== The Mighty Brutii - an evolving history ==

[Tacticalwithdrawal]

I'm going to start posting here my SPQR campaign with the Brutii faction as it evolves with links to any battle walkthroughs I do. It's purely for my own enjoyment as I like writing it, but if some of you also like it and get a laugh from it that's great. This first post is a bit long as it's a condensed version of the thread I have in the SPQR forum. Other posts will be shorter.....

It is played under SPQR house rules, the main ones are:

1) No blitzing

2) No expanding beyond 20 provinces before Marius

3) Don't take major enemy settlements Pre-Marius

4) Legions should have only 10 cohorts split evenly between Hastati, Principes and Triarii + cavalry/light infantry/auxiliaries

5) No merc armies

A few of the other features are:

Roman troops can use a shieldwall formation, this puts them super-close to each other but house rules allow it to be deployed only in 2 ranks deep

Greeks & Macedonians have Sword Hoplite units, basically heavily armoured sword armed troops which support the phalanxes

Spartans are homicidal killing machines that never rout, fear them lots

All recruitment is 0 turn

Rome has no blacksmiths, weaponsmiths or temples that upgrade anything other than public order, all AI factions have these in spades (later in the campaign AI factions can recruit double gold chevron troops )

Don't know how LT has done it, but SPQR 5's AI is showing signs of intelligence

Anyway, enough introduction, on with the story
===================================================================================================
In the dark alleyways of Rome four groups of men moved towards a common point. Wherever they passed the local raptores recognised danger and drew back into the shadows. Reaching an inn the groups moved swiftly to the upper rooms, splitting up and sealing off the entrances, as wary of each other as of any outsiders. The tension of betrayal was thick in the air.

Finaly, only four men remained in the room, three throwing back their hoods and embracing happily, obvious friendship and respect on every face, the fourth, and youngest, standing slightly uncertainly to one side. Seeing the hesitation the three friends fussed around the man, treating him with utmost respect and serving him the choicest food and drink. There were no servants at this meal, no-one could be trusted to hear this discussion.

Move forward five years, on a given day at a given hour knives flashed in the dark, blood was spilled, poisons were administered and men died screaming in agony - and Tiberius Brutus, Flavius Julius and Cornelius Scipio ascended to the head of their respective families, while Marcus Maxentius, the young outsider, took control of the Senate forces.

Tiberius smiled, now all the pieces were in position, the expansion of Rome to her true position as Mother City of the world could take place. And, who knows, mayhaps some of the other families would falter by the roadside, the Brutii would rule.

270BC
Tiberius acted immediately, forming a legion and placing it under the command of his son Amulius, he despatched it to take Appolonia, having first ensured the Senate had ordered the move. Crossing the Adriatic, and dodging a powerful Greek fleet, Amulius landed his Legion on Greek soil and immediately set about laying seige to Appolonia. The Greeks were caught completely by surprise and Amulius ' legion stormed into Applonia killing 1324 Greeks and capturing 1943 slaves for the loss of only 5 men. Hearing that a powerful Greek army was heading North, Amulius moved his legion out of Appolonia, leaving a skelaton gaurd to hold it, and moved to the high ground.

268 BC
Moving North Meniones of Lampsacus was confident, he had a huge army under his command which included at its centre 4 units of the lethal Spartans, supported by Phalanxes, 2 Levy Phalanxes, 2 Cretan archers and 4 Javelinmen, no barbarian Roman army could stand against that. His scouts having located the Romans Meniones advaced, standing against him were 4 Hastatii, 4 Principes, 2 Triarii, 4 Velites, 2 Equites and the General. Meniones' plan was simple, the Spartans would crush the Roman left flank while the phalanxes pinned the right, then the Spartans would roll up the Roman line and victory would be his. The Greeks attacked.

Amulius immediately arranged his Hastati in shieldwalls and spread his velites behind that. As the greeks approached he moved his equites to his left flank, seeing the move Meniones countered by ordering two units of phalanxmen to support the Spartan's flank. The advance continued but now the Greek army was dangerously concentrated on its right. Amulius switched his cavalry back to his right flank and charged the now unprotected archers, a massacre ensued as all the archers were ridden down. Pilums and javelins rained down on the greek phalanxes as they approached, 4 of them routing before they even reached the Roman line, to be destroyed to a man by the waiting cavalry.

However, the concentration on the phalanxes ment that the Spartans reached the shieldwall reletively unscathed. The shock of impact echoed round the battlefield but the shieldwall held, and held, and held, and held ( :sweatingb ). The Spartans could not break through and the Principes were moving around to their rear. In desparation Meniones charged, only to be wiped out by three units of velites before he even reached the Roman lines. The Greeks panicked, the javelinmen and remaining phalanxes broke and ran, straight towards the waiting cavalry, another massacre ensued, the cavalry aided this time by Velites.

Back at the front lines the Hatatii shieldwalls were still holding ( ) and the Principes were now in place behind the Spartans. Half the Spartans fell in the next two minutes as volley after volley of pilums plunged into their ranks. Then the Principes charged, the Spartans turned to face them and were immediately charged from behind by the Triarii. As the slaughter continued Amulius lead his bodygaurds in charge after charge into the Spartan ranks. Finaly the Spartans lay dead, the battle was won.

2,116 Greeks lay dead, only 15 had escaped the field. 275 Roman heroes had died.

267BC
Amulius immediately lead his legion North and laid seige to Dyrrhachium. In desparation the Greeks threw 3 small armies forward in support of the town but to no avail. Roman engineering triumphed and 1364 Greeks fell for the loss of 37 Romans, 2448 slaves were taken.

In Rome though Amulius had lost control of the Senate, in quick succession they ordered the blockade of Corinth, which was achieved only by dodging large Greek and Macedonian war fleets, and the capture of Antigonea. Ignoring this order for the present, Amulius moved North to face the two greek armies his spies had detected and to capture Salona.

Meanwhile a small Greek force had moved into the farmlands around Appolonia, burning and pillaging those locals who had not obeyed the order to follow a scorched earth policy. Cassius Brutus lead his small garrison out of the town and confronted the two phalanxes, which promptly fled. Crowing with distain the Velites poured after the fleeing Greeks, but only managed to catch and kill one small group of 11. Snarling with frustration Cassius returned back to Appolonia and sent urgent requests to Tiberius for cavalry.

Amulius' scouts had located the army of Eumenes of Sparta, although slightly concerned that it was predominantly formed of archers and skirmishers, Amulius closed quickly and gave battle. The initial stage of the battle was over quickly, the Greek phalanxes (including yet more Spartans) advanced on the Roman centre supported by their massed skirmishers and archers.

Amulius immediately ordered his cavalry, supported by 2 Hastati and 2 Principes, to attack the Greek light infantry who retreated. A long drawn out series of feints, charges, retreats and counter-charges took place; the Greek skirmishers desperate to stay out of range of the Roman heavy infantry, the Roman heavy infantry desperate to close with them and trap them between themselves and the Equites. Meanwhile, the Greek heavy infantry and their general, now without light infantry support, was cut to pieces by the pilums and javelins, all 4 phalanxes and the general breaking (and being chased down and killed by the Velites) before they reached the Roman lines. Again, however, the Spartan hoplites reached the Hastati shieldwall, and again it held. This time however the Spartans were facing overwhelming odds and were quickly cut down. The main body of the army now turned to support the equites and the massacre of the Greek light infantry began 1525 Greeks fell for the loss of 238 Romans.

266 BC
Back in Italy things had taken a turn for the worse, two Rebel forces were now roaming the countryside causing havoc in the farmlands. Vibius Brutus led his army out and destroyed the southern rebel force although his lack of missile troops cost him dear and while 953 Rebels were killed, 358 Roman fell.

In the north the rebel scum had besieged Bovanium, in a fury Quintus Pavius lead his brother and 4 units of Town Watch out to confront them. Pinning the rebels with shieldwalls the two generals charged into their rear, 481 rebels fell for the loss of 71 Romans, Quintus was awarded a Laurel wreath for the victory.

In Greece Cassius Brutus again lead his garrison out against raiding Greeks, this time the Greeks stood their ground and Cassius too discovered his lack of decent missile troops. The Greeks were routed and 240 killed, but the Roman losses where a huge 108 men. Chastened Cassius returned to Appolonia and requested slingers as well as cavalry.

Further North, Amulius had laid siege to Salona, in an attempt to stop him Epicurus of Mylae marched south and attacked the Roman army with the Salona garrison under Captain Epidemus coming out to support. Much to Amulius' amazement, Epicurus waited for the Salona garrison to join his forces before launching his phalanxes against the Roman line (note - I think this is the first time I have ever seen the AI join its two armies together before attacking ). This time, however, the Greeks did not charge straight in, Epicurus pinned the Roman right flank with his light infantry, supporting it with 3 units of barbarian cavalry to protect it from the equites. Meanwhile 3 phalanxes and the general himself threatened the centre of the roman line, while the remainder of his army moved swiftly to move round the Roman left flank.

Unable to move his Hastati, Amulius quickly deployed his Principes to protect the left flank, while ordering his Triarii and equites to drive off the skirmishers on the right flank. Seeing these movements Epicurus ordered his centre to attack. The battle now broke into three parts, on the Roman's right the barbarian cavalry had counter-charged the equites, but had been caught by the Triarii and a unit of Hastati. Brought to a standstill by the infantry they were then charged from the rear by the equites. A furious melee ensued but there was only ever going to be one loser and the remains of the barbarian cavalry broke and fled. Freed up the equites set off to pursue the skirmishers, and the Triarii charged the rear of the Greek centre, killing the general and routing the phalanxes.

On the Roman left flank though things were a little bit more desparate. The Greeks had managed to flank the shieldwall while simultaneously pinning it from the front. The Principes charged to relieve the hastati and were caught up in another furious melee. Outnumbered things were going badly for the Romans but Amulius lead 3 units of Velites around the fighting mass and charged into the rear of the Greeks with them in support. The Greeks, however, held and Amulius was forced to withdraw and charge again three times before the Greeks finally broke. Salona had fallen, 3661 Greeks were killed and 1883 slaves taken for the loss of 319 Romans. Amulius was presented with a laurel wreath for the victory and a monument was erected on the battle site (and I went for a lie-down in a dark room ).

In the dying weeks of the year, Amulius embarked his men onto the fleet and moved them South to Appolonia, where more Greek raiding parties were threatening the town. His quick move trapped a small unit against the sea and 201 Greeks were killed for the loss of 26 men. Cassius Brutus also sallied forth from Appolonia and destroyed a small force, killing 483 Greeks for the loss of 35 men.

Amulius has completed his first orders, the Northern Adriatic is free of Greeks. Appolonia, Dyrrhachium and Salona have fallen, 12,359 Greeks and rebels lie dead and 4,391 have been lead into slavery. But the cost has been high, 1,472 Romans are dead with 1 Roman only being worth 8.4 enemies. A review of the army tactics is underway and slingers are urgently being recruited!

[slackker]

juz out of curiosity, the purpose of house rules to having no weapon and armour upgrades, is it to purposely handicap the human player and make the game harder?
i'm no tactical genius but i'm guessing it really takes lots of wits and nerveless excecution to actually defeat troops larger in number than yours and also of better quality, how do u do it?

[Tacticalwithdrawal]

Originally Posted by slackker

juz out of curiosity, the purpose of house rules to having no weapon and armour upgrades, is it to purposely handicap the human player and make the game harder?

yes, it kinda sums up what SPQR is all about.

Originally Posted by slackker

i'm no tactical genius but i'm guessing it really takes lots of wits and nerveless excecution to actually defeat troops larger in number than yours and also of better quality, how do u do it?

Actually, there tends to be a lot of swearing and desparate moving round the battlefield trying to work out what is going on

I've done one battle walkthrough, although with a not particularly well balanced army, (here ), I'll do some more if people are interested.

[Maethius]

Very interesting story! My battles are usually carnage that leavs only relief in my memory and not much detail.

[_GunneR_]

Hey this is kool thanks but a lil off topic where can i get this SPQR mod i can't seem to find it in the download section.... Much thanks

[Saint-Germain]

Go here.

[Lucpol]

I must say that my battles are not as exciting....but they yield the results!I agree=every soldiers life counts!Shame that many players will just apply brute force , while taking heavy losses, with no regard for tactics or strategy whatsoever.A good commander, is one who brings his troops home!Good story btw.