King of the Franks was given a unique opportunity. Roman forces were drawn to the south where the rival emperors vied for power, while the Franks rose from mere auxiliaries to become the mainstay of the northern bulwark of Rome against the barbaricum.

Learning his lesson from the defeat of 406AD at the hands of the Vandals, Faramund wisely kept his forces at a distance when King Gundahar brought the Burgundii across the Rhine, even though this allowed him to lay waste to northern Gaul.

Faramund sent his adopted son Amalric with an army to encourage Gaius Macrinus (Constantine's Magister Equitum) to confront Gundahar. But he also proclaimed the Ban, requiring each of his vassals to deliver up their allocations of warriors and levy. His true son Clodio was given command of this host, which he held back to exploit whatever opportunity might arise.

The sudden fall of Augusta Treverorum proved the turning point for Faramund's plans. Knowing that Gundahar was motivated by the need to find a refuge from the Huns, he was able to arrange for Clodio to arrive at the plundered wreck of the town not long after the Burgundii had abandoned it.

It was a simple matter to defeat the local Roman auxiliaries who had for a brief moment fancied themselves free from Emperors, and soon the whole of the province of Germania Prima had been added to the Frankish Confederation.

Faramund now called Amalric away, leaving Gaius Macrinus to be trapped at Durocortorum. Despite this betrayal, he managed to retain his theoretical status as Roman Ally with the excuse that Amalric was needed to ward off Saxon raids, promising the return of Augusta Treverorum once the Burgundii were defeated.

When Durocortorum duly fell and the Burgundii moved on to the south, Amalric did indeed return. But after recapturing the abandoned town in 417AD he again took possession of the entire province (of Lugdinensis Prima), swelling the Frankish domain to unprecedented size.



Decimus Rusticus, Constantines Praetorian Prefect, had been plotting with Faramund since before the Burgundii invasion to detach northern Gaul from Constantine and rule in his stead. When Gaius Macrinus was abandoned by Amalric's Franks, Decimus sealed his fate by refusing the impassioned pleas of his son Gnaeus to release his legions at Samarobriva. When Macrinus perished, Decimus was finally felt ready to formally declare his independence, expecting the loyalty of Faramund and the return of Durocortorum. But Faramund had other plans. He swiftly sent an army to trap Decimus at Hatomagus.

The defences of Hatomagus had been neglected, and the brief rule of Decimus came to an abrupt end in 419AD when his head was transferred to a Frankish pike to adorn the main gate.

Now only Gnaeus Macrinus, son of Gaius, remained in the north, ruling the small province of Belgica from his stronghold at Samarobriva, Unconcerned, Faramund consolidated his gains and awaited the next move of the Burgundii.

The Burgundii Nation remained encamped outside Lugunum for the whole of 418AD while Gundahar contemplated its defences. It was a rich city, full of potential plunder, but the Romans seemed desperate to retain it, maintaining a large garrison behind its imposing walls. He was sure could be captured, but it would be at great cost, and this wasn't a good place to end their migration. So time passed and nothing was decided. It was rumours of Roman reinforcements that finally persuaded Gundahar to move on. The Burgundii Nation packed up and moved rapidly to the south-west to descend upon Narbo Martius, conveniently denuded of troops by the Roman efforts to reinforce Lugdunum.



Narbo fell easily. Standing at the shore of the mighty Mediterranean in 419AD shortly after its capture, Gundahar announced to his people that their migration was at an end. Nova Burgundium would be founded here. He hoped that perhaps in time, while the Huns and those remaining in the east destroyed each other, Burgundium would become a great power, able to dominate the bickering divided remnants of the once mighty Western Roman Empire.

For the Franks, this was the time of their greatest successes. By 422AD Hariulfus, victor at Hatomagus and newly-adopted son of Clodio, was besieging Condate, Amalric had shut Eldobich up in Avaricum and a new army was marching on Lugdunum hoping to take advantage of a Burgundii raid towards Arelate.



It seemed that the Franks would soon be the greatest Power in the West.

[Kátz]

Great update! And now exactly how much of Constantinian bloods have been poured out to the ground by the Frankish murderers?

[bomberboy]

Looks good I think they'll be a war between the Franks and the Burgundii with Gnaeus caught up in it (if he is still alive by then) or the WRE.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Another excellent read! Can't wait till we get back to Severus.

[charles the hammer]

another good post cant wait for more.

[Antiochos VII Sidetes]

Wonderful as usual. Your faction-swapping is quite dizzying!

[Selifator]

The Franks are on a roll here, but the Huns seem to be going good as well.

[Legio]

Juvenal, your AARs are great fun to read!

[Scutarii]

Juvenal, your AARs are great fun to read!

Quoted For Truth. Loving this AAR.

[Juvenal]

@Scutarii, @Legio Caesar - I am very relieved, I was concerned about this AAR turning into an alternative history lecture. There are going to be some characters with actual personalities and maybe even, God forbid, dialogue once I get back to the Picts in Part VI.

@Selifator - the Franks are hopefully going to be a challenge, and the Huns look rather scary too, but still a long way away. Your point about agents is well taken, they may provide a way for me to continue talking about the other factions after I return to the Picts. My method is to play the campaign and then try to elaborate a story from what happened - as if I were Sherlock Holmes' understudy. I have some ideas about characters, but the plot is still rather hazy.

@Mr. Cursed - I've played three of the four factions in Gaul now, its fun building up a story for the AI interactions. We usually ignore that when we play RTW.

@charles the hammer - thank you, the next episode is coming tomorrow.

@Xavier Dragnesi - thanks, Severus returns in Part VI.

@bomberboy - I have only played four turns into the Pictish invasion, so I don't know what is going to happen with the Burgundii. They aren't very strong for reasons I will explain in the next episode, but then again, anything could happen.

@wr1ght - The Constantini are reduced to just a shadow I'm afraid. Gaul is a very dangerous place to try to centre your empire, a bit like setting up camp on a freeway.

[Kallum]

nice update Juvenal but how are the Western Romans doing and are the vandals already out of Italy?

[Juvenal]

The Vandals/Alans/Suevi had already gone through Gaul in 406-409AD before the start of the IBFD campaign (in 410AD). They are now settled in Western Iberia. WRE holds the south and the Rebels of Gerontius occupy the north-east.

Alaric's Visigoths have been rampaging around in Italy. They settled for a time at Ravenna, but were then kicked out and wandered into Tuscany where there is a battle-royal going on with the WRE.

The Langobards got surrounded by the Huns before they finally horded, so they are practically extinct after fighting their way out of the Hunnish ring.

The WRE is doing OK all things considered.

[charles the hammer]

cant wait for the next update its been great so far

[Juvenal]

V: THE FATE OF LUGDUNUM

“Stemmata quid faciunt, quid prodest, Pontice, longo, Sanguine censeri pictosque ostendere vultus”
(Of what use are pedigrees, or to be thought of noble blood, or the display of family portraits, O Ponticus?)
Juvenal

Battle of Nemausus
Gundahar of Bolger led the Frankish army sent to Lugdunum. Despite his name, which he shared with the High King of the Burgundii, he was actually of the Chatti, eclipsed rivals to the Franks. He had married into a noble Salian Frankish clan and had long been in the service of the Frankish King. He was an ambitious man, and having noted the adoption of Italicus and Hariulfus into Faramund's family after their great victories, he yearned for a similar honour.

Not strong enough to take the city by storm (the power of the Franks being spread thin at this time), Gundahar's army stood off while his scouts observed the progress of a large Burgundii raid on Arelate. But events then proceeded to unfold in the most favourable manner possible, as if the gods had indeed laid out a golden road to for Gundahar leading to his heart's desire.

To match the Burgundii, Constantine III had brought up the legions of Bacurius from Burdigala, his last substantial force in the south,. The garrison of Lugdunum was also stripped to bolster this army. It was just in time, for the Burgundii began advancing along the coast.



Bacurius moved swiftly to intercept the Burgundii, attacking Gundioc and Chilperic directly from the march hoping to defeat them before the main body came up. The battle went well at first, the Romans pushing the Burgundii back along the road with grim determination. Seeing an opportunity to destroy the Burgundii princes, Bacurius committed his last reserves just as the wily King Gundahar, who had secretly conducted a flank march through the mountains, arrived in his rear.

Bacurius was slain and his army wrecked, but the Princes had also suffered substantial losses, so much so that King Gundahar decided not to continue on to Arelate. Still, it was on this day more than any other that the Imperium Constantini effectively ceased to be a power of note.

Assault on Lugdunum
News of the disaster quickly reached Gundahar the Frank. Seizing his opportunity, he called in his forces from terrorising the countryside and promptly laid siege to Lugdunum.

The Franks raced to create siege weapons before Roman reinforcements could be organised from nearby Arelate, and with just a single tower and ram constructed, Gundahar decided to try for an assault. To increase the element of surprise, he waited until late in the appointed day so that he could concentrate his assault parties and bring up siege equipment in the shadows of the trees. Then he revealed his ram outside one of the gatehouses.



Gundahar listened with satisfaction as Roman horns rang out their call to arms. Romans appeared on the battlements to protect their threatened gate, and all the while the Frankish siege tower, its wheels shod with wool, quietly approached another section of wall. It was by these means that Gundahar got his Frankeskar Heriskara onto the walls unopposed and without loss.

As the tower touched the wall, a cry of dismay went up from the Roman defenders. Some Roman Exculcatores ran up bravely to confront these infamous Frankish axe-throwers, but the contest was never in doubt. An ordo, which had served Constantine for ten years, was slaughtered in just a half hour. Stepping over the corpses, the Franks took possession of the gatehouse and opened the gate for Gundahar's main assault column.



The Frankish column surged in through the gate, just beating the Roman reinforcements, Auxilia Cohors, the best soldiers in the garrison. The Auxilia did not even have time to deploy, and soon found themselves pressed against the wall, hemmed in by Franks crazed with the frenzy of battle.

When Gundahar rode through the gateway at the rear of his column he found the Romans there already defeated and his head men eyeing up the best potential slaves from the survivors. Using his bodyguard as proctors, he had them use the flats of their swords to persuade his men that the battle was not yet won. Eventually he was able to organise his unruly host into a single large column which began to make its way circuitously towards the square of the Palace of the Pro-Consul where the remaining Romans willing to fight had concentrated.

The Roman force proved to be tiny, and as the blood red rays of sunset suffused the square, a tidal wave of Franks struck it, overlapping on both flanks so that it was almost instantly surrounded.



The Roman commander, Tribune Vetranio was not even present while his Foederati cavalry made their heroic last stand in front of the Palace, preferring to cower in a far corner of the city. Soon the Foederati were dead and Gundahar reviewed his victorious troops, already rehearsing in his mind the epic poem of his triumph he was going to have conveyed to Faramund.

When Vetranio was finally caught, Gundahar decided on a whim to spare his life, calculating that adding the shackled Roman commander to the gifts to be sent to Faramund might just tip the balance in favour of his longed-for adoption.



Highpoint of the Frankish Confederacy
By 424AD, the Faramund's realm had reached an unprecedented extent with the conquest of three new provinces. The Imperium Constantini was reduced to three powerless enclaves surrounded by enemies.

Betrayal had brought Faramund great rewards, soon the whole of Gaul would be his, the Burgundii would provide a useful buffer against the Vandals and the Western Roman Empire, and the Alemanni would likely remain distracted with the encroaching Huns at their back. He looked forward with relish to throwing the stinking Saxons back into their northern fastnesses and uniting all the Germans under the benevolent patronage of the Frankish Reich.

Like many European leaders in history, Faramund had a continental outlook. It never crossed his mind that the quiet land of Britannia might be affected by his success. He was dimly aware of the extinction of the Romano-British, but the new unity and industry of Greater Pictavia was not apparent to him. Even had he known of the new Pictish armies forming around Eboracum, he would have laughed at the idea of those poor and ragged people of the far north crossing the Germanicum Mare to enter the great Game of Nations.

[Legio]

You are making me download IBFD
Great story!

[bomberboy]

Finally the Picts are here and the Franks will soon learn not to underestimate the Picts.

[Selifator]

"Greater Pictavia". No reference to real-life I hope?

[Antiochos VII Sidetes]

Good update.