I think people are underestimating brotherhood. Atellus believes it might cement the men's loyalty to him further and I am inclined to believe it. So far we have been pretty aloof in our actions but I think it's time we start doing shit with them, Soldiers love commanders who do that. See us being seasick making them like us more. I also really think we need to stack all the loyalty options to counter our Co-commander's influence, if only to deny him those routes to our soldiers hearts.
Other than that, I am inclined toward taking as many learning actions as possible and than trying to Meet Marius. Victory and success is how we win the men's loyalty further.
So for ease of reading, I thought I'd separate the options into categories of descending priority: [] Promote Centurions: A few centurions and lower-ranking officers left the legion in Rome, their service having ended. Several soldiers who served with distinction during the Samnite campaign may well stand to replace them. Men you raise up may be loyal to you in the future. [] Brothers in Arms: You strive to mend the frayed relations between the patrician cavalry and the plebian legionnaires, which have grown worse over time.
[] Training: Your men are well-trained enough, but the Samnite campaign did not offer many opportunities for the sort of combat they will soon be facing. It may be chilly, but you drill them in the fields outside Nicomedia. [] A Law Beyond The Sword: The men often have simple issues, complaints, or grievances which they wish to address. As broad-striped tribune, it is your duty to see to these. One afternoon, you set up a table in the middle of the worn palace and invite men to come air their grievances before you, and perhaps even raise a case against a fellow soldier. [] Armor and Arms: Your men's equipment, though not shoddy by any means, is looking significantly less pristine after a year of traipsing through the Italian countryside. You seek out one of the publicani in Nicomedia to comission a new set of equipment for your men. You may have to pay out of pocket. [] Maintenance: Though it is the Camp Prefect's duty to ensure maintenance of equipment and materials, you begin to rigidly enforce the proper maintenance of personal weapons and armor. Through reduced rations and corporal punishment, you will force the men to ensure their equipment does not rust or rot.
[] See To Repairs: The wing of the palace which Marius has dispensed to your legion is in need of repairs. Sacked when Mithridates first took this city, it has more than a few areas where the cold outside seeps in. Your men will not be half as effective if they freeze to death. [] Justice Beyond The Walls: You begin cracking down on even minor offenses and crimes, making it more than clear that the rule of Rome applies even in her most distant provinces. The men respect a disciplinarian -- but they will never love him. [] Portents and Signs: You contact the Camp Augur and hold a public augury. Auguries are necessary to determine the fate of any military venture, as men are often nervous marching into battle without a sign from the gods, but if the augury is unfavorable to the campaign, the morale of the legion will be lowered.
The way I see it, promotions and mending rifts between different groups of soldiers ensure their loyalty to us, which is absolutely paramount at this point in time. It also increases the overall effectiveness of the legion, since we're filling out gaps in the officer corps and increasing the cohesion between the different army units. Hence, these two options are high-priority and can't be postponed.
Next comes the options relating to the maintenance of the legion and training of the legion, which are also definitely important but might either be postponed or possibly delegated to Scipio. The option of Maintenance puts us in the role of disciplinarian which may or may not be desired. I'm leaning more towards the Arms and Armor or Law Beyond the Wall options since these will either secure new equipment for our troops or let us solve ongoing disputes within the legion(which might synergise with "Brothers in Arms"). The reason I'm a bit hesitant about Arms and Armor is our relatively low Stewardship score, which might hurt our ability to secure a good deal for the equipment.
The last category is stuff I feel like we can either wait with doing or that we're completely unqualified for like See To Repairs.
It's actually Cleopatra's father, Ptolemy Auletes. Exiled from Egypt from Egypt by his grandmother during her war with their father, he's traipsed around the East for most of his childhood, picking up a passion for Greek fluting and Greek partying.
Trying to put into words what I'm thinking. I want to overshadow Cassianus, but in a meta sense.
I want to befriend him so that he thinks he has to keep acting the friend, which limits the ways he can move without putting him on the defensive. Should he be to blatant we can flex our speaking skills to call him snake/traitor.
Meanwhile with personal actions we're optimizing so the legion is more together and loyal under us.
[] Make Terms: You sit down with your new compatriot and hash out the details of your new positions -- who will do what, where, and when, and who will be command of what and where.
Ok I think we should come to terms or make a connection with him. Either one will do for me.
Correspondence: As part of your efforts to stay on top of events in Rome, you write to one of your contacts elsewhere in the Republic. With such long travel times, anything you write will take a long time to arrive. However, that does not mean you cannot write. You write to... (response will arrive in 2-3 turns)
--[] Scaevola
We should contact our mentor since we are now in control of a legion and he was considered the best governor of the region we went into and most likely have contacts we can use.
[] The General: Marius. Busy directing a war and writing furious missives back to Rome, the great general has little time for personal frivolities. Yet if you can get him to take a liking to you, your own position in Rome will surely soar. Both Sertorius and Sulla began their rise to power under his wing.
If we can learn at the feet of one of the greatest generals it would greatly help us.
[] Si Vis Pacem: The Greek city-states in Asia and the Greek mainland have long maintained their independence and autonomy, even as nominal vassals of Rome. You read up on their histories, rivalries, and old friendships, that you might make use of these in your campaign.
[] Para Bellum: You begin studying the campaigns against the Macedonians and the Greeks over a century ago, hoping to learn more about Greek tactics, that you might counter them better.
[] Res Publica: You study the formations of your own legions, the way Romans fight. After all, you may soon be doing war with Romans -- and what is more Roman than that?
All 3 of the action should be taken. We need intelligence and need to know the tactics of the enemies we will be fighting. We need to be as best prepared as we can.
[] The King Without A Crown: Nicomedes, last client king of Bithynia, is actually here in the city his fathers ruled and Mithridates forced him from. He has several times brought up the idea of reinstalling him as king, but with Marius busy with other matters, the claimant king is forced to make himself a guest in his own city. You might call upon him.
[] The Prince: Bithynia is not short on royalty. Ptolemy, one of the princes of Egypt, long exiled from his native land, made himself a guest of Mithridates and remained in Nicomedia after the city fell to Rome. Famed as a great partier and player of the flute, he has resided in a palatial estate here in the city with his family and retainers. You could pay the heir of the Pharaohs a visit.
This two options are not critical but could lead to royals owing us if we help them take control or take their rightful place.
[] Plan Make Connections and Study
[] Connect: You make an attempt to connect with him. Cassianus' father was a farmer and his mother a tavern maid -- you come from different worlds, yet if you can form a friendship, or at least an understanding of sorts, it will make both your lives easier in the long run.
[] Promote Centurions: A few centurions and lower-ranking officers left the legion in Rome, their service having ended. Several soldiers who served with distinction during the Samnite campaign may well stand to replace them. Men you raise up may be loyal to you in the future. [] A Law Beyond The Sword: The men often have simple issues, complaints, or grievances which they wish to address. As broad-striped tribune, it is your duty to see to these. One afternoon, you set up a table in the middle of the worn palace and invite men to come air their grievances before you, and perhaps even raise a case against a fellow soldier. [] Brothers in Arms: You strive to mend the frayed relations between the patrician cavalry and the plebian legionnaires, which have grown worse over time.
[] Correspondence
--[] Cicero
[] The Scipians: Unlike Sertorius, who traveled with a single slave, Scipio has brought along a veritable entourage of slaves, clients, friends, and cronies. These Scipians are largely plebian men of all stripes, and you attempt to integrate yourselves with them in order to learn something more of their new master, Cassianus, who seems to have become a focal point for them -- a novus homo who has risen from their ranks to lead a legion. [] The Marians: The soldiers and legions now serving under Marius are devoted in their loyalty to the great general. You seek to make connections with these men, and form relationships which may serve you well back in Rome. Perhaps the greatest of these Marians is the legatus Gnaeus Papirus Carbo, legatus of the Seventh Legion and Marius' second in command. [] Seafaring: Rufus had some damned scroll about the sea and Hannibal and boats. In your spare time, you flick through it. [] Si Vis Pacem: The Greek city-states in Asia and the Greek mainland have long maintained their independence and autonomy, even as nominal vassals of Rome. You read up on their histories, rivalries, and old friendships, that you might make use of these in your campaign. [] Para Bellum: You begin studying the campaigns against the Macedonians and the Greeks over a century ago, hoping to learn more about Greek tactics, that you might counter them better. [] Study: You study the campaigns of Marius in Africa, hoping to learn something about defeating a hostile kingdom while protecting Roman clients. That Marius himself is here does not hurt matters either.
Personally, this plan mostly serves as a hopeful stepping-stone to take The General in a turn or two.
When you are not retching your stomach over the sides of the ship or mocking Rufus for doing the same, you sit with Theo and pace through your Greek. It was never your favorite language, and you have forgotten much of your lessons over the years. Words slip from your mind and you mix up your tenses more than a few times -- but you have a very good teacher, one who will not stop smiling, and eventually you can string together a couple sentences without much trouble. You will never pass as a Plato, or even as a native speaker, but you can hold a conversation and not be laughed at.
1,190 Intelligence XP Gained! (2059/15000 XP to Rank 16)
800 Education XP Gained! (1,500/10,000 XP to Rank 16)
Bonus to Speaking Greek for 11 turns/as long as you remain in Greek-speaking areas.
You had intended to speak with the Consul Asiaticus during the voyage, but your roiling stomach says otherwise. The few times you can inquire about making it over to his boat, you are informed that he, too, is wracked by seasickness. Neptune mocks the sons of Mars.
Hm. It seems like the way to gain Intelligence XP is to do things that are hard, mentally. Keeping up with a Cicero letter is hard. Learning Greek is hard. Let's keep an eye out for other such opportunities.
Also, it would appear that the Seafaring skill applies to, among other things, avoiding seasickness. I think we'd beter grind that up a bit next time after all. Definitely a priority.
(Asiaticus) Convince Marius: 1d20+1(Proficient Charisma)+4(Renowned Diplomacy) = 7
vs (Marius) Disgrace Asiaticus: 1d20+4 (Renowned Charisma)+2(Accomplished Diplomacy)+5 (Third Founder) = 24
Resounding Victory for Marius
The ground wavers again under your feet, and your knees shake. You have been on solid ground for a blissful hour, but it is still difficult to readjust to your footing not swaying and shaking underneath you. Around you, opulence gleams from every corner, with towering marble statues and great golden frescoes towering everywhere your eyes fall. This is the palace of the old Kings of Bithynia, where Marius has quartered his legions for the winter. A massive complex with dozens of buildings and many great halls, it is the jewel of the city of Nicomedia, and was the greatest treasure of the Bithynian kings before their realm fell to Mithridates some four years ago. Now, Nicomedia has been reclaimed from the Pontic king and serves as the ad-hoc headquarters of the Marian war effort.
Now remember! Do not let our guard down, lest we become... undesirably associated... with the monarch of this rich land! Thaaat's the sort of thing a man spends the rest of his life trying to live down...
Almost immediately upon your landing in Nicomedia, Scipio Asiaticus gathered the legion's officers and made for the palace complex and Marius. The elder general's position has been badly hammered in the last few months — aside from the loss of an entire legion to base treachery, many men were slain when Mithridates' forces pushed Marius out of Pontus proper, leaving his legions undermanned and outmatched by both Sulla and Marius. The arrival of the VI legion into the city was met with cheers and whooping from the Romans in the city — and a stony silence from the Greeks. It would seem you are not well loved here.
Now you pace behind Asiaticus as he marches with purpose through the gilded halls of the old palace. The old man is no warrior, that much is certain — for one thing, his wiry arms look too thin to have ever held a sword, and his gangly frame betrays nothing of a soldier's posture. At his side strides his adopted son, the staff tribune Scipio Cassianus, a well-built man with a wave of coal-black hair and sharp green eyes. Born Opiter Cassius, a novus homo, he apparently so impressed the childless consul with his skill and dedication that the orator decided to bestow upon him his own name. You have not yet had a chance to break words with him, but the general consensus among the men is that he is everything his new father is not — strong, capable, and a born fighter.
OK, this is a guy we may be able to work with. Does anyone know who he is? I don't recognize him and can't find him quickly on Wikipedia.
"Ah, the new consul. You have arrived, then. I trust your journey was uneventful. You may garrison your legions within the left wing of the palace, and—"
"Legion." Asiaticus breaks in. "We have brought only the one."
Marius pauses. A vein in his leathery face twitches. "One? I sent for three."
Asiaticus bows his head with an orator's practiced air of apology. "I must regret to tell you that Sertorius has taken two with him to Hispania, and Cinna holds back all others for the defense of Rome should the traitor Sulla make feared return to Italy."
Marius' face twists. "Hispania? Italy? Merciful Jove, Cinna sends you with mouth packed full of shit, and you spit it back up on me like a sewer." Asiaticus is stunned for a moment, struck dumb by the words, and Marius forges on his, his wrinkled face tight with contempt. "The Senate -- vultures and carrion feeders, all of you. You think I do not know your master Cinna has sent you here to spy on me? He sends one legion as vile insult, and sends a silver-tongued snake to heap my ears with lies. The dog despises the day I did not die, him and that backstabber Sertorius."
In all fairness, Marius has good reason to be pissed and paranoid. As reinforcements we don't even compensate for the forces he's just lost.
The consul finds his voice, though it is thin: "Marius, we could not--"
Marius is irate now, his eyes flashing like knives as he speaks. "And you. A consul? I weep to the very gods that Rome has come to this, that men such as you bear the dignity of such a name. You, who fled the siege of Aesernia in woman's dress? You, who licked Sulla's heel when he took Rome, and voted to send me into exile? You, twice craven and twice-damned traitor?"
Scipio reels almost as if struck, his hands moving as if grasping vainly at words to ply against this onslaught. "You cannot just...I am a consul of the Republic...who...who has been vested with a legion by the Roman people. You cannot--"
"And no legion of Rome will ever be led by so witless and self-serving a worm as thee. In my old age, I had foolishly hoped you would have discovered your spine or your balls on the journey, and I see you have only further lost both. You will command nothing while Marius lives."
Asiaticus gapes. "You cannot take my command! I hold imperium here, an-and no one can simply disregard that!"
Marius' answer is final.
"I can."
It ends all argument. The consul stands tall another moment before the most powerful man in Rome, and then deflates.
Ah, crapbaskets. Poor guy rolled a two. Whereas Marius was all like "I'm sorry, I can't hear you from on top of my massive pile of bonuses."
In retrospect, it was definitely a good thing that we didn't waste time trying to build loyalty to Asiaticus. And I will acknowledge that given that this was going to happen (not something we predicted), trying to get into Asiaticus' good graces was a losing proposition.
That said, I wonder what would have happened if Asiaticus had critted that one and Marius had rolled low instead...
He turns back to your small group of officers, his face an impassioned mask. "And of you, who are his successors in the command?"
You and Scipio Cassianus both step forward. As broad-striped tribune and staff tribune, you are the highest-ranking, though not the most senior officers present.
A thick grey eyebrow rises. "And so young? What, were the babes of Rome not available? Am I to command my legions with children? Quickly, boys, name yourselves. You first.", he finishes with a gesture to Scipio Cassianus.
The young man seems quite confident for someone who has just seen his patron -- the source of his influence in Rome -- taken apart and disregarded in the space of minutes. "I am Scipio Cassianus, great Marius. I served under Strabo in the Social War, and fought at the Battle of Tolenus."
Yon Cassius is sneaky and quick to change sides. Such men bear watching.
You speak clearly, though you are surprised your voice does not waver in front of the great man. "I am Quintus Cingulatus Atellus. I served under Sertorius in the Samnite War, and took Nola."
Marius snorts. "War. As if that little scrap could be called a war. But Sertorius, snake though he is, is a good commander. I know that because I taught him, and I know you wouldn't be standing here if he didn't see value in you. Dear gods boy, but you're young. How old are you?"
"Nineteen since the third," you answer truthfully.
Marius simply snorts with disbelief. "And you, Cassianus?"
"Twenty-one."
The old general sucks his teeth for a moment. "I have no more men to spare, so perhaps the two of you together might equal one full-grown man. I will command the Sixth Legion myself then, but you two shall act in my stead, keep it organized and fed, and lead it where I command. If there is error or failure, it falls on your heads."
Welp, better than I'd feared, worse than I'd hoped. Marius is going to give us a chance to not screw up, at least.
The Consul's Heir
With Marius having stripped Asiaticus of his legion and placed its' two senior tribunes in charge, you are now co-commander of Mars' Sixth Legion, alongside Scipio Cassianus, a Roman of no small skill. The men have already taken a deep liking to him, and his easygoing manner and confidence means that he will not be easily dislodged. You're not quite certain how Marius could tell on sight that it would work out this way, but he did and could -- Cassianus is here to stay. You could make terms with your new comrade, attempt to get to know him, or try to weaken his position. Pick one
[] Make Terms: You sit down with your new compatriot and hash out the details of your new positions -- who will do what, where, and when, and who will be command of what and where. [] Overshadow: You are more loved by the men and more senior in the legion. You attempt to dominate the position, becoming the primary tribune of the legion. Cassianus himself will not sit idly and be eclipsed, however. [] Connect: You make an attempt to connect with him. Cassianus' father was a farmer and his mother a tavern maid -- you come from different worlds, yet if you can form a friendship, or at least an understanding of sorts, it will make both your lives easier in the long run. [] Undermine: This legion is yours. You will not let another man lead it. You work to undermine his authority and rob his words of weight. Marius may have given him position, but he will not command your men.
"Make Terms" is for the practical aspect of making sure we don't fall prey to the "THIS WAY, no THAT WAY" crap that Rome suffered against, for example, Hannibal, with having two commanders leading the same unit. Or "Connect" to gain an ally.
"Undermine" is likely to cause trouble and yon Cassianus is just the kind to complain to Marius. "Overshadow" isn't a bad idea, but we risk failing.
[] Training: Your men are well-trained enough, but the Samnite campaign did not offer many opportunities for the sort of combat they will soon be facing. It may be chilly, but you drill them in the fields outside Nicomedia.
Important. Marius' legions are probably very experienced since he literally invented their fighting style. Ours will perform badly if not well drilled. Makes us look good to Marius.
[] Promote Centurions: A few centurions and lower-ranking officers left the legion in Rome, their service having ended. Several soldiers who served with distinction during the Samnite campaign may well stand to replace them. Men you raise up may be loyal to you in the future.
IMPORTANT. Especially since if we let Cassianus promote his chosen men, he'll probably promote men loyal to himself, and not necessarily those who were most impressive in the Samnite campaign, which he wasn't present for.
The men often have simple issues, complaints, or grievances which they wish to address. As broad-striped tribune, it is your duty to see to these. One afternoon, you set up a table in the middle of the worn palace and invite men to come air their grievances before you, and perhaps even raise a case against a fellow soldier.
The wing of the palace which Marius has dispensed to your legion is in need of repairs. Sacked when Mithridates first took this city, it has more than a few areas where the cold outside seeps in. Your men will not be half as effective if they freeze to death.
Important and bad if it's neglected, but doesn't gain us any credit over Cassianus.
[] Armor and Arms: Your men's equipment, though not shoddy by any means, is looking significantly less pristine after a year of traipsing through the Italian countryside. You seek out one of the publicani in Nicomedia to comission a new set of equipment for your men. You may have to pay out of pocket.
Oh boy. Hm, probably a necessity, now or soon. Cassianus may not be able to afford to do this, being a novus homo
[] Maintenance: Though it is the Camp Prefect's duty to ensure maintenance of equipment and materials, you begin to rigidly enforce the proper maintenance of personal weapons and armor. Through reduced rations and corporal punishment, you will force the men to ensure their equipment does not rust or rot.
You begin cracking down on even minor offenses and crimes, making it more than clear that the rule of Rome applies even in her most distant provinces. The men respect a disciplinarian -- but they will never love him.
[] Portents and Signs: You contact the Camp Augur and hold a public augury. Auguries are necessary to determine the fate of any military venture, as men are often nervous marching into battle without a sign from the gods, but if the augury is unfavorable to the campaign, the morale of the legion will be lowered.
Correspondence: As part of your efforts to stay on top of events in Rome, you write to one of your contacts elsewhere in the Republic. With such long travel times, anything you write will take a long time to arrive. However, that does not mean you cannot write. You write to... (response will arrive in 2-3 turns)
--[] Scaevola
--[] Cicero
--[] Atticus
--[] Proserpina
--[] Catiline
--[] Volero
Hm. I don't recommend Scaevola. How about Cicero again?
Personal:
You are now commander of a legion, with little time left for personal frivolities. However, there are a few weeks of winter left before Marius can embark on his great march to reclaim Asia. This affords you more free time than you will likely have for the next few months, or even years. Use it wisely and use it well. Pick six. The calm before the storm
[] Brotherhood: You begin eating your meals with the men, to show them that you stand as one of them, not some aloof aristocrat. They care for you already, but this may well cement it.
Worth considering. If Marius dies, this legion is basically ours, at which point we have to figure out how to not lead it to disaster. We need them to follow us in that case because they're our only real power base.
[] The Consul: You attempt to strike up a conversation with the disgraced consul, Scipio Asiaticus. Confined to his rooms by Marius and publicly humiliated in front of his own men, he sits and stews in silent rage in the halls of the Bithynian kings.
This will be a great idea if we can think of a way to make it work for us. I can't think of a way.
[] The General: Marius. Busy directing a war and writing furious missives back to Rome, the great general has little time for personal frivolities. Yet if you can get him to take a liking to you, your own position in Rome will surely soar. Both Sertorius and Sulla began their rise to power under his wing.
[] The Scipians: Unlike Sertorius, who traveled with a single slave, Scipio has brought along a veritable entourage of slaves, clients, friends, and cronies. These Scipians are largely plebian men of all stripes, and you attempt to integrate yourselves with them in order to learn something more of their new master, Cassianus, who seems to have become a focal point for them -- a novus homo who has risen from their ranks to lead a legion.
[] The Marians: The soldiers and legions now serving under Marius are devoted in their loyalty to the great general. You seek to make connections with these men, and form relationships which may serve you well back in Rome. Perhaps the greatest of these Marians is the legatus Gnaeus Papirus Carbo, legatus of the Seventh Legion and Marius' second in command.
I do not want to be incapacitated by seasickness again.
[] Si Vis Pacem: The Greek city-states in Asia and the Greek mainland have long maintained their independence and autonomy, even as nominal vassals of Rome. You read up on their histories, rivalries, and old friendships, that you might make use of these in your campaign. [] Para Bellum: You begin studying the campaigns against the Macedonians and the Greeks over a century ago, hoping to learn more about Greek tactics, that you might counter them better. [] Res Publica: You study the formations of your own legions, the way Romans fight. After all, you may soon be doing war with Romans -- and what is more Roman than that?
[] The Crone of Bithynia: On the hills outside the city lives a wrinkled old seer, a woman of incredible age whose eyes are blind with years. She is kissed by the sun god, they say, and speaks with tongues of prophecy. Mithridates himself visited her during his time in the city.
[] The Cult: You call together the cult of Mars, hoping to influence the officers and tribunes within towards your viewpoint on the new tribune. (Need to pick either Undermine, Overshadow, or Make Terms above.)
Bithynia, for a time, was the mightiest kingdom in Asia, and Nicomedia was it's crown jewel. By attempting to integrate yourself with the people here and getting to know figures of import, you might lay the ground for better things in the future. [] The King Without A Crown: Nicomedes, last client king of Bithynia, is actually here in the city his fathers ruled and Mithridates forced him from. He has several times brought up the idea of reinstalling him as king, but with Marius busy with other matters, the claimant king is forced to make himself a guest in his own city. You might call upon him. [] The Prince: Bithynia is not short on royalty. Ptolemy, one of the princes of Egypt, long exiled from his native land, made himself a guest of Mithridates and remained in Nicomedia after the city fell to Rome. Famed as a great partier and player of the flute, he has resided in a palatial estate here in the city with his family and retainers. You could pay the heir of the Pharaohs a visit.
All of these bear consideration from a networking perspective, but we should definitely take some study actions. I ALSO recommend "Study Logistics" as a write-in, because that's the kind of detail Marius is likely to foist off upon us.
[] Study: You study the campaigns of Marius in Africa, hoping to learn something about defeating a hostile kingdom while protecting Roman clients. That Marius himself is here does not hurt matters either.
[] Plan Destiny
[] Connect: You make an attempt to connect with him. Cassianus' father was a farmer and his mother a tavern maid -- you come from different worlds, yet if you can form a friendship, or at least an understanding of sorts, it will make both your lives easier in the long run.
[] Promote Centurions: A few centurions and lower-ranking officers left the legion in Rome, their service having ended. Several soldiers who served with distinction during the Samnite campaign may well stand to replace them. Men you raise up may be loyal to you in the future. [] A Law Beyond The Sword: The men often have simple issues, complaints, or grievances which they wish to address. As broad-striped tribune, it is your duty to see to these. One afternoon, you set up a table in the middle of the worn palace and invite men to come air their grievances before you, and perhaps even raise a case against a fellow soldier. [] Brothers in Arms: You strive to mend the frayed relations between the patrician cavalry and the plebian legionnaires, which have grown worse over time.
[] Correspondence
--[] Cicero
[] The Marians: The soldiers and legions now serving under Marius are devoted in their loyalty to the great general. You seek to make connections with these men, and form relationships which may serve you well back in Rome. Perhaps the greatest of these Marians is the legatus Gnaeus Papirus Carbo, legatus of the Seventh Legion and Marius' second in command. [] Si Vis Pacem: The Greek city-states in Asia and the Greek mainland have long maintained their independence and autonomy, even as nominal vassals of Rome. You read up on their histories, rivalries, and old friendships, that you might make use of these in your campaign. [] Para Bellum: You begin studying the campaigns against the Macedonians and the Greeks over a century ago, hoping to learn more about Greek tactics, that you might counter them better. [] Study: You study the campaigns of Marius in Africa, hoping to learn something about defeating a hostile kingdom while protecting Roman clients. That Marius himself is here does not hurt matters either. [] The Crone of Bithynia: On the hills outside the city lives a wrinkled old seer, a woman of incredible age whose eyes are blind with years. She is kissed by the sun god, they say, and speaks with tongues of prophecy. Mithridates himself visited her during his time in the city. [] The Prince: Bithynia is not short on royalty. Ptolemy, one of the princes of Egypt, long exiled from his native land, made himself a guest of Mithridates and remained in Nicomedia after the city fell to Rome. Famed as a great partier and player of the flute, he has resided in a palatial estate here in the city with his family and retainers. You could pay the heir of the Pharaohs a visit.
I do not want to miss this opportunity to make contact with some foreign royalty, it might come useful In the future.
The Crone might provide us hints that may prove instrumental to our success and might help in avoiding our death. At least of we can figure out what the prophecy means.
Marians because it will help us make connections, and may let us learn more about Marius. Will prpbably be helpful of we try meeting Marius Himself later.
This is a bad place and time for writing to our mentor dude. So Cicero it is.
[] Befriend But Outdo
-[] Connect: You make an attempt to connect with him. Cassianus' father was a farmer and his mother a tavern maid -- you come from different worlds, yet if you can form a friendship, or at least an understanding of sorts, it will make both your lives easier in the long run. -[] Promote Centurions: A few centurions and lower-ranking officers left the legion in Rome, their service having ended. Several soldiers who served with distinction during the Samnite campaign may well stand to replace them. Men you raise up may be loyal to you in the future. -[] A Law Beyond The Sword: The men often have simple issues, complaints, or grievances which they wish to address. As broad-striped tribune, it is your duty to see to these. One afternoon, you set up a table in the middle of the worn palace and invite men to come air their grievances before you, and perhaps even raise a case against a fellow soldier. -[] Brothers in Arms: You strive to mend the frayed relations between the patrician cavalry and the plebian legionnaires, which have grown worse over time.
-[] Scaevola -[] Brotherhood: You begin eating your meals with the men, to show them that you stand as one of them, not some aloof aristocrat. They care for you already, but this may well cement it. -[] Seafaring: Rufus had some damned scroll about the sea and Hannibal and boats. In your spare time, you flick through it. -[] Si Vis Pacem: The Greek city-states in Asia and the Greek mainland have long maintained their independence and autonomy, even as nominal vassals of Rome. You read up on their histories, rivalries, and old friendships, that you might make use of these in your campaign. -[] Para Bellum: You begin studying the campaigns against the Macedonians and the Greeks over a century ago, hoping to learn more about Greek tactics, that you might counter them better. -[] Res Publica: You study the formations of your own legions, the way Romans fight. After all, you may soon be doing war with Romans -- and what is more Roman than that? -[] Study: You study the campaigns of Marius in Africa, hoping to learn something about defeating a hostile kingdom while protecting Roman clients. That Marius himself is here does not hurt matters either.
[] Harden Position and Social Linking
-[] Make Terms: You sit down with your new compatriot and hash out the details of your new positions -- who will do what, where, and when, and who will be command of what and where. -[] Promote Centurions: A few centurions and lower-ranking officers left the legion in Rome, their service having ended. Several soldiers who served with distinction during the Samnite campaign may well stand to replace them. Men you raise up may be loyal to you in the future. -[] A Law Beyond The Sword: The men often have simple issues, complaints, or grievances which they wish to address. As broad-striped tribune, it is your duty to see to these. One afternoon, you set up a table in the middle of the worn palace and invite men to come air their grievances before you, and perhaps even raise a case against a fellow soldier. -[] Brothers in Arms: You strive to mend the frayed relations between the patrician cavalry and the plebian legionnaires, which have grown worse over time.
--[] Scaevola -[] The Marians: The soldiers and legions now serving under Marius are devoted in their loyalty to the great general. You seek to make connections with these men, and form relationships which may serve you well back in Rome. Perhaps the greatest of these Marians is the legatus Gnaeus Papirus Carbo, legatus of the Seventh Legion and Marius' second in command. -[] The Crone of Bithynia: On the hills outside the city lives a wrinkled old seer, a woman of incredible age whose eyes are blind with years. She is kissed by the sun god, they say, and speaks with tongues of prophecy. Mithridates himself visited her during his time in the city. -[] The Cult: You call together the cult of Mars, hoping to influence the officers and tribunes within towards your viewpoint on the new tribune. (Need to pick either Undermine, Overshadow, or Make Terms above.)
-[] The General -[] The Prince: Bithynia is not short on royalty. Ptolemy, one of the princes of Egypt, long exiled from his native land, made himself a guest of Mithridates and remained in Nicomedia after the city fell to Rome. Famed as a great partier and player of the flute, he has resided in a palatial estate here in the city with his family and retainers. You could pay the heir of the Pharaohs a visit. -[] Study: You study the campaigns of Marius in Africa, hoping to learn something about defeating a hostile kingdom while protecting Roman clients. That Marius himself is here does not hurt matters either.
[] Plan Publicola
...and I basically got ninja'd by Plan Make Connections and Study. Oh well; there are at least some differences in the 'Personal' actions.
The Consul's Heir (pick one)
[] Connect: You make an attempt to connect with him. Cassianus' father was a farmer and his mother a tavern maid -- you come from different worlds, yet if you can form a friendship, or at least an understanding of sorts, it will make both your lives easier in the long run.
Highest upside (get the guy with incredible charisma on our side), and we should have a pretty good shot at succeeding thanks to the presence of Theo. Still chancy as heck, though.
Master of the Cohorts (pick three)
[] Promote Centurions: A few centurions and lower-ranking officers left the legion in Rome, their service having ended. Several soldiers who served with distinction during the Samnite campaign may well stand to replace them. Men you raise up may be loyal to you in the future. [] A Law Beyond The Sword: The men often have simple issues, complaints, or grievances which they wish to address. As broad-striped tribune, it is your duty to see to these. One afternoon, you set up a table in the middle of the worn palace and invite men to come air their grievances before you, and perhaps even raise a case against a fellow soldier. [] Brothers in Arms: You strive to mend the frayed relations between the patrician cavalry and the plebian legionnaires, which have grown worse over time.
These three are the most important, for securing the loyalty of the legion and ensuring it operates smoothly and efficiently. Everything else, Cassianus can take care of.
Correspondence: (response will arrive in 2-3 turns)
--[] Cicero
Cicero is our long-term priority, to boost our Intelligence score as well as hear from (again) the best letter-writer in history about events going on elsewhere in the Republic. Cicero basically is a spynet, all unto himself, solely based on how much he includes in each letter. If we want to learn news of Sertorius, or battles in Gaul, or get insight into events going on in Rome -- Cicero is our man. I'll admit Scaevola is tempting, due to his history and connections in the region of Asia Minor, but I believe Cicero is worth more to us.
Personal: (pick six)
[] The Scipians: Unlike Sertorius, who traveled with a single slave, Scipio has brought along a veritable entourage of slaves, clients, friends, and cronies. These Scipians are largely plebian men of all stripes, and you attempt to integrate yourselves with them in order to learn something more of their new master, Cassianus, who seems to have become a focal point for them -- a novus homo who has risen from their ranks to lead a legion. [] Seafaring: Rufus had some damned scroll about the sea and Hannibal and boats. In your spare time, you flick through it. [] Si Vis Pacem: The Greek city-states in Asia and the Greek mainland have long maintained their independence and autonomy, even as nominal vassals of Rome. You read up on their histories, rivalries, and old friendships, that you might make use of these in your campaign. [] The Crone of Bithynia: On the hills outside the city lives a wrinkled old seer, a woman of incredible age whose eyes are blind with years. She is kissed by the sun god, they say, and speaks with tongues of prophecy. Mithridates himself visited her during his time in the city. [] The Prince: Bithynia is not short on royalty. Ptolemy, one of the princes of Egypt, long exiled from his native land, made himself a guest of Mithridates and remained in Nicomedia after the city fell to Rome. Famed as a great partier and player of the flute, he has resided in a palatial estate here in the city with his family and retainers. You could pay the heir of the Pharaohs a visit. [] Study: You study the campaigns of Marius in Africa, hoping to learn something about defeating a hostile kingdom while protecting Roman clients. That Marius himself is here does not hurt matters either.
This was tough. 'Study' and 'Seafaring' should be basically locked -- we need to understand Marius to be a good subordinate, and if we want to have any hope of making a good impression on him later, and we need to not get sea-sick so we actually succeed at future actions taken while traveling by sea. I believe we should consult the 'Crone of Bithynia' -- I like our tradition of consulting major oracles and religious figures at each region we visit, and I think the information will be useful both in- and out-of-character.
Given the collapse of Asiaticus and the rise of Cassanius, I think we should pick the 'Scipians' to figure out what's going on with them, both to learn about Cassanius (which should help our odds for the 'Connect'/make friends option), to see if Cassanius or Asiaticus have any weaknesses, and figure out if we can pry anyone out of that faction and into our supporters.
Given that we'll only be in Nicomedia for a short time, I believe we should take the opportunity to meet the once-and-future Pharaoh -- Egypt is the single biggest treasure chest in the entire Mediterranean, and even if it comes to nothing, we'd at least gain information about what's going on in Egypt (it's also give us influence in the future: if/when we interact with the next Pharaoh, we can talk about our friendship with his father...).
Finally, given the choice between 'Si Vis Pacem' and 'Para Bellum', I think the more immediate priority should be the peaceful/diplomacy one -- we're unlikely to immediately engage in battle upon leaving the city. I expect we'll spend a few turns moving around, visiting various cities to sway them to Rome, just as we did in Samnium. We can pick up the 'wage war against Greeks' option next turn.
So, one one had our attempt to ingratiate ourselves with the consul failed, badly. on the other, out of sheer serendipity, that no longer matters as much
I do think we need to approach [] The Scipians if only because I fear the Consul might try something and keeping an ear thhere might be of help if he decides to do something ill advised
I say this, but in hindsight with that one message with Marius being infuriated that he only got one legion, it's probably for the best that we didn't take that option. We don't know what the DC for Sertorius persuading them would have been, but I can't imagine it would have been easy.
Well, no. He controls a bunch of slaves, hangers-on, and flunkies. We have strong professional and interpersonal relationships with the legion's senior officers. Not the same thing.
a
Paying out of our own pocket for legion stuff should ingratiate legion more to us. As should getting more centurions - in fact, we need centurions anyway, what kind of legion does not have full officer cadre?
No. Studying Greek gives us Intelligence XP. Because it is, proverbially, a difficult language to master, and is mentally challenging, along with being the language in which much scholarship is done in this era.
Okay, I didn't realize our slim our odds were -- that DC 18 was always going to be insanely tough to beat. Even with our +8 bonus, we had at best a 50% chance of success. This affects our choices for Personal Actions this turn, since Asiaticus is going to be just as tough a nut to crack (if not tougher due to his 'seething with resentment') while seeking out Marius will be even harder to research success (most likely a harsher DC given his extra importance, he distrusts us due to our relationship with Sertorius, I doubt we'd get a bonus for 'Old Blood', and he's not an Orator... we're never going to succeed at that action!)
Also an incredibly important passage for what it reveals about Cassianus. "The young man seems quite confident for someone who has just seen his patron -- the source of his influence in Rome -- taken apart and disregarded in the space of minutes." This should be a BIG HUGE NEON RED WARNING LIGHT for us. Cassianus is transparently a political creature: born to the common man, flattered his way to become the son of a consul of Rome, possessing such self-confidence that when his patron is shredded to pieces in front of him by the most powerful man in the known world, he doesn't skip a beat. That's... that's actually really intimidating, is what it is. We have the loyalty of the legion for the moment, but Cassianus is precisely the sort of person who could take that away from us. We must tread very carefully here.
Betting the fucker has Gift of Apollo or Gift of Hermes.
Okay, big responsibility, time to shine. Not that any option we don't pick, Cassanius will; we should keep our eye not only on what benefits the legion, or what benefits us, but also what options Cassanius could use to shore us his support among our men. Even if those options don't improve our position, denying them to Cassanius may prove necessary.
Well, to be fair, some of the options may be things Cassianus can't or won't do. For example, he may not have the money to equip the legion since he probably started with a smaller nest egg. He may have trouble winning over the cavalry due to his background. And so on.
Huge expense for little return -- our equipment looks less pristine, but it's still usable, and paying out of pocket to equip an entire legion would absolutely break the bank.
On the other hand, shoddy equipment is bad all around,
This one has huge upside (it's frickin' Marius!) but equally huge downside (if Sulla wins, we do not want to be strongly associated with Marius). More importantly, I'd expect the DC would be ludicrously high, so our odds of actually getting Marius to like us is really slim. Probable pass.
I mean, we're fighting as Legion co-commander directly below Marius in his war against Sulla. I think the fence sitting has officially ended at this point. We can argue the point of whether we're a Marian all we want, but if Sulla wins we're probably going to be killed in his purge, provided we don't fall in the field.
Seems like a mistake to pass up opportunities to try and avoid being seen as being on the side of the leader of our political faction. Especially when said leader will almost certainly notice we're avoiding it, and our new co-commander will probably be looking to upgrade patrons now his has been excoriated like that.
Oh, also Marius just stripped a Consul of Imperium. This terrifies me and I hope he dies right after beating Sulla. He's too dangerous to the stability of the Republic.
That would important to note, if our equipment was actually shoddy. But "not pristine" doesn't sound to me like important enough to do immediately. Maybe after another few battles.
I mean, we're fighting as Legion co-commander directly below Marius in his war against Sulla. I think the fence sitting has officially ended at this point. We can argue the point of whether we're a Marian all we want, but if Sulla wins we're probably going to be killed in his purge, provided we don't fall in the field.
Not really. We're not in the war against Sulla right now, after all, but against Mithridates. We're not gonna be proscribed just for being under Marius while the Senate assigned us to fight enemies of Rome, especially if we bring a legion with us.
Not really. We're not in the war against Sulla right now, after all, but against Mithridates. We're not gonna be proscribed just for being under Marius while the Senate assigned us to fight enemies of Rome, especially if we bring a legion with us.
That is the thinnest of political fig leaves. Everyone knows this is really a three way war. Sulla hates Marius too much to care that we are technically just doing our job.
It's also worth pointing out that we are a Populares, and we should probably start working that angle at some point.
@Telamon, would studying seafaring actually help us avoid getting sea-sick? It seems a bit unintuitive that knowledge about seafaring would have any effect on whether or not we get sea-sick.
There are three one-time-only actions that we can take while we're in Nicomedia. We should pick at least one, given that these opportunities will no longer be available after this turn, once we leave the city.
[] The City of the Kings of Asia: Bithynia, for a time, was the mightiest kingdom in Asia, and Nicomedia was it's crown jewel. By attempting to integrate yourself with the people here and getting to know figures of import, you might lay the ground for better things in the future.
This seems like a generic action, though potentially very promising. Bithynia as a whole, and Nicomedia in particular, were and will be very important for the whole region, so learning about the city and its people could be very useful in the long-run.
[] The King Without A Crown: Nicomedes, last client king of Bithynia, is actually here in the city his fathers ruled and Mithridates forced him from. He has several times brought up the idea of reinstalling him as king, but with Marius busy with other matters, the claimant king is forced to make himself a guest in his own city. You might call upon him.
...Okay, I figured out who this is. And we should avoid this action like the plague. Here is Nicomedes. He's king of Bithynia, and he's gay. That in itself isn't the problem. The problem is, he's king, he's a pederast, and Roman culture does not approve of being the junior partner in a homosexual relationship. (Basically: it's manly to penetrate, but it's womanly to be penetrated). Julius Caesar came to Nicomedia c. 80 BC, and spent a lot of time in the company of Nicomedes... and suffered slurs and slanders for it for his entire career. ("Julius Caesar laid Gaul low. Nicomedes laid Caesar low" -- that sort of thing). And that was Julius Caesar, who only overcame that reputational hit by being Julius frickin' Caesar. We're not a minor charisma deity, so we have no chance. If we spend time with Nicomedes, we'll be in danger of getting tarred with the same brush. Let's stay far far away.
[] The Prince: Bithynia is not short on royalty. Ptolemy, one of the princes of Egypt, long exiled from his native land, made himself a guest of Mithridates and remained in Nicomedia after the city fell to Rome. Famed as a great partier and player of the flute, he has resided in a palatial estate here in the city with his family and retainers. You could pay the heir of the Pharaohs a visit.
Ptolemy is a Pharaoh. Egypt is the biggest prize in the entire Mediterranean -- there's a reason Julius Caesar and Antony and Octavian all fought over Egypt. This particular Ptolemy is probably not long for the world, but meeting him will gain us influence and information about Egypt, and pave the way for future actions to draw that land into our orbit. This is much more long-term (delayed gratification) than touring the city of Nicomedia, but the upside is significantly greater.
There are three one-time-only actions that we can take while we're in Nicomedia. We should pick at least one, given that these opportunities will no longer be available after this turn, once we leave the city.
I think we should pick 1 and 2. Getting better knowledge of Greek society and a client King would be a serious boon in our efforts to personally reintegrate Greece into the Hegemony.
I'm abit stressed for time, but here some quick notes from me:
1) I think either Connect or Make Terms is the way to go, subsequently we should then pick either The Scipians or The Cult to go along with that choice.
2) I would strongly argue for Training over A Law Beyond The Sword. For it appears likely that Cassianus will pick actions we left out, especially if we go with Make Terms. Regardless, I would rather be in charge of training the legion since we have already proven our skill at law to the men.
3) If we plan to do Correspondence with Scaevola for more information on these provinces, then we should do it now. Otherwise any information will probably arrive too late.
4) Both The General and Si Vis Pacem appear to have some nice synergies with Study. I also see some synergy between Para Bellum (or the IMO for now less relevant Res Publica) and Training.
Plans are gonna be hard this turn... every way I look at it I have to leave out important Personal actions. I guess we might not need Seafaring that much while we march our legion through Asia Minor...
@Telamon Will the Find Your Sea Legs roll always look like this? Or was it especially harsh, due to it being our first time one a boat?
That is the thinnest of political fig leaves. Everyone knows this is really a three way war. Sulla hates Marius too much to care that we are technically just doing our job.
Except no, Sulla is not a mad dog and he will not be killing everyone with barest connection to Marius. Especially if it's a young and promising Optimate officer from a patrician family out of power, much like Sulla himself was once. And especially not if we bring the VI with us - do you think Sulla is going to kill Fimbria, should he bring half a legion with him?
