Interesting Campaign Stories?

[Kip]

Hey All!

I just started a campaign as the Seleucids, and it is one of the best games I've ever played! Alot of fun, and requires alot of planning. I had played a couple campaigns before (Roman) and had noticed the Egyptians are usually the dominant force in the east. I scouted and found their nearest settlement to be lightly defended, and besieged it. I click end turn button: Boom! Full stack attacks from nowhere, my army (halfish stack) was obliterated. Damascus was besieged, and I promptly lost it. This was when I planned for the future. I abandoned Hatra and Antioch, and marched these troops to Asia Minor, and took rebel settlements to settle there. I started developing a pretty good economy, but was facing repeated assaults on Pergamum from the Macedonians. To try to limit the growing Egyptian menace, I seized Cyprus and set up a blockade system on the entire Syrian and Egyptian coastlines, and have taken control of the Aegean from the Macedonians. Until I grow the strength to drive the Macedonians from Northern Asia Minor (Yup, they beat me to it), I will leave the weak Pontic territories alone. I plan to take the Caucasus and the Crimea eventually, before turning my eye back to the Syrian lands I lost...

You guys got any interesting stories, or just stories about fun campaigns? I'd like to hear 'em.

[Revan The Great]

If you want to see my documented campaigns visit the thread "Revan's Campaign Stories"

[Frost, colonel]

Hey All!

I just started a campaign as the Seleucids, and it is one of the best games I've ever played! Alot of fun, and requires alot of planning. I had played a couple campaigns before (Roman) and had noticed the Egyptians are usually the dominant force in the east. I scouted and found their nearest settlement to be lightly defended, and besieged it. I click end turn button: Boom! Full stack attacks from nowhere, my army (halfish stack) was obliterated. Damascus was besieged, and I promptly lost it. This was when I planned for the future. I abandoned Hatra and Antioch, and marched these troops to Asia Minor, and took rebel settlements to settle there. I started developing a pretty good economy, but was facing repeated assaults on Pergamum from the Macedonians. To try to limit the growing Egyptian menace, I seized Cyprus and set up a blockade system on the entire Syrian and Egyptian coastlines, and have taken control of the Aegean from the Macedonians. Until I grow the strength to drive the Macedonians from Northern Asia Minor (Yup, they beat me to it), I will leave the weak Pontic territories alone. I plan to take the Caucasus and the Crimea eventually, before turning my eye back to the Syrian lands I lost...

You guys got any interesting stories, or just stories about fun campaigns? I'd like to hear 'em.

I have got a seleucid campaign on the go from v4.4.
I like to develop in peace to some extent and let everyone else develop, but Egypt won't keep her hands to herself so I assaulted Egypt right from the bat and blitzed her pants off. This was the first time I saw an AI faction strip all the mercs out of an area for recruitment to counter my opening moves, which was a pain as I was trying to save money by hiring them later (next turn) for myself.

When I finish my Scipii campaign (which will be the first one finished since the first campaign I played in Vanilla) I plan on going back to the Seleucid campaign as Egypt only has one city left and I am marching towards it.

If you leave it long enough those Egyptians are going to be real huge. In one campaign I had as Armeania they had 20 stacks evenly spaced along just my border.

Do I presume you have given up your Elephant recruiting grounds at the moment?

[Revan The Great]

I never considered removing to Asia Minor, giving up land (particularly when it's half your provinces) is deplorable to me. But, Hatra is so backwater of an outpost that it can be a pain to hold. Really Seleucid Empire is in so fragmented, that it perhaps isn't a bad idea to pull back and consolidate into Asia Minor. Of course, I never had much problem holding on, simply due to tactical prowess with Phalanx, and later simply employing mass Chariots and Elephants. But it's an interesting idea to do for fun. Such as right now as Brutti i'm not touching Greece until Marius reforms, and am more or less dominating Julli's front and giving Scippi help once in awhile.

-Revan

[makeshift52]

It will be dificult to recover Syria, unless you Blitz!

[Kip]

I don't like blitzing, and am actually looking forward to the long wars ahead for Syria. I haven't played in a while, but here's what I'm trying to achieve:

War between Greece/Macedon ( I know I can't start it, but I'm hoping!). It will save me a lot of pressure from Macedonia.

I'm going to train three full stacks for an offensive into north Asia Minor, because I need to anchor my defensive against Macedon, hopefully by taking Byzantium and loading the garrison with archers. Pontus should fall quickly, and then I'll face a large front against Egypt/Armenia.

[makeshift52]

I hate blitzing, but I hate people who say they don't but do even more. Lol.

Sounds like you may have a challenge on your hands!

[Kip]

I'm hoping for a challenge! And don't worry, I don't blitz (But my definition is a little different...I don't just sit there and wait many years, but I don't train a million full stacks on turn one and send them to every city on the map at once lol...I only control Asia Minor right now and its been many, many years in to the game)

I played some more, and finally drove Macedon out of Asia Minor. I took Byzantium, but am facing a full-stack every other turn, and its draining my cash a bit. Pontus attacked me, and I destroyed their only full army in a massive battle (It was fun, but I made some tactical errors, and lost all my cavalry... IE I tried to drive out their skirmishers, changed view to manage my phalanx line and returned to find my cavalry decimated by Eastern infantry...so we'll see how my army does with no cavalry screens on the flanks, lol).

You got any stories Makeshift? Tell me about the campaign your in right now, maybe I can learn a thing or two.

[{nF}remix]

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=38218

Check out my AAR^, though its for BI...

[Kip]

That rocks, dude! I will definately follow it!

[makeshift52]

I am not that good a storytelling but here goes -

As the Julii, when the year turned 250BC, I had just secured the North of Italy, now in 220BC; I am fighting 3 wars simultaneously.

Land Wars

I took Dyrrachium at about 247BC on the Senate's command, and later Salona giving me a gateway into Greece. By 245BC Brutii secured Thermon, and o ease the stacks approaching Dyrrachium, I launched a naval invasion from behind, capturing Sparta, Rhodes and Kydonia. Corinth then rebelled against Greek regime so I steadily conquered that, Athens and Larissa. Finally, when Macedon assassinated a family member, I went to war with them, and took Chalcis. That Greek campaign finished at about 230BC - I defeated every stack in sight before sieging - my house rule.

Secondly, I expanded into Massillia, Narbo Martius. To relieve pressure, I finally conquered Gergovia, in 239BC. After this, Flavius the Cunning (10 Star, 9 Management and 10 influence) died in 238BC (he was born in 317BC). The faction leadership passed to his son, Lucius the Builder, whom died in 235BC, the year I conquered Osca. (Lucius was born 301BC). The Faction leadership then passed down to a Garrison Commander whom had been promoted - Publius the Butcher, where it has stayed since. He is currently 57 years old and has 10 command stars, 9 management and 10 influence. Now Athens makes 4560 profit and Sparta makes 4000 whilst Rhodes makes a pitiful 400 with no trade routes blocked or blockaded docks etc.

He has been the focus of my "Spanish campaign" which finished last year - 221BC with the storming of Gades. With my experienced legion I worked down to Carthoga Nova, across to Segovia (I think) and up again since the Carthaginian garrison looked too strong for my weakened yet battle-hardened legion. Carhago Nova makes 3450 profit every six months, with Ebryos (Palma) making 2560 per turn. That was the last thing which a certain Garrison Commander, Gaius Hordenstitus (I think) did before becoming a family member, where he has remained, and is approaching 63 and had four children!

I finally sacked the city where Bordeaux should be (Forget the Name) and Alevium (I think), with Publius, who then returned to Arretium to have the legion retrained after coming out of near disaster near Alevium - I got ambushed by 3 full stacks whom were fighting down an EXTREMELY steep slope. I have never seen steeper, even when I ski, each year!

Sea Battles

Right from 250BC I had the ambition to rule the waves! Quite suiting since I am British! I pounded out trireme until I could pump out no more and then crushed the Gallic Navies with pitiful ease. I then received an Admiral with 5 Command Stars (quite out of the blue) and so with him and the aid of 18 other quinquriemes I landed near Sparta and progressed. From Arminum I churned out quinquriemes until I ran out of money in order to defeat Greece in Naval warfare.

Eventually Sparta was seized and I produced quinquriemes from there. After a long and costly war, I removed Greece from the Greek islands and peninsula. They have just Syracuse left now! I began to disband gradually, as trouble in this area decreased with the loss of Greece, but sure enough, 5 years ago, a dispersed Macedon naval force mobilised. Speedily I returned the favour, with my treasury stuck at over 100,000 (an all time high for my SPQR campaign). They use quinquriemes and so do I. My concentration of power and my 9 star admiral are working wonders! I have finally gained the upper hand.

Carthage! What a nation! They used to own Sardinia and Corsica. I took Corsica on the Senate orders and the Pluvium on Sardinia. Thinking that Carthage would respect my 20 unit garrison and leave me alone I shipped much of the population back as slaves. The very next turn 5 Carthaginian stacks appeared around Pluvium. Needless to say, their ELEPHANTS and SACRED BAND slaughtered my Hastati. This was back in 265BC.

I never quite forgot about that. So 20 years later - I deliberately sailed back in that year, I sailed back to stop any celebrations dead. I landed, butchered the garrison and populace with Princepes - the armoured elephants and Sacred Band had disappeared. And then I progressed on to take Caralis just 5 years later. I thought that would be the end of it. How wrong could I be? The next year, Carthage shipped 4 full stacks of powerful Poeni and Medium War elephants over to crush me. I sacrificed Caralis, concentrated my forces under a competent general, shipped reinforcements and through a series of skirmishes, mainly of through attrition, I gained the upper hand. They retreated onto a boat! The next turn, something like 10 stacks turned up with those missing Sacred Band and Elephants. I narrowly avoided defeat, through the suicidal charge of their faction leader. He perished, and then an orderly retreat fell into a rout as my inferior equites sliced through the Iberian infantry. One down, 9 to go. The final stack contained the elephants and Sacred Band. I only defeated this through my velites and because they had a captain, no general.

Carthage still lands occasionally and then brings the troops off to fight on Sicily. In Sicily, Carthage gained all provinces except Messana and Syracuse. Then Scipii forced them back to Lilybaeum. They landed more troops and fought back bitterly. Syracuse was seized by my intervention and then left for the Scipii to take. They duly did this. Then Greece landed a stole it back from Scipii. I fought on the side of the Scipii, in the field, but casualties mounted so I retreated via the land bridge back up into Gaul.

Carthage has tried to take Ebryos back from me - they have landed 3 stacks 4 times. Since 239BC - the defeat of Greece, I conquered all of the seas in the Mediterranean, using my extensive quinquriemes and admirals. I left Egypt and near Carthago well alone since I respect both naval might’s. I do not wish to anger Carthage even more - I have the resources to fight them but not the willingness to. They are the Strongest Faction whilst Egypt is the most advanced. Brutii are currently toppling Macedon with surprising ease.

Other "Unclassifiable info"

I have won 298 battles, and lost 34. Only 5 of those were lost on land. I have waged a constant and bitter war with Gaul, and have killed over 300,000 Gauls to this day, in this campaign. This works out to more than Caesar - (multiply your kill number by 3 for real life). I have competent family members (the first campaign ever for me to have gifted family members ). I have not blitzed because I have played by the house rules of Lt and my own added one - You must defeat all visible stacks in an area before you can lay siege to a settlement.

When I refer to legion it is pre-marius. It is historically accurate. When I refer to landing Princepes, they were only reinforcements and were incorporated into an all Hastati garrison to make it a legion. I have has tremendous fun writing this and playing this campaign. Thanks ever so much Lt for making my life worth living(not really but for dramatic effect).

If you have any questions about anything just post. If you want to know any more just post. I will only be too happy to comply!

[Frost, colonel]

Land Wars

- I defeated every stack in sight before sieging - my house rule.

Do you always stick to this rule?

I say this because playing as Scipii against Armeania, when besieging one of their major cities I was attacked all in the next turn by three stacks that tried to relieve the siege.
The besieged stack twice sallied. Meaning in one turn I had to fend off in some of the hardest fighting I have done, a 2 stack(coming from front and rear at the same time without me being able to deploy in advance), a nearly 2 stack and a 1 stack. All had nellies.

What I mean is that a siege can be a real stack magnet for some decent AI outnumbering and frantic fighting. Destroying each one may lesson this massed relieve the siege effect?

[Revan The Great]

*raises hand*

How in the HELL are you getting Carthage to actually land stacks on Islands? In all my campaigns they only RARELY ship something to help in Sicily, but that's it.

-Revan

[makeshift52]

I just play, but I have touched Carthage nowhere else. It has done this of its' own accord. It is winning on Sicily which must mean it has more troops to spare.

[Kip]

Nicely written... I like how you kept track of your family members! Are your wars starting to slow down at this point?

In my campaign, Egypt hasn't touched me for several years, and I think the blockade I've set up is choking out their funds (Every Egyptian port has atleast two biremes in blockade...every couple years I have to stamp out a fledgling Egyptian fleet with my main fleet prowling the Eastern Mediterannean). Pontus is already on the defensive after I crushed their first army, but Macedon is still an increasingly looming threat...

[makeshift52]

Well, in 220BC (Winter), some man called Gaius Mrius decided that I couldn't retrain my excellent princepes, and would give me instead, REPUBLICAN LEGIONARIES. I shouted "yipee" and ran around the room and then swiftly trained six of them. Update is below.

Before Marius

Publius the Butcher (Faction Leader) reached Lemonum, and besieged it. This was a strategical move - there was a massive garrison, I had no intention of fighting to get into there (No way!), it was to relieve pressure from my newly formed chain of forts. I constructed 7 forts, each one blocking a way into Gergovi or Narbo Martius. They have been so effective, that no army has penetrated them. There is a second outer layer, which has had breaches. The idea of this, is to have minimal garrisons in the outer layer, larger ones in the inner, and about 2-3 units in the city itself. When there is a "second-level" breach, men are rolled up to the inner layer fort of that section. Only when that has 1 turn to go, with no chance of success, do I train for the defence of my cities. This method has allowed an inferior garrison to be mantained, and to prevent the cities from falling under siege, which doesn't cut Revenue.

There were a few "secondary level" breaches, which were countered by the reinforcement of the inner fort, which successfully sallied and destroyed all 5 breaching armies. More importantly, the Gauls finally recovered Alevium, which was taken by a full stack, and defended by two units of Hastati, which were massacred, but I destroyed all useful buildings in time. You can almost imagine the look on the Gallic Faction Leader's face when he saw my destruction !

The final of the son of Flavius the Cunning (10 Star, 9 Management and 10 influence) died in 238BC (he was born in 317BC) perished in Asculum, Vibius the Builder. He had 6 command, 10 management and 10 influence. Earlier on that year I achieved to have secure all of the Senate Offices, but Vibius died, taking with him the off ice of Pontifex Maximus. At this point, I had control of the seas, and financed an en masse release of spies, to spy around Side, which I currently possesed.

After Marius

This man influenced my life, caused my neighbours to inquire what on Earth had happened to the computer geek next door. Finally, Province restrictions were lifted, with cause for every other faction to be concerned! Here I come. My vast treasury grew, until I raised 6 legions, which bite a massive hole in it. It constantly drains it, but I still have 22,000 to spend - that is what I make. However, I will probably need to disband one or two of them, to return to normal profits.

I raised 9 cohorts and 1 named first cohort, each with a different name, and filled the rest up with auxilia, and if I had one, a general. They are hard to come by. My faminly goes from strength to strength, just at the wrong time. When I couldn't expnad due to pre-marius province house rule restrictions, I had excellent generals, but now I have excellent ageing generals, and my new generation are excellent governors. What a bu**er life can be. So I took a 'would-be' governor, and put him on campaign. Note, that Publius is still sieging Lemonum.

I have taken away the governor of Gergovia for "active-campaigning". He is part of my big push North. I have just laid siege to the Northern provinecs of Gaul. Province count - 41!

The Seas

Carthage are fighting back, landing Armoured War Elephants onto Ebryos, with Sacred Band. All has 3 Silver chevrons. They will have to be dealt with when they lay siege...

Macedon have ammassed a huge navy, in a bid to recontrol the seas, which has pushed my modest budget to the limit in attempting to counter it. I am still struggling, not knowing what to do. So I will push my luck, and try an hold on until Brutii exterminate Macedon !

Carthage have raised another annoyingly large navy - 3 full stack navies. I have successfully countered this, but no the split up ones, I live in fear until I conquer Gaul and Germania, so I can turn my attention to South Of Spain, On Africa, Good old Carthage. Not the city but part of their vast empire.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, perhaps any positive comments....

Thanks In Advance

[Revan The Great]

I hate the computer's navy spamming, it just wastes everyone's money

-Revan

[Frost, colonel]

I hate the computer's navy spamming, it just wastes everyone's money

-Revan

I quite like those AI fleets, they are a challenging nuisance as you have to be careful moving troops and they always threaten your income. so all in all a dimension that vanilla doesn't offer.

[makeshift52]

I know, normally I would have coped no problem, but the timing, as I was raising 6 legions...I'll get Macedon!

[makeshift52]

Once I start sieging, I never stop, just before I start sieging, and I always have a spy in the army - to increase sight range. I never stop sieging, sort of another house rule!