[AAR] RTW: Rome: A Scipii AAR Part 1

[Kátz]

Note : Guys, Because this AAR is too big it's compiled into two parts.



Author : Benz282
Original Thread : Rome : A Scipii AAR

Rome : A Scipii AAR

Rome - A Scipii AAR

By Benz282

Intro:

This AAR is played on Rome - Total War Vanilla VH/VH, with slight graphical modifications. The most notable modification is to faction colors on the strat map; all Roman factions share the same color, while other factions have had slight changes. Sig1 animations have been implemented for the Roman units, and later in the AAR, I have Skymod by Archer enabled as well.

This AAR starts in 227 B.C. The Scipii have pushed Carthage out of Africa, assisted the Brutii in the conquest of Greece, and, under the supreme leadership of Servius Verius, have recently taken Anatolia from the Empire of Pontus. Meanwhile, the other Roman factions have been expanding to the north.

Things start out slow but the story gradually gets "deeper" as the AAR progresses. This is not your average "kill and conquer" AAR (though it admittedly starts out as one).

And without further ado, I present Rome.

-:-

Forward:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The year is 227 BC. There are three great powers in the world: the Egyptians, the Carthaginians, and the Romans. The Brutii have recently pushed into the heartland of the Thracian Empire, which had long since been the dominant power in Eastern Europe. At the same time, the Scipii pushed the hordes of Pontus out of Anatolia, though Pontus is far from defeated. The Julii have done little in the past decade, but their armies are strong and their aim is clear.

This is the world of 227 BC:


Note: Faction names have been written in because I have modded almost every faction's color. NOT LABELED: The Gauls, The Numidians, The Spanish/Iberians, Thrace, Dacia.

Here is a picture of Italy (to demonstrate how the Roman factions are separate, despite sharing the same color):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[img][/img]

Our current foreign policy:


And the current standings in the Roman Republic:


The Scipii have two major campaign under-way right now. The first is against the People of Pontus, which has recently succeeded in its first objective to take the Pontic homeland of Anatolia. Right now, the campaign is led by Servius Verius, the great hero of the East. He has killed more troops and conquered more territory than any other previous Roman general.

Servius' Army:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The second campaign is against the Egyptians. The war with the Egyptians began only 2 short years ago, but the Romans have already sent an army to seize Alexandria. The army was hastily prepared and is relatively ill-equipped for the battles ahead, but once Alexandria is taken, they will be able to stock up on fresh troops with better equipment. A task easier said than done:

Chapter 1 - The Beginning:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

It is now 226 BC. Servius has led his army further into Cicilia, and has advanced on the Town of Tarsus. Finding it being held by a Pontic army, Servius initiates an assault, hoping to take it before word of his arrival reaches Syria. He is however, unable to prevent a small army from assisting the defenders. No matter, they will be no match for Servius' hardened legions:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The battle commences and Servius orders his Ballistae to fire on the gates. Meanwhile, his archers fire into the city, cutting down any defenders careless enough to turn their back and expose themselves to missile fire:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The defenders retreat further into the city, out of range of Servius' archers. Once the gate is down, Servius rushes inside. It is a matter of pride for him; to be the first inside an enemy town takes a brave man and sets an example for his men. He must appear to be the strongest, to be the bravest, to be the best, so that his men's faith never falters.

Servius is immediately confronted by the General defending the town. The Pontic dog refuses to give the Roman a fair fight, so he brings a unit of spearmen along with him. Servius, undaunted, charges the approaching enemy. He seeks out the General, and slays him:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Servius then orders his legions inside the city. They quickly capture the gates and proceed to set up a defensive line to prevent any counterattacks by the defenders:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Pontic spearmen throw themselves at the legions, but hard Roman discipline and training allow them to hold them off. The innumerable, but weaker spearmen flee at the sight of such hardened warriors! The dead fill the streets and the legions move forward:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Servius then finishes off the rest of the defenders and takes control of the town.

Chapter 2 - Death of a Hero:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

A year has passed and the army under Cnaeus Albinus has finally anchored off the coast of Egypt. Their prize, Alexandria, is within sight. However, it is guarded by the Pharaoh himself, along with 3 chariot units. This battle might be harder than expected:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Closer inspection reveals that Pharaoh has a very interesting retinue. Now wouldn't you like to have that honorable "position"??


To the north, Servius' scouts have brough back reports on Antioch; the great general's next target. Apparently the heir to the Pontic throne is currently residing in the city. Royal blood will be spilled. Soon.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The next turn, Servius moves on the city and initiate a quick assault, not wanting to get caught up in a lengthy siege.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The battle begins and Servius orders his Ballistae to destroy the walls of the city. The process is long, but after hours of bombardment, the walls crumble. The Pontic heir is the only one guarding the void and Servius, seeing an opportunity to break the enemy's morale, charges into the gap. The Pontic heir is cut down almost immediately:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

...but by some cruel twist of fate, Servius falls immediately afterward:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The legions don't believe it. How could a man who had gained so many victories for the Republic, a man who had killed so many with his own hands, be dead? Surely it was an illusion! The legions push further into the city, leaderless, killing all in their path as if driven by an insane blood lust. But the legions push too hard and are cut off by a unit of cavalry. The Roman cavalry quickly relieves them, but by then the damage is done. There is now no doubt as to the fate of their beloved leader, and many choose to flee. Those that stay bravely fight on, eventually capturing the city:



The Pontic heir was dead, the city was taken. Pontus had been crippled by this battle, but a high price had been paid for victory this day. Servius' army now lacks the courage to fight, refusing to leave the safety of Antioch's walls. While Antioch was the last large Pontic settlement, there are many Egyptian towns that need to be taken to the south, including Alexandria....

Chapter 3 - Death of a God:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

With the death of Servius, Cnaeus Albinus becomes the only Roman general in the East. Upon learning of Servius' death, Cnaeus is deeply shocked, but realizes that he needs to be strong and that he must set an example for his men. Cnaeus vows to take all the Egyptian territory from Alexandria to Antioch, so that he might pay his respects to Servius and his army.

In order to fulfill such an oath, Cnaeus must first capture Alexandria. The city itself is relatively lightly defended, but with almost the entirety of Egypt's army located close-by, there will be a lot of hard fighting to keep the city. Cnaeus knows many good men will perish in the coming years.

Cnaeus' presence in Egypt is now known to the Pharaoh. Cnaeus orders an assault on Alexandria before the Pharaoh can call his troops to aid him. Killing the Pharaoh would create chaos in the Egyptian government, much like cutting off the head of a snake will cause the body to writhe in agony and confusion. This strike must be quick and decisive. The Egyptians' god-on-earth must die.

Cnaeus has his Ballistae disable the city's towers so his archers can move up and slaughter Pharaoh's troops from a distance:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The archers spot the Pharaoh's bodyguard, immediately thanking the gods that it is not made up of Chariots. They fire on the heavily armored cavalry, killing many of them while they try to flee to safety.

Pharaoh's Guard (Before):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Pharaoh's Guard (After):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Archers then turn their attention to the Egyptian foot soldiers, satisfied with the damage they have done to Pharaoh's guard. Then, Pharaoh suddenly returns, rallying his troops against the Romans! What he lacks in protection, he makes up for in bravery. Or perhaps stupidity.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

...However, bravery cannot stop arrows. And thus the Pharaoh was killed. The man who shot the final arrow is not known, but he one of the few men in the world who can claim to have killed a living God.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Cnaeus now orders his legions inside the walls. They quickly slaughter any defenders and make their way towards the center of the city.

Upon reaching the square, they are greeted by a contingent of chariots. It is hardly the welcome they expected. In response to such foul treatment, they throw their pila at their ungracious hosts, slaughtering them.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

With the charioteers dead, the only defenders yet alive were those of Pharaoh's Pikemen. The legions, vastly outnumbering them, swarm the square, capturing the city in the name of Rome.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

With Alexandria taken and the Pharaoh dead, Cnaeus prepares for the inevitable counter-assault by the Egyptian army's 4 1/2 stacks. Cnaeus leaves Alexandria in the hands of a cousin and a portion of his army. Cnaeus himself marches to the east and takes up defensive position on a bridge, knowing that the Egyptians will either throw themselves at his army or leave their rear flank exposed to him.

He settles in for what is bound to be one hell of a year...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Chapter 4 - The Servants' Rage:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Cnaeus Albinus and his army of just over 1200 men march east, into the swamps of the Nile Delta. Cnaeus had just sacked the Egyptian capital and killed the Pharaoh; he knew the Egyptians would be looking for him.

Cnaeus had split his force in two; one accompanying him to a ford on the Nile, while the smaller army stayed in Alexandria under the command of Nero Balbus. Cnaeus and Nero had grown up together and, while Cnaeus had always been the better leader, Nero had always been the better fighter. Cnaeus knew Nero would make good use of the troops he had been given, and was confident that the city would hold.

Upon learning of the treacherous deeds the Romans had committed, the Egyptian army raced to Alexandria, hoping to ensure their leader's death had not been in vain.

The Egyptians too split their forces, the smaller stack laying siege to Alexandria itself and the larger stack pursuing Cnaeus across the Nile.

Of course, Cnaeus had prepared for such a situation. When the Egyptians attempted to cross the river, Cnaeus ordered his legions to turn around and march towards the enemy...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The battle commenced and Cnaeus ordered his infantry to gather around the bridgehead. His archers lined up on the shore and prepared to fire on the approaching hoard.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Egyptians prepared to cross and fired on the tight, Roman formation. Casualties were limited, but those that died, did so in such a fashion that they absolutely must be laughed at.

This one was struck by an arrow in the hand. He freaked out, swung his arm around, and managed to get his shield stuck in his right shoulder. He proceeded to fall to the ground and cry. The reason as to his crying, be it out of shame or agony, is not known


The Chariots were the first to cross the bridge. They are formidable war machines and can, admittedly, make even the most grizzled veteran soil himself, but the Roman Legions held true, launching their pila at the charioteers, eventually causing them to rout.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Hardly a moment had passed before the bulk of the Egyptian army, that of the spearmen, reached the Roman side of the river.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Try as they might, the Romans were unable to rout the spearmen, their immense numbers apparently giving them a god-like bravery. Cnaeus saw this and, fearing defeat, charged into the Egyptian spears. The gods must have favored Cnaeus, as the Egyptians fled where-as they could easily have slaughtered Cnaeus and his bodyguard. Cnaeus chased the cowards across the river and managed to kill all but 100 men.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

--

As Cnaeus finished off the last of the Egyptian army, his men turn towards Alexandria and wonder what will be the fate of their comrades....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Chapter 5 - The Snake's Revenge:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

"Listen up men! Cnaeus has put all of you under my command. We are to defend this city from the Egyptians. This will, of course, not be an easy task. We have a only a few hundred men, where they have thousands."

Nero pauses, looking at his men's faces. He studies them. He sees the fear in their eyes; they do not trust that this man. They do not believe that this man, many of whom are older than, can lead them to victory. Nero raises his voice a little louder.

"Listen! This will be but your second battle, as will it be mine. I have not spent many years on campaign, but aye, neither have any of you!"

Nero's anger is becoming obvious.

"Cnaeus and I grew up together, he knows my talents. If he did not believe that I could lead you to victory, why did he put you under my command? I have every bit as much experience as Cnaeus does. I may not have been your leader when we first sailed here, but I am now."

The troops reluctantly, and indeed; half-mockingly, raise their fists and chant "Nero Balbus! - Victory!".

At this, Nero storms off, muttering to his aides "Fools! They will be the death of us all!"


...

The year is now 224 BC. Content with his victory on the Nile Bridge, Cnaeus marches further east, planning to turn south and take the Egyptian city of Memphis by surprise. This leaves Nero Balbus to defend Alexandria, alone.



Nero prepares his defense of the city with difficulty. Nero, never having proven himself in battle, lacks the respect of the men. Nevertheless, when the new Egyptian heir launches the assault, Nero's defending army go to their posts.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Nero's army is small; only two cohorts and two archers. The Egyptians bring two rams up to the walls. Nero orders his archers to try setting one of them alight, in hopes of evening the odds. The archers, in defiance, only begin firing after a long delay; too late for any chance of stopping one of the rams.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The rams breach the gate and take down a portion of the walls unmolested.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Egyptian chariots then rush the gate. Nero's Legions, still defiant even while staring death in the face, refuse to attack. This throws Nero into a fit of anger and he charges into the mass of chariots himself, soon followed by his bodyguard.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This bravery was not expected of him. The Legions immediately follow Nero and drive the chariots out of the city.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The rest of the Egyptian army throw themselves into the city, only to be slaughtered by the Romans. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Heir, Ptolemy Helios watches from afar. As his army clashes with the defenders, only to be driven out with little effect, Ptolemy repeatedly forces them to turn around and fight again. All that matters to him is that his father gets his city back; the lives of such worthless peasants mean nothing.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

After the last Egyptian within the city walls is slain, the men suddenly drop their weapons and cheer whole-heartily, "Nero Balbus! - Victory!". Nero is stunned but for the first time in his life, he feels that he is important. After being orphaned at an early age and spending his entire life in the shadow of his cousin Cnaeus, he finally feels like he has a purpose. A slow smile stretches across the face of a man who has known little happiness or joy in his life.

It is now, of all moments, that Ptolemy rushes through the gates. The entire Roman army is caught by surprise and Nero charges the Egyptian heir's immense bodyguard. Before any of Nero's legions can respond, Nero is cut down.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Legions are enraged, and rush at Ptolemy, but the dog flees, having dealt the Romans a stinging blow. Nero's legions are unable to catch the swift cavalry, after having fought for hours on end. Nero's archers fire at Ptolemy as he flees, but are unable to kill the heir himself.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Even before Ptolemy is out of range, Nero's legions collapse to the ground, crying out in grief.



--

Cnaeus' Tent, 4 days later...

Captain Titus - "Sir, an Egyptian army has been spotted to the North-East of our camp. They are within 2 days march of here."
Cnaeus Albinus - "What are their numbers?"
Captain Titus - "We are not sure, but we are fairly certain they have over 1500 infantry, along with 250 chariots."
Captain Vibius - "Sir, if I may..."
Cnaeus Albinus - "What do you have to say?"
Captain Vibius - "Our scouts have located an undefended bridge on the Nile. It is to the south, within a few days march. If we make haste, I am confident we can reach it before the Egyptians catch up-"
***Messenger rushes into the tent, bows quickly to the guards and approaches Cnaeus***
Cnaeus Albinus - "What reason for such haste, man!? And why do you appear so nervous?"
Messenger - "I...I br-bring word from Captain Lucius, s-sir."
Cnaeus Albinus - "Lucius...?"
Messenger - "He is in charge of the garrison of Alexandria, sir. He asked me to tell you that the Egyptians have been pushed back. The city is saved."
***The room bursts into applause and cheer***
Cnaeus Albinus - "Aye! This is joyous news! Why do you say it so solemnly?
***Cnaeus realizes something is wrong. The Messenger's eyes dart. "He is scared..." Cnaeus thinks to himelf.***
Cnaeus Albinus - And what of Nero Balbus? I believe it was he who I left in charge of Alexandria"
***Cnaeus' question is only answered by silence. All is quiet in the tent. Though no answer is given, everyone in the tent knows the fate of Nero. Cnaeus' eyes begin to water***
Cnaeus Albinus - "He cannot be dead! He was the champion of our academy! He was a better swordsman than even I!"
***A long silence ensues, only to be broken by the ever-solemn voice of the messenger***
Messenger - "After all the Egyptians were dead, the army began celebrating Nero's victory. While our backs were turned, Ptolemy rushed in behind us, catching us off guard. Nero charged into Ptolemy's guard in hopes of saving us, but he was outnumbered and was quickly cut down. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to kill the treacherous dog, and he has escaped."
***Upon hearing this, Cnaeus turns his back to the messenger and walks to the back of the tent; his private quarters, knocking down many-a expensive objects on the way.***
***Cnaeus turns back to the messenger, eyes red, and points at him, then shouts***
Cnaeus Albinus - "There will be blood for this!"
***Cnaeus points at each of his captains***
Cnaeus Albinus - "We will make sure of it! They will pay for this!"
***With that, Cnaeus exits the room, leaving the rest stunned.***

Chapter 6 - The Old Enemy:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

With Cnaeus leading the campaign in Egypt, the noble Senators of Rome, in their wisdom, have requested that Lucius Victor take the Carthaginian city of Corduba.

Lucius Victor had sacked Carthage many years ago but did not invade Carthaginian-held Iberia in favor of securing the Roman's foothold in Africa. Lucius had gained much renown for his countless victories, gaining nicknames such as "the Conqueror" and "the Vanquisher". Needless to say, he was a great general and his talent was recognized when he was made faction heir at the age of 37, a great honor.

Lucius did however, have one great flaw; he was a bloodthirsty monster, massacring every Carthaginian settlement he managed to take. It was not that he found the sight of blood pleasing, rather; he felt that he needed to rid the world of the Carthaginians. To him, they were less than human. His many victories over them only served to cement this belief in his mind.

Upon receiving the Senators' request, Lucius summoned his army of Republican Hastati and set sail for Iberia. When he landed, he found the city lightly defended. Lucius immediately ordered his veteran troops to assault the city.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Lucius' army was outdated, but his troops had been hardened through countless battles. They knew what their job here was, Lucius' confidence in his troops never wavered.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

(OOC: for comparison, these guys have the attack of Urbans, though they lack their armor)

Lucius' Onagers flung boulders of incredible size at the Carthaginian walls. Meanwhile, Lucius planned how the battle would play out.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Onagers made short work of the walls and Lucius ordered his men forward...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Charging ahead of his legions as they advanced, Lucius declared: "These men are not your equals! They fear you, sons of Rome! So make them run, and when they do, you shall have their city! The women, the gold, the luxuries, the wine; it shall all be yours!"

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Romans, spurred on by Lucius, swarmed into the city and, as Lucius had claimed, the defenders routed surprisingly quickly.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Once the breaches were secure, Lucius ordered his Hastati onto the walls to finish off the last of the Carthaginian infantry, while he led the Roman cavalry deeper into the city.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Lucius soon ran into a small cavalry unit and hacked it to bits.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The defending general then charged into Lucius' rear, but was cut down by Lucius' ferocious bodyguard.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The battle soon ended and Lucius' troops began to sack the city...


--

Within a month, the noble Senators of Rome sent Lucius another message, along with the reward for taking Corduba. When the messenger arrived, Lucius was outraged to find the Senate had only sent him 1000 denari. He was further angered by the Senate's request of him to take the Saharan Desert from the Numidians. Lucius dismissed the messenger and decided to concentrate on securing Iberia, in defiance of the Senate's orders...

Chapter 7 - A Plan:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

5 Days after Nero's Death - Morning

Cnaeus is putting his armor on, getting ready to begin the day's march. Cnaeus slowly sits down, holding his helmet in his hands. The helmet is beautifully crafted, with red plumes and gold trim. However, Cnaeus does not stare at the exquisite craftsmanship, rather, he looks into the dark recess where one's head would be. He becomes lost in the void, his consciousness suddenly taken from him by his ever-wandering thoughts...

Captain Titus - "Sir?"

Cnaeus, shocked by his sudden return to reality, drops the helmet and looks up at Titus, who is obviously concerned.

Cnaeus Albinus - "Yes? Are the troops ready to march, Captain?"
Captain Titus - "Aye. They await your orders."
Cnaeus - "Ah, good then. I will be out shortly."
Titus - "What direction do you want the army to march, sir? I will go ahead and have them begin."
Cnaeus - "We will march to the south, as Vibius suggested last night."
Titus - "I will alert the troops, sir."

Titus heads for the entrance, but turns as he opens the tent door.

Titus - "We all lose people we care about in war, sir. Take comfort in the fact that we are on our way to get vengeance."

With that, Titus exits, leaving Cnaeus alone. After a few moments, Cnaeus sighs, then stands up and walks out of the tent, into the dazzling sunlight of the desert...

--


Cnaeus and his army head to the south, hoping to lure the Egyptian army to the North-East into a deadly bridge battle. Instead, when Cnaeus reaches the bridge, he finds that the Egyptian army is no longer following him, and decides to march directly on Memphis...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

11 Days after Nero's Death - Evening

Captain Vibius - "Memphis is a heavily fortified city with stone walls, it is nothing like Alexandria! We simply do not have the siege equipment necessary to take the city!"
Captain Titus - "I have served in the military longer than you have been alive, sonny. Yes, it is true that we do not have Onagers, but we do have Ballistae. They are not the same thing, but we will have to make do with what we have."
Vibius - "Titus, I mean no disrespect, I assure you. But what you are proposing is suicide! We cannot simply charge the walls and have any hope of victory. If we do decide to move on the city, we must hold off on an assault. At least until we have built ladders or rams."
Titus - "You would accuse me of proposing a suicide mission while you, yourself propose that we sit on our asses, waiting for the whole Egyptian army to attack us? That, good sir, would spell disaster for us all."
***The tent erupts in a frenzy, with various Captains and Centurions supporting Titus' plan, while an equal number of officers defend Vibius.***
Cnaeus - "Enough!"
***Silence...***
Cnaeus - "I will send word to Alexandria. I will have them send us another company of Ballistae. Until they arrive, we will lay siege to the city, fending off any Egyptian reinforcements. When the Ballistae get here, we will begin the assault."
***All those in the tent bow respectfully, though the two sides obviously still wish to argue.***

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

12 Days after Nero's Death - Midday

Cnaeus' army lays siege to Memphis, waiting for the Ballistae from Alexandria to arrive. Unfortunately, Cnaeus learns that 2 Egyptian armies are now in the area. He is relieved, however, to learn that they seem to be headed for Alexandria, as apposed to his army. He does not want to lose Alexandria, but he also doesn't want to abandon Memphis.

Cnaeus is sitting in his tent, staring into his helmet as he had before. Titus walks into the tent, standing in front of Cnaeus.

Titus - "Why do you spend your days huddled up in here, staring into that helmet when it should be on your head?"
Cnaeus ignores Titus' remark, continuing to stare into the void. Once he is certain a response is not coming, Titus pulls a chair up and sits down, still staring at Cnaeus.

Titus - "I know you two were good friends, perhaps you even considered each other brothers..."

Titus pauses, hoping for some sort of gesture from Cnaeus to confirm this; his hope is in vain. Titus sighs, then continues.

Titus - "I have served in the military for 27 years. I joined the Hastati back when we were still fighting the Greeks. I left my family behind, seeking adventure and fancied myself a hero. I never married. I served in Sicily, then in your father's campaigns in Southern Greece. When you were born, your father had us army return to Syracuse, thinking we had done enough for Rome and deserved to live peacefully. When we docked, I came to the sudden realization that I had nowhere to go. So I wandered the streets, searching for something to grab my attention; something to do. As I walked through the marketplace, I bumped into an old beggar woman, knocking her over. I helped her up, being a good soldier, and as she thanked me, she looked into my eyes and said my name. Now, I had never met this woman before, so I was startled and tried backing away from her. But then I realized...she was my mother. After so many years of fighting, I do not know how she recognized me, but she did. She took me to her home, which was in horrible condition, and re-introduced me to my family. I stayed a few nights and I realized how much I had missed out on, going away on campaign so young. My younger sister, Fadia, was pregnant with a child. My brother had become a large landowner. And yet I had accomplished nothing with my life, except bloody my hands.

Titus pauses again, looking down at his aged, callused hands, lost in thought. Cnaeus, now becoming interested, drawing his gaze away from the void of his helmet and now looks at Titus.

Cnaeus - "And yet, here you are, back in the military..."
Titus - "They all died." Titus pauses again. "There was a plague in Syracuse that year, I was the only one of my family to survive."

Cnaeus looks back down into his helmet.

Titus - "Not knowing what to do, I went back to the one place I knew I could go; the legion. I served 22 more years, fighting in North Africa under Lucius Victor, then traveling to Anatolia and fighting off the Pontic Hordes, prior to the conquests of Servius Virius. The last few years of my service were under your command."
Cnaeus - "What do you want, Titus?"
Titus - "Well, in all my years of service, I have seen plenty of death, and I have passed many women mourning in the streets because of men I killed. I thought nothing of it; they were women, they should mourn. But when I see you, a full-grown man -and general at that!- mourning in the same manner a woman would, well sir, I cannot help but find fault with it."

Cnaeus, outraged, stands up and throws his helmet to the ground.

Cnaeus - "Is that all, Captain!?"
Titus - "Well, sir, I just thought you would like to know that Ptolemy Helios, the Egyptian heir, is governing Memphis and is now trapped within the walls of the city. When we begin the assault, you will surely find him leading the defense. When we encounter him, I will order my men to allow you to kill him; to deal with Nero's death as a man should."

Cnaeus sinks back into his seat and Titus exits.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

--

13 Days after Nero's Death - Dawn

Cnaeus is riding around the camp, screaming orders. Everybody is moving; the Roman camp is in chaos.
Cnaeus - "Get the horses out of here! Send them to scout ahead to find a way out! Vibius! Tell the other captains to get their men assembled and prepare to move out. Leave behind anything they do not need to survive. Tell them to leave any luxuries, else they will have to carry it along with the rest of their equipment."
Vibius - "Yes sir!"

Vibius exits, Cnaeus continues riding around the camp issuing similar orders. Titus rides up next to Cnaeus.

Titus - "Lucinius told me to find you, what's happened?"
Cnaeus - "The Egyptian army has surrounded us, we have to retreat or else they'll destroy the army."
Titus - "Is there a way out?"
Cnaeus - "I've already sent scouts out to find the enemy's exact position. Hopefully they'll find a gap big enough for the army to pass through.

Scout rides up.

Scout - "Sir! The Egyptians have brought an army to our south, they are advancing on the camp as we speak. Ptolemy has sallied forth and unless we move quickly, our legion will be caught between the two!"
Titus - "Aye, we knew that already! Is there any way to get past the armies?"
Scout (turning to Titus, obviously insulted) - "The southern approach is completely blocked off and we cannot move to the west, as Ptolemy would easily be able to intercept us. However, there is a small gap in their lines to the north-east, meaning we would have to march up the banks of the Nile.The opening is small, but it is still large enough to get the legion through, assuming we are able to fend off their cavalry long enough."
Cnaeus - "It's the only option we have...lead the men to safety, I will stay behind with my bodyguard to make sure they don't catch up to the legion."

Scout rides off.

Cnaeus (solemnly) - "Do you think this is the end?"
Titus (smiling) - "I think we're all about to find out..."

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Chapter 8 - The Last Stand:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Captain Vibius rushes into Cnaeus' tent, panting. As he enters, Cnaeus stands up, alarmed. After waiting for Vibius to catch his breath, Cnaeus asks Vibius what is the matter.

Vibius (calmly) - "Egyptians."


-:-

It had scarcely been 2 days since Cnaeus and his army crossed the Nile. They had been resting since then, confident the Egyptians had no idea where they had disappeared to. Little did they know that Ptolemy himself had discovered their where-abouts and had ordered an army to destroy the still-weakened Roman force.

With no other choices but to fight or surrender, Cnaeus rallied his troops and prepared to make his last stand. If the Egyptians are victorious here, Cnaeus and his army will be doomed.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As the Egyptian army approaches, Cnaeus orders the bulk of his army to hide in the trees, while he and his camel mercenaries stand against the Egyptians alone; trying to cause as much disruption as possible.

Somehow, the Egyptians know Cnaeus has done this and begin advancing on them. Cnaeus, dismayed, orders his cavalry to charge into their Egyptian counter-parts. the camels ridden by the mercenaries frighten the Egyptian horses, causing them to rout.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Despite this small victory, Cnaeus learns that the Egyptian army is already on the edges of the wood, within range of his archers. Cnaeus' legions, even though well-armed and armored, cannot hold out against the Egyptian army on their own. In order to save his legions, Cnaeus must single-handedly clear a path through the rear of the Egyptian army, then strike at the back of the Egyptian phalanx.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Cnaeus, realizing the gravity of the situation, orders his cavalry to charge one last group of enemy skirmishers. To Cnaeus' dismay, not only are there heavily-armored Pharaoh's Bowmen in the group, but as his cavalry is engaged, they are surrounded by a unit of Slingers.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As the Slingers open up, Cnaeus' camel mercenaries flee, leaving Cnaeus alone against the Pharaoh's Bowmen and Slingers.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian army had found the Roman infantry.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The stones continued to bombard Cnaeus' bodyguard. Cnaeus knew it was over; there was no way to escape this one. He would die here; fighting some petty skirmishers. When his army learned of his death, they would flee, only to be cut down. It would all end here.

Perhaps it was a miracle, but suddenly and without warning, the Pharaoh's Bowmen fled, causing the other skirmishers to rout. Cnaeus ordered his men to charge the Slingers, who then routed almost instantly. Then the Egyptian general appeared, and charged into Cnaeus' bodyguard. Again, despite seemingly-insurmountable odds, Cnaeus managed to cut the Egyptian general down.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Upon learning of their leader's death, the Egyptian army fled. The gods had clearly favored the Romans; not only did they survive, but they managed to slaughter almost the entire Egyptian army. It was a great victory, but it was not over. Ptolemy was very displeased at losing yet another army to Cnaeus. Luckily for him, the Romans were still trapped within his territory; within his grasp...