War with Rome- Foreign Invasions

[vikingruler]

War is coming! We must be prepared for anything and everything that can possibly happen. We must form a consensus on how to attack Rome herself. I will post 2 maps to show the Augean Stables perspective point and the Besancon one. The goal of this war is to seize the city of Rome and cripple the Roman empire, but not to the point that any rival civilization can easily destroy it and resettle its land. Therefore, my plan will center on a joint attack, one from the Augean Stables and one from Besancon to blaze a trail to Rome, leaving only razed cities and pillaged land in its wake.

 

[vikingruler]

This will be a map outlining an attack from the Augean Stables to neutralize cities surronding Rome.

The light blue circles represent the first target Augean Stables will have. Those two cities are AS's top priority cities. As for Neapolis, after both armies link up after completing their objectives, a small task force of knights will go and kill enemy reinforcements to Rome and if possible raze the city. Antium will be attacked after the top priority cities are razed and half the army will go and begin attacking Antium, aided by the Besancon army.

 

[vikingruler]

This map will outline an attack from the Besancon point of view.

The yellow circles represent what will be attacked first, city-wise. The worker/Roman army stacks are to be dispatched of first and foremost as that stack, 1 musket and a few MDIs can really hurt our plans. Antium will be attacked with the aid of AS, see precceding post. Veii will be attacked by another task force. The goal of these task forces is to prevent Rome from reinforcing the city of Rome and hopefully razing it, further decreasing the Roman military/risk of culture flip. The swordsman in Berlin will be moved and used to attack the musket stack after the musket is killed, hopefully killing an MDI or two and getting us a MGL.

 

[vikingruler]

Please, critique and suggest improvements on either of my maps. We have to discuss these war plans before the war actually occurs.

 

[ravensfire]

You mention various task forces - exactly what troops will be in each force?

Please, detail exactly how many troops will be going to each target - this makes life much, much easier on the DP, and on us to review your plans.

-- Ravensfire

 

[Cyc]

Let's be sure to safeguard those Workers WSW of Besancon.

I might have hit Ravenna first, then Lutetia in the same turn. Then head for Antium. Letting a few select new recruits clean up (or at least occupy) Hispalis and Lugdunum. I don't see Veii as a major threat Culturally or as a supply of reinforcements. After Antium is taken, send all forces to Rome.

Just a suggestion.

 

[vikingruler]

I appreciate all your suggestions. @ravensfire, in the task forces knights will be the units making them up. Their movement is extremley valuable and run-away ability in very valuable. Honestly, the number of Knights in the task forces are really based on how many units left, but I believe 5-7 would be sufficent.
@Cyc, I see your point, but their is the possibility of reinforcements and if no attack is to be carried out on Veii I feel a little knight renconnasince is needed.

 

[ravensfire]

vikingruler,

These plans need EXACT numbers! We're talking about instructions to the DP for a WAR - not a scouting expedition!

Please, determine the EXACT numbers for EACH group!

-- Ravensfire

 

[greekguy]

I echo your sentiments Governor ravensfire. We need to make sure this war is run properly and efficiently, with minimal casualties and maximum enemy deaths. Minister vikingruler, please outline all plans, whether they be to clean out a size 1 Roman frontier town, protect 6+ French slaves laboring on a mountain, or joining up our two attack wings for the final assault on Rome! This war will be extremely important for our nation's success in this game! Mismanagement of this war will result in serious consquences gameswise. Please post a timetable of which cities we will attack and when. Please also say how many units (including unit type) will attack each city in each campaign maneuver. Don't forget to factor in new units that our cities will recruit during the war, and have contigency plans made up in case of massive casualties.

-greekguy, President of the Fanatiks

 

[vikingruler]

I apologize to ravensfire, and I will make sure I give exact numbers for troops in all military operations.

5 Knights will create the task force heading for Neapolis and they will first kill any enemy reinforcements en route to Rome and then attack Neapolis itself. As for contingency plans, if the Roman army proves to strong for us, the only course of action is to cut our losses. If the Romans really have enough units to defeat our army, we won't be able to take any cities and hold them. My plan is to intiate several decisive strikes and take Roman cities in a blitzkrieg. Then our armies link up and as long as their combined might fends of counter-attacks, Rome will be easy enough to attack. (Not to take it, obviously but to get to the brink of attacking them) As forces are produced they will be sent to the main body of our army and used in an invasion of Rome.

 

[Donovan Zoi]

vikingruler,

These plans need EXACT numbers! We're talking about instructions to the DP for a WAR - not a scouting expedition!

Please, determine the EXACT numbers for EACH group!

-- Ravensfire

Why all the extra precaution for this particular turnset? Oh wait, I know.....

Next time, try not to be so obvious. You run the risk of putting the future of the DP pool in jeopardy (that would be a shame....)

 

[ravensfire]

Honestly, my main reason is that this is not going to be a cake-walk like France was.

We have Roman units inside our border - no plan to eliminate them.

We have several groups of Roman forces - minimal details on eliminating them.

Furiey set a high standard with the War on France plans, I hope to see similar details here.

-- Ravensfire

 

[Furiey]

Why the focus on the outlying cities? Our target is Rome and for that we have to go through Antium. Neapolis and Veii in particular can wait until after that.

The Preparation
First we need to deal with the troops in and around our territory. It is an advantage that they are there as they will be easier to pick off in the open than fortified in our cities.

Next deal with Hispalis and Ravenna that would otherwise leave Roman troops behind our lines. We will need to block access to the empty territory from the South from friendly nations who may decide to settle there until our cities can expand. This while gathering the remaining forces for the attack on Antium.

The main attack
This is the whole point of the exercise, without this we might as well forget it, so don't dilute our force by taking too many troops for secondary targets.

Next is Antium - take ALL the Trebuchet, with the accuracy they get they will be needed and with fortified Muskets we need every hit-point off we can get.

Our main target is Rome - throw pretty much everything at it, take it, reinforce it, starve it, don't let it riot (use the Governor if necessary) and rush culture as soon as possible.

Secondary Targets
The cities in the West need to go, yes, in particular Lugundum and then Lutetia (pity it was allowed to be settled so close), but these are secondary targets to the main attack on Rome an Antium. Once we have Antium and are moving on to Rome we should have a few more Knights and maybe even some more Trebuchet that will not reach the main force, or maybe even some spare from the main force (but I would rather not dilute that main attack force) that can gather and go for Lugundum and then Lutetia. We will need to leave a few troops in the western region to pick off any Roman troops that go that way, these can join in this attack as well.

Tertiary Targets
It would be nice if we could carry on and destroy Veii, Neapolis (or at least cut access to the Saltpetre) and the Roman city on the Silk to the North of Rome. But this will have to be if we have the resources to continue at this stage and are managing to cope with the war weariness that will probably be starting to set in by then.

City Investigations of some typical cities would certainly help planning the troops needed. At the moment we have no idea how many Muskets we will face: 6-8 in Rome? similar in Antium? 2-4 in Hispalis and Ravenna? maybe only a couple in Lugundum?

 

[ravensfire]

Very much agreed, Furiey!

I will note that while the Besancon forces are taking out the outlying troops and the Eastern cities, the units in Augean Stables could "warm up" by taking those small cities in the west, and sending a few Knights out to cut the Saltpeter resource off for the Romans.

Cutting that source off now will greatly ease our future battles as we'll only (only!) have to face the Legions of Rome, not the Musketmen.

I would suggest the following:

Augean:
-- Step one - remove all Roman troops from the West, dispatch 2 Knights towards Neapolis' Saltpeter. (ENTIRE FORCE)
-- Step two - Move into position to attack a SW city
-- Step three - Capture and Raze city.
-- Step four - Move into position to attack other SW city
-- Step five - Capture and Raze city.
-- Step six - Move into position to attack Atrium
<WAIT FOR BESANCON>

Besancon:
-- Step one - Eliminate all Roman forces in or near our territory, including the large stack. Use Trebuchet's on the large stack. This will require splitting the force up, DO SO. Eliminate ALL the units if at all possible, or at least greatly injure them.
-- Step two - Move into position to take NE city
-- Step three - Capture and Raze city
-- Step four - Move into position to take other NE city
-- Step five - Capture and Raze city
-- Step six - Move into position to take Atrium

At this point, our army will be working as a single unit. Bombard Atrium to redness, then capture. Move up to Rome and repeat.

-- Ravensfire

 

[Furiey]

One thing we should not forget to do is to build a colony with one of the Slaves from the capture of Antium/Rome on the Saltpetre as soon as we are able to do so, then upgrade all the Knights we can to Cavalry. We will then have to protect that Colony, both by fortifying troops and building a fortress with some more slaves.

 

[ravensfire]

Absolutely agree!

Minister vikingruler, please advise the DP to upgrade all Knights when possible to Cavalry. Also, please authorize the protection of a saltpeter colony should one be formed.

President greekguy, please advise the DP to use captured workers to create a colony on the Saltpeter when reasonably safe, and build a fortress on it.

-- Ravensfire

 

[vikingruler]

I'll will make sure that all your suggestions are authorized, I appreciate your tips, thank you. Now as for units inside our borders. I'm sorry for not elaborating on that and will if their is a next time. Obviously, we can not continue the war if enemy units are running around our territory. They will be our first targets. The enemy units near Hispalia and Ravenna will be killed as I outlined. The rest are as I can tell single unit stacks and not to abduant. The only difficult one will be the pike and musket near Antium. Also, the enemies in our territory will need to be dispatched of as soon as the war begins.

 

[Furiey]

The Romans have taken the German capitol. We therefore need to deal with this potential of an attack at our rear.

We also now have Persian troops walking through our nation. Do we demand they leave? - past experience has shown they will declare which is not what we need if we are trying to fight Rome, or de we work around them and hope they don't declare anyway.

 

[Furiey]

We have another alternative:

The Romans will trade us Saltpetre!

We could trade for Saltpetre and upgrade all our Knights to Cavalry and Hoplites to Muskets. This will enable us to take the cities far more easily. If we pay with a tech or lump sum gold we should be able to break the deal without a problem. Alternatively with the forces the Romans have in our territory we could demand they leave and they may well declare on us.

 

[Alphawolf]

I personally like the idea of Cavalry when we do attack, so the trade might be worth wild.

-the Wolf