AAR: The Butcher of Brutii by Hawaifive-O 06-2002

[anguille]

It was a dark time in the Kingdom of Bruttii.

The war against the Thurians to the northeast was going poorly. The leader of the Bruttians, young King Tormestes, was proving to be a poor war chief. 5 times the armies of Bruttii had advanced to the gates of Thurii. 5 times they had met defeat at the hands of the Thurian Italiot Cavalry and the elite Hoplites of the Thurian Guard.

The leader of the Bruttians, King Tormestes, was convinced that the 6th time would be a charm. He scraped up yet another army, though his kingdom was drained of manpower to provide it. Personally leading the charge upon the city, he and his army were cut down like wheat before the scythe.

Thus proving that no, 6 times is not a charm.

He left to his younger brother, Heraston, a kingdom in disarray. There was outright rebellion amongst the nobility of Consentia and Croton. The people were tired of the war and pressured the young king to sue for peace with the Thurians.

But Heraston realized that this path led to oblivion. The Lucanians to the north had already expanded to the west and north, almost doubling their holdings. Without the added resources of Thuria, Bruttii was sure to be swallowed by their bigger neighbors. No, the only way to preserve the Kingdom was to expand.

So in the Winter of 322, Heraston took stock of his Kingdom. The army was shattered. The only units remaining were two companies of Archers in Consentia, and one in Croton. Both cities no longer had available slots for expansion. Bruttii was capable of fielding companies of Peasants, Archers, Hill Tribesman, Italiot Cavalry, and Javelinmen, but there was little manpower to spare.

For most of 321, Bruttii licked its wounds. To add insult to injury, word came of a punitive strike by the Greeks of Thuria. They were reported to be travelling slowly through the mountain passes, headed for Consentia. Heraston surmised that the slow rate of travel meant that their army contained at least unit of Peasants.

With the imminent approach of the Thurian force, Heraston once again levied a force from his tired populace. 2 companies of Italiot Cavalry formed under his banner, along with 2 companies of Hill Tribesmen. With these forces, and the loyal forces of the garrison of Consentia, he would meet the Thurians upon the field of battle.

The year 320 dawned, and still the Thurian Peasant Strike Force crawled over the mountains. Realizing he had some time to kill, Heraston ordered the destruction of both Temples in his cities. When the people protested, he told them simply, "The old Gods have failed us, I bring you a new set of Gods to worship- Fire and Iron. They will bring us victory over the Thurians."

A new Barracks was commissioned upon the cleared land in Consentia. It was Heraston's hope that the larger unit sizes afforded by the improved command structure would translate into success upon the battlefield.

In Croton, a great Bordello was erected (no pun intended). The women of the Bordello were to entice mighty foreign warriors to visit Croton, and perhaps be convinced to fight for the King- for a price.

In the Winter of 320, the Thurian force descended upon Consentia. Heraston surveyed the battlefield-

His scouts had confirmed the presence of a mob of peasants on the enemy's left flank, with at least one group of Italiot Cavalry to their right. The Bruttian Cavalry was massed directly in front of the Peasants, with orders for a head-on charge into their midst. The 2 archer companies were to take up position upon a hill, with the Hills tribesmen to hold position beneath them, providing cover for the vulnerable Archers.

The orders were given, the men spread out. It was in the hands of the Gods now.

As it turned out, there were two additional Peasant units deployed along with the one previously revealed.

The Bruttian Cavalry smashed into the Peasants, routing them in quick order. They then wheeled upon the flank of the Thurian Cavalry entangled at the base of the hill with the Tribesmen. It was over in a matter of minutes, and Heraston and Bruttii had their first taste of victory.

Part II
In 319, the Barracks was completed. Rather than marching immediately upon Thuria, Heraston decided to build up an army larger than any previous. 2 Archer companies were formed at Croton, and 2 companies of mercenary Spaniards were recruited from the great Bordello. These forces were marched north to Consentia, for seasoning and reinforcement at the Barracks.

It took all of 318 for the Archers and Spaniards to travel to Consentia.

A new Italiot Cavalry company was recruited in 317, at Consentia.

Heraston ordered the upgrade of all the units stationed at Consentia in 316, along with the commission of another Cavalry unit.

The Winter of 315 saw a mewling request for peace from the Greek dogs in Thuria. Perhaps they had heard of the forces massing in Consentia, and wished to forestall their imminent demise. No matter, Heraston had the messenger's head separated from his body, and sent back to Thuria.

Word came of the defeat of the Ligurians, but with the war with the Thurians coming to a head, Heraston had little time to contemplate the meaning of the Ligurians demise. Indeed, he couldn't even place them on a map of the peninsula if his life depended on it.

A group of German mercenaries, known as G??NTHER's Band, was recruited from Croton and sent north. Yet another Cavalry unit was raised, and now Heraston was on the clock. Bruttii no longer had the food production to support her troops, victory was necessary, and needed before the storehouses were emptied.

In 313, even more Germans were recruited and sent north. Now Bruttii's capacity for troop support was completely taxed. No more could be supported, no more could be raised. The time had come for the pacification of Thuria.

Part III
Seeing that the Thurians had moved a small force of troops into the mountains along the border, Heraston decided to send out a war party to crush them. His troops could use the battle experience, and it would be good to reduce the number of defenders available to the Thurians.

All the fully upgraded units were mustered into an 8 unit strong army. With high hopes and bravado they marched out of Consentia, into the high mountain passes to the east. Their comrades left behind consoled themselves with the knowledge that they too would soon march, once their ranks had been completely filled with new recruits.

In the Summer of 311, the war party had crossed the mountains and stood upon the hills on the Thurian side of the border. Just a few days march away were the Thurians. Heraston ordered the attack.

To his dismay, he discovered that the Thurians had reinforced their army camped in the foothills. Rather than the bludgeoning of a small group of Peasants he was expecting, a full army of Thurians awaited him. The War would be won or lost here. There was no way he could return to Bruttii with his tail between his legs. He must win this battle!

He fervently hoped that the Oracle of Xanadu had not misled him, when it had pointed out that Irregular troops fight better in rough terrain. His two groups of mercenary Spaniards were ordered to advance onto a rocky hilltop and hold that ground. The Archers were behind them, to rain death upon the Thurian forces. His lone Tribesmen lay to the left of the Archers and behind the Spaniards to hold that flank. And his four Cavalry units were ordered to take advantage of the open terrain on the extreme left of the battlefield- make a mad dash deep into the back of the enemy and roll up their flanks.

The Thurians were deployed to the Bruttiian right, Peasants and Cavalry- but where was the elite Hoplites? Heraston fervently hoped they wouldn't appear directly in front of his charging cavalry.

The orders were given, and battle was joined.

The Spaniards quickly took up position amongst the boulders at the top of the hill. 2 companies of enemy Italiot Cavalry attempted, but could not dislodge them. The disorderly ranks of the Spaniards served them well, as they dodged and lunged between men, boulders, and horses. The Archers drew a bead upon the Peasant forces, dropping a great many of them before they could close with the Bruttian forces. The Hills Tribesmen continued to hold their ground, but no enemy came near them. Our cavalry charge to the north rushed directly into a Thurian Cavalry charge. It was 4 against 1, and the Thurians quickly wilted.

It was over before Heraston knew it. His forces had come through strong, destroying 3 enemy Cavalry, and 4 Peasants, for the loss of just one group of Spaniards.

It was a glorious victory, but Heraston dared not advance upon the city with his wounded forces- his brother had made that mistake, twice. He ordered the withdrawal back to the Bruttian side of the mountains, for rest and reinforcement. Runners were dispatched to Consentia, with orders for the second army to march as soon as possible.

Part IV
A year later, Heraston stood at the head of the largest army Bruttii had ever assembled. Two full, eight squad armies were prepared for the final assault on Thuria.

His plan was brutally simple. He would launch a one-two punch against the defenders. Always in the past, the Hoplites had broken the Bruttian assault. This time, the first wave would make the destruction the Hoplites their priority. Victory was not essential, as the second wave would take the city once the elite Thurian Hoplite Guard had been vanquished.

Unfortunately, the Thurians and the terrain conspired against him. His scouts reported that the Hoplites were deployed to the rear of the Thurian forces, screened by Peltasts and Peasants. Flanked to their right were the Italiot Cavalry.

Faced with this deployment, the Bruttians decided to kill as many Thurians as possible, making the second wave's job easier. Their forces dug in on a series of hills on their right, Archers to the rear, Irregulars to the fore. The Cavalry was ordered on a flanking manuever to the left. In some respects, it was much the same plan that had led the Bruttians to victory a year ago.

The battle started well enough. Once again, the Spaniards and German mercenaries held the hill against a human wave of peasants and Peltasts. The Archers darkened the sky with their arrows.

Things started to go downhill when the 4 charging Cavalry units ran into 5 charging Thurian Cavalry units. The thick mass of men and horses became a roiling sea of mayhem- it was impossible to tell who was coming out ahead in the exchange. Back on the hill, the mercenaries broke and fled the scene, but so did the enemy Peasants- and the Peltasts were slaughtered to a man.

The remaining Bruttian Hills Tribesmen lunged forward and attacked the enemy's Javelinmen, as the Archers began to rain arrows into mass of Cavalrymen still battling it out.

Heraston began to think he might pull this battle out, when the Hoplites made their presence felt. They pitched head long into the Cavalry ball, cutting down the tired Bruttian Cavalry with deadly efficiency. The Archers attempted to bring down the Hoplites, but the enemy Cavalry, suddenly facing no opposition, wheeled and ran them down.

The first army had been defeated, but in return they had destroyed 6 defending units. Only the Hoplites, a handful of Javelinmen, and an Italiot Cavalry unit remained of the Thurian defenders.

The second assault on Thuria was led by the brave men of G??NTHER's Band. The tired defenders were bore down by a human wave of Germanic mercenaries.

There was no need for strategic planning. The battle was over before it began.

The town of Thuria burned, and Heraston was it's new ruler.

TO BE CONTINUED.


Part V
Peace had come to lands of the Bruttians. The city of Thuria had been subjugated, and Heraston accepted as their new king.

Heraston now took this opportunity to review the diplomatic arrangements of his neighbors. To his north, the Lucanians were at war with both the Volsicans and the Campanians. To the east, the Calabrians seemed to hate both the Bruttians and Lucanians equally.

Runners were dispatched to Calabria, inquiring after an alliance against the Lucanians, but the asking price was too high. For now, Heraston sent tribute to the Calabrians, in the hopes of raising their opinions of the Bruttians.

With the addition of a third city, production plans were rethought. Thurii would produce Ore and Food. Croton, Wood and Food. And Consentia would produce Food and the Troops necessary to ensure Bruttii's dominance.

Accordingly, Croton's large fort was demolished to make room for a Carpenter's Guild. Consentia's Large Mine was converted into a Bordello. And Thurii was expanded into a city.

Some years of peace went by. We kept close watch on the Lucanians, and were pleased when we noted that the Volsican-Campanian alliance was pressuring them greatly, capturing Caudian and Hirpini in back to back years.

The Lumber industry in Croton was expanded further, with the demolition of the Warrior's Long Hall. The Barracks in Consentia was expanded with the addition of a Quartermaster. The Bruttian forces were upgraded as resources became available.

Thurii was the scene of much construction, with a Farm, Fort, and Watchtower all added.

The war between the Lucanians and the Volsican-Campanian Alliance ended, and the Volsicans and Campanians were soon at each others throats. The Lucanians had come out ahead in the war after all, recapturing the lost cities as well as Niceria.

By the Summer of 303, the Bordello of Croton was retired, as we no longer planned to raise troops there. In it's place, a Warehouse was built.

In this same year, rearmament began with the recruitment of a new Italiot Cavalry unit and a Hill Tribesmen unit in Consentia.

In 302, Lucania, alarmed at Heraston's repeated overtures to the Calabrians and the continued Bruttian build up along their borders, declared war in Autumn of that year.

Our scouts reported that two large forces were on the march south, one on both sides of the mountain range that separates Consentia from Thurii. 2 Archer companies were dispatched from Consentia to Thurii to augment that city's defenses.

But the Lucanians moved off. With the added time, a Large Fort was constructed at Thurii, and Heraston risked sending the garrison at Thurii to Consentia for refitting.

Much to our surprise, a large force immediately departed from Heraclea headed for Thurii. It was too late for the garrison to return, but the 2 Archer companies made it to the city in time. Would they be enough to win the battle?

Word came that the Cispadenes and the Umbrians were vanquished. Heraston fervently hoped the Bruttians would not be added to that list.

The large force from Heraclea attacked. Fortunately for us, it was primarily composed of Peasants, and the garrison and Archers were able to defeat them.

Within two seasons, a relief force a full eight squads strong arrived in Thurii. Just in time, as our scouts reported that the Lucanians had dispatched three more armies against Thurii.

Our forces opted to wait within the city, figuring it better to fight with the added forces of the garrison than without.

The first force was dispatched with ease. Forces at Thurii destroyed 3 Peltasts, 2 Italiot Cavalry, a Javelinmen, and a group of peasants, for the loss of one Hill Tribesmen.

Then came the second battle...

Part VI
Heraston felt confident going into the second battle. His forces outnumbered the Lucanians with the help of the city's garrison.

His scouts reported that the enemy was drawing near. As usual, the enemy was primarily Peasants- but included in the force was a Hoplite unit. The Bruttian Cavalry was ordered to charge headlong into the Peasants, with the Hill Tribesmen formed into crescents to await the enemy Cavalry. The Archers were ordered onto a hill, on the Tribesmen's right flank.

The orders were given and battle was joined.

Very quickly, things went to hell for the Bruttians. The enemy Cavalry didn't opt to charge to their deaths against the crescents. Instead, they dashed through a gap in our deployment and routed the Archers. Our Hill Tribesmen could not react to close the gap in time, as Heraston had ordered them to hold for a long time.

Our masses of Cavalry sent against the Peasants ran smack into not one but two Hoplite units. We wish we could say they fought bravely, but they tucked tail and ran. Soon our Hill Tribesmen were alone on the hill, fighting a losing battle. They were swarmed over and destroyed.

Thurii had been lost to the enemy.

Part VII
The remaining Bruttian forces, 7 units strong, were immediately sent out from Consentia to retake the city. They ran into the third Lucanian army in the high mountain passes.

They were wiped out to a man, as Lucanian Hoplites trumped Germanic mercenaries.

Soon, the Lucanian army was at the gates of Consentia. Our hastily recruited forces were brushed aside like gnats, and Heraston was forced to flee to Croton.

But that was no safe refuge either. As he scrambled to rebuild some sort of infrastructure to rebuild what he had lost, the Lucanians kept up the pressure- taking his last city a scant three years later.

Bruttian dreams of hegemony died with Heraston, on a Lucanian spear point lodged in his breast.

THE END.