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~ ROMAN CIVIL WARS ~
OBJECTIVE:
"noctes atque dies niti praestante labre
ad summas emergere opes remromque potiri."
-Lucretius
[to toil night and day with great exertions,
in order to heap up great wealth and to obtain supreme power.]
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Roman Civil Wars is a scenario for Test of Time, the ultimate
version of Civilization 2. It is a revised scenario, based on
the original Roman Civil War, released in 2002. The original
version dealt with the War of the First Triumverate,
ending at the time of the assasination of Julius Caesar.
This version continues through the War between the Second
Triumverate and the Assasins, and the ensuing civil war between
Octavian and Antony. It ends in 30 BCE at the time of Octavian's
victory and coronation as Emperor Augustus.
Roman Civil Wars is designed to be played as a single player
game, or as a Play By Electronic Mail (PBEM) multiplayer game. All
civilizations are playable, though the Roman Senate is not advised
for single player, as it is too easy.
For the purpose of handicapping more experienced players in a
PBEM game, orfor a greater challenge in a single player game,
the Syrian Legions (Crassus) and the Cisalpine Legions (Caesar)
are the most difficult to play. The Spanish Legions (Pompey),
the Gauls (Vercingetorix), and the Egyptians (Cleopatra)
are intermediate, and the Roman Senate (Cicero) and the Parthians
(Orodes) are the easiest.
There are a total of 38 objective cities. In addition, there are
17 wonders of the world, each of which also counts as an objective.
This means that some cities count as multiple objectives.
For example, Rome is worth 4 objective points.
And in addition to this, there are 12 Senators at the start of
the game, belonging to the Senate player. Each of these is also
worth one victory point. They can't be disbanded but they can be
captured. So the total victory points possible is 67.
You need at least 24 for a marginal victory, and 36 for a decisive
victory. The game lasts from December 55 BCE to August 30 BCE
(149 turns). Good luck, citizen!
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DEDICATION
To everyone at Scenario League, a most congenial, cooperative
and creative group of gamers, with whom it has been a pleasure
to associate with over the years.
THANKS
To Fairline for custom making the graphics used in many of the
units of this scenario. To Bernd Brosing for letting me "borrow"
many of his graphics from his Imperium Romanum scenario, especially the
excellent city graphics. And to AGRICOLA for hex-editing the alliance
between the Syrian Legions and the Armenians and Judeans (barbarians).
HISTORY
The First Triumvirate was an alliance of three powerful men who attempted to seize control of the government of ancient Rome. It was formed in 60 BCE., and was composed of Julius Caesar, Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great) and Marcus Licinius Crassus. Pompey and Caesar were the most successful military commanders of the late Republic and financier Crassus the richest man in Rome. Crassus had previously defeated the slave revolt under Spartacus and crucified 6000 slaves. Julius Caesar was the greatest slave trader in history. After the conquest of Gaul, he sold nearly a million Gauls into slavery, becoming the ancient equivalent of a billionaire in the process. The Triumvirs subverted the republican constitution, trading offices and further enriching themselves at public expense. They divided military commands and provinces amoung themselves. Caesar got Cisalpine Gaul and an army for the conquest of Gaul. Pompey got Spain, and Crassus got Syria and an army for the conquest of Parthia.
When Crassus died in the battle of Carrhae against the Parthians, the balance of the Triumvirate was destroyed. Fearful of Caesar's growing power, the Senate turned to Pompey for help. In 49 BCE the Senate ordered Caesar to disband his army and give up his province of Gaul. Instead, Caesar crossed the Rubicon river (the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and Italy) beginning the civil war. Pompey retreated, with the Senate in tow, to Brindisium in southern Italy. Besieged there by Caesar, he withdrew by sea to Macedonia and began to raise an army from the eastern Roman provinces. Caesar then moved against Pompey's legions in Spain. After defeating them, he landed in Macedonia and defeated Pompey in two battles, after which Pompey fled to Egypt.
Caesar followed him to Egypt, but Pompey was murdered by the Egyptians as he landed. Caesar, with a tiny force, then involved himself in a struggle for power between Cleopatra and her brother. Taking Cleopatra's side, Caesar soon found himself besieged in Alexandria. He was eventually relieved by reinforcements by land and sea, and defeated the Egyptians. He then dallied for months with Cleopatra, even taking an extended cruise up the Nile with her. Then, instead of returning to Rome, he headed off to fight a war with King Pharnaces of Pontus. Over sixteen months had been spent in sideshow campaigns and pleasure cruises. In the meantime, Pompey's sons built up an army in Africa.
Finally returning to Rome in September 47, Caesar worked to make up for lost time. By December he was ready to sail for Africa (modern day Tunisia). Here he faced the army of Pompey's sons and their ally King Juba of Numidia. Again Caesar was nearly wiped out after advancing with insufficient forces. He received reinforcements and defeated his opponents at the battle of Thapsus. Adding the Kingdom of Numidia to the Roman province of Africa, Caesar again returned to Rome.
Here he mounted the most expensive and elaborate triumphs yet seen in the capital. Captured enemies were paraded and executed (including Vercingetorix), Cleopatra was put on display, 400 lions were hunted for entertainment, land and sea battles were fought out by condemned criminals in the Circus Maximus, and money and food was distributed to soldiers and citizens. Caesar's policy has until this point been one of leniency towards his (Roman) enemies. Now his darker side became evident and his opponents and many of the public began to fear him.
Trouble soon broke out again in Spain, as Pompey's former legions revolted. Caesar returned and defeated the Pompeians at the battle of Munda, although guerilla warfare continued well into the reign of Augustus. Caesar returned yet again to Rome, where his deification and imperial arrogance intensified the public's fear of his ambition and produced a conspiracy amoung his enemies. While preparing to depart on a new campaign punish the Parthians, Caesar was assassinated by a group of Senators on March 15 (the Ides of March) 44 BCE. He died at the foot of Pompey's statue.
Brutus and Cassius, the organizers of the conspiracy, expected all Romans to rejoice with them in the rebirth of “freedom.” But to the Roman people the freedom of the governing class had never meant very much; the armies (especially in the west) were attached to Caesar; and the Senate was full of Caesarians at all levels, cowed but biding their time. Mark Antony, the surviving consul, whom Brutus had been too scrupulous to assassinate with his master, gradually gained control of the city and the official machinery, and the “liberators” withdrew to the East.
But a challenger for the position of leader of the Caesarians soon appeared in the person of Octavian, Caesar's son by adoption and now his heir. Though not yet 20, Octavian proved an accomplished politician; he attracted loyalty as a Caesarian while cooperating against Antony with the Senate, which, under Cicero's vigorous leadership, now turned against the consul. Cicero hoped to fragment and thus defeat the Caesarian party, with the help of Brutus and Cassius, who were making good progress in seizing control of the eastern provinces and armies. In 43 however, Octavian defeated Antony at Mutina, then marched on Rome and demanded and obtained the consulship from the Senate. He now carried the long-delayed ratification of his adoption, paid out the remainder of Caesar's legacy, revoked the amnesty for the "liberators", and tried and convicted them in absentia.
Octavian's next move was to seek a reconciliation with Antony. Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus (the senior Caesarian with an army) had themselves appointed “Triumvirs for Settling the Constitution” (The Second Triumverate) for an initial five years. They secured control of Italy by massive proscriptions and confiscations. Thousands of their enemies were killed and their property seized. (Cicero, Antony's chief enemy, was among the first to die). The confiscated wealth and property was used to provide land to thousands of veterans of the Triumvirs.
The Triumvirs then moved against the "liberators". They defeated and killed Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in 42 BCE and divided the Roman world among themselves. Octavian, who was to control Italy, met armed opposition from Antony's brother and wife, but they received no help from Antony and were defeated at Perusia in 41 BCE. Octavian and Antony sealed their alliance with a marriage compact: Antony married Octavia, Octavian's sister. Octavian then confronted Pompey's son Sextus Pompeius, who had seized control of the islands off Italy. After much diplomatic maneuvering (including another meeting with Antony), Octavian attacked and defeated Sextus. When Lepidus tried to reassert himself in 36 BCE, Octavian crushed him and stripped him of his office of Triumvir as well as his province of Africa. Octavian now controlled the West and Antony the East.
Each of the two leaders embarked on campaigns and reorganization in his half of the empire—Octavian in Illyricum, Antony particularly on the Parthian frontier. But Antony tried to make Egypt his military and political base. His relationship with Cleopatra (they had two children), despite his marriage to Octavia was a source of friction. Antony's recognition of Caesarion (son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra) as Caesar's son undercut Octavian's legitimacy. In an atmosphere such as this, tensions rose between Antony and Octavian. In a war of propaganda, Octavian gradually convinced the western provinces, Italy, and most of the Roman upper class that Antony was sacrificing Roman interests, trying to become a Hellenistic king in Alexandria, and planning to rule the Roman world from there with Cleopatra. In 32, Octavian intimidated most of Antony's remaining aristocratic friends into joining him, made the whole West swear allegiance to himself, and in 31 BCE, crossed into Greece to attack Antony. On September 2 he defeated Antony and Cleopatra in a naval battle at Actium. Though in itself not a major victory, it was followed by the disintegration of Antony's forces, and Antony and Cleopatra finally committed suicide in Alexandria in 30 BCE. Caesarion was captured and killed on Octavian's orders. Egypt was annexed to the Roman Empire.
Octavian returned to Rome and Italy, amid tumultuous celebrations, in August of 29 BCE. Large numbers of veterans were settled (perhaps 25 legions totaling 40,000 men or more) both in Italy and the provinces. When he entered Rome, he celebrated three triumphs over three days (for Dalmatia, Actium, and Egypt). Octavian held the consulship every year from 31 BCE onwards (until 23 BCE). The "First Settlement," staged in the senate on 13 January, 27 BC, gave Octavian direct command of Spain (except Baetica), Gaul, Syria, Cyprus, and Egypt. Other honors and privileges were also forthcoming, at a second meeting on 16 January. Here Octavian was named Augustus - C. Julius Caesar Octavianus now became Imperator Caesar Augustus.
DESIGNERS NOTES
Finding an historical situation in which there are seven more or less equal powers is harder than it looks. Fortunately, the period beginning with Caesar's conquest of Gaul and ending with the final victory of Octavian fits the bill. The contenders are: Pompey, Caesar, Crassus, the Senate, and Parthia, Egypt and the Gauls. The minor powers of Armenia, Judea, Numidia and a number of Hellenic states in Anatolia and around the Black Sea are represented by barbarians, as are the Britons, Germans, Dacians and Scythians.
There are a number of experimental elements in this scenario, including the treatment of slavery. Slavery was the economic underpinning of ancient civilizations, whether it be Rome, Greece, Persia or Carthage. This is not represented in standard Civ2 at all, and is hardly better reflected in many of the histories of the time. By the end of the Civil Wars and the beginning of the Augustan era, 2 million or 35% of the population in Italy were slaves.
In Roman Civil War, when a city or a barbarian town is captured, a slave unit is created by events in the attackers territory. Slave units are freight units renamed and since event created trade units are the 'hides' commodity by default, this has been renamed 'slaves'. I used Carl Fritz's program 'CivCity' to reset all cities to demand 'slaves' and none to produce them. Unfortunately, the game gradually replaces the demand of cities for 'slaves' with that of other commodities, so by the tenth turn or so, only a handful of Barbarian cities are still demanding them. If anyone knows how to replace the default commodity of event-created trade units to something other than 'hides' - say 'dye' or 'copper' for example, please contact me through the Apolyton forum. Hint: Despite the loss of cities demanding slaves, you can maximize your payoff for your slaves if you home them to the city they're created in before moving them.
Another experimental feature is the use of seasonal changes in navigation. Seas in the Mediterranean were more hazardous in winter. Each April/May turn, events give all civs the Navigation tech, which makes sailing much safer, since all but the Gaulish ships have the 'trireme' flag. Each October/November turn, using the ToT event 'TakeTechnology', it's taken away again and the chance of ships foundering when out of sight of land is increased significantly.
I've used a couple of units with special uses. There are 12 Senator units, controlled at the start by the Senate player. They have no combat ability. They can't be disbanded, but if killed they are considered captured and recreated by events in the attackers territory. Each one controlled at the end of the game counts as an objective.
The Patrician unit is in the partisan slot and is generated if a Roman Senate city is captured. It has no combat ability and, if killed, ransom money is awarded to the attacker.
Spy units are restricted to only a few of their normal functions: establish embassy, investigate city, sabotage, and divert water supply.
The Senate and the Syrian Legions have units which start in barbarian cities. These represent units based in Rhodes and allied Armenian and Judean units respectively. Move them the first turn and DON'T fortify them in place, or you'll never be able to move them again.
CHANGES IN THE SECOND VERSION:
The scenario covers a greater historical span; up to 27 BCE, when Octavian took the Imperial title as Augustus. In order to keep it a reasonable length, turns are now two months instead of one. Still, it's longer than the first version at 164 turns. To represent the continuing civil wars after the assassination of Caesar, Roman leaders that are killed are replaced 6 turns later with a successor: Octavian for Caesar, Sextus for Pompey, Antony for Crassus, and Brutus for Cicero. The Gaulish, Egyptian and Parthian leaders are not replaced.
In order to simulate the pace of military campaigns in the new timeframe, major changes were made to unit capabilities. Movement factors of most units have been increased. More importantly, all units except cavalry now have the 'ignore city walls' flag. Sieges are now limited to those cities with "fortress units". These units are now much stronger, and can only be destroyed by attacking with several siege units (battering rams and siege towers), which also have greatly increased strength. Most cities can now be taken "on the march' by regular units. The result, I hope, is a greatly enhanced offensive capacity, and rapid campaigns of movement.
Offsetting this is a much enhanced set of barbarian events. Raids by British, German, Dacian, Scythian, and Bedouin tribes, as well as pirates, keep all powers on their toes. Sometimes a successful attack on one of the corresponding town units will abate the raids - for a while. Leaving strong garrisons in border areas is now essential.
With rapid offensive campaigns now possible, I hope the game will be lots of fun. However, you are facing a big map and a limited number of turns, so the scenario should still be challenging. A good player should be able to get a marginal victory (24 VPs) most of the time. A decisive victory (36 VPs) should be very difficult for any but the most skilled player.
TACTICS
Rivers are usually placed in 'valley' terrain which has a 3 MP cost and a 1/2 defense. This means that crossing rivers is dangerous as your units will be subject to attack at half strength while crossing. All terrain except ocean has an invisible 'airbase', relabeled as 'stackable'. This makes it possible to stack multiple units in a square without fear of the entire stack being wiped out in a single attack. Sometimes the airbase will be removed by an AI controlled unit, so be careful, especially when besieging cities. Human players are prohibited from pillaging airbases. Some cities have a 'fortress' unit in them. Scout with a spy or a weak combat unit before attacking cities with a leader unit, a leader will likely be killed attacking a fort unit and can't be replaced. Use several siege units (battering rams and siege towers) to kill the fortress unit before attacking with leaders or other units.
HOUSE RULES
Pillaging stackable terrain (airbases) is not allowed. And you can't transport a fortress unit on a ship. That's just silly.
WONDERS
Wonders are used as objectives, which means new ones can't be built. There are 17 altogether. Those with a * are obsolete. They are:
Pyramids in Memphis
Circus Maximus in Rome (Hanging Gardens)
Colossus in Rhodes
Lighthouse* in Alexandria
Great Library* in Alexandria
Statue of Zeus in Olympia (Oracle)
Spanish Mines in Hispalis (King Richard's Crusade)
The Senate in Rome (Marco Polo's Embassy)
Zoroaster's Temple in Ecbatana (Michelangelo's Chapel)
Hidden City* in Petra (Copernicus' Observatory)
Mithriac Mysteries in Artaxata (Shakespeare's Theatre)
Forum Romanum* in Rome (Newton's College)
Acropolis* in Athens (Statue of Liberty)
Mausoleum* in Halicarnassus (Eiffel Tower)
Gate of Ishtar* in Babylon (Hoover Dam)
Temple of Artemis* in Ephesus (United Nations)
The Golden Throne in Ctesphion (Cure for Cancer)
DEDICATION
To everyone at Scenario League, a most congenial, cooperative and creative group of gamers, with whom it has been a pleasure to associate with over the years.
THANKS
To Fairline for custom making the graphics used in many of the units of this scenario. To Bernd Brosing for letting me "borrow" many of his graphics from his Imperium Romanum scenario, especially the excellent city graphics. And to AGRICOLA for hex-editing the alliance between the Syrian Legions and the Armenians and Judeans (barbarians), and for his playtesting.
I hope you enjoy it.
techumseh, September MMVI
I hope you enjoy it.
techumseh, August 2006
Zitieren
Spanish Legions December 55 BC
Zitat von Ingvar
