If anyone is still paying attention, I want to apologize for my long absence. I hope you won’t mind if I start this up again where I left off. This was a really fun scenario, and I’ve started thinking about it again. Seems like about 5 years ago when I was actually playing this game, but it’s still on my computer and should be resurrectable.
Unless you want to go back and re-read (something I would recommend, but not everyone has the fortitude), here are the high points of what’s been happening.
• It’s the Roman Civil War, and Julius Caesar wants to win control of Rome.
• There was an uprising of rebel-loyalists in Spain, but they couldn’t survive without support from Gaul, so they’re fighting their way that direction.
• There are rebel troops on the Italian peninsula, including a siege force at Rome, but it’s always a dance, isn’t it?
• There is a doomstack of Roman loyalists moving up the Dalmatian shore who should be coming into Italy proper soon. Not sure yet what we’re going to do about that.
• The Roman siege force at Caesar’s capital (Gallia Cisalpina) were utterly destroyed in January by Gen. Cinna, who now may be able to play some role in stopping that doomstack.
Remarkably, the “great escape” underway in western Spain continues with more seeming-victories for the Rebel side! A large collection of these rebels were confronted by Roman soldiers, but gave better than they got.
And Marcus Lepidus continues to do his part for Caesar, with the raising of yet more men for the fight!
Holding two provinces on the Italian peninsula, things are beginning to look positive for Caesar’s rebellion. But not everything. The Illyrian march continues, with a massive set of legions moving toward northern Italy. And Lucius Marcius Censorinus leads a large legion, after having raised them from the ranks of retired or defeated veterans, toward Campania, where the siege hasn’t the forces to likely withstand this counterattack…
The saga continues in Spain… We are pushing south from Gaul, and Quintus Pedius is probably quite full of himself, thinking he can stop Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa from reaching safety in Ilergetes. But if you look at the casualty figures from Lusones, Agrippa is doing alright, considering, and if you look at the battlefield image, his troops are holding up in good order. The benefit of a good general!
As the fight at Lusones continues, both sides are badly hurt, but Agrippa turns the tables and the loyalists begin taking higher casualties.
In the end, Agrippa took as good as he got, though his smaller force could ill afford it. He continues his march north, and should soon arrive to hopefully dislodge the Roman siege at Ilergetes, which is quite advanced.
Our army, under Marcus Lepidus, settles in at Cassetani, which would be a great province to take over, but it also allows him to wait, and perhaps even to coordinate, in preparation for an attack upon the Ilergetes siege. More troops head that way from Vascones.
The Roman commander at Ilergetes, if he’s aware of any of this, must be wondering if he should have switched sides already.
Good and bad news in the Roman boot. Marcus Censorinus blasts into the siege lines at Campania from the rear, which hold tolerably well, but this isn’t going to be successful, I fear.
But at the same time, Apulia finally surrenders to the forces of Caesar, and an army from Samnium is already on its way to deal with Censorinus. Perhaps soon from Apulia too.
Umm… I’m starting to notice that that siege rating in Rome hasn’t advanced since January. Amazing what things you miss when you’re in the heat of battle, and which seem so obvious coming back to the game after 4 years! Anyone know why that is? Do I need a more substantial siege force (I remember I denuded the siege there to fuel other defensive and/or occupation armies)? Is there a requirement that the capital be assaulted to fall? I’m just not familiar with this issue. Ideas? (((Oh! I notice in the previous update I mentioned the siege was up to 88% at Rome until I had a terrible savegame error which zorched it. Still, for some reason it’s been at 50% for 6 months, which shouldn’t be))).
In northern Hispania, a Rebel army defeats a Vascones barbarian army and then turns south to relieve Ilergetes.
By the 2nd week of May, reinforcements from Samnium have arrived in Campania, under Gen. Sextus Caecilius Labeo. It’s enough to keep the battle going, preventing defeat, but we’re still getting creamed by Censorinus and his troops.
Thankfully, our forces from Apulia are en route. Will they arrive in time, and will they do any good?
Lastly, you’ve been anticipating this massive horde from Dalmatia for several updates now. They’re down to “only” 29,000 soldiers now, mostly heavy infantry, bolstered by cavalry and archers. They’ve arrived at Paleoveneti, and are assaulting the garrison there, which cannot hold for long.
And yet, Gen. Pictor is four days away, hurrying from the south with about 20,000 men. A clash is coming. So much hinges upon him to whom the victorious laurel falls. Anticipate its resolution in the next update!
And you should be able to expect the next update within the month of May, in any case… This AAR is not in as bad a shape as I expected, so it shouldn’t take quite so much time to do the updates.
The complication comes when I need to start playing the actual game again, and pick off where I left off. Not to worry, that is still about 5 updates in the future.
I see about 4-5 active AARs here in the Rome forum – who’s about? Care to say hi?
i been reading along as best i can. just don't have the energy to post very often.
