The Dawn of a New Age - A Roman AAR

[Shacklock]

So, this is my first AAR, after reading them for so long I fancied testing the waters myself. This one is somewhat of an experiment really but we’ll see how it goes.

The Dawn of a New Age
The Roman Republic

Excerpts from the writings of the historian Vibius Sornatius








Our great and learned nation has come so far from the single city-state it was in my grandfather’s days. After many bloody years of waging war upon the treacherous Samnite and Latin tribes, The great Roman Republic's borders now stretch south across all of central Italia and our nation flourishes.
But alas, with such fortune came less than desirable consequences, in the form of Magna Graecia. These overly proud Greeks mock our society and label us barbarians. As if that were not enough, the cowards of Tarentum, fearful of our great nation called for Pyrrhus king of Epirus to destroy the Republic and enslave our people!

This Greek tyrant landed on our shores in the spring of 280 BC. the first engagement being fought betwixt the king of Epirus and the courageous Consul, Valerius Laevinus. The brave legions of Roma would have won the day if not for Pyrrhus’s cowardly use of great, queer beasts that sent our cavalry fleeing. Though the Greek king had won the day, great casualties had been inflicted upon his force.

Licking their wounds for nigh on a year, the Greeks mobilized once more, resulting in a titanic clash amongst the foothills of Apulia, just outside of Asculum. Publius Decius Mus, former Consul and general of the Republic succeeded, with much personal heroism, in thoroughly crushing the Greek army, though at great loss to his own, even slaying the foul tyrant of Epirus in personal combat.

[Shacklock]

Chapter One – Survival
277 BC –

I find myself taking up the quill once more to chronicle this, our fledgling nation’s first bloody years

It is the year 277 and already the Republic is threatened once more. To the north the savage and barbaric Aedui peoples descend upon the recently claimed plains of Liguria. Even having the audacity to besiege the province’s chief town of Genua!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

277 BC – The Battle of Genua

Our ‘leader’ Vibius Gallicus, vainglorious fool that he is! He had been so sure, so certain that we so few noble Romans could turn back the barbarians at our gates. His pride cost us oh so dearly…

The Aedui brought up two crude rams to the palisade. We stood in line awaiting our deaths, waiting for the wall to splinter and break, and when it did we fought, oh we fought. At first it had seemed we would prevail but so quickly the gods fickle favor turned against us. First one centurion bolted and then it was a tide of men, running for the translucent safety of the town centre. The last thing I saw was that idiot Vibius charging his horsemen into the opening and onto the spears of the Gauls.
Damn him!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The loss of Genua and the death of Vibius Gallicus bodes ill for the northern provinces of the Republic. Emboldened by their success, the Aedui tribesmen have swept south from the valleys and into the province of Etruria, threatening the lightly defended city of Arretium. The gods are cruel to deal such twists of fate….

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Magna Graecia Campaign 278 BC

Though Pyrrhus himself troubles us no more, his impromptu legacy lives on through his followers and the citizens of Tarentum and whilst their leader may be dead, the armies of Epirus still stand watchful upon the borders of Magna Graecia waiting for our inevitable revenge.
And revenge we shall have. The vaunted hero of Asculum, Decius Mus, having spent the past two years replenishing the vastly diminished
Legio I at Arpium now prepares to march upon Tarentum and drive the Epirot aggressors from Italia for good. To teach those arrogant Greeks that the Republic of Rome is no mere upstart will be a sweet lesson indeed.
Though sadly the campaign will have to be postponed by half a year at least whilst the newly trained Equites in Roma drive off yet another barbaric raiding party to the north.

[Stilgar CG]

Uuuh, nice! Looking forward to reading the first chapter, Shacklock.

[Shacklock]

I hate that Fraps doesent work... Its killing me to Prnt Screen and copy + Paste every pic ><

[Dog Fart]

Shacklock, Fraps should work. Check and see where your pics are saved to when you load the program. They might be in your Fraps folder. Otherwise, print screen isn't so bad. You get better pics out of it.

[Dog Fart]

Sorry, good to see you start this.

[Shacklock]

It seems Chapter One is aptly named as I'm in somewhat dire-straits, though 'mostly' intended. Theres also a half-stack of Carthagianians wandering around that I'm unsure of. They havent attacked anything for two turns just wandered around near Tarentum...hmmh

Anyway thats all for tonight..bloody images *grumble grumble* Will finish off Chapter One t

[RedFox]

If you use the Print Screen button and go to RTW\tgas\ folder, you will notice very highly detailed screenshots, better than fraps ever could. The only problem is converting from TGA to whatever, which is easily achieved by programs such as ATI's The Compressonator.

It saddens me though that you did not have images of the mighty battle of Asculum.

[Shacklock]

Decided to start the AAR after the battle, it is a shame I agree, as it was one of the most closely fought and bloody battles I've fought for a long time in a Total War Game ^^