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Rensslaer

Strategy GuidAAR
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Jun 24, 2004
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The Die Is Cast
A Roman Rebels AAR


Welcome! This will be a primarily gameplay AAR with some historybook style, and even perhaps a little narrative (though I really don’t know when I’d have the time to do that!). Take my EU 3 AAR Sforza!!! as a model. If you're looking for a more detailed AAR with a narrative style, I shall recommend Comagoosie's For Rome's Honor!

I am starting with v1.1 in 705, at the Alea Iacta Est bookmark (The Roman Civil War!). I shall be taking command of the Roman Rebels, as Consul Gaius Julius Caesar.

Let me say, first, that the Roman Rebels do not start in an advantageous position! Their economy is barely above subsistence farming (I’m exaggerating… slightly!)… I mean, they have basically three provinces of any importance. The rest are just this side of barbarianism.

The military situation is also not enviable. The Romans have more legions, more resources with which to build more legions, better and richer characters to buy more legions, and control of the lion’s share of the world.

Fortunately, the Roman Rebels do have horses, and plenty of other resources with which to build a great army! Nothing to compare to the Roman Loyalists, but it will do.

I’ll tell you up front – I haven’t played all that much ahead, and so I have no idea how well I’m going to do! I may fall flat on my face, and the Senate will bury Caesar, and will carry on the Republic for another century. Who knows! I’m here to find out, and to provide you the interesting story of this struggle, be it ultimately won or lost.

I’ll also note that, since I authored the Strategy Guide for EU Rome, there will be quite a bit of supplementary material here, in the form of my comments and explanations of what I was thinking, so you can see my strategies in practice.

You also may well see idiocy in practice! I’ve never played a perfect game yet. I sometimes don’t follow my own advice. But when I make foolish moves, there is much to be learned from that, too – I’ll tell you when I’ve done something stupid (or, just as likely, YOU’ll tell me I did something stupid! :D), so you can learn from it.

Anyway… On to the setup…

Because I have access to horses, I will use this as the center of my long-term military strategy…

NationalIdeas.jpg


I take a mis-matched (not according to Roman tradition) set of National Ideas, emphasizing cavalry tactics – Horse Lords for +10% Discipline for cavalry, and Cataphracts for +100% cavalry offense!

The last National Idea I take is Loyal Politics, which I hope will serve me well in time of civil war.

And… Speaking of those characters of variable loyalty…

My most loyal subjects…


Loyalty.jpg



And my least loyal subjects…


LeastLoyal.jpg



Popularity is also a consideration, especially during a civil war, since it affects their ability to raise support for themselves against you…


Popularity.jpg



My most able administrators…


Administrators.jpg



My most able diplomats….


Diplomats.jpg



And, last, but certainly NOT least…


Martial.jpg



I’m fortunate to have access to some very talented generals. I will need them!

Remember these names! Or refer back here, occasionally. I will mention when some of these characters start to impact the gameplay, and I think you may find it as fascinating as I do to watch and keep track of.




Here is my starting situation in Italy. Decimus Cornelius Cotta will descend upon Etruria to draw first blood, and to hopefully soften up the enemy, while Julius Caesar moves south to pick up a second legion, and then moves into position to threaten Rome.

Italy.jpg


Meanwhile, in Illyria, Gaius Octavius Pictor will hold down that front. I happen to know (I was recently Consul, don’t you know!) there is at least one legion, and probably two, hanging out in Greece. This will be a hard front to hold. And that’s just what I intend to do – mount a holding action here.

Spain.jpg


In Spain, Marcus Lepidus will take command of the western legion, and will probably have to hold off an attack by the main enemy force. Meanwhile, Appius Postumius Drusus is going to collect a couple of legions, and prepare to come around the enemy’s flank.

Thanks for reading! Please leave comments – you’re welcome to leave comments even if you’re not caught up (if that’s the case, just tell me what you’ve read most recently, so I can put your comments in context).

More updates to come!
 
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Great to see you start a Rome AAR, specially, as you said, since you're the author of the guide. It's also an interesting period to play in. Good luck!
 
This should be very interesting - was thinking of playing this scenario next myself!

One thing though - some of the starting character stats seem quite strange! 18 year old Salvidienus Rufus is more popular than Caesar? Mark Antony has mediocre martial stat (6) and mediocre charisma (6)? Much like Hannibal not being a particularly good general in the 2nd Punic War scenario. Obviously there could be much debate about the 'real life stats' of historical figures, but it seems a strange decision if only from a game perspective!

Nonetheless, good luck! (though I am a Republican at heart :D )
 
I'm very interested to see how a cavalry centred Rome army will work out!
 
Encarta98 said:
This should be very interesting - was thinking of playing this scenario next myself!

One thing though - some of the starting character stats seem quite strange! 18 year old Salvidienus Rufus is more popular than Caesar? Mark Antony has mediocre martial stat (6) and mediocre charisma (6)? Much like Hannibal not being a particularly good general in the 2nd Punic War scenario. Obviously there could be much debate about the 'real life stats' of historical figures, but it seems a strange decision if only from a game perspective!

Nonetheless, good luck! (though I am a Republican at heart :D )

And Caesar is only 50% loyal! Will he switch sides soon? :eek:
 
It will be good to see what you can do with Caesar.
 
Nice starts. It shall be interesting to read a Roman AAR from you and the Roman Civil War scenario is very cool and gives you a lot of challenges and I think it will be a hard war. Still I am sure Caesar will do well so this shall be very interesting to follow :)
 
Looking forward to the ride, Rensslaer.:)
 
*blushing* thanks for the recommendation *end blushing*

Great setup with an awesome quote, can't have caesar's civil war without that.

Good luck, I haven't played this scenario, so let's see how things turn out!
 
After recently re-watching some of the Rome miniseries from HBO I am psyched to see this scenario. Hopefully you will have a Lucius Vorenus in the XIII Legion! Subscribed!
 
Any army is defended and motivated by intelligence, coming in from all sources, across the fronts of battle.

From Spain, Caesar receives word that Marcus Lepidus has raised two cohorts with his own fortune to assist him in the fighting in the Pyrrenes Mountains. These may be raw recruits, and lightly armed, but they may come in handy.

And scouting along the coast by Belladonna’s ships finds Italy more lightly defended than expected… At least that is the impression he gives. In a sudden change of plans, he sails into position to pick up Pictor to shift him to the Italian Peninsula.

The first blood of the civil war came in northern Etruria, where Decimus Cornelius Cotta’s advance force met in battle with – irony of ironies! – his uncle, and the head of his very family, Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus! There would be hell to pay if he finds himself on the losing side of this war.

1stClash.jpg


The early fighting is sporadic and listless, like a practice bout between tired friends. But, as they entered the third week of skirmishing, they grappled in earnest, and much blood flowed into the Roman countryside… Mostly from the Loyalists!

2ndRound.jpg


And – Ha! The first victory of the war goes to Caesar’s legions! Not that that was not to be expected.

Gnaeus Lentulus fled, and fell back upon Rome, with less than half his army intact!

EtrurWon.jpg


What an auspicious start to a campaign! This bodes well for Caesar. Panic has surely started, in Rome. They are already beaten, and Caesar himself has yet to taste blood. Perhaps this will be a quick war!
 
You will certainly want to take as much land as quickly as possible to boost your logistics.
 
I wonder if you'll end up having to chase the loyalist forces all across the Mediteranian as in real life. :D
 
A very auspicious victory indeed! I hope you can exploit it!
 
It seems that Pompeius has put some resistance up... it will be funny to see what happens to the young Octavinian.
The old famous Caesarian alliance... :)

I shall follow.
No Veni, vidi, vici coming?