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Old 08-04-2014, 03:46 PM   #151
chesapeake
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Following up on that, since we cannot attack the besiegers to relieve the siege, will the city eventually have to capitulate due to starvation or will the defenders try to sally forth at some point?
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Old 08-04-2014, 05:19 PM   #152
Brian Swartz
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Those two are the choices. They will leave the city and attack at the last season, but if the situation remains unchanged there is essentially no chance of success. At least in that way they will meet their end with honor, and perhaps inflict some damage on our enemies.

Last edited by Brian Swartz : 08-04-2014 at 05:19 PM.
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Old 08-05-2014, 12:11 PM   #153
chesapeake
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Thanks. I get it now. Carry on.
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Old 08-06-2014, 03:34 AM   #154
Brian Swartz
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Summer

Publio's fleet defeats two more Aiakid navies, including one headed by Aeson, their top admiral. In that battle Aeson had slightly heavier vessels(quinquiremes against Publio's quadquiremes), but the advantadge of numbers could not be overcome. However, attrition has now reduced Publio's flotilla to 18 ships from the original 40. Another 20 will be built at Capua eventually, but it will take some time to save up the funds for them and another year after that for construction.

Meanwhile, Roma's upgrade to the Urbs was completed.

Autumn

Carthaginian and Aiakid armies continue to grow in northeast Sicily -- another large army for Carthago gives them probably around 35,000 men in the vicinity of Messana. Not a good situation for us, but there are more pressing matters.

Battle of Lokris Epizefiroi

Finally. Having been chased off before, it's time to kick the Aiakid Dynasty out of Italy completely. With both consuls present, the sizeable garrison is outnumbered roughly 4:1. Still, there are three enemy generals here, including overall commander Dionysios who is a worthy adversary. Initially all went according to plan. Only about 1600 toxotai were committed to defending the walls, and Mus had no problem getting his siege towers in position.







And then the unexpected happen. Apparently challenging their inner stupid far too well, some of Laevinus Coffeium's men, hastate specifically, decided not to wait and charged around the corner to take their place by the siege towers -- making themselves sitting ducks for the archers inside the wall towers. A suicidal and impetuous move, and one the Aiakids were all too happy to oblige were their rapid deaths.

** Note: I screwed up here, abetting this foolishness. Namely, I accidentally left the reinforcement armies under AI control(as is the default), and if there's one thing the AI sucks at it's co-ordinating multiple armies in a siege. But few battle plans survive contact with the enemy. The report here is an attempt at RP-ing this out. This proved costly, but not catastrophic thankfully.







The disease of undisciplined initiative spread, and soon cavalry mounted an idiotic charge straight up the city streets, the walls having been captured by this time, straight into the waiting spears of the agema(skilled phalanx formations).







Mus made the most of the fact that much of the enemy was otherwhise occupied, marching his men around to the thoroughfares east and west of the centre plaza, while the north street was blocked, as with the hoplites seen here. Once they penetrated the city further, there was nowhere for the Aiakids to hide, surrounded and outnumbered despite the poor execution of the assault.








With that, resistance was officially ended -- at least for now -- in southern Italy. Except the very northern reaches, the entirety of the peninsula now lies under Roman control -- albeit with Rhegion under constant threat. The casualty bill was high, with over 9,500 lost here. Most of those were from Laevinus command which is now down to under 5,000 for the moment, though reinforcements will be imminent.

In the aftermath, there was little the consuls could do but move to support Rhegion in case of an attack. Publio's fleet was too far away to provide immediate transport, even had they wished it. True to its word, the Senate held games at their own expense in Capua shortly thereafter to honor the victory.

Last edited by Brian Swartz : 08-06-2014 at 03:35 AM.
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Old 08-06-2014, 04:16 AM   #155
Brian Swartz
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Winter

Lawcius recieves his tribune commission, heading south on a long journey to Kroton, his first appointment. First stop: Antium. Meanwhile, a rebellion arises under Oppius just outside the capital, and the siege at Rhegion has been 'reset' by the Carthaginians. A new general has arrived to take command of it with a larger army, but we have at least been given more time: another year and a half. Meanwhile, Manius gets married to Octavia(age 12). Apparently the orphanages were empty ...

Oppius gave way to Praetor Arvina's army, moving just southeast of the city. He was there pursued and, unable to run any further and facing not only the praetorian force but the garrison from the capital, including four contingents of royal cavalry with one under the command of Amul, the rebels were doomed before the battle began.

They did manage to make a stand at the edge of a forest on a hillside, giving Arvina few ways to approach them as shown below in a rendering of a rare winter battle. In the somewhat harsh conditions, he lost over a thousand men but easily crushed the resistance.







Once again, the spring would provide momentous news ...

Last edited by Brian Swartz : 08-06-2014 at 04:17 AM.
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Old 08-06-2014, 08:43 AM   #156
chesapeake
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More victories for Rome!

I hope my dear senior consul doesn't have the bloody flux or some other serious ailment that prevented him from coming to the field. But there must be some explanation for the lack of discipline shown by his troops at Lokris.
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Old 08-06-2014, 09:16 AM   #157
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Do you remember the lost standard of Legio II? Our spies reported it was, in fact, stored in Lokris Epizefiroi. At the time of the ill fated battle, no punishment was ever given to the legion who ran. To reclaim their honor, and to prove the discipline of Roman legions, they willingly marched directly at the army, knowing most would never return.

But the survivors have reclaimed their honor.
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Old 08-07-2014, 06:12 AM   #158
Brian Swartz
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STATE OF ROME, 273 B.C.

Provinces: 25(10 major, 15 minor, no change/+1)
Navy: 540(-55%)
Army: 110.4k(-4.1%)
Citizenry: 323.9k(+5.9%)
Annual Income: 252k(+3.7%)
Annual Profit: 39.5k(15.7%)
Treasury: 11.4k(+78%)

The primary strategic goal for several years has been to oust the Dynasty of Aiakides from southern Italy: with the capture of Lokris Epizefiroi this past year, that has now been achieved. The losses incurred there resulted in the army declining in size for the second straight year, but small increases in population and income have continued.

Spring brought two pieces of news. Amul was given his tribune commission and sent to Arretium in the northeast, an important posting moreso for being the fourth-most populous province than any known military threats in the area. More significantly, the Republic's two major enemies, the Dynasty of Aiakides and the Republic of Cathargo have decided they cannot co-exist and a state of war has been declared, leaving the 'Big Three' factions all now in conflict. Whether because of this event, indecision, or the support of the consuls, Rhegion is now free of enemy attack for the first time in years. All of the Carthaginian armies have withdrawn into Sicily itself, and Manius will soon be leaving the once-doomed town to journey north for his studies at Roma ...

Population Report





The Gauls continue to flourish despite only a handful of provinces in the hand of each faction: apparently they are breeding like crazy in a few highly concentrated areas. Their growth has the Aiakids down to fifth here.


Military Report





There may be no stopping Cathargo. They now field a larger army than any two other factions combined. Were they ever to form a cohesive strategy, they might well be capable of defeating both Roma and the Aiakids at once. There does not seem to be any danger of that happening in the near future however. Elsewhere, the mysterious Norici continue to strengthen their position ...


Senate Matters

There is a great deal of debate on how to best proceed at this juncture. One point unifies most senators: the Aiakid-Cathargo conflict and the subsequent withdrawal from Rhegion provides an opportunity. But the natural follow-up has sparked great division: opportunity for what? Some favor overdue investment in infrastructure, with a majority of the largest provinces now in serious need of funds. Others maintain that maximum recruitment must continue so that our consuls can take advantadge of this, probably with a push into Sicily itself, and establish Roman control of the strategic situation while our enemies are divided.

Consuls Laevinus Coffeium and Mus, what say you(if anything)? Tribunes Lawcius and Amul may also weigh in, having earned the right to be heard -- however as recently appointed youngsters, that's all you've earned. The political connections required for the Senate to actually listen to anything you have to say will take more time.

Last edited by Brian Swartz : 08-07-2014 at 06:12 AM.
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Old 08-07-2014, 08:07 AM   #159
chesapeake
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Can we see much of Sicily? Does it appear at all that the armies of Carthago and the Aiakids will meet at some point soon? An ideal strategy would be to let the two weaken themselves against the other and then sweep in to clean house.
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Old 08-07-2014, 08:39 AM   #160
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Some scouting into Sicily would be good. If we can strike when they've stripped the island bare of defenses, we most certainly should.
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Old 08-07-2014, 08:52 AM   #161
Brian Swartz
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What you can see of Sicily is pretty much the NE corner which is in the updated maps(third one as usual). In order to scout we would need spies. The only one in service, Numerius, is still where previously assigned(Genua, past the NW border).
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Old 08-07-2014, 09:02 AM   #162
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My opinion is as such.

We have 2 legions within striking distance of Messana right now. I say we cross and strike while we're in position. We have a chance to establish a foothold in Sicily. If we discover we're badly outnumbered there, we can always withdraw into Rhegion and defend.

We're here, our men are here, sound the advance.
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Old 08-07-2014, 09:07 AM   #163
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I would, however, also recommend we start seriously looking at least a partial investment in infrastructure. Clearly we still need troops, but we must also start looking long term.
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Old 08-07-2014, 12:56 PM   #164
chesapeake
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I agree with the senior Consul on all points.

And, I urge the Rome Praetor to move the spy. We need him on the front line.
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Old 08-07-2014, 01:16 PM   #165
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FORWARD THE LEGION!
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Old 08-07-2014, 01:31 PM   #166
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The starting to move into Sicily with some infrastructure sounds great to me as well.
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Old 08-07-2014, 07:00 PM   #167
Brian Swartz
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On the spy, it will be much faster to just recruit another one locally.

Commander Manius, whether by good fortune or fate you have escaped Rhegion with your adolescent wife Octavia, and are now headed north to Roma to further your education.

Tribune Lawcius, your journey south to Kroton, having just started, will occupy you for the duration of the coming year. It has been noted that you seem to have some minor skills in provincial management.

Tribune Amul, you travel in the opposite direction to Ariminum. It seems my clerk(a blatant, shameful attempt to distract from my forgetfulness) gets the two largest northern provinces confused and wrongly stated Arretium before, which is where Aedile Antonius is stationed. If you review the first map of northern Italy, you'll see you are to be posted at the northeast extreme of the Republic. You are expected to arrive in the fall, with the first leg taking you to Volsinii Novi, then to Arretium, then on to your destination.
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Old 08-07-2014, 08:45 PM   #168
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Understanding The Legions

We're far enough in now that there's beginning to be a greater range of experience and equipment among the ranks, including our own soldiers. Because of this I'm going to start adding a little more detail to the army part of the briefings for those who might be interested in it -- it has been asked about from time to time already.

Each of these elements adds to fighting effectiveness, experience gives a small boost across the board and has a ten-point scale(I'll just use 1-10 to keep it simple), weapons and armor add to the effectiveness of attack or defense and have four levels, which I'll interpret as Basic, Fair, Good, or Excellent as the case may be.

The first battle at Herakleia for example featured Roman units at the lowest level across the board, green with no equipment upgrades, while most of Pyrrhos' army had 5-6 experience and were a mix between Fair and Good quality equipment. By comparison, most of the units we can recruit are between 0-2 experience with Fair weapons/shields. A few unit types, like the Funditores, will eventually be phased out since as slingers their weapon is rocks -- these cannot be upgraded. The quality of new units is determined by the facilities in the province they come from, which can be upgraded(at a significant cost).

Experienced line infantry is particularly difficult to achieve, since they tend to die and need replacing before they have enough combat success to significantly improve. It tends to happen more often with cavalry/missile troops which in favorable engagements don't lose nearly as many men.

I'll add this blurb to the OP and try to clarify any questions there might be. The basics of it are pretty straightforward, but as with all things the consequences can be more complex.
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Old 08-07-2014, 09:24 PM   #169
Brian Swartz
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Joint Consular Briefing

The Consuls and other leaders are in the first place hereby informed that funding for a spy to be recruited at Rhegion has been released, and additionally that the Senate has adopted a compromise position that will see funding split again between military and domestic concerns. For now, all domestic funds will go to upgrading core settlement facilities to accomodate better housing and sanitation and allow growth to hopefully increase in the larger provinces. No additional military facilities, industries, temples, roads, etc. will be contemplated until this matter is addressed, which is expected to take many years.

Location: Just east of Rhegion.

Army(Consul Mus
** Cavalry -- 640 personal(5, Basic/Basic), 40 Etruscan equites(5, Fair/Basic), 760 Republican equites(2, Fair/Fair), 740 Campanian equites(2, Fair/Fair)
** Line Infantry -- 3760 Etruscan hoplites(1-2, Fair/Fair), 840 Oscan infantry(2, Basic/Basic), 280 Hastati(4, Basic/Basic), 2040 Principes(4, Mostly Basic/Mostly Basic), 460 Triarii(4, Fair/Basic)
** Skirmishers -- 2120 Velites(2, Basic/Basic), 860 Oscan javelinmen(2, Basic/Basic)
** Total -- 9,560 men

** Note that the new information takes the form of Unit Type(Experience, Weapons/Armor)

Army(Consul Laevinus Coffeium
** Cavalry -- 760 personal(4, Basic/Basic), 580 Oscan equites(2, Basic/Basic), 40 Campanian equites(3, Fair/Fair)
** Line Infantry -- 2420 Etruscan light spearmen(1, Basic/Basic), 2420 Etruscan hoplites(2, Basic/Basic), 1180 Campanian hoplites(1, Basic/Basic), 100 Oscan infantry(2, Basic/Basic), 2520 Hastati(1-3, Basic to Fair/Basic to Fair), 60 Principes(2, Basic/Basic)
** Skirmishers -- 160 Funditores(1, Basic/Basic), 100 Oscan javelinmen(2, Basic/Basic)
** Total -- 10,340 men

The new full-strength Etruscans have bolstered your numbers to a respectable level again, and more men will be incoming for both consuls for the next few season espescially -- the reassigned praetorian force will join before the end of the year.
It is also worth nothing that your eldest son Cassius is now next in line to be commissioned -- two years from now.

INTELLIGENCE REPORT

The 'Italy Toe' map shows what's going on but there's a lot of stuff in a fairly small space. Both consular armies are just east of Rhegion, and other reinforcements can be seen incoming there. If we wish to wait for further intel, this can be revisited in the summer(next season) after a new spy that will be recruited is ready. In Sicily, there are three known enemy forces within range of our local assets:

** Messana. Historically the third-largest city in Sicily at this time, it is a major province with the capability to survive a siege for a full two years. One of Cathargo's most capable leaders is in charge there, Ithobaal(age 31). He is a capable general, serviceable governor, and holds a high degree of influence in their government. The garrison is considerable, about 50% larger than the one defeated last year at Lokris Epizefiroi, 10 maniples of unknown composition. Overall, slightly smaller than either of the consular armies, most likely in the 8k range. Every known settlement in Sicily has stone walls -- war is simply a way of life of them, whether it's major powers or local tyrants. An attack would require a siege and allow for the possibility that reinforcements would be brought from elsewhere, as we've seen happen in the past.

** To the south of Messana, a field army under Shipitbaal of Carales(27, capable general). He is the man who took over the siege of Rhegion, then withdrew. His army is larger, 13 maniples, and most interestingly it involves at least one maniple each of sacred band infantry and cavalry. Historically, the Sacred Band never left Africa. They were the elite aristocracy of Cathargo, pledged to defend the homeland itself and the most skilled warriors of a nation that relied mostly on mercenaries to do their conquering. It was said that the only time you would see their back is if they were dead -- they had a reputation of fighting to the death and should be considered at least the equal of the Roman triarii, our elite republican spearmen. Once again though, we don't know the composition of most of the army. It's probably in the 11-12k range total. The one unit of sacred band cavalry is known to be only 80 strong, nearly depleted. The rest could be full-strength or a hodgepodge of weakened units for all we know at this point.

It is worth noting here that Shipitbaal is just far enough south that we could attack his army without involving the men from Messana -- divide and conquer is a possibility.

** Tauromenion. The closest Aiakid town to us on the island, this is a minor province with a 4-maniple garrison. It appears the armies that were in the vicinity have either disappeared(possibly defeated by Shipitbaal) or moved off. We just don't know right now.

If we want to cross into Sicily, there are two options. First is the 'land' option -- not really land, but using small craft to cross near Messana. There is only room for one army there though, and we cannot circumvent Messana this way, we'd have to take it before moving further into Sicily. The second involves transport on Publio's fleet, which can be seen in position just south of Rhegion ready to be called upon if needed.

Consuls Mus and Laevinus, how and where(if at all) shall the legions proceed?
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Old 08-07-2014, 09:24 PM   #170
law90026
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I will not be involving myself in the discussions for now and will listen to what is being said.
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Old 08-07-2014, 09:25 PM   #171
Brian Swartz
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Unusually wise for a Roman, Lawcius .
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Old 08-08-2014, 07:52 AM   #172
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Consul Mus has a vastly more veteran army than my own legion at this point. I would recommend he board his legions and strike Shipitbaal's army with a naval landing.

My own legion is short on experienced men - we have a scant few Principes, and zero Triarii. We can start the siege of Messana while my co-Consul is driving off the enemy army. If things get out of hand in the field, we've still got the fleet to either get my legion past Messana, or withdraw Mus's legion back to Italy.
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Old 08-08-2014, 10:32 AM   #173
mrtourette
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Swartz View Post
Commander Manius, whether by good fortune or fate you have escaped Rhegion with your adolescent wife Octavia, and are now headed north to Roma to further your education.

It is with a heavy heart that I leave my beloved Rhegion with the future of the city clouded in so much uncertainty, however I vow that when I return it shall be as a much stronger man.

Oh and less of the 'adolescent' please.

Last edited by mrtourette : 08-08-2014 at 10:32 AM.
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Old 08-08-2014, 12:08 PM   #174
chesapeake
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Is there a reason we cannot both attack Spitball's army? If Coffeium's army is close enough when I attack, will his troops not come to the field as well? My more experienced troops can serve as the anvil for his hammer.
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Old 08-08-2014, 12:51 PM   #175
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I was under the impression we couldn't attack Spitball unless we took boats. If we have enough ships to land both legions in one move, I'd be all for it.
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Old 08-08-2014, 02:26 PM   #176
chesapeake
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I'm cool with that. Even in the unlikely event that the Carthaginians are able to stave off total defeat, I am sure I will be able to deal them a blow sufficient that even your less experienced legions will be able to finish them off.
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Old 08-08-2014, 03:16 PM   #177
Brian Swartz
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There's no reason the fleet can't take one of you across and then the other, so you should both be able to. I'll see if it can be done.
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Old 08-10-2014, 03:15 AM   #178
Brian Swartz
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Spring, 273 BC
Battle of Messana

Both legions made the crossing, cornering Shipitbaal on the eastern coast. Mus arrived first from inland heights to the west, while Laevinus was late coming from the south.







Nearly two thousand sacred band infantry led the resistance, and they lived up to their name, occupying most of Mus's best troops.







Most of the remaining Carthaginians were skirmishers, but even so they repeatedly charged into hand-to-hand combat and the sheer numbers prevented the more numerous Roman cavalry from driving all of them off. Eventually some of the infantry had to be split off to deal with them. A disorganized and uneven battle was not decided until Laevinus arrived, but eventually even the few remnants of the sacred band were driven away.







Losses were heavy on both sides, over six thousand Romans and ten thousand Carthaginians. Shipitbaal retreated to Messana with less than a third of his original command, while Mus's infantry ranks were largely decimated by the day's bloody business. Judging by this battle, it appears that Carthage will be quite a difficult adversary to overcome.

Despite the weakened state, there was little choice but to move northwest and cut off another large army, this one with no general to command it and apparently consisting largely of barbarian mercenaries from southern and western Europe. Some of them are the very same type of fighters that Numerius has spotted in Genua. It seems they may have formed an alliance of convenience ...

In the updated report shown below, we can also see a new Aiakid town further west into the Sicilian heartland, known as Agyrion. No large force concentrations have been seen there or anywhere else among the Greek holdings here.



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Old 08-11-2014, 08:36 AM   #179
chesapeake
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Another victory for Rome!

So we're at approximately 14,000 troops between us? I see at least 3 groups of reinforcements on the map -- how many troops can we expect to reach us over the next couple of seasons?

It seems the most logical plan would be to take out the leaderless masses to the west so they cannot reach Messina and then to take stock of our numbers and those of our enemies to determine if we have enough troops to successfully besiege the city.
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Old 08-11-2014, 09:37 AM   #180
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Concurred. Let's see if we can thin the herds some more, particularly when they are without a general. Perhaps we should detach a minimal force, if we have the men to spare, to start sieging Messana.
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Old 08-11-2014, 02:54 PM   #181
chesapeake
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Unless the main army is guaranteed to come to their aid -- which they may be given the look of the map -- a token force of besiegers would probably be easy work for the garrison. I believe there were already several thousand troops in there even before they were supplemented by the 5k or so survivors of the Battle of Messana. Do we have a good read on their numbers, Brian?

After we soak the battlefield in the blood of this group of leaderless rabble, we can assess whether we can safely split off a force -- or even if we need to. We should have some movement left after the battle.
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Old 08-12-2014, 10:13 AM   #182
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I'm okay with this.
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Old 08-12-2014, 02:23 PM   #183
Brian Swartz
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Situation is a bit more complicated than that, but getting to the current battle used up the rest of move allotment for the spring(some was involved just to get across into Sicily). I'll have the next battle report tonight which will clarify what's going on.
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Old 08-12-2014, 04:14 PM   #184
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Unless it involves dead Carthaginians or dead Greeks, I don't wanna hear it.
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Old 08-14-2014, 07:47 AM   #185
Brian Swartz
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b]Spring, 273 BC[/b]
Second Battle of Messana

What looked like a straightforward battle took a major twist before it even began. Scouts reported that hiding in the woods to the west was another army under Matho, a huge force numbering fully 30,000 men. Withdrawing was no longer an option: the consuls were committed, but taking on both at once would likely be suicidal -- they would be grossly outnumbered more than 2:1. It was decided to attack at night, hoping to avoid Matho for the time being. Having the fresher if smaller army, Mus began the attack and both consuls approached the Carthaginians from the southwest ...







Partly due to good execution and partly due to unusually good fortune, the attack was timed almost perfectly, both armies engaging in concert. With the outcome of the battle very much in doubt, Mus's cavalry made a determined massed charge against the right flank, and the enemy did not hold up long under the pressure, fleeing the field.






It was a massacre -- about 1800 Romans dead, 9000 for Carthage.
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Old 08-14-2014, 08:17 AM   #186
chesapeake
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Another victory for Rome!

But if there are another 30,000 Africans waiting right around the bend, we may need to consider a strategic withdrawal to a battleground or our choosing. What's the word on reinforcements?
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Old 08-15-2014, 01:22 AM   #187
Brian Swartz
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Matho is not nearly so great a fool as to wait for such a thing to happen.

Late Spring, 273 BC
Third Battle of Messana

The most important part(second half) of the official battle reports have been lost. (In other words, something screwed up with FRAPS). None of the surviving renderings are really worth your time.

Matho attacked Mus, and his army of more than 31,000 well outnumbered the approximately 20,000 combined that the Romans put on the field. It is the largest field army the Republic has yet faced. Mus positioned his legion on a wooded hill to the southwest, getting him closer to Laevinus and his reinforcements. They still arrived about 45 minutes too late, but fortunately there were no elite troops in the Carthaginian army: it's strength lay almost soley in it's size as Matho is not among the more skilled of their generals.

Once Laevinus arrived, the Romans ceased to give way before Matho's attackers, and for a couple hours it was decidedly unclear who would be the victors. It seemed most likely the force of sheer numbers would carry the day for the Carthaginians until Matho himself grew impatient and was personally cut down by a spearman attempting to press his advantadge. His men, disheartened, did not give up the fight immediately, but it didn't take long for them to decide it was better to run than die here.

After three major battles in a season's time, both consuls remain with the relatively smashed remnants of their armies. It is not entirely fair, but Mus has been given the lion's share of the credit and is now clearly considered to be the better of the two generals. At the second battle he had the fresher troops as Laevinus had to march a longer distance and thus attacked first, and it was his men who took the brunt of Matho's assault first without breaking. History is, after all, not entirely impartial in the way it remembers significant events ...

The survivors of all three battles on the side of Cathargo are in Messana or it's immediate vicinity.
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Old 08-15-2014, 01:52 AM   #188
Brian Swartz
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Summer, 273 BC

Mus has 7240 men remaining, Laevinus 8880. There are somewhere around 25k(rough estimate) Carthaginianis in and around Messana.

Reinforcements-wise, there are about 2500 that could be in Sicily by the end of the summer(mostly Oscan javelinmen but also some cavalry) and oscan infantry about 1500 more in the fall. The main force(the praetorian army that was sent south some while back) will not get here until about the end of the year, probably winter or maybe even next spring. That one is several thousand men strong. At this point the 'front' is about a year and a half from Roma, but it may be possible soon to use Publio's fleet to shorten the travel time, but it will still take several months, probably three seasons under optimal conditions.
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Old 08-15-2014, 09:09 AM   #189
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15,000 veterans under elite leadership vs an army twice their size...Are there any quality Generals in and around the area that we know of?

If they're leaderless rabble, I'm less concerned. If they are well led, that changes things.
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Old 08-16-2014, 03:10 AM   #190
Brian Swartz
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Some of them have no generals, there are two general in the city, one of which is Shipitbaal who is the best in the area and nearly match for either one of you. It is also worth nothing that there is only a modest amount of line infantry left(in the consular armies): they are disproportionately missile troops at this point as much of the heavy infantry has been beaten down by attrition(though not all).

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Old 08-16-2014, 07:29 AM   #191
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I forgot about Shitball.

And bah. It pains me to say this, but with the lack of front line infantry, I believe we must withdraw to Italy for the time being. At the very least, we've bloodied them badly.
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Old 08-18-2014, 08:29 AM   #192
chesapeake
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Agree with the strategic withdrawal. We don't want to learn about the Fabian strategy from the wrong side.

I'm leaving town for a few days and won't have much internet time. Feel free to move on without me.
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Old 08-20-2014, 02:16 AM   #193
Brian Swartz
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I sure your fellow consul won't get you killed ... much.

Summer, 273 BC

The consuls escape via a narrow corridor of safe transport between Messana and Tauromenion, and then back to Publio's fleet across to Italy. Arretium begins construction of an Oppidum, the next vital infrastructure project.


Autumn

Aiakid forces mass at Tauromenion, further complicating matters. Meanwhile, newly recruited spy Aulus infiltrates Messana, reporting four Carthaginian generals in the vicinity, and also that the previous estimates were inaccurate in terms of their strength there. Just under 40,000, some of them apparently newly recruited mercenaries but some previously undetected, are present near the city.

Meanwhile, Muli has arrived at Ariminum, his new posting, and construction of the Oppidum upgrades begins there as well.

As the season comes to an end, a surprise Carthaginian attack at Rhegion demonstrates that the 'strategic withdrawal' was a most fortuitous choice ...

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Old 08-22-2014, 10:44 AM   #194
Brian Swartz
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I want to get to moving this along but RL is intervening. Specifically, I've been dealing with an onslaught of highly annoying insomnia among other issues. Sorry about the delays.
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Old 08-25-2014, 08:27 AM   #195
chesapeake
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Sorry to see you are having sleep troubles.

40k vs. our 15k? I don't like those numbers. And, once again, there is nothing we can do to directly engage the besiegers at Rhegion other than to stay close-by and join the battle when the garrison sallies forth?
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Old 08-27-2014, 10:18 AM   #196
Brian Swartz
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I think I'm starting to come out of it now. If tonight goes well, I might have another report up tomorrow.

The question is actually moot, as they didn't wait around but quickly built basic siege equipment and attacked. That battle will be the next thing that goes up(I'll just tease it for now by saying it's the wildest battle I've ever had in this game).
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