/\/\DarthMod Challenges/\/\

[DARTH VADER]

This idea will hopefully help you unterstand the power of DarthMod.....

I will post here my first offered version which will include campaign challenge:

----Brutti Challenge 1----

The situation is dire for you (Brutii). The year is 219 Bc. The roman Empire has less gains than that expected and has suffered major losses of men and generals in order to gain a foothold to Greece. Due to Brutii successful cunning strategy, the plan to devide the greeks (Macedon-Greek_cities) was complete and Greek_cities were able to win their war by annihilating the Macedons. They got extremely powerful but also stretched out which caused the Brutii counter attack and the almost instant taking of 2 of their cities (Thermon and Appolonia). This was a success but caused the loss of an entire legion and one of the most heroic general of Brutii. What is left of this is a half-legion, the legion of the extraordinary Lucius Brutus and his veteran troops (They have fought together many battles and won but lost a lot of able men). The senate is impatient for you to conquer Larissa in a few turns and only the greek army of young Militiades of Sparta is near to stop you. They attack you with fresh and well equipped phalanxes and also some light cavalry. They also have 1 elite unit of Spartans!
There are Brutti reinforcements that have landed near appolonia but currently are busy with greek raiding parties. Major greek armies are amassing from greek isolated borders to confront you.
Time is limited...you must win Miltiades of Sparta with as much less casualties as possible then instantly attack with your siege machines Larissa, conquer it and refresh your troops. You then must wait for the reinforcements to relief you as the greeks will arrive shortly to siege and storm the fortification.

The conquer of Larissa is a very valuable gain since it will cut greece in two pieces, will give you the vital manpower to retrain your legions (Right now only the Italian cities have the population to support the raise of new armies), and will calm down the angry Senate!

This challenge can be won with many ways:

-If you autocalc the battle, you will win but with many casualties and then you will be unable to storm Larissa
-By deciding to take hands of the battle you will see that you will defend in a very thick hilly forested area, very difficult for hoplite warfare but also difficult for your projectiles to cause casualties. The greek light cavalry will be harassing you in the woods and the 160 Spartans are bloodthirsty!
But...you have elite troops, heavy bombardment ability but stationary since you cannot move them in the woods. You must use all your skills to win this with as much less casualties as possible
-You can later continue the campaign as it will offer a lot of challenge since the factions are beginning to gain strength (For example, Carthage has vassalized Numidia and repelled Scipii many times out of Carthage).


-Get this file unzipped to ...\Activision\Rome - Total War\saves in order to be able to play and continue my save game.
-Post your results of the challenge here, with screenshots if possible

-PS. The campaign is (Imperial Campaign, H-H, DarthMod 8.1 Unmodded!)

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Sergius Lucius Challenge 2


Gauls:



Romans:



Save target as >> Battle setup file: (C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\custom) (Darth Mod 8.xx) (Load battle setup >> Play Custom Battle, difficulty Hard).

Try to play this battle and win... My best shot:


-ENJOY!

[AlfonsoVIII]

Alright, will give it a go. Will edit my post with the results tonight.

EDIT: Im a loser, baby, I just cant win this battle. EVERYBODY make fun of me!!!!

[jaklei]

I will do it too, i will post screens and results afterwards, then ill continue playing ^^
And my strategi will probably be to cut them in half and then i will defend the land that i got. But i will also create an new legion, split it in half and conquer Rhodes and Crete

[Dorian]

Oh Darth… what a sacrilege! You’ve made me fight against my beloved Spartans! I played twice: At first, following an almost Alexandrian deployment in the front-right corner of the field, I was cut to pieces (of course). The second time, I used the following maneuver:
I deployed peltasts, artilery and bodygards in the open – at the back-right corner – but I hid most of my legions in the next forest.

Then, I ordered the legions to run to the next forest (further left), provoking to Greek cavalry to move after them. Then, I took them back running, to the very back of my firing forces.

The puzzled Greek cavalry was soon massacred by the flaming arrows and bolts. Their phalanxes were drawn to an attack through the left open and then the forest, received a lot of fire. When they arrived in my lines (right after the forest), I moved only the central legions against them and ordered four of them (two in the left and two in the right) to run away and, then, turnaround and attack in the flanks. In the meantime, my peltasts were battering the phalanxes, my bodyguards were exterminating the remaining Greek cavalry and all artillery was hammering the Spartans (who realised the trap only too late, and run rightwards to attack from the front open).

It worked! Only two phalanxes managed to withdraw orderly, and their peltasts. I sent my peltasts and bodyguards to their peltasts and the whole of my legions to their phalanxes.

Their end was disastrous. I obtained a “heroic victory”.




PS: Strategically speaking, there was no need to go through this: I could withdraw from the battle, let the other army finish business in Thermon and join forces against Larissa, capturing easily my target! I did that, but of course that was not your challenge!…

[Dorian]

Correction: In the PS I meant to say Apollonia, not Thermon.

Regarding the campaign, I would love to play it, but for the moment I have to finish my Spartan conquest. Betting on them leaves no place for Senate problems...

[DARTH VADER]

@AlfonsoVIII, jaklei:
Yes give it to me! Let the skill grow in you!

@Dorian:

Ha ha, Dorian....I know....I disgraced my greek origin..I will offer a greek challenge soon.

What a fantastic report!
Indeed..a straightforward tactic against them leads to a massacre. Maybe what you did is the only solution.
Bravo!
As for your second option..I don't know..I remember that retreat was not an option available..they catch you again...and not only this...they had reinforcements too near.
But this Roman army has now so few men and true elites!
Let see the other what can do.

[Angel]

I m playing it soon and found it quite challeng. I have 2 half legions. Soon making an third to go support the north frontier.
Keep playing and secure more towns will pump another legion to support. This will be an support legion that will support sieges and other legions who have been slauther. More like reserves.

[Sergius Lucius]

The second challenge is my custom battle, the Roman attacking a Gallic contry side with a full legion; legion cohort, urban cohort, some praetorians, and a lot of spearmen, some heavy cavalary forces... Because of the guerilla warfare, great roman campagne to eliminate Gauls once and for all, was slowed down forcing Romans fight in winter time. Since heavy casualties was sustained on Gallic army, they are short of menn, but they will is stronger then ever. The finale battle is to be fought just outside of Alesia, no way to retreat, its everething or nothing...

Both have good troops, and quite experienced, don't forget to use those druids, they will boost some morale. And Good luck, you gonna need that

Map: Gallic country side... / Winter.
Difficulty: Hard.

- Excuse me, is anybody here alive?

I will host my replay soon, after you crushed those damn Romans, he he

[Sergius Lucius]

DARTH VADER,


I just did it simple, wasn't to hard to flank them.

First atempt, and I still win

[Sergius Lucius]

Don't like to play Romans tho, I use to much broot force with them like with Gauls...

[jaklei]

Damn! hardrive crash sorry you all i cant post the screenies
But! i myself love to continue someone elses campaign once in a while, ill post my campaigns soon if anyone could teach me how to attach it to the post

OFF topic:
Sergius Lucius, please change your sig, its just annoying try to change the image size.

[Aleric]

Make more challenges... please.

[ChiefMenelaus]

Here's my best win on the Gaul Challenge so far:

http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?i...engewinac7.png

The foresters were actually both over 200 kills because i deployed them on the far flank to shoot the Romans from behind :hmmm: