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"...One hot, late summer day in the Roman Forum, several idlers noticed a peculiar growth on the wide open doors of the Temple of Janus. The priests inspected it and proclaimed it was a seedling of a laurel tree taking root. Since the doors of the Temple of Janus were open, meaning the Republic was at war, the omen was obvious -- this summer would see great victories for Rome's legions!

"It was not long before the couriers began to arrive, with news of victory after victory. The consul Drusus' fleet had arrived in time and the Gallic invasion in the north had been defeated. Even the Praetor of Narbonensis had scored a victory, with a stunning raid against the Gallic army encamped on the province's border. And in the East, the oddball Tauruscrania was proving to be quite the conqueror. Immense tribal lands belonging to the Thracians and Galatians were added to Rome's bounty..."

Turn Four of our "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" campaign was most successful yet for the players. We had four battles -- all resulting in Roman victories. None of the players were successful in activating new barbarians, and the forces of the lone active barbarian -- the Gauls -- were crushed in battle. Truly, it was the summer of our contentment!

Drusus

Jason was salivating as his 9 Strength Points of Gauls marched across the border into Cisalpine Gaul against Drusus' 4 SPs of Romans. However, with a flourish of trumpets, Drusus sailed the rest of his army from Sicily, the scene of his complete victory over the Slaves last turn, to their aid. Instead of outnumbering the Romans more than two-to-one, it was the Gauls who were outnumbered instead.

Now, it was Drusus' turn to salivate. After two victories when outnumbered, the Senior Consul (sorry, Jason!) held the advantage, 36 elements to the Gaul's 27. Demoralized by the sudden appearance of the relief force, Jason's Gauls put up little resistance, falling before the Drusus' veteran Romans, 10-0.

Drusus' victory eclipsed Gracchus short-lived lead in Prestige Points, racking up ten more for margin of victory for a total of 29 for the campaign -- more than the other three players combined! (Editor's Note: Am I singing my own praises too loudly? I'm sure Jason feels I am only being honest and fair in my portrayal of our campaign...).

Incitare

The Praetor Incitare felt he was a patient man. After his disastrous defeat in Early Spring, he had bided his time. His probe earlier this summer found the Gauls still vigilant and under arms. However, when his scouts returned to say that large contingents had gone home in late summer, Incitare sprang into action.

He sent a sizable detachment east to guard the borders of Transalpine Gaul, in case Drusus' failed to defeat the Gallic raiders in Cisalpine Gaul. Then, he crossed the border with two understrength legions, marching on the squalid camp that the coalition of tribes was using while watching the border. Incitare's 6 SPs (18 elements) of Romans defeated the 5 SPs (15 elements) of Gauls left at the camp. Allen's (Incitare) 6-3 victory netted Incitare three prestige points, plus a bonus one for fulfilling his initial setup conditions of defeating the Gauls in battle. Allen rejoiced -- he was finally "on the board" with four prestige points!

Tauruscrania

Truly, those fools back in Rome knew not the extent of his genius, Tauruscrania mused. While his rivals fought one opponent at a time, methodically, like some pig merchant counting his bronze solidi, HE was coordinating multiple army movements. And speaking of pigs, his debasement of the befuddled Galatians was inspired! After their border was breached earlier this summer, they concentrated their levies against the army marching north from Lycia. Meanwhile, he slipped his Bithynian legion in from the north, catching the tribesmen betwixt the jaws of a vice. His legates applied the squeeze, defeating the slightly outnumbered Galatians 7-5. The western Galatian lands were conquered...lands he informed Rome would henceforth be called Phrygia.

In Thrace, his invading legion did not have the luxury of encirclement or numbers. His legate deployed his men away from the stretches of dark forest, though, forcing the lightly-armed tribesmen to come to him or lose their villages and farmlands. When the Thracians of the Hellespont surged forward, he routed them and slew their high chieftain, himself. The 4-1 victory over equal numbers of Thracians netted Tauruscrania two additional prestige points, and new lands for Rome.

If Joel smiled inside as his prestige point total grew to match the Consul Gracchus' (Jason), we'll never know. We'd long since learned to expect the unexpected from him!

Gracchus

The Summer of Rome's Contentment was truly a summer of leisure for Gracchus and his men. They remained in quarters, sheltered from North Africa's brutal summer heat. Gracchus supporters in Rome intoned gravely that it wasn't indolence that kept his legionaries immobile, but a true leader's concern for the welfare of his army of Roman citizens. And if the Great Man himself was worried as the prestige of his rivals grew, he didn't show it. Numidia was pacified, Rome's client king ruled in Gaetulia -- was his purpose not fulfilled? He couldn't help it if it took his rivals longer to do their jobs properly!

Turn four of our campaign had seen four battles -- all Roman victories. Three of the battles had come against inferior barbarian numbers (we were lucky when rolling for size of the barbarian armies we'd face, apparently). The great thing about a campaign is that players can't afford to throw away troops. We were seeing players actually retreat (gasp!) if the odds were too unfavorable. Turn five would see more barbarian raiders mobilizing, a crisis or two in the East, more Gauls dying in the West, and Gracchus finally getting off his 'south end' and moving. That is, if my friends let me live long enough to write the report for the next turn! "Scoundrels! Unhand the Senior consul's toga...!"

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)