Turn 1

Late Spring in the Year of the Consulship of Drusus and Gracchus (Turn 2 of our campaign) began with each of us trying to inconvenience the others.

With a roll of a "6" on 1d6, a player can activate one of the barbarian nations surrounding Roman territory.

Allen attempted a little fratricide by trying for the Armenians, while I made to strike at my junior consul by hoping to spur the Moors into activity. Joel inexplicably went for the Parthians (their closest Roman opponent was himself!), while Jason tried the Mediterranean Pirates.

Sighs of relief and disappointment greeted the failure of all four of our efforts.

When it came time to announce the moves of our Roman forces, we saw two of us were taking it easy, while the others plunged into battle.

Gracchus

Still smarting from the disgrace of last season's narrow victory over a numerically inferior Numidian army, Gracchus (Jason) plunged across the border into Numidian territory. He was met by the self-proclaimed King Jugurtha with an equal-sized army of tribesmen. This battle went drastically different than the first one. Gracchus' legionaries were ready for the skirmish tactics of the Numidians, and routed them, losing only two elements to the Numidian's eleven.

Gracchus named the newly-won territory Gaetulia and added it to the Roman province of Africa. Back home in Rome, his supporters basked in the praise of the people (+9 prestige points for margin of victory).

Drusus

The Consul Drusus (myself) grunted as he received the news about Gracchus' victory. "At least the fool didn't kill any more Roman citizens than necessary this time," he snorted. He crossed to the rail of his galley to admire the view of the city of Syracuse across the harbor. He'd brought his two victorious legions across the straits to Sicily, setting up camp in the city first. Should the unthinkable occur, and he were defeated, they would need a place to fall back upon, or the casualties could be enormous.

Let Gracchus enjoy his moment of fame, Drusus thought. Come Summer, and his stamping out of the last sparks of the Slave Revolt smoldering in Sicily, his name would be praised by every Roman's lips.

Tauruscrania

The headstrong Praetor of Asia (Joel), Tauruscrania, scoffed at the "one-step-at-a-time" strategies of the consuls. "Have I not three legions?" he asked his aides. "Then, like Poseidon, I will use all three prongs of my trident!"

One legion marched from Bithynia into the eastern lands of the Galatians, sometimes friends, sometimes foes of the Romans. His legion in Lycia drove northward into their western lands. However, the Gauls of the East apparently mistrusted the motives of the Roman governor as much as his Senatorial colleagues back home did. They'd mustered the tribes and were ready for the separated legionary attacks. Each was met by a huge army of Galatians (Joel rolled two "6's," which meant the enemy armies were 3 SPs larger than his (12 Roman elements vs. 21 Galatians). Although some doubted Tauruscrania's sanity, his Legates were wiser. Each withdrew his legion back across the border.

Meanwhile the third legion was marched aboard Rome's Asian fleet and sailed across the Mediterranean to Macedonia. Their they disembarked and marched northward. The Praetor of Macedonia strongly protested the presence of Tauruscrania's legions. However, he refused to start a civil war, and instead sent stinging letters to Rome. Upon receiving them, the Senate was divided as what to do -- both consuls were absent, prosecuting their wars on behalf of Rome. What to do about Tauruscrania's embarrassing antics?

Incitare

After last season's disastrous defeat at the hands of the Gauls, the Praetor of Narbonensis (Allen) could do little except heal his wounded and reorganize his shattered legions. He kept detachments in each of the provinces, while the rest of his force guarded the border of Massalia in case the Gauls decided to cross in pursuit.

Our second turn of the campaign produced only one battle -- Gracchus' (Jason's) crushing victory over the Numidians. Two others had been in the offing, but Joel wisely declined to fight at 12 vs. 21 odds. Jason had taken the lead in prestige points with 11, I (Drusus) was second with nine, while Incitare (Allen) had zero, and Tauruscrania (Joel) had negative one. Next season would see slaves and legionaries struggle in Sicily, Galatians riding their chariots to war, and brightly-cloaked Thracians darting beneath the trees.

More 1st Century BC Campaign

Turn 1 (Herald 42)
Turn 2 (Herald 43)
Turn 3 (Herald 44)
Turn 4 (Herald 45)
Turn 5 (Herald 46)
Turn 6 (Herald 47)
Turn 7 (Herald 48)
Turn 8 (Herald 49)