jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Thu May 16, 2013 2:06 am

Turn 56 – October 276

I move my main army back to Maleventum, while Pyrrhus as expected takes no action in Italy.

[ATTACH]22645[/ATTACH]

A bunch of Urbae mature this turn, putting me only 27 VP behind him now. Here’s the F7:

[ATTACH]22646[/ATTACH]

The Boii are expecting an ambassador again this year, to sweet talk them into being peaceful. I am actually considering telling them to attack me … if they dare!

[ATTACH]22647[/ATTACH]

Here is their puny army, and landlocked cities ready to besiege; an easy blitzkrieg victory over the Boii could net me a fair amount of VP. Hmmmm:

[ATTACH]22648[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR56c.jpg
AAR56b.jpg
AAR56a.jpg
AAR56.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]
[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Thu May 16, 2013 10:43 pm

Turn 57 – November 276

No moves.

[ATTACH]22660[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7:

[ATTACH]22661[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR57a.jpg
AAR57.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 1:49 am

[In real time, we have only one turn to go! So, I'll begin to post more old turns as we approach the end here ...]

Turn 58 – December 276

No move except the reconstituted Legio IV rejoins the main force. If you recall, the battle at Venusia had reduced it to nothing but its HQ and a cavalry element. The Political Supremacy event fires again, which replenishes my EP.

I’m guessing Pyrrhus will be withdrawn early in 275, about the time I change consuls (who I’m hoping will be good ones). [Note: I guessed wrong, in actuality there is only a 20% chance per turn of Pyrrhus being recalled beginning mid-year 275 ... I found this out later when resolving a technical issue which cropped up] When that happens we will go on the attack, in a desperate search for VP (we are 29 behind now). Tooltip intelligence indicates he is besieging Messana in Sicily, getting easy VP from the Mercenaries now.

[ATTACH]22664[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7:

[ATTACH]22665[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR58a.jpg
AAR58.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 6:07 am

Turn 59 – January 275

Pyrrhus moves to the hill province to the west. He must have thought I was going to make a lunge in that direction. But no, I’m just waiting for him to sail back to Macedonia, which I hope will happen in the next turn or two.

[ATTACH]22666[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7, I’m still just a bit behind in VP:

[ATTACH]22667[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR59a.jpg
AAR59.jpg
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[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:22 pm

[Our game in real time is now complete! And WHAT a finish! So, grab some kettle corn, sit back, and watch as the last turns here unfold in rapid succession ...]

Turn 60 – February 275

No moves, except I notice via tooltip that the Carthaginians are besieging Agragas in Sicily again. Got to love their persistence … they took it once, so they could very well take it again, denying Pyrrhus VP.

[ATTACH]22671[/ATTACH]

And we get new consuls:

Cornelius Lentulus Caudinus 3-3-2 Irregular-fighter
Manius Curius Dentatus 3-4-3 Offensive Master 2 and Aristrocrat Morale

Dentatus is very good by the Roman standards of this scenario. Offensive Master 2 helps him shove extra elements into the front line during an attack, which goes well with his fine 4 attack rating; plus he gives his troops a +15% cohesion bonus for being aristocratic, if he is in command. Which he most surely will be, as I’m immediately sending his colleague Lentulus to Rome.

It’s time to attack! We would do so this turn but for the facts 1) Pyrrhus is still in Italy (soon he will be gone!) and 2) everyone is inactive. But expect some fireworks soon here folks …

Here’s the latest F7, as you can see we are now down by only 25 VP, with exactly 10 turns to go:

[ATTACH]22672[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR60a.jpg
AAR60.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:24 pm

Turn 61 – March 275

More bad news this turn. First, Pyrrhus is still here. And second, the Carthaginians suffered yet another defeat, gaining about 30 VP or so in my estimation. It seems the Epirots raised the siege of Messana to battle the Punic forces besieging Agrigas, and won.

[ATTACH]22673[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7. This is getting to be pattern, in that every time it looks like I’ll catch him in VP, he manages to get more from the AI:

[ATTACH]22674[/ATTACH]

I did not make peace with the Boii this year; if they declare war on me, I will shift my army north and crush them mercilessly for VP. Two can play this game! It’ll be something to do while waiting for Pyrrhus to be recalled.

Lastly, I get a new military option, which I will not be needing, as I am awash with both money and replacements right now (especially money as I am now over 7000):

[ATTACH]22675[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR61b.jpg
AAR61a.jpg
AAR61.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:27 pm

Turn 62 – April 275

This turn we launch another cavalry raid into Metopontum. I noticed that the province Pyrrhus is sitting in is pillaged, so I thought he might need to send wagons back there for refill this turn. But alas, it was not the case.

And alas, Pyrrhus is still in Italy.

[ATTACH]22676[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7, a bunch of Urbae options matured, giving me 25 more VP; but as always, not enough:

[ATTACH]22677[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR62a.jpg
AAR62.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:31 pm

Turn 63 – May 275

Pyrrhus still in Italy, sigh. Must wait! He has a defense value of 7, so the Roman army attacking him would be akin to a fly hitting a bug zapper.

Also, my cavalry scampers back before Pyrrhus crushes it at Metapontum, and the Carthaginians suffer yet another defeat in Sicily, as evidenced by another big Epiran gain in VP and an active siege apparently at Lilybaeum. Double sigh. As I recall, Pyrrhus has the option to build this siege tower contraption, so the fall of Lilybaeum is not outside the realm of possibility, sadly.

On the good side, the Roman navy sweeps into the Adriatic, and sinks the entire Greek merchant presence there (an exploit that netted me 7 EP, but sadly, no VP, at least directly ... truth be told, I have been using the EP gained from merchant raiding to buy all these Urban Improvement VP).

[ATTACH]22678[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7:

[ATTACH]22679[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR63a.jpg
AAR63.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:34 pm

Turn 64 – June 275

Pyrrhus still in Italy! Grrrr, hurry up and leave!

The Roman fleet transfers to Neapolis. Maybe I’ll have it tussle with the Greeks again (it did not spot any enemy ships along the way, so they may be all at sea off Lilybaeum).

[ATTACH]22680[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7:

[ATTACH]22681[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR64a.jpg
AAR64.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:36 pm

Turn 65 – July 275

He’s gone! Finally! The Epiran army is led by some guy in a pointy hat. Time for some fun … unfortunately, Dentatus is inactive. Drat.

[ATTACH]22682[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7:

[ATTACH]22683[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR65a.jpg
AAR65.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:39 pm

Turn 66 – August 275

We move the inactive main army to besiege Hipontum, just to give it something to do. Megacles, the new Epiran commander, moves to cover Croton.

The well-rested Roman navy dashed around Sicily to hopes of catching a tired Greek navy off Lilybaeum on blockade duty, but found nothing but open sea. It seems the siege has been lifted, and the navy moved back to port in Croton.

Dentatus is inactive again. This is very inconvenient! For the first time this game I am actually eager to attack the main Epiran army. Dentatus’ Offensive Master trait, not just "1" but "2", is a dandy skill which should give me a huge frontage advantage, as long as I’m attacking.

[ATTACH]22684[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7. As you can see I’m down by about 50 VP with 4 turns remaining, but I have 30 or so VP in improvements up north finishing up before game end, which means I only need to win one battle worth 20 VP or more to win the game! And I’m sure I can beat this Megacles guy, I just need to activate!!!

[ATTACH]22685[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR66a.jpg
AAR66.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:44 pm

Turn 67 – September 275

Since I cannot bear a turn of inactivity now, when there are only 4 turns left and the VP situation so critical, I split my army and put the inactive Dentatus in his own stack with Obsidius and the cavalry. The leaderless stack of infantry legions goes to Assault mode and wipes out the large Hipontum garrison:

[ATTACH]22687[/ATTACH]

And a VERY satisfactory harvest of 38 VP is the result! I’m now only down by 8 VP, 1432 to 1440 … and 25 VP worth of Urban improvements will mature next turn! Nice!

And now the bad news. His 1777 power Sicilian army crossed the straits, and joined his Italian army (now under Milon) at Locri (too bad I did not anticipate this and block the straits with my fleet … it sailed back to Neapolis). And Dentatus is inactive again (although truth be told, with two monster Epiran armies to face rather than one my enthusiasm for the offensive has diminished somwhat).

[ATTACH]22686[/ATTACH]

So we have an interesting situation now. I WILL pass him in VP next turn (no army in Sicily means no more easy VP in Sicily)! He will need to actively do something in Italy to rectify that. All I have to do is guess what that is, and prevent it.

[ATTACH]22688[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR67b.jpg
AAR67a.jpg
AAR67.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 7:52 pm

Turn 68 – October 275

The Epirans split their forces, with one 50,000 man army under Milon unsuccessfuly assaulting Venusia (where despite Barbula putting up a spirited defense against overwhelming odds, the game called it a “Roman defeat”):

[ATTACH]22692[/ATTACH]

… while another under Ptolemeos caught my main army trying to move away from Hipontum:

[ATTACH]22691[/ATTACH]

The only reason that battle even happened was because Dentatus had the misfortune of being inactive. As such, his movement was reduced and he got caught. Had he been activated however, I probably would have attacked him.

If you look at that battle, our power ratings were practically even, even though he had twice as many troops. Had Dentatus been able to bring his Offensive Master 2 ability to the fore, the results of that battle would have been very different, I wager.

Oh well, Dentatus is activated now, so it looks like I have an opportunity to put this theory to the test! Only problem is, his supply wagons are empty. If have to figure out a way to both attack the Greeks, AND resupply myself.

[ATTACH]22689[/ATTACH]

Here’s the F7. We gained a bunch from our final round of Urbae, and he got a few from the battles, and as a result … I am AHEAD now by two VP! With two turns to go. Can it get any closer than this?

[ATTACH]22690[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR68c.jpg
AAR68b.jpg
AAR68a.jpg
AAR68.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 8:00 pm

Turn 69 – November 275

Dentatus moved into Grumentium, where I had sent full supply wagons from Capua and elsewhere to join him (these had been sitting there since the beginning of the game, I had built them there in case those cities were ever besieged; they were not). He then descended into Venusia, and put Milon’s army to flight:

[ATTACH]22694[/ATTACH]

We lost Venusia again when Megacles moved his army in. A very disappointing battle, as I had ordered Dentatus to all out attack; instead he retreated after only two rounds:

[ATTACH]22695[/ATTACH]


Here’s the map:

[ATTACH]22693[/ATTACH]

And here’s the F7; we are down by 17 VP, with one turn to go:

[ATTACH]22696[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR69c.jpg
AAR69b.jpg
AAR69a.jpg
AAR69.jpg
[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 8:05 pm

Turn 70 – December 275 – END OF GAME

Wow, what a finish!

I’m faced with a guessing game challenge this turn. What will the Epirans do with their main army? What will I do with my main army?

My instinct is to counter-attack at Venusia. I still feel that I can beat that assortment of elephants and other circus oddities if Dentatus can attack is favorable terrain, use his Offensive Master 2 skill, and NOT retreat simply because the power ratings slightly favor the other side. In short, repeat the first Battle of Venusia, but with even better results.

I am hesitant, however, in that I battled him in Venusia last turn and lost. Granted, my army was tired from having battled and beaten Milon’s army in that territory on the same turn, but still. I’d be throwing all my eggs in one basket here, everything staked on one battle (and I’ve mentioned this before, but I just do NOT trust the way the game calls the winners and losers of these battles).

So, I opt for a different but still risky strategy, by ignoring the Epiran armies and seeking VP elsewhere. I plot to move back through empty Hipontum, recapturing it, then assault the VP city of Croton.

[ATTACH]22698[/ATTACH]

And it works! The Epirans opt to turtle within their own cities and sit on their VP lead, and I take back Hipontum and Croton (plus 5 VP of Public Works in the north matured this turn) and ROME ends the game with a minor VICTORY! VP score ends at 1531 Rome to 1510 Epirus.

[ATTACH]22699[/ATTACH]

Thanks to Alex aka bob. for another great game, which like our last one, was not decided until the very last turn! Next up: The First Punic War!

[ATTACH]22700[/ATTACH]
Attachments
AAR70b.jpg
AAR70a.jpg
AAR70.jpg
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[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

User avatar
Franciscus
Posts: 4571
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:31 pm
Location: Portugal

Fri May 17, 2013 8:22 pm

Congratulations !

Above all, I hope you are enjoying the game ! :)

jimwinsor
General of the Army
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Fri May 17, 2013 8:33 pm

Oh I am! And thanks for all your help!!! :)
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[CENTER][SIZE="1"](Click HERE for AAR)[/size][/CENTER]

Gen. Monkey-Bear
Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 262
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:35 am
Location: The San Francisco Bay Area

Sat May 18, 2013 1:40 am

Really great finish! This is an entertaining AAR that I followed from the beginning.

User avatar
Random
AGEod Veteran
Posts: 779
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 4:10 pm

Sat May 18, 2013 4:31 pm

I really enjoyed this AAR, thanks.

-C

jokeon
Corporal
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:44 am

Sun May 19, 2013 8:18 am

Well done on snatching victory.

This has been fun watching your struggle.

Look forward to the re-match.

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