Master of Rome - A Caesar vs Pompey AAR

[Nepos96]

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Antioch’s run of incredible victories against Scipio is over. The great Syrian city has fallen.

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Thracian attempt to test our defences in Macedonia are met with stiff resistance in Thessalonika.

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Smyrna is now Roman. Well, it was already Roman before, but now it is the right kind of Roman.

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Egyptian prisoners are sold into slavery.

[Nepos96]

Turn 34 - September 47 BC

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At the battle of Memphis the last Ptolemaic army worth of this name is squashed by our legionaries. Our veterans of many battles are by now simply unstoppable, if Pompey could not defeat them when he had the backing of the entire Roman world there is simply no way that second rate troops from a kingdom that stopped being able to project power abroad a century ago could do it. Had the Optimates bothered to send a few legions and a skilled commander, the Egyptian campaign might have proven a tougher nut to crack for the Populares. But I seriously doubt the Optimates are done rebuilding their army. It’s been over a year since the catastrophe of Tarentum but probably got the money needed for new legions only in March. And I am sure their national morale is still at a dangerously low level.

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The garrison could not succeed where the royal army failed.

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Memphis belongs to Caesar.

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Pelusium does not fare much better. For Arsinoe IV it is now over.

[Nepos96]

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Aegyptus is now loyal to the last remaining daughter (there is also another Ptolemy, Ptolemy XIV, but pretty much no one pays him any attention) of Ptolemy XII, queen Cleopatra, and therefore to Caesar. Loyalty in the area goes up to 100%, hence why I plundered the royal treasury the previous turn, I knew I would get back all the lost loyalty.

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A small biography about the new queen.

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A new army, loyal to the rightful queen, is quickly assembled in Alexandria.

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Outside of Aegyptus, Sulla moves to intercept the roaming band of Thracians outside Thessalonika.

[Nepos96]

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While Gabinius is caught by surprise when he met the Galatians outside of Ephesus. The Galatians are actually pretty good soldiers (the survivors of this and the next round of civil war would end up absorbed in the roman army, being known as Legio XXII Deiotariana) and Gabinius only has 2 legions. Luck however is on our side, and the Galatians are forced back.

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More volunteers for our badly damaged fleets.

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With Aegyptus under our control, the people of Rome can finally stop worrying about the Annona. We do not control Africa, but Aegyptus is worth so much more.

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With the Aegyptian campaign over, our legions head for the Roman East. Gaza and Ptolemais are our next objectives.

[Nepos96]

Turn 35 - October 47 BC

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Crassus successfully takes over the island of Euboia.

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His next target is the city of Corinth.

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Gabinius fails to completely overwhelm the garrison of Ephesus. We might be able to take the city next month, but after that we seriously need to give our men time to recover. Some reinforcements would also be much appreciated, especially since I suspect Pharnaces is probably already plotting something.

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The Thracians have gone back home. Time to recover Amphipolis and perhaps attempt to subjugate Thracia itself.

[Nepos96]

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Caesar and Fabius are busy subduing Iudea and Phoenicia. If Scipio is planning on gathering more men for the final battle for Syria, he better hurry up because I don’t think the Judeans will be able to put up much of a fight.

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Great, now that Aegyptus is ours, trade is going badly.

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Caesar’s decision to spare Arsinoe improves his already great reputation for being magnanimous.

[Nepos96]

Turn 36 - November 47 BC

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“Victory” against the garrison of Corinth, but losses are heavy for both sides.

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I might just try to take Corinth by starvation instead (or bring further reinforcements and wait for a breach).

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Sulla takes back Amphipolis. 2000 auxiliaries are left behind to rebuild the city walls, while the rest of the army will try to crush the stubborn Thracian king once and for all.

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Ephesus has fallen. The Galatians fought bravely, so I am not exactly looking forward to another battle against them.

[Nepos96]

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With winter almost here, campaign season is now over. Gabinius will spend the next few months training replacements for the men lost in the last few engagements.

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Next year however, 10000 auxiliaries and 1000 horsemen will be ready to reinforce Gabinius’ army.

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The Phoenicians could not do anything to stop Caesar advance into Syria.

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Hyrcanus II learned an important lesson today: when you see Roman legions you get out of the way. Hopefully future generations of Judeans will keep that in mind.

[Nepos96]

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Hierosolyma is ours. We are going to install a pro-Roman (meaning pro-Caesar) king there.

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Fabius’s next objectives is Damascus. And since it is on our way there, we can afford to pay the Judean army a beating.

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Time to plunder some more treasuries. They already do not like us anyway.

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Anthony takes a few legions to deal with the rebels roaming around Ariminium.

[Nepos96]

Turn 37 - December 47 BC

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Terrible news, the Optimates, under Cato’s leadership, have brought their legions from Africa to Italia. No doubt that, with Caesar busy subduing the East, they have come to the conclusion this may be their best and last chance to take Rome back. And it seems they have picked the perfect moment for their invasion, as our army there was previously split into smaller detachments to better deal with rebel bands. Anthony himself is away from Rome, no doubt rushing back to avoid a potential catastrophe forever staining his reputation.

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Meanwhile in Greece, Sulla manages to catch king Sadala off guard.

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The pursuit is not over, however.

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While Publius Vatinius takes his fleet to Syria. With news from Italia of a second senatorial army landing there, Caesar needs to wrap things up in the East as quickly as possible. A fleet will be needed for a quick (albeit not entirely safe) journey back home.

[Nepos96]

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Laodicea now belongs to Caesar.

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Not far from the city lies Antioch and Scipio with his army. Caution is thrown to the wind and a direct assault across the river is ordered. Superior numbers, quality and morale will have to carry the day.

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Caius Fabius meanwhile leads his own campaign in the Syrian desert. With Damascus in our possession, Emesa is now next. Meanwhile, Curio takes one legion to reinforce Caesar.

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More Arab mercenaries offer their services. Once Caesar leaves the province, I will need as many men as possible to garrison the area against both the remaining Optimates and the Parthians.

[Nepos96]

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New taxes are levied to make sure we have the resources required to build a new Syrian army but, more importantly to reinforce our fleet.

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This is the second time the senatorial fleet manages to land an enemy army in Italia. Our admirals simply do not have the ships needed to confidently challenge enemy naval supremacy, which means the Optimates can simply move around the Mediterranean and strike where Caesar is absent. We are going to need more Quinqueremes if we aim to prevent that in the future and, more importantly, if we wish to invade Africa safely. A new squadron is being assembled in Lilybaeum.

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While Gabinius takes his army to Halicarnassus. The city, lacking walls or a garrison, should fall without trouble.

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Mithridates takes the third “Asian” legion (which we had previously left behind in order to allow it to replace losses) and moves south, where he will join Gabinius’ army.

[Nepos96]

Turn 38 - January 46 BC

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Cato leads 11 legion in an assault against Rome. The local garrison, reinforced by the one legion we were recruiting there and led by Praetor Lepidus, suffers horrific losses but manages to keep the enemy out of the city for one more month.

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The fall of Rome may be a foregone conclusion, but at least Anthony managed to gather all Italian legions (before they could be picked off one by one). An attempt to relieve the city will be made soon, though we might have to wait for Caesar to bring reinforcements. Unlike last time, it will take much longer for the leader of the Populares to return to Italia.

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Halicarnassus falls with barely any losses on our side.

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Sardis is next.

[Nepos96]

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The Thracians have been completely annihilated, their kingdom now open for a punitive expedition.

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Caesar manages to defeat Scipio on the battlefield. Not our greatest victory, as we are trying to end this campaign as quickly as possible, regardless of losses.

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Fabius on the other hand manages to completely eliminate what is left of the Judean army near Emesa. A few days later the city surrenders to him.

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Fabius is now ready to march towards Antioch, to ensure Scipio is caught in a pincer manoeuvre.

[Nepos96]

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A new unit of Arab cavalry will join him on his way there.

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While Vatinius will dock in Laodicea within the next few days.

[Nepos96]

Turn 39 - February 46 BC

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The fall of Rome sees the Eternal city return in the hands of the Senatorial faction.

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Immediately the Optimates move to restore their own government in the city. Pro-Optimates men are appointed to the most important offices and magistracies of the republic. Caesarians appointees are kicked out of the city.

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Anthony leads a valiant effort to take back the capital.

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Despite two victories, the Optimates have simply too many men. Anthony therefore decides to retreat, happy to have at least considerably bloodied Cato’s army, which should prevent him from attempting to take more of Italia.

[Nepos96]

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But while the Optimates are busy in Italia, their grip over Asia is getting weaker and weaker. Sardis now belongs to Gabinius. Who then immediately sets off to take over the rest of Asia minor. His campaign will take him all the way to Nicomedia, a provincial capital and the last remaining enemy city of a certain importance in the area.

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Sulla makes his own preparations for a campaign against Philippopolis

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The second battle of Antioch is an absolute success for Caesar. Scipio’s army (or what is left of it) is no longer a threat to Caesarian Syria. Antioch, the city that the Optimates took over a year to reconquer, falls immediately into our hands.

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With the Syrian campaign over, Caesar takes his army to Laodicea, where a fleet awaits him. On our way there we will attempt to intercept the remnants of Scipio’s army. However, I will not delay Caesar’s departure in order to chase Scipio.

[Nepos96]

Turn 40 - March 46 BC

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Caesar leaves the skilled Fabius behind as governor of Syria with one legion and the Arab cavalry. As soon as possible I will try to recruit more men for the new Syrian army.

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Caesar sails towards Athens.

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While more ships head towards Asia. There I will try to gather more men for our Italian campaign.

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We recruit a new legion in Dyrrachium.

[Nepos96]

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While Crassus waits for the city of Patras to surrender.

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We expect Gabinius to take Nicomedia within the next month.

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Lack of roads slow down Sulla’s army. Taking Thracia might be harder than we originally thought.

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The Gods are on our side. But, more importantly, Caesar is on our side.

[Nepos96]

Turn 41 - April 46 BC

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The siege of Patras ends with the defeat of its garrison

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Leaving Corinth as the last Optimates stronghold in Greece

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Meanwhile Gabinius starts preparations (building siege weapons) for the siege of Nicomedia. An immediate assault is called off since the soldiers are too tired to fight effectively

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While Sulla opts for an early end to his Thracian campaign. Keeping his army feed in the forests of Thracia proved much more difficult than expected, while little progress was made as a result of the relative underdeveloped state of the region. The Thracians have no army left anyway, so it is not like Sulla has to worry about new attacks from the north.