Kabill wrote:
The messenger quails under the stern gaze of the Persian emperor.
"Speak louder," he commands, watching the the sweat bead upon the face of the man before him.
"R-Roman soldiers have been spotted on the march, heading for our Western ter-"
"*MY* territories, worm!" The Persian Emperor roars, hurling a goblet of gold and jewels at the messengers face. "Arrogant, barbaric, heathen Romans *DARE* to invade what is mine by right? Then they shall face the wrath of trunk and arrow, hoof and spear! If war is their intent, then they shall find in it their ruin."
"Usque tandem, Shapur, abutere patientia nostra!" rhetorically demanded the Consul to the Senate.
"The Sassanids are cunning like desert foxes and dangerous like snakes" he continued.
"They wage war against us disguised as Palmyrenes and pretend we don't see the evidence of their money financing this kind of attacks.
They kill our peasants and invade our lands with treachery, but are not corageous enough to show their banners.
It's time they pay for their crimes and taste the medicine threy pretend to prescribe to their neighbours.
We are not afraid neither of them nor of their cowardly way of fighting, when they fear to stand in front of the enemy and fly away and are only able to attack baggages and wounded soldiers.
Sophene will be ours and the Sassanid menace will be contained once and for all!"
The baggage train battle is up. 1790 (1760+30) vs 1630 (1660+30) armies.
Password: Invasion
While war rages with the Romans in the East, to the South the novice Sassanid commander continues with his orders to subjugate the Arabic tribes. Horse depleted from his previous battle against the Arabs, he is forced to raise a host of levy troops to bolster the remaining troops. The Arabs appear muster in a similar situation, reduced in cavalry and camelry but supported with a greater number of skirmishers ideal for the rough ground that comprises the desert battlefield.
The battle begins with an aggressive move on the Arabic right flank, over a steep hill and rough ground, while on their left a host of horse and camels break off and form ready, screened by skirmishers. In response, the Sassanid commander started his own advance, using his levies to shield his war elephants from missiles and advancing quickly with his cavalry force on the right flank. On his left, however, he orders his troops to hold, concerned that the spearmen will lose formation int he rough ground and be overrun by lighter Arabic troops. It is a costly decision for the levies, who's role in the battle is soon reduced to target practice, as Arab stones and arrows clatter into them from rough ground they cannot assault with much hope of success.
Still, the command thinks cynically, that is all they are good for anyway.
On the Sassanid right, a prolonged cavalry engagement ensues which ultimately lasts the entire battle. The Sassanids gain early dominanc, but as their horse is split up and separated, the Arabs manage to inflict a rout on many of the Persian horse. In the centre, half of the levy troops advance in a determined march, war elephants trumpeting behind. On the left, spearmen hold their ground under a barrage of enemy missiles, displaying courage in excess of their station and training. All through this stage, the Sassanid command is tense: although heartened by the early victory of his cavalry, he sees them lose momentum and begin to collapse, while on the left he fears for the confidence of his defenseless soldiers. But they hold. Well enough, at least.
The critical moment comes as the centre finally reaches it's targets. With the Arab force split, so too do the Persians, elephants barreling into massed cavalry on the left while the remainder hunt reserves in the centre. Even here, success is far from assured as the Arabs manage to surround some of the more impetuous beats and drive them off. But their strength is ultimately enough to drive the Arabs back, supported with some rogue units withdrawn or fled from other parts of the battlefield. Slowly, the battle seems to turn in the Sassanid commander's favour, but when it becomes apparent that he will hold the field at the end of the day, it comes with not a cheer but a sigh of relief. On another day, the battle could have gone otherwise. But today was his.
The Sassanid army drives off the Arabs, 38-45, in a close battle all the way through to the end. Thanks to TheGreyMouser for putting up more than stiff resistance to Perisan imperialism.
Kabill's Great Generals Mod for FoG2: http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=492&t=84915
The Roman army in Dalmatia, led by the valiant general Rutilius Gordianus, has repulsed 42% to 5% a raid waged by an horde of Hunnic cavalrymen after defeating their lancers on the wing and encircling the warbands stationed in the centre.
Their commander, Kubrat son of Karaton, has been seen fleeing from the battlefield, swifter than the wind, leaving behind him even the shield in order to go faster ...
Many hunnic warrios have been captured and enslaved and will contribute with their work to the glory of the Roman world!
Long life to the Emperor!
The evil Hepthalites and their greedy soldiers marched into Bactria with intent on ravaging the country and wresting control from the indpendent Bactrians. They sent their barbarian hordes across the countryside and encountered a peaceful batch of pilgrims on their way to pay homage to the Kushan leader Klay the Omnipotent. But alas, their cowardly ambush upon the plucky pilgrims was repulsed! Bactria remains free and independent, and the Hepthalites were sent home to be laughed at by their own women.
After a furious and confused encounter the Romans managed to beat the Sassanid army 54% to 27% conquering the rich province of Sophene.
The wicked enemies didn't dare to confront the Romans in an open battle but attacked the army while it was on the march in open terrain from three sides.
Initially a strong wing of cavalry emerged from our right flank while a containment detachment blocked the way in front of the advancing column.
Luckily the baggages were well guarded on both flanks and some cavalry units hurried ahead to confront the enemies.
While the cavalry units on the right easily defeated the enemy another strong corps of cataphracts and spearmen emerged from the left creating havoc and disarray.
In the meantime the Sassanid force in the centre advanced with a lot of elephants trumpeting their challenge.
It was a moment of fear because the two Roman lines on the centre and on left wawered and seemed to lose ground, expecially under the attack of the terrble beasts, while the cavalry on the right was far away chasing the defeated enemy detachment.
Half of the baggages were lost in the confuse melee that ensued but in some ways the Roman soldiers were able to sustain the enemy onslaught and finally repulsed them with the help of the returning victorius cavalry.
A really great game (my first MP baggage train module) and one of the most exciting I've ever played!
Also Kabill should have deserved to win and it was only a case that he didn't snatch victory ...
Lysimachos wrote:A really great game (my first MP baggage train module) and one of the most exciting I've ever played!
Also Kabill should have deserved to win and it was only a case that he didn't snatch victory ...
I'm not sure I deserved to win - you built a good army for repelling the ambush (I forget how late Romans can field a practically 100% horse army) and played it very well - but to be a single square away from winning the game is very slightly chaffing. (I need to train my horses to run up hills better. Or, better, can I spend an action next turn to raise a battalion of war-goats?)
Kabill's Great Generals Mod for FoG2: http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=492&t=84915
the encounter between the Kushans and the sassanids was bloody and very close. in the end the Kushans squeaked out a victory (lucky the game only goes to 45). Now i need a siege dice roll for my siege equipment on his ramparts. (i have siege equipment, Kabill has one level of fortifications)
klayeckles wrote:the encounter between the Kushans and the sassanids was bloody and very close. in the end the Kushans squeaked out a victory (lucky the game only goes to 45). Now i need a siege dice roll for my siege equipment on his ramparts. (i have siege equipment, Kabill has one level of fortifications)
Sorry everybody for the long delay.
Here is the result of the siege - a 92 - which ends with the capture of the fortification and the conquest of Drangiana by the Kushans
Although the Roman Consul invited the Vandal Warlord leading his host into Bruttium to consider the possibility of a truce cheered up by some wines and ladies he declined the offer and deployed his army on the battlefield.
The bulk of the Roman cavalry was on the right flank of the army and, in order to avoid the rough terrain there, where a lot of enemy archers were advancing, wheeled to the center, finding trapped between its infantry and the enemy warbands, suffering heavy casualties.
However the infantry behind held its ground until the rest of the Roman cavalry, that quickly gained the upper hand on the other wing, was able to charge the flank and rear of the Vandal center giving the Roman Consul a coveted victory.
Nothing has been heard of the retreating enemy after their resounding defeat ...
so i believe now we just await the results of the Amorica foray (which appears to be a very close battle, as yet undecided)... once we finish that we move on to another turn?
and is everyone still on board?
Lysimachos, I built bridges turn 2 but I don’t see them under “architecture” area under my realms stats. Not sure if that omission changes my scores, action points etc.
