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Dick should stay in Iberia for 2 seasons, to weaken Spaniards.

1 (7.7%)

Dick should stay in Iberia for 4 seasons, to weaken Spaniards.

6 (46.2%)

Dick should stay in Iberia for as long as it takes to cripple Spain

6 (46.2%)

Total Members Voted: 13

[USEC_OFFICER]

This is awesome and you should feel awesome for making it (Also posting to watch).

[warhammer651]

We have two cities, and are attacking one of the most powerful empires of the time period.


Poor bastards don't stand a chance

[Karlito]

We have two cities, and are attacking one of the most powerful empires of the time period.

Three cities now.

[Stworca]

Part 2 : Jaws of Defeat

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Our spy reported that Carthago was empty, Senate armies far away from it. Some said that we could easily invade it now, and capture easily, avoiding a battle that not one of us wished to fight. Not because we doubted our commander, but because some things are simply impossible.


Instead, we laid siege to Utica, and after but a few hours of night combat, captured it.
(We left 1 general - hoplite - and 1 unit of Levies in Messana. 1 unit of Levies and 1 unit of Peltasts in Lily. Total of ~650 units less to fight with)



Wars are not only about field battles, however, and there are reasons why they are feared.
Citizens of Utica tasted that first hand. In our defense, we did it in order to survive. If i was to choose my family's well being, or ten Punic lives.. Utica would be repeated. I guess our commander felt the same.



We did not stay in the city, but instead returned to our ships. Our next target was Carthago, we were to strike it from the seas, and avoid their main army.


We arrived at night, with enemy gates opened by our spies, and Abdiminides army still a few hours away. We could easily capture the city, and prepare to be sieged by the incoming army. That was the safest and sanest plan of them all.


Instead, we were ordered to wait till dawn. I know not what madness affected our leaders.. These were no militia units, but instead the very elite of the Punic Empire.


Their general bodyguards weren't very impressive, but the total amount of enemy cavalry units was too large for us to engage them all at once.


Sacred Band Cavalry was a different pair of shoes altogether. (Change the attack from 13 to 20, and the "Excellent Morale" to "Routing Option Disabled")


Libyan Spearmen were said to be on pair with our Hoplites. (base stats. Our Hoplites are 2/3/3 though. Then again, enemies have hundreds of infantry more)


Then, there was the Sacred Band Infantry.. Finest soldiers of this part of the world. (20, Unbreakable, almost never tire, curbstomps cavalry, 5 charge bonus)


We had only two aces, which had to be enough if we were to even survive.
First one, was our superior equipment. (3 attack and 3 defense ALMOST counters the VH +7 attack that the enemies get. Not the +7 morale though.)
The second one, was our single unit of cavalry.. Our General. (21 : 33 are the best stats on this battlefield. Even when counting enemy +7/7. Sacred Band Infantry has 24 attack against cav units though..)


We just stood there and waited, as Carthaginian army was closing in. Almost as if we wanted them to enter the city. Everyone was getting worried, but once the enemies were in an onager's shot distance, things were about to change.


We were told to advance two hundred feet and wait until we are attacked by the foes. But nothing suggested that the Senate army is going to take the fight to us. They were heading directly for the city.


Up until..


We were all speechless.

Hoplite Anaxagoras of Stworcagrad

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

While Anaxagoras recovers from the shock, we are going OOC on the battle, as only a birdview POV can cover what was happening.
Also perhaps Anaxagoras died, along with everyone else..  you will not find out until much, much later.
First on the list was getting some general on general action.


21 attack and 7 charge bonus against anyone that is not an anvil, results in..


Like poking a bee-hive with a stick, routing their secondary general forced a response from ze enemy. Trying to encircle my general was a good idea, but using Numidian Cavalry for it was.. not.


At this point the enemies had to choose between charging with their cavalry or leave their entire flank exposed for attacks until they reform.
They chose the first. All they had to do at this point is NOT die with their cavalry until their main army arrives.
The enemy knew it.. Sadly for him, i also knew it.


Their general wasn't alone, and reinforcements were but seconds away.


Also : On the right flank they had a crushing number advantage. 340 hoplites and 200 peltasts was all that we had to stop that four-digit force and keep it from running over our archers.


Little did they know, their general was in a die-die situation.


Just as enemies started encircling our forces, Abdiminide died. Step 1 : Done.


The morale hit was great, but the battle has just begun. The center was about to be overwhelmed by enemies, and units on the left flank (1 peltast 1 infantry) had to remain in positions to stop a wide flanking maneuver from the enemy. I ordered them to chuck javelins at the Civic Hoplites that flanked our own ones.


Plans have changed a second later. The peltast charged Citizen Hoplites (wavering from general loss, outflanking and javelin volleys), hoping to break them right there, and relieve our flank. I had to create a huge gap in the center, however, and try to flank the enemy right.


Enemy morale was very low, but it was only temporary. Do or Die.


Civic Hoplites from the far left flank have been routed, and our hoplites had only one "front" to worry about for now. But moving my peltasts has exposed the unit of Thureophoroi that was immediately charged by Sacred Band Cavalry and Libyan Spearmen. (top) Dick went for.. well.. you should figure it out yourself.


Before the sacred band could crush our Thureophoroi, it suddenly became obvious that the archers and ballistae are not going to stand idle. Sacred Band cav was the number 1 threat on the field, and as such, became the focus of all ranged units.
Peltasts were also on their way back.


A small chain rout occured at the left (top) flank, and i aimed at repeating that on the right (bottom) one right away.


The casualties were still quite low though, even with enemies routing. We simply couldn't chase them down with more and more on the way.


The shock damage of all javelins, arrows and ballista bolts brought SCB only to shaken. But while our Thureophoroi lost 4 units, SCB lost 16, and we didn't stop firing.


This is where things went FUBAR, for both me and the enemy.
Enemies charged directly for our archers, using the gap i created. Our hoplites were about to get surrounded too.
As for enemies.. Their flank was shoulder deep in manure.


To make matters worse, enemies disengaged our Peltasts, and SBC returned to Steady. They disengaged to attack our archers that were already in combat. (Very cunning of the AI)
Also : That unit, to the right of our peltasts? Sacred Band Infantry.


To prevent a rout of my ranged units, that would effectively doom our left flank, Dick Mountainjoy had to move. NOW.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Words.. They're useless now, as I've used arrows to cover everything. The AI went for two encirclements at once, and so did I.


My encirclements have overridden theirs. You lose by default. Still, this AI adapts to what's going quite well. Better than a player or two! They still have tried breaking our archers with SBC, and surround our peltasts with the reinforcements.


But this is when another, third volley has struck the Sacred Cavalry Band. Taking three loads to the face was too much, even for them. Things changed.


And even though most of enemy routers were already coming back to the fight, it was all over for them.


Sacred Band Infantry held their own against two units of our hoplites and our general in the center, and it was the only thing preventing us from slaughtering the fleeing army.


But every encirclement begins with E.. wait, that sounded better in my head.



Now back to Anaxagoras.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Have you ever fought as hard, as you possibly could, and yet found your opponent to be more a handful? Punic Sacred Band has proven to be just that. They have fought to the last man, covering their fleeing friends. If not for them, enemy center would be hunted down and slaughtered.


Just like the left flank was.



Only after the Sacred Band has fallen, could i take a look at the battlefield. Bodies were so plentiful, that one could imagine those people populating an entire city. Even after the struggle was over, it wasn't difficult to see where it took place, and how were the armies formed.


The enemies fell back into the city, and we have followed. No, this doesn't sound right.
We reformed, and slowly approached the city. Siege Weaponry taking down enemy towers. Destroying their last hope.


I dare not imagine how terrified were the enemies, when we broke through the gates, facing them for the second time.
And yet, i applaud them for their bravery, in wanting to face us again.


But then again, did they have a choice? Seeing our general ride in the front line, cutting enemy soldiers down as he passed them, must've seemed like he was going to kill them all regardless, and the least they can do is try.


The enemy general rode into battle just now.. The difference between him and ours was absolute.


How could people follow a general who does not see the battle he's having?
These are no men, but pigs. We have slaughtered him as such.


After his death, the city was already ours.


Victory in this battle was impossible.. yet here it was.


Here HE was. Dick Mountainjoy.


Hoplite Anaxagoras of Stworcagrad

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Carthago fell in July, 273BC. Along with all their generals, councilmen, agents and soldiers with any rank higher than "recruit".


This was all BEFORE the great purge that took place after the city was taken. I shall hereby note that it was very profitable.


The following months have finally brought a flow of coin to our coffers. Before council's authority has been restored, however, a few pre-written orders took priority. The treasury has therefore remained under the direct command of mine.


Spies claim that Roman army was preparing to sail to Sicily, and Stworcagradian Navy was ordered to blockade the coastlines near Rhegium. Romans have secured an Alliance with Punic Empire.


Romans have funded pirates, trying to overwhelm Admiral Agis, protecting the most vital part of the strait.


Unfortunately for the pirates, our warships have proven unbreakable, and our vessels took out three times as many enemies quite easily.


It was crucial to control the previously captured  regions, and bringing order to them was the number 1 priority. At the same time the increasing population of our capital city generated more and more filth. It too has been dealt with.


I've had to remain in Carthago, but our forces went south, and secured Hadrumetum



The captain I've sent leading the forces might have been overly enthusiastic about raising the city to the ground, but it's my hindsight speaking.


Is is now Winter, 272 BC. The immediate and crucial constructions have been finished, and so we can finally begin facing the issues that lay before us.


Punics in desperation are sending another army our way. Quickly formed, will not pose a high threat, and i predict no difficulties in dealing with them.


However, having Punics desperate, we could secure more lands without any bloodshed. I believe we could easily demand the entire African coastline between Carthago and Cyrene. (We can force diplomacy to the AI to make it look realistic).
This includes two coastal cities that are now in hands of Punics.
Eventually we could press for more, and demand their withdrawal from the entire continent of Africa, this could lead to wars with Eastern Kingdoms and Iberians, but this too is an option.

Total annihilation of Punics would not bother me in the slightest.

Of course the wise council is allowed to come up with different solutions regarding this issue. Establishing what our future relations with our current foes might be, is a necessity.

I shall hold in place until the council comes up with a decision regarding the issue.

What it means is : Decide among yourselves, councilmen! Let the lively discussion begin 
If you'll not come up with a unanimous decision, it will go down to voting.

[mainiac]

I think that with Carthage defeated Italy should be made priority number 1.  We should try to keep Sicily the center of the growing empire.  To the Rubicon!

[Karlito]

The Punics should be thoroughly dealt with before we discuss the Romans, though I do agree they should be our next target. I say we focus on securing their holdings on the African coast to the south of Sicily, as well as Corsica and Sardinia. The islands will give us more friendly ports near the Italian coast from which to launch our next invasion. That leaves the remnants of the Punic Empire safely to our west, and then we can reestablish (for now), peaceful relations and trade while we deal with more immediate threats.

Of course, they may not be willing to surrender to us  so much territory, even if it will stop our onslaught, so more conquest may be in order.

[Zrk2]

We can't cheat. That's wrong.

We should kill them all instead!

[Criptfeind]

I think you should crush that stack, then get peace with them. Unless you are already at war with the Romans, then I think you should wipe out the Punics.

[Delta Foxtrot]

You start what you finish. I don't care if those puny Phoenicians have a cottage and a fishing boat in Balearic Isles, but western half North Africa WILL BE RAZED. Conquest of Sardinia and Corsica, possibly the Balearics as well, should follow this. Island ports would allow us to cover that much more trade in the western Mediterranean.

I'm quite neutral on the Roman subject for now. At most an assault on Rhegion and a stalwart defence either there or Messana to hold the Romans at bay while we finish with the Semites.

[Hanzoku]

My fellow Senators, the question of the Romans is a difficult one - surely they are a potential threat at the moment, and deserve only to be crushed and enslaved by the might of our ever-victorious army, but we must also consider the needs of our finest military mind, Duke Mountainjoy.  At the moment, they are a fine military force to be sure, but I have heard rumors of a certain Marius and his talks of a more professional army.  I believe we should wait until the Romans have listened to this man and introduced his reforms before we unleash our army on them, that they might bravely go to the Underworld having fought to their utmost.

No, let us instead focus on Carthage at the moment, and then turn our fierce attentions towards another foe - the Egyptians or the Spanish barbarians?

[warhammer651]

The punics have been worthy adversaries, and good enemies are hard to find. I say take a few more cities and then diplomicize them into giving us a few more

[ed boy]

I say we leave the romans for now, and push for the straight of Gibraltar.

[Criptfeind]

I say we declare war on everyone with a port in the Mediterranean sea. I mean we are going to kill them at some point, it might as well be now.

Or at least declare war on everyone so long as you think you have a chance.

[mainiac]

At the moment, they are a fine military force to be sure, but I have heard rumors of a certain Marius and his talks of a more professional army.

((Point of interest, Gaius Marius was born in 157 BC, more then a century from the historical date of this campaign's start.  If you hear rumors of his talks of a professional army then you must keep the company of very impressive soothsayers indeed.))

[Jarod Cain]

We should focus on taking out the rest of the Carthagians and quickly. After that, I think we should work on unifying North Africa, eventually moving into Egypt and taking control of the near east.
-J-