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.