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"...As Autumn's bounty was harvested throughout Roman territory, most armies of the Republic dispersed to garrisons to safeguard it. Only in Gaul were the legions on the offensive. The Praetor Incitare had the Gallic tribes on the run, and was making them pay for his stinging defeat by them in Spring. Far in the East, though, citizens and subjects of Rome were alarmed. The Parthian border was aflame and the legions were in retreat..."

The campaign rules require the player to have forces in more than half of his regions or cities to control his province. Thus, in Late Autumn most split their forces up to count as in control, abandoning further conquest. This control provided income for replacement of the year's losses in battle, as well as prestige points equal to the economic value of the province. These points would be needed in Winter when the Senate Elections were held and the provinces divvied up for the next year of the campaign.

Incitare

The Praetor (governor) of Narbonensis had a score to settle with the Gauls. Following up his seizure of Aquitania, he thrust into Lugdunensis. A tribal coalition of comparable size to his two under strength legions gathered to meet him. The Gallic horse led the attack, smashing the Roman horse and turning inward to take Incitare's army in the flank. Desperate, he hurled the legions at the foot warbands, hoping to break their line first. It was a test of will to see which army would break first. Roman discipline prevailed, but just barely (6-5 victory). Incitare sighed half in relief, half in hope, that this hard-fought victory might propel him to the Consulship next year.

Tauruscrania

Last year's Galatian disaster had rattled the patrician Tauruscrania. Although his retreating legions outnumbered the small, Parthian invasion force, he declined battle in Pontus, abandoning it to the invaders. Falling back on Bithynia, he garrisoned the province and its capital, Nicomedia, ensuring all was not lost. When the Parthians, emboldened, marched into Bithynia, Tauruscrania withdrew behind the capital's walls and stood siege. When the citizens complained, he remarked acidly, "Only a fool would waste the lives of Roman soldiers to drive the Parthians back, when the weather will surely do it for us!"

Drusus, Gracchus

The armies of both consuls spent Late Autumn peacefully, while their masters galloped towards Rome for the Senate Elections.

Senate Elections

After a year's marching, campaigning and warfare, the Prestige Point totals stood like this:

Drusus 35
Tauruscrania 19
Gracchus 16
Incitare 14

Prestige points translate one-for-one for votes, plus each player receives a random roll of 1d6 votes (2d6 in Year Two, 3d6 Year Three, etc.). Drusus (me) had a commanding lead, but needed at least one other player's votes to be able to dictate next year's positions and provinces.

What to do, I wondered? I couldn't try to be imperious and risk all three ganging up on me. Joel, as Tauruscrania, has a reputation for unpredictability, so he was out. It was either Allen (Incitare) or Jason (Gracchus). I figured that, next year, Fortuna might not smile upon me as readily, and I might need Gracchus as an ally instead of an enemy.

Jason accepted the olive branch and together we schemed. I wanted Macedonia with its access to ripe Illyrian and Thracian tribal lands. Surprisingly, Jason wanted to stay in Africa as proconsul. We risked civil war with the Sams brothers if we slighted them, so we "threw them a bone" and made both Consuls for next year. We tweaked Joel's nose, though, by keeping him in the East so he could not escape the Parthians.

So, next year's lineup would be: Senior Consul, in Syria, Flavius Annius Tauruscrania; Junior Consul, in Italy, Omnius Candere Incitare; Proconsul, in Africa, Quintus Aurelius Gracchus; Praetor, in Macedonia, Marcus Aemillius Drusus.

Our first year, that of the Consulship of Drusus and Gracchus, had been fortunate for the players. Of 14 battles, the Romans had won all but two. Would the Consulship of Tauruscrania and Incitare be as lucky for Rome? We would soon see.

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)