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Thread: Centurion: An AAR

  1. #1

    Default Centurion: An AAR

    Having just noticed that the old .com TW forum no longer exists, I thought I'd repost one of my AARs from there, to keep it preserved somewhere on the internet. You don't get to see a lot of Centurion AARs, so I think the effort is worthwhile. So, spinning back the clock to August 2008, here we go again...



    I’m back from my summer vacations and I’ve decided to mark my return with something different from what everyone here is used to. So, here is the detailed account of my ongoing Centurion game! For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Centurion was released in 1990 and can be considered the spiritual ancestor of TW games in practically every aspect. There are four difficulty levels and up until now I had only played on the first two (galley-slave and legionnaire). In this game I will play as senator, the third difficulty level (the fourth is emperor). This game is tougher than RTW (or at least I find it tougher) so I hope my effort is successful. So, without further ado, let the story begin!





    Part I

    Flavius Seleucus Olympicus was an unlikely senator for Rome. His adventurous youth, during which he had come to be part of the Seleucid household (from which he had taken his name) and even participated in the Olympic Games pretending to be a Greek (where the narrow victory of his chariot gave him the pretext to add the title ‘Olympicus’ to his name), were at odds with traditional Roman virtues and values. And this was a time when traditional Roman virtues and values mattered.

    Nevertheless, through means both exceptional and mundane he had managed to ascend to a position of power, where he could influence Roman policy. That influence amounted to de facto control over the actions of one legion, I Italica, commanded by his close friend Scipio Africanus. In 275BC, Italy was secure from enemy threats, and I Italica was at liberty to pursue other agendas. Soon a chain of events would occur that would catapult Seleucus Olympicus into unprecedented fame, and change the face of the world for ever...



    275 – I Italica invades the region of the Alpes, being considered as the weakest target for expansion. The local leader, Vindelic greets them hostilely. Battle ensues.





    Vindelic impetuously charges ahead and is killed. Most of his warriors rout. The few that fight on kill 195 Romans before they get outflanked and flee. Their total casualties are 519.



    It is a great victory for Roman arms, as a large territory is conquered with very few casualties. I Italica is free to take action again next year, and its target is predetermined. Rome will invade Transalpine Gaul.

    274 – I Ital invades Narbonensis. Galba, the local warlord, greets them hostilely. Battle ensues.



    Galba attempts to sweep right but Scipio moves two cohorts forward to confront the enemy general, before his units can bear on them. One cohort is routed, but the other manages to kill the general, causing a mass rout, since at the same time a cohort in the Roman right outflanks the nearby barbarians.



    The remaining Narbonensians press hard on the left, but are routed in detail. Romans have 618 casualties, for 1819 enemies killed.

    273 – Seleucus’ fame and fortune increase, and so do the means he is allotted to fuel his ambitions. More legions can now be raised at his personal expense. I Ital is strengthened to full complement from the population of Narbonensis. II Italia is raised, with Pompey the Great as its general.

    272 – With two legions under his control, Seleucus decides to make a bold move. Hispania, controlled by the unfriendly Carthaginians, could become a constant threat to Roman holdings in Gallia Narbonensis, and even to Italy itself. Deciding to deal with this threat pre-emptively, I Ital invades Hispania. Hasdrubal commands the Carthaginian army there. It is war.



    The cohorts at the flanks retreat to avoid the enemy elephants and engage and beat back the enemy cavalry, sustaining some losses. The elephants cause some havoc in the center, but they are neutralized since the enemy infantry is moving towards the flanks, trying to pull off a Cannae Tactic.



    With the center free, the Roman cohorts counterattack on both sides. The Carthaginians have the upper hand in most engagements on the right, but a cohort breaks through and reaches their general. Only one Cartahginian unit is left on the battlefield and two Roman cohorts. It is victory. Losses are about equal – 2277 Romans for 2253 Carthaginians. But Hispania is now Roman.

    II Italica moves to Alpes. The conquests of I Italica have more than doubled Rome’s territory. But the north still hangs threateningly over the Alpes and Narbonensis. For Rome to truly have a secure position in Western Europe, aggressive action will have to be taken against the people of those lands. The two legions converge. The stage is set for the Gallic Wars.




  2. #2

    Default Re: Centurion: An AAR

    Part II

    271 – II Italica invades Gaul.





    The 4200 Romans are up against 7000 Gauls. The Gaulish leader charges ahead and is killed, but only two enemy units are disheartened by that, so Pompey decides to withdraw, with no actual casualties on either side.

    270 – II Italica invades Gaul again. Same series of events, except now four enemy units rout when their leader is killed. Pompey once again decides to retreat.

    269 – Pompey decides to try something different and invades Germania.





    This time, when their impetuous warlord is killed, more than half the Germanic army leaves the field. Of the 8000 men they had mustered, only 3000 remain to fight the Roman legion.



    Even they prove formidable enough to rout any cohort they come in contact with, but after a series of maneuvers, five Roman cohorts remain as masters of the battlefield.



    The invasion has cost Pompey 1640 men, and resulted in 1312 dead Germans, but the 6688 survivors will gladly join the Roman army, bringing their fierceness to bear against Rome’s enemies!

    268 – I Italica strengthens itself almost to full complement, depleting the manpower of Italy. II Italica likewise bolsters its ranks, this time with Germans.

    267 – Romans burn the library at Alexandria. Cleopatra demands restitution and all citizens of note have to pay 20 talents. Flavius Seleucus Olympicus unwillingly parts with a third of his treasury.
    Not to be daunted, Pompey made his third invasion of Gaul. This time, when the enemy warlord, Vercingetorix, charged impetuously ahead and was killed, half the Gaul army left the field, leaving large enough gaps for the Roman cohorts to maneuver through the enemy frontal assault.



    The result was a Roman victory, with 1388 casualties, and 2541 dead Gauls.
    A marauding Arabian army reaches Syria.

    266 – Seleucus becomes tribune. His legions can now be upgraded to cavalry legions, with two units of cavalry at the flanks. Both Italian legions are upgraded immediately.
    The Arabian army moves to Egypt.

    265 – I Italica continues to strengthen its numbers, while II Italica returns to Germania. A Dalmatian marauding army appears but does not attack yet. The Arabian army in now in Cyrenaica.

    264 – Both enemy armies have boarded navies. Their destinations are unknown, but it is believed that at least the Arabian one means to attack Italy. Scipio’s legion is on alert.

    263 – The Arabian army returns to Cyrenaica, but the Dalmatian one lands in Sicily. The people of Rome have been feeling bored for quite some time now, and demand a gladiator show. Since Seleucus has come to a little money, by raising the taxes on all conquered provinces outside of Italy, he has decided to build an amphitheatre and sponsor a gladiator fight.





    He is left penniless, but his gladiator, Flaminius, won the fight, thrilling the audience.

    262 – The Dalmatians invaded Italy after all, from the south. I Italia faced them in the field of battle.



    The morale of their men is weak, but they have a competent cavalry force that can cause headaches to an enemy army that is not prepared to counter them. Luckily, Scipio’s army now has 300 horsemen protecting its flanks. The Roman cavalry defeated the enemy cavalry at the flanks, but with many casualties. It then turned on the enemy flanks.



    The battle seemed easy to win, however the enemy infantry at the center, aided by two more units of cavalry, punched through the Roman center, almost turning the tide of the battle. Ultimately, the day was won but with 2688 Roman casualties for 2955 Dalmatians.

    Seleucus Olympicus found an opportunity to sell his gladiator training school to a wealthy publican for 25 talents.

    261 – Seleucus sold a team of chariot ponies to an Arab chieftain, getting 15 talents out of the deal. That, along with the revenue from the provinces, helps to swell the treasury. I Italica is sent up to Gaul to retrain, while II Italica takes its place in Italy. It is a prudent measure. A large Macedonian army has been raised, and is rumored to have its sights on Rome.

    260 - The Macedonian army is spotted in Dalmatia, while I Italica is away in Gaul. A new legion, I Germanica, is formed in Germany, under the command of Sulla. However, only II Italica, under the command of Pompey, and the garrison of Rome will be able to defend Italy if the Macedonians decide to invade.

    259 – The Macedonians invaded Italy.



    Pompey’s cavalry was bested by the skillful Macedonians, and their cavalry was free to fall upon the Roman flanks. Desperate maneuvers by some calm cohorts managed to inflict considerable losses on the enemy and avoid the destruction of Pompey’s army. But at the end of the day 2694 Romans had fallen, taking with them 1380 Macedonians. 3211 Macedonians remained, and Mark Antony was given command of the garrison of Rome and rode out to meet the marauding enemy army.



    The Macedonians used the sweep left tactic, utilising their still strong cavalry arm, but the Roman army was strong enough to contain them. The Romans had more casualties than their enemies (2660 against 2063), but the Macedonian invasion was repelled. Sooner or later, Rome would be the one attacking. But other plans would take precedence.

    258 – The Dacians have an army in Thrace, while the Arabs landed in Sardinia. Rome is licking its wounds and preparing patiently.




  3. #3

    Default Re: Centurion: An AAR

    Part III

    257 – I Italica and I Germanica are stationed in Italy for better defence of the peninsula. II Italica is in Gaul, where Seleucus Olympicus, newly appointed legatus, decided to construct a fleet, for the purpose of conquering the British islands, and perhaps afterwards expanding along Mare Nostrum.

    256 – Shipbuilding continues. The citizens of Rome demand a gladiatorial show, but there are no funds for such frivolities.

    255 – The Arabian army finally attacks Rome.





    Scipio Africanus wins an easy victory, which nevertheless costs his legion 866 casualties. Arab casualties are lighter, but their army is in disarray and will no longer threaten Rome. Games are then thrown in Rome, where Spartacus defeats a black panther. On that year, II Italica boarded the first Roman fleet, destined for Britain.

    254 – Pompey the Great, commanding half a legion (his II Italica was not replenished because there were not enough ships to transport an entire legion in any case), set foot on the island of Britannia.



    Securing it would mean that there would never in the future be a threat to Gaul or Germania from the west. A population of fierce warriors would be incorporated into Roman territory, freeing up legions to fight in the east. Caswallon, the enemy warlord, attempted to sweep left, but the Roman half-legion amassed towards its own left, taking a defensive formation. Meanwhile, the small cavalry cohort of just 40 horsemen met and defeated the enemy warlord, routing many of his warriors and demoralizing the rest.



    At the end of the day Pompey had 918 casualties for 1563 of the enemy. 4437 Brittons pledged allegiance to Rome, and the conquest of Britannia was completed.

    253 – Britannia was plundered for 20 gold talents. The natives were understandably unhappy, as was Seleucus for the low amount of plunder the operation generated.

    252 – Bestiarii were staged in Narbonensis. II Italica was strengthened to full complement, and the fleet was expanded.

    251 – The Dacian marauding army departs from Sicilia. Seeing his chance for some action, Sulla takes his Legio I Germanica to Sicilia.



    Attempts to negotiate an alliance with Hamilcar, the Carthaginian in control of much of the island, failed, so battle ensues.



    After defeating the enemy cavalry wings and surrounding their remaining cavalry, including Hamilcar himself, in the center, the battle is won without much difficulty. I Germanica sustains 1648 casualties, having killed 1696 enemy soldiers in its first battle, but the prize is Sicily.

    250 – The fleet is slowly expanded, while II Italica guards Britannia.

    249 – With the marauding army of Dacia approaching Hispania, a new legion is formed to protect it from invasion, I Hispanica, commanded by Cornelius Scipio. I Italica guards Narbonensis from a similar threat, while I Germanica protects Italy. With a Cicilian army in Mare Adriaticum, all of Rome’s Mediterranean provinces are under threat...

    248 – Italia and Hispania are both invaded. The battle for Italy is fought first.



    The cavalry on Sulla’s right easily takes out the enemy general, causing much of his army to rout.



    However, the Roman infantry had already sustained significant casualties, and its death toll reaches 1761 by the end of the battle. The Cilician army, with 1336 casualties, was scattered.

    Meanwhile, in Hispania, Cornelius Scipio’s newly formed I Hispanica met the Dacian invaders in the field. Seeing their infantry part from the center in an attempt to outflank the Roman position, Cornelius ordered his right cavalry to move to the center and charge through the gap in the enemy formation at their exposed general. It seemed like a brilliant plan, but the Dacian infantry moved quickly back to the center, trapping the Roman horsemen as they were engaged with the enemy general’s bodyguard.



    They were destroyed before completing their mission. The Roman line now found itself outflanked from its right, and the next minutes were critical. The left pushed back the barbarians, and its cavalry engaged the enemy general, finishing the job started by their fallen comrades of the right. The legion reorganized and faced the regrouping Dacians, and victory was gained by the smallest of margins.



    2286 Romans fell on that day, taking 2970 Dacians with them to Hades, but Hispania, currently the most profitable province of Rome, was saved.

    To celebrate the double victory, and to keep the citizens of Rome happy, Seleucus sponsored a gladiatorial fight. His gladiator, Flaminius, won again, to the moderate cheers of the public.



    247 – Macedon’s army is once again on Italian soil. Legio I Italica is the first Roman force to meet them in the field.



    Both armies attempt to sweep right, but faced with the invincible Macedonian phalanxes the Roman legions turned and ran. Although the Roman cavalry won on the left, it was unable to turn the tide of the battle.



    I Italica suffered an unprecedented 3683 casualties, while killing only 1370 Macedonians. It would now be up to the garrison of Rome to hold back the invaders.

    The Roman garrison was commanded by Fabius the Delayer. Despite his better judgment, he was forced to meet the enemy army in open battle. The Macedonians were ultimately defeated, but not without heavy Roman losses, in a battle that seemed to swing both ways from time to time.



    Rome was once again saved. Macedon would not remain unpunished for her invasions for much longer.

    A gladiatorial show was once again sponsored, due to popular demand. Rome has gained two great islands in the course of the past few years, but a seemingly never-ending tide of enemies keeps half of its legions guarding Italia. However, plans are in effect to rescue the strategic situation from its stagnation. All it will take is time, and for the defences of Rome to hold.



  4. #4

    Default Re: Centurion: An AAR

    Part IV

    246 – Ship-building and retraining. A Syrian marauding army appears in Syria.

    245 – More of the same

    244 – Promotion to general. A Cilician marauding army appears off the coast of Italy. The Syrian army is in Egypt. I Hispanica boards Fleet I. I Italica awaits the inevitable Cicilian invasion of Italy as I Germanica retrains.

    243 – The Cicilians invade.



    The Roman right routs the Cicilian left, as the Cicilian right routs the Roman left. Scipio Africanus proves more versatile in taking advantage of his own local advantages, and victory goes to Roman arms, at a cost of 1943 men and 2620 dead Cilicians.



    Seleucus discovers Nero’s fiddle in a junk shop and donates it to a museum. Most people are wondering who this unknown artist is and why his fiddle is so important, but the museum curator is convinced that the exhibit will attract the public out of a sheer sense of mystery, and makes a big deal about it. The publicity will go some way into helping Seleucus reach the office of praetor.

    Cornelius Scipio, in command of Legio I Hispanica, lands in Mauretania.



    It is the first time a Roman army sets foot in Africa, and is expected to be the first step in the ultimate defeat of Carthage. As the legion approaches the first coastal town, a meeting is agreed upon with king Juba. The Mauretanian army’s morale is very low, but it is well equipped with cavalry and elephants, making it a dangerous foe nonetheless, and one worthy of respect. However, its prowess pales in comparison with the mighty armies of neighbouring Carthage, and Scipio decides to use that to his advantage in negotiations. After delicate talks, king Jaba agrees to enter into an alliance with Rome, in exchange for its protection from Carthage. Roman terms call for a medium tribute, free passage of Roman armies and the ability to recruit among the native Mauretanians, and they are accepted. The first foray of Rome in Africa turns out peaceful. It is a pleasant change of pace for the war-torn Roman republic.



    A new legion is raised in Germany, II Germanica, commanded by Labienus.

    242 – A Syrian army invades Italy!



    Sulla’s I Germanica defends the home soil, suffering 1891 casualties and inflicting 1962 on the enemy army. Seleucus is disheartened that the Seleucids, a family he had once been attached to, and still bore its name, would turn against Rome. This could end up hurting his political image more than a mere defeat of one of his legions. Luckily, war with other states distracted the Roman public for now, so that attack would not be discussed as much as he feared. Just to be on the safe side, Seleucus also sponsored a gladiatorial show. His gladiator, Spartacus, defeated a lioness, after enduring a long series of brutal attacks behind his shield, which the audience found most entertaining.



    Meanwhile, Labienus led his newly formed II Germanica against Dalmatia.



    Attempts at negotiating an alliance failed, so battle commenced. Roman cavalry prevailed at the wings of the formation and turned on the enemy flanks. Labienus won the battle, though at a cost of 1908 casualties to 2578 dead Dalmatians.



    I Hispanica, intact from its adventure in Africa, boards Fleet I with the intent to annex Sardinia for the Senate and People of Rome.

    241 – An Egyptian army invades Italy!



    I Germanica, not fully strengthened, due to Italia’s shortage of manpower, meets the enemy army. Their commanding officer is quickly killed and most of their elephants are neutralized, but not before they destroy the Roman cavalry. Ultimately, the attack is repelled with 1922 Roman casualties.



    To the west, I Hispanica makes landfall in Sardinia.



    The enemy army is small, and is defeated at a cost of 765 casualties for the Roman legion.



    New ships are added to Fleet I, which moves east towards the Adriatic Sea.

    240 – A predicament occurs. Seleucus organizes an excursion on Mt. Vesuvius, and a chance eruption results in the swallowing up of a guest by the volcano. This is not the kind of thing that will help him with his promotion, he pondered after the event...
    In spite of that, he was ceremoniously awarded the title of praetor! That guy must have been less popular than he had surmised...

    Fleet I enters the Adriatic sea, and spots a Cilician fleet carrying a marauding army.



    The two flagships engage first, and the Roman quinquireme manages to sink the enemy flagship after a successful boarding action.



    That disheartens the enemy sailors, and the Roman navy scores a victory, albeit at a great loss of ships. Two thirds of the Roman fleet join the enemy fleet in the depths of Neptune’s kingdom...

    On land, I Italica enters Thracia.



    King Thorax is a reasonable man, and he agrees to an alliance with Rome.



    Macedonia is now isolated from the north. It will either fall in line and become Rome’s ally, or the might or Rome will gather against it.

    239 – II Germanica moves into Dalmatia while I Italica extends a diplomatic envoy to Macedonia.



    Phillip V, though receptive of Roman envoys, considers the Roman army too small to act as a protector of Macedon. Perhaps a second army will make him change his mind.

    238 – He did not change his mind. I Italica invades Greece, with II Germanica in reserve in Dalmatia. Phillip attempted to drive a wedge through the Roman center. Seeing this, Scipio Africanus withdraws his central cohorts and maneuvers the cohorts at the flanks of his line to deal with the enemy cavalry wings.



    When that proves successful, the battlefield becomes more fluid, as the Macedonian phalanx advances from the center and from the flanks, supported by additional cavalry. At length, after hours of hard fighting and the death of the enemy general, two Roman cohorts (one infantry and one cavalry) are left as masters of the field.



    Greece, with all its immense riches, is now part of the Roman Empire!

    Not to be outdone, Labienus decided to march his legion to Dacia, a land famous for the fierceness its warriors.



    The enemy chief, Decebalus, gathered a small army to face the invaders and battle ensued. Both armies initially set up as wedge formations, but as the Dacians sought to drive their wedge down the Roman center, the Roman cohorts retreated, trapping the advancing Dacians in a funnel of death.



    With their center in a rout, their flanks suffered a similar fate from the reorganizing Romans. Labienus achieved an impressive victory, if only because of the limited casualties of his army and the great casualties of the enemy. 3452 Dacians fell on the field of battle, while only 603 Romans died fighting them.

    The year 238BC finds the Roman Empire in control of almost all of Europe and a bit of Africa. Carthage, Cilicia and Egypt remain outside Roman control, and Parthia, the most dreaded enemy state, has yet to make itself heard.



    The five Roman legions have all had their share in conquests, some more, some less.



    II Italica is stationed in Britannia, which is constantly rebellious, but Pompey the Great is not a man to content himself with garrison duty in the uncivilized edge of the expanding empire. Fleet I is being strengthened with new ships, which will allow it to move I Hispanica from Sardinia back to Mauretania. When that is done, it can transport I Germanica to Britannia, allowing II Italica to move to Africa, where the riches of Carthage and Egypt await whoever is bold enough to claim them with a sword.



  5. #5

    Default Re: Centurion: An AAR

    Part V

    237 – The people of Rome are bored, so Seleucus gives them a gladiator show. Flaminius defeats his opponent, Marius, and the crowds cheer. That is to be the last public act of Flavius Seleucus Olympicus. Old age has caught up with him at last, and he no longer feels the vitality he had when he started out on his dreams of conquests and glory. However, he arranged that his son, Gaius Seleucus Olympicus, be appointed senator. Gaius’s political progress, backed by his father’s contacts and his liberal use of bribes, was phaenomenal, and he soon achieved a status that rivaled that of his old man.

    Meanwhile, II Germanica prepares for an invasion of Sarmatia.

    236 – Labienus and his men had so far fought the weak-willed Dalmatians and the brave but few Dacians. As they perceived the first Sarmatian horsemen in their long march north, it was obvious this was going to be a whole new class of battle.



    The Sarmatian chief, Malodor the Impaler, refused an offer of alliance, and the Roman army was attacked.



    Labienus gave the order to mass the troops, and a protective square was formed. However, seeing that the enemy general was charging ahead of his army, even as two units of cavalry were likewise charging at the Roman center, he ordered the cohorts on the right to advance. They killed the enemy general and turned to help the center, as the Sarmatian cavalry on their right panicked and fled.



    The Roman cavalry, outflanked by the Sarmatian cavalry, was destroyed, so the Roman formation shifted ninety degrees to the left, to counter the remaining Sarmatian units.



    Their attack was strong, but it was contained, and Labienus could boast of a great victory! 1949 Romans died on that day, killing 2132 Sarmatians. But the whole vast region of Sarmatia capitulated after that battle – truly a great achievement!

    So great was the effect the news of the conquest of Sarmatia made in Rome, that Gaius Seleucus Olympicus was promoted to consul (although he was much under the minimum age requirement)! Through that position he could now raise and command consular armies, much larger fighting formations than legions.

    235 – Fleet I moves towards Britannia. II Italia upgraded to consular army.

    234 – Gladiatiorial show. Spartacus kills yet another wild lioness. I Germanica lands in Britannia. I Italica moves to Thracia. Two marauding armies, one Cilician and one Arabian, are moving around in the Middle East.

    233 – Seleucus finds a jeweled bird while on vacations in Malta and sell it to a trader for 35 talents. That’s quite the profit, and will go a long way towards rendering the fleet large enough to be able to transport a consular army!

    232 – Bestiarii in Germania. A Scythian marauding army is added to the list of threats. I Italica is upgraded to a consular army. Spotting an Arabian Fleet in the Aegean Sea, a new infantry legion is hastily raised in Macedonia, I Macedonica, to defend the province from a surprise attack.

    231 – The Pontic army attacks I Italica in Thracia.



    Its elephants are hard to avoid, but Scipio’s cohorts manage to evade them long enough to neutralize them.



    It was not without pain, though. 2017 Romans died defending Thracia from the kingdom of Pontus, while the enemy army lost 2047 men.

    In Africa, Pompey the Great marches his consular army to Carthago.



    The final act of the Punic Wars commences.



    The Roman center contains the Carthaginian infantry, while its flanks make large gaps for the elephants to pass through. Once the elephants are neutralized, fierce battle ensues between the two lines, until Hannibal, the commanding general of the Carthaginians, is trapped between an advancing Roman cavalry cohort and an infantry cohort, and is killed.



    That causes most of the remaining Carthaginians to flee in disarray, granting a magnificent victory to Pompey. Roman casualties number 2245; Carthaginian ones 2533.

    230 – Italia is in peril! An Arabian fleet somehow passed unnoticed into the Adriatic Sea and unloaded an army near Rome. Crassus took command of the city’s garrison and rode out to meet the enemy.



    The battle was tough, and at the end only a single cavalry cohort routed the last Arabian units.



    But Rome was once again saved from the jaws of doom! The citizens of Rome, when questioned about how that made them feel, predominantly answered that they were bored and wanted a gladiator show. Seleucus sighed and agreed to sponsor one. Flaminius killed a black panther and Seleucus was made proconsul. It was a happy day for everyone involved. Well, not for the panther, but you can’t please everyone, can you? Crassus celebrated his victory by buying a new personal slave, whom he promptly scared away when he started rambling to him about oysters and snails.

    229 – Cornelius Scipio, in command of I Hispanica, enters Cyrenaica.



    War is inevitable. The enemy general concentrates his attack on the center, where his two units of elephants are expected to smash a way open, that will be followed by his numerous cavalry.



    Cornelius wisely turned his center into a funnel, where the elephants were torn apart by the infantry cohorts in their flanks, and the same actions was taken against the cavalry. Despite that, and an easy victory in the wings of the formation, some confusion during the latter stage of the battle resulted in 1946 Roman casualties. Cyrenaican casualties numbered 1996.

    228 – Bestiarii in Cyrenaica. Fleet I moves to intercept an Aegyptian fleet in Mare Nostrum. The Roman sailors benefit greatly from the artillery exchange, as the two flagships, both galleons, sail around each other, trying to find an advantage. Finally, the Aegyptian flagship prevails, but by that time the entire Aegyptian fleet has been sunk or driven away. The Romas’ flagship is to be their only casualty in an otherwise triumphant engagement!

    227 – I Macedonica has reached Gaul and begins the upgrading process that will turn it from a half-strength infantry legion to a full consular army.

    226 – Pompey the Great enters Egypt.



    Queen Cleopatra is not a person to be trifled with, but after much discussion she agrees to an alliance with Rome.



    Gaius Seleucus Olympicus arrives in Alexandria to oversee the status of this new alliance, and the celebrations thrown by the queen in her palace last for five days.



    After that, a very different diplomatic interchange takes place, which is left to those playing their own Centurion game to explore. Suffice it to say, Gaius finds Egypt much to his liking. Pompey is just happy to keep his army intact for the coming battles and his head firmly on his shoulders.

    225 – The Cyrenaican marauding army that had been rummaging around the Middle East boarded a fleet in the Levantine coast. Fleet I moved to intercept it.



    Although the Roman flagship was, once again, destroyed by an enemy boarding action, the Roman fleet prevailed with the loss of only 8 ships.

    224 – The Scythian marauding army invades Thracia! I Italica, a full strength consular army, defends the province.



    The enemy army is all cavalry – a dreaded notion for the Roman mostly-infantry fighting formations. However they do have one weakness – their leaders like to lead their assaults. With that in mind, Scipio Africanus orders one infantry cohort to move forward to where the enemy general is expected to ride. Contact is made before the rest of the enemy army impacts on the Roman lines, and their leader’s demise disheartens them before they have the chance to cause too much damage on the Roman infantry.



    What’s more, that advanced cohort is now free to turn on the flanks of its nearby enemy units, causing them both to flee the battlefield. The remaining Scythians are still tough as nails, causing the Scipio’s army 2971 casualties for their 1277 dead. But the day is won, and the seemingly invincible Scythians have been driven away.

    223 – Pompey, having had enough Egyptian pomp and pleasure, decides to take his army to Syria.



    His scouts tell him it’s a desert land of merchants and seafarers. They obviously haven’t been to Antioch. King Antiochus is unreceptive to entreaties of peace and alliance, so it must be war.



    The Syrian army is rather small, so Pompey has little difficulty in defeating it with his massive army. His 1258 casualties can be replenished from local Syrians.

    222 – The people want more gladiator shows, and Seleucus is only too happy to oblige, having a large surplus in his treasury. Spartacus wins his fourth bout, against a bigger gladiator named Cassius.


    The crowds go wild. For the rest of the evening children can be heard playing gladiators in the street. Of course, after this latest victory everyone wants to be Spartacus in their games, so the shouts “I’m Spartacus! I’m Spartacus!” resound across Rome.

    In Sarmata, I Macedonica is ready for its fateful invasion of Scythia, a region no one in the past has conquered. However, Labienus, commander of II Germanica is not comfortable with Lentulus, an inferior general in his book, getting the glory of conquest, especially as it was II Germanica that had taken Roman borders so far to the north-east. So, he marched his cavalry legion ahead, without waiting for Lentulus.




    Scythia is an unwelcoming place, and Labienus had the point driven home by several Scythian arrows.



    His battle line tried to contain the enemy advance, but before long his legionnaires were overwhelmed.



    Seeing all chance of victory crashed mercilessly under the hooves of Scythian horses, he sounded the retreat. He and the aquilifier, along with a few more survivors got back to Sarmatia to tell their stories. II Germanica had lost an astounding 4401 men – only 99 remained alive when the legion was regrouped in Sarmatia. But their sacrifice was not completely in vain. The Scythians had lost 603 horsemen, more than a third of their army.



    As Lentulus passed the frightened remnants of II Germanica on his way east, he was silently grateful that his job had become significantly easier.

    The legionnaires of I Macedonica outnumber the Scythians six to one. Still, those seem like balanced odds.



    The enemy general, Chrysogones, attempts to sweep right, but the wider Roman line has several chances to outflank individual enemy units. Even so, the Scythians fare well for a while, until Lentulus’ numerical superiority wears them down completely.



    Of the defeated Scythian army, only 37 horsemen were captured alive. I Macedonica had 2566 casualties, but its mission has been completed. Scythia is Roman.

    Further south, Cornelius Scipio also left Egypt, this time towards the east. The lands of Arabia had sent many an army against the might of Rome, even threatening Italy itself at times. Now, the time for retribution has come.



    The Arabian army’s morale is weak, but its numbers are strong and quantity is a quality of its own. Following Pompey’s successful tactic in Syria, Scipio opened a gap at his center, drawing the impetuous Arabian cavalry in and routing them by attacking from their sides.



    That took care of the first wave of enemy cavalry, and the Roman horsemen dispatched the second wave, at the wings of the formation. But the third wave was more cautious and attacked along with the infantry, this time actually doing some damage. Ultimately, the Roman legion won a victory, with 2513 casualties for 2086 dead Arabs.

    Only six more regions remain for total domination...






  6. #6

    Default Re: Centurion: An AAR

    Part VI

    221 – Cilician pirates are on the loose! A Roman treasure fleet is captured, and all the year’s tribute is lost. This might have been a cause for concern if Seleucus wasn’t already filthily rich. The Cilician pirates have been a constant thorn on Rome’s side. With Pompey’s army right next to their bases of operations, it looks like the time has finally come for them to learn a lesson they’ll never forget.

    Surely enough, II Italica crosses into Cilicia and the locals get a taste of what it’s like to have their pirate bases invaded by land.



    A defensive army is mustered, but it is no match for II Italica.



    They manage to kill 1201 Romans, with the courage that is the result of despair, but their own casualties are 2458.

    Meanwhile, Seleucus decided to let I Hispanica rest after the conquest of Arabia, and instead of strengthening it in Egypt, raises a new legion, I Aegyptiaca. It is the seventh legion, and will aid in the final push towards Parthia. Trebonius is appointed to command it.

    220 – One last marauding Cicilian army remains in Asia. It has the choice to try and liberate Cilicia from II Italica. But instead, its commander evidently prefers to try his fortune in an invasion of Thracia, which, if successful, will open up the gates to Greece and the rest of the inner provinces of Rome. I Italica defends Thracia, as always, and meets the Cilician army as soon as it crosses the Hellespont.



    The Cilicians put up a good fight, inflicting 2303 casualties on I Italica, but they are duly eliminated. Cilicia has played its final card and it has lost.

    The senate approves a new road building project, which swallows up half the gains for this year. Seleucus doesn’t worry much. He’s currently not as rich as he was a few years ago, but he still has more than enough funds to proceed with his ambitions.

    An Attalid marauding army appears in Asia

    219 – The Attalid army moves to Armenia. A second one is raised in Asia. Looks like Rome has a new major adversary. All Roman legions and armies retrain. I Aegyptiaca moves to Arabia.

    218 – A gladiator show is sponsored in Sicilia. One of the Asian armies moves to Pontus, while the other one boards a fleet in the Aegean. The Roman Fleet I moves to intercept it. The Roman flagship is sunk, along with a few other small ships, but the enemy fleet is destroyed.

    Meanwhile, I Macedonica, back from retraining in Sarmatia, enters Armenia.



    Seeing all the wars between Rome and its neighbours go Rome’s way, and four legions in their vicinity, the Armenians agree to an alliance!



    Trebonius, commander of I Aegyptiaca, seeing that Rome now has common borders with Parthia, decides to tighten the noose by invading Mesopotamia.



    His preparations for a fight were overly cautious, though, as the Mesopotamians happily agree to an alliance.



    This has been an easy year. Almost too easy...

    217 – The marauding Asian army in Pontus boards a fleet in the black sea, no doubt aiming for the unguarded Roman provinces of Sarmatia and Scythia. But Fleet I is on standby in the Aegean Sea, and can thus move to intercept. In the resulting sea battle, both fleets sustain heavy casualties, but the Roman fleet, without its flagship, prevails.

    216 – A marauding army appears in Parthia. Two praetorian armies and one cavalry legion are guarding the borders. II Italica, the best army of the three, along with I Macedonica guard Armenia, I Aegyptiaca guards Mesopotamia.



    Calculating that it would make strategic sense to have at least two good armies defending against one Parthian army, I Aegyptiaca is moved to Armenia, since Mesopotamia is deemed indefensible. I Italica has just reached Thracia and I Hispanica hastens to Syria. II Germanica, the only other legion that has not acted this year (except for I Germanica which is permanently stationed in Britannia), invades Pontus, with the aim of providing a direct land link between Thracia and Armenia, and also of expunging its previous humiliating defeat in Scythia.



    Mithridates’ army does not approve of such plans, though, so battle is inevitable.

    Anticipating a lot of elephants, Labienus orders his cohorts to form a wedge formation. Mithridates brings to the field six units of elephants, which he aligns in front of the center of his line.



    Labienus orders his cohorts in the center to move to the sides, opening a large gap in the center, to act as an elephant alley, where the enemy beasts can charge without inflicting damage, while they are attacked from their sides and neutralized. Despite the success of the plan, two cohorts prove too slow in the face of the elephant charge, and are annihilated.



    The Roman flanks then regroup and take on the enemy units in melee, as the lines are too scattered to effectively control. Roman casualties end up being higher than Pontic ones (2400 against 2069), but Pontus yields to the authority of Rome.

    215 – Parthia attacks Armenia. With two consular armies and one cavalry legion, the province is in little danger of being conquered, but Parthians are still to be feared. II Italica forms the first line of defense. The Parthians attack in a double line of all cavalry, headed by – oh joy! – their general in front!



    Pompey recreates Scipio Africanus’ Thracian defence against the Scythians, and the results are beautiful. His one forward infantry cohort kills the enemy general and has time to turn on the flanks of the enemy cavalry charging by its sides, amid the confusion further back the enemy lines, while the Roman cavalry wings attack the flanks of the enemy. The Parthians were demoralized, and many units left the battlefield, but many kept fighting, slaying hapless Romans with mad abandon.



    Roman numbers finally bore down on them, and Pompey’s army was victorious, albeit at a cost of 3508 casualties. The Parthians lost 1493 men, and their army is no more.

    I Italica enters Asia, the only region west of Parthia not under Roman control.



    King Attalus foolishly declines Scipio’s offers of reason, and battle ensues. The Asian army is not famous for its morale, but it’s well balanced, with elephants and cavalry supporting an unimpressive body of infantry.



    Scipio attempted to orchestrate a typical elephant evasion tactic, but things didn’t quite work out as expected. There was confusion among some cohorts, and the maneuvers took too long and weren’t implemented as well as were expected. The result was that the enemy elephants caused some disarray in Roman ranks, which was exploited by the victorious Attalid cavalry. Scipio Africanus still attained a victory, but it was at a cost of 3438 of his men, as opposed to 2718 casualties from among his enemies. Nevertheless, Asia had fallen, and now only Parthia remained to make Rome the indisputable master of the western world.

    214 – The saga ends. II Italica, I Macedonica, I Aegyptiaca and I Hispanica surround Parthia, ready to invade. Pompey, being the best general with almost the biggest army (only a few men less than I Macedonica), leads the invasion.





    The enemy general concentrates the weight of his cavalry on the Roman right, which allows the Roman left to dominate their area of attack. However, the right crumbles, and Pompey tries in vain to reorganize his left into a line that will withstand the immense Parthian pressure.



    In the end, there is no option than retreat. II Italica suffered monstrous casualties – 5960 out of 6420 men. But the Parthians lost more than half their army – 1364 horsemen. There would only be 1036 Parthians to defend against the second Roman attack, and even if they somehow managed to prevail, there were two more legions ready to invade them.

    The second attack was conducted by I Macedonica, led by Lentulus. The parthian cavalry was small in number and scattered, which allowed Lentulus room to maneuver.



    The Parthians put great pressure wherever they attacked, and would not retreat even when their general was killed.



    They fought the Romans stubbornly, until they all fell to Roman pila. I Macedonica mourned 2834 casualties. The Parthians were annihilated.



    A Macedonian army once again marched into Persia, but this time under the banners of Rome.





    213 - Gaius Seleucus Olympicus returned to Rome in triumph, bringing plentiful plunder and exotic prisoners.



    Rome’s borders stretched from the western islands to the mountains of Persia.





    Pax Romana would protect the world from the disruptive influence of wars and pillaging. The republic of a single city had come to encompass the world. That was something extraordinary, but also ultimately unwieldy. Already many of the conquered peoples of Rome had attained Roman citizenship. The empire was hard to govern, and the politics of the Roman senate were at the whim of rich and conceited patricians, who had done nothing for the building up of Roman glory, other than buy out the lands of poor soldiers, getting rich off of an increasingly impoverished lower class. The plebeians loved Seleucus because of the glory and progressiveness he represented. With the loyalty of Rome’s conquering legions at his disposal and no external enemies to distract him from his plans, there were no limits to what he could accomplish within Rome, after accomplishing so much away from it. As the crowds cheered his magnificent triumph, there was only one ominous phrase, whispered from some unknown auger, which made an uncomfortable dent in the back of his mind.



    “Beware the ides of March”



  7. #7
    Caillagh de Bodemloze's Avatar to rede I me delyte
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    Default Re: Centurion: An AAR

    I admit I haven't managed to read the whole thing yet, but so far I'm enjoying this.

    It's a great idea to preserve this AAR and let us read it at the same time - thank you for sharing it with us!






  8. #8
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: Centurion: An AAR

    I see what you mean about this game being a spirtual ancestor of TW games. Great AAR!

  9. #9

    Default Re: Centurion: An AAR

    I'm happy you enjoyed it.



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