Total War: Rome 2 Heaven

Unfortunately, the replay has bugged out- it reaches a certain point and crashes. However! I shall describe this first multiplayer match on Rome II between the two Seraphs.

So! We start on a nice grassy map with some hills present. Good for maneuvering out of sight if wanted, but I decide to quickly take one of the hillocks.



Excuse the screenshot quality, I've been having some problems with the black squares but now I appear to have fixed them. If anyone else is having similar problems let me know.

Scipii lines up in a strong formation with Pikes in the centre, peltasts on flanks, and slingers out in front. The famed Companion Cavalry roam the flanks.

I arranged my Principes in the centre, with Triarii behind. I have no missile units, and two units of Hastati placed on the left. I have some mercenary elephants on the right, and some Extraordinarii in reserve.



I'm trying to get Scipii off the hill with some maneuvering. I successfully get him to turn, but the Companion cavalry are still on the hill and his slingers are doing some damage to my infantry on the right hand side. My Extraordinarii are sent off to harass the latter.





I briefly lose control of my cavalry as I'm ordering my men to get up the hill. The Pikes repel the Romans, but in a stroke of luck the Companions abandon the hill to take out my cavalry whilst it's vulnerable. I send my Elephants in to stop me from being flanked (I'd intended to use them on a frontal assault against the infantry), and set my Triarii up to protect my right.



The Extraordinarii flee, and the elephants aren't having fun either. However, the Companions can't untangle themselves from the melee, allowing the Triarii to charge the masses of horsemen.



And so, with all the horsemen on the right flank bogged down, the Principes engage the Macedonian right. This is where the screenshots end (damn it), but the Hastati attempt to flank on the left, but a unit of Swordsmen tie up one unit. None the less, the second unit is successful in flanking the engaged pikemen.

The Macedonian infantry and skirmishers on the Roman's right immediately attempt to either aid the Companions against the Triarii or flank the Romans. The Roman General spams his abilities, the infantry all get whipped, but the Triarii are starting to emerge victorious against the Companions with the aid of the General. These newly freed units then attempt to out-flank the flankers, and what was previously two battle lines engaging each other descends into something of a mob. Romans and Macedonians are both routed, and ultimately the battle came down to whatever Pikemen survived the Principes' assault and some peltasts vs a fair amount of Triarii. Also, remember the Hastati and the Swordsmen from earlier? They were still locked in combat at about 50% each men remaining. Quite remarkable.

Anyway, the last remaining pikemen buckled under the charge of the Romans, and the Hastati finally triumphed over their mortal enemies. The Triarii then turned and attempted to form a defensive Testudo to weather the javalins from the Peltasts, but the last Macedonian unit turned and fled.

And with that, bragging rights are mine. It truly went down to the Triarii, as it were.