Field of Glory: Empires - Multiplayer AAR

[CV60]

281-280 BC

Another day, another hunk of the Dalmatian coast seized by Egypt. When the game started, I was worried about Gauls crossing the Alps. It turns out I should have been worried about Egyptian chariots crossing the Dinaric Alps. Currently, Egypt is only 2 regions from my eastern border (Figure 58). The only comfort I can find in the situation is that it confirms that I’m not paranoid, as Carthage and Egypt are really out to get me.

Meanwhile, my helpful Helvetii clients invade Etruscan-held Insurbia. I don’t want them to be so helpful that they seize it all by themselves, so I divide my northern army, sending a detachment to “supervise” the Helvetii army of liberation. Hopefully, if the province is captured, it will revert to Rome. The remainder move south to invest Arnus, while the main army besieges the Etrusci capital of Cosa.


Figure 58. The Geopolitical Situation in the Mediterranean, 281 BC



The in-game text messages show that the Antigonos and Egypt are working together to subdue Greece (Image 59). That pretty much confirms my suspicions that Carthage, Antigonos and Egypt have divided up the Mediterranean between them. My invitation to their planning conference must have gotten lost in the mail……

Image 59. Something Wicked This Way Comes



In 280 BC, Egypt takes the province of Illyricum in Dalmatia. This gives them the silver mines there. The adjacent province of Oeneus also has silver. There are no other silver mines near Rome (Image 60). Additionally, only the province of Istria separates our two nations. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part. And I’m just the guy to do it. The only problem is I’m still tied down in Etrusci.

Although I’m bogged down in Etrusci, and have Egyptian armies sunning themselves on the opposite side of the Adriatic, there is one good bit of news- Rome has managed to stabilize its manpower losses. Although Rome’s manpower reserves are at zero, so it cannot build any more military formations, it has almost sufficient population to replace troops in the current army. This is part of the reason I’m reluctant to storm the walls of the Etruscan cities-Rome lacks the manpower resources to replace any losses.

Figure 60. The Geopolitical Situation in the Mediterranean, 280 BC

[devoncop]

I like the move you made to obtain client states as buffers against Arverni expansion South East.

In retrospect (naturally!) a similar arrangement with Epirus or even Illyria would have been handy....the 15% income from those silver mines would not have been too shabby either )

[loki100]

281-280 BC

... The only comfort I can find in the situation is that it confirms that I’m not paranoid, as Carthage and Egypt are really out to get me.

...

actually we weren't - I was busily flagging up Ptolemy's huge legacy lead to anyone who would listen but no one seemed too worried about the situation

[devoncop]

281-280 BC

... The only comfort I can find in the situation is that it confirms that I’m not paranoid, as Carthage and Egypt are really out to get me.

...

actually we weren't - I was busily flagging up Ptolemy's huge legacy lead to anyone who would listen but no one seemed too worried about the situation

It seems a Frankenstein out of the control of his handlers was created ...from the point of view of a neutral observer looking at the chat messages there does seem at least a degree of complicity between Egypt and Carthage....(or maybe Steve is just a great propagandist )

[loki100]

the complicity was between Antigonus and Carthage ... I was helping him besiege Byzantium (hence the chat about sinking their ships etc)

[devoncop]

the complicity was between Antigonus and Carthage ... I was helping him besiege Byzantium (hence the chat about sinking their ships etc)

So it was more a "blind eye" than actual conspiracy then ?

Could you not have gone all in with Rome to halt the Egyptian juggernaught earlier ? Even if it was just ever so slightly ahistorical to do so


(I am only joking....hindsight gives 20/20 vision every time )

[CV60]

the complicity was between Antigonus and Carthage ... I was helping him besiege Byzantium (hence the chat about sinking their ships etc)

Part of what you are seeing in my write up is what I was thinking at the time. Although the write up is done after the fact, it is based on notes I took at the time. Thus, you see how my thinking changes as the game progresses. One of the things you don't see me do is try to clarify people's thinking. I did not send any players emails stating in effect "what are your intentions towards Rome?" Instead, I tried to determine their intentions by what I was seeing on the map. I did this primarily because I didn't want to call the other players attention to the fact that I was worried about Rome's strategic situation. Although I would have later been more open in my diplomacy, I wanted to do so from a position of strength. As you can tell, I believe in an MP game that Rome is vulnerable to a coalition of other players, especially if one of them is Carthage. Possibly this is an unrealistic view of other nations capabilities in Empires, as I don't have have a lot of experience with non-Roman nations.

[CV60]

281-280 BC

... The only comfort I can find in the situation is that it confirms that I’m not paranoid, as Carthage and Egypt are really out to get me.

...

actually we weren't - I was busily flagging up Ptolemy's huge legacy lead to anyone who would listen but no one seemed too worried about the situation

It seems a Frankenstein out of the control of his handlers was created ...from the point of view of a neutral observer looking at the chat messages there does seem at least a degree of complicity between Egypt and Carthage....(or maybe Steve is just a great propagandist )

One thing to keep in mind with my write ups. I try to make them entertaining, so I rarely give up the opportunity to make a joke, as pathetic as most of them are. So while everything I am writing is accurate from my perspective, some of it is a bit exaggerated for the sake of adding a bit of humor. I try to give the reasons for my thinking in the write ups, so you can see what I based my thoughts on.

[CV60]

I like the move you made to obtain client states as buffers against Arverni expansion South East.

In retrospect (naturally!) a similar arrangement with Epirus or even Illyria would have been handy....the 15% income from those silver mines would not have been too shabby either )

Thanks- I was actually trying to get a lot of client states. Most efforts weren't successful or had a very low chance of success, so I didn't write about them in the AAR. In Empires, it is possible for an unsuccessful diplomatic effort to result in worse relationships with the target nation, so you have to also pick and choose what and when you want to do it. In the next couple of episodes of the AAR, you'll see some more of these efforts as I try to leverage some of the other AI nations to help limit or blunt the human players.

[devoncop]

I like the move you made to obtain client states as buffers against Arverni expansion South East.

In retrospect (naturally!) a similar arrangement with Epirus or even Illyria would have been handy....the 15% income from those silver mines would not have been too shabby either )

Thanks- I was actually trying to get a lot of client states. Most efforts weren't successful or had a very low chance of success, so I didn't write about them in the AAR. In Empires, it is possible for an unsuccessful diplomatic effort to result in worse relationships with the target nation, so you have to also pick and choose what and when you want to do it. In the next couple of episodes of the AAR, you'll see some more of these efforts as I try to leverage some of the other AI nations to help limit or blunt the human players.

Cheers Steve.

Your style is great as the humour goes a long way to keep the reader engaged.

It is interesting that you chose an approach of not necessarily engaging early with other players to clarify their intentions for fear of drawing more attention to how stretched you were.

I look forward to more episodes in this saga soon .

Great job.

[CV60]

End of the Decade (289-280) Review

At the end of the decade, Rome’s situation remains precarious. I have failed in unifying the peninsula within the 30 years I set out for the task. By itself, this failure is not critical. However, because of this failure, my army is tied up defeating Etrusci rather than challenging the Egyptian advance in the Balkans. In short, I need to quickly finish unifying the peninsula so I can use the army overseas to prevent what appears to be encirclement.

Another critical weakness in the Roman military is the lack of a top tier navy. Although a small Roman fleet exists, it is sufficient only for dealing with small powers, such as Etrusci. It lacks any heavy warships or the experience necessary to take on the Carthaginians. I cannot address this disparity until I complete dockyards capable of building heavy warships. Thus far, the game has not given me the option to build such dockyards, although I am expanding all my port facilities in an attempt to be given this option. Until Rome gets a fleet of heavy warships, it will remain vulnerable from the sea.

Economically, Rome is largely in good shape. There is 566 gold in the treasury, and it is increasing by 143 gold each turn. There are 852 units of metal, and this is increasing by 27 units a turn. However, these good numbers are almost completely negated by the manpower shortage. With no manpower reserves, I am unable to build any more military units, despite an overflowing pool of gold and metal.


In the battle to gain culture and avoid decadence, Rome is doing okay. It is ranked in the top tier (#21), so every turn gives it a chance to gain a token. However, relative to my human opponents, I am simply treading water, as Carthage, Egypt and the Antigonids are also in the top tier.

In the crucial area of legacy, I’m in fifth palace, with only 197 points, behind Carthage (212); Ptolemaic Egypt (394); Antigonids (395); and the Arverni (441) (Image 61). The main problem is that the other players are getting significant legacy from structures, regions, or objectives. I’m getting legacy only from objectives. In order to take the lead, I need to slow down the other player’s legacy accumulation by seizing some of these legacy generating sources from them. Right now, I don’t have the military for this.

Image 61. Legacy Sources and Rankings, 280 BC

[devoncop]

Did you not have a Mercenary Recruitment Centre to boost your armies with Mercs given your economy was strong ?

[CV60]

Did you not have a Mercenary Recruitment Centre to boost your armies with Mercs given your economy was strong ?

I don't know that Rome gets a mercenary recruitment center, at least not in the early stages of the game. I've never seen one. One of the things that Empires does well is that each country has its own "flavor." Buildings and units that were relatively unique to a historical nation can be purchased or built only by that nation. (See Rule 3.5.3 of the manual for a little bit more on this topic). At this stage of its history, Rome relied on citizen-manned legions and allied formations. This is reflected by the force structure that Empires imposes on Rome. While Rome might be able to get mercenaries later (I don't know, as I've never played it all the way through), at this stage of the game I don't believe the Roman player can buy a mercenary recruitment center.

[devoncop]

Ah....I didn't realise that may be the case.

I do love the unique rules for different nations.

[CV60]

279-277 BC

The new decade begins with some positive diplomatic developments. The Aedui, a Gallic tribe, are seeking cooperation with Rome. I accept this overture. Hopefully, in the near future they can be added as either a client state or ally, further crowding the Arverni.

While the Roman army is engaged in besieging Arnus and Etruria, the Etruscans invade and seize Picenum, which was only garrisoned by local militia forces (Image 62). While an annoyance, I will be able to retake this area easily once the Etrusci heartland is taken.

Image 62. The Loss of Picenum




A review of the game map shows that Egypt appears to have stopped advancing up the Balkans coast, and Carthage is still inactive in Spain (Image 63). The chat log reveals a potential reason for Carthage’s inactivity: apparently their fleet is still engaged in the Eastern Mediterranean. (Image 64).

Figure 63. The Geopolitical Situation in the Mediterranean, 278 BC



Image 64. Chat Log 278 BC




My army is still bogged down in Etrusci. Although I would rather take Faesula by siege, I need to free up an army for other operations. The pause by Carthage and Egypt are giving me a brief opportunity to obtain some strategic room, but I need an army free to exploit this opportunity. I therefore order the force in Arnus to assault Faesula (Image 65).


Image 65. The Fall of Faesula



Once again, I have waited too long to make an attack. Almost all of the forces defending Faesula are militia, and the city falls quickly. Fortuitously, Cosa also succumbs to the Roman siege this turn and surrenders (Image 66). With the entire army free from siege operations, it can now concentrate on finishing off Etrusci and then deploying to either the Balkans or Hispania.


Image 66. The Fall of Cosa



The year 277 opens with a change of political parties in Rome. For the past 32 years, the Populares Party has ruled Rome. They provided some administrative, diplomatic and military bonuses to Rome. However, the fickle voters have thrown them out, replacing them with the Patrician Party. I’m not sure why the voters thought this was a good idea, as the Patrician Party only provide a diplomatic boost, albeit a better diplomatic boost than their predecessors. (Image 67). I may have to make lemonade out of these lemons and begin a diplomatic offensive, as my military efforts are likely to become less productive.

Image 67. Meet the New Boss, Not As Good as the Old Boss



With the fall of the Etruscan urban areas in 278, it is time for Rome to finish slicing, dicing and making Julian fries out of what is left of Etrusci. I send one army to seize Aemilia, while the second army liberates Picenum. I also send my small fleet into the Adriatic to support a possible move of the army into the Balkans (Image 68). I can afford to be more aggressive with the army now, as I finally given access to a decision that allows Rome to equip its poorer citizens, allowing them to serve in the army. In game terms, this allows me to trade 300 units from my stockpile of 897 units of metal for 300 units of manpower (Image 69). By establishing a stockpile of manpower, my army can begin to recover from attrition and can build new units.


Image 68. Etruscan Twilight




Image 69. Equipping the Masses




To cap off the year of 277, I receive confirmation that the Antigonids and Carthage were cooperating with each other (Image 70). Egypt is known to be cooperating the Antigonids, leaving the very distinct possibility that Rome has come up in their discussions with each other. I need to get my military house in order….

Image 70. Chat Log 277 BC

[loki100]

...

To cap off the year of 277, I receive confirmation that the Antigonids and Carthage were cooperating with each other (Image 70). Egypt is known to be cooperating the Antigonids, leaving the very distinct possibility that Rome has come up in their discussions with each other. I need to get my military house in order….

...

it is, of course, worth noting that I wanted my fleet back to carry out a mission to the benefit of all peaceful powers in the Western Mediterranean - squashing pirates.

[CV60]

276-274 BC

Flush with a fresh pool of manpower I ponder my choices: Hispania or the Balkans. Hispania has sun, silver, gold, iron and not too many Carthaginians. The Balkans? It has Egyptians. That fact alone shows there is a significant disturbance in the Force. So against my better judgement, I send the legions towards the Balkans. My goals are to: 1) secure the one remaining silver mine in the region; 2) establish a base to attack Egyptian holdings by land, as I can’t depend on command of the sea to project power; and 3) keep Egypt’s armies as far away from the peninsula as possible. I consider attempting to come to an understanding with the Egyptians. I decide not to at this time because Egypt is already working closely with the Carthaginians, and given the relative disparity in power between us, I estimate that any such understanding would be temporary. Instead, my strategy will be to present Egypt with a strong Roman presence as a fait accompli. I believe this might encourage to seriously negotiate with Rome.


To get a force into the Balkans, I have one army swing into the Dalmatian region of Istria, currently occupied by only unaffiliated tribes. I avoid attacking the Boii, as I don’t want to get bogged down in the marshland of Venetia. I will try to either make the Boii a client state or seize them later. I send my other army into Clanis to end the Etrusci resistance (Image 71).

Image 71. Army Maneuvers, 276 BC



With the Carthaginian fleet tied down fighting pirates, gives me an opportunity to get my second army into Hispania before the Carthaginians can untangle themselves from their other military commitments. The purpose of this deployment is to both seize the mineral wealth of Hispania for Rome, as well as to provide a way to strike at Carthage that does not require a fleet, should that be necessary. However, to avoid crossing Arverni territory, the deployment will have to be made by sea. Because of this, I need to get an alliance with one of the Hispania nations. Right now, I don’t see any likely candidates, but I begin watching Hispania for some opportunities. I also request an alliance with the Aedui to further crowd the Arverni.

At the start of 275 BC word comes that Rome has successfully defeated the Etruscan army in Clanis, which is now besieged. The Independent Celtic army in Istria is also defeated, giving Rome control of the region and blocking Egyptian movement closer to the peninsula.

Reviewing the Roman economic situation shows that it is a fairly balanced economy, lacking only precious metals (Image 72). Hopefully, my expedition into the Balkans will cure this deficiency.

Image 72. The Roman Economy, 275 BC



In 274, I am given the option to redistribute some of my slaves. I’ve taken a pretty liberal position regarding slaves, trying to convert them to citizens when I get the chance. Thus far, that policy has worked in keeping my slave population down to a 117:78 citizen to slave ratio. I have deliberately minimized the number of slave markets, because they give additional decadence, something Rome should avoid accumulating whenever possible. However, slave markets are useful in redistributing slaves to regions that are fully develop. This opens up additional building slots. I currently have several regions which are at maximum capacity, so redistributing some of my slaves will help increase my construction (Image 73).

Image 73. Slave Decisions, 274 BC

[CV60]

273-271 BC

In 273 BC, word comes that Emporia, a small nation on the northeast coast of Hispania is under attack by the Celtiberi. This gives me an opportunity to get an alliance with them, thereby opening a door into Hispania (Image 74). The Aedui also accept my proposed alliance, further crowding the Arverni.


Image 74. Proposed Alliance with Emporia, 273BC




Meanwhile, the Roman army besieging Clanis attacks the Etruscan garrison and defeats them (Image 75). Except for the Boii, the entire peninsula is now Roman.

Image 75. The Fall of the Etrusci



In 272 BC, I declare war on the Boii. A good case could be made that the Boii could have been left alone, as they were isolated, and occupy only a single region. My logic in attacking them was that they are a source of tar, and the port there would be useful in supplying the forces in the Balkans via naval supply should that be necessary.

In 271 BC I come up with a better case for leaving the Boii alone. They can kick your nates (Image 76).

Image 76. Romans Getting a Whupping



Although the loss to the Boii is embarrassing, the casualties were not too bad. I reinforce the army and send additional fleet units to blockade Boii. Rome should be able to take it the next turn. A look at the map shows that Carthage may be initiating the conquest of Hispania by expanding out of Baetis (Gibralter). To counter this, I dispatch forces to Massilia to join with the Romans there, in preparation for their move to Emporia (Image 77).

Diplomatically, there is the welcome news that the Rhaeti, a Germanic tribe has agreed to become a client state. This further blocks the Arverni from expanding eastwards (Image 77).

Image 77. The Geopolitical Situation in the Mediterranean, 271 BC

[devoncop]

Any idea why the Egyptian advance stopped around 278BC ?

Were they forced to go into a consolidation phase because of decadence resulting from their rapid advance or was it for another reason ?

[CV60]

270-269 BC

In 270 BC, Rome secures an alliance with Dalmatia (Image 78). Emporia also confirms the proposed alliance with Rome, allowing me to move the forces from Massilia to Emporia this turn. And they better hurry, because Emporia is under a lot of pressure from the Celtiberi. At this rate, Emporia may not exist by the time the Roman army gets there….

Image 78. Alliance with Dalmatia



No sooner do I get an alliance with Dalmatia, then it attacks Egyptian holdings in Illyria and takes the region. Not that I mind Dalmatia depriving Egypt of the Illyrian silver mines. I just don’t want to fight a war with Egypt over them yet. However, because of the alliance with Dalmatia, Rome been dragged into Dalmatia’s war with Egypt in the Balkans. Samuel Clemens said that "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes." If this is true, the current situation must be the first stanza of a long poem on European history….

To prevent these hostilities from widening, I write a note to Egypt. Rather than send it via PM, I send it via the in-game messaging system, so all players can see it. My hope is that the note will help them view me as a good negotiating partner (Image 79). In the note, I propose to punish my Dalmatian allies by taking back Illyria for Egypt. Left unsaid is that in the process I will also take the Dalmatian silver mines in Oenus, as well as Dalmaticae. This will allow me to create the province while leaving Egypt with the silver- and decadence-producing single region of Illyria. It isn’t a bad deal for Egypt, as he won’t have to expend time and treasure fighting in the Balkans, and I also promise to reimburse 100 gold for his losses.

Image 79. Diplomatic Talks over Illyria



The reinforced Roman army defeats the Boii, freeing up the army for operations elsewhere (Image 80). The Roman fleet is similarly successful against the Boii at sea. The naval battle probably wasn’t necessary, but I did it to give my fleet some experience in preparation for fighting the Carthaginians.


Image 80. The Defeat of the Boii



In 269 BC, the Roman reinforcements arrive off of Emporia to find…the Celtiberi army enjoying the sights of the city, after having just taken it. While a 14 factor strong unit of the Emporian army escapes back to Massilia, Emporia itself is lost. This means I can’t use it to gain access into Hispania. Neither can I declare war on the Celtiberi and invade. This is because several turns before the alliance with Emporia, I had signed a ten year peace agreement with the Celtiberi to get out of a war with them that one of my allies had dragged me into. That agreement now prevents me from invading Celtiberi. To get an army into Hispania, Rome will have to invade Sucro, the single coastal region in Hispania that is held by an unaffiliated tribe. And the army I have in the area isn’t yet big enough for an invasion. If Rome is to get a foothold in Hispania, I will have to rush a larger force here, because Carthage just took another region in the area (Image 81).

Image 81. The Geopolitical Situation in the Mediterranean, 269 BC