This is going to be a 'Campaign RP', where I simply play a campaign and dramatise everything that happens.

The ever detailed main plot line, is of course, to take 50 regions including Rome.

There will be several more sub-plots which will tie in with developments in the campaign.

The POV will alternate between characters, but will mainly follow those involved in military campaigns. For my own sanity if nothing else.

Battle numbers will have a 0 added to them ('cause 500 vs 1000 isn't as exciting as 5,000 vs 10,000)

Enjoy!

CAMPAIGN - SO FAR.

240BC. Carthage.

The current ruler of the Carthaginian empire is experienced leader, Hasdrubal. He currently resides in Carthage, governing an empire that stretches from southern Iberia, to central Italy. Island territories are steadily funding the militaristic demands of an ambitious empire, with Palma and Caralis acting as key trading cities. Carthage, Croton, Capua and Tarentum produce courageous and aggressive armies for the campaign in Italia.

The empire is operating steady. With Hasdrubal governing the administrative side of an empire, the income of denarii far exceeds what is being spent. Veteran general and faction heir Theages resides in Italia, not yet satisfied with his conquests. He is the bane of the Roman families' existance, but perhaps the bane of those closer to home. There are murmurs of greed and mentions of a desire for personal power rippling through Hasdrubal's council. Hasdrubal, aged 75 and unless by the grace of Baal, has no real time left as the Carthaginian empire's ruler. Theages is poised to take control, and those close to Hasdrubal distrust this man, who is loved by the people and his soldiers.

There are two powers left in Italia. The Julii family and the Carthaginians. The Senate remain sandwiched between two powers, who are both looking at Roma with an undying hunger. Marcus Maxentius remains cautious, lingering outside the walls of Roma with a huge army. The Senate's leader is more than ready for a fight to the death. Theages and his second in command, captain Himras, are on the border between Campania and Latinum.

All it'll take is one order, to bring the Roman empire crumbling down. And the Carthaginian empire too.

SIGNIFICANT DETAILS

Theages is renowned across Europa for his conquests against the Romans. The general, who is just as involved in the fighting as his soldiers are, has taken four cities from Roman hands. Messana, Syracuse, Tarentum and Capua have all fallen to the Carthaginians. And every time, Theages has been leading the army. His first battle was recorded in the history books for all to see.

On the plains of Sicilia Poeni, Theages of Carthage met with Aulus Scipio. The Roman army, who were confident from their defeat of the Greeks at Syracuse, posed an idle threat to Lilybaeum. Theages pleaded with the late Hanno to be given an army to go on the attack, to take the fight to the Romans. Hanno agreed, admiring the ambition shown by the general. In 263BC, Theages and Aulus Scipio did battle. The 8,000 fresh faced men of Carthage were the aggressors, with Scipio happy enough to defend the Roman lands behind him.

Aulus had 11,000 experienced soldiers under his command. Perhaps some were still recovering from the battle with the Greeks at Syracuse, but they still would fight with the Roman grit the world has come to know. The bulk of Theages's force was made up of Round Shield Cavalry, recruited in the town of Lilybaeum. They had not experienced combat before and Theages knew this. A defeat here would leave Lilybaeum incredibly vulnerable to Scipii attack and a declaration of war would have been for nothing.

But Theages was confident. He knew the enemy army was tired. His spies had recorded troop numbers and had advised him to call for reinforcements from Hanno. And Theages did. Hanno sent one unit in response to Theages's call, a unit sent to destroy formations and terrify any mortal man. The elephants. Morale in the Carthaginian camp was boosted. The soldiers marvelled in the elephants and their riders, sensing this had turned the tide before the battle was fought. Then the day came.

The two armies met, Theages in the west and Aulus in the east. Theages had Carthaginian independence and his own honour to lose, while Aulus had the Roman influence in Sicily to gamble. Both sides had plenty to lose. An interesting account came from a soldier in the Carthaginian ranks, stating how relaxed yet confident they were: 'The men sang songs during the evening and happily talked to each other. It did not seem they were marching on an army of Roma the next day, but were almost preparing for a victory parade in Carthage'.

The armies fought for hours. Blood stained the grass of Sicily. Bodies were hacked messily apart as blades ran dull. Fighting became jagged as energy levels became sapped. Thousands of bodies lay scattered across the landscape. Some wore the armour of the Carthaginians. Most wore the armour of the Scipii. In his first battle against an experienced general, Theages was the victor. He had lost half of his men, but had decorated the Sicilian fields with the bodies of 10,500 Romans. It was a crushing defeat for Aulus.

Hanno noted Theages's tactical brilliance. He sent out more reinforcements in the form of Iberian infantry. It left Lilybaeum notably weakened, but along with those reinforcements Hanno sent a message. It was a message of faith in Theages, with encouragement to conquer the Scipii dogs who infested Sicily. Theages had already made plans to unite Sicily under the banner of Carthage. Now he had Hanno's blessing, the war would be supported by the people and soldiers. Messana was next.

Cornelius Scipio, leader of the Scipii family, had been so confident in Aulus's abilities, that he had left a merely one thousand to garrison Messana. When the Carthaginian men's roars and the stomps of the elephants could be heard, Cornelius sent out one last order to his men in Syracuse. Prepare for Carthage. Messana was taken within hours. Cornelius was executed by Theages and all Roman inhabitants were put to the sword. Word reached Hanno of Theages's victory and the ruler of Carthage began preparing armies from Carthage and Lilybaeum for the general to utilise.

Syracuse was next on the radar. Theages understood if he took his army to Syracuse, Messana could easily fall back into Scipii hands. On his own authority, he commanded a navy be built in Lilybaeum's port. And one was swiftly built. As his armies left Messana, the navy moved towards Capua, the Scipii's capital. This bold move, with a strong navy to back it, ensured the waters around Messana were guarded and protected from a naval invasion.

The army of Messana marched out from their new home and onto Syracuse. The Romans had more troops stationed here, due to Cornelius's last order. This did not deter Theages. If anything, it was another challenge for him to excel at. The siege of Syracuse did not last long, as the Roman's within sallied forth to attack the besiegers. It was a slaughter. Five thousand men of Carthage against three thousand Romans. The Carthaginian losses didn't even reach a thousand, but all Roman troops were killed. Theages rounded up the Roman citizens and executed them. There were some Greeks who had remained in Syracuse, after pledging loyalty to Aulus. Much against Theages's wishes, an alliance had been formed years ago between the Greek City States and Carthage. He opted for a more lighter punishment and banished the citizens from Sicily, demanding they return to Greece.

The following 15 years (from 255BC-240BC) were marked as the golden years for Carthaginian expansion. Despite Hanno's death of natural causes, the Carthaginians flourished under Hasdrubal, becoming a rich and advanced civilisation. His focus on infrastructure allowed Carthage to become one of the biggest players in trading. Hasdrubal struck an alliance with Spain, while ensuring Corduba would be secure against a potential betrayal. He solidified Carthage's hold on Sicily, with Lilybaeum, Messana and Syracuse all having their own significant garrison. Trade was established with Macedon and Gaul, bringing in a wealth of unique objects.

Theages, however, was waiting for the next battle. He had his sights firmly on southern Italia, wanting to take Tarentum and Croton. He sent messenger after messenger to Hasdrubal in Carthage, begging the new ruler to allow him his conquest. It took years for Hasdrubal to agree, but in those years he had been creating an army fit for Theages's needs and wants. A fresh army, shipped from Carthage and topped up with troops from Messana and Syracuse, were joined by Theages as they landed in southwest Bruttium. On top of the army, Hasdrubal had made Theages his heir to the throne of Carthage. Theages was honoured to be present with the role. But Hasdrubal and those close to him, found it as a way of monitoring Theages.

The siege of Croton was next, though Theages was made to wait. The Numidians had attacked Thapsus, but they were able to be repelled. There was a war with Numidia to deal with back home. Theages volunteered to return, more out of protocol than his own will. Hasdrubal instead told Theages to remain in Italia and dealt with the Numidians on his own. It gave Hasdrubal a reason to expand into northern Africa. Lepcis Magna was taken from the Numidians, as was Tingi. Cirta, Dimmidi and Nepte were left alone. Hasdrubal knew the Numidians posed no immediate threat to him. Theages did.

Croton fell and in the following years Tarentum did too. The Brutii were cut off from Italia, with Apollonia and Thermon their only remaining cities. Theages could keep the south free from invasion with the navy that kept the Scipii at bay. And so he did. Brutii navies were hunted and destroyed by the Carthaginian navy. Theages set his sights on Roma, as well as anything in his path. Even the city of Capua. The events there are recorded as 'tragoediam Capuae', the tragedy of Capua. Theages, as faction heir, commissioned an army to be built in Tarentum and Croton. It took time, but an army arose out of the cities. Theages entrusted the leadership of this second army to close friend and experienced soldier, Himras.

The pair marched up north, until the last bastion of Scipii hope lay in the path to Roma. The discussion about their next move took an hour, according to the journal of Himras. Capua would fall. Theages and Himras took their armies and surrounded Capua, but not soon enough to stop a Scipii messenger begging the Senate and the Julii for aid. None would come. The siege lasted two years, before Theages grew impatient. He did not need the last remaining Scipii generals to surrender.

Hasdrubal received word that Theages and Himras were moving in to take Capua. In council with his most trusted advisers, Hasdrubal was told that Theages had become dangerously popular. He was almost in a position of being able to overthrow Hasdrubal, if he so wished, with the support of the people. Hasdrubal was a good leader and had engineered Carthage into a prosperous, flourishing empire. He knew he still had the support of the people and armies, thus he decided to leave the Theages situation alone.

The Carthaginian armies of Theages and Himras finally attacked Capua. Two sapping points were used by Theages, while Himras sent his men up onto the walls with ladders. Theages's army was mainly compromised of Long Shield Cavalry. He had two units of Mercenary Hoplites, three units of Iberian Infantry, two units of Libyan Spearmen, three units of Round Shield Cavalry and his elephants. It didn't take long for the southern walls of Capua to come tumbling down, and for Himras's men to take the eastern walls. Both met resistance within the city, though Himras was the first to clear the walls of a Scipii presence. In the fighting, Theages lost all but two of his elephants. However, terrified of the amount of Scipii troops surrounding them, they ran amok. They charged head on into Theages's Hoplites, disrupting their formation and causing them to rout. The elephants stormed out through the gap in the wall, but their riders dug their dagger into the back of their skull. Theages had lost his prized asset.

Theages and his cavalry, plus all his infantry, charged into the city, determined to destroy what infantry opposed them. The cavalry cut down the routers, while his infantry battled with a combination of Velites and Principes. Theages and his cavalry swept through the empty streets of Capua, forming up at the town's square. The remnants of the Scipii army stood at the square, staring the Carthaginians down. They knew this was their last fight. Himras was making his way through the city, though not nearly as quickly as Theages had done.

Four generals of the Scipii, faction leader and heir included, stood before Theages. With a cry, they ran at the Carthaginian cavalry. This bold move caught Theages off guard, and he lost some of his Long Shields. Through their numbers, the Carthaginian cavalry engulfed the Roman generals and began to slaughter them. Horses shrieked with pain, horsemen bellowed. But one by one, the Scipii generals were killed. This signalled the end of the battle. This was a small part of the tragedy.

Theages commanded his troops to go through the houses and bring out the survivors of the attack. Men, women and children were gathered in the public square. Widows cried over the bodies of their husbands, children clutched the armour of their fathers and fathers wept over the passing of their sons. Himras told of the events in a journal he kept:

'FALL OF CAPUA -

Theages has been the greatest leader Carthage has ever seen. He regarded himself as Hanno's student, but I wonder how much Hanno could have learned from Theages. Though today, during this massacre, this murder, was something Hanno would have been ashamed of.

He made the survivors gather in the square, while the blood was still fresh and the bodies had not began to reek. My troops had their celebrations cut short, as Theages made us surround the square. I ran to him, questioning what he was thinking. I have never seen such a fire burn so strong in the eyes of man. Now, seeing that blood stained face, I understand why no man, no king, no God, had stood in his way.

He was a brutal leader. We respected him, as soldiers. He was brave and would fight by our side, seeing us complete great victories. He would share laughs, songs, tales of battles we had not been a part of. If he took away his horse, you would not think he was a general. But it was at that moment, being on the receiving end of his glare, one that could have only come from Baal himself! He took out his knife and gestured to the citizens, who were still crying and screaming for their loved ones to come back. He spoke. 'We will honour the dead's wants, by letting you join them!'. He then ordered the troops to slaughter them.

My men looked to me. They had not experienced Theages as a commander. By the time they looked back to the citizens, war cries echoed in the square as his infantry circled the citizens and murdered them. Every person, woman and child, died. My men watched. Shocked. Stunned. They couldn't believe what they had seen. The troops who committed the atrocity dispersed, returning to their formations. It was routine for them'.

Of course it did not take long for Hasdrubal to receive word of Theages's actions. Despite being 72, Hasdrubal descended into a fit of rage, hurling his prized possessions across his chambers. A servant was knocked unconscious, while three received injuries. As sudden as this was, Hasdrubal sat on the floor, burying his face in his hands. He again turned to his closest advisers, asking if Theages should be punished. To his surprised, all of his advisers said no. They believed Theages had control over the armies in Sicily and Italia, more than Hasdrubal did. To deny Theages his right to be heir and his eventual rule, would incense the soldiers and the people. If Theages was stripped of his power, the empire would be thrown into chaos.

Instead, Hasdrubal picked the elite of Carthage, forming a battalion for Theages to use. Four units of Long Shield Cavalry, along with four units of Sacred Band hoplites. He sent them over to Italia, almost like they were an offering to Theages. These troops integrated into Theages's army, with the general giving some of his original troops to Himras. The men were in awe of the hoplites, relishing the opportunity to be in their presence. Theages and Himras decided the time was now to strike at Roma.

And this leaves us with where we are now. Theages, aged 53 and still faction heir to the Carthaginian empire, waits on the border between Roma and Capua in Campania. Theages commands 12,740 men, while Himras has 12,910 men. Both armies will strike Roma, hoping their spy on the inside can open the gates when the attack is sounded. Hasdrubal awaits word of Theages's result, sensing that a victory at Roma for Theages, may mean defeat for himself at Carthage.

SIGNIFICANT REST OF WORLD DETAILS -

Britannia have had a massive offensive through Gaul and northern Spain. They have stripped the Gallic tribes of all their lands, destroying them single handedly. They also possess the city of Numantia, deep in Iberian territory. Spain have responded with hostility, declaring war on Britannia and sieging Numantia. They were beaten by the Britannian hordes. Is there a war brewing between Carthage and Britannia?

Germania has one of the largest empires at the moment. Their lands stretch from Vicus Venedae all the way to Lugdunum, including Campus Iazyges. They are not yet at war with Britannia, sharing a border along Alesia. Could they be turned against their neighbours through diplomacy?

Carthage has lost an ally in the form of the Greek City States. Through Macedonian resilience and a Brutii invasion, the Greeks lost control of Thermon and Athens, failing to take Larissa and Corinth in desperate military offensives. Eventually, the people were enraged against their rulers and threw them out of their cities. This led to the people taking control of cities, such as Sparta, Kydonia and Rhodes. The Greek City States were destroyed.

Pontus have created a solid empire in the east. They have taken control of all Asia Minor, bar Tarsus. They are at war with the Armenians, who have not come out of their shells. However, Armenia possess a strong army. Despite this a long term war would not be possible for the Armenians. To the south, Egypt has amassed an empire to rival Pontus. Outside Tarsus remains a large Pontic force, angry that Egyptian troops have stolen what they believe to be their city. Could this be the spark to start a deadly war between two major powers?

The Seleucids could not hold off the forces of the east for long. Seleucia was their last remaining city, with a large force guarding it to their last breath. The Parthians, unsatisfied with what they had, attacked the city. Their first attack failed, but had weakened the Seleucids to only leave half their men. Parthia would come again, this time with a force bigger than the Seleucids. They took the city without suffering significant losses. This was the end of the Seleucid Empire. However, the people of Seleucia hated their new leaders. Within two years of taking Seleucia, the Parthian rulers were kicked out. Seleucia remains a free city, though probably not for much longer.

The Macedonians are locked in a war with both the Thracians and the Brutii. They are yet to lose a territory, though Bylazora is currently being sieged by the Thracians. Interestingly enough, the Macedonians have a small foothold in Africa, with Cyrene being Macedonian. This led to a war with the Numidians.

Finally, the last remaining Roman family, the Julii. They control the north of Italia, after defeating the Gallic armies at Patavium and Mediolanium. They also were able to put a Julii banner over Segesta and Massilia. They have several large forces near Arretium and Ariminum. While they are still loyal to the Senate, do they sense a chance to take Roma for themselves?

Campania, 240BC.
Theages's Camp

It was a bitter evening. The sun had been swept away by the clouds as the wind sunk into the camp. It howled outside, screeching at the soldiers, disrupting any plans for sleep. There was an unrivalled excitement brewing in camp, yet the chills in the air brought the men to their senses. There was one man who knew of the challenges they all faced.

Theages sat in his tent, candles burning nearby. They illuminated the tent sufficiently. A dark red carpet lay under his feet, covering the grass below. A white rug was the centerpiece of the tent, a show of importance and riches. Troops hollered outside, laughing and mingling through the sat on a wooden stool, studying a map of Italia on a small table. Tarentum, Croton and Capua did not resist his might. Nor did Sicily. The veteran general smirked to himself, his index finger tapping on a part of the map labelled 'Roma'.

"Do you think it's possible?" Theages looked up from the map to his tents entrance, where captain Himras stood. His entrance was subtle but had not gone unnoticed. The captain stood for a moment, stirring on the answer. Theages waved the question out of the air, pointing to a seat opposite his, "Sit." Himras obeyed, taking a seat opposite his general. Theages studied his face for a moment. Something seemed off about him, "Something on your mind, Himras?" The general leant forward, eyes refusing to leave Himras's face. The captain shuffled in his seat, the stool suddenly becoming uncomfortable,

"Capua, sir," Himras began. Theages hummed knowingly, "What happened there...none of my men had seen that before-nor had I." Himras held eye contact with Theages, silently demanding an explanation. Theages tensed his jaw as he stood,

"Aulus Scipio, the first Roman dog I fought," He slowly walked around the centre of the tent, pacing up and down. Himras's eyes followed, but he remained seated, "While he was on Carthaginian lands, those unfortunate enough to live in the villages bordered with Messana and Syracuse-" he paused, guiding his focus back to Himras, "-they suffered more than our troops that day. The men were rounded up, old and young. Aulus killed them himself. Murdering hundreds in cold blood," Theages sighed as he sat down on the rug, still staring at Himras. There was a blank expression on the general's face. But not in his eyes, "The women...the Roman scum were told to do what they wish," he spat out his words. They left a sour taste in his mouth, "And the children were taken back to be slaves. Some were told to take poison by their parents. To think, Himras, no Roman stood up to their leaders. None demanded change, none questioned such methods-"

"What did Hanno think, when it happened in Messana?" Himras asked quietly. The captain knew of the immense respect Theages had for Hanno, also knowing how much respect Hanno had for Theages,

"Hanno, he-" A look of admiration swept across Theages's face, "-he gave me one order. One order I was to obey until I died. For every one we have lost, kill one hundred of them," The words dripped out of his mouth, venomous to the subject of such hate. Himras looked away from the general, pinching his nose briefly, "That is why, Himras, we do not flatter that filth of a people. We are claiming vengeance." Nothing but the dripping of the wax could be heard. The wind faded to silence, though the chills in the air doubled. Theages returned to his stool, bringing himself closer to the map. Himras was still looking off into space, feeling the weight of Theages's gaze upon him.

"When will we attack Roma, sir?"

Carthage, 240BC

Hasdrubal's Chambers

The old ruler stood out on his balcony, watching the sun nestle behind the prized architecture of Carthage. It was picturesque, to say the least. Carthage was the jewel of the empire. And Hasdrubal had made it so. The structures stood tall, as they had done since they were first built. It had been like watching a son growing up, the way the city had prospered and boomed. The taxes had been dropped to their lowest since records began, but money had brought in on carts from far away conquests. It was only a small piece of the empire, in the grand scheme of things. But it shone brighter than all.

Small, timid steps scattered behind Hasdrubal. He turned slowly, using the balcony as support. As much as he ignored it, Hasdrubal was old, with no wars close to home to keep him fit. It was almost remarkable that he had survived this long, "You bring news?" He asked the messenger who had just arrived,

"Theages and Himras plan to march on Roma very soon. It is expected they will siege the city within a year, with plans to lure the army outside of Roma into attacking them. Then they will try to annihilate the Senate's army, before finally occupying the city. It will be a bloody battle, my lord." The messenger bowed his head as he finished the message, before looking at Hasdrubal. The man was locked in thought, brow wrinkling. He rested his index on his chin,

"Hm," Hasdrubal muttered, facing back out to Carthage again. He leant on the balcony, letting out a sigh as he shook his head, "So, it is written. Theages will be held as the most valiant man in all of Carthage. None will speak on the man who funded it, who allowed it. They will sing songs about the man who fought to make the empire grow, but not about the man who kept stability. What you see before you was not forged by that man-my heir. He is the people's heir, not mine. If he was not my heir, the people would revolt. I would be cast out. Roma is not an issue to me. Theages's endless triumphs are not an issue to me. My legacy being weak enough for the tiniest of breezes to-to blow it away!" Hasdrubal's voice erupted into a bellow, causing the messenger to startle back. A few servants peered out onto the balcony.

The messenger was frozen to the spot,

"I want to be immortal in memory! Yet Theages will rob me of the mark I'll leave on my empire!" Hasdrubal was shouting at his loudest. The warcry of all of Europa would not have drowned him out, "In another world, I would cut his head off! A world without the people, the people I have loved-they have betrayed me!" Hasdrubal descended into a sudden fit of coughing and wheezing, as his servants rushed over to hold him up. The ruler of Carthage spluttered at his feet, before wiping his mouth,

"My benevolent lord, you must not do this to yourself." One of the servants said quietly, a hum of agreement rattled between the others. Hasdrubal cursed under his breath as he straightened himself, waving away his servants. They let go of him but stood nearby. He slowly faced the messenger, looking him dead in the eye,

"Tell our armies in Iberia and Tingi, that we will be expanding into Spanish territory." The messenger stood shocked, unable to quickly process what he had just heard.

"But my king, the alliance-"

"I will tear the paper it was agreed on," Hasdrubal growled, again waving his servants away, "The armies of Britannia will burn and pillage all they come across. They destroyed the Gallic tribes and they will no doubt bring war to our doorsteps if they remain unchecked," he explained, now composed again, "If we do not expand, we will lose all influence in Iberia. The Britons will show no mercy to any of our people. We need a stronger foothold. Mobilise the armies." Hasdrubal now waved his messenger away, before sighing to himself. The messenger paced off, bringing one of the servants with him. The Carthaginian leader pondered to himself about this move. He believed in the military's capability, if nothing else. Theages would be able to win a war against the Spanish. But he could do nothing about that man. All Hasdrubal could do is quietly hope Theages is killed fighting the Romans.