[IB Ruina Romae] Surviving the Hordes - A Western Roman Empire Campaign

[Drtad]

I wanted to make an AAR that showcased this fantastic mod, so I decided to start playing as the Western Roman Empire. Please don't be so harsh on my tactics - I've never actually ever played as the Western Roman Empire in any Total War game before, since I prefer building up a small kingdom (it's the Civ player in me). In any case, I'll be playing through the WRE campaign and I'll try to showcase everything great about Ruina Romae here.

In the first episode, I come to grips with the disastrous situation... I pull back from the forts on the border in order to prevent rebellions and at the same time the Visigoths besiege Rome... But first, we have to beat back the Alemanni attack near Mediolanum! In this first episode, I had not enabled unlimited men on the battlefield in preferences, so that's why I didn't get my reinforcements in time. Fixed for the next episode.

Ruina Romae starts in 410AD - the year of the famous Sack of Rome... Not a good situation. The most important issue is the Visigoth horde - they have at least 50 stacks right next to Rome in the middle of our collapsing empire. In Iberia, there is the Hispano-Roman rebellion to deal with, in addition to a Vandal horde and the burgeoning Suebi kingdom in what would become Galicia. Gaul is a complete mess, with the large Gallo-Roman rebellion in addition to Alan hordes. In terms of more minor threats, we have the Burgundians, Alemanni, and Langobards in the north that will make securing our northern border very difficult. In the east, we have the Ostrogothic kingdom as well as the Huns, who are mostly threatening the ERE but will be a major problem soon... There are also serious public order issues, as well as religious issues, which prevent me from being more flexible with my garrisons since I can't survive rebellions in addition to all the other problems... Let's see how this goes!

[Alwyn]

As you said, this looks like a fantastic mod with nicely done historical details (like the chain of Roman forts in north Africa). This does seem like a very challenging start, with the Western Roman Empire facing major threats on its external borders and internal instability at the same time. Your assessment of the external threats and your strategy of concentrating Rome's remaining armies in strongholds such as Ravenna, Mediolanum and Sirmium while falling back to the coastal cities in north Africa look sensible. The battle in the snow looks fun, as you said the units look great and the quality of Roman troops was important.

[Turkafinwë]

First time playing the Western Roman Empire eh? This is going to be interesting. Don't worry the WRE is a difficult faction to play, some might say the most difficult, in Rome: BI (and looking at the start it can't be any easier in this mod) so survival is the priority not the min-maxing of your realm (at least that's what I think). Never played the mod myself but I was always interested to see how it was. It looks great and as you say at the start a very busy point in history, there's alot going on.

A great first victory over the Alemanni. As you say 1 stack down, 50 more to go

[Derc]

Oh my. I would just nope the hell out before even moving the camera after seeing all these Goths near Rome. Good luck with that.

[Drtad]

Oh my. I would just nope the hell out before even moving the camera after seeing all these Goths near Rome. Good luck with that.

That's why I've never wanted to play as the WRE. xD

First time playing the Western Roman Empire eh? This is going to be interesting. Don't worry the WRE is a difficult faction to play, some might say the most difficult, in Rome: BI (and looking at the start it can't be any easier in this mod) so survival is the priority not the min-maxing of your realm (at least that's what I think). Never played the mod myself but I was always interested to see how it was. It looks great and as you say at the start a very busy point in history, there's alot going on.

A great first victory over the Alemanni. As you say 1 stack down, 50 more to go

Yeah I have always preferred playing as smaller factions and building up, so the WRE is definitely a new experience for me... especially in Ruina Romae! I'm in for a ride...

As you said, this looks like a fantastic mod with nicely done historical details (like the chain of Roman forts in north Africa). This does seem like a very challenging start, with the Western Roman Empire facing major threats on its external borders and internal instability at the same time. Your assessment of the external threats and your strategy of concentrating Rome's remaining armies in strongholds such as Ravenna, Mediolanum and Sirmium while falling back to the coastal cities in north Africa look sensible. The battle in the snow looks fun, as you said the units look great and the quality of Roman troops was important.

Yeah I'd like to think I'm doing the right things to at least preserve most of the empire as best I can until I can get the economy and the hordes under control. I'm already getting YouTube comments about how I screwed up in North Africa and Iberia, but hopefully it all turns out ok. xD

[Drtad]

After the destruction of the Alemanni army and the lifting of the siege of Mediolanum, the Western Roman Empire is still not safe. Berber armies roam unchecked in North Africa, Hispania remains woefully undefended, and Italia is clogged with Visigoths. Emperor Honorius has a change of heart and decides to actually do something, and he rides at the head of a few armies to try and break the Visigoth siege of Rome. Will he succeed? Perhaps the right question is: Will he survive? Meanwhile, some scrappy Roman armies in North Africa try to weaken the Berber threat so that some forces can be freed up to aid in the reconquest of Hispania and the defense of Italia.

[Drtad]

Emperor Honorius gets catapulted from his horse, Priscus flees from Germanic heavy cavalry, and Alaric enters Rome... but can he hold the city?

Moving my troops into Italia was a bit premature as I underestimated the power of the Visigoth armies (after defeating the Alemanni fairly easily). I also probably shouldn't have besieged the Gallo-Roman capital in southern Gaul - now my full army there is trapped by two Alan armies (that I doubt I can defeat). This episode truly encapsulates what Ruina Romae is about - such a great job at capturing the feel of the period! In other news, the Roman armies in North Africa are almost ready to relieve our troops in Hispania and Italia, so hopefully the empire can be consolidated soon.

[Anna_Gein]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

First time playing as the late Roman Empire trying to survive ? You will see it is a lot of fun actually.

I am a big fan of these type of scenario where you start as a big empire fighting for survival. I have not played extensively Ruina Roma although I did played a lot older IB mods and IB II Conquestus Britanniae. Wether you play Late Rome in vanilla or in mods the key is to take hits and secure local of havens of peace where you can somewhate prosper while the rest of your lands are ravaged by war.

Honorius ultimate fate on the fields of glory was not something I expected for sure. I am looking forward to the nexts episodes.

[Alwyn]

Pulling back your infantry in the face of Filimer's well-equipped Visigoths, allowing more time for your reinforcements to arrive, looks like a smart move. Rome's cavalry look very effective, including the horse archers. Even so, as you said the Visigoths are using a lot of spearmen which is obviously a problem, combined with (as you said) the limited supply of Roman ranged units. The fall of a Roman Emperor looks like a shock.

[Drtad]

Thanks everyone for the support, I appreciate it!

In this episode, Emperor Constantius continues the siege of the Gallo-Roman capital, Arleate, while the WRE armies consolidate in Italia for a final push against the remaining Visigoth armies.

[Alwyn]

I had the same reaction which you had in the opening battle, I was worried that the enemy had found another way to cross the river. Initially I was worried that you didn't have many melee infantry to hold the bridge, but this meant that you had reserves ready for when they crossed at the ford. I like your agile way of defending the river crossing - you aren't relying on holding the line at the water's edge.

[Drtad]

@Alwyn
Yeah that definitely weirded me out... of course it was just the AI being strange. They did fake me out though!

In this episode, Emperor Constantius fights the usurper Constantinus in Arleate, the Visigoths push north, the Alemanni and Berbers return, and we have our first engagement with the legendary Vandals...

[Derc]

You did it! You saved the city of Rome from the Goth hordes! And how close it was! Madness!

Even though you are still in a dire situation, it's awesome to see all these little progresses you make. I'd most likely have given up Spain and ignored France for the time being. You stomping it all adds a nice extra challenge to a situation that is already challenging enough.

This +rep is well deserved, fine sir.

[Drtad]

You did it! You saved the city of Rome from the Goth hordes! And how close it was! Madness!

Even though you are still in a dire situation, it's awesome to see all these little progresses you make. I'd most likely have given up Spain and ignored France for the time being. You stomping it all adds a nice extra challenge to a situation that is already challenging enough.

This +rep is well deserved, fine sir.

Thank you very much, Derc! Yes, I wanted to at least attempt to protect all of the remaining WRE territories instead of abandoning what seemed like lost causes... In fact, the lost causes (especially Iberia and Gaul) seem like perhaps my most stable fronts right now!

In this episode, Emperor Constantius continues to fight the Gallo-Romans, the Berbers strike back in North Africa, and the Visigoths and Alans leave Italia...

I was very concerned about my ability to fight the Alan armies due to their superior cavalry and abundance of horse archers, but luckily they seem to want to return to their kingdom in the Caucasus...

[Drtad]

In this episode, we have more problems with public order in Hispania and Sicily, but the Visigoth and Alan departures from Italia free up our military to actually counterattack and restore the Western Roman Empire to its former glory... The Suebi, Vandals, and remaining Gallo-Romans await!

[Drtad]

In this episode of the Invasio Barbarorum Ruina Romae WRE campaign, the offensives in Hispania and Gaul continue to be successful despite a few tactical defeats. The Burgundian army arrives out of nowhere in Northern Italy, the Alemanni continue their standoff on the northern fringes of the empire, and about one hundred Hunnic armies arrive in Illyria... What are we going to do?

[Derc]

Hehe. That's a great feeling. As soon as you feel halfway secure, another horde arrives. At least the ones from the middle of your heartlands are gone, and you have some money. Pretty easy to block off the Huns at rivers or alpine passes, but let's see how it'll turn out. Perhaps they may just ride off. If not, they might make some noise in modern day Austria.

Good thing to see this false Gaul going down and having a land connection to Iberia soon.

[Alwyn]

Your plan seems to be working well despite losses in some areas. As you said, it looks like your rivals in Iberia have exhausted their strength fighting each other, presenting Western Rome with an opportunity. That's an interesting situation early in this episode, where some Germanic tribes are threatening your northern border - will they fight each other or will they try to break through your border?

[Drtad]

@Derc yeah I was feeling really good about everything until the Huns besieged Salona... Luckily they seem to be rather indecisive about what they want to do, you'll see in this episode. Yeah I'll be really happy once false Gaul goes down finally, but it will be a grind I think.

@Alwyn Yeah that's the thing - I think I just have to hold the northern border and force the Germanic tribes to retreat and fight each other. It seems like the Ostrogoths and Longobards are in the best position...

In this episode of the IB Ruina Romae let's play as the Western Roman Empire, we take a look at the entire map with the fog of war turned off (at the end of the ep). Emperor Constantius reconnects the Iberian provinces with the rest of the empire and prepares his fresh army to attack and defeat the Vandals and the Suebi. At the same time, the Huns have a case of indecision, the Ostrogoth and Longobard sieges continue, and the Berbers launch surprise attacks at Hippo Regius and Tingis...

[Drtad]

In this episode of the Invasio Barbarorum Ruina Romae let's play as the Western Roman Empire, we complete our massive brothel construction program to increase public order throughout the empire. We also lose a few siege defense battles against the surprisingly mighty Ostrogoths, retake Hippo Regius, and continue the reconquest of Hispania and Gaul.