Heir of the Legions: A WtWSMS AAR

[abian363]

PROLOGUE

More than 30 years have passed since the last roman legion abandoned Hispania, leaving it to the barbarian invasors... Wait, did I say leaving? Legio is still controled by independent romans, how is this possible?

The truth is that not all the romans had left, the Legio VII Gemina stayed in Legio and their remnants still rule the land and fight the invaders.
Will they manage to keep the invaders away and form a strong kingdom or will they fall like the rest of Hispania?

Book 1: Caecilius "Hispanicus" Agricolus (452-482)
Chapter 1: Astures,Cantabrians and Suevs...They all want our heads!
Chapter 2: The Astures try their best but they only get an arrow in the chest
Chapter 3: Asturica is no longer Asturian! (ft. Flavius)
Chapter 4: Violence, the solution of the strong and Caecilius, who lives along.
Chapter 5: Caecilius the dead, Caecilius the immortal


Book 2: Flavius "Hispanicus" Agricolus (482-518)
Chapter 6: The Final Cantabrian Struggle.
Chapter 7: The Asturian last stand.
Chapter 8: The Cantabrians on rise again and The war between brothers
Chapter 9: The No-More child is now a King!
Chapter 10: When the Basques fell under the Roman hell
Chapter 11: Heir of the West and religious tension
Chapter 12: The thing goes about rebels
Chapter 13: Titius "The hated one" back in power and the Suevs without it.
Chapter 14: The last ride of the king (feat. Agrippina)

Book 3: Agrippina "Hispanica" Agricolus (518-548)
Chapter 15: An independent county a day keeps the Visigoths away!
Chapter 16: A Queen for Hispania (feat. Faustina)
Chapter 17: The First Basque Civil War and Visigothic dismemberment.
Chapter 18: The 8 years of Chaos (feat. Faustus)

Book 4: Faustus "The Victorious" Agricolus (548-597)
Chapter 19: Hispano-Roman blitzkrieg tactics plunder the Visigoths.
Chapter 20: The rebels are very scared and the Westerns make a comeback (feat. Agrippina II)
Chapter 21: Taking over the south and the second Basque Civil War (feat. Albinus and Lucilla)
Chapter 22: The Great Thuringian Migration
Chapter 23: Civil Wars are key for northern expansion (feat. Aurelia)
Chapter 24: Eutychians want some attention (feat. Gaia)
Chapter 25: A good king leaves the world, a time of chaos comes in.

Book 5: Albinus Agricolus (597-640)
Chapter 25 Bis: A good king leaves the world, a time of chaos comes in.
Chapter 26: Angles came for blood but were thrown in the mudd + Purges (feat. Albinus II)
Chapter 27: The Domnonians better and stronger.
Chapter 28: By words or by blood, everyone becomes Roman.
Chapter 29: A Great end for a great king!

 

[Nikolai]

A good question! I hope to soon hear you tell me the answer.

 

[abian363]

A good question! I hope to soon hear you tell me the answer.

Just writing it

 

[abian363]

CHAPTER I: Astures,Cantabrians and Suevs... They all want our heads!

Year 476:

Caecilius Agricolus, pictured here:

He is the actual ruler of what is left of Roman-Hispania. A well fought Legionary, an arrow hit in the head left him with mental disorders long ago and acts as a paranoid, but this doesn´t mean he doesn´t know what he does, he does what he knows very well. Kind hearted and temperate minded governs Montes Aregenses with a fair hand.

He also has a great council, full with all his old companions in the Legion:

That day a request long ago proposed was finally accepted, Ennodia Minor Ennodius, daughter of the ex-prefect of Africa Felix Ennodius married Caecilius.

The year was passing without any notices until September, when Basiliskos, Eastern Emperor, formed the Excubitors.
Closer to Caecilius´ territory the things were starting to get violent: Epanos Eitbaírgahei, Morair of Eminio, son and grandson of Lusitanians declared himself independent from the Suevs, Caecilius knew Epanos from many years ago and wanted to help him, but his chancellor advised him not to do it, fearing revenge from the Suevs.

On the 12th of November 476 Zeno the Isaurian won his war against Basiliskos and was appointed emperor in the east but unfortunately, the Western Empire wasn´t having success, the once great empire had fallen to the mighty Odoacer and his 8 years old emperor was banished away.

Year 477:

The first month of the year would pass unharmingly but then, Senacubracius, leader of the Astures invaded Caecilius´ duchy for loot and new lands.

 

[Nuada Airgetlám]

Good luck!

 

[stnylan]

My my what a treasure trove of WtWSMS AARs have started recently. I look.forward to following this one as well.

 

[IlikeTrains]

Smash the barbarians! Show them the superiority of Roman warfare!

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I agree that this mod seems to have sprung up recently and without warning! Could anyone tell me more about this mod and, for this AAR in particular, what it aims to be (other than a survival attempt, from the looks of the Legion's surroundings).

 

[abian363]

I agree that this mod seems to have sprung up recently and without warning! Could anyone tell me more about this mod and, for this AAR in particular, what it aims to be (other than a survival attempt, from the looks of the Legion's surroundings).

My aim is to create a powerful Hispano-Roman Kingdom in Hispania

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

My aim is to create a powerful Hispano-Roman Kingdom in Hispania

Okay. That's certainly doable. Presumably you'd want to help the other remaining legions restore their provinces as well at some point?

 

[abian363]

Okay. That's certainly doable. Presumably you'd want to help the other remaining legions restore their provinces as well at some point?

Could be, I'd like to help Syagrius too.
I'm not spoiling anything

 

[Nikolai]

Wouldn't it be good if the Third Rome was situated in Hispania?

 

[abian363]

CHAPTER II: The Astures try their best but they only get an arrow in the chest
Year 477 (Continuation)

The war against the Astures started easily, Interamnium Flavium and Ponferrada fell in the first month, both important cities of the region:

Disgracefully Ocellodurum fell, leaving the entire region to the invasors:

Worried that Legio could fall Caecilius stopped sieging the city of Astorga and returned back to Ocellodurum to defend it.
The two armies met in Albucela, after a fast combat the Astures were defeated and forced to retreat to their dominion again.

After some time of meditation Senacubracius decided to offer peace to Caecilius, who accepted.

Meanwhile, the Suevs were having more problems, after capturing Epanos and forcing him to surrender his titles were revoked, the other vassals got angry with their leader because of this and rebelled.
Plinius Marcianus, Duke of Pacensis managed to gain independence but the Visigoths, seeing the possibility of expanding their kingdom attacked him.
Caecilius, in solidarity sent him some money as he couldn´t do more.

Finally, a great opportunity appeared, Saturninus of Villalpini, Chancellor of Legio managed to create a claim in the Asturian lands, giving Caecilius the chance of revenge

 

[stnylan]

Ahh, an important opportunity.

 

[abian363]

CHAPTER III: Asturica is no longer Asturian (ft. Flavius Caecilius)
Year 478:

The Astures were still exhaust of the recent war and were really easily defeated, the romans on the other hand were tireless and determined:
The roman army easily captured Astorga as it was mostly undefended.

Finally, the two armies met again in Ocellodurum, the exhausted Astures made a final charge against roman pikemen, but they fell to dozens by the Roman archers.
This battle will be remembered forever. After this day Caecilius began to be called "hispanicus". Soon after Senacubracius would surrender again, retreating his citizens and troops from Asturica.

Soon after the war ended Ennodia Minor gave Caecilius a great notice: She was pregnant!

Nine months after she gave birth to a son: Flavius Caecilius

Many Astures that decided to stay in Asturica were angry with the treatment given by the Roman settlers and aimed to start a revolt, luckily Junius, steward of the duchy managed to calm the situation.

Final note: Plinius the Rebel died (or maybe assasinated) and his son decided to surrender to the Visigoths again.

 

[abian363]

As an extra for today: Let´s take a look at the other independent western roman realms:
Kingdom of Soissons 479:
Soissons, ruled by Syagrius is suffering of many problems, Marius Aggripatix is revolting against him and the Salians, Mosanians and even the Domnonians are invading his lands.

The (not so) Western Roman Empire:
After the fall of Rome Julius Nepos declared himself emperor in Dalmatia but he would die soon after. Acacius Thrax appointed himself emperor and ruled until his death in 479, the actual emperor is Constantius III Glabrio.

The Romano-British Kingdoms:
Their land has been reduced year after year by the invasor Angles, all and all Rheged is the strongest realm.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

So there probably won't be anything left of Rome or the provinces by the time you finish unifying Iberia. Still, that does mean that you can keep the Pyrenees as a nice border between yourself and the barbarians whilst you go south and reconquer North Africa and try to link back up with the actual empire out east somewhere.

 

[stnylan]

Just a few embers of the Empire left, and one in noticeably better shape than the others.

 

[abian363]

So there probably won't be anything left of Rome or the provinces by the time you finish unifying Iberia. Still, that does mean that you can keep the Pyrenees as a nice border between yourself and the barbarians whilst you go south and reconquer North Africa and try to link back up with the actual empire out east somewhere.

Just a few embers of the Empire left, and one in noticeably better shape than the others.

Also, that I didn't mention, the roman duchy of Ceuta is still here, don't ask me why as they are normally bullied by the Gaetulians/Visigoths. They are having luck by now.

And well, not sure I should mention this as they were not a realm, but the Bagaudae are still around too, first time in my WtWSMS life that I see them still alive in 479, they are normally destroyed in the first month by the basques/cantabrians/visigoths in a combo but they haven't been attacked yet.

 

[Nikolai]

The Western Empire has fallen low. Time for the Iberians to restore it, with Iberia as the center of the revived Roman Empire, I say!