Tullus under pressure (Campaign 85)

With the scanty reports of Secundus moving out of Noricum, the Senate began its appeal to Tullus again to march on Rome and take back their rightful seat of power. However, Tullus had squandered most of his scouting forces looking for the rogue general Flaccus and had no idea of what lay a head. Being ever careful and always suspecting a trap, Tullus was reluctant to commit to the offencive without proper knowledge of the situation.
Flaccus was still at large, causing havoc and Tullus thought it unwise to stretch his supply lines any further until this marauder had been dealt with.

To deal with the growing danger of a rear attack Tullus started to buy over the loyalty of the Army of Gaul, to watch his back and safeguard his trade routes. It was also in this month that a terrible earth quake destroyed buildings in the city of Holdrianus, killing hundreds and adding to the low ebb that now carried through the morale of his army.

Secundus marches on Pannonia (Campaign 84)

When the Province of Pannonia offered help to the people of Carmuntum, it was all Secundus needed for an excuse to march on them. The Governor of Pannonia had thought Secundus to weak and depleted to act, especially with the fact that Tullus was now in a position to attack Rome. Secundus however, was a gambler at heart and trusted blindly in the will of the Gods, with this blind faith he marched into Pannonia and crushed all resistance before him. The Governor fled and the local forces put up only minor resistance before conceding. Pannonia now belonged to Secundus!

Flaccus raids again (Campaign 83)

T. Manlius Flaccus now re-enforced by his Pannonian squadrons Carries on his rein of terror in the mountains of Aples Gallia. With the supply lines to Tullus's army over stretched and venerable, Flaccus has no problem locating them and destroying them in swift strikes. His horsemen loot what they can carry and burn what they can not, leaving Tullus without stores or provisions for the freezing months ahead.

Flaccus is happiest when under his own command and has ignored several requests from Secundus to return to Noricum. News of Flaccus's success has even reached Rome where he has been hailed a hero.
It was in this cold month that the city of Carnuntum in Noricum decided to appeal to Tullus and stage a small revolt. Secundus, still livid at Flaccus's success had no time for petty up risings. He was only a days march from the city and thought it mad that they should chose now to revolt. He would teach them for there treachery! On a cold Febuary morning the 2nd Augusta was let loose on the city and hundreds people were thrown into slavery. Most of them were completely Innocent of course, but Secundus was more intrested in making an example of Carnuntum rather than seeking justice.

Above, General Flaccus surveys a supply column of Tullus with greedy eyes. His antics were turning him into something of a legend, in the eyes of his men.

Alanicus strikes Gold! (Campaign 82)

Meanwhile in Egypt, Alanicus was enjoying the warm sunshine, unlike his freezing rivals camped in the frozen north of the Roman world. With his small detachment of the 6th Farrata, Alanicus had secured the city and set about fortifying its walls and borders. The tiny garrison was soon stretched to its limit, preparing for the inevitable arrival of Tullus's African Legions. Below, men of the 6th work feverishly in the African sun to fortify the Capital. The defences would hopefully slow Tullus's armies down long enough for re-enforcements from Syria to arrive and bolster the garrison. With the city under his control, Alanicus soon found (with a little gentle persuasion) the fabled treasure volts of Alexandria. Even Alanicus with his vast fortune, was lost for words when the heavy doors were pushed aside and the true wealth of Egypt was revealed. The riches seemed endless and with their added wealth, Alanicus could see victory finally with in his grasp.
Alanicus watches intently as the doors to the treasury open, he is soon bathed in golden light as the sun catches the vast horde within.

Trouble for Tullus (Campaign 81)

It was now the time of Tullus's army to feel the effects of defeat. For the last two weeks a sickness had been spreading through one of the camps, laying hundreds of fighting men low and killing a few. With their supplies destroyed and captured, the medicines requested for the camp were lost; the sick men began to riot.

Things got even worst when the victorious Legions discovered their pay chests were among the waggons and carts stolen by the raiding Flaccus. However, the last straw came when units of Spanish tribesmen started to file into the camps, they had been sent for to replace the light units lost at Valentia. The Legionaries misread the situation and thought they were being replaced because they were too sick to fight, the camp erupted into savage brawling, which ended up with many tribesmen being beaten to death before the troops finally calmed down and order was restored.



Meanwhile in Africa, Funded by the Senate, the town of Leptis Magna was enlarged, how Tullus wished he was there instead of stuck between a mutiny on one hand and fussy senaters on the other.

The Raids of Flaccus (Campaign 80)

With his camp in disarray, Secundus realized that General T. Manlius Flaccus was becoming a thorn in his political side. He thus conjured up a scheme to rid himself of this troublesome General. With Flaccus's popularity being better than ever, Secundus decided to send him on a dangerous mission, that only a man of his "extreme talents could pull off". Knowing full well that the victorious army of Tullus occupied the surrounding hills, Flaccus was sent on a mission to reconnoiter the enemy positions and report back. The latter, Secundus knew would not happen as the renown Spanish cavalry prowled the hills slopes watching every moment and patrol that left Secondus's camp. It was a thinly veiled plot and everyone on Secoundus's staff knew why his top General was being given such a mundane and dangerous task. However, Manlius was no fool and using his adept military know how, slipped by the ever watchful Spanish and started to make plans of his own. Two days out, Flaccus was joined by a large detachment of his Pannonia Horse, which he immediately put to good use in disrupting Tullus's communication network. Then came the pay day, Flaccus and his cavalry stumbled upon a large supply train of re-enforcements and armaments heading for the front. With out a second glance Flaccus launched a lighting attack, capturing the supplies and routing the terrified levies. Sent out on a fools mission, Flaccus was making himself even more popular with his men and the army. This news of a victory spread through the defeated army of Secundus like wild fire, much to the annoyance of Secundus, who soon regretted his bad judgement.

Above, the General T. Manlius Flaccus awaits his orders.

Winter in Noricum (Campaign 79)

As the seasons draw in and the roads become wet, muddy quagmires, the armies of the West settle down for the Winter. Taking stock and preparing themselves for the dark cold months to follow, the men busy themselves with collecting fire wood and food, anything to stay warm in these frozen lands. While their commanders busy themselves with making plans for the coming spring. Even now, in these quite months Secundus was plagued by misfortune. For his Generals, began to argue again over the right course of action to take in the spring. Secundus was for launching a full blown attack on Tullus in Aples Gallica, whereas his Generals were for consolidating Rome and the power base of his empire. However, Secundus was eager to have another crack at the Spanish, saying they had won down to luck and not bravery. His men were ready for another go and this time they would crush Tullus's republican goat herders for good! General Dewolfus was ordered to stay in Lugdunensis, (much to his relief ) where he could threaten Tullus's army from the North.

However, General T. Manlius Flaccus split the camp with his demands to march on Rome instead of chasing armies and restoring hurt pride. Flaccus carried a lot of weight in Rome and with the army, Secundus for once, was lost for a words. For days they argued and Secundus knew he needed a victory now more than ever, to pull these jackals back into line.

Tullus's African army gathers strength

Hot off the painting table this week are the rest of the skirmishers for Tullus's North African army. They are mostly Garamante tribesmen from the Sahara, but their number has been supplemented by Sudanese warriors (the guys without the litham face covers).
I'm looking forward to seeing these guys on the battlefield because they look so different from everything else and have a real African feel to them. Having no command figures for this lot I decided to turn one of them into a chieftain by painting in a crown and decorating his belongings in rich colours. Being just untrained tribesmen, the warriors points cost is very cheap compared to that of the trained Roman line troops, It will be interesting to see in the game if the overwhelming numbers carry the day. Twenty four javelins coming at you is always going to be better than just twelve (from the Roman skirmish units). We will have to wait and see. Still to come is another unit the same size of Numidians. Below are some Moorish Cavalry that will swell the mounted ranks of the African army. They join a unit of ten lightly armed Numidian Horse and will turn this desert army into a very maneuverable one indeed!
The figures are from Newline Design's 'Spanish' range, a company that in this day and age, I find really good value for money. Yes, the actual sculpting may not live up to the likes of Wargames Foundry etc, but with a little extra care panting, they can scrub up great.
To add a little more African character to the unit, I sculpted some raw hide cloaks and big cat pelts onto some of the riders. This is total fantasy on my part, but I thought a few Leopard skins would quite striking in the unit and give them more of an Identity. The shields also, are a selection from my 'bit box' of spares, rather than the ones provided in the packet. Another thing about these Newline Design Spanish I like, is the fact they are bereft of the characteristic Spanish chest armour and so can be painted up as any Light cavalry from anywhere with in the Empire. In my case, fast Moorish cavalry from Africa.
Adding cloaks is a great way of taking the eye away from the reuse of multiple figures, which go to make up units.

The Characters behind the paint

So here he is, Alanicus the Benevolent finally takes to the field to command of his Eastern field armies. With all three Emperor figures finished, I thought I'd say a little about each one and explain a few of the details I had to consider when painting them.

TULLUS, the character of Tullus comes partly from the figure Tom chose to portray himself, a large striking figure who very much leads from the front in battle. He looks more like a Warlord than an Emperor in his stance and weaponry. Tom plays Tullus as a Soldier Emperor, in the same vain as someone like Trajan was. The two have other trates in common, being both Spanish in origin, Trajan became Tom's role model for the character of Tullus. Being a soldier at heart, Tullus doesn't suffer from the huge ego of the other two pretenders and tends to look on his calling as more of a sense of duty, than a Divine right to rule. Almost reluctant to give battle, Tullus likes to take his time and watch his enemy, waiting for the other to make a fatal error in judgement, giving Tullus an easy victory to save the lives of his men and resources. Also, being a soldier Emperor places Tullus very dear in the hearts of his men, who's hardships he suffers alongside them at every turn. With the Senate flocking to Tullus for support, he now finds himself the reluctant new saviour of the republic and the champion of freedom throughout the Empire. The Senates constant nagging for action and battle grate against Tullus's calm, methodical ways and leads to much friction between them.

The figure of Tullus therefore is quite drab compared with the others. His cloak is that of an ordinary General, being scarlet in colour. He also proudly wears the awards and decorations won in battle, on a Centurions harness, again reminding all who see him of his humble army origins and his rise through the ranks. He is the only character to carry a shield, this too shows his preference for being very much in the thick of the fighting. With each Command base getting three attacks in the game, the base of Tullus leaves no doubt in the mind of the enemy, that a lot of the hits and kills achieved will come from Tullus himself, rather than the others in the Command party. For this reason Tullus only has two other figures on his base. He just doesn't need the same level of protecting as his less skilled rivals.

SECUNDUS, is the definitive bad Emperor. His lust for power and control makes him few friends in the Senate and his unstoppable drive makes him a man to be feared with throughout the Empire. I love to play villains and Secundus is no exception, I based the character of Secundus on the fat, greedy, inept Emperor, Vitellius, with his multiple chins and attitudes to match. Vitellius was popular at first and was put in place by his own Legions, those of the Rhine. After his rise to power however, things started to go very wrong for him. Secundus captures the essence of Vitellius, but he tends to bring out all of his misgivings rather than his strong points. For this reason I draw Secundus as a fat, arrogant, lay about, who cares not about the suffering of others, just results. I think he would be a hard man to beat in a war, because he would never admit he was wrong or had made a mistake, he would just blame someone else and carry on. He sees himself as the rightful Emperor and is willing to sacrifice thousands to make it so and claim his god given right. However, this arrogance is not lost on his troops who view Secundus warily. This had led to revolts and even mass desertions within his own army, something that Secundus reacts to by again showing his inept leadership skills and punishing the troops without mercy. Secundus doesn't deserve to rule by any stretch of the imagination and it would be a crime if he won, but that's what makes the game interesting, shit happens.
The figure of Secundus was chosen because it looked a little like me in the face, with the thoughtful hand to mouth pose just topping it off nicely (I do it all the time when thinking). He wears the colours of a Senater on his cloak, to give him a moral high ground when in the field and to give more weight to his claim of Emperor. Being more Senator than soldier, Secundus's command base is packed full of staff officers and bodyguards, the bases three attacks are unlikely to come from Secundus himself, who relies more on his bodyguards to protect him in battle than the war like Tullus.

Alanicus, is the new threat to the Empire and a late starter. After watching from a far and preparing his forces in secret, Alanicus finally launched a devastating campaign against the East. Using his collected wealth rather than brute force to roll up province after province all the way across to Syria and down to Eygpt. Alanicus's lightning campaign has proved that, when it comes to greedy governors, the coin, is mightier than the sword. Alan enjoys playing Alanicus very much and it has brought out a rather very dark side in him. Basing his character more on the Emperor from Starwars than from Ancient history, Alanicus has knocked the arrogant Secundus off the top position of villain in the game, with his Machiavellian dealings and under handed ways. Alanicus has also shown that he is prepared to great risks and gambles openly with fate. I like this personally as it reminds me of Julius Caesar. Alanicus now finds himself in Alexandria with a tiny strike force of Legionaries, just like Caesar found himself when chasing Pompey. The Romans loved irony and so do I.
The figure of Alanicus reflects the fact that he IS the Emperor, rather than just claiming it. Whereas the other pretenders only have a dash of royal purple on them to mark them out, Alanicus is a wash with it. His large cloak is all purple and is a bold statement to all around him, he also openly flaunts the forbidden red sandals of a king, again another unmistakable sign that he IS the Emperor. If however you manage to miss these blatant signs, Alanicus's royal standard fluttering over his head should remind you. With his birth sign of Leo boldly decorated on it, Alanicus will be very hard to miss on the battlefield. Something I've told my archers! Alanicus himself, was a renowned war hero and was well trained with a sword, however, age has caught up with him over the years and he now relays on staff and body guards to protect him in battle like Secundus.
The model used for Alanicus is that of Caesar from Companion Miniatures, again another Caesar reference. I thought it closely matched the cartoons of Alanicus I had drawn for the Blog with his hard features and bitter expression. Also to add to Alanicus's pomp, trumpets and standards were added to his command base.

So there you have it, all three contenders ready for war but as everyone knows....there can be only one true Emperor.

Merry Christmas From Iron Mitten

The Tale of Governor Vibullius (Campaign 78)

P. Marcus Vibullius, the Governor of Syria had rejected Alanicus's offer to join him in his bid for Emperor, he had taken his bribes, then betrayed him. Still loyal to Secundus in the west, Vibullius had tried to organize resistance in the East to oppose Alanicus and his armies. What's more, he had defeated a small force sent under Rufus Valerius to seize Syria, adding to a line of Defeats for the budding Eastern Emperor. This was unforgivable in the eyes of Alanicus and he gave very precise instructions on what to do with Governor Vibullius when he was captured, very precise instructions indeed!

For weeks Alanicus's soldiers searched for the troublesome Governor but with no luck. The III Gallica had fought like lions to protect the Province from the Alanician forces but had surrendered when caught in the open and out numbered. The Legion was forced to swear an alligence to Alanicus and the officers; dealt with. However, a large number of Gallicians were still at large in the area and they saw it as there mission to get the aging Vibullius back to the West and safety. So for weeks Vibullius hid by day and travelled by night, guarded by the very best the III Legion had to offer.



However, with more and more Provinces falling to Alanicus, Vibullius found himself with less and less places to hide. He was finally captured disguised as a woman, hiding in a fishing boat in the port of Caesarea. So very close to escape, he was himself betrayed, yes you've guessed it, for Alanicus gold.
Alanicus had ordained that his tongue should first be cut out as a warning to all traitors, then he was to be tortured and finally crucified, so all may look on the fate of those who resist the will of Alanicus the benevolent.

Alanicus had wished to meet with Vibullius before he was crucified, but had found himself rushing to Egypt to secure the Capital. He thus gave the order for the hapless Governor to be torn down and beheaded and to have his head sent to Secundus in Noricum. It was done and part of P. Marcus Vibullius finally returned back home at last, to the West. Alanicus had shown the Empire that he was as generous at handing out torture and death; as he was gold coin.

"Welcome back Vibullius, old friend" Secundus.

Campaign Map

So here it is at last, the latest version of the great Campaign Map.

As you can see, after watching and building up his forces, Alanicus has swept all before him in the East using a different tactic to that of Tullus and Secundus....huge bribes, to buy rather than fight provinces.

After losing the battle at Valentia, Secundus has pulled back and taken Noricum to make up for the loss of Aples Gallia. He now faces having his kingdom cut in two by a victorious Tullus. Although Tullus could find himself caught between two huge field armies if he advances.

Tullus has secured most of North Africa but finds he has missed the prize of Egypt which Alanicus had in his sights from the very start and bypassed Arabia to snatch it. However, Alanicus after paying a massive bribe has only landed with a tiny force to take Egypt and could find he has bitten off more than he can chew, if Tullus marches on him from the West.

Tullus learns of Egypt (campaign 77)

Tired and weary of the war, Tullus grabs a few well earned moments away from the nagging Senators and their crys for action. It is while he is relaxing that he is handed news of Alanicus's daring strike on Egypt and the city of Alexandria.
Still on campaign in Gaul, Tullus quickly sends messages to L.Cornelius Gracchus, the General of the North African army, to start raising new Auxiliary Cohorts amongst the tribes. Most notably, the skilled light horse men of the region.
Gracchus has taken his time raising and training his new army and has paid for it by the loss of one of the most richest Provinces in the Empire. Lets hope the time taken in training has been worth it, only time will tell.

Alanicus takes Egypt by sea (Campaign 76)

After his run of bad luck, the Gods finally show mercy on Alanicus. In August, a large gold mine is discovered in Thrace, It was also in this month that Alanicus makes his most daring strike so far .
After mustering a small fleet of the coast of Greece, Alanicus sets sail for Egypt. His tiny fleet reaches Egypt safely and Alanicus steps a shore to claim the Province as his own. However, the city did not come cheap, Alanicus had to put together the largest bribe so far to claim the Province as his own , this did not sit well with him and he bent his mind to how to get it back. He now controlled the bread basket of Rome and he managed a thin smile as he mulled over the possibilities.
Egypt was the richest Province in the East with it's great port and famous City not to mention it's fertile plains, Alanicus knew he had snatched it from Tullus and his African army and readied himself for the inevitable.
The jewel in Africa's crown had been stolen and Tullus would not be happy about it!

Africa prepares for war

These Garamante African troops really bring a distinctive look all of their own to the Army of North Africa. Their random tribal formations will contrast nicely against the regimented ranks of the drilled Legionaries on the battle field.
I was lucky with these troops for I found the exact reference for them in Osprey's 'Rome's Enemies, The Desert Frontier'. Which was priceless for painting up the animal hide shields.










Below can be seen the Army of North Africa. In the first rank are the Evocati (tough veterans) followed by the Lybian spear men from Leptis Magna. Behind them are two Cohorts from the III Augusta, the African Legion. To the side can be seen a unit of Numidian Light horse with the Garamantes next to them.

Being a Desert army, there will be a lot of Light horse units and skirmishers, so to come will be another 12 African light horse, 12 more Garamante skirmishers and a tribe of 24 Numidian foot skirmishers. Tribesmen are quite cheap in points compared to Legionaries and this Army will appear very large in comparison when finished. How ever, it is quality not quantity that wins wars....I hope. I also have a nice Numidian king figure, that should look good on this Army's command base with the General.

The Lybian Spearmen

This African Tribune proudly looks upon his new command, the III Leptis Auxiliary cohort, from the city of Leptis Magna in Lybia. Raised from the City guard, they have been given the 12ft thrusting spear of their Carthaginian ancestors.
Lets hope all the training by Tullus's Centurions pays off on the battle field, with Alanicus marching down towards Egypt and an army of Tullus's stationed near Carthage, I guess it won't be long before we find out.

These spear men lend their weight to the forces of Tullus in North Africa.

Kircaticus of the Dumnoii

Here is the mighty Celtic chieftain, Kircaticus of the Dumnoii. With his war band finally amassed, Kircaticus whips them up into a frenzy and leads them off on yet another cattle raid. In battle, their striking black and red shields, mark them out against the other tribes and their bear and wolf pelts create an air of intimidation and awe amongst their enemies. With their crazed eyes beaming out of blue woad bands across their eyes, there are few who can face them with out fear.

Kircaticus shows his bravery by leading his men into battle, naked, with just the magical properties of the woad for protection.
Painting note; These Dumnoii were fun to do and I had a great time sculpting their fur cloaks and giving them a more Barbarian look. They almost became more German looking than Celt, but I liked that for I think there would of been a lot of tribes were the difference between the nationalities would have been only slight. I also enjoyed coming up with the countless animal motifs and designs for the shields to show their great skill in hunting, which they are so proud of. All in all, a nice unique unit with its own character and personalities, can't wait to see what they do to those stuck up Romans! The Celtic huts are from www.wargamesterrain.co.uk. and fit the bill perfectly for this rowdy bunch.

Alanicus takes Syria! ( Campaign 75)

After replacing the troops lost to the Parthian raid with levies from Cappodocia, Alanicus sends his new commander, Rufus Valerius, into Syria at the head of a army. The small force of Cappodocians are again caught on the march by a strong force of cavalry, only this time; they are fellow Romans. The column is cut down to a man, including the survivors of the Parthian slaughter, Alanicus has lost another force in the dry open sands of the desert.
Victory only comes when troops from Mesoptamia step in and catch many of the Syrian garrison trying to make for the coast. With more re-enforcements hurried down from Cappodocia the trap is finally closed and the Province taken. Although he has gained another victory in the East, back in Macedonia, Alanicus is any thing but happy. Alanicus has learnt one thing over the last month, out here in the open desert, It is cavalry and their maneuverability and speed who carry the day, not the infantry. A lesson I'm sure he'll use in the future.

The III Gallica in Syria (Campaign 74)

This tough looking Veteran is a Gaul from the III Gallica Legion. Coming from one of the senior Cohorts, he is amongst the last of his people who gave the Legion its name. Being based in Syria, the ranks have become more Syrian over the years but with the constant up risings in the area, the Legion is still one of best battle trained and feared in the Empire.
It is with these hardened troops that Governor Vibullius hopes to stop Alanicus's march of Eastern conquest. Informed that the Governor of Syria may have connections with Secundus, Alanicus decides to double his bribe to 2000 Denarii. Which goes down very well with Vibullius who takes the bribe but then closes the gates and rejects him anyway. When Alanicus hears what has happened he is shocked and then flies into a rage. He will take Syria by force and stub out all pockets of Secundian support in the area once and for all. The tough veterans of the III Gallica prepare to repulse the forces of Alanicus, however, with the recent loses to the Parthians suffered by Alanicus, the III Gallica find themselves in a very strong position indeed! They won't be so easy to 'stub out' as Alanicus thinks.

General Dewolfus of the Rhine

General Dewolfus of the Northern armies patrols his forces in Lugdunensis (Northern France). He has just received word to join Secundus in Noricum, but has tried to press the point that if he leaves, Aquitania will fall to Tullus. Dewolfus has sent dispatches back to Secundus asking for permission to take Aquitania and deny Tullus another Province in Gaul. Secundus on the other hand is too busy ranting at others to listen to good advice. Tribune Antonius (Tony) shows off his new accommodation in Gaul, although he has received a warm wolf pelt from the region, he still misses his newly built Villa. Jupiter knows what state it'll be in by the time this war is finally over and he gets to return to it....if he returns at all that is.
modelling note:
The figure used for Dewolfus is from the New Essex Roman range, as are the other mounted Tribunes. I wanted the General to appear very big and Northern looking and so built up his shoulders with 'Greenstuff'. Adding bear and wolf pelts helped to give him a Frontier look and a big black beard always adds to the Barbarian look! I also decorated the Horses with wolf pelts; these guys have spent too long on the Rhine for their own good and have gone a little native.

Alanicus suffers defeat! (Campaign 73)

A Centurion with yet another bag of Silver in yet another Province, only this time it was the Kingdom of Mesopotamia. Alanicus's wealth was helping to make him one of the most powerful man in the Roman world, with Province after Province greedily flocking to his colours. Mesopotamia was no exception and took the bribe to fall into place behind Alanicus's unstoppable war machine. With the East now very much in his control, Alanicus started to recruit from the Army of Anatolia and it wasn't long before a Vexillation of troops were mustered and ready to march south.

However, Secundus's dispatch to Vibullius, Governor of Syria, had kicked up a Hornet's nest in the surrounding Kingdoms. Vibullius had sent envoys to the King of Parthia, Orodes, stirring the old King into action against Alanicus and his ever spreading armies.

In February, as the Anatolian Force left it's winter camp and marched south across Mesopotamia it was hit by a large mounted force of Parthians, lead by the Parthian Prince, Pacorus. The Anotolians, thinking the area safe were taken completely by surprise and were almost annihilated on the march. Only the rear Cohorts and elements of the mounted column managed to escape the ambush and send word back of the disaster. This was the first bad luck Alanicus had suffered since his bid for power had begun and it hit him hard. Half of his newly raised Vexillation had been wiped out by the lightning attacks of the Parthians. This was only the start of his troubles in the East, for once the Gods had sided with Secundus.

Secundus plays dirty (Campaign 72)

On receiving the news of Alanicus's rise to power in the East, Secundus sends a secret dispatch to his old friend Governor Vibullius. 'Resist this Alanicus at all costs and raise support in the surrounding Provinces' Secundus was never one for writing but his message was clear, this Alanicus, who ever he was, would have to be stopped.
Above, a messenger slips through the darkened streets and onto a ship bound for Syria.

Under pressure (Campaign 71)

The delegation from Carthage finally arrives in Alpes Gallica, dirty, unshaven and tired. This is the closest any of them have come to the front line and they a don't intend to stay a moment longer than is necessary. Again and again they try to prompt Tullus into following up his success at Valentia and call out for a quick victory.
They try to threaten Tullus with being replaced by someone more willing to fight, but both parties know this is an empty threat and Tullus remains unmoved by Lucius's taunts. The Senate have little care for the state of Tullus's depleted and tired army and all talk is of restoring Rome and glorious new era. Tullus has the delegation removed twice throughout the day, but Lucius Plaudicus keeps coming back with renewed vigour. Finally, just as Tullus is about to order them out at sword point (again) he receives news of another problem. As the Senate babel on, working themselves into a frenzy, Tullus reads the dispatch aloud to the room. Now they have two usurpers to worry about.
The delegation is speechless for a moment, then fall upon Tullus pleading with him to save them and Rome from these mad men in purple, who appear from nowhere. Tullus now has a lot to think about and has the jabbering Senators escorted from his tent. For the moment they are out of sight, but not out of mind, for he can still hear them crying out to him to save them. "why me..." sighs Tullus. With now two opponents, Tullus rejects all pleas for a quick victory. This will be no quick war.

Secundus licks his wounds (campaign 70)

Meanwhile in Noricum, Secundus secures his newly won province and hides away from public view. Too busy nursing his pride and blaming others, he shuts himself off from everyone, even his advisers. He only recovers when forced to react to news that two of his top generals have fallen out and soldiers are brawling on their behalf. Secundus, quite recovered, snaps back to his old self and quickly stamps out the rabble-rousers.
It was just after dealing with this minor problem, that Secundus first caught wind of a major one. He received a letter from his old friend, Governor Vibullius of Syria, telling Secundus of what exactly has been going on in the East over the last few months. The letter goes on to explain how using great cunning and alot of silver, Alanicus has started to carve out a chunk of Secundus's empire for himself and that his men are calling him Emperor.
Secundus is not happy and the army soon wishes it had behaved in his absence.

The Restless Senate (Campaign 69)

Upon hearing of Tullus's success at the battle of Valentia, members of the Senate (now in Carthage) appeal to Tullus to finish the job he has started and put down the tyrant Secundus. Used to expensive living, the wealthy nobles of Rome have no taste for the campaign life nor the hot, dry, arid lands of Africa and so put together a weighty delegation to join Tullus in Gaul.
Itching to get back to Rome and check on their properties and investments, these Senators have their own interests very much at heart, something that Tullus is aware of and all previous appeals from them for a quick victory, have been ignored.
However, now that their top spokesman Lucius Plaudicus has been elected to lead the delegation, Tullus will be forced to listen.