This campaign ended some months ago, with a general consensus that it was a Gallic victory.
Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all who took part!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
a quick follow-up
Spain passes and, upon being invaded by Gaul, promptly surrenders. Spain is now a tributary of Gaul, instead of Carthage. As we wait for Rome's move, here's a new map.
The crosshatching was a bit onerous with my drawing program, so now the outline colour of a capitol will indicate its status as a tributary, in the same way that the outline colour of non-capitol provinces indicate original ownership (which is important for terrain type).
The crosshatching was a bit onerous with my drawing program, so now the outline colour of a capitol will indicate its status as a tributary, in the same way that the outline colour of non-capitol provinces indicate original ownership (which is important for terrain type).
Friday, June 3, 2011
a stunning victory for the underdog
A few snaps will be added later, but a truly amazing result from the rather one-sided defense of Messina.
The Syracusans found a marshy river along the coast to site their tiny army (3 x 4Sp) and the mighty host of Carthage advanced, confident of victory. They demonstrated on one flank and then the other with LH and Cv, while the rest of their army plodded through the sloppy swamps to come up and run through the undefended middle of the Siciliot line.
The LH declined to even engage, simply shadowing the one Sp facing their crossing. The Carthaginian general and his mounted groups, certain that the puny enemy would flee before them, splashed into the shallows of the curiously named River Styx. Several charges failed to win them the opposite bank, but they pressed on, knowing that the enemy could do little to harm them.
The Syrcusans, though, following trumpet commands from their command staff (comfortably situated on the ramparts of their temporary camp), charged across the river themselves, taking the Punic cavalry by surprise. Driving them backward, the Greco-Italians profited from the advance, unobserved by the Carthaginian general, of his own phalanx of hoplites. Caught between the unexpectedly pugnacious Syracusans and the march column of his heavy foot, the general and his Companion cavalry were dismayed, overthrown, and dispersed, leading to a precipatate retreat by the Punic army.
[1G-0 win by Syracuse, outnumbered 11 to 3. Carthage loses 1 Cav plus two other elements and retreats to Agrigentum. Syracuse retains Messina and gains 3 Prestige.]
The Syracusans found a marshy river along the coast to site their tiny army (3 x 4Sp) and the mighty host of Carthage advanced, confident of victory. They demonstrated on one flank and then the other with LH and Cv, while the rest of their army plodded through the sloppy swamps to come up and run through the undefended middle of the Siciliot line.
The LH declined to even engage, simply shadowing the one Sp facing their crossing. The Carthaginian general and his mounted groups, certain that the puny enemy would flee before them, splashed into the shallows of the curiously named River Styx. Several charges failed to win them the opposite bank, but they pressed on, knowing that the enemy could do little to harm them.
The Syrcusans, though, following trumpet commands from their command staff (comfortably situated on the ramparts of their temporary camp), charged across the river themselves, taking the Punic cavalry by surprise. Driving them backward, the Greco-Italians profited from the advance, unobserved by the Carthaginian general, of his own phalanx of hoplites. Caught between the unexpectedly pugnacious Syracusans and the march column of his heavy foot, the general and his Companion cavalry were dismayed, overthrown, and dispersed, leading to a precipatate retreat by the Punic army.
[1G-0 win by Syracuse, outnumbered 11 to 3. Carthage loses 1 Cav plus two other elements and retreats to Agrigentum. Syracuse retains Messina and gains 3 Prestige.]
Friday, May 20, 2011
a new map for a new season
Here's a new map for Autumn, 210.
It being 210, Carthage has the first go.
Friday, May 6, 2011
the end of the summer (of 210): Syracuse v. Bruttia
With the waves gently lapping behind them, the leading officers of the Syrcusan army drank their morning wine and pondered their situation.
Having brought their army by sea to a deserted cove, far from the haunts of men, where they could land and stage a surprise march on the rear of the army of the Bruttian occupiers, they found the Bruttians had followed them all the way. Spies (or coastwatchers) had betrayed their movement, and as they had begun unlaoding their war machines from their ships and forming their phalanx, scouts had returned to report no sign of their Gallic allies (who were supposed to be landing nearby), but instead signs that the Bruttian army was mustering in force in the further forest beyond these near woods.
"Why did we pick such a deserted spot to land?" asked Syntagmatarchis Periander. "We cannot properly deploy the phalanx until we get past these trees here, and the scouts say there are more woods beyond the open fields, with hills off to our south. The ground might almost have been picked by the enemy for their lightweight army of skirmishers." He spat some bitter lees into the bushes and held his cup out to a lochias for more wine.
"The damn pilots said it was the most sheltered landing place on the coast," replied Tagmatarchis Eetion, "and the Tyrant wanted to surprise the enemy."
"Looks like he may be the one surprised," remarked Taxiarchos Psammetichus, munching a heel of bread. "He's gone out scouting with his hetairoi, with only the barbaroi and the psiloi in the woods for cover. I hope the scouts warned them about seeing the enemy so close."
The Tyrant of Syracuse had, in fact been warned by the scouts. So it was from a healthy distance that he watched the Bruttian army debouch from its marchign camp and begin to form up in the western woods. He turned from instructing a runner to urge all speed on the phalanx, and a glint of metal caught his eye. With horror, he noted a separate force marching towards his left, a large body of what appeared to be Spanish infantry. Quickly, he told another runner to follow the first and bear not only exhortations but threats of condign punishment for those officers who did not hasten to carry their taxies around the edge of the east wood and deploy into battle line quickly. Most of his army was sitting in its landing zone, probably blissfully unaware that the enemy were nearby in force, with allies streaming to their aid.
The Bruttian commander, Morgetes, chewed his lower lip. He had planned only to deploy in the forest and wait the onslaught of the Syracusans. But with their commander so isolated and only a few small units holding the east wood, it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. If he could gather up his force and charge across the open ground, he could hold the forest near the enemy's camp and pin them against the shore, possibly isolating their commander and his guard at the same time. And with the Spanish already nearby and ready to support his right flank, what could go worng? He raised his arm and brought it swiftly downward, gesturing toward the waving pines fo the shore-forest. At a moment, thousands of Bruttian warriors, concealed among the trees, rose up and began flooding the grassland before him, racing toward the pines.
The Tyrant, horrified at the sudden movement of the Bruttian host, called out to his band of barbarian swordmen who had been stationed nearby to guard his flank. As his cavalry rode forward, the hairy men started their slow trot alongside. Hoping to disrupt the advance of the Bruttii, the Tyrant led a charge against their forward men, and the barbarians accellerated to a run, curling around the foe's exposed flank and crushing them against the rush of the Syracusan horse. As the Bruttian line firmed up, the moustache-wearers rushed heedlessly forward, looking for more trophies of war. The Tyrant, frowning at their impetuosity, cast a calculating eye on the advancing Spanish column and called for a messenger. "Tell the sword-bearers that they must fall back or they will be surrounded and overwhelmed," he said, "I have few enough men ready to fight the enemy; I must not lose those I have!"
The Bruttians pushed forward as the trousered men retired, chasing them with javelins and darts but unable to corner them and crush them. And Morgetes saw a new threat that worried him. The Syrcusan column was till no great danger, bogged down behind its bolt-throwers and torsion engines, which moved but slowly. However, beyond and to their right, he saw the dust cloud of mounted men, and soon saw Gallic cavalry and chariots approaching, sure allies of the enemy. He called away several bands of his warriros from the pursuit of the enemy light troops through the glades. He needed a line to meet the Gauls.
In among the pines, blood was flowing freely. The Syrcusans skirmishers, secure in the invulnerability their speed gave them, had grown overconfident. A sudden rush by a band of Bruttian warriors took them by surprise and most of them were killed or put to flight. But another band of warriors, pursuing too boldy the mercenary barbarians of Syracuse, found themselves ambushed and cut to piece by the long swords of the hairy ones. The confidence of the Bruttian army began to slip.
But the swordsmen of Spain, who had been painstakingly manuevering as the battle raged, now swung into action, and the battle began to turn in the defenders' favour. The Spanish, though foot and unprotected even by the length of spears, swarmed around the Syrcusan cavalry. Falling back swiftly, the Tyrant's hetairoi sought the shelter of their camp, or even the water's edge, where they could make a stand. But the Iberians were too fast for them; racing on stone-hardened feet, they lapped around the flank of the horsemens' formation and began pulling men off their horsemen. Those who went down were cut to a bloody mess, and after a mighty contest, one of the Spaniards was hoisted to his fellows' shoulders, swinging through the air the head of the Tyrant himself, still in its burnished bronze helmet with the scarlet horsehair crest.
On the other flank, things went well for Bruttia as well. Though forced back and forth by the first charge of the Gauls, the Bruttians managed to throw a band of swordsmen around the flank of the Gallic line and cut down a party of horsemen. The lime-washed, discomfited, pulled back to reform their line.
And now, the final blow to the invaders' pride came. The Spanish foot, flsuh with their victory over the cavalry, rushed the gates of the Syracusan camp. And the slaves and peasant bearers left behind to guard the impromptu fortress of bales and boxes fled, leaving the Hispaniard force to loot the wine casks and rich ornaments of the enemy generals and to exclaim over the strange Greek food waiting to be the Tyrant's supper of victory. One swordsman, cruel in humour, set the severed head of the Sicilian lord on his table, before it the rich plate and cups laden with the meal he would not taste.
Having brought their army by sea to a deserted cove, far from the haunts of men, where they could land and stage a surprise march on the rear of the army of the Bruttian occupiers, they found the Bruttians had followed them all the way. Spies (or coastwatchers) had betrayed their movement, and as they had begun unlaoding their war machines from their ships and forming their phalanx, scouts had returned to report no sign of their Gallic allies (who were supposed to be landing nearby), but instead signs that the Bruttian army was mustering in force in the further forest beyond these near woods.
"Why did we pick such a deserted spot to land?" asked Syntagmatarchis Periander. "We cannot properly deploy the phalanx until we get past these trees here, and the scouts say there are more woods beyond the open fields, with hills off to our south. The ground might almost have been picked by the enemy for their lightweight army of skirmishers." He spat some bitter lees into the bushes and held his cup out to a lochias for more wine.
"The damn pilots said it was the most sheltered landing place on the coast," replied Tagmatarchis Eetion, "and the Tyrant wanted to surprise the enemy."
"Looks like he may be the one surprised," remarked Taxiarchos Psammetichus, munching a heel of bread. "He's gone out scouting with his hetairoi, with only the barbaroi and the psiloi in the woods for cover. I hope the scouts warned them about seeing the enemy so close."
The Tyrant of Syracuse had, in fact been warned by the scouts. So it was from a healthy distance that he watched the Bruttian army debouch from its marchign camp and begin to form up in the western woods. He turned from instructing a runner to urge all speed on the phalanx, and a glint of metal caught his eye. With horror, he noted a separate force marching towards his left, a large body of what appeared to be Spanish infantry. Quickly, he told another runner to follow the first and bear not only exhortations but threats of condign punishment for those officers who did not hasten to carry their taxies around the edge of the east wood and deploy into battle line quickly. Most of his army was sitting in its landing zone, probably blissfully unaware that the enemy were nearby in force, with allies streaming to their aid.
The Bruttian commander, Morgetes, chewed his lower lip. He had planned only to deploy in the forest and wait the onslaught of the Syracusans. But with their commander so isolated and only a few small units holding the east wood, it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. If he could gather up his force and charge across the open ground, he could hold the forest near the enemy's camp and pin them against the shore, possibly isolating their commander and his guard at the same time. And with the Spanish already nearby and ready to support his right flank, what could go worng? He raised his arm and brought it swiftly downward, gesturing toward the waving pines fo the shore-forest. At a moment, thousands of Bruttian warriors, concealed among the trees, rose up and began flooding the grassland before him, racing toward the pines.
The Tyrant, horrified at the sudden movement of the Bruttian host, called out to his band of barbarian swordmen who had been stationed nearby to guard his flank. As his cavalry rode forward, the hairy men started their slow trot alongside. Hoping to disrupt the advance of the Bruttii, the Tyrant led a charge against their forward men, and the barbarians accellerated to a run, curling around the foe's exposed flank and crushing them against the rush of the Syracusan horse. As the Bruttian line firmed up, the moustache-wearers rushed heedlessly forward, looking for more trophies of war. The Tyrant, frowning at their impetuosity, cast a calculating eye on the advancing Spanish column and called for a messenger. "Tell the sword-bearers that they must fall back or they will be surrounded and overwhelmed," he said, "I have few enough men ready to fight the enemy; I must not lose those I have!"
The Bruttians pushed forward as the trousered men retired, chasing them with javelins and darts but unable to corner them and crush them. And Morgetes saw a new threat that worried him. The Syrcusan column was till no great danger, bogged down behind its bolt-throwers and torsion engines, which moved but slowly. However, beyond and to their right, he saw the dust cloud of mounted men, and soon saw Gallic cavalry and chariots approaching, sure allies of the enemy. He called away several bands of his warriros from the pursuit of the enemy light troops through the glades. He needed a line to meet the Gauls.
In among the pines, blood was flowing freely. The Syrcusans skirmishers, secure in the invulnerability their speed gave them, had grown overconfident. A sudden rush by a band of Bruttian warriors took them by surprise and most of them were killed or put to flight. But another band of warriors, pursuing too boldy the mercenary barbarians of Syracuse, found themselves ambushed and cut to piece by the long swords of the hairy ones. The confidence of the Bruttian army began to slip.
But the swordsmen of Spain, who had been painstakingly manuevering as the battle raged, now swung into action, and the battle began to turn in the defenders' favour. The Spanish, though foot and unprotected even by the length of spears, swarmed around the Syrcusan cavalry. Falling back swiftly, the Tyrant's hetairoi sought the shelter of their camp, or even the water's edge, where they could make a stand. But the Iberians were too fast for them; racing on stone-hardened feet, they lapped around the flank of the horsemens' formation and began pulling men off their horsemen. Those who went down were cut to a bloody mess, and after a mighty contest, one of the Spaniards was hoisted to his fellows' shoulders, swinging through the air the head of the Tyrant himself, still in its burnished bronze helmet with the scarlet horsehair crest.
On the other flank, things went well for Bruttia as well. Though forced back and forth by the first charge of the Gauls, the Bruttians managed to throw a band of swordsmen around the flank of the Gallic line and cut down a party of horsemen. The lime-washed, discomfited, pulled back to reform their line.
And now, the final blow to the invaders' pride came. The Spanish foot, flsuh with their victory over the cavalry, rushed the gates of the Syracusan camp. And the slaves and peasant bearers left behind to guard the impromptu fortress of bales and boxes fled, leaving the Hispaniard force to loot the wine casks and rich ornaments of the enemy generals and to exclaim over the strange Greek food waiting to be the Tyrant's supper of victory. One swordsman, cruel in humour, set the severed head of the Sicilian lord on his table, before it the rich plate and cups laden with the meal he would not taste.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Summer, 210 BC, Spanish turn
I believe this should be a correct representation of the Med following Carthage's victory at Agrigentum.
Friday, April 29, 2011
the suddenness of defeat
The armies of Carthage and Syracuse glared at each other across the heath, while in the background the waves crashed ceaselessly on the shore. Both sides had hastened towards their foe after the Carthaginian landing, each hoping to reach and either cross or dig in behind the small creek that led down to the shore. But in the event, both armies had reached a similar distance from its broad stream at about the same time, and now scouts sought warily for a suitable crossing point while the armies held back from committing.
Carthage threw forward its light horse in the end, driving to find a ford before the Sicilians could line the river bank. Content to find a good defensive position for their main force, the Syracusans edged their foot and stone throwers forward while the horse on their right pounded forward to gain and hold the flank over the advancing Punic foot.
The Syracusan commander has dispatched spies to watch the approaching Bruttian force and warn when these allies of the Carthaginians might be close to the battlefield. But apparently his scouts had been spotted and cut down by the Bruttians, as their contingent swung over a hill an onto the battlefield at the most inopportune time possible. Racing over the crest, they surrounded and cut down the Syracusan light horse. Caught by surprise, the Tyrant wheeled his cavalry piecemeal and sought to drive off the cavalry and light foot sent by his Neapolitan rivals.
But it was the brown, pink, and vanilla horde that triumphed. Falling back before the charge of the Italian horse, they drew their enemy into a deadly trap, and after a short hand to hand struggle, the Syrcusan general was unhorsed and slain.
Without even letting loose a bolt from their ballistas at the Punic invaders, the army of Syracuse turned tail and beat a careful, methodical retreat. Agrigentum now belonged to Carthage!
Final result: 0+2G to 0. Bruttia gets 4 prestige points (2 for kills, 2 for the general). Carthage captures Agrigentum. Syracuse loses 1 Cv, 1 LH, and two other elements for losing its general.
New map to be posted this weekend.
Carthage threw forward its light horse in the end, driving to find a ford before the Sicilians could line the river bank. Content to find a good defensive position for their main force, the Syracusans edged their foot and stone throwers forward while the horse on their right pounded forward to gain and hold the flank over the advancing Punic foot.
The Syracusan commander has dispatched spies to watch the approaching Bruttian force and warn when these allies of the Carthaginians might be close to the battlefield. But apparently his scouts had been spotted and cut down by the Bruttians, as their contingent swung over a hill an onto the battlefield at the most inopportune time possible. Racing over the crest, they surrounded and cut down the Syracusan light horse. Caught by surprise, the Tyrant wheeled his cavalry piecemeal and sought to drive off the cavalry and light foot sent by his Neapolitan rivals.
But it was the brown, pink, and vanilla horde that triumphed. Falling back before the charge of the Italian horse, they drew their enemy into a deadly trap, and after a short hand to hand struggle, the Syrcusan general was unhorsed and slain.
Without even letting loose a bolt from their ballistas at the Punic invaders, the army of Syracuse turned tail and beat a careful, methodical retreat. Agrigentum now belonged to Carthage!
Final result: 0+2G to 0. Bruttia gets 4 prestige points (2 for kills, 2 for the general). Carthage captures Agrigentum. Syracuse loses 1 Cv, 1 LH, and two other elements for losing its general.
New map to be posted this weekend.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Spring 210
There being an apparent cessation of diplomacy, we will begin 210!
Over the winter, Syracuse seems to have been the busy place to be! Emissaries from Gaul spent a great deal of time closeted with the tyrant, with the eventual conclusion that a treaty of peace and amity between Gaul and Syracuse has been announced!
Meantime, though no Bruttian emissaries were detected in the Sicilian capital, nonetheless, there is diplomatic news for Syracuse's Grecian neighbors. The Grand Panjandrum of Magna Graecia woke up one morning to find a severed horse's head in his bed (thus putting to rest some of the stories that had been going around about sheep...) War is declared, and Syracusan officers have been seen in all the markets of southern Italy, buying up all the mattresses and tinned tomato sauce they could lay their hands on.
Rome, feeling a bit neglected in their diplomatic backwater, rebuilt their mounted arm and recruited more men to the triarii. Spain trained more scutarii.
Consulting the augurs of random.org, we find that the first player to act in the turns of 210 is...Carthage!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Winter takes hold
Now, in distant Gaul, snow begins to fall. Even in balmy Carthage, the morning brings signs of frost. Winter is upon the Mediterranean.
Players can choose which elements to bring back from the reserve (in several cases, all of them). And doubtless messengers will be travelling to and fro, bearing missives of diplomatic import.
Players can choose which elements to bring back from the reserve (in several cases, all of them). And doubtless messengers will be travelling to and fro, bearing missives of diplomatic import.
bloody battle sees balance of power sway, not stabilise
The small(er) army of Carthage, alerted that the forces of the Syracusan tyrant had finally issued forth to do battle, took up position in rough country not far from Agrigentum. They met the Syracusans near the coast, where the two armies faced each other amid a welter of sand dunes and marshes.
Carthage deployed its spear to the right, backed by skirmishers, with a column of warband standing as link between the slow foot and the faster horse on its left. Syracuse placed its spear phalanx on its left, atop a sand dune, and positioned its horse and artillery on its right, with a light horse element held back to protect the area of its camp from the Numidian scouts of the Punic invaders.
Desultory skirmishing was the order of the day for the respective cavalries, as little took place quickly but the occasional flight (and return) of Numidians who got too close to the Sicilians' bolt throwers. The fighting among the foot, however, was continuous and bloody.
It became quickly apparent that the Cartho general expected his Gallic mercenaries to do most of the heavy fighting. While spear sparred back and forth, the Gauls rushed forward, hacking and slashing. The Syracusans sent their own wild swordsmen to try to envelop the warbands' flank, but time and again fierce fighting saw the Italiots fall back and the African army push forward. The Syracusan commander's face darkened with anger as the enemy dodged one trap after another. One of his spear elements was lost and then, after more protracted struggle, another spear and the skirmishers who had reinforced it. A Punic spear band was eliminated, but still the Celtic threat menaced the Syracusans' center.
In the end, the engagement (at long last) of the cavalry proved decisive. The Carthaginian general led his horse forward and into contact with the column of enemy cavalry, charging into and overthrowing its leading portions just as the enemy finally compassed the defeat and elimination of the Gauls.
Syracuse's commander, frustrated beyond bearing by the tricky wiles of the whiskered barbarians and afraid of the damage the now fully superior enemy horse might do to his troops if they should precipitately retreat, had the trumpets sounded for an orderly withdrawal.
"What ever happened to our damn allies?" wondered the now puce-coloured Syracusan general. The wind sighed sympathetically but brought no (intelligible) answer.
Carthage wins 4-3, losing 2 x Wb an 1 x Sp but eliminating 2 x Sp, 1 x Cv, and 1 x Ps. Carthage gains 1 PP and maintains its siege of Agrigentum. Syracuse retires to either Messina or Syracuse.
What, one wonders, will Carthage do now?
ETA: Carthage continues its siege of Agrigentum, but the city stubbornly refuses to yield.
Carthage deployed its spear to the right, backed by skirmishers, with a column of warband standing as link between the slow foot and the faster horse on its left. Syracuse placed its spear phalanx on its left, atop a sand dune, and positioned its horse and artillery on its right, with a light horse element held back to protect the area of its camp from the Numidian scouts of the Punic invaders.
Desultory skirmishing was the order of the day for the respective cavalries, as little took place quickly but the occasional flight (and return) of Numidians who got too close to the Sicilians' bolt throwers. The fighting among the foot, however, was continuous and bloody.
It became quickly apparent that the Cartho general expected his Gallic mercenaries to do most of the heavy fighting. While spear sparred back and forth, the Gauls rushed forward, hacking and slashing. The Syracusans sent their own wild swordsmen to try to envelop the warbands' flank, but time and again fierce fighting saw the Italiots fall back and the African army push forward. The Syracusan commander's face darkened with anger as the enemy dodged one trap after another. One of his spear elements was lost and then, after more protracted struggle, another spear and the skirmishers who had reinforced it. A Punic spear band was eliminated, but still the Celtic threat menaced the Syracusans' center.
In the end, the engagement (at long last) of the cavalry proved decisive. The Carthaginian general led his horse forward and into contact with the column of enemy cavalry, charging into and overthrowing its leading portions just as the enemy finally compassed the defeat and elimination of the Gauls.
Syracuse's commander, frustrated beyond bearing by the tricky wiles of the whiskered barbarians and afraid of the damage the now fully superior enemy horse might do to his troops if they should precipitately retreat, had the trumpets sounded for an orderly withdrawal.
"What ever happened to our damn allies?" wondered the now puce-coloured Syracusan general. The wind sighed sympathetically but brought no (intelligible) answer.
Carthage wins 4-3, losing 2 x Wb an 1 x Sp but eliminating 2 x Sp, 1 x Cv, and 1 x Ps. Carthage gains 1 PP and maintains its siege of Agrigentum. Syracuse retires to either Messina or Syracuse.
What, one wonders, will Carthage do now?
ETA: Carthage continues its siege of Agrigentum, but the city stubbornly refuses to yield.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
map for Summer, 211, as of Syracuse's move
Bruttia repulsed from Voconti by Gaul (Gaul v Bruttia 4-0, Gaul gains 4PP). Syracuse repositions. Rome watches and snacks on dromedary pretzels and wolf nibble chips. Carthage loses its 4Ax in a failed attempt to scale the walls of Agrigentum.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Spring 211, Carthage's attack
Sorry, this should show Bruttia's control of Panormus.
ETA: There, fixed.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
a bridgehead too far?
The forces of Gaul were just beginning to get settled into their new digs on the island of Sicily after their conquest of Panormus last year. But now it seems they may have to pack up their bergens again and shift sharpish, as a defeat at the hands of the Bruttian and Syracusan armies has sent them reeling in retreat.
Advancing to meet the more cautious Bruttian foe, the warriors of Gaul beat on the backs of their shields with their spearbutts and shouted (unintelligible) insults at their slowly advancing foe. Rushing forward, the bands of red-haired swordsmen crashed into the Italiot line with a mighty crash and rove deep into it in several places. But the Bruttian footmen simply withdrew a short distance--like a receding wave--then, as their flankers came up on the right through the foothills. Surging forward around the rocks of the Gallic pincers, the lightly armed Bruttians showered javelins into the enemy and lapped around them. Panicking, one portion of the Gauls tried to withdraw but found themselves unable to. Alarmed at finding themselves isolated and vulnerable, they broke and ran.
While the fighting had been going on in the center of the field, the Gallic army's cavalry had advanced more slowly in the east. But no matter how slow their advance, it had still been fast enough to leave them unprepared and surprised when a force of Syrcusan horse arrived in their left rear. While the bulk of the Sicilian horse rode to meet the Gauls, their fastest riders set off for the enemy's camp. After a token resistance, the old men and boys guarding the spare horses and tents fled, and the Syracusans ran rampage through the Gallic baggage, looting and burning and sampling the tasty pot-a-feu bubbling on the campfires. The remainder of the Celts seeing their retreat (and wine supply) cut off and their right wing crumbling began taking French leave, leaving the field to the Italiot allies.
Gallic field army loses two additional elements and retires to Akra Leuke, Ruteni, or Vocontii. Bruttia now owns Panormus. New map upcoming shortly.
Advancing to meet the more cautious Bruttian foe, the warriors of Gaul beat on the backs of their shields with their spearbutts and shouted (unintelligible) insults at their slowly advancing foe. Rushing forward, the bands of red-haired swordsmen crashed into the Italiot line with a mighty crash and rove deep into it in several places. But the Bruttian footmen simply withdrew a short distance--like a receding wave--then, as their flankers came up on the right through the foothills. Surging forward around the rocks of the Gallic pincers, the lightly armed Bruttians showered javelins into the enemy and lapped around them. Panicking, one portion of the Gauls tried to withdraw but found themselves unable to. Alarmed at finding themselves isolated and vulnerable, they broke and ran.
While the fighting had been going on in the center of the field, the Gallic army's cavalry had advanced more slowly in the east. But no matter how slow their advance, it had still been fast enough to leave them unprepared and surprised when a force of Syrcusan horse arrived in their left rear. While the bulk of the Sicilian horse rode to meet the Gauls, their fastest riders set off for the enemy's camp. After a token resistance, the old men and boys guarding the spare horses and tents fled, and the Syracusans ran rampage through the Gallic baggage, looting and burning and sampling the tasty pot-a-feu bubbling on the campfires. The remainder of the Celts seeing their retreat (and wine supply) cut off and their right wing crumbling began taking French leave, leaving the field to the Italiot allies.
Gallic field army loses two additional elements and retires to Akra Leuke, Ruteni, or Vocontii. Bruttia now owns Panormus. New map upcoming shortly.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
A mighty battle yields a quick result
A full report will follow shortly, but the army of Gaul was defeated by the combined force of Bruttia and Syracuse. Two elements of Gallic warband were isolated and cut down by the Bruttian line, while the light horse of Syracuse raided and pillaged the camp of the Celts while they were in battle.
2 PP for Syracuse, 2 PP for Bruttia. Gaul -2 Wb plus two other elements, must retreat.
2 PP for Syracuse, 2 PP for Bruttia. Gaul -2 Wb plus two other elements, must retreat.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
excitement mounts!
Gaul having adopted a wait and see attitude, the army of Bruttia sailed from Etruria to conquer Panormus. Contingents hastened to their aid from Rome and Syracuse. The Mediterranean waits with baited breath to see if Carthage will stand by their northern ally. Will this be the climactic show-down of the Second Punic War? Have the torc-wearers overstepped by taking to the waves, or is the Middle Sea becoming a Celtic lake?
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
a daring raid turns to ignominious disaster
The tattered remains of the Spanish army, hoping to take advantage of the Gaul's preoccupation with Sicily, launched a sudden attack on Akra Leuke. But they did not account for the Gallic network of messengers and the steely resolve of the Celtic warchief, who shepherded his men aboard ships and raced back to Iberia as swiftly as the wind.
Despite the strong winds that drove their ships, the Gauls reached land safely in time to drive off the few armed bands that were acting in the place of a war host of the Spanish. Scattering in the face of the unexpected Gallic host, the Spaniards became lost and scattered in the hills that they had hoped would shelter them. Terrorized by terrible storms, swept away in flash floods in rocky canyons, few of the Spanish lived to return to their remaining halls. Spain was, for the moment, broken.
New map to follow.
Despite the strong winds that drove their ships, the Gauls reached land safely in time to drive off the few armed bands that were acting in the place of a war host of the Spanish. Scattering in the face of the unexpected Gallic host, the Spaniards became lost and scattered in the hills that they had hoped would shelter them. Terrorized by terrible storms, swept away in flash floods in rocky canyons, few of the Spanish lived to return to their remaining halls. Spain was, for the moment, broken.
New map to follow.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Carthage pounces! (and a much-needed map update)
Having recently declared war (an announcement deflated by its previous publication by the notorious Julius Assanguinis), Carthage lost no time in pursuing it. The Poeni launch their armies eastward against the Syrcusans. Their army arrives outside the walls of Agrigentum. Will their scouts find the army of the Tyrant their to meet them? Stay tuned!
Friday, February 11, 2011
excitement as armies sweep across the Med!
The army of Gaul, having captured Panormus, advances on Messina. The army of Syracuse retires to its capitol, and the Gauls settle down and start trying to starve out the defenders.
In the meanwhile, to the north, an assault in the pre-dawn darkness captures the gatehouse of the principal Etrurian stronghold and Bruttia takes control of the province.
What will Syracuse do next?
In the meanwhile, to the north, an assault in the pre-dawn darkness captures the gatehouse of the principal Etrurian stronghold and Bruttia takes control of the province.
What will Syracuse do next?
Monday, February 7, 2011
rules interps
I posted these to the Fanaticus thread, but they are buried somewhere in the past, so I'm reporting them here.
I've made one change, marked with asterisks. Players *may* send multiple contingents in a turn (the rules clearly allow this), but if they commit to sending a contingent it counts as sent, whatever the eventual outcome.
DBA Campaign Rules Clarifications/Changes for Punic Peril
Declarations of War
Players can declare war or peace at the beginning of each round (Spring, Summer, Autumn). Declarations should be submitted to the umpire before the first player's orders for that season are posted. The umpire will set a deadline for all “diplomacy” to be concluded before calling for orders.
Any power that has war declared upon it will be considered to be at war with the declaring power without having to make a formal declaration of its own.
Both powers must assent to a declaration of peace.
Movement
Contingents do not lose elements to storms at sea.
Combat
Battles and sieges are resolved in the player turn they are initiated, before the next player's orders are posted and resolved.
Armies and contingents retreating by sea do not lose elements to storms at sea.
Victory conditions are not adjusted for the size of armies; no matter how many elements an army starts a field battle with, it loses once it has lost its general or four elements and has lost more elements than the enemy.
Prestige is not adjusted for the size of armies. No matter how many elements an army starts a field battle with, it earns one point of prestige for each element it eliminates (as defined in the rules) in excess of its losses (plus points for generals and camps as specified in the rules).
Contingents
A player cannot send a contingent to assist another player if his army has already moved that season and either a field battle or a siege resulted.
However, a player may send a contingent if his army remained stationary and conducted a continuing siege or if it moved but no combat resulted.
***If a player commits to send a contingent to assist another player, he is restricted for sending it, whether or not a battle results and whether or not the contingent arrives during the course of the battle.****
A player cannot send an allied contingent to help attack a nation he is not at war with unless he is a tributary and required by his overlord to do so. In such a case, this serves as an automatic declaration of war.
A player may send a contingent to assist in defending against a nation with whom he is not at war. In such a case, this serves as an automatic declaration of war.
Supply
Supply must be drawn at the end of each movement a player executes, before any battle or siege, and at the end of all players' turns in autumn.
A tributary is not required to provide supply to his overlord's army.
Errors in Resolution
If players see an error in post-battle resolution (prestige points, remaining army rosters) they should alert the umpire immediately. If a battle is later resolved using an army list that contains an error from previous resolutions that has not been corrected, the result will stand.
Unfulfilled Losses
If a battle needs to be resolved and an army hasn't pruned additional elements since its last battle (for the loss of a general or camp in a previous battle or from a siege, the umpire will randomly choose the elements to be lost.
I've made one change, marked with asterisks. Players *may* send multiple contingents in a turn (the rules clearly allow this), but if they commit to sending a contingent it counts as sent, whatever the eventual outcome.
DBA Campaign Rules Clarifications/Changes for Punic Peril
Declarations of War
Players can declare war or peace at the beginning of each round (Spring, Summer, Autumn). Declarations should be submitted to the umpire before the first player's orders for that season are posted. The umpire will set a deadline for all “diplomacy” to be concluded before calling for orders.
Any power that has war declared upon it will be considered to be at war with the declaring power without having to make a formal declaration of its own.
Both powers must assent to a declaration of peace.
Movement
Contingents do not lose elements to storms at sea.
Combat
Battles and sieges are resolved in the player turn they are initiated, before the next player's orders are posted and resolved.
Armies and contingents retreating by sea do not lose elements to storms at sea.
Victory conditions are not adjusted for the size of armies; no matter how many elements an army starts a field battle with, it loses once it has lost its general or four elements and has lost more elements than the enemy.
Prestige is not adjusted for the size of armies. No matter how many elements an army starts a field battle with, it earns one point of prestige for each element it eliminates (as defined in the rules) in excess of its losses (plus points for generals and camps as specified in the rules).
Contingents
A player cannot send a contingent to assist another player if his army has already moved that season and either a field battle or a siege resulted.
However, a player may send a contingent if his army remained stationary and conducted a continuing siege or if it moved but no combat resulted.
***If a player commits to send a contingent to assist another player, he is restricted for sending it, whether or not a battle results and whether or not the contingent arrives during the course of the battle.****
A player cannot send an allied contingent to help attack a nation he is not at war with unless he is a tributary and required by his overlord to do so. In such a case, this serves as an automatic declaration of war.
A player may send a contingent to assist in defending against a nation with whom he is not at war. In such a case, this serves as an automatic declaration of war.
Supply
Supply must be drawn at the end of each movement a player executes, before any battle or siege, and at the end of all players' turns in autumn.
A tributary is not required to provide supply to his overlord's army.
Errors in Resolution
If players see an error in post-battle resolution (prestige points, remaining army rosters) they should alert the umpire immediately. If a battle is later resolved using an army list that contains an error from previous resolutions that has not been corrected, the result will stand.
Unfulfilled Losses
If a battle needs to be resolved and an army hasn't pruned additional elements since its last battle (for the loss of a general or camp in a previous battle or from a siege, the umpire will randomly choose the elements to be lost.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
mid-summer madness 212
With Gaul's foothold on the island of Sicily, things look a little different in the Med. Bruttia remains in besiegement of Etruria while Syracuse ponders its next move.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
falls an eagle...
The Spanish army arrayed itself outside the gates of Abdera. The ocean waves lapped gently on the nearby shore. Breezes played over the hills and through the olive and oak groves nearby. The Spaniards tightened helmet straps, hefted shields, gave a last wipe of the sharpening stone to their javelin points.
Beyond the hills, beyond the woods, the Carthaginian army filed into its formations. The general's speech had been short and to the point. They should put these Spanish to the sword so that they could end the war and return home heroes. Their army was larger, had more cavalry and a proper phalanx, even mercenary tribal warriors. Word was that the Gauls were on their way to support them. "But let's get it done today--win the loot and glory for yourselves, instead of leaving it to barbarians to collect!" the general urged them.
The Numidians were first off the mark. Galloping away from the African lines, they started to wheel towards the Spanish left flank, hoping to race up to the gates of the city ([in game terms, not a BUA but the Spanish camp]). But volley after volley of missiles (darts and javelins, but also rocks, stones, and boulders) from the Spanish auxillia sitting atop the nearby hill caused some of the horsemen to turn away. Before they could be called back, they had surge toward the hill, only to be caught unawares in ambush by the Spanish hillmen and slaughtered (Carth LH hit in flank by Ax on steep hill, turn out of line to face, forced to recoil into 2nd LH at 90* angle, killed: 1-0 Spain). Their fellows, barely taking int he sudden rout of their comrades, suddenly faced an onrushing horde of Spanish horsemen, screaming and shouting, while the foot to their flank rushed on them with bloody swords (Carth LH hit front by Sp LH(G) and flank by Sp Ax, recoiled, dead; 2-0 Spain).
The Carthaginian general was not too concerned with his right wing. There was no way that his phalanx would be able to grind up the hill in the face of Spanish light troops, and he had issued strict instructions to the Numidians to avoid contact and threaten the enemy flank. He had bigger fish to fry, as he led the noble cavalry of Carthage towards the flat, open ground on the Spanish right, his warband mercenaries trailing behind.
And right on cue, here came the Gauls! They dashed forward onto the line of Spanish swordsmen that had been trying to lure the Punic cavalry towards the wood. A rapidly moving battle ensued, with Gallic horsemen and Iberian light foot advancing and retreating by rushes. "Let them wear out the enemy," thought the Carthaginian general [designated by one of the players as "Mr Sparklypants" for what reason I wasn't entirely clear...] The Spanish lost an element of Ax to the Gauls, but then trapped and skewered a squadron of Gallic horse (3-1 Spain). Finally, after a see-saw engagement, the Gallic commander slew the Spaniards' leader in single combat (3-2G--Spanish keep fighting as they still have fewer losses than the allies).
But what was this? While all the fighting had been going on at the Spanish right flank, their left had been inflitrated. A band of renegade mercenary Spanish caetrati and scutari under Punic command had managed to circle around and force (or perhaps bribe?) their way through the Spanish gates (Ax+Ps beat campfollowers and occupy camp: 3-2CG--Spanish break). Their last stronghold overthrown, their general dead, the Spanish army disintegrated, fleeing for what safety they could find in their barren hills, while the streets of Abdera ran riot with foreign looters!
Gaul lost one element and slew two, so 1 PP for casualties, plus 2 PP for killing General Hispania.
Carthage lost two elements and slew none, so gets no PP for casualties, but does get 2PP for capturing the Spanish camp.
Spain killed three enemies and lost two, so they get 1PP.
Spain retains Abdera and becomes a tributary of Carthage. They lose an additional 4 elements for losing both their camp and general in the same battle.
Beyond the hills, beyond the woods, the Carthaginian army filed into its formations. The general's speech had been short and to the point. They should put these Spanish to the sword so that they could end the war and return home heroes. Their army was larger, had more cavalry and a proper phalanx, even mercenary tribal warriors. Word was that the Gauls were on their way to support them. "But let's get it done today--win the loot and glory for yourselves, instead of leaving it to barbarians to collect!" the general urged them.
The Numidians were first off the mark. Galloping away from the African lines, they started to wheel towards the Spanish left flank, hoping to race up to the gates of the city ([in game terms, not a BUA but the Spanish camp]). But volley after volley of missiles (darts and javelins, but also rocks, stones, and boulders) from the Spanish auxillia sitting atop the nearby hill caused some of the horsemen to turn away. Before they could be called back, they had surge toward the hill, only to be caught unawares in ambush by the Spanish hillmen and slaughtered (Carth LH hit in flank by Ax on steep hill, turn out of line to face, forced to recoil into 2nd LH at 90* angle, killed: 1-0 Spain). Their fellows, barely taking int he sudden rout of their comrades, suddenly faced an onrushing horde of Spanish horsemen, screaming and shouting, while the foot to their flank rushed on them with bloody swords (Carth LH hit front by Sp LH(G) and flank by Sp Ax, recoiled, dead; 2-0 Spain).
The Carthaginian general was not too concerned with his right wing. There was no way that his phalanx would be able to grind up the hill in the face of Spanish light troops, and he had issued strict instructions to the Numidians to avoid contact and threaten the enemy flank. He had bigger fish to fry, as he led the noble cavalry of Carthage towards the flat, open ground on the Spanish right, his warband mercenaries trailing behind.
And right on cue, here came the Gauls! They dashed forward onto the line of Spanish swordsmen that had been trying to lure the Punic cavalry towards the wood. A rapidly moving battle ensued, with Gallic horsemen and Iberian light foot advancing and retreating by rushes. "Let them wear out the enemy," thought the Carthaginian general [designated by one of the players as "Mr Sparklypants" for what reason I wasn't entirely clear...] The Spanish lost an element of Ax to the Gauls, but then trapped and skewered a squadron of Gallic horse (3-1 Spain). Finally, after a see-saw engagement, the Gallic commander slew the Spaniards' leader in single combat (3-2G--Spanish keep fighting as they still have fewer losses than the allies).
But what was this? While all the fighting had been going on at the Spanish right flank, their left had been inflitrated. A band of renegade mercenary Spanish caetrati and scutari under Punic command had managed to circle around and force (or perhaps bribe?) their way through the Spanish gates (Ax+Ps beat campfollowers and occupy camp: 3-2CG--Spanish break). Their last stronghold overthrown, their general dead, the Spanish army disintegrated, fleeing for what safety they could find in their barren hills, while the streets of Abdera ran riot with foreign looters!
Gaul lost one element and slew two, so 1 PP for casualties, plus 2 PP for killing General Hispania.
Carthage lost two elements and slew none, so gets no PP for casualties, but does get 2PP for capturing the Spanish camp.
Spain killed three enemies and lost two, so they get 1PP.
Spain retains Abdera and becomes a tributary of Carthage. They lose an additional 4 elements for losing both their camp and general in the same battle.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
winter 213
The autumn winds turn cold and the waves of the Med grow rough and threatening (to 3rd century BCE naval vessels, any way). The army of Syracuse gives up its siege of Etruria and marches back to Latium.
Bruttia, Syracuse, Carthage, and Gaul all recruit enough troops to bring their armies to full strength.
Rome and Spain each recruit two elements. I will select Rome's elements; Spain needs to PM/email me with his choices.
All nations fought battles or sieges in 213; none are limited to 10 elements in 212.
It being the end of the year, I have updated the prestige totals. Please let me know if you see any errors.
All players should send me the starting location of their armies for 212 and what changes in peace or war they are making. Once I have received them all, I will dice for starting player, announce the beginning and end of wars, and we can start 212.
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