Ad Imperii Turn I

Ad Imperii

An L’Art de la Guerre Campaign

Turn I - Spring 

           The last half of the 1st millennium B.C. was a time of unrest and turmoil in Western civilization.  It saw the transformation of the earliest of the Abrahamic religions from tribal henotheism into monotheism, as well as the development of Greek philosophy from its pre-Socratic to the great schools of thought spread throughout the Mediterranean world. Knowledge of the physical world and mathematics expanded as well, and technology increased dramatically – this period saw an expansion of human knowledge that would not be equaled until the Renaissance over 1,000 years later. 

All of the intellectual and spiritual change occurred while the political and economic world was in constant foment, with massive empires rising and falling with great speed.  When the period began, the center of the western world lay, it might be fairly stated, in present day Iraq, within the languid arms of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, where civilization had begun.  When the period ended, the center had shifted over 4,500 kilometers to the west, around a city that had been merely the center of a minor, rural Latin kingdom in 500 B.C. 

The ‘Ad Imperii’ L’Art de la Guerre campaign tries in a rather abstract way to explore the possibilities of warfare during this period – and generate some very fun battles. The focus is on military conquest, with some very minor and abstract diplomacy, very little worry on logistics, and no worry about economics or culture at all. The campaign is set in Europe, on the shores of the Mediterranean, and Near East from 500 B.C. to 1 B.C.

Each player controls a King, proconsuls, fleets, and field armies as they strive to expand their empire and control the fate of Western civilization. Essentially, everyone is striving to become the historical Rome of 1 A.D. Armies, fleets and diplomacy require wealth, which is measured in talents in this game. 

The players and their kingdoms will be introduced below, along with their first turn moves. 

James is playing the Sarmatians (#77).  The Sarmatians conserved their talents for later emergencies, while King Azariôn led the army conquering through the province of Gepidae into Dneister, so that at the end of the turn his empire controlled 5 provinces, a field army, and held 3 talents. His proconsul Rassgos kept the nascent empire humming in Sarmatia.

Jake is playing Triumvirate Rome (#82).  His king, Caesar, marched the field army from Cisalpine Gaul through Dalmatia and into Pannonia. His proconsul, meanwhile, went to Massilia and spent a talent to convince the Gauls (#88) to ally with Rome. Caesar's Republic ended the turn controlling 4 provinces and the city of Rome, while hoarding 2 talents and they were allied with the Gauls who controlled 2 provinces and 1 city. 

Chris is playing Syracuse (#50).  His King, Eritus, remained in Syracuse proper while his proconsul, Septuris, led the field army from Libya in an invasion of Africa, holding the city of Carthage (#55). Septuris defeated the Carthaginian army in a hard fought, pitched battle but the city of Carthage proper remains besieged. Before it marches again, the Syracusan army will need to be reorganized. At the end of the turn Syracuse controlled 3 provinces and the city of Syracuse, held 3 talents in its treasury, and its field army was besieging Carthage. 

Chuck is playing Hellenistic Spartans (#61). His King led the field army across to Crete from Sparta, conquering it. He constructed a fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean for 2 talents, and he sent his proconsul with the rest of his treasure to Macedonia (#44), securing an alliance.  At the end of the turn Sparta controlled 3 provinces and the city of Athens, but its treasury was empty. They were allied with the Macedonians, who controlled 1 province.

The final two players threw me a curve ball. 

Ken is playing the Seleucids (#42). King: Seleucus I sent Proconsul Dildonius into Judea (#103) to conduct diplomacy with a talent, gaining their allegiance.    

Eric is playing the Achaemenid Persians (#64).  Xericses, king of kings, had no need of secrecy marched his field army from Mesopotamia into the heart of Syria. As the Persian forces entered Syria Xericxes demanded a meeting with Seleucus I it was discovered that Seleucus had secretly died three months ago of a fever from cavorting around with lose women. Seeing his chance Banducot, Xericxes top general smothered the old man King with a pillow in true Persian fashion and immediately met with the Seleucid General for a truce.  “The cabal of Generals” was formed and the generals installed the puppet king Doofacus to lead the new Seleuco-Persian Empire. The Persian general responsible for this treachery renamed himself Xericxes II. The Seleucid general renamed himself Syphiliticus I, Defiler of Women and Spreader of Disease! 

Syphiliticus I invades and easily defeated the army of Pergamun (#73) and besieges the city, which resists his initial assault.

The Cabal (Ken & Eric) now controlled the Seleucids with 3 provinces, the city of Tyre, and 2 talents in its treasury and it is in alliance with Judea, controlling one province.  The Cabal equally controls Persia, which holds two province, the city of Babylon, and has 3 talents in its treasury.

During the first turn two generals won battles, Septuris of Syracuse and the Seleucid Syphiliticus I. both advanced from ordinary to competent in ADLG general levels. In this campaign, Commanders in Chief gain in ability as they win battles.

Turn 2, Summer approaches!