Brief AAR

[SteveD64]

Just finished probably my favorite session of this game on the hard level. For the second game in a row I drew two Macedonian Aid cards very early on, the first time it happened ended in disaster so naturally I decided to try it again to see if I couldn't at least last more than 6 turns.

I beat a Roman army in Northern Italy then headed for Umbria, seized a port and played the two Macedonian Aid cards. Philip arrived and I proceeded to take the two major cities in order to start recruiting. Hannibal was down to 5 units due to attrition and three battles (two of them without Punic Tricks), the rest of his troops were garrisoned in a port to keep the Macedonian supply line open.

The AI decided to invade Africa while Hannibal was weak. The Romans were at first successful but eventually I raised enough troops to bottle them up in Hippo. Then the AI decided to reinforce Africa, it lifted the siege and I was forced raise more troops- troops which were needed in Italy. The back and forth in Africa was very tense with both sides gaining an advantage and then losing it.

Meanwhile, back in Umbria Hannibal had taken every city but with only 15 troops (and recruiting drying up) it was time to move. Playing revolt in Cisalpine I managed to retake every city in Northern Italy and start recruiting Gauls. I left a garrison at an Umbrian port to keep the Macedonian supply line open.

Rome beat the Macedonian navy and my reinforcements stopped coming but King Philips troops were still a tough force.

In Africa I gained the upper hand and with some naval victories and a slugfest of a land battle (where the AI blinked- I think Rome could have won it if it had stuck it out) I once again bottled up the Romans. I blockaded the coast and let the Romans wither on the vine.

I sent a small force to Sardinia to secure the island and after recruiting in N. Italy, Hannibal hooked up with Mago and Hasdrubal (from Spain) and decided to besiege Rome. I sent King Philip to besiege Pisa where he died after the AI sallied out and got some very fortunate die rolls. Nevertheless even with the Macedonian army gone I could still pull together 23 total troops. The senate would not let me send any more troops to Italy so I had to make do. The siege of Rome went well until the turn when it was due to surrender. A relief force of 4 attacked Hannibal- the Roman garrison was up to 23 after some serious card play by the AI. I gave battle and lost, the big blow being my three elephants running rampant and so retreated to the toe of Italy to lick my wounds.

I managed to beat, indecisively, two more Roman armies. I held Consentia, Sardinia, Africa and Spain going into the final game turn and was leading in victory point totals by 8 (I think). The AI grabbed Utica on its final turn and so scraped out a win.

Really enjoyable and tense game throughout.

If I had to pick my favorite PC game of all time, this would be the one.

[nalivayko]

Nice AAR. Shame about Phillip - this is precisely why I never let him do any campaigning alone. You shouldn't really treat him as a general at all, just a VIP to be guarded. He ranks last among the starting Carthaginian generals and cannot recruit. You can gain little by separating him from the loving protection of Hannibal and lose too much if he manages to get himself killed... again

[SteveD64]

no, you're right. It was really stupid of me to leave Philip alone when I had Mago to besiege Pisa. I just didn't count on two legions and two milita all landing hits/routs on the first round of battle. What I find impressive is the number of tough choices that have to be made from turn to turn- this to me is the mark of a great design. The decisions aren't always obvious ones and a fickle senate can really derail your plans, forcing you to do things NOW (invade sicily or sardinia say) instead of what you'd hope to do. Obviously, you don't have to follow the Senate but you may not get a decent chance again without playing a valuable card. Also the AI, while somewhat predictable, still manages to suprise me every now and again. Yesterday, for example, Hannibal was holed up in Turin with 10 units and I thought safe as milk. Africanus came after him and stormed the city with around 16 units and completely destroyed him.

[nalivayko]

Happened to me twice - I never leave Hannibal inside the city anymore. I also have lost other generals to Roman "suicidal attacks" on fortified cities, but one can afford to take that chance.