A Puny AAR

[morningSIDEr]

Gaining Utica was very handy. As for your next moves, I agree with JDMS, get stuck into Rome!

 

[Lofman]

The Utica manpower boost seems very helpful.

Are Masillia still allied with Rome? Even if they are they seem like the next natural target for Carthage. After all, they are blocking valuable trade routes into Gaul.

Yes, they are. In fact when at war with Rome, I occupy Emporion, have not taken it in a peace yet.

The people of Theveste long for Carthaginian rule! Let`s make their dream come true.

My relations with Theveste is too good at the moment, and unlike Utica it would only give me more money, which while always nice is not what I really need.

Utica was a really nice gain given your manpower constraints ... as with Alfredian, are you tempted to clean up NW Spain/SW France before war with Rome or are they just distractions and more delays as you recover from the war?

I have thought about at least conquering Ilergetes. But the focus now is on Rome.

I finally started paying attention to this today. Excellent AAR, makes me want to dust off my own, rarely-used copy of Rome.

Looking forward to the next confrontation with the Romans!

Another war with Rome coming up. Hope you will enjoy it.

Very nice to gain the manpower boost in such a limited war.



You're not the only one, this AAR had the same effect on me when it first started, and I actually did it as well.

Yeah, Utica is a very rich province that provides a lot of manpower. Sadly it does not provide research (well no province I have conquered do that, as there are no province with Carthaginian culture that I did not already start with, and I don't have the citizenship idea) as it had a slightly different culture.

Great work. I'm going to go against the common opinion here. I think you should ignore Massilia and Spain and focus on Rome. A green Italy sounds good.

Rome it is.

Subbed, great read!

Always nice to hear.

Gaining Utica was very handy. As for your next moves, I agree with JDMS, get stuck into Rome!

You will not be disappointed. I hope.

 

[Lofman]

A Puny AAR​

After a few years we have built up our manpower reserve and complete that mission. The new one is familiar, it is once again to break the Romans and this time I think we might actually be able to do it. A quick look at Rome shows that they have somehow squandered their manpower, how I don't know, they were in a war against some Gauls north of Massilia but surely that can't be it. And it is not because of their citizenship idea, a quick check at the province of Rome reveals that they still have plenty of freemen and besides they no longer have that idea (and even if they did it could not possibly account for their entire manpower shortage considering what they started with).

​

Regardless of the reason, to war we go. And very quickly a serious uprising occurs in southern Iberia (and barbarians and minor uprisings cause problem in the northern part). The local forces prove incapable of quickly crushing the rebels but eventually (after about two years, Malaka and Turdetani briefly fell under rebel control until the massive rebel horde was crushed outside Gadira) it is done. In our first (and only major) naval battle we win, but lose many ships. Luckily we have many more and can control the seas for the rest of the war.

​

Our first major battle against the Romans is less succesful. We do cause much casualties, but are beaten nevertheless.

​

We defeat them a few times on Sicily but fails to destroy the army and it retreats back to the the mainland. A serious issue is the growing strength of the populists, before the war they were fairly strong but still under control, but now there is a real risk of a populist civil war. The situation improves temporarily, but then it is slowly getting worse again. Our manpower is going down, Rome seems to hold up better then we do, but we do manage to finally destroy the Roman army as it once again tries to meet us in Sicily.

The Romans are even offering peace, and I am tempted to take the offer, but decide not to and go on the offensive anyway, hoping that Rome is in a bad enough shape that some province might be gained and that the populists doesn't decide to start a civil war. It works and Rhegion falls and as I demand it the Romans agree. There is peace and we gained a new province.

​

The populist problem remain though, and while it starts to take care of itself, the populists decide that now is the time to overthrow the rightful government and establish mob rule.

​

Luckily they have little military power, and things are quickly brought under control. It takes three years, but they are mostly spent sieging rebel cities and there is never any real doubt as to how it is going to end. In the meantime Egypt and the Seleucids have ended up at war again, this time after the Ptolemies have conquered Rhodes and reconquered Lycia. Both quickly defeat the others ally, Seleucids taking Barca from Nasamones, while Egypt takes Aila from the Nabateans. During the war the Egyptian governor in Judea (one fellow named Sostratus) declares himself king of Syria, not the brightest move, as it is the new kingdom is at war with both Egypt and the Seleucids.

​

Things do work out well for the people though as Sostratus lose power and Erotimus Heroid declares himself king of the now independent Judea. I doubt it will last considering its position, but who knows. As for the rest of the world in 579 AUC, well Pontus is the second wealthiest country and have lots of manpower at its disposal and their Macedonian allies have conquered the Troad as well as strengthening their hold over Hellas by taking Acarnania and Arcadia. If those two would decide to, I am certain they would have a good chance at bringing down the Seleucid Empire, who currently is having a slight advantage in their war against Egypt. Rome still fails to expand, so Carthage is clearly the dominant power of the western mediterranean.

 

[loki100]

strange war with Rome - seems as if the rebellion in Spain and the threat from the Populists rather undermined your focus? Still you now have land in Italy proper, and its probably no bad thing that Egypt is able to stand up to the Seleucids but is essentially focussed on the Eastern Med.

From the final map, why is Armenia such a mess? Sort of looks ok to me.

 

[Weijun]

Nice! Do you have any plans to unify Africa? Are these mostly low-value provinces?

 

[Malurous]

Nice, an eventful update for sure. The tables are turned, now you have the foothold.

It's funny how civil war rebels always end up with huge amounts of land to start with even when they have practically no support.

 

[Stuyvesant]

If I read it right, even though the Romans started at a manpower disadvantage, they still managed to scrape together enough to make your life difficult. The rebellion and the unruly populists probably didn't help. Still, you clearly won and gained a province. And you crushed a civil war as an afterthought, so that's all good.

What were your goals going into the war? Were you hoping for more sweeping gains, or did this pretty much fit your purpose?

 

[morningSIDEr]

Good to see the constant chipping away at Rome continues well. I do think it is about time poor Agbal Eugorid quits as admiral, once again he gets no popularity for a solid victory! I've no idea what caused Rome's manpower shortage but hopefully it can continue for some time yet. Hopefully too the Seleucids and Egyptians carry on squabbling amongst each other, weakening themselves for when you finally strike at them too.

 

[Alfredian]

You have gained a toehold on the Italian boot. Well worth doing if only for the punning potential.

 

[Scipio Aemilius]

I don't know if and how your mod affects combat mechanism, but I am way more voracious in war and peace deals than you are! Still, keep up the good work, it's better to expand slowly but steadily than not expand at all!

 

[Lofman]

strange war with Rome - seems as if the rebellion in Spain and the threat from the Populists rather undermined your focus? Still you now have land in Italy proper, and its probably no bad thing that Egypt is able to stand up to the Seleucids but is essentially focussed on the Eastern Med.

From the final map, why is Armenia such a mess? Sort of looks ok to me.

Both Armenia and Iberia have disconnected provinces, Iberia have had constant civil wars and both are beaten up in every single war in the area. Not as big of a mess as it could be though.

Nice! Do you have any plans to unify Africa? Are these mostly low-value provinces?

While it may happen, I currently have good relations with the inland barbarians, so feel no need to antagonize them. Their provinces are reasonably wealthy, but that just means I would have to expect a fierce fight before I can get them should I decide to try.

Nice, an eventful update for sure. The tables are turned, now you have the foothold.

It's funny how civil war rebels always end up with huge amounts of land to start with even when they have practically no support.

True that.

If I read it right, even though the Romans started at a manpower disadvantage, they still managed to scrape together enough to make your life difficult. The rebellion and the unruly populists probably didn't help. Still, you clearly won and gained a province. And you crushed a civil war as an afterthought, so that's all good.

What were your goals going into the war? Were you hoping for more sweeping gains, or did this pretty much fit your purpose?

Might have wanted more provinces then what I got, but one is better then none.

Good to see the constant chipping away at Rome continues well. I do think it is about time poor Agbal Eugorid quits as admiral, once again he gets no popularity for a solid victory! I've no idea what caused Rome's manpower shortage but hopefully it can continue for some time yet. Hopefully too the Seleucids and Egyptians carry on squabbling amongst each other, weakening themselves for when you finally strike at them too.

Yeah, admirals get none of the glory that generals get. An admiral get a massive victory, no one cares. A general get wins a minor battle, he gets a lot of popularity.

You have gained a toehold on the Italian boot. Well worth doing if only for the punning potential.

Soon to be a real foothold.

I don't know if and how your mod affects combat mechanism, but I am way more voracious in war and peace deals than you are! Still, keep up the good work, it's better to expand slowly but steadily than not expand at all!

Not really that much changes (well militia is tougher and there are some other differences in exactly how useful the various troop types are but nothing truly major), but the main thing is that as Carthage I have much less manpower compared to vanilla while Rome has a similar amount, meaning successfully beating them is going to be slightly harder. And cultural conversions are much rarer, meaning that getting more manpower is more difficult (though having citizenship does help in that regard, the fact that the freemen you have become citizens though obviously is detrimental for manpower, still thinking about getting that idea to help my poor research).

 

[Lofman]

A Puny AAR​

As the truce with the Romans end, we are not in a position to act. No manpower (but a reasonably large army) means there will be peace and construction of buildings, like expanding our road network in Iberia (have already built roads in our core territory). Our income is much greater then the second wealthiest country (Pontus at the moment, though the Seleucids and Macedonia are both pretty close. Rome is not to far behind at fifth, and then to the sixth wealthiest (the Getae) there is a noticeable gap). The war between the Seleucids and Egypt ends in Egypt having to cede Lycia. We form an alliance with the Garamantes and Egypt suffers a defeat at the hands of Macedonia, forcing them to cede their unimportant Libyan provinces.

Well, we do get in a good enough shape to once again fight the Romans, especially as they have gone to war with the Dardanians (who are having problem with their other neighbours). I am slightly more cautious but still sends in a larger army then previously, but taking more care to preserve my manpower. The Roman army is nowhere to be seen, as we advance they frantically try raising new armies, but end up sending them in before they are truly ready, and eventually we have secured southern Italy. After two years Rome itself is besieged. The Massiliotes agree to pay tribute to us instead of the Romans, and with the fall of Rome a month later the Roman navy is forced to battle and is promptly sunk. The Romans try to fight back for a few more months but are forced to agree to our terms. Croton, Bruttium, Thurii and Tarentum are now Carthaginian provinces and we have successfully completed our mission. The new one is going to be easy, annex the Ilergetes.

So at the very end of the year 590 AUC, how does things look in the world. Well the Seleucids are growing stronger, they even won a war against both Pontus and Macedonia. And they annexed the Nasamones while I was busy with Rome. Egypt only have Cyprus and Rhodes left of their provinces outside Egypt. The Volcae have been reduced in size, and situation in Gaul is a real mess. The Dardanians have lost almost everything, and will probably disappear relatively soon.

 

[loki100]

that round of war with Rome was almost an anti-climax. Presume that means they are on their way down and its a case of having a snack off them at 5 year intervals? Or could they manage to rebuild an army that could hurt you? Otherwise you're set well to be the master of the Western Med

 

[Scipio Aemilius]

The Lusitani seem to be a bigger threat than the Romans now...

Any plans for the Eastern Med already?

 

[Malurous]

Quite a triumph, Rome seems to be pretty much out now.

The situation east of you is definitely interesting, what with a tiny sliver of the Seleucids at your doorstep and those Macedonian holdings.

 

[morningSIDEr]

Impressive how easily you dealt with Rome, I guess you caught them at the right time due to them warring with Dardanians. Very nicely done, your position has been strengthened considerably. Although the continued expansion of the Seleucids could prove cause for concern in the future.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

The Lusitani seem to be a bigger threat than the Romans now...

Aye.

 

[Alfredian]

The Seleucids seem to be setting themselves up as the big 'end of level' villain again. I am looking forward to some elephant rich posts once that conflict starts.

 

[Narwhal]

Could not read everything yet, but subscribed !

I like your mod. Looks fun. Hope it makes the game a challenge.

 

[Tommy4ever]

Great AAR!

With the Romans in terminal decline you are pretty secure as masters of the Western Med. Where shall you go from here?

Try to conquer Iberia, Gaul and Italy? Or mabye go for supremacy in the Eastern Med as well. You are afterall a seapower at heart.