[Suebi] Children of The Forest: A Radious Mod AAR

[Khan1281]

Great AAR I really enjoy the different style of this one. The Daorsi as the regional power is not what I usually see but its one of the things that I enjoy about the game. Its never the same as the last game. Are the Lugii close to becoming a Confederation with you, or arent you trying to do that?

[Chirurgeon]

Great AAR I really enjoy the different style of this one. The Daorsi as the regional power is not what I usually see but its one of the things that I enjoy about the game. Its never the same as the last game. Are the Lugii close to becoming a Confederation with you, or arent you trying to do that?

thank you so much for your comments. I am trying to do a historical account of the Suebi. It combines my passion for forensics, history, and archaeology. I am not sure if that will happen. Will update tomorrow

[Barune]

Wonder whos the next target

Possibly the britons?

[Chirurgeon]

Wonder whos the next target

Possibly the britons?

The constant raiding around Flevum will have to be dealt with.

[Deaken]

These are epic and quite possibly the best AARs I've ever read on these forums. Very entertaining and descriptive. Looking forward to the next installment.

[Chirurgeon]

These are epic and quite possibly the best AARs I've ever read on these forums. Very entertaining and descriptive. Looking forward to the next installment.

I am humbled by your comments. thank you very much Waiting for the next patch to download so I can play some more

[Scottish King]

This AAR is awesome! Your analysis of the tribes and their actions from archaeological evidence add so much more to this AAR! You should enter this into the MAARC here.

[Chirurgeon]

This AAR is awesome! Your analysis of the tribes and their actions from archaeological evidence add so much more to this AAR! You should enter this into the MAARC here.

Thank you very much sir. I will do that. I have till the end of the month right?

[Chirurgeon]

Chapter 14: Eildon

Sometime around 245 BC Chlodochar and his brother along with Wulfgar and another unknown Chieftain began organizing for an expedition across the Tin Channel. This expedition was not a raiding force. It had all the hallmarks of an invasion force. This would represent the first known invasion of the Tin Isles since the Celtic migration
In context this would have been a massive effort of logistics and coordination. Chlodochar and his brother would have had to plan this out for it to be successful.

Some say luck guided them on their journey however it is reasonable to assume that the Suebians were more organized than previously thought. The question of how advanced the fleet was can be answered by the galleys found along the coast some 60 years ago. They were finely crafted but small meaning they would have been fast. It also meant they were vulnerable to waves and storms. It is unclear how many may have sunk but the fact that two have been found since the Suebian invasion of the Tin Isles means there is likely more. However it is unclear if these vessels were from their initial invasion or the subsequent expansion that followed in the years after the invasion.

The exact route taken is also unclear but we know where they landed. It is likely they raided as they went but it also seemed they wanted to get as far north as possible to avoid having to fight enemies to the north and south. The great fortified city of Eildon was their target. It is reasonable to assume that they landed on the Greater Tin Isle in the Spring and began preparations for an assault. The battlefield that represents the first great confrontation, but far from the last, of two drastically different cultures has been memorialized and is largely intact from that time.

The Brigantes, an allied tribe of the Iceni, had sent a chieftain and his men north to help confront the Suebian forces. The battle itself took place outside the city and the day of the battle it was cool and misty. It is widely told that the Suebians thought that the gods of the Tin Isles used the fog to hide their foe and for some time the men under Chlodochar were scared of the outcome.

Chlodochar reportedly boasted that it was Wodan not the gods of the Celts creating the fog. It seemed to impress the men and their focus shifted to the battle itself. Having found the Icenii and Brigantii men on a steep hill with rocky outcrops it appeared that Chlodochar was debating how to dislodge this new and strange enemy.
One of the most striking features of the men of the Tin Isles was that of coating parts of their bodies with blue woad paint. They would even spike their hair with the blue dye and it would have looked quite surreal. In addition the druids would have painted the bodies of the warriors believing that a gods protection is stronger than armor. Regardless, the extremes the men went to in order to intimidate their foe was impressive.



Clearly the defenders had the advantage. Chlodochar would have to find a way to drive the men off the hill. In addition the fog created poor invisibility and he stretched his lines long so as to not be outflanked. This nearly created a disaster and it is likely that the Celts saw this and for whatever reason charged the lines of the Suebi en masse from their steep slope.

Military strategists and other critics debate this move and it was indeed a gamble. If the Celtic chieftains knew that the Suebi were overextended it would make sense to try and break the battle line in half. Each side could then be rolled up like a carpet. However as we would soon learn the Suebi had great staying power.
To be fair the Celts in this part of the Tin Isle had not had a major battle in over a generation. It is likely the men present at Eildon would not have done more than practice or go on coastal raids. That of course could not provide you the experience that was needed.

The Suebi on the other hand had fought a brutal and bloody war against the Lugii and had been battle hardened. This battle would come down to how well the Suebi center could hold against a mass of screaming, pushing, and weapon swinging Celts.



The Celts poured down the hill and smashed into a rather narrow part of the Suebian line. The front ranks would have been pushed back and bowed. However we also know that the true heavy infantry was kept in a second line and they charged into the melee at the center.



The ends of the Suebian line were untouched and largely stood around waiting for an enemy to appear that never did. It is at this point a critical decision is made. The ends of the lines were swept around to ninety degrees of the main battle line. They then pinched in from the sides and began to envelope the heavily concentrated Celts.

This was a risky maneuver because had more men been enroute they would have easily been able to pin down the ends of the Suebian line. However that did not happen and the initial success at the center was now being overshadowed by the fact that the left and right flanks of the Suebi were now crashing down on the massive blue blob fighting at the center.

Remarkably the center of the Suebian line held and with the addition of the flanks crashing inwards it caused a general panic among the Celts. It must have been a shock to realize that no matter how hard you fought it was impossible to tear the Suebian line in half even if your entire force is committed to it. Even worse to see yourself surrounded with screaming Germans turning the tide on what looked to be a victory.



The Celts fled and the city of Eildon was soon captured and looted for everything. In one fell blow the Brigantes had lost a third of their fighting force and the Iceni had lost a strategic city in the north. Worse yet the Icenii were fighting a war with the Gallic confederation, and could hardly respond to the new threat quickly.

Many historians argue the motivation for invading the Greater Tin Isle had less to do worth conquering the Iceni and Brigantes and more to do with taking advantage of an opportunity. Arguably the Icenii and Brigantes would have had more manpower at their disposal but with it concentrated toward the south and being used to hold their foothold on the European mainland, meant they would have been essentially blindsided by the attack at Eildon.

[Maximinus Thrax]

Your analysis of the tribes and their actions from archaeological evidence add so much more to this AAR!

I was just about to say the same thing. This kind of perspective has never been used before here at TWC, at least.

Your AAR can be summarised using just two words: magnificent work! Glad to see the Writer's Study hasn't run short of talented writers yet.

[Scottish King]

The end of the month is correct. Look forward to seeing your entry.

[Barune]

Called it!

The iceni are next! Woo

[Chirurgeon]

yes but there are some twists and turns. Hopefully get a few updates out today

[Barune]

-Cheers for the germans-

War with Daorsi is on the horizon i feel it.

[Chirurgeon]

-Cheers for the germans-

War with Daorsi is on the horizon i feel it.

The Icenii are quite the handful for the Suebians

[Khan1281]

What happened at Iska? I assume your army took quite a beating? Just curious. Great read so far!!

[Chirurgeon]

What happened at Iska? I assume your army took quite a beating? Just curious. Great read so far!!

They had some elite troops and they outnumbered me. Plus a bunch of reinforcements landed outside the town and ran into my backside and I didnt see it happen :/. My spear brothers were outclassed and got ground up to a pulp. The AI did a standup job of defending bottlenecks and throwing more and more men into the fray. It was the archers that made the difference for me. my four units of archers between my two stacks took out almost 1200 of the defenders. I had over 50 percent dead and 8 units were utterly destroyed.

[Lugotorix]

Couldn't help but root for the Bastarnae. Love underdogs and Dacians. Good stuff as always. This is going to be a talented MAARC.

[Chirurgeon]

Couldn't help but root for the Bastarnae. Love underdogs and Dacians. Good stuff as always. This is going to be a talented MAARC.

The Bastarnae are still kicking along the Black Sea Coast!

[Lugotorix]

The Bastarnae are still kicking along the Black Sea Coast!

So you were actually fighting the Illyrian Daorsi armed with Falx' if I understand this correctly now- Or was it the Biephi or Bastarnae participating as well?