[IBFD AAR] Saviours of Roma

[Kaiser_Alex]

After the battle, Constantinus takes a moment to contemplate the dead.


Constantinus: What a catastrophe.

Edobichus: What do you mean? We won.

Constantinus: But now we are weaker, look at those men, we could not face a band of peasants, so pray to God the romans got tired of sending armies to these fields.

Edobichus: And what if they do, we have proven time and time again that we can handle ourselves in battle.

Constantinus: That is because we had a professional legion under our command, that legion is dead right in front of you.

Edobichus: so? We´ll recruit more.

Constantinus: With what money? Constans constantly mentions in his letters the squalor that they live in Avaricum because of the lack of infrastructure, there is not enough money to go around. Look I have been thinking and perhaps soon will be the time to return to Britannia.

Edobichus: endless joy fills my heart by hearing those words.

Constantinus: but we need to secure this front with Honorius.

Edobichus: how are we to achieve this?

Constantinus: I… don´t know, what I know is that we fight for a worthy cause so God is surely on our side, He would not let that weak dog Honorius rule half of Rome.


After this last battle, Constantinus´s army was dangerously depleted, it would be months until something that resembles an army can be put together, and in the meantime the WRE is not waiting around. They send even more armies through the Alps to besiege lugdunum, fortunately the city is flanked by a river and a mountain, which prevents two armies from attacking at the same time.



When the first attack came the odds were not on our side.



Captain Tribigildus thought everything was lost when the romans built siege towers with scorpions on top of them, which made defending the walls suicide, so the plan became to hold the central square. The walls were not given for free however, for archers positioned on the towers gave the invaders hell and many romans died due to this guerrilla tactic.
The WRE were smart enough to send in a reconnaissance unit, but they were not smart enough to not engage in combat with the spear wall that was defending the street, and got slaughtered as a result.



One lonely unit managed to kill a lot of cavalry by just blocking a street because the AI isn´t smart enough to realize they were there and just tried to move through them.



Next up the WRE sent some heavier cavalry but they met the same fate as the scouts that came before. When the infantry came, it was a lot tougher but we manage to hold out.



But this was not the end, there are two more armies waiting their turn to attack.



The situation did not look good, but Constantinus´s army was not strong enough to take the iniciative.

Once more the walls are abandoned, and the city center is defended. The invaders won´t hesitate about pillaging the city, and the people fighting to defend it are it´s very citizens. A section of the wall was destroyed by underground mines, trapping a group of archers, they did not hesitate in charging carelessly, knowing fully well the end as come for them.



And once again the romans tried to assault the town center and achieved initial success, but their tactics could not give them victory, the Romans sent a unit at a time hoping that their superior quality would be enough to break the rebel’s shildwall.



After much fighting the WRE did not took Lugdunum, and most of them didn’t even keep their lives.



Yet there still is the third army ready to storm the city and the citizens are becoming tired of all this war devastating their homes.

[Turkafinwë]

Seems like Constantinus is having real trouble with keeping the WRE at bay. Lugdunum stands but the defence becomes more desperate each time the Romans assault. I wonder if the citizens morale can hold out one more attack and if it does if they can defeat yet another Roman army.

[Alwyn]

I agree, it sounds like the commander at Lugdunum is a skilled defender, but can his diminished force hold out against another army? I look forward to finding out. (I noticed that a different captain was commanding by the end, Captain Eugenius not Captain Tribigildus. I imagine that this is simply the effect in-game of not having a general to command the defenders. Even so, this made me wonder what happened to Captain Tribigildus and how Eugenius became the commander.)

[Kaiser_Alex]

In the meantime the Franks are at it again and besiege the fort protecting the bridge into Colonia Agrippina. But much more important is that third WRE army trying to take Lugdunum. The defenders were exhausted, the people angry and the walls damaged severely, but the city was not to go down that easily for now Constantinus arrived with his newly recruited army.



Constantinus took the initiative and advanced on the enemy but after a small skirmish the WRE decided to retreat.



As they retreated, always harassed by Constantinus´s cavalry, and almost reached a nearby hill they saw with dismay the garrison army occupying that very hill, and charging down on them.



And with deadly fury the WRE army was surrounded and crushed.




Finally free from the devastation that had befallen them in the past couple of years, the people of Lugdunum organized ten days of celebration to their emperor Constantinus and His most trusted general Edobichus.

On the third day of those celebrations the two commanders that had led the defenses of the city and in the eyes of the people let the romans in to pillage their homes were publicly tortured and decapitated, then their heads paraded across the streets.

In the taverns and places of gathering the bards would sing:

Three armies came
none of them returned home
their families must now bare the shame
of not seeing them back in Rome.

Their fate was decided there and then
of a few brave or foolish men
they came down from the walls to fight
no more were they than ten
who defended their homes, did what was right.

The captains´ heads were removed
by the people this action was approved
the ballista towers they wanted to avoid
the sight of their heads the people now enjoyed.


When the celebration had ceased Constantinus and Edobichus marched north to face the Franks once again. When he arrives at Lille there is little resistance but no one knows what lies in the fog of war

[Alwyn]

It sounds like Constantinus arrived just in time to save the city, I wonder what he and Edobichus will find beyond Lille. Good update!

[Turkafinwë]

Lugdunum stands once more! I really like the song the bards sing about the sieges of Lugdunum, really well done!

[Kaiser_Alex]

In the summer of 421, Constantinus sent a crew abord a ship to check out the situation in Britannia, what he finds is most pleasing.

Constantinus: What do the scouts report?

Servant: Britannia is currently being invaded by the Saxons, dominus, they have captured Londinium.

Constantinus: perfect

Edobichus: what do you mean perfect, roman land is being invaded by barbarians, this is outrageous.

Constantinus: indeed it is, which makes for a perfect excuse to go there and take it for ourselves, if they cannot defend roman land, we can.
Edobichus: do you really think the Franks are going to let us go there without steering any trouble.

Constantinus: We will go there even if that implies killing all the Franks in the world.


Speaking of the Franks, they sent an army to relieve the siege at Lille which lead to one of those generic battles were I won without anything really happening so, I won´t show it here. Some of them survived and we had to actually attack Lille which again was one of those boring battles.

In the end Constantinus and Edobichus took the city but once again this was not to be the end of the Franks for a few noblemen took the chance to usurp power from the now dead Frankish royal family and continue the struggle under their own leadership.

In the winter an interesting situation appeared, Lille became pretty much a militarized city with more people in the army than population, the army had to be kept in there to safeguard against Frankish counterattacks, but generally the Franks were moving south and being mostly passive.
A man clearly roman from his clothes, asks for permission to speak to Constantinus himself. The Emperor curious about the matters this man brings, let´s him in, always with two guard at his side.

Constantinus: I recon you are a messenger from that coward Honorius, what business does he want now.

Diplomat: Not a messenger but a diplomat your highness, I bring a proposal that will benefit both sides, and prevent further bloodshed of brothers.

Constantinus: Don’t extend your speech with empty words and go straight to the point, you better not be here when the Franks arrive.

Diplomat: Of course, the proposal is simple, Honorius will recognize your ruler ship over the lands you currently hold and just asks that you do the same for him. His hopes are that you both can rule Rome.

Constantinus: Co-emperorship, an interesting proposal… Sure we accept, granted that trade routes are opened, map information exchanged and a few other commodities that disappear in times of war.

Diplomat: My master will be most pleased.

Constantinus: I do not do this to please your master but to protect Rome, and if to do that I must share power with Honorius then so be it.



The situation with the Franks persisted thou, and Constantinus decided to take matters into the battlefield on his own terms.



The horde numbered about 12500 men, composed of prominent Frankish nobles and their retinues as well as many common people that wanted to preserve their way of life.

Edobichus: so many, the best we can do is hide behind walls and hope they throw themselves at them.

Constantinus: ha, ha, Edobichus, were you not the one defending aggressiveness and taking the initiative over every other philosophy of fighting?

Edobichus: against such a force, what do you mean, what do you suggest?

Constantinus: indeed you would be right, if we were to fight such a force on the field, on even terms, we would be swarmed and promptly defeated. But we are not to do so. What do you think their army is?

Edobichus: A disunited band of peasants, but even one hundred legionaries could not withstand the weight of one thousand peasants, on even ground and much of our force is just foederati.

Constantinus: Well they are disunited, as you said, that is the key. If you want absolute power, you would not help those who want the same.

Edobichus: Right, so you hope to fight them one by one?!

Constantinus: Divide et impera.



Then Frankish nobles hold a meeting to decide their action in preparation for the coming battle

Flavus: It has come finally the time to take revenge on the romans. It saddens me that we had to lose our homes, yet again, so that the people finally see what a threat the romans pose, it is now that we can, at last, finish what King Faramund started. Then, and only then, will our people live their lives free from the fear and the war we have experienced in these last decades, we wage this war so that in the end we can find peace in here and in Gallia.

Ostina laughs sarcastically

Ostina: your words are so familiar but from where? Ho, I remember, “king” Faramund had a similar speech. He, like you, wanted not the best for the people, but to enrich his own personal fortune. We would fight the tyranny of the romans only to replace it with your own if we were to follow you.

Amalric: look at this guy, the defender of the people, you sincerely hope we believe your charade, you are just like Flavus.

Ostina: and you are the one who is different.

Amalric: I merely wish to spend my days in peace with my wife and children, and endless riches of course, the romans threaten that and so must be crushed.

Ostina: what nonsense is this? You pursue your own selfish interests and leave everyone else’s in the dust, and then have the gall to convince them to join your cause. You disgust me!

What follows are insults and no cooperation is expected from any of the members.

[Derc]

'Becoming a Protectorate' isn't what I'd call Co-Emperorship. The Emperor has fooled you! You must plan your revenge at once!
...As soon as those Franks are dealt with.
...And these thousand other hordes.
...And ... uh ... yeah.

Yeah, BI can be just as annoying as the Emperor. Kill one horde and five new show up.

Speaking of the Franks, they sent an army to relieve the siege at Lille which lead to one of those generic battles were I won without anything really happening so, I won´t show it here. Some of them survived and we had to actually attack Lille which again was one of those boring battles.

I read that as part of the conversation. First thought was: "Eehhh. What?"

[Alwyn]

I enjoyed the contrast between the adventurous Constantine and the cautious Edobichus. It sounds like the Frankish nobles are divided, just as Constantine needs them to be in the battle to come, considering the imbalance of numbers.

[Turkafinwë]

Those sure are a lot of Franks. I know what I would do if I saw them.

Constantinus sure is a shrewd commander , yet to overcome such a numerous foe he'll have to be careful not to lose to many men. Constantine's legion sure has their work cut out for them. I can't wait to see how he will deal with the Frnakish horde.

[Kaiser_Alex]

Flavus was the first one to attack Constantinus. He could not count on the support of the other Frankish nobles, but if he won the fight his people would be forever grateful.

The battle was short, bloody and one-sided and after it was done Flavus´s body lay amongst his fallen comrades’, about half of the Franks survived and run away.

Amalric was next and once again his army was destroyed, this time completely, and he himself died.

The roman army was not taking that many casualties despite the numbers they faced, this was due to the low quality of the enemy troops and the low quality of their generals as well as their disunity, these were not professional, or even semi-professional troops but farmers and other low class citizens trying to preserve their way of life, or simply because they had no choice in the matter.


The remaining Frankish nobles realized what was going on, and if the division between themselves were to continue it would surely lead to their demise. So the remaining nobles pledge allegiance to the oldest and most wise of them all, at least militarily as he had the most experience fighting in previous tribal conflicts and against the romans themselves not too long ago, Ostina. An old warrior around his late forties but still could move as agilely and cut his enemies as ruthlessly as his younger peers.

Battle lines were formed and all were ready, all but constantinus who instead of being at the front with his men as always was still in his tent, so Edobichus goes to check up one him and try to find a justification for this most bizarre event.

Edobichus tells the army to stay put and await further orders, and goes towards the camp. He clumsily jumps down from his horse and almost falls to the ground, the short journey from the front lines to the camp was enough to haunt him with worrying thoughts of what might be going on with Constantinus. The guards instantly recognize the voice when they hear ‘Open the gates!’ and immediately remove the wooden plaque holding the two doors together and open them. Edobichus walks at first but quickly each step feels like it barely shortens the path, so he starts jogging until he finally reaches the tent. This tent is distinctly different from the others in the camp. First it is bigger and is also located on the central part of the northern side of the camp making it very obvious that this tent belong to the man in charge. Countless hours did the two generals spent planning grand strategies and sometimes just talking about their lives or philosophy. Edobichus enters the tent to find a sight more horrible than any that had crossed his mind before. Constantinus lay on the ground, motionless, his head rested on the lap of Hesa, the former Frank that Constantinus befriended after his capture, his skin was whiter than it normally was.

Edobichus- What the hell did you do.

Throwing Hesa to the side and putting Constantinus´s head on his lap instead.

Hesa- He had one of his crazy episodes and then just passed out.

Edobichus- One of his what? If he does not wake up I´ll crucify you and invite all of Lugdunum to laugh as you slowly die.

Hesa- He is not dead, I don´t think, He has been having these very strange episodes the last few months.

Edobichus- You lie, he would have told me.

Hesa- He told no one, I just knew because I was in his presence when this happened for, what he told me, the third time.

Edobichus- What are this episodes that you speak of?

Hesa- He starts speaking nonsense. Like how he is a boy and wants to jump on top of a tree, there was this one time he tried running around naked through the camp, but thank God I was there to stop him.

Edobichus- What?...What is this thing that haunts him.

Hesa- I do not know, but this was the first time he passeed out after it, I thought perhaps it was the Franks that hired some mages to curse Dominus with black magic.

Edobichus- If that is true I will hunt down every frank in the world and paint it with their blood.

After a few more seconds Constantinus wakes up.

Constantinus- What is this, were am I, I don’t remember falling asleep.

Hesa- You had one of those “out of control” situations, and then passed out Dominus.

Constantinus- ow, I presume you told Edobichus.

Edobichus- Yes, yes he did, why it wasn´t you telling me is what I want to know.

Constanitus- And what would you think of me? What do you think of me? This grey-haired old man has finally lost his dammed mind. How could he lead an army under such conditions, surely he would get us all killed.

Edobichus- Constantinus, if we are to die, than nothing would make me happier than to do so under your command. Forget that nonsense you just said, surely the lessons of a lifetime have not vanished from your memory yet. Now get up, we have a battle to fight!


When the generals leave the tent they are met by one of the runners, panic fills his eyes, he is one of the younger ones. After being calmed down by Constantinus he manages to stutter a few words indicating that the Franks had the army surrounded. Edobichus feared that his army was already being consumed by the enemy and it was all his fault, for the orders to stay put were uttered by him.

They arrived at the battlefield and their eyes were filled with the most pleasant of sights, well perhaps not the most pleasant, but the armies had not met yet. The soldiers were also relieves, theories and rumors started flooding the their heads as soon as they noticied the absence of their most trusted leader. The franks however deployed a cunning strategy indeed. Instead of forming a great line or have many troops in reserve, they used their advantage in numbers to divide their army in two and attack from both flanks. But unusual and unorthodox strategies are Constantinus´s strongest card.




You can´t see it from this image but on the right flank there is a bunch more units of trash spearmen coming into the battlefield.





Before the Generals could pause and access the situation the Frankish light cavalry clashed with the comitatenses on the left flack, on which the roman cavalry was absent for they had been relocated to the right flank to defeat the enemy there on their own.





The plan here was that the charge from the heavy cavalry would kill enough of them that they would retreat end eventually cause a mass rout.





It had some initial success and some even started routing.






Meanwhile the rest of the army was relocating to fight the strongest Frankish force on the left.




On the right the quick victory I was hoping for was not achieved and everything just developed into a prolonged melee were the enemy have the advantage, so I was forced to get out of there eventually.





At the same time the Frankish army on the left flank was being very passive allowing for the romans to reform and throw pilla at them while doing so.





So what ended up happening on the right flank after the cavalry disengaged was that a small force of spearmen supported by crossbowmen along with some peasant foederati units were deployed to hold the enemy until reinforcements arrived hopefully in time.





After the lines clashed on the left the Franks didn´t last long and routed pretty quickly.





On the right however the enemy just stood there being shot by the crossbows.





Only a few remnants of resistance stood on the left, including Ostina who was himself fighting on the frontline and holding of some comitatenses.




Constantinus even had to bring his contingent of cavalry to deal with Ostina and his bodyguards.





On the right the situation escalated but is still under control because the enemy is reluctant in sending all their units to possibly surround my limited amount of troops there.



Consatntinus´s cavalry smashed into Ostina´s bodyguard forcing them to make a circle around him in order to protect their new king. Most of them were slain and but around seven of them remained, but they did not retreat, not that there was a way to do so, but even if there was they probably would stand and fight, forced to do so by their honor. Consatntinus was there right at the front slashing and stabbing wen the enemy let their guard down, which was not often. Constantinus even tried to use one one of his companions who was fluent in the Frankish language, which amidst the fighting was rather awkward and difficult.


Constantinus: You are but doomed, can´t you see?

Ostina: ho, I see, I also see what world you have created for yourselves, and I refuse to live without the freedoms that I am accustomed to.

Constantinus: So, you are willing to die so that you can prevent you people from getting what we have, that is the incredible technologies we have access to, our laws, you know what I think, you are a tyrant, forcing your people to live in misery so that at the end of their day, they do not have the strength to raise their fists against you.

By this time all but Otina were dead and he and Consatntinus stood in front of each other, surrounded by roman troops.

Ostina: Is that what you say to yourself to keep your conscience clean, well, do your farmers and artisans and such fell happy with being oppressed by your upper classes, and having almost no way of moving up from their current status? Our people are simple and are happy with laboring the fields and living without a government boot on their throat every day asking for taxes. King Faramund tried to free them from you, I have tried the same, and both of us have failed. I pray to the Gods that freedom will one day return to these lands and it is a shame that I will not be here to see it.

As he finishes his sentence, Ostina turns his blade on his stomach and thrusts it inside his gut. The blood instantly starts gushing but still he is determined to leave this world quickly and turns his blade from the left part of his abdomen, which was the original place of his wound, to the right cutting himself wide open and letting his guts spill on the ground, splashing on the blood covered grass.

The enemy leader is dead and this may be the last significant Frankish resistance, but Ostina´s words penetrated hard on the Legionaries’ minds.

[Alwyn]

This sounds like a hard battle and Ostina's words do sound troubling for the Romans.

[Turkafinwë]

Really an interesting chapter Kaiser_Alex! The strange episodes of "insanity" that Constantinus is suffering from is an intriguing development and I wonder if it was your own creative choice to add it or if you were influenced by a trait Constantinus has in-game? Either way it is something I like very much.

[Beckitz]

I love this. Heaven is on your side, even though the duties of emperor may be extreme

[Marku]

cool chapter, keep posting

[Kaiser_Alex]

The army now marches west for reasons only Constantinus knows. In Edobichus´ mind was doubt, were they marching in the opposite direction to the front for a reason or did Constantinus ceased to be able to distinguish east from west. But to the common soldier no such doubt was made, for the trust they had in their leader was complete, some having been with him for more than fifteen years from the time of Britannia, but not many, most of the people that served in the army at that time stayed in Britannia or died in the various campaigns.




The eastern front could not yet be left unattended not only because of possible barbarian incursions from the Saxons for example, but from the Franks of which one army still remained. Chloderic still lead a force albeit a small one, not even worth calling it an army but a rabble, still the last bastion of resistance from the Franks. They needed to be destroyed, but the army is already on the march so the only forces in place to fight that battle would be the garrisons of the towns around the spot on which the Franks had set camp. Such a small force had to be led by a capable leader, so Constantinus looked to promote one of his centurions to lead the garrisons to victory and guard the border afterwards up to Campus Frisii. Lille was also captured during the wars but was too poor and too far away to be worth keeping, therefore efforts were being made to place a friendly king to govern the place.
Amongst many centurions one had to be chosen and after a few days the decision was made. Edobichus suggested a man that he knew for a few years and was considered a friend of his, Horatius. This was the man helping Edobichus to torture a barbarian to get the information on the plans of king Faramund.
During the march Edobichus brought Horatious to Constantinus so that they could talk. The three men rode side by side.


Edobichus: Here he is. The man I talked about, he has shown courage beyond his duty and skills above his pears.

Constantinus: Very well, I trust Edobichus, and indeed you seem to be very well liked and respected by centurions and soldiers alike. You shall depart today at once with strategic orders already made by me. You will only be responsible for the micro tactical decisions for now.

Horatious: Dominus, it is a great honor this trust you put in me, but the truth is that, I am comfortable with things as they are, being a centurion and all, and for that reason I must reject.

Edobichus: What!? I thought you wanted this.

Horatious: I wanted to talk to imperator Constantinus, yes, but on behalf of my son Theodosius. I taught him all I know and he is smart and young so will surely learn all about strategy and tactics very quickly.

Constantinus: Can you give me and Edobichus a little time to discuss this.

Horatious: Of course Dominus.


Horatious´ rides a bit slower so to create a space of about ten paces from the two, riding alongside the rest of the army.


Edobichus: I am sorry to have wasted your time, I really trust this guy, he and I go way back.

Consatntinus: If you trust him that much than it wasn´t a waste of time at all, look, when I am gone, you, hopefully, will be the one making these decisions, I am not worried, you learned from the best.

Edobichus: I did, didn´t I!

Edobichus laughs nervously and then let´s out a long sigh while looking to the other side as if the scene of the trees on the path that they marched helped his thinking.

Edobichus: Don’t speak like that, it is already hard enough to think of tomorrow. The world needs people like you, that will rally the people to fight for a common cause, the cause of civilization, without those people, we would just be fighting amongst ourselves.

Constantinus: You don´t see it do you, you are one of those people, that was the point of all of these. I remember when I fought your father on the Frankish fields up north, you had been captured and the soldiers wanted to kill the captives, and they did, the only reason you are here is because I spared you.

Edobichus: You had told me the story.

Constantinus: You were sixteen winters old but still you did not run, you stood and faced death, and when I saw that I knew you were one of those people. You were willing to die for your home, for your family, I knew that if I showed you Roma, you would die for it too.

Edobichus: You were right.

Constantinus: I know. Tell your friend whatever you want, this is your decision.

Edobichus: I think I will welcome his son amongst our generals then.



Theodosius first had to spend a few days learning about tactics, formations and strategy. Constantinus and Edobichus decided to attend one day to one of the classes and were disappointed by Theodosius´ absence. The teachers, who were veterans and centurions, were very surprised, for he had never missed a class and was always present even before schedule to learn. They looked everywhere around the camp, including his tent and the entertainment area and didn´t found him, so the search was cancelled in the hopes that he will eventually show up with a damn good excuse.

When constantinus reached near his tent with Edobichus by his side, he heard noises from within, which was strange because there was supposed to be nobody there.

Unkown womanly voice: I will lick the blood of your enemies from your chest.

Theodosius: just don´t bite that hard or it´s not gonna be just his blood.

Constantinus enters the tent with a furious face.

Constantinus: YOU, bastard, with him, I can´t, what have you done.

Edobichus: calm down, they are young

Constantinus: Calm down? How can I? would you be calmed down if you saw your own daughter being, ugh, I can´t even say it.

Theodosius: We were just fooling around, we didn´t do anything serious I promise.

Edobichus: Shut it. that does not help. Look clearly this has only one solution.

Constantinus: Don´t you dare say what I think you are going to say.

Edobichus: They must get married.

Constantinus: This is it, where is the closest pit for me to jump from?

Edobichus: What? It´s not that bad, one of your generals marring your daughter.

Constantinus: General? He is a boy, I met him last week. You know what? It is not that bad, you know why?

Theodosius: no.

Constantinus: because you will soon face that Frankish army in the north, yes, and if you survive, you can marry my daughter. I am not expecting you to survive, but just in case you do, you better treat Ancharia with respect and love, otherwise, those brown eyes of yours. Off with them.

[Justinian Australis]

Good chapter...loved the ending!

Nice progress with the faction, never managed to get this far with them. Might have to have another go one day.

[Alwyn]

I can see why Edobichus is doubtful about the direction the army is marching in. I wonder if Theodosius will survive the challenge which Constantinus has given him.

[Nulgath 911]

This is a mod I will have to try out!