Emperor Newbie - a Roman AAR by Innocent III 06-2002

[anguille]

I choose Rome in the Unite Italy scenario. Dull, I know, but I have only played the tutorial, so we'll see what mistakes I make. I apologize for misspellings, I will work on getting the names right as we go. I go into some detail, as I prefer AARs which allow the reader to compare what the writer did with what he should have done, or at least with what the reader would have done.

In Rome I build a Stables - I intend to use Rome to train troops, my first policy. I add a worker to the farm. In Latins I then recruit two auxilary archers, thus violating my very first rule before my first turn is done. However, I want a conquest before long to start out right. I add a worker to the mill. In Hernici I add a worker to the mine and build a fishing village. The mines will come first in this town, but you can't have too much food. I remove the archers from Hernici garrison and send them to Rome.

Summer 367 BC First turn - the Voscians and the Faluscans declare war on me, Rome will have to prove itself very early. I offer to ally with the Umbrians. I offer peace to the Volcians. I order a Legion in Rome. There is probably a best time to order troops, maybe I'll learn that later.

Autumn - The Umbrians accept my alliance, the Volscians reject peace.

Spring 366 BC - The Volscians reject peace again. Archers arrive at Rome. I order a large Mill in Latins and another archer. I place a worker in the fishing village in Hernici to try to recover in food, which is getting low. I move my armies toward the wrong city, the western minor north of Rome, when I am at war with the eastern one, oops. I combine my armies South of Rome, three archers, a Legion and Equites.

365 BC - I upgrade Rome to a Large Farm and recruit another Legion. My army, now having the new legion added, moves toward Falerii. I offer peace again to Volscians, and try to ally with the Piscitines.

364 BC - I build an outcrop mine in Hernici. I will attack Falerii in the Spring, Rome's first battle!

I will refer to the battle map as though I were facing right from the left of the screen. Thus the upper part of the map is my right, the lower part my left.

[EDIT - upper is left lower is right, I wrote this in "north/south" terms, but decided left and right was more traditional]

In deployment I saw only a single cavalry unit to the left, so I placed a legion in the middle, and one on my left, with instructions to advance. I placed an archery unit behind each, and one in the center of those two, behind them, with instructions to execute a medium advance and then hold. My cavalry unit was placed center-right, and told to hold for a middling time then advance.

The enemy was fairly strong, with four units. Their hoplites moved forward with their cavalry pressing from behind, and then past them. My left legion was met, flanked, surrounded, and annihilated. The second legion moved on enemy javeliners and dealt with them. The enemy cavalry and remaining infantry scattered the archers on my left, but the remaining two mopped up their forces. If my cavalry saw much action, I missed it. In the end, one legion and two archer units had routed, as had all of the enemy, of course.

The battle report showed what I expected - enemy hoplites and javeliners had done moderate damage, 6 each, while their cavalry caused 28 casualties. My archers caused 28 casualties total for the three units, but two were nearly wiped out. The legion on my left lost 25 men and killed 5, and was eliminated, while the center legion caused 16 and lost 6. Cavalry caused nine casualties and received one. All in all, considering my advantage in both units and quality, it was a poor first showing, and I from the flow of the battle I believe that I very nearly lost.

Yet, I own Falerii, population 3471, with stables, town hall and outcrop mine in place. It produces of 15 ore per turn, and I have established the principal that war with Rome will result in death.

I order a lumber mill built in Latins. I then order archers in Latin and another legion in Rome. I move a unit of one legion and one archer toward the center of my empire. The Voscians refuse to accept peace, but do not attack or have forces near my border. In the winter I order auxilia to leave Hernici (two units left), and build a replacement.

363 BC - My army upkeep is now 45 wood, leaving me a mere 29 per turn additional, though I make 51 food and 49 ore excess per turn. I offer peace repeatedly to the Voscians, and try to bribe the Etruscans who appear to dislike me, but not hate me. I believe that their response that I have nothing they want means that my stores are too low to constitute a bribe. I order another farm in Rome, and instantly regret it since I cannot upgrade the second mill in Latins yet .

I now have a six unit force near Latins, consisting of two legions, two archers, velites and auxilia. I fall seven ore shy of being able to upgrade my second mill in Latins in winter. I can upgrade the mine in Hernici, which I do. I order a hunting lodge in Falerii, which I should have done earlier given the unused population there. It will produce only 2/1/1, however, hardly worth the effort. My production excess is now 75/73/37. I order a bathhouse in Rome to increase population growth and allow more recruiting, and a legion. My six unit army approaches the Voscians, we will fight next spring...

PART II - The First Battle of Anxur

362 BC - I order the forest in Latins destroyed, and approach the Voscian city of Anxur. I look over the diplomatic map and review the progress of other tribes. The Piscentines have been eliminated by the Umbirans or the Senones, I cannot tell which. With four cities I equal the largest empires.

The battle for Anxur begins. I place my Auxilia and Velites in front, with a legion behind each. The two legions are separated by just enough room for archers in the center, with the other archers behind the first. It is a very compact arrangement, and all have orders to simply advance. I appear to face two units of cavalry to the rightt, with one of what looks like legionaires [hill tribe warriors] to the left-center. All of my troops are to my right. Scouts report that we have not found the main enemy force, we shall see.

I face a vast army of five cavalry units, plus three javeliners, plus hill tribe warriors, who resemble legions somewhat. My men advance through the woods and immediately it becomes clear that the legion on my left will fight the enemy hill tribe warriors, while my other legion and auxiliary troops will face the entire enemy army. My men fight well, the tactics do not seem to have been as poor this time, but in numbers we are overmatched. It was nearer to victory than I expected, by the time my last archers routed only two enemy units, both javelinmen, remained unrouted, but that was two more units than I had. Every unit but one of mine lost 25 men, the archers killing 25, and the other four units sharing 42 kills. My army, however, has ceased to exist.

I order Auxilia, Equites, archers and one legion to try to replace my dead men. It will take two years, and the experience of the dead men is gone forever. As I prepare for the next year, I note that at least my income is higher, 87/94/85, and my stores are 223/359/344. I order a hunting lodge in Falerii, and a small fort in Rome.

361 BC - I order the small farm in Rome enlarged, and a third mill in Latins. My recruiting has reduced my income to 62/80/68. I order a farm in Falerii.

360 BC - I order a large lumber mill in Latins. I order a city hall built in Rome, my income is up to 106/81/85. An army of equite, legion, auxiliary and archer is at the south of my territory. I order a town hall in Hernici, and a large farm in Falerii. My four unit army moves
near Anxur, hoping to engage any troops in the open, and revenge our humiliation of 362. I order a town hall in Latins.

359 BC - I order a mine in Hernici. I then notice that, although my ore income is lowest of the three, my stockpile of over 750 is the highest, so I cancel it, and upgrade the units in Rome. In the Autumn of 359 I fight near the southern Voscian city, against what I believe is a small force. There are no forces shown in deployment, so my four units are placed auxilia, legion, archers, cavalry, in a four deep, ?I?, formation. The cavalry will hold briefly then advance. I face a lone unit of hill tribe warriors that is easily defeated. My four units gain a total of 49 experience, losing only 8 men, killing 20, though I cannot replace my dead until I return to friendly territory. The hill tribe warriors, with experience of 69 at the end, were presumably involved in our defeat. I build a farm and a legion in Rome, though the farm will eventually have to be destroyed I think. Food is now my major stumbing block. I then order a city hall in Falerii.

358 BC - I order a mine in Hernici, and begin to withdraw my troops from Voscian territory. I order the best legion out of Rome. I order a lumber mill in Latins, and strip a Velite from Latin, leaving only one unit there but increasing my army to eight units. I order a large farm in Rome, and a large mine in Hernici.

My army will try for Anxur again in the spring.

PART III - The Second (and Third) Battle of Anxur

It is the Spring of 358 BC, battle begins. I see only elements of the enemy, which appears to be the same as before. I place Velites and one legion in front, with two legions behind in line formation one behind the other. I hope that this wide, thin, formation makes them less vulnerable to believing that they are being flanked. The two archer units are behind the rear legion. As the enemy is mostly to my right, I place my cavalry in the left-center of the battlefield, with orders to advance rapidly. When the battle begins I see that I face three cavalry and three javeliners, plus hill tribes. My cavalry are too close to the battle, and instead of sweeping past the enemy and falling on them from the rear, they engage javeliners in the woods, and lose. My other troops advance on the main force, and also fight in the woods, and lose. This time I have superior men and superior numbers, and yet again I fare badly. By the end of battle, all of the enemy units have experience near or above 100. I think that Rome's commander is at fault.

Again I have no army.

After a good night's sleep, I conclude, during my morning bath, that my tactics can be changed to achieve success. Enemy cavalry have consistently outrun their other troops. I will use this to divide and conquer. In my next battle for Anxur, I will deploy my men to the rear, and order them told hold for as long as they can. In that way I should face only the enemy cavalry, defeat them, and then wipe out the low morale javeliners. Speaking of morale, I will also not give such a prominent position to my low morale troops. I will place legions in front, and others to the side to flank the enemy. I am tired of low morale troops breaking and then routing past and through my other troops.

I have resources aplenty 1250/950/750, and each turn I get 244/129/126. My manpower in Rome is high (8 free), so I order three legions and one equites in Rome alone. I will order two archers in Latins, but as the men are working I will wait for winter to start their training. In winter I order two archers in Latins, and two Equites in Falerii. Perhaps I will meet cavalry with cavalry and flank with legions.

357 BC - I see a large Aequians army not far from Hernici (though on the other side of the mountains), so I offer them a small tribute (roughly 15/15/35) and alliance. I order a bath house in Latins, where I train archers, and a City Hall in Hernici. I need a watchtower but I hate to build one in Rome where I have only one slot left. I order the watchtower, I will destroy the Roman stables later, and one farm someday. The Aequians have accepted alliance. I offer the Sabines 15/16/31 and alliance. I see far too many armies in the field now, I need to concentrate on one or two enemies, and not fend off invaders.

352 BC - It is the next year, but I lost a few years somewhere, the men tell me I fell asleep. [I have no real explanation, I must have been building/moving and lost track.] The Sabines reject alliance, I offer 15/15/30, hoping to help keep them alive and on my side at the same time. The Sabines offer alliance for an additional 16/16/30, which I accept. My troops near Anxur. In Autumn 352 BC my armies unite to form a force of 8 units just outside Anxur, three equites, three legions, two archers.

The Third Battle of Anxur

In Winter the battle begins, as I deploy my troops I realize that my Watchtower would have been handy about now . The enemy is again to my right. I place two legions side by side far to my right, and the third legion slanting (from the upper left to the lower right) on their left. Behind the main two legions are the two archers, all have orders to hold as long as they can. They are placed as far forward as they can be, not to the rear as I had planned, because there is open ground just in front of them here. I intend to fight in that open ground. The cavalry is well to the left with orders to hold briefly and advance. I hope that they will flank the enemy. At the last moment I order the angled line legion to hold a medium length of time, not a long time, hoping this will allow them to leave the forest before they engage.

The enemy cavalry charge, as expected, but only my legions fought at first. After a tense moment of delay the archers fought, and the battle went well. My cavalry flanked the enemy but fought javeliners in the woods. Otherwise, result of my tactical change from prior battles was very good. The primary battle was between legions and enemy cavalry on open ground, with my archers hitting the enemy from behind the legions. It was a tough fight, by the end of the battle, most of my men had routed, but not the archers, who did their work. The enemy was annihilated! Two of my three legions and all of my cavalry were routed, but the third legion did well, and the archers took no casualties. The two legions who routed were destroyed, but I lost no other units and finally own Anxur!

PART IV

The Fall of the Volscians?

I order a fletcher built in Anxur, a hospital in Rome, a large mill in Latins, and a Miner's Guild in Hernici.

350 BC - I move the two new legions south, and build a City Hall in Latins, and a mine in Hernici. At this point my empire produces: 294-56=238 food; 198-35=163 ore; 189-23=166 wood. I have 1100/1050/650 stockpiled, after these purchases. I ask for an alliance with the Etruscans, who are indifferent to me, hoping that they will set a reasonable price, and allow me to concentrate elsewhere. They agree if I pay 210/180/204, which I do. In Winter the Volscians offer peace, which I reject. I order velites and a carpenter's guild in Anxur, I will send my 8 unit army to eliminiate the Volscians. I order another legion in Rome.

349 BC - The Etruscans appear set to eliminate the Caeretans, which is a disappointment. I wanted to destroy them. Their defeat by the Etruscans would also strengthen a rival. The Etruscans would join me at 5 cities, and leave the Samnites behind, the only other power with four. The Volscians surprise me north of their last city, Aurunci, with a Large army. Rather than fight them with my six remaining units from the battle for Anxur, I move the six slightly north to combine with the two new legions, who have just arrived from Rome. I will fight them, in the open, next turn. The possession of Anxur will depend on the outcome. In the following season the Volscians almost reach Anxur with their force. We fight just south of the city, one army or the other will never see home again.

I see infantry in the center, three units, and a unit of slingers on either side, though I am told I see only elements of the enemy forces (I have three men assigned to the watchtower in Rome, but it is a long way off). The ground is virtually all open, with a central hill to the right of center, and a marsh to the left of center and light forest to my right. I deploy my three legions abreast, as far back as I can, with the archers behind them. All are told to wait as long as possible. The cavalry is placed to my right, with orders to advance rapidly, except for the more experienced unit, which is told to advance normally. These should attack the enemy in open ground from the right flank. I expect the battle to take place after the enemy has crossed the marsh and hill. At the last minute I change the cavalry orders to long hold, I do not want them fighting alone in the marshes.

Despite the numerous enemy the battle is over almost as soon as the forces meet. Enemy spearmen, who turn out to be mere peasants, are on the right and face all three of my equites. Enemy units in the center face three legions and supporting archers. The enemy melts away rapidly. I lose 25 men total, and eliminate eight units. Rome's first crushing victory! True, the five units of peasants and only three hill tribesmen reduce the honor of the victory, but not its value. In honor of the rout I award myself a Triumph, and direct that an imperial residence be constructed for me, in Rome, of course. I have my army spend the winter in home territory to recover. I order a carpenter's guild in Latins, and another mine in Hernici. I am pleased to note that the Caeretans still exist.

Aurunci awaits. There cannot be many men left defending there, can there?


PART V

Rome Grows Strong, but Danger in the South?

349 BC - I order a fort in Falerii, as the Etruscans have troops near, and I will send a legion north. I wonder whether my alliances aren't enough to ensure my safety, but I wish to be sure. Though one legion is down four men, I move toward Aurunci in Summer, and the battle begins.

In Aurunci I see elements of the enemy, cavalry to the left, two hill tribes units and a peasant army in the center, and a third hill tribe to the right. There is a forest to the center left, so I will deploy to the right, and allow cavalry to fight cavalry on my left. The cavalry, in column form, are placed two on the left flank, one on the right flank. The three legions are in front, placed deep, with the leftmost in the center of the battlefield, one to its right, one more to the right of that, with archers behind them. Again we will execute a long hold, but for the cavalry, which is told to wait a medium time. All the fighting should be on open ground.

Well, the cavalry met the enemy cavalry to my left, but were rapidly met also by the bulk of the enemy force, who routed all the cavalry on the left. On the far right my cavalry met troops in the open who were supported by archers and likewise fled. Enemy infantry met three legions supported by archers in the center, and were annihilated. Then the remnants of the victorious enemy from my left met my victorious troops from the center right, and were defeated fairly quickly. I guess I must give in, somewhat, to the enemy's deployment. I cannot insist that I fight where I want if the enemy is not conveniently deployed. If anything, my cavalry should have waited longer than the main body. Still, my eight units defeated seven hill tribe warrior units, who were supported by one unit each of cavalry and archers. I lost one equite unit, and I have eliminated the Volscians, whose name I need not spell correctly ever again. All in all a good battle, and proof that I can expect to do well against armies with as many units as I have, something I could not say when I started.

I build a large mine and destroy the mill in Hernici. I order a bathhouse in Aurunci.

348 BC - I upgrade the fort in Rome and build a fifth lumber mill in Latins. I order a bathhouse in Hernici, an upgrade to the fort in Falerii, and a watchtower, plus two archers in Anxur. At some point I missed, war started with the Caeretans. I build a fort in Aurunci and tear down the blacksmith. I order another legion, and a Praetorian, in Rome.

347 BC - I upgrade to a large fort in Rome, and a medium one in Aurunci. I upgrade the last mill in Latins, and a farm in Falerii.

346 BC - The Praetorians join my army, which had two equites, two legions, and three archers. If the Caeretans survive the Etruscans I will hopefully take them out as well. I order two legions in Rome, just in case I lose the battle and another army.

345 BC - I upgrade hospitals in Latins and Hernici, because I have reached my maximum food and ore of 2950. I upgrade the fort in Falerii to large, and the farm in Anxur. As I upgrade the fort in Aurunci I note the presence of a medium Campangian army right on my border, but not near the bridge. I offer them 125/70/80, roughly, to try to forestall an attack until I am ready. Aurunci has a medium fort but only one legion and an archer. Most of my cities have been poorly defended throughout my reign. The Campagnians crossed the river without a bridge, and are now in my territory, though we are not yet at war. Why have they crossed into my territory, there seems no good answer, and I have no force near enough to face them. Do you think they want some cheese?


PART VI - Decision in Caere

The Campagnians threaten Aurunci, and they will be a tempting enemy eventually, but not now. I therefore offer an alliance, which would leave the North Oscans and Samnites as future targets. The Campagnians agree to the alliance with no further payment, but their force moves just north of Aurunci, directly behind the city as though they were stationed there. Perhaps I panicked, but I prefer to be safe rather than take on an enemy who will eventually be only slightly better than others, and who is now very dangerous. Near Caere, my army faces a medium Caeretan army in the field.

I see only elements of the enemy, despite their nearness to my Rome watchtower. They consist of two peasants in the center and an infantry far away on my left. The ground is hilly in the center and wooded on the left. I therefore change strategies. My men are placed legion, preator, legion in the center, avoiding the forest on the left, mostly all told to advance normally. Three archers behind them will do the same. The two Equites on the far right will advance rapidly, and, finding no enemy, hopefully fall on the enemy's flank and rear shortly after the infantry engage.

The battle proceeds according to plan. Although the enemy javeliners and archers in the rear do some damage, the peasants are quickly eliminated and all my troops fall onto the javeliners and archers. There were nearly problems due to marsh I had not noted, to the left of center and deep in the enemy left, but little fighting was done there. One legion was badly mauled, but my losses were thirty men total. One unit of equites gained 63 experience to put them at 188. Both legions and one archer exceed 150. No units were eliminated, and I will recuperate near Rome, and return. I order two more Praetorians in Rome, and remove two of the five legions defending her (well, other cities are badly defended, not Rome), for duty elsewhere.

344 BC - Perhaps I was not paranoid, the Campagnian army has returned to its home territory. I think that they were positioned to take Aurunci, which they would have done. Flush with assets I order numerous units, Legion, Preator, three archers, two auxilia and one equites. In Winter my army is healed and they move just outside Caere.

343 BC - My army must defeat a small Caeretan force, which is better than facing them added to the Caere defenders. The ground has forest to the right of center, but the two visible units are far to the right, where there is open ground except for some forest on my side of the battlefield. I place the praetorians on my right, and the legions in column formation side by side in the center. The archers are behind them, and the equites well to the right. All will advance normally, except the cavarly which will advance rapidly, find no enemy, and fall on them from my right.

The enemy peasants, unseen before deployment though located front and center, are dead almost before they engage. The cavalry, however, see them and rush to the center before they have moved past the midpoint of the battlefield in terms of depth. They thus do much of the fighting against enemy javelinmen, but nonetheless victory is easy. One equites lost six men but has 215 experience. I lost 8 men total, not enough to warrant returning to friendly territory for recovery. I will take Caeretan, or lose the flower of Roman youth in the attempt. I fear that the ground will not be as good as I have been seeing lately.

Somewhat surprised, I see that my men have the strength to move on the Caeretan city directly, so the next battle begins only days after the first ended. The ground is mostly wooded, as I feared, but for the first time scouts report that they have accounted for most of the enemy. I see seven units, consisting of infantry to the front and center, spearmen behind on each side and javelinmen behind them, with peasants to the far rear. No cavalry are seen. I deploy my troops as before, slightly to the left as the right of center is wooded. There is a small open area in the center I hope to fight in. Legions flank the preatorians, and archers are behind each. The cavalry is deployed rearward and to the extreme left. All units have orders to hold as long as possible.

The battle seems to go well at first, at least it falls out as I hoped. One thing disturbs me: enemy archers fire as soon as they advance, while my archers, the same distance, interpret hold as hold fire as well. My left begins to fare badly, but then cavalry advance and turn the tide. However, all are bombarded by enemy archers, and before long every non-archer unit I have has routed. The end of the battle is in doubt, archers vs archers, but I emerge victorious. Next time I should arrange a brief advance followed by hold rather than the other way around. The noble Praetorians, who held the center, were destroyed, but my other troops survived and are now much more experienced.

Viewing the strategic situation, I see that my Etruscan allies are at war with my Umbian allies, may the long remain so. With six cities I lead the way, the next have four, both Etruscans and Samnites. The North Oscans, my most tempting enemy, have two large armies near their southern city. What I should do next is not at all clear.

Part VII - Charge of the Equites

I build barracks in Aurunci, and fort upgrade in Anxur. I am running out of buildings to construct, so I must start making more armies and destroy my enemies, before they do the same to me. I build a bathhouse in Caere, which has only 600 people after all the recruiting they must have done at the end. It has a large farm and two mills, with production values for the town of 75/0/110. I order three legions, a praetorian, an archer, Auxilia and two equites. A full army in a single season.

341 - BC - I have three large armies now, with which I will attack the North Oscans, after a difficult mountain crossing.

340 BC - The mountain crossing will take years. I destroy one ill-advised hunting lodge in Falerii [it looked like that was all that could be built in that slot]. I upgrade Caere's City hall. Three eight unit armies creep toward Marsi. I declare war on the North Oscans.

339 BC - My three armies surround Marsi before the fight. I order another whole army for next year. In Autumn my weakest army attampts Marsi. I see only elements of the enemy. The ground is mountainous where they are, to my right, so I use the long hold method again. My legions are three abreast, with the leftmost, near the center, slanted in. Two archers are behind them, and my three equites are at the far left with normal advance orders.

The battle starts well, the enemy are all to my right, headed strait into the maw of my legions. The cavalry advance far to the left. Unfortunately, the cavalry again turn in the center of the battlefiled and take on javeliners and some infantry alone. They break, but the bulk of the enemy is engulfed in my legions, supported by archers, who win the day. All equites and one legion routed, one equites was lost.

The large North Oscan Army, just outside Marsi, shows a unit of peasants, so I decide to elminate them while they are conveniently located. I was tempted to leave them, to make my enemy pay upkeep, but I don't want to deal with them at my enemy's convenience.

Well, so much for appearances, I see five units, hill tribesmen to the far left, two units of archers behind them, and two javelinmen in the center. The whole ground is open, though hilly. I deploy three legions on the left, the rightmost of the three in column formation, and Praetorians to their right. Archers are centered behind each pair of infantry units. The equites are to my right, with order to hold medium, all others will march forward. Fearing damage from enemy archers I switch to place both my archers on the left behind the two legions.

As I feared, my legions fare badly and rout. The cavalry holds after advancing, but finally fights in the center. The Javeliners are quickly routed, but the enemy left holds until the Praetorians in the center advance on the vulnerable archers. I lost one of the legions, and note that all of these troops are inexperienced. I build a training ground in Marsi. I pay 210 food and ore to the Samnites and offer alliance. I will own the coasts and deal with them later. It might be ahistorical, but...

338 BC - Another large North Oscan army approaches Marsi, so I will send my experienced army at them (nearly all fives). I build a hospital in Aurunci, a fort in Caere, and a bath in Marsi, where I will need new legions closer to the front. I attack the North Oscans.

I see elements of the enemy, hill tribesmen to the right, and two units of peasants behind them. In the center are two more hill tribesmen. The ground is wooded in the right center, but not on my side, so I will use my waiting strategy to fight in open ground. I deploy three legions slightly left of center, with three archer behind. My cavalry are far left. All units are placed deep in my area, and will hold as long as possible.

Argghh! General Airy failed to tell the horse to hold, at all, and they ran full into the entire enemy army, while my other troops watched in horror. The cavalry destroyed the peasants, but were wiped out by the hill tribesmen. Theirs was not to question why, theirs but to do and die. Both of the equites, one with 336 experience, were destroyed due to the error.

Part VIII

Hubris

My resources are not climbing as they once were, 160/320/160, but I am consistently between 1500 and 2000 in all three resources. I pay the Samnites 310/310/200 for an alliance. If these alliances last, I should have completely secure borders from now on. I send two armies on Paeligni to take the North Oscans's second last city.

337 BC - I send the less experienced of my two armies into Paeligni. The elements of the enemy I see are to the right in woods. Hill tribesmen in front, archers and javeliners to the rear. I need to fight in the open area to the left of center, but they are to the right. I therefore decide to deploy to the left in columns, and have my men advance a medium distance and hold in their formation. Two praetorians are to the right, near the woods, two legions are to their left, two arechers are behind all. The cavalry are far to my left, in columns, and will hold a short time then advance. I hope to avoid having them fight in the woods to the left of center on the enemy side of the battlefield.

The many enemy archers wreak havoc among my preatorians, but they were less experienced and fairly expendable. The cavalry fight partly in woods and partly in the open. The praetorians break and run, the cavalry does well, the legions finish their foes and then rush the remaining enemy, and I am victorious. Both praetorian units were destroyed. I know own Paligni, where I build a training ground for more front line Legions. I seldom lose archers, but need infantry and cavalry replacements. I build a hospital in Marsi. I notice a small Samnite armi near Marsi, but I have four defenders and a small fort, so I am unconcerned.

336 BC - With nine cities now I outstrip all rivals. The Etruscans have five, while the Samnites and Bruttians have four each. The Samnites withdraw, and another army of mine crosses the mountains to fight in the south. My most experienced army approaches Marrucini, the North Oscans' last city.

Unable to locate the main enemy force, I see only cavalry in the center-left, and peasants to the rear in the center. I place three legions abreast in the center, and a fourth in column to their left, archers behind the amin legions. My cavalry is well to the right. The ground is all open with a hill in the right center, and some trees deep to the right. All will advance normally, except the cavalry which will execute a short hold and then advance.

Hoards of peasants on the right surprise me, but not as much as the four enemy cavalry on the left. My cavalry advance into overwhelming peasants. My legions advance and intercept the cavalry but are also overwhelmed. At the end many enemy are routed, but one unit of cavalry attacks my last remaining archers and defeats them. I have lost the best army Rome has yet put into the field. The enemy had ten units, only three of which were peasants.

Unfortunately, my arrogance has left all remaining armies many months march to the south, but this defeat will be avenged.

PART IX

Summer 336 BC - I review the map, it is not too early to begin thinking about how my ultimate victory might take place. I have 9 cities, I need 18 [19, I think later ">40%" not "40%], and no one else can have more than 14 when I reach 18. I build a fort in Paeligni, and recruit a new army. I also try to boost food production, which is my lowest commodity, though I have 1800 in storage and +250/quarter. I smile quietly to myself.

335 BC - My armies approach Marrucini., but both the Aequians and the Sabines appear to be heading that way before me. Both the Sabine and Auquian armies seem to disappear into Marucini, so I hope to find a weakened foe. Despite the fact that my second army is half a year from there, I launch the attack with the first. In my rush to arrive, I neglected an entire year's builds, very unfortunate. I order a fletcher in Paeligni, and a gladiator school in Marsi before the attack.

Although I am unable to locate the main enemy force, the two units I see make me happy. One is a unit of perhaps two hill tribesmen, and the other is a 1/3 strength peasant force. My allies seem to have softened up the town quite well. The ground is open, I say to them men "nevermind maneuvers, go right at 'em". Four legions across my center-left, two archers behind, two equites well to the right.

Three nearly full strenth cavalry units to the left surprise me, but the other enemy units are tiny, and their whole force is rapidly eliminated, after doing only modest damage to my left. My leftmost legion was destroyed, but otherwise I lost little to take a town that had previously destroyed my best army.

Marrucini has 10,000 inhabitants, and great food production, which will help me, though I lack for little. I need eight more cities to dominate Italia. In the Summer the Frentanians declare war on me. "How convenient, this will simplify everything," I say. However, the Samnites have taken Apulians, south of the Frentanians, which means an ally has cut me off from further enemies. Perhaps I will break with the Samnites and gobble them up. After the Frentanians I will need only seven cities, and the Samnites have five. A large Samnite force, however, moves on the Frentanians only city. I recruit another army and a half.

333 BC - I move on the Frentanians, the Samnites will fight two or three seasons before I can arrive there. Or not, the Samnites pull away, it would have been better had they fought and lost, we shall see. I order the hospital in Hernici destroyed, I do not intend to recruit there further. I am under +100 food per season, though battle will soon reduce my upkeep.

I send four legions alone into the Frentanians city of Histonium, to soften up the enemy before my full army attacks later this season. I see elements of the enemy on an open plain. Much cavalry is to my left, with peasants, so I deploy far to the rear, far to my left with orders to hold as long as possible, and arrange my four legions in a 'U' formation, one legion column formation on either side, two legions with normal formation in the center. I hope to damage or destroy the enemy cavalry before confronting other troops.

The plan works too well - my sacrificial army defeats the enemy. The cavalry rushed far ahead of the peasants, and were annihilated before the peasants arrived, despite the fact that roughly one third of my men did not advance until the battle was well underway. I thus have a fresh army to search for a new enemy, and two more armies approaching from the north and west.

332 BC - I move four armies into position to blitzkreig the Samnites. I will erase the name of Samnium from the map of Italy. I break my alliance with them and then immediately declare war. I upgrade my defenses in case my ill-treatment of a former ally affects my other alliances. I order my least experienced army to attack the Samnites city of Caercini, their northernmost city.

I see only elements of the enemy force on an open field with hills and mountains to the front and rear of the center of the battlefield. Unfortunately, the three units I see are a hillsman unit to the right, and behind them are two of the biggest units of javelinmen I have ever seen. This might not be pretty. On the right I place three forces abreast, legion, praetor, legion, with three archers behind them. To the center-left I place two cavalry in column formation, with orders to hold medium then advance. Other units will advance normally to get out of the rough terrain they begin the fight deployed in.

General Airy strikes again. My cavalry were mistakenly told to advance medium then hold, not medium hold then advance, and they watch the battle from very nearby. My forces, however, face only hill tribesmen and javeliners. Many enemy, true, but no cavalry. The legion on the left, in the center of the battlefield, is flanked by some hillsmen, and breaks, but the others hold despite the rain of javelins. The cavalry finally join the fray and the javelinmen are attacked by my two victorious infantry units and both cavalry, and they flee. I faced only five units and lost one myself.

The Samnites have lost their first city, and I will soon attack the remainder. How quickly will I take the rest of what I need?

PART X - Haste Makes Death

I split off one legion from a group of three near Caercini, and the Samnites attack the lone unit. I see only enemy peasants so I deploy in a crescent, with a long hold order, to avoid being flanked, I hope. The enemy's two units of peasants march directly into the waiting arms of my legions. At any time more than two thirds of the enemy stand and watch the fighting, unable to reach a legionaire. I win, but the Samnites then attack the same legion with a full army. The enemy is well to the right, so I place my already-reduced legion in a column to the extreme left with orders to advance rapidly. Their only hope is to find a hole in the far left corner and crawl into it. They inflict 41 casualties, mostly peasants, before fleeing and being destroyed. By Grapthar's hammer, they will be avenged!

I rearrange armies rather than fight the enemy force, regrettably leaving one more legion exposed. A fresh army attacks the Samnites in Pentri, if I win, this will be my thirteenth city. I se only elements of the enemy in a mountainous field. There is forest to my side of the battlefield, and I see only cavalry far to the right, though there are three large units. I place auxilia in the forest in the center, and two legions to their right. Behind these I place the two archers, all will advance briefly then hold. Far to the left I place my two praetors, with orders to advance rapidly in column, as my dead legion did. That unit fell onto the enemy left flank, and I hope to replicate that result. The remaining legion is placed in a angled line to the left of my main force, with orders to advance normally. I hope these also fall on the enemy flank.

The enemy has three units of cavalry to the far right. These advance rapidly on my infantry, folowed by javeliners and archers. The cavalry are handled well, but my hold order results in javeliners and archers pummeling the auxlia, who take casualties quietly. However, my praetors do in fact fall on the enemy flank, as does the slanted legion, and the enemy is routed after a short period of uncertainty. I lose no units and destroy the enemy.

The Samnites immediately counter-attack Pentri. The enemy is not stupid. I see the vast majority of the enemy, which is only three cavalry units. The field is largly broken, with forest on my side of the center, and mountains in the middle of the field. I place three largley undamage infantry units to the right, auxilia in forest, then preator then legion, with two archers behind. All will hold. In the center I place the badly mauled troops, two legions and a praetor, with orders to rapidly adavnce, and to the left my fortress cavalry with the same orders. These should all fall on the enemy flank.

Instead of falling onto the enemy flank my leftmost units fight previously unseen peasants. My archers again interpret hold to mean hold fire. The peasants on the left hold up my infantry, my archers hold fire while the troops in front of them fight cavalry. By the time my leftmost units turn to fight the enemy cavalry, they have routed even the archers. My understrength and now wounded units are no match for the cavalry, and my army is annihilated.

I will have to rethink my hold strategy in the future. It is very clear to me that a short hold, or normal advance would have won the day. There is much anger in Rome. The Samnites then attack a small army of one legion and three archers with a large force. I see the vast majority of the enemy on a filed with woods in the left center. There are three units of enemy peasants to the right, two hill tribesmen to the left, and two units of archers behind the tribesmen. I place the legion in line formation to the rear right, with two archers behind him. I cannot face the enemy in the woods with my legion. I do however place my archers in the center-right with order to advance rapidly into the woods. I hope to annihilate the pesants while my archers do as much damage to the main enemy force from within the woods. At the last minute I choose to send all three archers into the woods, and have the legion rush on the far left hoping to kill the archers. If I face the peasants first I think I cannot win, if I can defeat the rest I am unlikely to lose to peasants. In the worst case I will have damaged his prime units rather than destroyed his chaff. A rapid frontal assault seems my only hope of victory.

My archers advance rapidly, about ten feet. Then they stop well short of the woods to open fire. The do admirable damage to the enemy, and the peasants do little, but th archers fail. The legion routs the archers it faced, and then fights the remaining hillsmen, but the enemy are too numerous, and I am annihilated. In the end I think that I destroyed both archers units and two of the three hill tribesmen, and damaged the third. A much better result than simply killing peasants. If there had been more woods I might even have won.

In Winter two of my armies approach Pentri. I send three units, two gladiator and one legion, to mop up the enemy army I just fought. I see the same field as before, and place my gladiators far to the left with orders to rush forward at the much diminished enemy, who regrettably still has all his old units, though smaller. The one legion, in wedge formation will rush the pesants to the right of center.

Bah! The gladiators were too few and all fought the hill tribesmen, while being slaughtered by the archers. By the time my legion finished the peasants, and chased the few tribesmen, they too were done in by the archers. Even when the archers had to fight hand-to-hand, they were enough to destroy my badly damaged legion. Lesson learned - ignore peasants, the enemy wants them to delay some of your good troops, do not let them achieve this goal. Well, my income has increased to 360/310/190 as the result of my losses, and I have 1600, 3000, 2500 on hand.

In a rage, I send all of the defenders of Cancertini to destroy the pesky Samnite army that has defeated me twice. Shouting "no prisoners" my men charge mindlessly at the bloodied enemy. The carnage is horrible, but it does not last long enough. I lose eight men total, and killed 64.

PART XI - More Haste Makes More Death

331 BC - I send a fairly experienced army [3s and a 4] to retake Pentri. I see elements of the enemy on the now familiar broken field, with woods in the center on my side of the battlefield. The enemy has cavalry to the right, I assume that his peasants will be located in the center. No more long holds, I order an advance, better to fight on lesser ground than not at all. I have two legions and cavalry to the center, well left of my main force on the right, which is a gladiatorial unit and two legions, supported by two archers. The enemy's four understrength cavalry units are met with an overwhelming force, and the enemy peasants to the center fare no better. Pentri is ours once again. The town itself, but for the city hall, has no building standing.

I begin stripping rear towns of defensive units, and moving them up to forward towns, which I strip of defensive units to be replaced by the advancing units from rear towns. At this point I feel victory is near, and can be achieved quickly with a purely offensive strategy. All I need to do is destroy enemy who advance into my territory, which should not be a problem. I need five cities, the Samnites have one nearby, and one south of the Campagnians. I will that the nearer Samnite city, and attack the Campagnians, reaching 18 cities before too much longer. I have four and one half armies approaching my enemy and my future enemy. I hope that these will be enough to ensure final victory.

One army attacks Apulians. I see elements of the enemy on a largely open field, with woods to the left, and sparse woods on the right. The enemy shows only one cavalry to the far right, one hill tribesman to the left, and pesants to the left center behind them. My three oversized legions are placed two in column to the center, and one slanted back to the right. behind these three are the two archers. Two cavalry will right the extreme right, where enemy cavalry are seen, the third, also in column, will advance to the immediate right of my legions.

My cavalry on the right face two cavalry and fight them to a draw, all non-routed units move to the middle. My center cavalry face an unseen cavalry plus peasants and rout. On the left my slanted legion fight hill tribesmen near and in the woods, suffering but prevailing. In the center my legions, too numerous to allow more than a third to fight at any one time, defeat the enemy peasants and some cavalry, then turn to help with the hillsmen. My forces suffer but prevail.

I build a training ground in Apulians. Since it is winter I will soon be able to convert the eight free workers there into legions very near the front lines. The Samnites attack Auplians with peasants, but their two units are no match even for my weakened army. I keep the damaged units well back, and the others wipe out the peasants.

330/329 BC - I move my armies into position. The Campagnians show no indication that they are concerned, I am still green to them. In Summer 329 I reach the Samnite's last city. In a largely open field, with rough to the right center. I do not see the main force, and have spotted only hill tribesmen deep to the center-right. Legion Praetor Legion take their places in the center, with archers behind each. The remaining two units, cavalry, are in column to the far right and will rush forward, while all other move forward normally.

The cavalry on the right plunge into pesants and destroy them, however the left is filled with enemy hill tribesmen, who flank and rout the left legion. My other units advance on the numerous enemy and they eventually rout, as do the cavalry, who had to fight the hill tribes in the open ground. The final moments are very tense as my last archer unit on the field walks toward the remaining enemy, swords in hand. They chase the hill tribes, and I emerge nervous, bloody, but victorious. I destroyed five hill tribes units and two peasants. I lost both cavalry units and the leftmost legion, but my four units take up the defense of the city to rest and recouperate. The Samnites, with no cities remaining, nonetheless attack with the peasants south of the city [whose name Hirpini, I can now read], but are destroyed.

It is Winter 329 BC. The Lucanians, Iapygians and Lucanians all declare war on me. I can declare war on the Campagnians, and I have four armies outside of four of their cities. I believe that if I win three of four battles that I will have united Italy, as 40% of 45 is 18. However, I note that "over 40%" seems to be the magic number, so I think I need 19 cities. Well, I decide to attack the vulnerable Campagnians, and sweep up cities from allies in the north if I need more, as I can recruit many men this season if I do not win now. I will fight four major battles soon. Defeat means the loss of my forces in the south, victory means the end of the war.

PART XII - A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Victory

I attack Neapolis with an odd army, I have four archers (two under strength), three legions and an auxilia. I do not see the main force on this open field, but I see three cavalry to the right. I place three legions from the right to the center, the third, centermost, in column formation. Behind the right two are archers. To the left are auxilia and two small archer units, all of which will advance rapidly, either finding enemy or flanking the ones I see, I hope. I must say that my offensive does not appear to be off to an auspicous start.

I face seven units of cavalry, two javelinmen, and a peltast. It is difficult to desribe the battle. My men fought well, and lasted a good long time, but in the end were overcome. What was most distressing was to see unhurt archers fleeing. Didn't they know they would merely be killed running? I routed all but the two enemy javelinment, but for naught. I do have a neophyt army of seven units two season march from the city, however. It occurs to me that by attacking in Winter my enemy can build replacements in one season. Ah, well.

Another odd army attacks Campagna. Six legions and two understrength auxilia see only three enemy units on a field with woods to the right of center and a hill to the left. I think that taking more time forming my armies would have saved me time and manpower in the end, however I still believe that Rome's brute force will rapidly crush all enemies. Two legions are set to the left with a third in line formation behind them. Just right of center two legions in column are told to rush through the trees, as are another legion to the far right and two auxilia behind them. The entire front is covered with Roman infantry. The enemy has a unit of hoplites the left, peltasts to the deep right, and peasants to the deep left.

This was the oddest battle yet. Aside from enemy cavalry on the right, who my legions rushed to face past the trees, every man on the field was infantry. There were eight enemy units of peltasts, one each of cavalry and hoplites. Needless to say, Rome's advantage in infantry showed quickly, as one on one my legions slowly tore down the enemy. The right achieved victory first, largely becuase they rushed and therefore engaged first. They then fell on the enemy center, who fled, and finally the enemy left, which had partly routed anyway. I lost no units and killed some 500 men.

An ordinary, experienced army attacks Nuceria in the south. I locate elements of the enemy force, which unfortunatley consist of five units of hoplites well to the left. Unfortunately, I have understrngth legions and other units. I should have upgraded them all. I place three legions to the left with two archers behind. One column of legion and the gladiators to the right center, and cavalry well right, all will rush in hops of hitting the enmy flank. I have a bad feeling about this.

My right force rushes headlong into cavalry, who they kill, but then hoplites who destroy my cavalry, and peasants. On the left the enemy javelinment offset my archers, and the peltasts hold up well, until all of my forces have routed. I routed all but two units of hoplites, but as always it was more than I had left.

My last fight is against Caudini, again with a normal army, and fairly experienced. In an open field, with woods deep to the center right, I see elements of the enemy, two cavalry, one in the center one to the left, two archers behind them, one peasant further back and a peltast to the left. I place three legions on the left, with archers in line behind them, and gladiators on their right. My two cavalry are far to the right, in column, with orders to advance rapidly. The enemy again appear to be numerous, I fear for my army's fate.

With good reason. My legions deal with the cavalry, but the peasants move up and take their place, all the while the legions are being hit by the two units of enemy archers. Meanwhile my cavalry run into a horde of paltasts, and are routed. My archers then pelt the peltasts, and my legions finally move on the archers, but break before they even engage them. Finally my archers flee, and I have lost yet another army to haste!

PART XIII - This Time, It's Personal

I order two more armies, and actually run low on food (500 or so). Three units of peltasts attack Campagna, but my legions brush them aside easily in a battle with only infantry. The Campagnians send three javelinment at a loose unit of a small auxilia and an archer. They rout the aulixia, but the archers hold, and finally win in the end hand to hand. These are men they can hardly afford to lose. I then have six legions attack three javeliners sent north to take an undefended town. My legions rush them and make short work of the enemy.

I need three more towns, and with all my enemies, who refuse peace, it is getting difficult to see where they will come from. My decision to send one army each at the various town, and clean up the Campagnians in one season, is looking worse and worse as time goes on. I therefore postpone the next attack on Neapolis until a sacrificial army can be brought, and order two more watchtowers and several other military upgrades.

The Iapygians attack at Hirpini . I see elements of the enemy, who are two peasants on the right, javeliners to their rear, and two javeliners to the left rear. I send tribe warriors and auxilia on the left to rush the javeliners there, a legion, two auxilia and a gladiator in the center spread to the right to attack the peasants. One archer unit is behind the right flank in line formation, two are behind the left group.

The peasants live long enough, and the javeliners on the left are deep enough, that the javeliners do a great deal of damage. Near the end I had only three units unrouted, and they were wavering. However, the archers proved again to be superior to javeliners, and I was victorious. Again my enemy has lost an entire army he can ill-afford to lose.

327 BC - A large Lucanian army approaches Hirpani, my victory may be short lived. The Lucanians attack Hirpini, I account for the vast majority of the enemy, thanks to my new watchtowers, I presume. The open ground with rocks to the center left contains enemy peasants to the left and cavalry to the right. I place hill tribe warriors in a thin line to the left, auxilia in the center, hill tribes to their right, then a thin line of legion, and finally gladiators to the far right. I arrange my three archers all behind the forces that will take on the cavalry, mostly in thin line formation.

The sacrificial hill tribe on the left holds off the peasants for quite a while, while my main force deals with the four cavalry units of the enemy. Both hill tribes and the auxilia rout, but the cavalry are defeated, and the peasants do not last long against my remaining force. Hirpini is still mine, and its defenders are now battle hardened warriors. I still need three cities, and Neapolis awaits.

I spent last season rearanging my armies outside Neapolis, so that the sacrificial army of five units has the least valuable men. I see elements of the enemy, four cavalry to the left, javeliners behind them and javaliners to the right. On the right two auxlia will rush the javeliners, on the left my men will hold breifly from deep deployment, archers behind prators, with a legion to their right, hoping to damage the cavalry. If only I'd checked to see what Neapolis' fort provided, I could remember which were the fortress crew and which destroyable men.

I largely damage the fortress's cavalry, but I kill 45 other defenders. Hardly worth it, but not a complete waste. Yet, I review my Neapolitan army and decide that it is too weak to take the city. So I wait, thus making the previous battle a complete waste after all. I have decided to take each city with an overwhelming force. It will take longer, arguably, but should be far safer in the end.

326-325 BC - Three armies wait outside Neapolis, three more outside Caudini, though one is 6 units and cannot reach this season. Again there are four cavalry to the right, which I will take with velites and a legion backed by two archers, to the right are javaliners which my other velites will rush, followed by two prators with one archer. I must damage the enemy enough to make my second army victorious. I kill only seventy men not in the fortress cavalry. The enemy are too numerous.

My next army finds what seems to be a much reduced army, though of the same composition. I place three legions from the left to the center right, and a praetor to their right. I place two archers on the left, and two to the center. On the left the still numerous cavalry defeat the infantry and one unit breaks through to the archers, but they hold. On the right my men beat the javeliners, and the enemy routs, giving me another city without further loss.

Unfortunately, I move my third army away before noting the existence of a medium Campagnian army behind the city, hiding in its shadow. At Caudini I have only two pure legionary armies, hardly the best type, but they should do. I deploy them in a line across the field and have them advance on the enemy, who have cavalry and archers to the left and peltasts and peasants to the right. I defeat five of the eight real units, including the cavalry (the archers are from the fort), but lose the entire army.

My next attempt, at a much smaller foe, consists of eight more legionary units. I place six across the front, and two in the rear on the right with medium hold orders to, I hope, mop up any surviving archers. The very few cavalry are quickly killed, and the enemy archers flee when the peasants do, long before the remaining peltasts are eliminated, indeed, before any casualties are inflicted on the archers. Fortress life must have made them soft.

I lose no units and now have 18 cities in my empire. I should have three or four full armies to take the final city. I see the majority of the Campagnans attacking Neapolis, two cavalry well to the left, with one javeeliner behind them. I match cavalry with cavalry, and place infantry to the center, with archers behind both cavalry and infantry. My cavalry battle the enemy to a standstill, while my archers and their javeliners do their work. Some of my cavalry attacke the javeliners, and then my infantry arrive. I lost 13 men aside from the fortress cavalry.

Caudini is then placed under attack by a Campagnan force I did not see. Luckily I lost no legion units in the battle taking it (well, aside from the entire army I lost in the first battle). The pesants and javeliners should be no match for my men, who are aided by fortress archers. In the battle I lose many men, nearly 60, but destroy the four enemy units.

324 BC - My armies march south, hoping to make the Campagnan city of Nuceria the last conquest. In that city, with woods in the center, I see cavalry to the right and many peltasts and hoplites to the left. Three legions and an archer are placed on the left, with my cavalry, a legion and an archer on the right. One legion will wait breifly in the center and then advance, while the rightmost legion will advance rapidly, hoping to flank the enemy cavalry.

The cavalry fight as expected, by my right legion advances to unseen peasants. On the left, the peltasts and hoplites are too numerous, and rout my legion, falling then on the archers. The successful legion on the left moves to the center and chases the enemy javeliners, but the remaining peltasts and hoplites are many and I lose the army. Only two enemy hoplite units are unrouted.

The much dimished enemy now face six legions and two auxilia. The auxilia are placed far from the enemy, who are on the left, hoping to flank them. My legions are placed on the left, with a pair in reserve, told to hold medium then advance. To the left a perfect row of legion vs hoplite fight it out, with the men behind the front row waiting their turn. However, my right wing falls on the enemy flank and rolls up the troops they encounter until the enemy flee. Victory in Nucenia, and Italy, appear to be ours.

Well, not quite yet. A Campagnan army near Nuceria, which I saw but bypassed, attacks the weary defenders. I see the vast majority of the enemy, who have one hoplite to the left, with two peasants, and two pesants on the right. A simple push will clear them all away. In what is perhaps the longest battle of the war, my legions on the right kill the peasants, but do not hit the enemy in the flank as I had hoped, and merely add themselves to the queue to fight the enemy hoplites, who fight my fortress hoplites. Nonetheless, despite the length, the outcome was not in doubt and I am victorious. I now have 19 cities, all my enemy have 26 total, and no foe has more than five. I have 42% of Italy. Nonetheless the war continues?

No, I declare victory according to the rules of the ages [the patch will correct the bug requiring more than >40%], and march back to Rome to sit upon my Imperial throne.