[HS] Battle for Rome II - Parthia is OPEN

[paladinbob123]

In the Season of 33BC , the forces of Antony launched a full scale invasion of dacian terrority, with three full army groups [stacks] and multiple smaller battlegroups. The lines of advance were three fold , with the main strike at Orestias where two full armygroup's sieged the town in the advance northwards protected by a fort. To the east at Bzantine , the romans had landed another force and rebesieged the old roman town on the coastline , with a further move to block the mountain range , which lead to the dacian town of Seuthopolis . Another main strike of Anton's legions was marching towards the town of Navissus where one armygroup camped in a fort and there leader Lucuis Vorenus had made another fort with his cavalry to support both this and the other fort to the east[the one blocking Suethopolis].

The tribesmen who had moved southwards into the woods , in the summer raiding period had ambushed part of these forces, in some cases out numbering there opponents , but the roman superior training and equipment protected them from rout, and in the end , these raiding groups had been forced to retreat , back to nearby townsteads.

The Dacian warlord, reviewed the full scale onslaught committed by the romans and admitted he didn't have the forces, to combat a full scale invasion particulary against the superior roman forces, and so he lead a winding retreat back into the winterly hill-lands of the dacian countryside, hoping that the other opponents of Antony would perhaps strike his now vulnerable outer settlements in the border, whilst he lead the roman forces a merry dance , into the dacian mountains.

The only place , there was a attack was on the sea, where the roman marines , transport ships where first hit by a dacian war raiding fleet, to which the roman fleet fled , only to run into more dacian raiders , to which they were sunk to dacian war songs , as the dacians reported at least some victory to there own gods .




Turn to Egypt

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y0vx7z001a...pt_12.sav?dl=0

[ScotlandIsBest]

Parthia up! http://www.mediafire.com/file/zps7h3...ia_12.sav/file

[ArBo]

Admin subbed Parthia.

Octavian up - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RH...k-INtWqnUkZ06b
Pics - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sJ...5suKHW4VOiYJCv
While the one true Roman Empire grows back to its former glory, ever more incursions from the Octavian usurpers are registered. An escalation on a new front might not be far away.

[General Dragon.]

Pompey up!
https://www.sendspace.com/file/3dy28z

[PeaMan]

Lepidus up - http://www.mediafire.com/file/cw21tt...us_13.sav/file

[REDBOOSTY]

Need short extension, diplomacy things

[REDBOOSTY]

Dacia up: http://www.mediafire.com/file/cjygwr...ia_13.sav/file

[paladinbob123]

It was the summer of 33BC , and the armies of antony marched into the dacian countryside in the summer weather , on the eastern coastline , the armies of Juliannas Libo and Lentulus Salvius marched further northwards dividing the dacian city of Mesembria and another town inland, and immediately formed a fortified camp as they were clearly in Dacian territory. The warlord of Dacia annoyed at the further persistence of the roman armies , himself , called the local tribes to war , and immediately the drum beat of local warlords echo'd around the hill sides and forest , as tribesmen , warriors and farmers were all called to their local tribal leaders, to ready themselves for war. The next winter would be harsher for the stout folk of the dacian lands, calling farmers away from the crops but against the threat of being made a slave, dying for ones tribe seemed such a little thing.



In the central regions , Lucius Vorenus moved northwards and looked at the barbarian camps below , as the drums of war beat across the countryside and again fortified his camp, where-as the fourth army of Augustus Attianus sieged the small town of Navissus, which had only a nominal dacian honour guard left behind , as the barbarians of dacia had already vacated the town , falling back northwards, to the mountain's of there ancestors, deep in the northern regions . This was a expensive campaign for the antony faction , the dacian warlord calculated, and the longer , he kept such forces out in the field, the longer and more expensive the roman campaign would be , where perhaps some other misfortune might hit antony's vulnerable coastal cities.

Turn is up for Egypt
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i3xbklg65q...pt_13.sav?dl=0

[Hannibal2001]

Anthony - http://www.mediafire.com/file/9kjuoi...ny_14.sav/file

[ArBo]

Extension requested and received. Octavian up - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Jc...Xu2PmcxX9tbw4l
Pics - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pB...iKU2K7DRq8S8hS

[General Dragon.]

Pompey up!
https://www.sendspace.com/file/bvw6gr
Malta taken with overwhelming odds.
Octavian arrived to Greece leading his legions to decrease the power of Anthony and to conquer all territories back to Rome, the rightful owner.

[PeaMan]

Pompey sends his son and heir Quintas to north Africa to take the villages on the borders of Lepidus's Kingdom while sending his fleet to blockade the pretenders fleet in their shipyard.. while Pompey himself takes advantage of the recent construction of the barracks enabling him to recruit more disciplined and hardened men for the war that will soon follow him to mainland Italy and beyond.

Lepidus up - https://www.mediafire.com/file/etz6f9h0515t7vd/BFRII_Lepidus_14.sav/file

[REDBOOSTY]

Dacia up: https://www.mediafire.com/file/yqzik...ia_14.sav/file

[paladinbob123]

The Dacian situation was dire in the winter of 33BC , as the left flank armies of Antony struck at the Town of Navissus taking it by storm with little resistance , and then dividing its armygroup into two , with one heading northwestwards towards Sirmium and the other heading to support the rest of the armies operations to the east. The town of Sirmium seeing the approaching roman armies began to evacuate its own people, in a slow caravan of farmers, and the chieftain struck out to the north , seeking to return to the central lands , to tell there tales of woe.



But the worst was still to come , as the two giant army-groups commanded by Julianas Libo and Captain Publius had besieged the major town of Stara Zagora , and other units particulary from Lucius Vorenus's armygroup who had filtered in from the mountains , built fortifications to the north and west of the settlement, to deter reinforcements from aiding the battle [which had been the plan of the dacia to deter such a assault]. Such clever moves from the roman people on the coast with there ingenuity was a particular trait of the roman army , which was always a problem for the barbarian warlord, as he considered his opinions in the cold winter. His two army groups protecting the coastal cities in particular being mainly infantry didn't have the range to reach the battle and if they did march , there were sure to arrive late, by which time , his cousin , Danillo would surely perish , giving the romans a superior position for the summer, to re-energise there campaign. Suddenly the falling back and buying time tactic although having working by some margin , was viewed in a different light, particularly when a close family member was at stake , and the Dacian warlord, vented screams of anger and frustrations against Antony and his people.

Annoyed at his own frustration he set forth barbarian peasants who secured the old roman camps which had been left, behind in the roman's armies haste to march westwards in the winter time , and to steal a march on the dacian people. The peasants , found the camp's mainly deserted and much work had to be done , to correct the lack of timber which the warlord assumed the romans had taken with them, to build there damned siege equipment. But the mighty warlord's rage spilled over , at his frustrations of what was to be done.

The only thing that could reach the battle lines was perhaps the warlords and his fellow chieftain bodyguards and he was loath to risk all in such a venture, as they would be heavily outnumbered in such a struggle. To solve his doubts , he and his people consulted the Gods , and a person was selected to be sent to Zalmoxis , to ask whether the venture would succeed. The chosen dacian struggled wildly, as he was dragged towards the three spearmen who lowered there spears in a dangerous position. Speaking out the request to Zalmoxis, the man was swung back and forth by the priests before he was chucked onto the spears and spearmen who stood proudly with there weapons out.

The dacian sacrifice fell badly on one of the spears , it taking him in the back , and it was not long , before he spoke no more, but the sign from Zalmoxis was complete, and the priests all agreed the venture would be a successful one. {see below}

-----------------------------------------

Back at the siege of Stara Zargora , Julianas Libo cursed the foul winter cold of the dacian plains and nearby mountains, as another one of those bloody fogs rolled down from the nearby hills ,to the sounds of the roman forces who still worked on the siege equipment. Safe in the knowledge that the majority of the Dacian forces couldn't reach them at this distance and with far superior numbers and technology they hoped to teach the wildmen some lessons in civility , for wasn't that the reason for all such pacification , as the romans bought these barbarians "civilization"?

The sounds of sawing and carpentry still continued into the night without recourse, and the camp was still scattered without the usual fortification's, as that was secondary to getting inside of the enemies walls before the summer, and teaching these barbarians the true might of the Roman fist of war. Suddenly in the dark of night, there was unusual noises coming from the east, but things were so damned difficult to make things out, in these cursed lands, and with the fog making things difficult, it made things nigh impossible to predict. The howls that echo'd down the mountains and could've been from somesort of wild dogs or wolves, but civilized men shouldnt fear such things , as they were sure not to attack the camp , the romans having such numbers proving a deterrence, but he felt he ought to check on the sentries , to make sure they were at least alert.

He heard the sentries before he saw them due to obscuration of the fog , as they were chatting equally worried about the noises, as the town militia had heard stories from the native merchants , speaking of Ghosts and other mystical beasts that patrolled the mountains sides , striking down intruders to their lands. As he emerged from the fog, and the frightened looks of the sentries came into view , coming to attention with the sudden appearance of the senator, he thought to give them a peace of his mind, to discipline them.

"Here now! Romans are not afraid of mere sounds?", shouted Julianas , "What are your names ? By Vulcan ! I didn't expect Roman soldiers to appear so weak? Perhaps I should put you on a charge?"

"Gallio Caecius Aemilianus, sir!" , replied one of the sentries but before the other could speak , there was again, another howl from inside the fog , closer now , maybe a hound baying out in some great need, chilled the bones of some. But Julianus was about to berate the second sentry, but before he could do so , the soldier dropped his spear in fright and pointed into the mist, where there were two great glowing eyes of red, emerging , shimmering unclear in the fog. First one pair and then another appeared, Now ten pairs appeared, all moving closer and closer. The second sentry , his bladder uncontrolled, relived himself there and then and then ran away screaming towards the camp.

"Ghosts are coming! The Ghost's of the Hills are coming!" , before the sentry was swallowed fleeing in the fog, as the camp came alive with the panicked shouts.

Julianus grabbed the first sentry tight with his hand preventing him to from leaving , urging him to blow his horn to alert the camp, shouting down his denials.

"They are not Ghosts , you fool !.... No such things exists! Alert the camp!", said the senator.



But there was no signal , as the sentry raising the signal horn was hit by a horse, running at full gallop with branches aflame attached to either side of its head, as the terrified mare, trampled over the sentry , separating him from the senator. Many of horses aflame , rang past the retreating senator into the camp behind him,promoting panic and spreading the flames as tents caught alight. The senator retreated looking for weapons and a horse, to take command of his men , ever yelling out in the fog, for his men to rally upon him but all was awash in flame and panic. The sounds of heavy horse was all around him , as no doubt the Dacian heavy horse had struck the camp , riding over the tents , killing many soldiers before they had time to form up.



Other screams now echo'd in the foggy night as the defenders of the town seeing the roman camp , was awash with fear, climbed the walls, launching themselves into the camp from the other side , killing few, but adding to the confusion , as flamed horses, dacian heavy cavalry and spear warriors attacked the romans from what it seemed from all sides. Morale began to break, particularly helped due to a lone trooper leading the way , proclaiming the ghosts of the mountain were here , and many romans began to flee.

Screams echoed in the night in the valley, with the occasional clash of weapons as some roman troops fought back , but most took flight , being town militia and not suited to long campaigns like the hardened legionnaires. Julianus grimaced , finding a lone horse, and knowing the day was lost, he escaped into the fog, to collect some semblance of his command in the light of day.



In the light of day however , presented a more formidable problem, as the other roman formation under the command of Captain Publius had used the time, to form his men into battle formations. The dacians however had been reinforced by some spear warriors which had been sent down south, by the towns in the mountains , but the dacians were still outnumbered, but after the victory last night their morale was sky high.

The great Dacian Warlord , Deceneus lifted his blade , high in the morning air, screaming his hate of the invaders, and this was the signal for another charge , but this time of cavalry and infantry. Likewise the troops and cavalry had pooled outside of the barbarian settlement equally joined the charge, and a mighty morass of troops hit the centre of the roman line. Deceneus knew that in a battle of attrition there was nothing like the roman war machine , and so directed his personal cavalry on a direct line to the flags of the roman commander, who gapped as the Dacian cavalry scattered his front line , like so much wheat being cut down by a massive scythe before the summer ended. Roman soldiers dived in the way of the dacian advance to block the giant warlord, but he and his bodyguard ran down the last of the interceptors, as the rest of the dacian line entered combat against the roman formations in a massive class of arms, as he faced down the roman commander.



Captain Publius looked up, his five foot ten frame trembled against the mounted six foot tall towering barbarian, trying to call for roman reinforcements, but his throat had gone dry , and he had just the time to block the giant warlords sword from taking his head, as the rest of his command staff, were being cut down all around him. Optio's called for part of there own roman forces, to pull away from the main fight to help the surrounded captain , but there wasn't the time, as Deceneus took the captains head with a mighty blow that couldn't be blocked , and being handed the gruesome prize, he held it aloft for all to see, with the captains blood dripping to the floor.

There was a collective groan from the roman troops and a rallying cry from the Dacian warriors, as the southern edge of the roman formations began to buckle and the northern position of romans seeing the way the wind was blowing began to flee. Soon the collective withdrawal became a rout , and the dacian warriors began to hunt those that fled northwards seeking the positions of safety of the roman fortifications.{they retreated to the northern most fortification}



--------------------------------

Julianas Libo sat amongst his horse, as he looked out a the rough camp of roman troopers which had been collected from his army , with perhaps as many as around half of his men , making over a thousand soldiers. He was happily surprised that had number had survived and had been salvaged , and began to order, a rollcall to work out who had survived and who was missing, as was his duty as officer in charge. One soldier however was presently still barely just alive , hanging from a crucifix for his crime of causing panic and deserting his fellow citizens , and was left to hang to suffer for his crimes, for all to see.

The northern border of Orestias had been pacified and taken over completely by the roman's , so much so that when a massive barbarian army began to appear on the nearby hillside as they moved closer to them ,its surprise was total. As down to the plains , the dacian army rolled in , and the senator decried this barren wasteland as just being not worth Rome's time. This time, with time on there side, the roman formation was ready for the Dacian barbarians, and the attack only started with a impudent barbarian leader called for the Dacian's to attack as he charged the Romans army in the flank.



This however was the Royal dacian army of Deceneus, which having been left out of the main fighting had felt cheated of glory and being shamed into a rash attack on the bewildered roman lines , stormed the roman formations. Falxmen helfing there overly large curved blades leapt ontop of roman supply wagons, hacking roman trooper's with savage wildcuts , hacking off arms, legs or any appendage that was in reach.

Seeing that over a hundred romans had been killed in the initial dacian rush , the other town militia began to falter , and despite Julianas threatening of decimation for any that took one step back , it was only when the rest of the dacian heavy foot warriors began to rush in there equal numbers to the romans, that the romans began to panic and flee. After being beaten with a daican army , of a quarter sized less than them , when being confronted with a army equal in size, the romans thought the outcome enviable , and the better part of valour ,and survivability within easy reach, they began to flee for the nearest roman settlement.

Julianas pulled on the reins of horse , turning to flee to Orestias and the immediate safety of the roman walls, thinking to himself that Antony will have my head for this ,thinking of perhaps taking his own life to spare the shame of his family. But first I must make the border, as safe, as I can make it , he mused , as he knew the rest of Antony's Dacian expeditionary army still was alive, and deep within the dacian countryside and this was not the time for him to falter.



Zalmoxis{God of Dacians}

Zalmoxis (Greek: Ζάλμοξις) is a supposed divinity of the Getae and Dacians (a people of the lower Danube), mentioned by Herodotus in his Histories Book IV, 93–96, written before 425 BC.

Herodotus writes about Zalmoxis in book 4 of his Histories:-

93. ...the Getae are the bravest of the Thracians and the most just. 94. They believe they are immortal forever living in the following sense: they think they do not die and that the one who dies joins Zalmoxis, a divine being; some call this same divine being Gebeleizis. Every four years, they send a messenger to Zalmoxis, who is chosen by chance. They ask him to tell Zalmoxis what they want on that occasion. The mission is performed in the following way: men standing there for that purpose hold three spears; other people take the one who is sent to Zalmoxis by his hands and feet and fling him in the air on the spears. If he dies pierced, they think that the divinity is going to help them; if he does not die, it is he who is accused and they declare that he is a bad person. And, after he has been charged, they send another one. The messenger is told the requests while he is still alive. The same Thracians, on other occasions, when he thunders and lightens, shoot with arrows up in the air against the sky and menace the divinity because they think there is no god other than their own.

Herodotus asserts that Zalmoxis was originally a human being, a slave who converted the Thracians to his beliefs. The Greeks of the Hellespont and the Black Sea tell that Zalmoxis was a slave of Pythagoras, son of Mnesarchos, on the island of Samos. After being liberated, he gathered huge wealth and, once rich, went back to his homeland. Thracians lived simple hard lives. Zalmoxis had lived among the wisest of Greeks, such as Pythagoras, and had been initiated into Ionian life and the Eleusinian Mysteries. He built a banquet hall, and received the chiefs and his fellow countrymen at a banquet. He taught that neither his guests nor their descendants would ever die, but instead would go to a place where they would live forever in a complete happiness. He then dug an underground residence. When it was finished, he disappeared from Thrace, living for three years in his underground residence. The Thracians missed him and wept fearing him dead. The fourth year, he came back among them and thus they believed what Zalmoxis had told them.


Turn to Egypt..
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqbda9p3yu...pt_14.sav?dl=0

[Hannibal2001]

Anthony - http://www.mediafire.com/file/196ac6...ny_15.sav/file

[ArBo]

Octavian up - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Vd...IyTbSfVQNLwc4d
Pics - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Yp...ag3b8zrY_jC3XJ

[General Dragon.]

Pompey up!
https://www.sendspace.com/file/4esvvm
Megalopolis taken with overwhelming force.

[PeaMan]

This slipped my mind, I'll have it up tomorrow.

[PeaMan]

Pompey after hearing reports of a invasion force heading towards the his lands returns to Karalis with the first legion and prepares for war blocking the northern passage to the enemy.

Lepidus up - https://www.mediafire.com/file/ag6a5p0kjqw1skk/BFRII_Lepidus_15.sav/file

[REDBOOSTY]

Dacia up: https://www.mediafire.com/file/9vj3x...ia_15.sav/file