Battle of the Tiber modified maps

[Frederick_1]

When I started playing the scenario Battle of the Tiber was really frustrating to me.  In V 0.25 0AD Rome has the worst starting conditions (no starting population) and because the bridge is the only connection between the two map areas Rome is always in the middle of the batteling. I was  raided to end before I even really started to play. So I modified the map, first intention was to introduce treasures to give rome a starting burst, but then I made it to a plentyful treasure area. Also added some wild animals and other features to make the map more interesting, and learning to use the map editor ;).

Another introduction was a crossing ability in the middle of the map. There I called this versions  "Rome with crossing".  I now have several verstion. This is one I want to present here, maybe someone is interested to try it out. This is the xml-File wich should work when placed in ~/.local/share/0ad/mods/user/maps/scenarios.

Is it fine to present a modification in this way here in the forum? I do have some more modified map. From Battle of the Tiber and some other maps.

Rome-with-Crossing8-w.pmp Rome-with-Crossing8-w.xml

Edited July 26, 2022 by Frederick_1

[Frederick_1]

This is another version. The only change here is, that Rome has the same 15 "mercenary army" to begin with like Vai, so they can defend, or even attack in the beginning of the game.

I think there is a little change that Vai mercenary do not run to fight the ruins immediately.

 

 

battle_for_the_tiber+.xml

36846937_battle_for_the_tiber.pmp

638250039_battle_for_the_tiber.pmp

I am really puzzled, the *.pmp file here is named diffrent than in my folder. No clue.

Okey,  I see the form software is changing the file names. So it seemed to be the right file anyway, and you need to rename them for a common term in your maps folder.

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by Frederick_1
It was a wron *,pmp file. I now added the right one

[Frederick_1]

For the simple modification "battle_for_the_tiber+" where I only added the same solders that opponent Vai has to Rome.

Here is an replay of a game start, where I examined what these small battle group is capable. It came out very lucky. Especially the guy at 2:24. Have not played game to finish yet. As usual the cav made some crazy horse action.

 

commands.txt metadata.json

Edited August 1, 2022 by Frederick_1

[Frederick_1]

In version 9 I did an addition to the map. An protected area surrounded with mountain on the border. Can be used as a last retread.

This version is without wild animals, so you can gather rather worriless. It is possible to add the wild animals as another factor in game, I have the animal data seperated.

 

Rome-with-Crossing9.xml Rome-with-Crossing9.pmp

[Frederick_1]

The maps are designed in alpha 0.25. Can be used in alpha 0.26 too. Altough I get an error, that there is no olive tree anymore in my installation.

Seems open and saving it in the atlas editor  v0.26 removed themin map Rome-with-Crossing9. But it is with older versions and other maps I have created, cause I like to add olive trees in Mediterranean maps.

Edited November 19, 2022 by Frederick_1

[Stan`]

Could maybe be integrated in @andy5995's mod

[Frederick_1]

I would like to have comments about the wild animals and gaia treasure guards which were present in map version 8 I have posted.
They are removed in map version 9. Here is a text file with the tags that add these map features to version 9 map.

... why can I add a file today with my standard browser, my trusty old waterfox.... was there an update in forum software tonight? Yesterday it still worked.

RwC-Wilde-Tiere.txt

[Frederick_1]

I do have a pretty unchanged "Battle of the Tiber" map which I called: "Rome stands no Chance and Green Invaders win".  The only change is, that each  player is in his own team and these teams are locked. The only way  I have not observed a defeat on the "Battle of Tiber" map is getting an ally. Though this is prevented here I took this name.

Post this with  a replay of 4 bot players on this map. Sure with the predicted outcome. Although the green army was trapped in the river bent when it first had superiority (Approx. Min 40). This elongated the game but the outcome is the same.

metadata.json commands.txt Rome stands no Chance.xml 1519307388_RomestandsnoChance.pmp

These art two charts from the game:

Edited November 20, 2022 by Frederick_1
Chart added

[Frederick_1]

I want to share some screenshots from the map. First enhancements for situation of Rome. More food resources nearby, because they start with zero population and less than low resources. Two towers and treasures nearby, but be careful.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by Frederick_1

[Frederick_1]

The opponents of Rome do have a starting population. The Galic Invaders have a battle group of naked fanatics which can be nasty opponents. While Vai has an even stronger battle group. This is why I strengthened the position of rome.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Frederick_1

[Frederick_1]

This is the Crossing why I altered the name to "Rome with crossing".

In Battle of Tiber, the river can only be crossed over a bridge close to Rome. To be seen in the background. So Rome is inflicted in lot of fighting. I altered the terrain, so that the Tiber can be crossed in the center of the map, although no rams- But ships can also travel the whole river, some of the feeders, and also areas of the swamp when deforested.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Frederick_1

[Frederick_1]

The map is large. There are lots of treasures on the map (over 100). But they can be "guarded" by animals or gaia fighters, like here in the mountain. In Version 9 posted here, their xml-tags need to be added from the txt-file.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Frederick_1

[Frederick_1]

Some minor map changes I like:

[Old Roman]

Nice update on this map.

I took the liberty of adding the standard  number of women and soldiers in Atlas for a more comfortable start.

The old (A23) version which showed up in the map browser, to which I had also made some additions was crashing A26.  I had forgotten what the original premise was so I assigned teams at the startup (Romans vs. Gauls), so the  first time thru it wasn't so hard

I plan on trying it again the way it was intended.

 

[Frederick_1]

On scenario maps I see a non standart set of starting units as variant to make the game more interesting, you can not stupidly use your routine.  Problematic  or challange is such a big difference.

Hmmm.... but what is the way it was intended?

[Radagast.]

Albula (whitish, Latin) was rebranded Tiberis or co-existed as alias after Tiberinus (Etruscan 9th King of Alba Long) drowned therein approx. 900 BC.

So we likely talk about Roman Republic Battle of Allia. A river who meets the Tiber 11 Km near Ancient Rome still with the old walls prior to the rebuilt with better rock from Veii that they started to integrate even before the sack of Rome by the Gauls Brennon and his brother Belinus few years after 390 BC mid July.

The Gauls spared the countryside, heading directly towards Rome for the fabii (the sons of an influential patrician) after the Senate and Tribunes failed to punish them for recklessly killing a gallic chieftain in semi-allied Etruscan city Clusium which was threatened by Brennon's troop that conducted war they justified in "that they carry their right in their weapons" (Livy: History of Rome).

30 K vs. 15 K. Roman rout. Inflexible army hindered itself. Many drowning in the Tiber. Only 1/3 somehow survived. Gauls almost no casualties.

Rome was sacked after a last stand inside. City largely undamaged. Gauls bought off with loads of treasuries. Gold! Off they went North. Where allied city of Caere (reportedly notified by Vestal princesses; in short some rich girls maintaining the sacred flame) defeated them unaware of danger. Treasures returned back to Rome.

Senate granted citizenship to people of Veii (without right to vote).

Recovery slow. Fear of Gauls led to better cooperation Etruscans and Romans. Though a sadly famous Greek tyrant in Sicily may  also have played a role, reportedly having hired Gauls as mercenaries to fight Latin peoples in Italy on more than one occasions.

Finally this also led to the most significant military reforms before Marian et al. The beginnings of the maniple, preventing a repetition of the fate of the poor men having to suffer in the battle trying to defend Rome.

Quote

At the front of the legion organized into maniples, the velites formed a swarm of soldiers which engaged the enemy at the start of the battle. Their duties involved skirmishing, and they often worked closely with the cavalry. Next, the hastati were the youngest and least experienced soldiers, and therefore fought on the front-lines. They formed the first line of heavy infantry. The principes were more experienced soldiers who stood behind the hastati in battle. Finally, the triarii were the veteran soldiers with the most experience.^[1][4]

The second and third echelon generally formed with a one maniple space between each maniple and its neighbours. Retreating troops of the velites could withdraw without disrupting those behind them. Where resistance was strong the hastati would dissolve back through the Roman line, allowing the more experienced soldiers in the principes to fight. In turn, the principes could then yield to the hardened triarii, if necessary. At this point in battle, the maniple greatly resembled the phalanx.^{[3]: 180–181} Apart from allowing retreat, these gaps also proved invaluable against enemy phalanxes and provided the Romans with a major tactical advantage against their Greek foes. In order to maintain its wall of spears, the phalanx required rigid battle lines, which could not easily break into smaller units. Gaps in the maniples thus lured hoplites in and disrupted their formation, after which they became disorganized, surrounded, and easy prey for Roman swords.^[5]

According to Polybius, the most complete and likely the most accurate account, the legion consisted of 10 maniples of 120 hastati, 10 maniples of 120 principes, and 10 half strength maniples of triarii containing 60 men each.^{[6]: 34–35} With 1,200 velites and 300 cavalrymen a legion numbered 4,500

 

 

[Radagast.]

This map can be interpreted in different ways: Vaii can fight on Roman side. As the Battle of Allia was fought on the left bank of the Tiber at the confluence of Allia river which was at the back of the Gauls.

Merging some decades, one can also free the Vaii to their own party. So Romans could "unite" with Vaii i.e. ally with them. In the remains of the ruins the Roman legionaires that escaped the river regrouped.

The Gauls made the right decisions and early confronted the weakest forces despite located at high ground and intended by the Romans as reserves to surprise / outflank the ever more extending Gallic front line which stretched the Romans dangerously thin. The youngsters initially held out but the best Gallic warriors were finally unstoppable, throwing the hilltop into panic.

This news spread to the thinning lines to the west causing havoc because most were slain from their backs in a kind of mass rampage fighting mess caused by their own colleagues. As mentioned above this marked the end of the Roman phalanx. Maniple proved victorious. In the long run, this disaster grounded the Romans and made them a world power (for quite some time).

But finally they also should find their end. The West earlier. The East later.

Paradoxically again at the Tiber 300 after common era another important fight took place, restoring order for not much more than a decade (tetrachy; 2 augusti, 2 caesare, all equal in rights, but again: few are noble enough to step back from power)

Let's remember how Plato put it: It doesn't matter if those you counsel listen. It matters that you try. (he himself failed to dissuade leaders from raging war repeatedly)

[Frederick_1]

Interesting. I have to do some research about this battle. Although the description of the map battle for the Tiber says:

"Rome battles against the Etruscan city of Veii for control of the Tiber River basin."

Which implies that Rome an Vei battle against each other. But for all Vei is pretty handicaped on economy side, when you do not care about the walking distances your workers do. The workers always to for the closest drop side meassured in linear distance. Because sitting on the plateau this can lead to long walks besides another drop site would be less to walk.