Sotium (and an intro from Hugo, Taliapharaoh's adversary)
www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/maps/...16-sotium-56-bc.html
First, allow me a quick intro. It is an ongoing pleasure to play this campaign against Taliapharaoh. He is an excellent adversary, a true gentleman, and loved the game.
Also, he was way generous using the plural in this campaign's presentation, because it was him alone who took care of making the beautiful spreadsheet to organize the battles, designing the missing scenarios, and give proper thought to the whole project. Anyone interested in playing the Gallic Wars will greatly benefit from his work. For me, it is a different & interesting experience. I have the feeling that in some battles we took decisions based on what happened on previous encounters, and it's the best possible excuse to read some history books.
About Caesar dying: I agree there should be some rule to measure the consequences of his death (and to prevent a reckless (ab)use of him... as I did a few times). Finishing the campaign seems to harsh and not much fun. I would say: Rome loses a unit of their choice in the deployment of each future battle and Caesar is permanently replaced by an anonymous general. That would reflect the tactical and strategical absence of Caesar. And you can't imagine he's not dead, but badly wounded and unable to command on the field. Maybe after a couple of years or number of battles he can go back in the field. Just an idea.
Now, on to Sotium.
Crassus was the commanding officer for the Roman army that day. He felt pretty eager to prove his skills to Caesar, but also confident on victory, as the Gods had told him that his troops were ready to shine (my six starting cards were 2
Double times, Clash of Shields, First Strike, Inspired Center Leadership, and
Four Units Right!!!).
For the first minutes of the battle the armies where just maneuvering and shooting from a safe distance. Crassus was bidding his time and softening the barbarians with his ballista and slingers. Momentum changed when a Gallic force came down on the left flank, making some damage. The Roman
Double Time reply was devastating and everything seemed to be going according to plan. A Gaul
Out Flanked tried to stop the advance, but a successful
First Strike and
Double Time prevented that, killed a Gaul leader and made sure things remain as Mars would have it…
But then chieftain Adiatuanos, commanding a MC and encouraged by an
I'm Spartacus, destroyed two full-strength Roman MC. His men, inspired by the carnage, did the same to a Medium Infantry and put a Roman leader on the run. Crassus felt some cold sweat running down his back and started to learn that the gods of fortune are as cruel as whimsical.
Those few turns left both armies exhausted. The Gaul Cavalry chased and killed an Auxilia unit, but a Medium Roman was able to approach and to
Clash of Shields against some barbarians on centre-left hill, finally breaking their brave enemy's morale.
The Gauls run to fight another day and Crassus came back to join the rest of Casar’s army, victorious and (hopefully) wiser.
Final score: 6-4.
Attachment: Battlefield after a few turns and battle log.