Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 3/3/12)
Well, it appears that Nevitta is destined to die in glorious and heroic circumstances. Better than dying as a governor or something in some squalid backwater province. By all rights I should have been destroyed in that battle...
I had only just got started on portraying Nevitta and he and Julianus were going hold hands and gloriously destroy all before them on the road to Constantinople. *sigh*
Finally a new update, though nowhere near as dramatic..
Chapter XXIII: Hail Caesar!
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Julianus was bleary eyed as the sun cleared the Alpine range behind Aquelia. He had little sleep over the last week or so, each day seeming to meld into the next to form an endless block of time. Julianus had been deeply affected by the death of Nevitta, one man he could truly trust in such difficult times. Julianus, though grief stricken, was immensely proud of the way Nevitta had handled his last battle, happy he managed to destroy the Quadi when so badly outnumbered. He had to perform the ceremonial rites in Aquelia due to a terrible plague which infected Roma. The citizens of Aquelia, formerly under Constantius' control had pledged their support for the claimant to the throne as he encamped outside. Here he gave his general a stupendous send off into the afterlife. His body was to be buried in Rome; after all, he had no idea of Nevitta's ancestral home. In fact no one did. He never spoke of home or family. The only thing to do was to send his body to Rome for interment.
It was not just his death weighing down on him, all manners of trouble were affecting him and changing his mood considerably. He learned of how close Constantius had been to him, only for his trail to grow cold and then the lazyges came pouring through the region to capture Poetovio, thus making his south eastern trek to Constantinople much more difficult. The Quadi were proving to be immense headaches as they sneaked through the backwater barbarian lands. The war against the Franks was taking too long. The Gaels had crossed over into Saxon lands. The Berbers were still stubbornly clinging to Russadir.
He turned from the sunrise to be confronted by Oribasius. He nearly jumped out of his clothes. 'Goodness grief Oribasius...do not sneak up on me like that!' he said testily. The smallest issues now seemed to set him off. 'I assure you my lord, I meant no mischief' he replied apologetically. Julianus waved it off. 'Never mind...beautiful morning isn't it? Pity about everything else' Julianus' expression was dark, as he thought of everything. 'Indeed...everything though has solutions. They just may not be so obvious yet' Oribasius said philosophically. Julianus sighed. 'I am sorry my friend but I am in no mood for the discussion and debate of lofty matters. Maximus has been in my ear ever since he arrived from Ephesus. Believe me, I adore such studies but to hear it endlessly drives me to the point of distraction when there are far more pertinent issues'
'Such as your successor?' asked Oribasius. 'Such as my successor' repeated Julianus in agreement. 'The sooner it is announced, the better' The pair walked back towards the Imperial residence and made straight for the audience chamber where a handful of men waited. There was Maximianus, Avidius, Maximus of Ephesus and a man that Oribasius was not yet familiar with though he thought he looked remarkably like Nevitta, as if he had arisen from the dead. There was also the high ranking official Marcellus Barbatus the Comes Domesticorum Equitum and a handful of scribes and attendants. They all stood and saluted the Emperor. He beckoned them to sit.
Wearily he spoke without greetings. He was going to do this now and make it quick. 'The time has come now to announce my successor. As there is difficulty in...conceiving...a natural born son, it is necessary for me to 'adopt' a man to be my successor. There were several candidates officially adopted by myself into the family, such as Decimius Valens and Phocas Corialanus, both of good stock however not ready for such lofty responsibility. He is a man some of you have already met...Flavius Silvanus' Julianus gestured to a middle aged, greying man who had a shock of grey hair, cleanly shaven and with dull blue eyes. Another Nevitta, thought Maximianus. Looks like him, of Frankish stock, pagan, even older too...Julianus must have noticed the smirk on his Tribunis Comes' face. The others remained unreadable.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
'I trust my decision will agree with your sensibilities Maximianus' Julianus stared at him for a moment. 'This is not up for negotiation under any circumstance. Silvanus will be running affairs from Aureliani whilst we continue eastwards. Which by the way, will begin immediately. I want all men ready to march in two days no later. Enough time has been wasted at it is. That will be all' Quickly Julianus turned from the room and headed towards his private study, sat down and begun rubbing his temples as a ferocious headache took hold, the strain of late manifesting in physical ways.
He grabbed at some parchment and begun quickly scribbling his thoughts, instructions as such. With Silvanus to head towards Gallia, he was to go towards Julius Athanaes at Colonia Agrippina and strongly urge the general to take the city at once. The war was simply dragging on too long and there needed to be some visible improvements in this area.
* * * *
'Ahhh....' said Magnetius. 'Ahhh...' he said again, stroking his chin, as if weighing up some mighty philosophical conundrum. 'Very good work exploratorae, thank you for your due diligence' Magnentius had a slippery voice, laced with double meanings and deceit. Scarcely anyone who came across him trusted him as far as they could throw a rock. 'I was wondering when they would betray my peace. They now sorely test my patience' He patted the scout on the shoulder, before beckoning for his horse. His retinue and the scout stood in silence for some time, the sharp gaze of Magnentius taking in all around him. After a time, his horse was presented to him. As he mounted, he spoke to the scout. 'Come with me' The scout obeyed and mounted his own horse and the pair rode out the gates and quickly covered ground towards the direction of the enemy.
'How many do you think there are exploratae?' The exploratorae bit his lip, thinking. 'I'd say over twenty five thousand of them. Plenty of spearmen and light troops. Some of those bastards that wield those massive swords two handed...oh and those naked fanatics too. Didn't observe any cavalry' he replied. Magnentius could see them across the plains and they were indeed in large numbers. 'Here is your orders. Go back north and immediately have the garrisons of the castellums report for immediate action. They are to combine their forces into a single entity...they will await a prearranged order from me north of here. We shall engage them from a distance...head on combat is strictly forbidden. They will do likewise once they receive the orders. I must stress they are not to engage them directly, only with missile fire. I shall wear them down, as will the border troops. Is that clear?'
The scout nodded and immediately peeled off to bypass the invading Gaels. 'You will not have my lands. You will rue breaking our treaty' he hissed to himself. He rode back quickly to the town and at once ordered the cavalry and the archers to join him. The mass of Gaelic troops marched onwards, thinking that the town was a pushover. Talorcan, the Gaelic war chief would be sorely mistaken. The milites sagitarii moved nimbly forward to within range and begun unloading their complement of arrows. They even found the time and space to light their arrows and burn the Gaels. The completely naked Gael fanatics found themselves at a disadvantage with the flaming arrows.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Magnentius lead his band of cavalry right up to the infantry lines, taunting the Gaels to attack and then unleashing their javelins. Numerous times the Gaels would charge forward, the naked warriors particularly impetuous but Magnentius would feint and then turn back and charge into them. The Romans begun enacting a high price, with Talorcan not willing to engage the bulk of his men. Magnentius even brought out his infantry to unleash their missiles but the Roman did not realize that the Gairlom themselves had their own and he suffered a few casualties. Upon emptying their missiles, Magnentius immediately fell back quickly, leaving the Gaels to lick their wounds.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The next day, with the border troops brought into action, Magnentius again sallied out and the two Roman forces closed in on Talorcan. Both sides brought their missile troops to bear effectively, as the Gaels attempted to run down the maddening archers and horsemen but were at a huge disadvantage. The Gaels could only go so far from their lines, any further and they risked getting cut off and then trampled by the cavalry, which happened on a few occasions. This went on for sometime in the sloppy weather before clearing later in the afternoon.
It all became too much for the Gaels. Talorcan, fuming and humiliated from his invasion, sounded the retreat through the mud but must have realised that a successful escape was very unlikely. Magnentius laughed sadistically when he saw this. He brought his cavalry around out of the path of Talorcan's bodyguards and instead went after the Gairlom and the other light troops. It was an utter massacre. Only Talorcan was able to flee the disaster. Magnentius let him go. He knew that for now Roman controlled Britain was safe, despite another warband just beyond the limes yet that was not a full
compliment of warriors.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Last edited by Justinian Australis; March 10, 2012 at 07:00 AM.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 7/3/12)
Short update...an unexpected...but not entirely unexpected...event just occurred that made me laugh.
Chapter XXIV: A Short Lived Appointment
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Flavius Silvanus had taken his time when leaving Aquelia. His surrounds at Lutetia had been far more sparse than that of the Imperial residence of the city, claimed from Constantius. Julianus had already departed several days earlier, so Silvanus took the opportunity to indulge in the Imperial life before setting out for the Gallic hinterland. As he had prepared to leave, he had been feeling light headed and dizzy, weak down one side of his body. He sought out the Imperial practitioners, who simply advised that Silvanus had been far too energetic at his age and would do best to spend some time relaxing, taking this herbal concoction and that and was then sent on his way even though his condition did not feel as if it was improving. They were the medical experts after all, thought Silvanus, so he trusted their judgement.
'So, Caesar...what now for you?' enquired a small, beady eyed individual with an ugly hook nose and sullen features. Aegidius was his name, who found himself in the employ of Silvanus as his personal bodyguard. Silvanus smiled as he looked at the slowly passing scenery, taking in the grassy meadows that were a deep green with recent spring rains. 'Well, Aegidius, a great deal needs to be done. Firstly, some friends of mine need some help with their current...predicament' Aegidius looked quizzically at his master. 'Why Barbatio and Arintheus of course...they languish on that detestable island and now shall be freed' His bodyguard frowned. 'I would not think that to be the most wisest of courses my lord..' Silvanus waived his hand airily. 'I did not employ you to think about such things...only that of my safety'
His bodyguard simply shrugged. 'You are Caesar after all, you have your reasons for recalling men that were exiled by the Emperor. I trust that you know what you are doing, your intelligence in all things has rarely let you down' Silvanus smirked. 'And don't you forget it. I do not plan on recalling them straight away...that would be far too obvious. In any case, the Emperor will be fully occupied with Constantius...and the lazyges I feel. There will be war with them, its inevitable' He paused for a moment before speaking. 'I am hungry...do you have some of that bread handy? Pass it here...' Aegidius looked at him briefly before rumaging in a sack to pull out a half loaf of bread. The new Caesar snatched at it greedily and tore of large chunks and stuffed it into his mouth. The pair sat in silence for the next several hours as they begun moving into the foothills of the Alps.
Silvanus clutched at his chest and stomach simultaneously. He looked pale and was sweating profusely. 'Are you ok my lord?' asked Aegidius. 'Of course not...you fool...' a round of coughing interrupted him. 'Pull the wagon over!' Scarcely waiting for the wagon to halt, Silvanus hopped out and stumbled on the side of the road. Almost instantly he wretched and then wretched some more. 'Good...lord...what is happening?' He slumped to his hands and knees, feeling short of breath. 'Help me Aegidius!' he gasped. Silvanus looked up to Aegidius who just stood there, not even helping, in fact looking bored by it all. 'What...are...you doing...' he asked breathlessly, in utter disbelief his bodyguard did nothing for him. Aegidius spoke casually. 'It will look as if you died of natural causes Silvanus...you are after all an old man. It will be over soon' A look of horror swamped Silvanus' pale and sweaty face. He fell to his side and curled into the foetal position, covered in his own vomit. Patiently Aegidius waited for the death throes to subside. After a while all was silent.
The bodyguard walked over to the driver of the wagon. 'Take his body to Lutetia and arrange for burial. I will return to Aquelia to announce the Caesar's death...' he grinned wickedly before finishing. 'Marcellus Barbatus will be most pleased...' He took a spare horse and rode away back to the south.
Last edited by Justinian Australis; March 10, 2012 at 07:01 AM.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 8/3/12)
Chamberlain: Hail Caesar!
Troops: Hail Caesar!
Chamberlain: Hail Caes... oh, no, never mind, he's dead.
Haha, I can't make my mind up whether he died of old age (as would be appropriate for a character in his sixties) or if he was actually assassinated. Either way, that was a short lived appointment. I particularly liked your previous update too, especially length wise, I love those long reads! I was going to comment on it last night but I was just too exhausted.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 8/3/12)
Two great updates there which I have just read and enjoyed. That scene with Flavius Silvanus was especially enjoyable - it was well written with a nice balance between the comedic and the tragic!
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 11/3/12)
Well, I leave it to your imagination as to whether he was assassinated or just died of old age...it's not unreasonable to expect that in those days a man of 60 was considered ancient and close to death...and that a barbarian upstart been appointed to Caesar would cause some jealousy to arise....
Thanks for the kind words SBH.
Chapter XXV: Pacifying the Frontiers
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Soldierly grumbling passed between the men, not the usual petty gripes about camp life and all that but the lack of gumption shown by their commander.
'Why are we still sitting here?'
'What a coward eh?'
'I bet he actually has a vagina...he can't have testicles, he is too indecisive'
Guffaws and snorts filled the tents and anywhere the soldiers stood gossiping, ill thoughts about their current predicament dominating their days. The shockingly cold winter had done much to destroy morale as the inclement weather dragged well into spring. Fires were stoked throughout the camp as the icy northerlies sapped energy. Those upon the lines of circumvellation watched miserably, counting down the seconds that dragged until their replacements suffered the same miseries. The men looked towards the command tent that was buttoned up, its occupants protected from the bone chilling weather. Adding to their litanies, rain settled in over the next couple of days and those caught in it felt as they were assailed by tiny pin pricks launched by the gales. Still they stood and waited, as siege weapons were constructed though there were no signs any were been put into action.
It had seemed forever since the warmth of summer had been felt and finally after unseasonably cold weather in late spring, the first real days of heat was felt. Surely, surely Julius Athanaes would now put an end to this damnable siege and reclaim Colonia Agrippina his men thought. The siege weapons were constructed, yet they sat idle. Tiberius Secundus, providing support with his army, was cajoling the commander to get on with it. He wondered why the Gallic Prefect Valentinianus had not yet forced Julius' hand. Julius Athanaes had finally emerged after a protracted council with Tiberius himself and a number of officers, which had grown heated to the point that Tiberius stormed from the tent in complete anger and returned at once to his own forces. Athanaes followed moments later, shouting at his fellow Roman. Fuming, he turned his back and then walked the short distance to the front lines of the siege works. They were as well defended as could possibly be, though he doubted the Franks would be as suicidal to rashly charge his fortifications. The siege had carried on for many months now and surely their supplies would have dwindled to the point that starvation was setting in.
Why could they not see the merits of starving them into submission, Julius wondered to himself. To distress an enemy by famine is the mark of consumate skill, he thought loftily to himself. Perhaps I could write a treatsie on military strategy and show those fools a thing or two. He spoked to a guard. 'Any signs of movement trooper?' The soldier looked straight ahead, as he had done so for many months. 'No sir. No more than yesterday...or the day before...' he replied wearily. Julius frowned. 'Careful with your tone trooper...' Julius was about to turn back when there was a commotion coming from the city. Straining closer he could see the great iron gates start to open. The sounds of the creaking and straining of the great gates carried across the field and they immediately excited those who watched. 'Gates are opening!' someone called out rather unnecessarily. 'They are going to sally...' a soldier next to Julius said, 'Fools...brave fools...' The general begun flailing his arms everywhere, barking orders here and there. Soldiers scurried about collecting weapons.
Upon assembling the men, they filed out gates and begun assembling before the city. Julius prepared to annihilate them. With a degree of arrogance, he stood by himself at the head of the army, plain as day obvious as to who he was. Eyes strained forward, men standing rigidly in formation watched the gates swing wide open. Instead of a host of defenders pouring out, a single unit of cavalry rode forth. Not just ordinary Frankish cavalry, but the kind that served as the bodyguard to an important Frankish cheiftan, the Antrostja. No other units attempted to follow. They stopped half way between the city and the Romans. Julius ordered his missile troops stay their weapons and beckoned for his bodyguard to follow.
The Romans trotted across the field to meet the Franks. Julius remained upon his steed and rode close to the Franks. He watched a Frank remove himself from his horse and walk proudly towards the Romans. He matched Julius' gaze equally. 'I am Lutgardis, of the Frisii. This damnable siege must end...I know when our situation is hopeless, so I surrender myself and my army' Despite an obviously proud spirit, he forced himself to his knees and prostrated himself. 'I could do with a new footstool' Julius ridiculed the Frank. ' However I agree, Frank...this siege will be the death of everyone, if we suffer through another cold winter. Your unconditional surrender is accepted. I trust you shall enjoy Roman hospitality for sometime'
Lutgardis looked up but said nothing. 'Why did you not kill yourself heroically...in defiance of the might of Rome and be a martyr to your people?' Julius asked in a mocking tone. 'This is very un-barbarian like...I am quite disappointed. Who knows what horrors captivity will have upon your soul' The Roman beckoned for several of his guards. 'Take him away and chain him up in the cage. I will deal with him later' Beckoning for his senior officers, he spoke. 'All of the Frankish soldiers are to be round up. Anyone who resists, do not hesitate to kill them...but those who do not resist, treat them well for I have a plan. I am kind and therefore do not wish to see such men wasted. I wish also Magnus Drusus to come to me for instructions. It is time we ended this, as Julianus would wish. Go' For such a protracted siege, the norm would have been giving the city up for ransacking yet this was strictly forbidden, as the city still contained a great deal of Roman citizens and the last thing he wanted was to affect innocent Romans. Instead, Julius Athanaes satisfied the soldiers urges with loot taken from Frankish soldiers and much had been stockpiled inside the cities administrative centre.
Florentius, the disgraced Praetorian Prefect, having been sulking with his border army along the main river pass to Augusta Trevororum, found himself moved to act as the city's governor and garrison commander. There was no rest for Julius Athanaes yet, for he was required to head south towards the Quadi invasion in the old Alemanni heartlands. Tiberius Secundus however was to remain in Germania Inferior as a reserve force. There were after all no means for the general to return to Britannia.
* * * * * *
Adgandestrius sat stony faced, his silence saying all that was necessary. Magnus Drusus enjoyed this; he had precious little to do in terms of diplomatic missions after his disastrous encounter with Chnodomarius. He was most pleased to learn of the King's death at the hands of Salutius Secundus and hoped he was damned in the afterlife, or whatever the barbarians thought happened after death. In any case, the tribes beyond the river, the Saxons and the Franks also, continuously rejected any forms of diplomatic overtures from the Romans. Now he sat inside the great Warlords chambers in the lands of the Cherusci. The Frankish King even preposterously claimed lineage to Arminius, a name synonymous with evil and treachery down through the ages. If it were true, it were even more reason to humiliate and crush the Franks out of existence. Yet war beyond the Rhenus had before proven to be a tough exercise, one fraught with constantly rebellious subjects (in the case of the lands of the Frisii) and exorbitant costs in maintaining armies in such poor provinces. It was best instead to bring the Franks to heal through forceful diplomacy, laced with threats of violence and devastation which would be a last resort. Julius Athanaes, and Tiberius, had wanted this but correspondence from Valentinianus had suggested it would not be wise.
'It must be lonely been the last of your royal lineage...no sons, no daughters to carry the line. Such a fragile state to exist in...the Frankish confederacy could fall apart at your death, which would be most unfortunate' said Magnus Drusus, casually inspecting the back of his hands and his nails, as if bored by the whole event.
Agdandestrius scowled inwardly and held his tongue, not wishing to give the Romans any sorts of ammunition to be used as a flimsy pretext for continuing war. 'Whether that may be the case, is not why you are here is it not Magnus Drusus? It's doubtful you came all this way just to point out that I have no sons or daughters. Shall we just damn well get down to business?' he demanded.
'Now, now...such a demanding tone will do you no favours. I am sure you recognise the parlous state that you exist in. Rome has gained the ascendancy thanks to the diligence and energy of the Emperor and are now in a position to properly reassert our age long dominance that your incursions so rudely interrupted. Our legions are well trained and have the experience of many campaigns under their belts, a force unrivalled. Forces you do not wish to continue fighting uselessly, no?'
'No...no we do not' he stated tiredly. 'What exactly do you demand of us?'
'An immediate cessation in hostilities. I do not think you are in a position to provide monetary tribute, so we insist on you carrying out your obligations by providing a full compliment of soldiers to serve as auxillaries to in our armies and to do our bidding, taking command from Roman officers. All Frankish settlers in Colonia Agrippina and beyond will be returned to your lands unharmed. I think that this is a fair enough treaty for you to abide by, Adgandestrius'
'Fair enough only to Rome of course' said the Frankish King sarcastically...you'd have us provide the flower of our youth to fight your wars...yet as I do not wish to see our people enslaved then we have no choice but to accept your terms'
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Agandastrius looked weary, slumped and beaten as any King would be when facing humiliation at the negotiating table, as Magnus Drusus looked triumphant, with the outcome he had expected. Now he need not spend any more time beyond the Rhenus, amongst the barbaric folk who inhabited it. Why the Romans even bothered to venture across it in the first place was beyond him. Agandastrius signed off on the parchments before him, formally ratifying the treaty so that there were no ambiguities in future. And that was that, thought Drusus, no more of these troublesome Frankish attacks and he could now return to the comforts of civilization.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 11/3/12)
Lovely, very nicely writen. The 'I bet he has a vagina' bit made me laugh quite a bit, so simple but so funny lol. Also, good for you on making the neighbouring tribes client states - just be sure not to make the same mistake as I, and only leave them with one city. Trust me, the script will give you some interesting surprises otherwise, as my AAR will show soon.
Btw, are you playing 1 turn per year? How come you are already in 444AD? Last I checked you were at like 357AD ~ or thereabouts.
Also, a nice move entering this month's MAARC - I always thought you should participate. And thanks for voting for me in the previous one too, I was very happy!
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 11/3/12)
Ooooh, I like surprises....so long as they aren't nasty!
Haha, I think it must have something to do with the campaign for the 365 AD Procopius game I am playing on the side, must've loaded the game up with that still installed. It's actually 4tpy.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 11/3/12)
An excellent post! Good to see those Franks bowing before the might of Roma, long may they do so. But, as my esteemed colleague, Knonfoda, said...don't turn your back on them.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 11/3/12)
I shall be watching these Franks very closely...Tiberius will be waiting with his........rod of chastisement to belt them if they even try anything funny.
Chapter XXVI: Things that Go Bump in the Night
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
After dark, no Roman citizen dared venture into the streets of Sirmium, no matter what quarter they found themselves in. To do so invited physical violence where people were robbed, bashed, raped, enslaved or even just killed outright. The new masters of the city, the lazyges, ran roughshod over their Imperial possession. Roving bands of Sarmatians took to the streets to cause chaos, staggering from one taverna to another, rip-roaringly drunk and full of bravado. Sometimes they'd kick in the doors of the multitude of insulae and looked for trouble, now that the Romans had learnt that to live longer was to stay out the way of their new masters. There was one Roman however who dared to flout the unwritten law of the streets, face covered by his hood, his dark grey woollen cloak flowing freely. His hand rested on the hilt of his gladius. The intrepid Roman blended into the shadows easily, moving quickly and quietly, always avoiding the groups of soldiers that roamed about. Occasionally he'd cause confusion, deliberately attracting the attention of soldiers in one direction so that he may move another.
So far he had not found his quarry, Decentius, the chief agentes in rebus of Constantius II. The 'Killer', as Felix was known, intended to drag Decentius over hot coals, poke out his eyes and cut off his tongue for his false information. Then he'd take his money and then beat him to death with it. Those whom Felix knew had said that Decentius may be found here at Sirmium. Felix was not sure why he had came back this way, unless he was seeking help from the Sarmatians in his personal feud, thinking that Felix would have been capture and killed in Poetovio.
A handful of soldiers trudged past, loud and abusive and smashing anything they saw. Felix crouched behind a stack of baskets and waited for them to pass. He then got up, peered across the street and saw what he was looking for. A nondescript looking unit that had a carved figure of Janus etched above the dilapidated wooden door. He slid across the cobblestone street effortlessly and paused at the door for a moment. The sounds of something crashing followed by shouts saw Felix then give the door a mighty kick with his right leg. The door handle splintered and the door swung inwards with a mighty crash. An occupant who was sitting at a table eating spun at the commotion and saw a cloaked figure at the doorway clutching a dagger. He immediately grabbed at a great big knife and lunged at Felix.
'Maximus! Stop...its me Felix!' Felix whipped his hood off in a flash, with Maximus halting as he recognised him. 'Why did you kick my door in you fool!' he demanded. Felix smirked. 'Where would the fun be in knocking? After all, everyone around here seems to kick in doors and smash things, so I thought I'd join in' Maximus punched Felix in the arm playfully. 'Why are you here old friend?'
'I am looking for someone...a nasty man...' Felix said. 'As nasty as yourself?' Maximus grinned. 'Worse...believe it or not' Felix replied slyly. 'Beside I have morals...this man does not. He is unscrupulous and treacherous. He'd even sell his soul to murder his master. Perhaps you have heard of him? His name is Decentius' Maximus stroked his fuzzy chin. 'I have met many by the name of Decentius...yet I think I know who you refer to...ugly as sin, big broken nose...evil eyes...' Felix interrupted him, 'Yes, that's him...was he here?'
Maximus nodded, gently putting the door back in place, so as to divert prying eyes. 'Several days ago in fact. How he came to me I do not know but he was after weapons...which I feigned ignorance about and sent him on his way. I mentioned to him that a certain Fragiledus may be able to help. Since then I know nothing of his whereabouts. Why do you ask?'
Felix tut tutted, 'You should know better than to ask such questions Maximus...the less you know the longer you live...now, I need weapons, a cross bow would do nicely. I don't have the money now however' Maximus shook his head slowly. 'You never have the money now, Felix...'
'I've always paid you Maximus, you know that. Do you have one or not?' Maximus snorted, repeating Felix. 'Do you have one or not? Does the sun rise in the east and settle in the west every day?' Maximus moved into another room and for several moments he shuffled through some crates and boxes before remerging. 'Here you are Felix. Made by a man of repute in the east' Felix laughed. 'Nobody you know Maximus can ever be classed as a man of repute' Maximus raised his eyebrows. 'Present company excluded of course, eh Felix?'
The arms dealer also handed Felix a compliment of arrows. 'I thought you preferred to sneak up on a man and slit his throat. This crossbow is a bit impersonal don't you think?'
'Think of it as diversification...besides, I realise the value in shooting someone from a distance when you don't wont to get too close in some situations' Felix was about to say something else when he heard yet another uproar in the streets. Instinctively Maximus grabbed his sword. Felix crept to the shuttered window and listened intently. Of course, he could make neither heads or tails of what was been said however he did hear a name mentioned, Fragiledus. Maximus sidled up to Felix at the window and was able to peer through a gap in the wooden shutters. The light provided by the burning braziers outside illuminated the men enough for Maximus to gasp suddenly. 'What...what is it?' Felix hissed. Maximus pulled himself away from the building. 'That was Fragiledus'
'Right...so who exactly is Fragidelus?'
'He is the governor of the city...he is the Sarmatian dog that has instigated this madness'
Felix's eyes gleamed with the possibilities presented to him. He took a moment to listen to the noise recede into the distance a little while longer before creaking the half destroyed door open. 'Fair well friend...time for me to do what I do best...terrorise the enemy' he said over his shoulder. Down into the quiet streets he slid, silently and unobserved. There were just three Sarmatians but they had an air of intimidation of a large group of men. Suddenly one of the soldiers stopped and begun urinating into a stack of wicker baskets down an alleyway whilst singing merrily in his native tongue. Completely caught up in enjoying the relief brought about by the release of bodily fluids Felix took his opportunity. He stopped for a moment before silently moving behind the man. He clasped one hand across his mouth and then sliced open his neck with his gladius, a fountain of blood splashing across the brick walls of the side alley.
Quickly he then pushed the dying soldier back out into the streets, where his comrades had been calling out his name wondering where he had got to. The soldier, bloodied hands pressed against the gash on his throat, dropped to his knees, gargling and wide eyed with terror. Overcome with shock, the other two Sarmatians drew their swords and pointed them wildly about themselves, not knowing where their now dead comrade had staggered from. They pressed against each others backs in a defensive posture.
Felix now had disappeared down the alleyway however he had snuck inside the door of a shop, felt around in the gloom until he found stairs. He took two steps at a time and flew up them and came upon the balcony. Down below he watched the two men chattering nervously to themselves, occasionally demanding the perpertator show themselves and fight. Felix unstrapped his crossbow from his back and loaded an arrow. With consummate skill he aimed and fired the crowssbow. The arrow shot towards the man on the right. It buried itself into his skull, shattering it and peircing right into the center of his brain. His eyes rolled back in his head, his arms fell limp and he was dead before he hit the cobblestones. In an instant, Felix, with amazing dexterity, swung down from the balcony whilst holding his crossbow, hit the ground, loaded another and then raised it at Fragiledus just as he turned around. The Sarmatian looked at the crossbow coolly and then at Felix.
'Go on...why don't you...' He didn't get to finish. Another arrow blasted right between his eyes, the quiver shuddering as it came to a halt halfway in his head. Fragidelus still had that cool expression as fell backwards and smashed into the street, his head making a sickening cracking sound as he landed. Felix looked up and around and observed several curious faces peering from windows, having been drawn by the commotion. 'You saw nothing' he said sternly. He could reasonably expect the murder of the warlord to cause ramifications for the city folk as they hunted for the perpetrators, however this to Felix presented an opportunity for Julianus to move at once on the old Imperial city, to rescue them from the horrors of enslavement at the hands of barbaric people. It would not be a stretch to suggest that other captured locations would be emboldened to rise up against their overlords if Imperial help was to be seen in action.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Felix looked at the spectacle of the three bodies pooling blood across the streets. 'Three less dogs for the world to worry about' he said, spitting at their corpses. As an afterthought, he moved to Fragidelus and rummaged about through his clothing. He came across a small sack attached to his belt. He found a few gold coins and also a ring. It looked a lot like his ring, a ring with the Imperial seal for those Imperial agents of the Emperor. Studying it closely he realised it was that of Decentius. So he was here...and no doubt fallen victim after his meeting with Fragiledus. Oh well, no great loss' Without further thought, now realising that his contract was unfortunately terminated, he reloaded his crossbow for good measure and then set off, leaving Sirmium behind to head back to Julianus.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 14/3/12)
Nice - I always like the AAR updates which focus of these unsavoury characters in contrast to the epic battle descriptions! Felix is quite a character - and he uses a crossbow!
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 14/3/12)
Julianus should make sure he stays on the good side of Felix I reckon - seems to very good at his job. Can't see him being bribed though so a very handy man to have around, will make a good bodyguard someday I reckon.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 14/3/12)
Finally, my updates have caught up to where I am in the game..
Chapter XXVII: Reinforcements
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Julianus taps the arm rest of his chair repeatedly. 'You are sure of your assessment Felix?' he ask. 'As sure as I can be my lord. Sirmium is in a state of near riotousness' explained Felix, 'the Sarmatians are cruel masters and show scant regard for their subjects and treat them horribly. I do feel that if there is Imperial presence near the city, showing that they are preparing to take the city back then that could be the spark I think. A tide so to speak could be unleashed that will be in our favour'
'What cruelties are they subjecting the citizens to?'
'Unspeakable atrocities, that even make men such as myself wince, my lord' said Felix, using strong words to stir up the right response in the Emperor. 'I am reluctant to repeat them...' Julianus urged him to continue. 'They flay the skin off living victims. They boil them alive in vast vats of oil and tar. They tie each quarters of their bodies to horses and have them ride off in different directions...' Julianus blanched. Maximianus turned red with sheer anger. 'Scum, pure scum!' he hissed. 'I do not normally ask my agents for their advice on such matters...these are troubling times, however do you think we could succeed in taking the city?' queried Julianus.
Felix nodded solemnly and weighed his words. 'My Lord. The Sarmatians are master cavalrymen but I am confident that success will be ours. Your soldiers are battle hardened and not afraid of a bunch of barbarians on dirty horses. They will carry you to victory'
Julianus looked at Maximus. 'They can win no doubt...but I have concerns, we have very little men as it is. Goodness knows how long Julius Athanaes will arrive, he spent so damn long with that siege it has cost us valuable time and soldiers' Julianus had only just recently learned of the recapture of Colonia Agrippina, something that did much to lift his glum outlook and ease his stern visage. Valentinians had intially wanted him to assist with the Quadi but after Salutius Secundus killed off one of the Quadi warlords and his roving bands, he would not be needed for the resutling siege as between the two there was ample men. So eastwards it was for Julius.
'Could you take men from garrisons elsewhere my Lord? I do believe you have detachments of the Jovii and the lanciarii in Mediolanum and Aquelia that could be used to hold Sirmium' Maximianus sighed. 'The garrisons elsewhere are stretched to breaking point. We hardly dare move men from Germania in case the Franks have other ideas. The Jovii are exemplary fighters but even they could not hold out against the hordes of Sarmatians I am sure are in Pannonia'
'Send Marcellus Barbatus towards Poetovio with as much men to be mustered from Italy' Julianus said suddenly, as if a light was lit in his mind. 'Marcellus can be a decoy and should draw troops towards him. I suspect they may deal with the easier threats first. Its settled then, to war with the Saramatians we go and quickly we must be about it. No declarations or anything of the sorts. We shall set up siege briefly and then storm the city'
* * * *
Julianus could scarcely believe the amount of gold that flooded the Imperial vaults inside the splendid palace that once served as the base for Galerius during the Tetrarchy created by Diocletianus. Much wealth had been accumulated over the years and now with its capture, the lazyges had the mind to store their stolen riches within the vaults. Boxes upon boxes of gold and silver coins lined the walls, rare jewels were displayed upon shelves and various captured artefacts from conquered Kings and kingdoms line another wall.
'It is truly stupendous' breathed Julianus. He ran his fingers through a chest of coins. 'So much solidus...I can scarcely comprehend its actual monetary figure' Maximianus looked on impassively. 'You could buy off Kings and whole kingdoms with it. More to the point, you can give the troops their donative that has been long promised...and you can raise new men for the fight. The Gods only know we could use them right now' The assault on Sirmium had been a simple affair. The Sarmatians left behind to defend the city had little stomach for a fight though in some small skirmishers a handful of Romans perished.
Julianus nodded in agreement. He turned to an aide who stood by with parchment and writing tools at the ready. 'Make it so that all soldiers who are loyal to me are to receive five hundred denarii at once. Upon making Constantinople, they are to receive a further five hundred. In each respective regional capital, there are to be a fresh levy of palatinae and comitatensis units as per military standards. I am to be immediately notified once they are composed so that they may be properly assigned' The aide scribbled furiously and left upon completion to set the orders into motion. Julianus' train of thought was interrupted by shouted voices echoing down through the halls leading to the vault, accompanied by the sounds of shoes slapping on the marbled floor. Maximianus looked at Julianus with concern. 'They say of three armies approaching here?'
'It sounds like Constantius has finally organised enough resistance against us' Julianus put the gold before him out of his mind and exited the vault. He was approached by a sentry. 'My lord, our scouts report that three large armies are approaching us. It appears to be Roman in composition' Julianus nodded in understanding and then quickly brushed past the sentry. Everyone else struggled to follow in his wake. 'Get the men ready at once Maximianus and have them assemble at the southern gate but do not march out yet. Let us take the time to ascertain their intentions'
The three armies were still someway off but their approach could be easily be seen by the billowing dust clouds from the stamping of human and animal feet. More scouts came back to report that the numbers varied between thirty and fifty thousand men, all lead by three different generals who appeared united. Nobody could be certain who they were but the threat of Constantius finally moving against Julianus was very real.
Upon the battlements of the southern gate, Julianus stood with several members of his bodyguard. He waited to see the armies converge upon the wide open grass plains . He stood silently, taking stock of the situation, calculating odds of success should battle be unavoidable. It was almost silent save from the familiar bellowing of Avidius, haranguing his subordinates to get their men in position for a quick advance through the gates. One man, with a clean shaven head and a pair of unsettling blue eyes watched with Julianus. He would have been familiar to most if he had been wearing his favoured grey woollen cloak and his face concealed by its hood. Felix had accepted Julianus' private offer to become the master of the Candidati, given his continued excellence in defending his fledgling Empire through subterfuge and covert acts. Julianus admired his quick assessment of any situation and his quickly thought out responses. His appointment rankled some of the senior members of the Candidati but Julianus did not care. They after all were not the best men for the job, Felix was. He still acted as part of the agentes in rebus but his role was now officially tied to the very personal defence of his Emperor from any internal and external threats.
'There is the possibility that these are men here to join your standards my Lord' said Felix softly. Julianus pursed his lips. 'Yes, that may be so...which would be just utterly delightful. I have thought of that myself but I am not convinced. Constantius' response against me has been rather subdued. Why is that?' he asked, genuinely baffled. 'I am sure that this is him moving against me finally' It took most of the morning and through the afternoon for the army to assemble before the city but they made no obvious moves. Men began shuffling and moving aside and three men came riding through the ranks of men straight for the city. The Emperor watched curiously and looked at Felix. 'What on earth are they doing? Will they demand my surrender?'The three men waited a safe distance from the city, in case any defenders got the idea to fire projectiles at them.
'I suggest we head down and find out my lord' The body of men quickly left the battlements and exited the gates, with a detachment from the Jovii in a block formation ahead of Julianus and his bodyguards. The Jovii looked dead ahead at the recent arrivals, their faces hard and expressionless, ready to defend their Emperor against any threats. They halted ten meters apart. Julianus walked towards the three men with Felix, his hand resting protectively on his sword hilt, the Jovii tense like a tightened coil. One of the men stood forward and said. 'Hail Flavius Cladius Augustus, Emperor of the Romans' and then kneeled before him. The other two did the same.
Julianus beckoned them to stand. Without been asked the first man spoke. 'I am Germanianus and this is Herculianus and Serenianus. We are here to recognise you as Emperor of Rome and therefore to serve under your banner' Julianus looked extremely pleased. 'Well this is an unexpected surprise...a most welcome one at that' Felix looked on, still ever watchful in the event that his was a ruse. 'Well, it would be rude of me not to welcome you into Sirmium. Come with me, we have much to discuss'.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The visitors were received in the Imperial reception room of the palace. Julianus watched the men carefully as they entered the room. He admired the physical presence of Germanianus; he carried himself with an authoritative air and was well built, he looked energetic. Most of all he was pleased, pleased to be back in the city of his birth. Herculianus too cut a splendid physical specimen. He took command of the Joviani juniores and several cohorts of the Tertia lulia Alpina. Serenianus was a short, compact man who looked tense, appearing to eye off everyone suspiciously. Denoting his ranking amongst the men, he took command of mostly Ripensis and the numeri raised in Illyria.
'It is good to be home' said Germanianus. 'You were born here?' asked Julianus. 'Yes my lord. I have been serving in the east for sometime against the Persians before the peace treaty came into effect. I grew dissatisfied with the erratic behaviour of Constantius II and raised my own army to reclaim my home city. When learning of this, my friends Heraclianus and Serenianus joined with additional men. When we learned that you had already captured the city, there was little to do other than meet with you and pledge our support'
Julianus smiled warmly. 'And your support, Germanianus, is most welcome and it shall not be forgotten. What news from the east?'
'Constantius is at war with the Persians again. And I must say that this time it seems as if they are to bring about his doom over there. Nisibis rioted against his rule and a puppet Roman has claimed control. Carrhae is surrounded by large numbers of Persians and they too are attacking Bezabde. It is safe to say that the eastern provinces are in total disarray and Constantius has no power to stop the decay'
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
'He has also allied again with the Armenian's, which is madness given their duplicity in the past' said Heraclianus. 'I was there when he threatened all manner of violence on them the first time they betrayed him. Perhaps he has been wooed by sweet words of assistance by their King...I am told there are enormous amounts of Persians along the far north western border with Armenia. Their power unfortunately is growing, is Persia's'.
Julianus nodded gravely. 'Hopefully we will be able to suitably humiliate the Shanshah with the rod of chastisement and bury it far up their behind. However we have other things to do first...namely reclaiming Pannonia from the Sarmatians which will secure behind us as we advance. We reclaim Poetovio as well. As was mentioned along the way in, we needn't worry about Salonae and Singidum, as they are on our side'
'Yet we must worry about the Goths' mentioned Serenianus. 'Yes, they have taken as far as Thessaloniki...' Germanianus paused as he looked at his companion, who went bright red with anger at the mention of his place of birth. 'Do not worry Serenianus' said Julianus assuringly. 'The Goths will not be able to resist our advance'
'Very well, we shall deal with each problem as we approach them, whether it be Gothic attacks or Constantius or anything else. Germanianus, I think it best that you remain in the region to drive out the Sarmatians, along with Heraclianus. If you so feel, then you may advance on Carnuntum and destroy the Quadi. I even give you liberty to conduct campaigns beyond the Danuvius to distrupt them and to impress upon them that the reach of Rome is far. I grow weary of their existence. Serenianus and myself will head east, not before we find our little friend here some sturdier men than the Ripensis to do battle with. Is it all clear?'
'Yes my lord' they said in unison. For the first time in many months, Julianus felt the weight of the world lift clear from his shoulders. His hard toil that appeared to be reaping very little was now blossoming into effect. He did not feel so testy, which did please his subordinates a lot who had dealt with the full force of Julianus' temper.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 17/3/12)
A very nice update, just about the length I like too!
Did you get those reinforcements via the script? Damn, I never get anything like that, just my enemies haha... also, love the fact Plinta has been promoted, what a man! Who will dare touch the invincible Julian, with Plinta at his side! How goes your economic situation btw? And the Persians really seem to be going at it in the east... what an incompetent buffoon Constantius II is!
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 17/3/12)
I think you'll find it's Felix and not Plinta....
Yes, those soldiers were via the script. I thought it was initially those three generals and their armies but I noticed the rest of the Imperial cities had more soldiers which was pretty awesome! My economy was actually repairing itself quite nicely, you can't see it because I cropped the screenies but it got down to around -40,000 before these new troops forced it back up to a loss of around 20,000 per turn. Yet with these additional troops I can conquer the living shite out of everyone and make up for it. Muwahahahahahahaha!!!!
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 17/3/12)
Chapter XXVIII: Minor Details II
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His rival claimant to the throne had not appeared threatening enough for Constantius to march against the usurper. However it seemed the defection of one of his Imperial possessions seemed enough to tip him over the edge and enact a military solution. Despite been harangued on all sides by a multitude of foes, he was able to muster troops and send them to attack Dyrrachium along with one of his finest generals, Flavius Taurus.
Yet the citizens of Dyrrachium would not stand for Constantius' rule a second time and the men at hand defending the city gallantly rode and marched from the gates. Such was the difficulty in finding quality fighting men that Constantius had levied a multitude of foederati units, mostly Ghassanids and wings of horse archers indigenous to Syria and it's surrounds. They had no stomach for fighting particularly as the nimble sagitarii persued them as the army attempted to march to a more defensible position. Then came the Dalmatian cavalry, who unrelentingly unleashed their javelins before hammering in the rears of the manouvering armies. The numeri Illyricani and the Ghassanid foederati all broke before the charge, with only a small number of infantry escaping along with the cavalry who forced the Romans back from enacting a full scale massacre with their own missile fire.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
* * * *
It did not seem fitting for such a man like Salutius Secundus. Amongst even the lowest Roman he was known as the slayer of the Germani. The fearless killer of Chnodomarius had taken on an almost mystical aura amongst the disparate tribe left in the wake of the dissolution of the Alammane confederacy, amongst his men and other Romans. However he had been ill for sometime. The Magister of the Gallic field armies had withered from a fine physical specimen, even at his age of sixty, to a gaunt, weak and thin man. Even in such decaying health he still attempted much work as the siege of the capital of Tribus Alamanni.
Salutius looked up to the blue skies and smiled as he gingerly walked back to his tent after having inspected the lines for the umpteenth time. Even in obvious physical discomfort, he spurrned assistance from his bodyguard, shooing them away angrily. 'I am not dead am I?' he snapped. Salutius had retired from his duties, desperately needing a rest, one he hoped on waking from. He found Valentinianus waiting for him. 'You do too much dear Salutius...you are clearly ill. You must rest' Salutius offered a pained grin. 'No rest...for the wicked' he choked, as the near unbearable pain wracked his body again. Without grace he slumped onto his reclining coach. 'It...it is...becoming too much. I feel there is little time left...so weak and tired' Valentinianus beckoned a physician over who performed a perfunctory examination; he could see that Salutius Secundus was on deaths door'
The physician whispered to the Prefect. 'There is nothing to do for him. It could be hours or days but the end will come. It is the wasting disease, it's nothing that can be stopped even by the finest of medicinal practitioners' Valentinianus, though suspecting the worst, was visibly shaken by the news. Salutius had provided the younger Valentinianus much guidance in many matters, even though he was his subordinate, allowing him to take on the role of Prefect better and becoming better schooled in military matters though he already possessed a warlike nature.
The physician was waived off. Valentinianus leaned in close to Salutius and sat down. 'Rest easy friend. Do not worry about a thing, I will see to it that everything is taken care off' Even with the differences in the pairs religion, the Prefect was prepared to give him the proper send off his faith dictated, even if the practice was a tad vulgar. Salutius nodded and closed his eyes. Even with his decaying features, he looked peaceful as he slept, at ease now that his burdens were lifted and it was that which allowed him to let go and begin the journey into the afterlife. Valentinianus returned several hours later to wake the general but found he already passed long ago. The heroic Salutius Secundus was no more, the Empire bereft of a fine general.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
* * * *
With Salutius' passing, it left a void for the Magister of the Gallic field armies. There was little ready available candidates to fill this prestigious command. As it were, an obscure fort commander Gnaeus Macrinus was quickly ordered to take Salutius' position as general, such was the need for a commanding officer, of any sort, to fill this role whilst the siege continued. As to the formal position of Magister Equitum et Pedites Galliam, Julianus suggested his adopted older cousin...or Uncle...no-one was quite sure...Phocas Corialanus. Phocas was the Comes of Viennensia as well as the Vicarius. These were much sought after ranks, given the comfortable nature that the region found itself in and very little to do military wise, aside from containing the occasional outbreak of banditry in the region.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Yet Phocas had not allowed himself to engage in soft luxury, instead devoting himself to improving his military understanding by attending, at Julianus' insistence, the Ludus Magna. He energetically threw himself into his studies and became renowned amongst peers as a brave man in tough situations when it came time to put his studies into practice. He did have the propensity to enjoy blood just a little too much however.
As for Gnaeus Macrinus, the shaggy faced looking commander of Gallic origins, precious little good could be spoken about him. Life within the castellum along the frontiers had not done a great deal to his abilities. Worse still, he was a servile sort who found himself easily suggestible to the advances of other men.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Magnentius continued on with his plans of subduing the Gaels, partnered by the adopted relative of Decimius Valens who had been sent along with the Frankish foedus army by Julianus and Valentinianus respectively to gather some much needed military training. Magnentius relegated his underling to backup duties; the glory of the conquest of northern Britania would be his and his alone. Magnentius had engaged an army on hilly terrain and defeated them soundly, however not after suffering moderate casualties amongst his cavalry and a cohort of the Limitaeni were routed by the heavy infantry of the Gaels. Magnentius thought it safe to bombard these green cloaked men from a distance.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Once the dirty business of battle was completed, Magnentius ordered Decimius to besiege Dal Raida whilst Magnentius laid siege to Inchtuthil. Both were lightly defended and unlikely to last long. As this occurred, Julianus moved upon the captured Gothic city of Serdica.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Marcellus Barbatus was now fully supplied with a brand new army, recent levies of the Brachiati and Cornuti seniores palatinae. The new Jovii and Herculii seniores army had arrived from Arelate without a commander. That task fell to Dulcitius Calpurnius, the governor of Aquelia. The pair immediately moved upon a large force of Sarmatians harassing the countryside. The Romans destroyed the invaders easily, suffering only minor casualties between the two.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
This allowed Barbatus to then lay siege to Poetovio, along with Julius Athanaes. The Romans could well have stormed the defenceless city, yet a sizeable garrison resided within. With no siege engines to build, the pair dug in to starve the defenders into submission rather than engage in a costly street by street clear out.
Germanianus had been awarded the title as the Dux of the Pannonia and Noricum, as he continued to consolidate Roman rule in the city. His assault on the city had been rather costly, as the Sarmatian King had resided here. The Royal Argaragentes had inflicted fearsome casualties on the Illyrian numeri and to a lesser extent the Julian Alpine legions before overcoming them with sheer wieght of numbers. Heraclianus informed his that he was closing in on Carnuntum, with the interior cleared of any barbaric threats. Germanianus urged his compatriot to attack Carnuntum at once. When the garrisons of both cities could be ensured, the pair would then launch a full scale attack across the river.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Serenianus, as his army rode through the countryside, could see Thessaloniki in the distance, to all intents and purposes in a peaceful state, even under occupation. The Goths had wrought much damage to the region as they spilled across the Danuvius. Hadrianopolis, Marcianopolis, Serdica, Thessaloniki all fell before the ravages of the Thervingi Goths. Constantinople was surrounded.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
'There shall be blood before long. They will suffer' Serenianus muttered to himself. The Goths had thoroughly plundered the ancient city. As if to add insult to injury, the Goths begun adopting Roman habits and titles. Such audacity had seen a Gothic noble by the name of Sarus be appointed Comes Rei Militaris Thracias. The Comes of the Thracian provinces! It mattered little that these were fellow Arians, they were barbarian scum tainting Roman legacy in such shameful fashion.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Serenianus had elected to lay siege to the city, knowing full well that this would draw attention from other Gothic forces. He was not wrong on that count, the false Comes Sarus brought a small army with him, along with the renowned Gothic cheiftian Vederichus. The very name would cause Roman soldiers to shudder with fear, for he was responsible for the theft of two Roman legionary Eagles. There would be few in the non Roman world that would lay claim to been better commanders.
Serenianus found himself in a horrible defensive position. The Goths came down the hilly terrain towards him, so he opted to fall back to reassess his position.
The siege in Vicus Alammane finally became too much for the Quadi occupiers, who ventured forth to fight Valentinianus and Gnaeus Macrinus. The Quadi decided to split their forces in two; the infantry and missile troops went after Macrinus, whilst the cavalry waited at the northern gates for Valentinianus. The heavy fighting was with Macrinus, his first major battle whilst in command in any shape or form.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
They managed to drive off the attacks of the Golden Band and the spearmen, suffering quite a few casualties amongst the Flavia Victrix Constantina, mostly brought about by Macrinus' generally inept handling of the infanrty and the fierce fighting qualities of the elite infantry of the Quadi.
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Breaking through, Macrinus led the cavalry and fought the Sarmatian component of the Quadi forces. They inflicted numerous casualties amongst the Scutarii but the weight of numbers was decisive. The Romans poured through a breach made by the battering rams as they formed a pincer movement on the remaining Quadi who held the town center.
All the while, Valentinianus sat back, dealing with the occasional foray from the Quadi cavalry that remained, perferring to allow Macrinus to be blooded in battle.
The Sarmatians fought bravely at the town square but were overwhelmed. One sole Golden Band warrior remained, screaming in defiance. 'Come on you Roman pigs! Fight me!' The Flavia legions had quite enough of facing the Golden Band face to face, so they simply finished him off with a glut of javelins aimed right at him.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
A good deal of Romans perished in the siege. Perhaps to hide his embarrassment at generally poor leadership Gnaeus Macrinus allowed his men to be utterly ruthless in sacking the city. None were spared, thousands were killed and defiled and quite a great deal of booty were liberated from the dead hands of the Quadi and Alamanne people.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 18/3/12)
Excellent, I love it when the story is 'live' so to speak, I think it adds to the suspense knowing that all this is happening as you play it.
And yes, what was I thinking, Felix, not Plinta, Plinta is my man haha! Mate, you have so many armies, I'm jealous. Make the Goths pay for their lack of vision!
And while you're at it, take back Rusadir, Carthage, Sardinia and Corsica, and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 18/3/12)
Finally, after stuff arounds with Photobucket, CTD's and Fraps not working, I have my update. Have currently got a bit of a mental block when it comes to providing narrative so for this one its just a straight to the point update. Hopefully its not too boring. Many important battles have been fought.
Chapter XXVIV: Death in the Sands
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Get ready boys, this is going to be bloody' remarked an officer, standing amongst the Jovii legions. They seemingly came from all sides, Goths here and there, sent to relieve the siege of Serdica under the command of Theodoric, a renowned Gothic warlord who somehow conspired to create nervousness amongst his men whenever they ventured into battle. Julianus found himself in on awkward terrain, facing the smallest of the relieving forces. He opted to deal with the easiest first before tackling the hardest.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
As the time for battle drew nearer, farmers hid fearfully inside their huts and forgot about their duties for the moment.
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The vexallation of mounted sagitarii and the comitatensis sagitarii dealt easily with the smallest force, with the lanciarii unloading their javelins in a deadly storm.
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Julianus found himself caught of guard however, when the second army heading in from the rear arrived quicker than he had anticipated. 'Reform the lines dammit! The Invicti Juliani to the left, get the palace guard on the far right...get the infantry here now!' Orders shouted to and fro, arrows buzzed angrily about the battlefied, cries of pain and anguish filled the air as the Romans attempted to reorganize themselves. Julianus quickly removed himself from his original position to a far safer one. The infantry formed a thick central line as the gardingi drove into the legions, in a futile gesture that achieved only mass casualties on their side.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The third Gothic army, under Theodoric had arrived, adding to the complete chaos and confusion. The Scholae Palatinae thundered towards the Thervingi spearmen and crashed into them without regard to their own safety.
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**Right here, there are a handful of missing pics. I do not know what happened to them so you'll just have to imagine it all....**
Julianus' main body of troop waited for the Goths to engage but they were holding off, instead attempting to instigate fear with their missile troops. The Emperor had suffered through worse but the constant peppering angered him enough to at once order a full scale charge towards the enemy.
This was something the Goths had not yet expected and were caught completely off guard. The heavily armed and armoured legions caused panic amongst the ranks of spearmen who could not stand the attack.
Further behind, in the Romans attempt to crush the attackers, Theodoric had sneaked around the unruly mass and begun attacking the exposed archers, who had been completely forgotten and undefended. Theodoric thought he may be able to win something this day, even if he observed the tide of the battle moving against him. He found much stouter resistance than he anticipated and after the manuballistari and the returning cataphracts arrived, he was slain.
Julianus halted the rampage and at once made for Serdica. He found it undefended and at once strode in to liberate the Romans from Gothic occupation.
* * * *
The day of reckoning finally arrived for Vibius, the border commander tasked with the recapture of Russadir. This siege had lasted for an interminable amount of time, so much so that the soldiers tasked with manning the siege works thought it would never end. The town itself had no walls so siege towers and rams were not necessary but the garrison was large, which necessitated a blockade to starve it into submission. Numerous time did Vibius break the siege off when confronted by Bomildeqart, which drew ire from his men however he finally reckoned that the time was right to drive these desert
dogs into the sea.
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Not needing to show a lot of imagination, Vibius arranged his infantry in front, the archers in the middle and the cavalry behind. He did not have a lot to worry about from the Berber foot soldiers who were not to the standards of even the border troops of Rome. From here he simply peppered the confused and indecisive body of infantry, who were sent by the Berber cheftian to hold the Romans whilst the cavalry wheeled around to their left.
Bomeldiqart attempted to frighten the limitaeni with a charge by his heavy cavalry but this was an utter failure as they had been waiting for such an event. A surge of javelins massacred many of the cavalry who broke under the onslaught.
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Vibius decided to have a little fun and set the archers to fire flaming arrows. This panicked the Berbers into attacking in desperations. The Romans simply had to stand there, hurl their javelins and then kill them as they clashed.
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Bomeldiqart watched with dismay as the battle was fast slipping from his grasp. His three year rule of Russadir was fast becoming just a bad memory. He attempted to inspire his men with bravery by charging into the Roman infantry.
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Vibius did not do anything rash; he simply surrounded them with his own bodyguard and then brough the infantry into the battle. Bomelidqart fought like a wild men when he realized he was surrounded and as good as dead. A circle developed around him comprised of the border troops and multitudes of spear thrusts finished him off.
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The Romans rushed gleefully towards the village center and killed what foolishly remained. Even those seeking sanctuary in the church were dragged into the square and executed. No Berber remained, thoroughly wiped out by an elated Vibius.
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* * * *
The winds had finally died down and the infuriating assault of sand abated. Soldiers could see now, the Romans watching carefully the approach of other Romans. These enemies were loyal to Constantius holding on to their decaying African realm comprising of just Hippo Regius and Carthago. The Constantius loyalists had skirted battle for months but finally Flavius Verenianus could entertain battle with his counterpart Majorianus. Majorianus was the Dux for Mauretaniae Caesariensis, a respected tactician but his troops were a little concerned when lead into battle by him. His Legatus was Ustus Vettus, no one of importance, just one of the numerous border guards posted through out the Empire.
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Verenianus moved quickly and aquired an excellent position on the rocky and sandy terrain which was undulating, severe in places with many a gully. It was hard going for even the most sturdiest of pack animals.
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He held the highest point on the terrain and protected himself with a reserve of the Quartodecimani, with a second legion stationed in the main line along with the Limitaeni. The archers held the left, protected by the iron horsemen, no doubt boiling in the conditions and the Equites Auxillia held both flanks. Majorianus opted to move straight down the gully that separated the two forces. This exposed him to the missile fire of the archers and the mounted sagitarii.
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However the loyalist had divided his cavalry to traverse either side of the gully. This move nearly paid off when his Mauri cavalry was able to engage the Auxilia and nearly destroy them. However the timely arrival of the Cataphracts and Verenianus himself saved the battle and rescued them.
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On the far right, the enemy dromedarii and their own Auxilia closed in on the left of Verenianus' forces. One cohort of the limitaeni came under withering missile fire and despite unleashing their own javelins, they were unable to do anything other than flee for their lives. They were allowed to take flight, Verenianus not bothering trying to bring back such disgraceful Romans.
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Some quick thinking saw the other two cohorts of the border troops reorganise to form a new flank and better face the enemy horse (and camels).
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Verenianus and the cataphracts made a tiring gallop to this new theatre and engaged the enemy cavalry. As this happened, the Romans were caught on the hop by a bold charge by Majorianus, who crashed into the lanciarii and forced them to retire behind the lines, which brought the first legion of the Quartodecimani into action.
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The Loyalist cavalry on Verenianus' right finally broke under the relentless attack of the heavy cavalry.
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Majorianus' reinforcements had finally trudged into sight. Their funditores launched their stone weapons with devastating effect. After cleaning up the mess on the right, the remaining limitaeni and the Roman cavalry chased down these pests.
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Majorianus' own heavy infantry would be a nuisance, stubborn in their resistance as Verenianus called upon additional units to fight these palatinae troops, recruited among the Mauri and hardy and effective soldiers. They even stood before the cataphracts and did not quail.
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They kept on fighting, even as others around them routed. They finally gave in and were slaughtered to a man. The battle was well and truly over for the loyalists. Straggling units of the Secundani Italiciani were besest by their own counterparts before the cavalry came thundering over the crest and decided the result.
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The clean up was completed in earnest, anyone within reach of the exhausted horse were hunted down and killed.
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Unfortunately Majorianus disappeared somewhere into the desert, most likely back towards Carthago.
However, whilst Constantius' men were on the back foot in Africa, the very man himself, the only true Roman Emperor in the eyes of his men, Constantius II personally lead the assault on Dyrrachium, hoping to regain lost territory. Yet further to the east, the man seeking to depose him closed in on the ultimate prize, Constantinople.
Re: [IB SAI:AAR] The Last Pagan Emperor (UPDATED 3/3/12)
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to belt them if they even try anything funny.
