Nothing is more anarchic than power. Power does whatever it wants. (Pier Paolo Pasolini)
While everybody is busy with Chronicles I returned to the return of an old classic: Roman civil wars.
The setting is the 3rd century AD, the one of the military anarchy. The emperors this year you can choose from are:
Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus “Thrax”
Maximinus is a Thracian parvenu in the Roman army, who suddenly finds himself emperor after murdering Alexander Severus, on his troops’ request. Although after the edict from Caracalla he’s technically Roman like everyone from here to Jupiter because… well because Caracalla needed money from taxes basically… the snobby senators in Italy consider him a barbarian. How dare those old rags that do not even know how to ride a horse? Show them how you not only can ride it but also beat it in a race (true story), also thanks to the barbarian auxiliaries you gained in your campaigns near the limes!
Ability: Bleeding of 9 seconds (20 HP circa) for each attack.
Aura: +0.25 attack speed to Cavalry-line; Germanic Axemen, Scythian Scouts and Horse Archers.
Base: a military camp just north of Aquileia with many resources and soldiers.
Bonus: can eventually unlock Cataphracts and research Conscription.
Goal: needs to occupy Roman towns to give his army headquarters (population capacity) and a base (Aquileia).
Auxiliaries: Germanic Axemen (can strip armor, hence strong vs Pretorians); Scythian Scouts (can dodge projectiles, hence strong vs ); Horse Archers.
Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus & Decimus Caelius Calvinus Balbinus
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Nostalgics of the Republic, Roman senators Pupienus & Balbinus have an old fashioned cursus honorum and they’re so rich they could buy the whole of Italy… but still that may be not enough to save them from the Pretorians. They’re so old and nostalgic that they’re literally stuck in the senate of Rome and you’ll have to guard them from the Pretorian Guard in case you cannot pay them adequately. Otherwise collect taxes from the provinces you occupy while you turtle in Rome and then unleash the Pretorian might against your actual enemies!
Ability: Pupienus can drive an old parade chariot (but only when enemy somehow); Balbinus can convert and heal units.
Aura: +2 melee armor to Priests (Pupienus); +2 pierce armor to Priests (Balbinus).
Base: Rome!
Bonus: can eventually unlock Balista Towers and research Irrigation.
Goal: need to occupy Roman towns in order to collect taxes from them (in the form of carts and cogs).
Auxiliaries: Pretorian Guard (Hoplite-line but they gain pierce armor when fighting in formation).
Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus I, II & III
Not as arrogant as the senators in Rome, not as rude as the reckless Maximinus, the Gordians are morigerate governors from Anatolia who made career as equestrians until they were assigned the province of Africa. They’ve been forced into this by the schemings of Pupienus and Balbinus and now they have to deal with the governor of Numidia, Capelianus, loyal to the legitimate emperor and with the legio III Augusta under his command. But they can count on a young hostage and on the raiders from the African inlands, other than the majestic harbor of Carthage and its lighthouse!
Ability: Gordian I is an helpless old king; Gordian II stan enemies for 10 seconds reducing half their speed; Gordian III is a little kid and work as an hostage to make alliances.
Aura: +10% Villagers’ work rate (Gordian I); +0.25 attack speed to Camelry, Elephants, Slingers and Nubian Archers (Gordian II); none (Gordian III).
Base: Carthage.
Bonus: can eventually unlock Heavy Horse Archers and research Alchemy.
Goal: need to occupy Roman towns to gain Iron Age’s technologies and upgrades.
Auxiliaries: Camel Riders (upgradable to Heavy Camel Riders in the Iron Age); Horse Archers; War Elephants, Elephant Archers; Fire Galleys.
Other unlockable Auxiliaries:
Balearic Slingers: Slingers who ignore armor.
Nubian Archers: foot archers with a charged attack.
Donativum: the Roman armies of the 3rd century are very hungry for gold and they’ll be very angry if you don’t deliver in time. If you can find these treasures among the ruins of a temple or in some remote barbarian land you can give them to your auxiliaries instead of gold to calm them down and reset their demands (which increase at each payment). Otherwise they can work as tools to sign a truce with a rival faction.
… And that’s all I think. Try the scenario and let me know!
Do your choices matter or is history already written?
For supporting me (I know you’re dying to):