Chapter VII: Downfall of the Greeks
The next years are a period of peace. Legionaries are building roads in the most remote regions of the republic, legions are being refilled and shipped to other coasts.
I decided not to wage war against the Numidians. There is little to gain - only a few cities can be taken - but much to lose as they have tons of Equites Numidici. Now i rather retain "good" relations and direct my eye on other lands. But beware of the Eques Praedabundus! It is a hidden nationality unit and will sometimes attack you, when it is spawned in the desert. Hadrumetum is a likely target. You should have at least a handful of Velites around. And better don't give them right of passage, as long as you have unprotected servi moving around and until your cities in africa have a decent number of defenders.
Year: 179 BC
Shall this be an omen?
Hm, yes, it shall. My thoughts are the following:
Soon i will research Marius' Reforms. This will enable me to upgrade my Legiones to Legio Marius, which is better in attack and defence. The only place where i can upgrade units is actually Roma, which means i need to bring all my legions there in order to upgrade them. If my Legions are on campaign it will take much time, if they are not, i waste time, too. So i'll concentrate all my forces in one campaign, trying to finish it before i research the Reform. Macedonia and Greece seem to be a good target. They have strong armies which have to be dealt with, but once these are crushed it will be a short campaign, as they have only a small number of cities. After this, i'll bring the legions and allies to Roma, where i will upgrade them and have the opportunity to organise them new.
First i have to bring my forces to the balcans. For my african troops i use something like a "shuttle service": Cumbae are going from Carthago to Agrigentum and from Tarentum to Apollonia, while my Navis Actuaria moves back and forth between Messina and Tarentum (this works because i've build the Pharus and my ships get an additional movement point). The armies, which take much place in a ship, use the great port in Carthago to Roma, where they can heal faster due to a building similar to the barracks (i think the palace works this way as well as the Triumphus, which needs full citizenship, which in turn is only available in Rome at the beginning).
In Iberia i will have to build some roads before moving by foot. Perhaps not all of these legions will reach the east in time.
With this tech i can build the Castra Hoplitarum, too. It regularly spawns a Hoplitae Alarius, which does not cost support and can be used as a decent, movable defender which can garrison newly conquered cities until they can build their own praesidii. This castra can be build in any city which has greek goods in its city radius, so at this moment it will be three cities in southern Italia, but soon i'll attack greece and have a larger base to recruit allied hoplites.
A similar building is the Castra Celtica, which i can build in some spanish and later gallic cities. This spawns celtic foot soldiers, which are weak, but don't cost support and be upgraded to celtic auxiliary cavalry (and later beyond) which is a valuable force. It has to be noted, though, that once you upgrade your celtic soldiers they will cost support, so you should do this only in times of need.
The Castra Numidica is a small wonder which spawns numidian cavalry. It can be build in mauretania.
Year: 178 BC
And here it is:
Year: 176 BC
The Praetor finally is finished and places a praetorium in every city which will help to reduce corruption.
After almost ten years of peace the time has come, when the doors to the temple of Ianus are to be opened again, as a sign that the republic is at war. I have assembled nearly all of my offencive forces close to the border. Only seven Legions who had to finish roads in Iberia and one funditor who has been spawned last turn are still on their way and will arrive in about three turns, early enough to take part in the war.
I infuriate the macedons by making extortionate demands and then tell them to leave my territory:
In the next two years i destroy a good number of attacking units. The AI seems to like attacking Apollonia, so i have to defend it well.
Year: 174 BC
My main army in the north of Macedonia has broken the resistance in the antigonid capital:
Year: 172 BC
When attacking Delphi you have to be aware that it's on a tile which gives a high bonus to defensive values. Better you take it when it's Aetolian, because the Antigonids have better defenders.
The ai made the typical mistake to move units from the city (see the ships in the east, one of them will be sunk by pirates next turn, btw) just before my attack, so there were only two defenders left.
Year: 171 BC
Macedonia becomes a new roman province, the ambition of Antigonos' family to produce a new Alexander has ended. Four turns left until research of Marius' Reform will be completed.
Year: 169 BC
It is time to complete the conquest of mainland greece.
Year: 168 BC
Fighting defenders with four or five hitpoints is like holidays after the Antigonids!
Year: 167 BC
The last war of pre-marian Legions (except those in armies):
When this is over, my legions are quite near to rome and i shouldn't lose to much time for upgrading them to Legio Marius, who have one additional attack and defence point.
Year: 166 BC
Roman valour has been victorious over the decadent greeks!