Location: Coast of Macedonia, North of Greece.
Date: April 10, 48 BC.

Objectives:
- Defend the fortress.
- + Meet with the reinforcements.
- - + Help the reinforcements reach the fortress (this objective is added after a period of time, even if the meeting does not occur).

Unit Control Points: 459/750.
Troop Control Points: 18/80.
Starting units: Archer Cavalry (16), 3x Auxiliary Archers (30), 2x Auxiliary Infantry (30), 3x Balearic Slingers (16), Caius Crastinus (Centurion, level 0), Equites (12), Legionaries (30), 2x Physician, 2x Spearmen (30), 2x Wagon.
Available units: Auxiliary Archers, Auxiliary Infantry, Balearic Slingers, Gladiators, Hawk Scout, Legionaries, Physician, Praetorians, Spearmen, Wolf Scout.
Available construction: Assault Ladder, Assault Tower, Ballista, Battering Ram, Catapult, Defensive Tower, repair.

                                     .-.
                                  .-'   '-.
                               .-' _     * '-.
                            .-'   |1|  *      '-.
                         .-'*      * * * . .  . .'-.
                      .-' .   *  *   .             .'-.
                   .-'  .       *     .               .'-.
                .-'   .                .                 .'-.
             .-'   .  .              .            +       .  '-.
          .-'   .       . .        +               .      .     '-.
       .-' ~      .         .     .             .         _        '-.
      '-.     ~     .          .   _          .          |3|      ~   '-.
         '-.     ~     .  .       |2|   +                      ~       .-'
            '-.     ~       .     . .                       ~       .-'
               '-.     ~       .      .                ~  ~      .-'
                  '-.     ~            +        ~  ~ ~        .-'
                     '-.    ~    ~ ~    ~     ~            .-'
                        '-.  ~       ~           ~      .-'
                           '-. ~  ~  ~     4     ~   .-'
                              '-.     ~         ~ .-'
                                 '-.    ~  ~  ~.-'
                                    '-.     .-'
                                       '-.-'
 _
| | = Village/barracks (may include various defenses).
* * = Fortification/wall.
 +  = Tower (free-standing from village).
. . = Path (minor pathways not shown).
~ ~ = River, sea or lake.
                                                                          

1 = Caesar's Fortress. Population 700. Start location.
2 = Nymphaeum. Population 800.
3 = Mercenary Camp.
4 = Port of Nymphaeum.

There are two distinct attacks against the fortress. The first tends to target the west gate, without significant attempts to climb the walls. The second tends to target the south gate, with multiple attempts to climb the walls.

Set-up your forces in preparation for the first attack on the western side. LordJohnDrinksalot writes: "Run the slingers to the left side walls, they' re deadly to siege-craft. Instantly create new Centurions by promoting Spearmen units. Run all leaders near the left side walls so they can level up from all the kills. Run Physicians underneath units on wall to heal them." Consider building several Catapults. Set your ranged troops to aggressive. Place Spearmen on stationary by the gates in case the gate should be breached. Group up cavalry and use them to ride out to any poorly defended enemy units. As noted above, Balearic Slingers are very effective against siege engines.

Initially train extra 'cheap' units such archers, Spearmen or Legionaries. Later, once the fights start, switch to elite units such as Balearic Slingers, Gladiators and Praetorians in preparation for the final part of the mission.

After the first attack prepare for the second by moving some units round to the southern side of the fortress and repair any damaged gates. Try to prevent the enemy from climbing the wall. From LordJohnDrinksalot: "The Equites can cut ladders to pieces, but don't get very far from the walls because the enemy archers will turn their attention on the Equites. The Spearmen can be stationed on the walls now (because the towers and ladders have to be destroyed) without delay or else the enemies get inside." Try to keep as many units alive as possible - the second half of the mission requires troops too ;-) . This mission is a rare case where (by accident or design, I'm not sure) the special character (Caius Crastinus) can be killed without failing the mission. But after surviving four mission appearances it seems a shame to kill him off now...

The mission orders hint that reinforcements will be arriving. As soon as the second attack against the fortress has been defeated start to prepare for the reinforcements. Shortly afterwards they will arrive, triggering the objective to meet them on the beach (location 4 on the map above). However, after a few minutes they become impatient and start fighting their way towards the fortress, even if you have not yet met with them. Of course there are far too many enemy for them to succeed alone... The mission will fail when the last of the reinforcements are killed.

If the two wagons in the fortress can reach the Mercenary Camp (3 on the map above), additional mercenary cavalry are gained, including some German Cavalry. LordJohnDrinksalot comments: "Avoid any enemies not on that narrow path to the mercenary village. You really need these mercenaries, I feel, because their cavalry and numbers really add a powerful punch." Cavalry are a useful asset, but gaining them is by no means essential. Indeed it might be regarded as a diversion from the main objective - instead the time can be used building up your own army by recruitment. I think the decision to travel to the Mercenary Camp primarily depends what type of unit best suits your fighting style. The main advantage of cavalry is speed. This is useful when running between small groups of enemy stationed on the higher ground in the centre of the map, however, speed is of little use when assaulting towers or the enemy village.

From bond0bhave: "I never used the mercenaries. I took a few assaults and then sent a catapult and an archer group with 2 Legionaries south, straight to the enemy base [2 on the map above] ... Hit the base nicely, then retreated to my base." Eliminating the enemy base greatly improves the probability of the reinforcements making it safely to the fortress, not least because it prevents additional troops being trained. Also, watch out for further enemy attacks on your fortress - you may spot a group of Battering Rams circling round to the east - either take these in the field or leave adequate defenders at the fortress.

Once the reinforcements start moving they will survive reasonable well until they reach the enemy village (2 on the map above). By this point they must have your help, or will die. Once the village and its surrounding towers have been eliminated, the worst of the fighting should be over. This is achievable if the first half of the mission was completed with a reasonable number of troops surviving. It is quite easy if you have subsequently recruited some additional elite units such as Balearic Slingers or Praetorians. Finally mop up various small groups of enemy troops on the higher ground either side of the path from the village to the fortress. The reinforcements will gradually work their way to towards the fortress, attacking almost every enemy in sight on the way. Ensure some of them survive and the mission will be completed once the remaining reinforcements reach the fortress.

Written by timski