Rome Year 1 AD - MaDDBAG

[Spencer]

Rome year 1 AD:
Our first attempt at a campaign as a group has started and we played the first few rounds. It is a little different in that we are all playing 2 powers. each player has one Roman and on Barbarian force .

Starting Army Lists
John
Eastern Romans – Cv(G), Kn, LH, 4Bd, 4Ax, Art
Germans-Cv(G), LH, 9Wb, Ps
Tom
Hispania Romans – Cv(G), 2Cv, 4Bd, 4Ax, Art
Brittons – LCh(G), 2LH, 2LCh, 6Wb, Ps
Paul
Aegyptus Romans – Cv(g), Cv, Ps, 4Bd, 4Ax, Art
Parthia – Kn(G), 3Kn, Ax, 7LH
Spencer
Alpine Romans – Cv(G), Cv, LH, 4Bd, 4Ax, Art
Dacians – Cv(G), Lh, 6Wb, Bd, 2Ps, Kn

Here is the starting map we are using.

"http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/gindejs/MaDDBAG%20Campaign%20-%20Rome%20Year%201/RomeYear1Start.jpg"

[Spencer]

Year one Narrative as Composed by John Svensson:

Players: Tom M- Spanish Romans, Britains

Spencer G- Alpine Romans, Dacians

John S- Eastern Romans, Germans

Maurice/Paul- Egyptian Romans, Parthians

Spring 1 B.C. : War declarations include Egypt on Spain, Parthia on East Romans, Spain- Stands pat, Britains on Germans, Alpine Romans on Spain and Britain, Dacia on Parthia and Germany, East Romans on Dacia and Germans on Alpine Romans.

Movements: Egypt- to Utica via Cyrene. The Spanish Romans decide to stand siege, army not present. Egypt fails and loses 1 Ps.

Spanish Romans- No movement.

Alpine Romans- Attack Gaul, battle is joined by Britains moving successfully by sea from London.

Eastern Romans- Attack Dacia, who move from Pontus to accept.

Parthians- Attack Asia Minor, which with army away on invasion, is besieged and lost to Parthians.

Germans- Attack Illyricum, with army gone they successfully withstand siege, Germans lose a Wb.

Battle Results: The Eastern Romans move to the attack over unfavorable ground, what were they thinking? The Dacians put them to the sword in a 5-0 victory. Losses are 2Ax, 2Bd. 1Ps. Romans retreat back to Macedonia.

Alpine Romans pull out a victory against the barbarian rabble despite losing their camp in a coup d ‘main. Losses are 4-2(c), Britains lose 4 Wb, Romans 1 Ax, 1Bd. The Brits retreat to the SW to Aquitania.

"http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/gindejs/MaDDBAG%20Campaign%20-%20Rome%20Year%201/RomeYear1Spring.jpg"

[Mark Davies]

Great campaign idea. It's got off to an interesting start. Are the Romans in civil war? Or are they supposed to co-operate? You could imagine it as the period of Caligula, when the aristocracy have had enough of him and bumped him off and his uncle Claudius, creating a power vacuum.

[Spencer]

Yes Mark, we didn't really spend much time fleshing this out and developing a story line yet. Really it is designed as Roman civil war between competing generals right after the death of some emperor ( take your pick Caesar, Augustus,Nero, etc...). We really just wanted to give the standard DBA campaign rules a try with armies that we all had ready to go. Trouble was we all wanted to play Roman and Barbarians ..... solution .... everybody take one of each! We're hoping it adds some more ally action that way and also keeps everyone in the game longer. One rule we added for the first year of play was no body could invade and control Rome. We rationalized that none of the generals would have enough prestige to control Rome yet and we wanted that route open for invasions.

[Spencer]

......and the campaign continues into Summer.....

Summer 1 B.C. : The current war declarations and alliances continue unchanged.

Movements:
Egypt- Utica falls in the second season of siege, no army present.
Spanish Romans- Stay home around the campfires in the Navarre province.
Alpine Romans- Move to London to attempt subjugation of the Brits/Gauls.
Eastern Romans- Move to Thrace to parry the Parthian hordes.
Parthians- Move to attack Thrace.
Britains- Move to London to defend the hinterlands.
Germans- Still besieging Illyricum, they lose 1 Ps in the attempt. Word in the earthworks is that the populace is down to eating rat meat though.
Dacians- Attack Lower Germania, army is not present and siege is not successful, lose 1 Ps.


http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/gindejs/MaDDBAG%20Campaign%20-%20Rome%20Year%201/RomeYear1Summer.jpg

[Mark Davies]

One rule we added for the first year of play was no body could invade and control Rome. We rationalized that none of the generals would have enough prestige to control Rome yet and we wanted that route open for invasions.
I like that idea. You could even make controlling Rome detrimental somehow--it saps the morale of the troops!:)

[neldoreth]

Very cool stuff, I really like the map! Excellent action as well, I am eagerly anticipating the continuation of the developments!

n.

[Spencer]

The saga continues with the outcome of the Summer Battles......

The Campaigns of 1 A.D.

Summer 1 A.D. Battles: Note: We agreed to treat Allied Contingents in the same manner as sieges to time their appearance rather than requiring a roll of 6. The DBA rule was thought to be far too restrictive.

East Romans vs. Parthians: With the Parthian invasion having reached the capital of Macedonia, the East Romans called out all of their remaining 8 troop elements to defend the homeland against the hitherto untouched Parthians. The Romans lost the advantage of topography and could not turtle behind a river feature as planned. The outcome was almost inevitable as the Parthians triumphed 4-2 and the capital was lost to the barbarian scum. Losses were 2Bd, LH and Art for the Romans, and 1 Ax and 1 Kn for the Parthians. What remains of the once mighty Eastern Roman empire are now vassals of the Parthians as winter approaches in the Balkans.

Alpine Romans vs. Britons: The seemingly invincible Alpine Romans continue their drive to the West as they invade the Briton homeland with a force of 10 elements, fresh from their conquest of Gaul. The Brits do have a trick up their sleeve though in the form of some Allies arriving from Spain on turn two. Their arrival balances out a weak right flank for the Brits and after hard fighting they hold a 3-1 edge in losses. The Brits send in the double chariot attack that slays one more Ax in woods and the Romans are forced to retreat and lick their wounds back in Gaul. Losses are a LH for the Brits and 3 Ax and 1 Art for the Romans of the Alpine persuasion.

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/gindejs/MaDDBAG%20Campaign%20-%20Rome%20Year%201/RomeYear1SummerEnd.jpg

[Blackadder]

We really just wanted to give the standard DBA campaign rules a try with armies that we all had ready to go. Trouble was we all wanted to play Roman and Barbarians ..... solution .... everybody take one of each!

I'm thinking of doing the same sort of thing with an End of the Bronze Age campaign. Each player would get a civilized power like Egypt, Ugarit, or the Hittites and also a raider like the Libyans, Gasgans, or Sea Peoples. Even if your main power fell you could continue to rack up victory points as a raider.

Nice to see somebody putting a similar idea into practice so I can see if it works. Looks like a great campaign so far! :)