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Field of Glory II: Roman Civil Wars -- Nelsonius vs Rico Africanus

Decided to build a small, simple campaign to give the recent Field of Glory II battles between myself and @Nelson1812 some context.

I nicked and adapted a map from the GMT Games Time of Crisis board game off the web to use for this.

The setting for this is a Roman Empire-wide civil war between the rightful heir to the title of Emperor, Rico Africanus... and the evil upstart usurper Nelsonius.

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I have randomly drawn the set up -- @Nelson1812 's provinces are the RED legions, mine are the BLUE.

There are also the external threats to the empire, the Barbarian Franks, Alamanni and Goths to the north and east... and the Parthians in the Middle East -- which might become restless and decide to invade and raid the Roman Empire.

Below the simple RULES:

RULES

There are 12 regions in Roman Empire plus the surrounding Barbarians and Persians/Parthians.

When we start, I'll randomly draw what provinces we each start with and the player who doesn't control Rome/Italia goes first.

Each turn a player can do one action ... either:

1. Attack a neighbouring province - battle set up in Fields of Glory with terrain matching area, if attacker wins, he captures the province.

2. Launch a navy to control one of 3 sea areas: West and East Med or Black Sea (control allows for an attack into a region across the water in his next turn -- no navy is needed to attack Britannia.)

3. Launch a navy to contest control of a sea area (sea battle done with simple die rolls, higher die roll wins -- losing navy is removed and can only return in two turns, so winner has control of that sea area for one clear turn)

4. Move a navy from one sea zone to an adjacent sea zone to fight for control.

5. Defend a province from Barbarian/Parthian invasion (obligatory)

6. Attack to try and recapture a Roman province from Barbarian/Parthian/Persian invaders.

At the start of each turn, on a die roll of 6, Barbarians or Persians/Parthians are activated:
Second 12-sided die roll determines which ones:
1 - 4: Franks
5 - 8: Alamanni
9 -10: Goths
11: Persian/Parthians
12: Numidian Nomads

The Barbarians will attack a province also determined by die roll. (see map)

A battle will be set up in Fields of Glory, where the owner of the attacked province plays the Romans, and the other player the Barbarians/Persians. (we can set up representative opponents)
In the Field of Glory II battle, the Barbarian/Parthian forces will be "auto selected" by the AI.
These raids will stop if repulsed by Romans.
If the Barbarians win a province, they stop and defend the captured province against Roman counter-attack -- they never advance further.

We will be using the Romans 105 - 25 BC faction -- and whatever equivalent non-Roman opponents fit best.

Whoever's turn it is next between the two of us gets first dibs at counter-attacking the Barbarian-captured province.

Romans cannot attack outside of bounds of Empire.

Winner at end of ?? turns who controls most provinces (or all of them) wins the campaign.

(I suggest to keep things simple, we ignore the numbered frames under the legion control markers as I was playing around using these to indicate army strengths. )
 
TURN 1

Things get interesting right off the bat. The die roll immediately results in an invasion by the Barbarian Franks into GALLIA -- so as RED player goes first, @Nelson1812 will have to defend his province against a horde of invading Germanic tribesmen as his first turn action.

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I will set up the battle using the Germanic Foot Tribes 105 BC - 259 AD and play them with random force pick against @Nelson1812 's Romans.
 
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And so it begins...


Part of the Frankish Barbarian horde (under my temporary command) invading Gaul and about to face Nelsonius's legions...

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Always remember the order ... first pillage, THEN burn!

And the opposing Roman army ... very neatly lined up... with their skirmishers advancing...

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To Salvius


Salutations, please overlook the method and means of this communication.

My Sister, your caring wife correspondence seems the ideal way to avoid the executioners sword,
should my, our plans go awry.

News should have reached you of the untimely death of the beloved emperor,
the son of Jupiter, my uncle.

As I feared that corrupt brother-in-law @Rico Africanus, has already requested the senate to
acknowledge his illegal claim to the Republic.

It was truly a bad day when that witch, his sister married the Emperor, fortunately her marriage was fruitless…
and so now is the time for the loyal Northern Romans to take back, and push out these southern imposters,
to maintain the bloodline and heritage rightfully chosen for us, by Rome and the gods.

In addition to the sad news above, I have received reliable information that Rico Africanus has encourage,
and bribed the Northern Germanic tribes to rebel… with this information prepare to meet these heathens
and deal them such a blow the other tribesmen will shudder with fear at any further thought of rebellion.

Be firm, burn and crucify their leaders.

If we can enhance our name with a victor, and your pocket with the bounty of gold and slaves,
it will help to open the doors of the senate in Rome, and its power to kick out Rico Africanus
and his band of Serpents.

May our gods favour the bold!

Nelsonious

 
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The Barbarians charged off their hill position while the Romans were forming up after crossing the little stream ... caught them a bit by surprise, although the Romans did manage to form a coherent line in the center and on their right ... their left flank might be in a bit of trouble though, with a cohort about to be overrun (although sometimes the legions have amazing resilience and staying power before they break and run)

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Dear Opis Autem Nihil

My Sister, you of aware Saluius death may cause our own deaths should his correspondence fall into the hands of supporters of Rico Africanus.
Destroy all his private correspondence, in addition to your own concerning Rico Africanus. Rico’s spies are everywhere. Information concerning the commander in chief’s death has already gone astray, in my own household. The blame for which has already been attributed to my grandchildren.

If Rome was to find’s out that our family had cajoled your husband into believing that Rico Africanus was a traitor or that you and not Rico had secretly supplied those barbarians with gold to rebel against Roman rule. Rico would have our heads.

Your husband’s death, leading his men on that battlefield, setting an example to Rome and it's people may yet play to our advantage (and survival).

May Rome revolt against that imposter and his supporters. Making him pay for the poisoning of our uncle, and that he be brought to heel and publicly executed!


Nelsonious
 
Report from the senate.



Greetings Nelsonius Britannicus

I bear sad news concerning your brother-in-law General Salvious Abanus.

He has fallen in battle. Germanic Foot Tribes boarding Gaul, have revolted and have moved against the villages and towns along that frontier.

Commanding the legionaries along that border he lead a medium force into a valley. Sighting a small band of barbarians situated on the slopes.
His forces began to cross a fordable stream, in their attempted to engage or repel the enemy.

He managed the crossing, but from the dark recesses of the woods to his left, archers appeared, and then on the hilltops ahead… a host of the barbarians pushed forward. The size of the original force had quadrupled.

 
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The Barbarian armies of the Frankish general Bertulf, Son of Hroderich were victorious and now rampage and plunder through the rich province of Gallia.
Rumours persist in the capital that it was bribes of Roman gold that enticed the chieftain to embark on his invasion to weaken Nelsoniu's hold on the territory.

As the civil war expands, an army raised from the legions based in Syria, loyal to Emperor Rico Africanus, invades Aegyptus ... battle is joined somewhere along the Nile delta...

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Cont' The Senate Report...


With the enemy archers, and javelin throwers threatening on our left, his horse archers teasing on the right flank, the Barbarian centre pushed forward, down towards our legionnaires. Some legionnaires still fording the stream our men prepared to do battle. The cavalry attacked the flanks with some success, but our left flank began to give way.




It was at this point your brother-in-law General Salvious Abanus, lead a valiant charge with his men, pursuing back the barbarian’s chieftain…
Only to trip on his own laurels … fortunately the barbarians brought his suffering to a swift end.
 
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