Roman Campaign Progress/AAR v1.21

[Nad]

This is a progress report for my Rome campaign on a heavily edited version of v1.21 Alex. Difficulty is VH/M. The main changes I have made are to the traits and ancillaries files with the intention of simplifying and significantly slowing down trait and ancillary gain, but there are also minor tweaks made to a few other files.

I am posting this here to document how the campaign progresses, to identify any issues or feedback for v1.21 (which is generally brilliant IMO), and for my own enjoyment .

272BC

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First change is to victory conditions: all factions need to conquer 60 settlements including 5 specific ones to win. In my case, as well as Roma, I need to capture Carthage, Alexandreia, Byzantium and Antiocheia. The specific cities required vary for each faction.

Quick peak at starting family.

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Praetor Cornelius Blasio with his legate Cornelius Scipio approaches Taras to kick the Epeirotes out of Italy.

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The defenders of Taras (you can see they have retrained their armour and 1XP upgrades thanks to Alex.exe).

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Battle is offered in the fields in front of the city.

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As the Roman slingers make short work of the Greek hoplites, the Tarentine cavalry peel to the Roman left flank. Scipio and his equites are ordered from the right flank to go assist the cavalry on the left flank.

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The cavalry battle begins.

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Meanwhile the main Epeirote infantry force approaches the Roman line on a gentle crest.

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The Roman cavalry have used their superiority in numbers to see off the Tarantine cavalry. They now switch flanks again to wheel around and outflank the infantry battle.

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Soon the last Epeirote phalanx is surrounded.

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Cornelius Blasio wins a resounding victory.

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As winter closes, the praetor is on his way to deal with the traitors of Rhegion.

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[b0Gia de Bodemloze]

Very nice one

[Nad]

271BC

Cornelius Blasio attacks Rhegion with the help of Carthaginian allies.

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It is an easy victory.

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The first man Manius Curius Dentatus dies of old age and Corenlius Blasio, fresh from avenging Roman honour at Rhegion, becomes the new first man.

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One of his first acts is to adopt a promising young man under his wing.

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[Nad]

267BC

The battle for Segesta. Quaestor Cornelius Scipio leads the Roman forces with the tribune Aurelius Cotta as his second-in-command.

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The battle starts with the Roman slingers providing covering fire for the battering rams.

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The Roman infantry secure the gate breach and prepare to absorb the onslaught of the vast barbarian horde.

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Alas the fury of the horde is too much. The principes and rorarii are quickly routed and the fortune of the entire battle hangs in the balance.

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Scipio orders the hastati and remaining principes to hold their ground, while he sends the remaining rorarii to attempt a flanking manouver from the right breach.

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The hastati bravely front up against the fearsome gaesatae, with the corpses of their fallen comrades a ghastly reminder of the might of the barbarians.

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As some of the Roman routers recover their nerve and re-enter the fray, the envelopment manouver finally pays dividends as the barbarians realise they are surrounded and attempt to flee.

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The gaesatae are the last to break.

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Victory is now assured.

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[Nad]

265BC

The battle for Bononia. Cornelius Scipio's forces have been bolstered by fresh recruits of hastati and principes from Rome.

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The slingers provide covering fire for the battering rams.

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The infantry are ordered to exploit the breach.

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The Roman line is still disordered when the barbarians charge.

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After a long battle, the Roman line collapses. Men forsake country and honour in a bid to flee the rampaging barbarians. Scipio throws his final reserves into the fray.

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It has come to the triarii.

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After the failure of the hastati, the equites are ordered to finish off the gaesatae on the left flank.

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Having completed their task, the equites are able to flank the barbarian infantry and engage the Celtic slingers who have caused such havoc in the battle, having rained down hail after hail on the Roman infantry that were already pinned in melee. The tide finally turns.

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The scale of the slaughter left behind is apparent for all to see.

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The triarii are ordered to finish the job.

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They have saved the day for Scipio's forces. And some might say, his prospects in Rome too.

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[Nad]

264BC

As Scipio prepares to advance against the Aedui settlement of Mediolanum, the Gauls rather inexplicably send the majority of their defensive army towards Massalia instead.

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By the time the raiding party turns back, Scipio is ready to storm the lightly defended town.

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Bug alert for v1.21 - any Roman units trained in Roma show Legio x Auwjogotanoz rather than Rome! Must be an issue with region name in some file (are you possibly using Latium instead of Latium2 as region?) Here are a couple of examples.

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The battle itself is won easily.

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[Pherion]

Awesome stuff!

[Nad]

262BC

Cornelius Scipio has the Venetii town of Patavium invested when he receives reports of a band of Aedui warriors threatening Mediolanum. Determined not to allow the Venetii to resupply by breaking off the siege, the quaestor resolves to take the town after a short siege and then force march to head off the Aedui.

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Scipio knew he was taking a risk. His reserves were still in Mediolanum helping Papirius Paetus to pacify the Insubre tribes, and his infantry forces were limited only to hastati and principes. The Venetii infantry outnumbered his comfortably and they also had parity in cavalry. Only in skirmishers did Scipio have an advantage. Yet recent victories had bolstered the general's confidence in commanding the legion, and with Aurelius Cotta as his legate, Scipio felt ready to fight.

Instead of deploying his infantry in acies, Scipio decided the limited numbers would be best utilised as one force, with principes fighting in the centre and hastati on the flanks.

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The principes soon see off the Venetii cavalry but are under severe pressure from the barbarian swordsmen. Aurelius Cotta leads the Roman cavalry in a relief charge.

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The battle is a long drawn out affair with severe casualties on both sides. By the time the principes fight their way to the centre of the town, Scipio's hastati are no longer a recognisable force, with the few remaining men scattered in flight or incapacitated by wounds.

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The victory is costly - the Roman infantry are in no shape to force march against the Aedui.

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With his forces depleted, Scipio decides to winter in the town and instead sends a message to Rome requesting assistance against the Aedui warband. However he needn't have worried. After a few months stealing crops and attacking farmsteads, the Gauls leave of their own accord without threatening Mediolanum directly.

258BC

Rome has been at peace for 4 years. Magna Italia is fully under Roman influence and a legion is stationed in Cisalpine Gaul to guard against any barbarian raiding parties. This force has been enough to ward off any danger to the northern communities, with the tribes of Gaul content fighting each other rather than face the power of Rome again.

But even in peace there are rumblings of discontent. Debates in the senate are dominated by one subject - Carthage. Although allied to Rome by treaty, the Poeni have been spreading their influence throughout Africa. And of more immediate concern, several small contingents of their army have been wandering the Italian countryside for several years now. Although they have shown no obvious hostility to Rome or its allies, the presence of armed forces has disturbed the peace in the region, with thefts, rapine and the occasional murder becoming more commonplace. They block the roads to farmers, demanding levies for access and protection, and the senate has been beseeched by demands for action.

It is time for Rome to respond. The senate empowers Cornelius Scipio to raise a full army of two legions and alae. With Attilius Regillus as his tribune, the Roman hero marches south...

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[Nad]

The Carthaginian armies are drawn back to Sicilia as Scipio lays siege to Messana.

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After a short siege, Scipio's forces are ready to storm the city.

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The Roman superiority in numbers and quality makes this an easy victory.

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Roman spies identify where the Carthaginian forces are hiding in Bruttium, and Scipio seeks them out. They are led by a young general named Bulla.

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The battlefield is not to Scipio's liking, with broken ground and dense forest, and Bulla's forces have the advantage of the higher ground.

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The Roman skirmishers on the right flank strike an early blow against Bulla's elephants.

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The battles is chaotic. Visibility is severely hampered in the forest and Scipio stops receiving messages from the flanks. Instead of a full engagement, the battle descends into a series of skirmishes instead.

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Amid the confusion, Bulla orders his forces to withdraw. However some units do not get the message and continue to fight. The result is inconclusive.

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Having escaped in Bruttium, Bulla's forces are significantly strengthened in Sicilia by reinforcements from Lilibeo and local Greek mercenaries.

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As the Carthaginian forces retreat towards Lilibeo, Scipio is determined to force the issue. He will not let Bulla elude him again.

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[b0Gia de Bodemloze]

That would be tough battle!

[Nad]

Scipio's incursion prompts Bulla to lead the Carthaginian army into battle.

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Numbers are equal on both sides. However the Carthaginian force consists solely of infantry, cavalry and elephants, with no skirmishers to speak of. Scipio therefore has an edge in mobility, whereas Bulla has a stronger melee force.

Scipio deploys in the clearest area of the wooded battlefield.

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Bulla uses his elephants to screen his forces. The Roman skirmishers do what they can to weaken the screen.

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The skirmishers do not have as much impact as Scipio had hoped. Scipio gives the order to withdraw to allow the infantry to engage.

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The Carthaginians concentrate all their cavalry on the Roman left flank. Attilius Regulus, deployed on the Roman right flank, hurriedly leads the equites to counter the threat on the left.

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The tribune is outmanouvered by Hamalcar, the young leader of the Carthaginian cavalry. While Regulus is fighting the Carthaginian citizen cavalry, Hamalcar charges his sacred band into the flank of the Roman infantry.

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The Carthaginian force is strongly concentrated in the centre; Bulla's elephants plow into the Roman hastati.

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The battle is in full swing as the infantry forces clash all across the line.

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Regulus has finally freed his cavalry and manages to wheel around to attack the Carthaginians from the rear. His target is Bulla, who is engaged against the Roman hastati.

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The elephants are having a devastating impact against the Roman infantry. The Roman centre collapses.

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At this stage the Carthaginians have the clear upper hand. Only the intervention of the Roman triarii finally sees off the elephants. And then the battle turns as Regulus and his cavalry slay Bulla himself.

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Bulla's death causes panic to spread among the Carthaginian soldiers. When Hamalcar also falls shortly after while fighting the Roman hoplites, the battle turns into a rout. Scipio wins a heroic victory.

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While Scipio basks in the glory of victory, many of his troops know that the real credit belongs to Regulus. The bravery of the tribune, in leading the cavalry and felling Bulla in battle, is ultimately what led to victory.

With the Carthaginian army destroyed, Scipio lays siege to Lilibeo.

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[Nad]

256BC

After building siege equipment the Roman forces are ready to take the Carthaginian outpost of Lilibeo. Only Hamalcar's sacred band offer resistance.

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Hamalcar's cavalry are surrounded by allied spearmen and it is an easy victory.

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Only Syrakousai stands between Scipio and total conquest of Sicilia. The general resolves to take the city before the grip of winter descends.

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The Roman infantry clear the walls allowing the skirmishers (including a contingent of recently hired mercenary Cretan Archers) to rain down death from the battlements. It is an easy victory.

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255BC

Papirius Turdus leads the legion of Cisalpine Gaul against a small band of rebel Gauls.

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It is a straightforward task to drive away these raiders.

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254BC

Papirius Turdus again takes charge of the northern legion, this time in response to a band of Arverni raiders from Massalia.

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[I now have borders with the Aedui and Arverni and most of the rebel settlements in Gaul have been gobbled up. It is only a matter of time before the Aedui and Arverni stop fighting and instead ally against me].

[Nad]

The Arverni retreat but a band of experienced Aedui raiders prompts the legion into action.

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They are easily defeated.

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The praetor Cornelius Scipio is recalled to Sicilia to deal with a large uprising of rebels. He is accompanied by a new tribune, Caius Octavius.

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The battlefield reminds Scipio of his first encounter with the Carthaginian general Bulla. There are many areas of woodland where an ambush could be lurking, and the rebels are well entrenched on high ground.

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The Roman skirmishers succeed in antagonising the rebels enough to leave the high ground and charge into the Roman front.

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The rebels concentrate their strength in the centre. Surveying their approach, Scipio notices that their flanks may be vulnerable.

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The Roman cavalry engage their opponents, thus clearing the flanks.

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The hastati hold firm against the weight of the charge.

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The enemy are surrounded.

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The victory is decisive.

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[Nad]

Advance warning for readers: I will be on holiday for 2 weeks from Tuesday, so next update will be at the end of March. The Aedui and Arverni have already made peace so the northern front should soon be hotting up, and in the south, we will attempt to take Carthage's island settlements, and then perhaps prepare for invasion. So a lot to look forward to when I'm back .

Hope you are enjoying it so far!

[Nad]

253BC

Papirius Turdus repels an Aedui raiding party.

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Cornelius Scipio captures Alalia.

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252BC

The legion returns to Italia and Aurelius Cotta takes temporary command to repel an Arverni raiding party.

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251BC

Papirius Turdus repels another Arverni raiding party with assistance from Sempronius Longus.

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Cornelius Scipio has ordered the construction of a fleet of quinquiremes. With Rome's naval strength greatly bolstered, the pronconsul sets sail with the legion towards Sardinia.

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[Nad]

Karali is wide open. It has no walls and only the Carthaginian faction leader's companions guard the settlement. Scipio marches straight in.

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This alliance was entirely predictable.

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250BC

Papirius Turdus continues to repel Gallic raiding parties.

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249BC

A major Arverni force threatens Cisalpine Gaul. Papirius Turdus and Sempronius Longus seek reinforcements from the local Gallic tribes allied to Rome.

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And not a moment too soon. The Arverni force, led by a fiercesome warrior named Vellocatos, besiege Mediolanum. Papirius Turdus sallies immediately to face the foe. While outnumbered 3 to 2, the Roman commander is heartened to learn that a large part of the barbarian army consists of levy spearmen. He is therefore confident that his superior infantry will win the day.

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The armies are separated by a bank of trees outside the city. The Roman and allied Celtic slingers screen the infantry as they get into position.

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Once the skirmishers have played their part, the Roman infantry dig in to receive the barbarian charge.

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The Arverni force is concentrated in the centre. The infantry on the Roman right flank are unopposed. Despite being a capable warrior, Vellocatos has shown his lack of command expertise by making a strategic blunder.

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The Roman right outflanks the barbarians and begins to roll up the line.

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Sensing which way the battle has turned, the barbarian levies disgrace themselves and decide to flee. It is a mass rout.

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Papirius Turdus wins a heroic victory.

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News of Turdus' victory is tempered by sadness in Rome. The first man, Cornelius Blasio, dies after a long and fulfilling life.

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Rome's great general, Cornelius Scipio, is now the first man. He is currently on campaign against the Carthaginians but will soon return to Rome.

Papirius Turdus and Sempronius Longus continue to fight barbarian invaders.

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248BC

In his last action before returning to Rome, Scipio captures the Carthaginian outpost in the Baleares.

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Another small Gallic raiding party, this time from the Aedui, is repelled.

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[NB: given the volume of Aedui and Arverni raids in Cisalpine Gaul, I will stop reporting each of these battles going forward, and only report any major battles in this area].

[Nad]

Several Gallic raiding parties, from both the Aedui and Arverni, invade Cisalpine Gaul simultaneously, determined to avenge the ghost of past defeats. The largest of these forces, led by a minor chieftain named Dejotaros, besieges Mediolanum. Papirius Turdus decides to sally immediately; the commander knows he must defeat this force and then march the legion to head off the other raiding parties before they can overrun Rome's northern border.

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This will be a tough battle. The Romans are outnumbered almost 2:1 and this army is more dangerous than the last, containing several bands of swordsmen as well as spearmen.

The Roman slingers screen the infantry as they march forward to face the Gauls.

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After the skirmish, the barbarians charge towards the Roman line.

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With the main lines engaged, Papirius Turdus attempts to flank the Gauls on both sides. He sends his allied Celtic spearmen round the left flank and his Samnite spearmen and Greek peltasts round the right flank.

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However the commander had not foreseen the cowardice of his Celtic levies. At the first sight of real battle, the spearmen decide to flee rather than fight.

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Events go from bad to worse. The Roman right flank begins to disintegrate. With little other option, Papirius Turdus deploys his triarii reserve to prevent the right flank from collapsing.

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With the fate of the battle hanging in the balance, Papirius Turdus decides to intervene directly. He moves to the left flank to join his Gallic and Ligurian cavalry. His plan is to charge into the Gallic right flank.

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The Roman infantry are grimly hanging on in the centre. While some of the allies might have broken and run, these brave men will defend their country with their lives if necessary. Despite their courage, the line of resistance is growing desperately thin.

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Papirius Turdus leads the charge on the Roman left.

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While the cavalry charge has some impact on the left, it is surprisingly the Roman right flank where the decisive blow is struck. With the principes holding the line and the triarii and samnites closing the flank, the exhausted barbarians have had enough. The Gallic left flank collapses.

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The victorious Roman troops on the right flank begin to roll up the line. Now the Gallic centre is also beaten.

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The cavalry have regrouped and attempt to hasten the end by charging the remaining barbarian troops that are still standing.

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Dejotaros' doughtly alpine swordsmen are the last barbarians standing. But alone they are no match for the exhausted but triumphant Roman infantry.

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Papirius Turdus wins another heroic victory; however serious losses have been incurred on the Roman side.

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The alied Celtic spearmen disgraced themselves in the battle. Papirius Turdus now knows more about which troops he can trust. But with so many other Gallic raiding parties in the vicinity, the commander will have to rebuild his force quickly. And with no impending reinforcements from Rome, he will have to rely on the Celtic tribes of the region for some time yet.

[Nad]

It is one of the harshest winters that any man can remember but that is not the cause of Papirius Turdus' dark thoughts. His scouts have brought him disturbing news. A large force of Gauls from the Aedui tribe threaten Mediolanum from the north. Meanwhile a large band of barbarians from the Arverni tribe have been spotted along the coastal road in Liguria. The commander is in a difficult position. He is loath to leave camp in the middle of winter yet Rome expects him to respond to both these threats. With no little regret Turdus issues the order to ready the legion to march. His aim is to occupy the main bridge crossing over the Po, such that the barbarian armies cannot combine and can be dealt with one at a time.

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No sooner does the legion secure the bridge than the Arverni force seeks battle.

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Turdus deploys on the north side of the bridge. His plan is to use the bridge as a funnel, such that the full scale of the Gallic numerical advantage cannot be brought to bear.

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The battle is a long drawn out affair with casualties on both sides. At times it resembles a wrestling match rather than a melee, as the Gauls seek to push back the Roman line. Finally, the discipline of the Roman infantry wins the day - the barbarians have had their fill of Roman steel.

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The allied cavalry chase the barbarians off the battlefield.

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It is another heroic victory for Turdus.

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With his troops cold, exhausted and nursing countless wounds, Turdus could barely believe his ill fortune. Barely a week after the Arverni were seen off, his scouts reported that the Aedui warband was approaching from the north. Hurriedly Turdus gave the order for the legion to form on the south bank. As he took his position in the center, Turdus realised he should be thankful for one thing - if the barbarians had co-ordinated their plan to attack the legion from both sides simulataneously, he would now be enduring the cold of the grave.

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The weight of the barbarian charge causes a wedge to form in the Roman line.

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Turdus orders his infantry to push the barbarians back onto the bridge.

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It is another long grind and at times Turdus fears his exhausted troops can take no more. When the task is done, the scale of the slaughter is apparent for all to see - as is the paucity of the Romans left on the battlefield.

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The gods have demanded this victory is paid for in blood. Once again the triarii saved the day.

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247BC

The Aedui and Arverni simultaneously besiege Mediolanum and Segesta. But these are raiding parties rather than large warbands. Papirius Turdus defeats the Aedui...

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...and then marches to Segesta to drive away the Arverni.

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[Nad]

PS: I should note that I had to fight the bridge battle against the Arverni and Aedui twice. The first time I had beaten the Arverni and was close to victory against the Aedui when the game crashed. It happened when I ordered my cavalry to chase some routers on my side of the bridge. This is the first crash I have had in this campaign. I am guessing it is either a graphical glitch or somehow related to the fact that it was a bridge battle?

What was really frustrating (other than the time required to replay the battle) is that the first go was much more successful, with significantly fewer casualties sustained. I also took many more screenshots which I had to dump after the crash. So if the above description and report of the battle feels a little light, it's because I didn't have the same level of motivation second time around!

[Nad]

Point of feedback for v1.21: hoplitai, triarii and some other spearmen have the "spear" attribute in weapon properties. This is far too powerful - you can see the result in every battle where the triarii get involved, such as the last bridge battle where a half-unit of triarii inflicted 544 infantry casualties. I have also seen single units of hoplites destroy a phalanx head-on in other campaigns I have tried. The pushing / penetrating power from the spear attribute is way too powerful for line infantry.

Recommendation: change to light_spear.