The Eternal City
So I've decided to cast my current play session into a bit of an AAR! Actually this will be the first AAR of any kind that I've ever done. I'll be doing it in a mostly history book style, since I think this simply fits best for a game like this. I should be updating this as I play, so new chapters might be added at irregular intervals. Plenty of screenshots will be used, especially in portraying major battles.
I'll not go through any particular trouble to be historical in expansion (though logic does suggest a similar path, at least at first) and I will not be doing things like fretting over the exact composition of my Legions. I'll try to keep things realistic and to play the characters rather than the game, so might be I do some reckless things if it fits the character, etc.
So without further ado, I present the first chapter!
Chapter I: Pyrrhic Victory
In the early 3rd century BC, Rome was an emerging power in the Mediterranean. It had just gone through a period of social and political upheaval resulting in the effectual abolishment of the high nobility's rule over the plebeians. This reinvented Rome soon established total control over most of the Italian peninsula, having recently defeated the Samnites to the north. All that remained was the southernmost part of the boot, which was dominated by Greek colonies.
Following a series of diplomatic disputes, the tension soon erupted into open warfare. Magna Graecia, as Greek-held Italy was generally called, sent envoys to the King of Epirus, Pyrrhos. The king, motivated by thoughts of conquest and personal gain, soon gathered his army and set off for the Italian coast, landing in 280BC. He marched into Tarentum as a savior, in the process establishing near absolute authority over the colony.
Near Herakleia, Pyrrhos sought out and engaged the Roman army under command of Consul Publius Valerius Laevinus. While slightly outnumbered by his adversary, the Greek despot was confident in his troops and the tried and true Macedonian way of fighting.
The Roman Consul awaited the foe on high ground and arranged his troops in a standard triple line, with allied Greek fighters on the flanks.
Laevinus was a patient man and preferred to react to his opponent rather than take the initiative. He soon noticed the Epirote cavalry moving to his right flank.
Reacting accordingly, he hastened to move his spearmen from his third line into position to counter the potentially devastating attack.
The Epirote attack was fierce, but found stiff resistance in the the allied hoplite troops.
Immediately following the cavalry's charge, the main body of Pyrrhos' infantry engaged Laevinus' army.
The Roman infantry soon found themselves locked in combat with the more experienced Epirote hoplites. The Consul's failure to dictate the manner of the engagement meant his troops were now fighting the experienced hoplites and phalanxes head on, rather than exploiting their flanks. This led to a heavy toll on the Roman footsoldiers.
Another worry for the Romans were the elephants that Pyrrhos had brought with him. These ferocious beasts threatened to overrun their flank.
Fortunately, the elephants proved too temperamental. They panicked as Roman skirmishers pelted them with javelins and failed to do any significant damage.
More worrying was the phalanxes attacking the left flank of the Roman army. Unable to use their superior manoeuvrability, the Legionairs found themselves pinned between two formations of pikemen, resulting in heavy losses.
The right flank had managed to envelop their opposition and seemed to be gaining the upper hand.
Pyrrhos had led a daring charge into the Roman rear, helping to consolidate the breakthrough in the Roman left flank. Laevinus gathered his own bodyguard and charged to meet the Despot head to head.
Pyrrhos realised his misjudgement and attempted to flee from the scene, but was cut down by the pursuing Romans.
Despite the loss of their commander, the Epirote officers kept their troops in check and continued to apply heavy pressure to the Romans. It is entirely possible that the king's demise went unnoticed in the heat of battle. Laevinus realised that his men were exhausted and demoralised.
The Consul ordered the retreat and fled from the battlefield.
The day was a great loss to both parties. While officially a victory for Epirus, their cause was dealt a heavy blow. The Epirote army found themselves with adequate troops, but without their king. The Romans had lost nearly four fifths of their troops to either injury or desertion. Adding to the Roman humiliation was the loss of the hallowed eagle standard.
The Roman senate, in response to the disastrous news from Laevinus, immediately sent word to Consul Tiberius Coruncanius in Etruria urging him to rush his army south with all haste. Tiberius took the opportunity eagerly, no doubt the prospect of defeating the foe that his fellow consul could not would strengthen his position and auctoritas significantly.
It was during this time that a Questor by the name of Caius Fabricius Luscinus proposed a wide-scale expansion of the existing infrastructure in all Roman and Latin territories, specifically the roads and depots, which legions would require to travel quickly across the country. His proposal was accepted unanimously, earning the senator a good deal of influence as well as the task of overseeing the operation.
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