The world according to the Koinon

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

About AI-behaviour in my current Koinon Hellenon campain

Hello everybody,
while playing the incredibly beautiful modification EB 0.8 with really deep enjoyment and pure thankfulness, I would like to join the network of scientists, who are examinating the behaviour of the AI-factions in the game. Anyway, this here is goinig to be a lot of text. I don't post it into the faction-progression thread, because I don't want to annoy anyone with a text-monster.
The idea is as follows:
Every ten years in my current Koinon Hellenon Campain I will turn off the Fog of War and carefully watch over the progress or degress of every faction for one entire year, trying to create a short summary for every nation. Then I'll turn on the fog again, play on, and see what happens ten years later. To show you, what I mean I'll post the first cut, the history of the year 262. If some of you out there are interested in what I'm doing, I'll update soon. So, here we go:

Edit: Overhauled the complete first cut while getting more familiar with using the english language in my writing.

https://img256.imageshack.us/img256/162/hafensp9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Mod: EB 0.8
Campain: Koinon Hellenon on VH/M as recommended
House Rules: Don't declare war / Assasins only against assassins / No retraining / No reloading / No Blitzkrieg but slow and careful progress


First cut: The year of 262 BC:

https://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3258/worls262yh7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The world in spring 262


History of the Koinon so far:
In the first years of the campain, a continuous struggle against Macedonia took place. Koinon conquered Korinth and lost Athens, then retook Athens. Also Crete was taken from the rebels. Then Koinon took Dalmatia and the Eleutieri-Town Thermon. Finally conquered the isle of Mytilene.

While marching on Dalmatia with my main army, a strange thing happend: Almost the whole Macedonian garrison, about 15 Units, left the town and retreated to Pella, leaving the macedonian faction heir in town as easy prey for my king. For several years then this huge army is chilling near Pella doing nothing.

The complete World-Cronology of the year of 262

Aedui:
Spring: The confederation of the Aedui-tribes hold three regions in northern gaul, currently besieging Bratosphorios. They have lost mediolanum to the romans. These brave but often considered as a little bit narrow minded people are still at war with Rome and also with the Avernii. They will probably have a hard time in the near future.
...into Summer: The besieging of Brathosphorios ended in a catastrophy. Eleutheroi Power has caused a serious setback for the Aeduean cause. But nevertheless: A ceasefire with mighty Rome is confirmed.
...into Autum: Hullahup! Brathosphorios is under siege again, now with two armys and a chance of success.
...into Winter: Despereate Brathosphorios-Eleuteroi managed to beat back the Aedui again.
...into Spring: Backlashed Aedui lick their wounds and silently prepare for the years yet to come.

Avernii:
Spring: The Avernii-tribes hold four regions in gaul, including the formerly independent greek colony of Massilia. They are at war with the Aedui and Sweboz (and Pontus, because of their Galatian brothers and sisters in Minor Asia). Peace with mighty Rome is still holding but for how long?
...into summer: Avernian forces layed siege on the Eleuteroi town of Aventicos. But the army seems to be far too weak.
...into autum: Aventicos is still under siege.
...into winter: The siege of Aventicus is given up, wouldn't have been successful anyway. Minor battle against rebels is lost.
...into spring: Silence and undisturbed village-life inside Avernii-borders.

https://img244.imageshack.us/img244/7391/gaulsituationso3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation in Gaul

Casse:
Spring: The notouriously gloomy Casse-Tribesmenship is still reduced to their capital, surronded by mighty independents. They are still at cold but compassionate war with the Sweboz. To their infinite shame they had one crushing defeat against Eleuteroi in 269.
...into summer: Minor military operations occured in homeland territory.
...into autum: The Casse Faction-leader enters rebel territory, but his forces are hopelessly small.
...into winter: A seriously strong Army with three family members lay siege on neighbouring Ictis, which is defended by huge bunch of seriously angry Eleuteroi-forces.
...into spring: Siege lingers on

Sweboz:
Spring: Still sitting in their strongly garronised Capital, with a huge army led by the king in the south of the region, the fierceful forest sneakers of Sweboz-Confederation are still a frightening rumour in the rest of the world. They are at war with the Casse.
...into summer: No news from deep Germania.
...into autum: Everything keeps quiet.
...into winter: No news.
...into spring: While Roman children are often forced into their beds by a thrilling Sweboz-story, the original foresters still hang around, waiting for their time to come.

Getai:
Spring: Still in their original Region, the brown barbarians of future Romania are surrounded by strongly protected rebel-stettlements, who are even more barbarious than them. They are at peace with everyone but those noisy neighbours.
...into summer: A minor rebel force was crushed by Gatain forces.
...into autum: Getai-Thanksgiving is celebrated in peace.
...into winter: Recovering from thanksgiving.
...into spring: Peaceful times for the Geatai. But who knows, what their gloomy gods may have in mind for them and the rest of the world.

Romanii:
Spring: The young but highly aggressive Imperium is expanding rapidly fast. SPQR conquered the whole italian peninsula except the Epirote Taras, which they are currently besieging. Also the hold whole northern italy, besieging Segestica with a strong legion. They are at war with Epiros and the Aedui. Still allied with Quarthadast.
...into summer: Peace with the Aedui is proclaimed. Avernia must tremble now. The sieges of Taras and Segestica are continueing. Near Rome, a small army is sent on a fleet(!) What could those guys have in mind?
...into autum: The fleet is still enharboured. Segestica-Independents breake the siege and push Roman forces back to northern Italy. But the next army eagerly awaits its turn. Taras is still under siege. Remarkable Roman forces cross the Alpes, heading for the Avernii beseiged Aventicos.
...into winter: Roman forces are beaten out of Taras Region by brave Epirote. Epiros remains in Italy. In the alpes, the struggle for Aventicos goes on. Now it is besieged by a Roman army. The fleet goes for sicily but unfortunately forgot to carry the army with it.
...into spring: More forces are sent into the area of Aventicos. One ist violating Avernii territory. What will happen to those poor gauls?

https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1414/romanorth262bm4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Greedy northern expeditions of the Romanii

Quarthadast:
Spring: The mighty Phoenicians hold the whole african coast from Tingi to Leptis. They didn't progress in spain and sicily so far. They have no borders with Ptolemaiian Empire yet, but are obviously interested in Kyrene. Quarthadast world traders wisely kept peace with everyone but rebels.
...into summer: No news from Africa.
...into autum: Breaking news: Sicilly: Quarthadast lays siege on strongly garronised independent-town of Messalia.
...into winter: Quarthadast army now left the walls of messalia for sieging Syrakus. But the old Tyrant rules over strong defenders and the Phoenician forces seem to be not powerful enough for this proud hellenic metropolis.
...into spring: Iberian forces are reinforced with Quarthadast elite-troops by boat. Strong army roaming in Iberian rebel territory.

https://img331.imageshack.us/img331/9837/sicily262ae5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation in Sicily

Lusotanii:
Spring: Still reduced to their original homeland, the Lusotanii live their simple but joyful lives. Two medium armys are on the loose in northern rebel territorium. No war so far.
...into summer: A small force is leaving Quarthadast territory, so that the peace may last.
...into autum: No news.
...into winter: Icefishing in the mountain-lakes.
...into spring: Still wondering, what those strangly perfumed people from africa could have in mind.

Hayasdim:
Spring: The mountain-goats of Minor Asia now hold two settlements, because they managed to conquer Kotais from the Independents. No other war so far.
...into summer: No news.
...into autum: Hunting season. The king is amazed and amused.
...into winter: No news anyway.
...into spring: No news, feeling comfortable with sweet mountain life.

Saka Rauka:
Spring: Hideous Saka-Nomads form the deepest and moste wasted wastelands of the known world went south and took one rebel-settlement there. Now they have borders with bactria. Their army is probably the weekest in the world. To their luck, nobody knows that and peace with the hellenic intruders is lasting, although two small saka armys are violating the territorium of those arrogant greeks just for fun.
...into summer: Minor military activitys.
...into autum: No news.
...nto winter: No news due the lack of military. The Saka Forces have left Bactrian Territory.
...into spring: Saka Rauka are slowly building up their forces, grimly awaiting the tasks of the future, when stampedes of horse-archers will loot the rich and civilised hellenic colonys, which now feel so save.

Pahlava:
Spring: Still reduced to their two starting regions, the grandchildren of mighty Kyros, Xerxes an Artaxerxes are baking small breads for now (as we say in Germany). Slowly they build up their still weak army in Nisa. They are in big trouble because merciless and giant Arche Seleukeia declared war on them.
...into summer: A small force of the Arche is crushed on Pahlavii Homeland. Arsarawakarazz!!
...into autum: Another small gang of Arche-intruders is hunted down by Pahlavii Forces. Arsarawakarazz again!!!
...into winter: Trouble's increasing. A defeat against a small Arche army North of Kia is no good news. Another, seriously bigger Seleucid invasion-army seems to march with direction Pahlavia.
...into spring: Pahlavii main forces finally arise from Nisa to defend their homeland against the evil Arche Seleukea. May those wastelanders live forever!

https://img244.imageshack.us/img244/9914/pahlaviaarisesax4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pahlavia arises against the Arche

Sauromatae:
Spring: Western wastelanders conquered one settlement so far, now holding 5 regions. They are at peace with everyone but those Eleutheroi.
...into summer: No news.
...into autum: The Sauromatian faction leader ist travelling westward into Eleuteroi- Territory.
...into winter: Travelling on, reaching the border now.
...into spring: Those foreign lands seem frightening, so the faction leader retreats.

https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5497/sauromatia262dc2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sauromation Wastelands

Sabaean:
Spring: The notourious inhabitants of deepest Arabia still hold their homeland-province, which is surrounded by strong independents. They are only at war with them.
...into summer: No news.
...into autum: Sabean Army slowly grows.
...into winter: Still building up their forces and dreaming of a future of (camel)milk an honey.
...into spring: Dreaming on.

Ptolemaoi:
Spring: Diadochii-war with equally strong arche seleukea is on the loose. The self-proclaimed followers of the great Ramses conquered 4 regions so far. They are increasing their power, wisely keeping peace with everyone but the Arche Seleukeia.
...into summer: A mighty Ptolemaian Army is operating near Seleukean Antiochia. Arche does not dare to atack it.
...into autum: Small Ptolemaian Armys sneak around weakly garrionised Antiochia. The big one goes eastward into the mountains.
...into winter: Avoiding to meet the Arche. Only minor military operations.
...into spring: Still sneaking around preparing for the incredible battles to come.

Arche Seleukeia:
Spring: Diadochii-war with nearly equally strong Ptolemaian superpower is on the rampage. Arche Seleukeia lost one region to someone in the past, but obviously reconquered it. The kollossal Empire also fights against weak but brave Pahlavia.
...into summer: Several military operations, but nothing decisive happens.
...into autum: The Arche Seleukeia seems to have no real concept to deal with Ptolemaian tactics. Nothing remarcable happens. Are the rumours true, who describe the great Seleukos and his followers as the "mentally disabled Mammouths of the east?"
...into winter: Aggression against Pahlavia, no actions against small ptolemaic forces.
...into spring: On goes the Pahlava-invasion, but resistance is arising from Nisa.

https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5979/successorwarsuz5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The confusing business of sneaking around eachothers toes

Pontus:
Spring: Small kingdom of pontus holds two settlements incl. the former rebellish town of Nikaia. These hillbilly hellenes are fanatical hating their gaulish neighbours in Ankyria, so their symbolic war with far away Avernii will probably go on for ever.
...into summer: Evolved speeches on galatian stupidity are performed by minor philosophers on pontic augoras.
...into autum: Pontus has trouble fighting small rebel-forces. One defeat on Home-Territory.
...into winter: No remarcable news.

Baktria:
Spring: Far out hellenic colonists conquered one settlement so far, hold 4 Regions and sent strong armys on the way into the unknown east. No war with anyone.
...into summer: Fairytails of the hideous Saka-Rauka, who seem to be half man, half horse, are performed by professional travelling storytellers. The success in unbelievable.
...into autum: Hoho! A seriously big bactrian Army violates Seleukid Territory. War may be the result, that would be very dangerous for the Arche. Meanwhile another force progresses into eastern territory, direction independent Taksashila.
...into winter: The Bactrian Army definetely threatens Alexandria Ariana. War seems to be inevitable. Maybe a hope for Pahlavia.
...into spring: Still no war, but how long will the dull but mighty Arche ignore those provocations.

Epiros:
Spring: The Epirotan League didn't conquer or loose any settlement. Epiros is allied with the Koinon Hellenon. Faction-Leader Pyrrus stands on the coastline with his strong army for several years, staring desperately across the sea and waiting for a ship to bring him to italy. But no ship came yet. War with Rome and Macedonia is going on.
...into summer: The legendary Pyrrus smashed an army of daring eleuteroi into tiny little peaces. Maybe this coincidence will wake him up.
...into autum: No, it won't, not this autum.
...into winter: All of Epiros is chanting hurray, because finally great Pyrrus started moving. His target seems to be Serdige, an Eleutheroi Town in the Northeast. Pyrrus already has left Epirotean territory.
...into spring: Now the second main Epirotean army is marching northwards too! What's happening up there? Koinon spys will carefully watch the doubtful movements of our hellenic „friends“.

https://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9803/tarasjr7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Taras under serious pressure

https://img278.imageshack.us/img278/2946/pyrrusdisappersxx9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pyrrus disappears...


Makedonia:
Spring: The successors of the great Alexander experienced seriously bad times, loosing everything to the Koinon except pella. They have been a strong and dignified enemy in the first years. Then they retreated from Delmatia with their main military forces and remained passive from that point but refused peace with the arrogance of the clincally depressed. They also are at war with Epirus.
...into summer: No news.
...into autum: No movement.
...into winter: No news. Desperately awaiting the final the forces of mighty Koinon King.
...into spring: Still waiting, but yet not for long.


https://img256.imageshack.us/img256/705/koinon262dg1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The Koinon Hellenon in 262



So, I hope, this was not too boring. As I said, if someone is interested, I'll soon post another cut, examinating the history of the year 252. This mod is so deep and beautiful, I just don't know how to thank the developers for their skilled voluntary work.

Sincerely, yours Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Thanks again QK. Enjoyed the faction report. :2thumbsup:

[Julian the apostate]

i'm impressed ya mapped all that its useful for the coding to see where their supposed to go.
Romans expand so much faster then most its kinda disappointing
strangely enough me as the Getai and then the Averni have them at a bottleneck in my current name, both of us holding a city on the PO

[Numahr]

Very interesting scientific approach! with a nice humouristic description style ;)

What this shows clearly is the dumbness of the AI. It also shows, thanks to your way of putting every thing in perspective, how this dumbness can actually create interesting events, like the Parthian "guerilla resistance" against the mighty AS...

I'll be reading the next one with interest :)

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you for the positive feedback. I'll update this one before next weekend. Some of the smaller AI-Factions seem to proceed a little better during the last years. Already I'm looking foreward to turn off that fog of war again.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Now here comes the second part of this tiny scientific project. Getting more familiar with the use of screenshots, I added some more of them this time. I hope you like it and hereby give you a warm and humble welcome to...

The Cronology of the world according to the Koinon Helenon Pt.2:

The Year of 252

https://img216.imageshack.us/img216/7861/hafenjm6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Prologue: What has happend to the Koinon during the last ten years

As the years went by, times of struggle and warefare came upon the potentially glourious confederation of the greek poleis. In 260 our former „friends“, the Epirote League, declared war on us without reason. But since the Koinon is controlled by a caring, godlike human entity (me), those probably not even greek traitors could be beaten back to where they belong. After one heroic victory in the mountains of former Macedonia the Epirote capital Ambrakia was easy prey for a Koinon-army led by two young and
doubtful characters. The young king himself, who is beyond all doubt, then whipped the main forces of the enemy whith calm compassion in the battle of Tylis. Civilisation will soon be brought into this no longer barbarian settlement. Now, in spring 252, epirus is reduced to two minor regions on this side of the adria and their stronghold Taras in Italy. Koinon owns the greek mainlands from Ambrakia to Byzantion and our real goal, bringing culture and freedom to the greek settlements on the coasts of the black see, which are ruled by ridiculous tyrants by now, could be taken care of in the near future. But also Italia could be a possibility.

But now let's have a look on those peoples, who are not caressed by human craftsmanship, who are led by this merciless demiurg called „artificial intelligence. Let's have a look on...

The rest of the world in the year of 252

https://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6227/map252jpgtk7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The world, Spring 252

Casse:
Spring: The Casse Tribes are still in a humble situation. Whole Britannia lies there, ready to be conquered, but guardened by incredibly strong independent lunatics. Casse family members sit there inside their hometown of Cassemorg, discussing plans and trying to improve their weak army. They feel comfortable in their hatred against phoney Sweboz and Aedui, whith whom they are at a cold but fierceful war.
...into summer: Still Britannia lies there...
...into autum: ...to be conquered...
...into winter: ...but is guarded by incredibly strong indpendent lunatics.

https://img225.imageshack.us/img225/9609/cassesh1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Casse in Spring 252, the humiliating memory of 269 still alive in their minds


Aedui:

Spring: The glory of the Aedui-Confedereation decreased a little bit during the last years. Still at war with the Avernii, they didn't manage to kick the indignified asses of those worthless homunculi, who bowed their knees to the arrogant inhabitants of the italian peninsula. Exhausted by the successless struggles with independ towns like Bratosporios, their forces are weaker then they used to be.
....into summer: Oh holy beard of Belenus! Aedui-Confederation marchs on Bratosporios again!
...into autum: The probably fifth siege is layed on Bratosporios. Or was it the sixth. The king does not really remember.
...into winter: The siege goes on. But trouble arises in the south. The fallen Ex-Gauls from Avernia seem to plan something big. Three armys at the borders make it feel uncomfortable to be a free gaul these days.

https://img85.imageshack.us/img85/9417/aeduibratosphoriosagainnh4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Bratosporios one more time, summer 252


Avernii:
Spring: The glory of the Avernii-Confederation decreased more than a little bit during the last years. That's because their king fearfully decided to be a humble klient to the Roman Empire. Many lifes are saved due to this decision, but every single head and beard of independent gallia has been shaken in disbelieve, confronted whith those news. Also, their continuous war with at least independent Aedui is on stagnation, maybe because of shameful head- and beardbanging troops.
...into summer: Beardbanging goes on.
...into autum: Serious troop movement onto rebel-town Tolosa.
...into winter: This movement only has been a trick. Now all the Avernii forces are gathered at Aeduan borders, maybe to feed the history of this so called war with a little blood finally, so that Avernii people would forget about being Roman marionettes at least for a while.

https://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3725/averniiinvasiongd8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Avernii forces (hopefully) prepairing for invasion, winter 252


Sweboz:
Spring: Notorious Sweboz Forest Berserks are of an unfriendly kind and therefore at war with Casse and Avernii. But because the are still sitting in the legendary „village with the long, long name“, upon which barely no foreigner has ever put his trembling eyes, this war keeps being cold. Hope is extracted out of one mighty sweboz army, operating against mighty western eleutheroi.
...into summer: Sweboz main army destroys a small rebel-band near the capital. Meanwhile in the south, a seriously bigger force from Gawjam Silengoz spams swebian territory. Maybe the chance to put a spell on this now quite defenseless village?
...into autum: No. Eleuteroi retraeted again. And Sweboz gather round their capital.
...into winter: Due to roman expansion into the north, those strong Eleutheroi seem to be no longer enemys but protectors of our fierceful forest berserks.

https://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4326/swebozsmallworldyg1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
THe small but precarious world of the mighty foresters


The Roman Empire:
Spring: The Roman Empire finally is starting to looke like a real empire. Proving a filthy kind of utilitarianism, Roma stopped the glorious war against the Epirote League, leaving Taras to them and concentrating on expansion into the north. Forcing servile Avernia into Clienty Roma now controls not only Segestica and Aventicos, but incarcerated into two more northern settlements. Also, it has no enemys but the Eloitheroi by now. It seems like, that the only forces, who could stop the Roman expansion, are the mighty, but still allied forces of Quarthadast and this tiny traditional-hellenic powerhouse called the Koinon Hellenon.
...into summer: Roman peace in the north of italy. The Empire keeps on boasting with its incredibly strong armys in the area.
...into autum: Roman lust for north expansion arises again. From Segestica, a full army besieges the village Vindobona. But, haha. Vinobona-rebels are of a brave kind and destroy the well-shaved intruders. But for Roman forces, this backlash unfortunately is a minor one.
...into winter: North expansion becomes incredibly strong. What the hell do the romans look for in those strange little villages. Maybe take a bath in the north sea? But whats that? A Roman Full army is put on a fleet near arretium. Only a few miles away from the phoenician isles. Will Quartadast Empire finally be betrayed?

https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/5097/romanorthexpansionqf3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Imperium Romanum invading the north in autum 252


Quarthadast:
Spring: The Phoenician Empire is still on a good way. Beloning to the four super powers of the world, they expand in every direction. In Iberia they now controll the rich Mineur-Town of Sucum-Murgi and have borders with weak Lusitania. In Sicily, they conquered Messalia and shipped in a powerful army, to take care of the mighty Syrakus. Alliance with Imperium Romanum should soon be an issue of the past an nobody knows what will happen then. But the real thrilling news are as follows: Megalomaniac Quarthadast leaders have declared war on the equally mighty Kingom of the Ptolemaii. In the far east of the Empire, serious armys are marching onwards Kyrene. Notourious sand wars take place in our times.
...into summer: Invasion of western Ptolemaiea proceeds....
...into autum: ...and makes a break for a little picnic in the desert.
...into winter: ...this desert seems to be comfortable. On the other side of the world, Quarthadast forces become busy in Iberia.

https://img144.imageshack.us/img144/8476/quarthadastsiciliaey2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sicila 252

https://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3512/quarthadastpicnicij4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Picnic in the desert, autum 252


Lusitania:
Spring: Those guys are earthbound farmers of a really peaceful kind. Living in harmony with their neighbours, they are truly wondering, what these strange merchants from africa are doing in the neighbourhood all the time. Nevertheless, if someone would dare to bother mighty Lusitania, his corpse would not leave the iberian peninsula in one piece (said the King during his last speech on the market-square of Oxtraca)
...into summer: Holidays.
...into autum: Harvest time.
...into winter: Time for thrilling ghost-storys in front of the warm chimney.

https://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5964/lusitaniafp0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Meanwhile down at the ranch


Sabaeans:
Spring: Still threatened in between serious independent kingdoms, the Sabae made a serious improve, because the people of the town of Merou decided to rebel to their side. This is, however, what rumours say. Maybe Sabaean ecomomy now is able to pay for troops to ged rid of the rebellish neighbours. But maybe the new neighbours, those strange eggheads, who call themselves Ptl 'eh Me'yau, will cause trouble in the future, because Sabean alliance with their nemesis, the Sel 'oi 'kayau pisses them off.
...into summer: Minor military operations.
...into autum: Troops gather near the capital.
...into winter: Something is going to happen! Whole forces left the capital, to go on war with eleutheroi.

https://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8701/sbeanuprisepx5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Saba uprising, winter 252


Saka Rauka:
Spring: The Leader of the red eastern steppe nomads still proclaims in every speech, that one day Saka horse-archer-stampedes will rule the world, or at least whip the asses of those arrogant miscplaced greeks in the south. But every ordininary nomad and nomadess from the tent next door knows: Saka rules only exist due to the laziness and desinterest of mighty Bactrian empire. Its probably not worth the money to conquer those endless infertile steppes.
...into summer: No news.
...into autum: Sheep-shaving season.
...into winter: Horse-shaving season.

https://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1461/sakabaktriatg3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Badly made satellite picture of Saka Borders, spring 252


Baktria:
Spring: Bactrian Kingdoom is on the rise. While war with the arche was finally avoided, Bactrian controll was put upon Gava-Haomavarga and the empire definetly puts his nose into the east, where, as the travellers say, the world ends in a big black gap. But between Bactria and this gap lay the rich exotic towns of Sulek and Takashila. Two mighty bactrian forces will hopefully take care of them in the near future.
..into summer: Bactrian forces are defeated by a seemingly strong invisible enemy near Gava-Haomavarga. Stagnation at the eastern frontiers. Bactrian diplomat threatens the Arche.
...into autum: Bactrian diplomat threatens on.
...into winter: The invisible enemy strikes again. No other news to be reported.

https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1037/bactriatakashilaik7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Baktrian forces, expressing, that they could have Takashila, if they only wanted to.


Pahlavaa:
Spring: To the big surprise of the hellenic world, those strange purple people of the east managed to do well in their desperate war against the endless monolith of the Arche Empire. Feuilletonists still discuss, if the reason for this is to be searched in Pahlavi trickyness or the commonly known stupidity of Arche Leaders. Nevertheless: Pahlava managed to bite the town of Antiochea Margiane out of the soft belly of the successors.
...into summer: A small Phalavii-force seems to be interested in the weakly garrisoned Arche-town of Asaak.
...into autum: Minor troop movements.
...into winter: Purple people wait for the enemys, who may come. They feel well prepaired and so they are.

https://img130.imageshack.us/img130/3655/phalaviempiresr2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pahlavii Kingdom on the rise (possibly)


Arche Seleukea:
Spring: After being humiliated by pahlavian dwarf empire, Arche Seleukea is in an uncomfortable position. Still leading a world war against uprising ptolemaian powers and threatend by bactrian neighbours, decisions have to be made. And really: While the ptolemaic newspapers speak of the „collapsing brainless elephant from Antiochea“, a more than frightening Arche Army led by a decent nobleman lays siege upon the key town of Tarsos, trying to divide Ptoly-Kingdom into two peaces. Meanwhile in Zadrakata, the Arche Faction Leader sits there and asks himself, why his face looks so...Phalaviesque...and who his real father might have been. Maybe someone from out there in the purple wastelands of the enemy?
...into summer: Oh incredible shame! The battle of Tarsos is lost, the decimated stack retraeted. But in Mesopotamia new hope arises, as Arche now lays siege upon the town of Seleukeia, that has been robbed by those stinky pseudo-pharaones.
...into autum: Ups and downs of sucessor wars! A great victory in a huge battle at the gates of Antiochea one the one hand, the inbearable shame of being kicked off the walls of sweet home Seleukeia on the other hand. But in minor parts of the world, the Arche acts quite smart. The weak Eleuteroi mountain settlement of Phraaspa is besieged only days before the arrival of a Hai Army, that had the same idea. An Asaak is reinforced.
...into winter: Oh filthy customs of war! A nobleman of the Arche is killed near Jerusalem by a notorious ptolemaian master-assassin. Revenge will be sweet as the girls of still occupied Seleukeia. Tarsus is besieged again.

https://img174.imageshack.us/img174/8943/archeseleukeiayo7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sweet Seleukeia will be ours again

https://img81.imageshack.us/img81/8252/archeleaderqu8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King of the Arche wondering about his roots

Ptolemaii:
Spring: Ptolemaian Kingdoom looks back upon two victorys against rebels in the far west, now owning the desert citys of Augila and Kyrene. But maybe these could have been Pyrrus-style victorys, because they called those patheticly bad-perfumed banausii from Quarthadast into the country. Maybe they could bring the uprising aegyto-greek super-power into real trouble, because Arche Seleucea is no teethless tiger too. An Tarsus...uhhuh.
...into summer: Tarsus hurray! Brave defenders defended bravely. And a full army operates near Antiochea again. But uhhhuh, the desert provinces, and my, my, Seleukeia. Nevertheless, this „rotten kingsize-bubblegum of an empire“ (Alexandria-Times) will be defeated.
...into autum: Yes, the ups and downs of warfare. This one is going to last really long. Meanwhile, the Quarthadast desert-picnic is carefully whatched by a strong defensive army.
...into winter: „Drunken seleukid playboy killed while swallowing fishbones. Worthless accusations by the Arche. Our great Pharao: Tssk,tssk, Fishbones, hoho.“ (Alexandria times) But, uhu, poor and brave Tarsus again.

https://img240.imageshack.us/img240/9377/ptolemaisucssorwarsps3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The battle of Antiochea (Pharaos forces gonna loose)


Hayasdim:

Spring: Hai nobility still leads a life of hunting, fly-fishing and Eleutheroi-strangulating in their beautiful mountains. The town of Mtsketa is still not in their hands, but the garrison their seems to be seriously weakened. Times of glory and power however still lay in the future.
...into summer: And the future still is quite foggy.
...into autum: Whole Arche Seleukeia and certain hai dissidents laugh at the delayed Phraaspa expedition.
...into winter: Life punishs them, who are delayed.

https://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5982/haidelaij2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Hai delay


Pontos:

Spring: The tiny Kingdom of Pontos is celebrating victory in this times. Reason: Finally the extremely important town of Sinope is freed from filthy „independent“ tyrannis. Now Pontic wealth can be improved by see-trade with the Koinon Hellenon, and maybe, yes, maybe those hygiennically questionable and hairy guys in Ancyria can be led to new tasks inside the Pontic mineur-business.
...into summer: Gaul-hunting season is opend. The pontic main force goes Ankyria!
...into autum: Hussa! Ankyria is surrounded, but strongly defended.
...into winter: No more hussa! Nearly whole pontic army is crushed by the galatian sword. But this will be not the last world to be spoken according to this issue.

https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/4812/pontosgalat2xz4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
THe main pontic army at the gates of dawn


Sauromatae:
Spring: The by far biggest of the nomad- federations seems to be calm an peaceful in the last years. But whatch out, hellenic tyrants of the coast. Sauromatian military has increased, gathering in Tanais and increasing the bloodthirst by celebrating gloomy dinner-partys of extreme intensity, where no greeks are allowed.
...into summer: Still party time.
...into autum: No time for hangover...
...into winter: ...when you gonna be drunk again anyway.
https://img239.imageshack.us/img239/5033/sauromatianbordersvl3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sauromatae borders


Getai
Spring: Neighbouring the great Koinon-Epirus wars, Getan forces did well to take hands on the town of Serdike. Now the brownies from behind the seven hills have two regions under control, still divided by the Eleutheroi-stronghold of Naisos. Getan diplomats sat themselves on the right horse, as the are on war with Epiros and allied with the Koinon People, who seem to be in touch with the gods of fate.
...into summer: On vacations.
...into autum: Sometimes it's wiser to do nothing but to act.
...into winter: Who knows what will be, will be....

https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8052/getaigo2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Wintertime behind the seven hills

Epiros:
Spring: The last ten years have been a dramatic period in the History of Epiros. In the beginning they invaded the barbaric hinterland with great success, led by their legendary King Pyrrus. Then they freed Taras from Roman threat, using two big armys, which all of a sudden simply appeared out of the blue. But, as Pyrrus died somewhere in the mountains (nobody knows where or how), megalomanic and inexpierienced leaders made two fatal decisions: Ceasefire with Rome and war on their greek brothers from Koinon. The results of that smeary betrayal are as follows: War is nearly lost, and unthreatened Rome starts to be a superpower that, one day, could put an end to the freedom of all hellenes from Bactria to Athens.
...into summer: A huge Epirote army is thrown into the adriatic see by Koinon Hellenon. Oh shame.
...But ho! Another full stack appeared in Italia, meant to give a thrill to Rome, but refuses to. Oh shame on that decadent greeks again.
...into winter: Hrm. Strong Koinon forces dicovered near Epidamnos.

https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/1710/koinonvsepirusja7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Epirote Army ready to be thrown inside the adria by mighty Koinon

Epilogue:

As times passes, the hellenic culture of Koinon seems to create characters of highly evolved doubtfulness. A good example is this brave general, who seems to start a serious career as a dirty old man at the age of only thirtyone. Look at his traits and look into his eyes, and you'll see what I mean:

https://img446.imageshack.us/img446/4263/rometw2006122017154064vs7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Generally, a hard decision is made: Epirus will be wiped off the greek mainlands. Maybe then they are forced to go on war with Rome. The black sea tyrants must wait. Their time will come anyway. And if Rome should try to expand into greek territory, we prefer to fight them back by ourselves.
So, now it's time to lay that foggy curtain upon the surface of the world again.


https://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5420/koinonempiretg2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
THe Koinon mainlands, winter 252

Hope you enjoyed. Merry Christmas to all of you,

yours Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Teleklos Archelaou]

That was a lot of fun reading QK! Great work! Don't tire yourself out too much - we want to see how it all ends, but I'm afraid when the patch gets here you will want to start a new one with it instead.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

This is planned as a slow and long run, so I'm shure, that you'll be much faster in creating the patch than me in in progressing with this campaign. Hmm. If the patch provides serious changes according to AI-behaviour, maybe it would be interesting, to replay the campaign to the point, where it's gonna be then, and then analyse the changes of situation for the factions.

[Zaknafien]

This was great reading, I love the style, keep it up! Theres alot of humor in there too, which is great.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

So, here is the third part of my little excursion into the world according to the people of the Koinon Hellenon. Our subject now ist the year of 242, a year, which is hopefully going to be quite thrilling, as I noticed, when I turned off the fog of war a few minutes ago. I'm forced to write that in a hurry, because I'm eager to play on. So, here we go:

Cronology of the world in 242

https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/5765/hafener0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Epilogue: Short summary of Koinon-Activitys during the last ten years:

As told in the last chapter, the Koinon King proclaimed the task to throw all remaining Epirote-forces on this side of the adriatic sea into the very same, reducing Epirus to Taras and forcing them to finally go on war with Rome again. But after the western General in Charge, a certain Ponponios Hyperteleatos, took the town of Epidamnos, he decided to take a long rest and concentrate on his duties as supervisor of women in the local Gymnasion. So Epirus still holds Dalminion, but isn't a real danger for us anymore.
Anyway, the King, sitting far away in Tylis, was not too interested, because his firstborn son came of age and he wanted to show the world to him. So a big expansion projekt was emerged onto the tiny tyrant-ruled poleis around the pontic sea. Though fiercefully defended, Kallatis was conquered by a Koinon Elite Army led by our king. Then the kings son celebrated his 20th birthday and so his time finally came. Aided by an elderly general, the young prince victoriously crushed a fierceful Eleuteroi-Army near Chersonesos and added this settlement to the other free members of the Koinon. But then he made a big mistake. Left alone by his grown up apprentice, he conquered the proud city of Pantikapeion and was not accepted by this traditionally independent people at once. Grown up in the village of Tylis and not able to respect and deal with the complicated culture of a real polis, he got mad and simply put those equally free greeks to slavery. Now it's a big surprise to him, that everybody, including his father, hates him for acting like that. Anyway, he's going to be a great man in the future.

https://img167.imageshack.us/img167/291/countrybumpkinte5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
A Country Bumpkin'...

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/4424/slavebumpkinkz4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
...sometimes does not know how to behave..

Meanwhile in minor asia, brave people of Halikarnassos made a revolution against their tyrant and joined the mighty Koinon by free will. Unfortunately mighty Arche Seleukeia only waited for a good reason to declare war on us. Now Halikarnassos is under Arche-siege and our Faction Heir finally has to put an end to his comfortable life in Rhodos. Aided by the first unit of spartan hoplites he is going to show our new relatives from Asia Minor, that they are welcome in the happy family of the Koinon Helleon.

https://img201.imageshack.us/img201/9895/spartanhoplityj9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Here they are at least:

But now let's have a close look an the rest of the world:

https://img81.imageshack.us/img81/5412/mapnorthwestth2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the northwest, Spring 242

Casse:
Spring: Since the youth of now greybearded King Barae the history of the Casse-Tribes was a never ending story of fights against the neighbouring independents. Monuments of shame and honour are spread around their beloved hometown, ready to be watched by visitors from all over the world. But because of those damned pirates ruling the sea, nobody comes, and so Casse keep on struggling in splendid isolation, dreaming bloodful dreams of conquering at least only one more settlement on their craggy, unexplored island.
...into summer: They dream on...
...into autum: and on..
...into winter: and on.

https://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3314/cassedreamska8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Casse dreams

Aedui:
Spring: If the reports of Koinon-spys are true, Aedui besieged Bratosporios for the 6th, 7th and 8th time during the last decade. But because they always overestimate the skills of their troops, the besieging armys were always to small and Chief Caradog, Major of Bratosporios is declared as best Eleuteroi-wall-defender of all times by the United Organisatin of Local Despots (UOolD). Aeudi tried also to gain control of Avernia-ruled Vesontio a few years ago but were pushed back . Meanwhile far away the gaulish inhabitants of Segestica bravely stood up against the mighty and evil SPQR, trustfully offering their fate to the Aedui-Confederation and now waiting for troops from Central-Gaul to come and protect them. But until now, no single Aredui-warband showed up at the horizon.
...into summer: The 9th siege is layed on Bratosporios, but this time a huge reinforcement army marchs onto the town. Caradog is not amused.
...into autum: Reinforcments hide in the forest, not reaching the town yet.
...into winter: Because of the bad weather, reinforcements retreat to Aedui Mainland, leaving the 9th Bratosphorios besieging force alone in the snow. Caradog in fact now is amused.

https://img404.imageshack.us/img404/7430/aeduibratossummerho1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Bratosporios again

Avernii:
Spring: Ok, true, the Avernii tribes are now adressed as „homunculi of the red pomaded beard-shavers from over the hills“ by Aedui-Druids for over one decade. But anyway, they live a quite peaceful life as client-kingdoom of the Romans, calmly improving their military and economy. No need to expand northwards, as Roma probably would not like them to become too powerful. Some old warband-members may still shake their beards, but the young party people of Massilia are startig to shave them instead. Lets hope, that Roman greed will be satisfied in the north for a little bit longer, so that Massilia youth can party in peace for a while, laughing about rumors of smelly Aedui-intruders, who are easily pushed back to where ever they might belong.
...into summer: Huge campfires on the beach of Massilia.
...into autum: Still nice campfire-weather.
...into winter: Indoor parties.

https://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9735/averniistrongholdqg4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Avernii-Stronghold

Sweboz:
Spring: As told in the last chapter, the independent forest-tribes surronding the notorious warlocks of the north are no longer enemys but protectors of the Sweboz Tribe, because of constantly intruding Roman legions. But that may soon become an issue of the past. Gawjam Hattoz is nearly in the hands of Aemilius Blasio, and a guy called Gaius Iustus Scipio is on the loose with mighty forces, willing to be called "Scipio Swebicus" soon by his phoney Roman friends in the Senate. Gloomy Sweboz warcraft will send him to his ridiculous gods anyway, shold he try to walk on.
...into summer: By the hammer of Thor, trouble emerges, because Gawjam Hattoz fell into the smeary hands of that Blasio!
...into autum: By now that Romans seem to keep calm. So do the Sweboz.
...into winter: No attacks or defeats yet.

https://img85.imageshack.us/img85/7435/swebozsummerzp2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Roma ante porta westfalica

SPQR:
Spring: The rapid expansion of SPQR in the far north didn't go on as rapidly as it used to during the last decade. The further the expensive legions intruded, the more fierceful and hostile the enemys became. And, to make irritation complete, stupid barbarians in Segestica threw away Pax Romana and revolted to some powerless gaulish cretin-confederation. That was enough for the senate to make a certaind decision. Guys like Gaius Iustus „Swebicula“ Scipio must now think twice, before they hire another warband for their so called „legion“. The decision was one of the most earthshaking decisions in the history of world so far. SPOR finally started the first punic war.
No longer will the Safot Softim bQarthadast be the only power to conquer rich Sicily in front of the noble-grown noses of Roman noblemen. War is declared and Messana is besieged. Sicily will be Roman or it will be not at all.
Also these annoying greeks in the south can no longer feel safe. Rome already sent a provocative army into their small but well-protected territory. Maybe Epirote tradition in Italy will be cut soon.
...into summer: While the victory of Gawjam Hattoz is barely noticed by the senate, real roman war machine marchs southwards, threatening both Greeks and Phoenicians.
...into autum: Minor backlashes: In the northeast a legion is destroyed by Eburonum-Independents. The siege of Messana wasn't succsessful due to brave Qartadast-defenders. Still no war with Epirus.
...into winter: Because of the influence of Gaius Iustus Scipio, the Senate decided to put priority in nothern expansion again. Lucky Epiros, lucky Qartadast.

https://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4221/romatransalpinawp6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Northern part of the Empire

Safot Softim bQartadast:
Spring: Wise Qarthadast Leaders managed to stop the silly sand-wars against the Ptolemaii a few years ago. Unfortunately they forgot to call back their armys, so that hostility with the aegypto-greks could break out again at any time. In Iberia they took the town of Arse and in Sicily they reinforced their troops. Then Qarthadast art of diplomacy was executed on the great stage of the global playground. Roma declared war on the Aeduii? Ok, next year Qarthadast declared alliance with those poor northern buggers, just to annoy the arrogant Romans. And finally it worked. Finally Rome betrayed „poor“ Safot Softim. Oh how sweet the revenge will be, oh, how unbelievably elephantesque the celebrations will be, when finally the huge temple of mighty Baal will be inaugurated right on top of that capitol-hill.
..into summer: Alliance with Epirus is declared, while huge Qarthadast armys march along the african coast to join the punic war.
..into autum: Siege layed on Emporion in southern Iberia. Reinforcements for sicily are delayed. Still no sand wars.
...into winter: A march onto Syrakuse could bring the hegemony for the Phoenicians on Sicily next year.

https://img179.imageshack.us/img179/2879/sicilywinterxg4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sicily situation in autum, after pushing back Roman intruders

Lusotanii:
Spring: While their allied Phoenician neighbours start to act as real global players, the peaceful bull-fighters of Lusotania keep on keeping on with their joyful village life. Nobody disturbed them in the last 30 years, and so it could go on, if you ask them.
..into summer: Bull-stinging season.
...into autum: Calf-training-time again.
...into winter: Cattle must be brought into shelters.
(No screenshot nessesary)

https://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8318/mapsabynpt8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of Arabia, Spring 242

As'Sabyn wal'Jau:
Spring: The last decade would be remembered as the years of the great breakthrough of the conquering lions from deepest Arabia. The towns of Carmanc and Tarna finally had to surrender to brave Sabyn 'Jau forces and now are facing a great future as nucleus of an uprising desert empire. But on the other side of the red sea, at the shores of the nile, betrayal is committed by the inhabitants of Meroe. For reasons, that will stay in the dark, they kicked out the Sabyn garrison and proclaimed independence again. Revenge will come over them like a conquering lion from deepest arabia.
...into summer: Several 'Jau forces on the loose in the desert on both sides of the red sea.
...into autum: Desert exploration.
...into winter: Strong forces march onto Sabata to enlarge the Jau-powerhouse.

https://img402.imageshack.us/img402/6646/sabaempireyn1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sabyn 'Jau on desert expeditions


https://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6016/mapnortheastno1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the north-east

Saka Rauka:
Spring: Still hunting the evil steppe-rabbit with their compound-bows, which are beyond compare, the Saka Tribesmanship stays where it is. Every few year spys return form Bactria whispering the three words („still too strong“) into the hairy ear of the king.
...into summer: „still too strong“
...into autum: Minor Saka forces leave their hometowns.
...into winter: Minor Saka forces sneak around the settlement of Gava-Saka.

https://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7633/sakasneakna4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Saka sneaking around Gava-Saka

Baktria:
Spring: The Bactrian policy of provocating the allied Arche Seleukeia to declare war is at the heap. Two big blue armys are trampeling down Arche vegetable fields near Alexandria Ariana. How long will Arche Seleukeia stay calm? The Bactro-Seleuceian alliance seems to be inofficially in tatters by now.
...into summer: Retreat of the big blue armys. Maybe a trick?
...into autum: ...but maybe they are interested in Pahlavia instead.
...into winter: Two armys stand near Pahlavii-borders now.

https://img172.imageshack.us/img172/382/baktraretreatjv1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Baktria retreating from Arche, picking on Pahlavia?

Pahlava:
Spring: No territorial progress or degress in the waste land. But King Phraotes developed the army, supervizing the training in his honourable person himself, as you can see below.
...into summer: Spy-stories of a huge Arche-army at the sothern borders came to the ear of the King.
...into autum: The arche force disappeared, but purple alert is kept up by Phraotes.
...into winter: Bactrian wars are a sincere possibility for the near future. But Wastelanders are prepaired.

https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5836/pahlaviitrainingpx8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Phraotes gang of wasteland-juggernauts


https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8964/mapcentralhellenicpc4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the central hellenic world

Arche Seleukeia:
Spring: Ups and downs for the still mighty Arche Seleukeia: Finally they got hold onto Tarsus and so managed to cut Ptolemaian empire into two pieces. On the other hand, Ptolemaians got hold of sweet Seleukeia and Damaskus, so Arche empire is also cut into two peaces. The real winner of the great sucessor-wars so far seems to be the rest of the world.
Also Arche is stagnating in the Pahlavii-whipping-projekt and constantly picked on by the Bactrians. To declare war on the mighty Koinon Hellenon in such a precarious situation could be the overture of a tragedy beyond description.
...into summer: Halikarnassus is besieged, new hope at the Pahlavii-borders.
...into autum: Halikarnassus is now an Arche town. But from the sea, a Koinoin army appeared and layed siege on it. Maybe that war was not a good idea. Victory against Ptolemaians at the gates of Bostra.
...into winter: Halikarnassus is lost again. A new inner-greek war will rise on minor asia. Just to piss off the Koinon, Arche allies with their new Sauromantian neighbours.

https://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3006/seleukabostrakr8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The enclave of Bostra

Ptolemaii:
Spring: Now that Tarsus is lost and borders to the minor asian parts of the empire are cut, one could mean, that Ptolemaian gods had chosen another peoples to watch over. But wrong! The subjects of the „Pharao“ are doing quite well in spite of that painful defeat: They won the first sand war against the Qartadast, reconquering the lost Kyrene, they still hold the great Seleukeia and they took Damaskus, another key-town formerly owned by the „megalomaniac mammouth from Mesopotamia“, which seems to be seriously wounded by now. Meanwhile, sea trade with asia minor is doing quite well.
...into summer: With nearly 60000 inhabitants Alexandria is for shure the true center of the world.
...into autum: Minor defeat against Seleukids at the gates of Bostra. But nothing serious.
...into winter: Still there is an annoying Qartadast force at ther gates of Kyrene. But peace has to be kept, till the Arche is sunk.

https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/783/ptolyseatradeti5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Glourious Ptolemaian sea-trade

Hayasdan:
Spring: The Hai-delay in Phraaspa ten years ago was not as bad, as it looked like, because Seleukeian allies didn't take the town too. Now it is starved by an unprotected Hai-family-member and will surrender or sally next month. So maybe we'll see Hayasdan Empire grow soon.
...into summer: Heyho! Hai crushed a rebel-army near Mtskheta, crossed the bridge and layed siege on that town. Two armys perfectly worked together, fulfilling that task in a brillant way!
...into autum: Phraaspa seems to be the Hayasdan Bratisporos. Siege is broken and layed once more. More hope in Mtskheta, which is threatened by a real army.
...into winter: Mtskheta is ready to be picked from the tree of Hai-glory.

https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/8840/haireplysummer1uz3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pepairing....

https://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5061/haireplysummer2wo1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
...to cross the bridge....

https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6044/haireplysummer3tq6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
...and take the town.


Pontus:
Spring: Pontus has, to put it simply, seriously entered the club of hopeful middle powers in the last years. Finally the pontic forces managed to put an end to gaulish druidism in the centre of the hellenic world. Ankyria-Druids are very occupied in pontic mineur-business now. Also the town of mazaka fell to pontic power, so the the former hillbilly-hellenes now seem to be the greatst power in minor asia.
...into summer: Threatening armys are removed from the Koinon-borders. What are they in charge of?
...into autum: Who knows?
...into winter: Pontus seems to be interested in the independent town of Trapezus. It is stronghly defended, but anyway, Pontus whipped the gauls too.

https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/361/pontusnovusuf9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pontus-Novus

Sauromatea:
Spring: Sauromateans seem to be satisfied with life in the giant eastern plains, that they controll. Anyway they have unwelcome new neighbours now. The strange „Kunn'On“ greeks led by a badly reputated man called „the oil-eating slave-trader from tylis“ by local greeks is now in charge of the colonists of Pantikapieon. The Sauromateans, who are passionate slave-traders too, will superstitiously watch over the new concurrent.
...into summer: Finally, Sauromatean forces are trying to expand. Siege is layed on the town of Gelonus, probably to sell the inhabitants to the Kunn'On.
...into autum: No news, siege goes on.
...into winter: Gelonus is in Sauromatean hands now. Those Kunn'On greeks were not interested in the inhabitants, but the ones from Sul 'Uk 'Ja bought them all.

https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/25/souromautumkd3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Threatening Gelonus

Getai:
Spring: Nothing new behind the seven hills, but hmm. The Getan ceasefire with epirus and constant activities of Getai diplomats in front of Koinon Poleis are at least a little bit irritating. But they probably won't dare. Won't they?
...into summer: Won't they?
...into autum: Not this autum.
...into winter: Getan army marchs on independent Singidunum.

Epiros:
Spring: Epirotean luck seems to be in tatters due to the mighty Koinon. Actually they hold the rich mineur-town of Delmatia, which could be easyly taken at anytime and the italian enclave of taras, which is protected by the last two great Epirotean armys. Now, that the Roman koloss gets more nosey in the south, maybe war is inevitable, and for Epirus it will be a struggle for bare survival against an overpowered enemy.
...into summer: Mighty Roman war machine is gathering at the borders, so an alliance with the new friends from Qarthadast is thankfully accepted. Oh, the future is dim in this times!
...into autum: Phh, Roma didn't attack yet, and Epirote forces stay in guardian-mode.
...into winter: Oh, it's a good feeling, when the pressure decreases.

https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/3637/epirotedawnsummerxr3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Epiros situation in summer 242 (looks worse, than it is)

Epilogue:
This was the year, Koinon was involved in the struggles of minor asia by accident. Halikarnassos was won by rebellion, then lost to the Arche-Kataphractoi and then won again. We just couldn't let those Halikarnassos people alone, who wanted to join us at free will. Now we are in trouble, now we have to deal with that trouble, and we will. Who knows, what will be. See you soon, when the fog will disappear again,
yours Quirinus Kuhlmann.

https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/6525/halkarnassoslostlc1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Lost Halikarnassos

https://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9969/spartanpremierecartoonqx1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Reconquered Halikarnassus with premiere of Spartan Hoplites

https://img166.imageshack.us/img166/3896/civilizedtarasxs0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Slowly Civilization process in Tylis with still barbarian market (where the king's son grew up)

[Geoffrey S]

A fascinating thing to read, and a most evocative depiction of the events taking place on your campaign map. I'm looking forward to further tales!

[Alkiviadis]

What can I say? Perhaps you would be to make it movie!!!!
Congratulations...

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

I think, for a good movie the plot is a little bit to complicated. I mean, almost twenty main characters, that would be a movie!
Anyway, I'm glad you like the storytelling. Thank you very much for the posts, which are very welcome to me, because they force me to keep on with this joyful kind of writing.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Ok, here is a little document of my humble efforts using that graphic software called the gimp, which seems to be difficult to handle, but on the other hand it's freeware:

https://img79.imageshack.us/img79/6914/geybeardsai4.th.jpg (https://img79.imageshack.us/my.php?image=geybeardsai4.jpg)
A confederation of grey beards / The rulers of the world in 242 BC

See you soon!

[Alkiviadis]

Happy new year...and we waiting for more...

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

I whish you a happy new year too! This one will be continued during next week, when my duties will hopefully leave me the time, that it will take.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

So here is the fourth part of this chronology, which trys to follow the history of the AI-nations inhabiting the little parallel universe called the world according to the Koinon Hellenon:

The world according to ther Koinon Hellenon: Cut 4 – The year of 232

https://img409.imageshack.us/img409/1081/hafenansichtie7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Prologue: What happened to the Koinon Hellenon during the last 10 years

First of all something very sad, something terrible: Our king is dead. Only 62 years old Akrotatos Erypontidos Lacedaimonios passsed over in 233 abord of a fleet, wich should bring him to Sparta, where he wanted to spend his golden years of deserved retirement. But no! The exhausting journey on the rough pontic sea was too much for the aging man, under whose wise regiment the Koinon Hellenon became a member of the exclusive club of world-powers.

https://img411.imageshack.us/img411/8283/koinondeadkingiz4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
In memoriam: The King

New king Pergamos Syrakusios unfortunately is an aging man of somehow doubtful virtues. The very first thing he ordered was the declaration of Athena as capital of our federation of free city-states. The Spartans were forced to accept, but a little sugarcube was given to them, which could become a big one in the future. The old king's only son, country bumpkin and notourious slave trader Haymon Eurypontidos Lakedaimonios was inherited as next leader of the Koinon. Currently he is roaming Asia-Minor, where the big things happen.

https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/4912/koinonkinglr9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Our new King

Asia minor was a location of war, assasination and conquer during the last decade. After we took beautiful Pergamon from a local tyrant, the Kingdom of Pontus declared war on us. Three or four victorys against the weak pontic troops earned us the town of Nikaia, so that the whole Minor-Asian Westcoast is in the hands of the Koinon-Poleis now. This pontic war lingers on untill today, but will be lead in a defensive way, because deep in our hearts we are quite fond of this cute juggernaut-kingdom.
The battles against the seleucids were much harder, but finally we took Ipsos and threw the Arche out of Asia Minor. Then the Ptolemaic Kingdom attacked. Our new faction heir was shipped in from the Krim-Peninsula, where they didn't want him anyway, pushed back the Ptolemaic invasion army and started his career as a serious strategos with the conquer of strongly defended Side.

https://img113.imageshack.us/img113/9071/koinonheirjh6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Our new heir

Now everybody waits in carefully hidden doubt, what our new king will do, decide or committ next.

https://img186.imageshack.us/img186/2443/koinonminorasiazu3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation in Minor Asia

But now finally lets start with having a look on the activitys of the people inhabiting the rest of the world:

https://img212.imageshack.us/img212/8862/mapnorthwestow1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the Northwest

Casse

https://img154.imageshack.us/img154/7982/cassekingyt3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Casse-King Mowg

Into spring: Bad news for all the Casse-fans out there: The fierceful tribesmanship of the wild and unknown britannic isles had to admit again, that their Euleuthroi-neighbours are even more fierceful than the Casse-warriours. But some good news too, as the brandnew king, a skillful man by the name of Mowg will hopefully change the humiliating history of his people. At least he looks like he will. Maybe something will happen this year!
...into summer: But not before autum.
...into autum: Maybe now, but on the other hand: Winter is near.
...into winter: And oops, there it is (the winter, not the Casse outburst).

https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/8044/casseworldsl2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The small world of the Casse

Aedui

https://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3135/aeduikingtx0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Old King Dennoros

Into spring: Finally serious progress is to be noticed in the Aedui-case: Not only was the 10th siege of Bratosporios a success, free and independent gaulish powers also overwhelmed the defenders of Darioritum in the west. Last but not least the Aedui-Tribes are led by Dennoros, who is the oldest and, in their opinion, also the wisest king in the whole world. No wonder, that a few years ago people of Medilanum and Segestica rebelled to the Aedui-side and no wonder, that the evil windbags from the italic penisula had to commit massacres in those towns to put down Aedui-resistance.
Now a big force is led towards the new northern borders whith SPQR by a skilled warlord. Truly the Aedui are the strongest advocates of northern barbarian lifestyle nowadays.
..into summer: Danger arises in the north. A roman general with a half legion tresspasses the territorium of Bratosporios. But Aedui defences are ready to strike.
..into autum: But what's that? The roman legion, consisting of a general called Christianus an a few hired warbands, now besieges Bratosporios, where the Aduii Faction Heir is completely left alone whith 18000 trembling civilists. And help is far away. Lets hope, that King Donnoros has not lost his mind while aging so much. Something must be done, or all ten sieges were in vain.
...into winter: Finally help is on nthe way, but it probably will come too late.
PS: It's sad but true: In spring 231 Bratosporios is a roman Village. Only about 4000 People survived the siege.

https://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8571/aeduibordersvt4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Danger at the northern borders

Avernii

https://img293.imageshack.us/img293/440/averniikingsy0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
New Avernii-King

Into spring: Since more than twentyfive years the Avernii are spoken of as the strongest embarresment for northern barbarian livestyle by underground druids in the avernian hinterwald. They are still humble clients of SPQR and even their new king didn't make any difference. They feel save in the shadow of the giant, but that safety could soon have an end, as Aedui powers are increasing and as a new, white giant, who sits firmly in Iberia, could stretch his fingers onto the rich city of massilia in the near future.
..into summer: Avernii guards do not take notice of two tiny Qartadast exploration-armys, which cross their territorium with direction Roma.
..into autum: Interesting news from up there in Bratosporios.
..into winter: Nothing happend as usual.

https://img102.imageshack.us/img102/386/averniilw9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
No news in Avernium

Lusitanii

https://img102.imageshack.us/img102/5385/lusitkingvi0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Last picture of of the unlucky Lusitanian King

Oh listen here boys and girls to the tale that I tell. It's a sad one about some peaceful cow-farmers, who didn't do any harm to anybody but their bulls. Neighbouring the western edge of the mighty Qartadast Empire, they led their modest lives, always believing, that they would easily crush every army, which dared to violate their borders. Then, in 236 BC, this well-educated handsome roman diplomate showed up, kindly suggesting an alliance whith mighty rome. The lusitanian king was, as always, too polite to reject a friendly offer. What he unfortunately had not heard of was the first punic war.
The rest of the story is a short one: Karthago was not amused, siege was layed on Oxtraca, the only lustanian settlement, where the whole nobility had gathered together, the ridiculous wooden palisade was crumbled in a minute and every nobleman of the Lusitanii was killed by Qartadast elite-units. So now the story of the Lusitanian Tribesmanship is a tale of the past and definitely not one of the heroic ones.
But anyway it has a somehow reconciliating epilogue: Only one year after the Qartadast Elite-fighters murdered the lusitanian nobility, simple Oxtraca-people arose with grim and kicked out the phoenician parfumeurs. So now Oxtraca is one of the wild and independent free villages of Iberia. But alas: Never will there be a lusitanian king anymore.

https://img101.imageshack.us/img101/1079/luisitendnf8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation in former Lusitania

Sweboz

https://img101.imageshack.us/img101/1273/swebozkingxl2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Harjawulfaz, King of Kings

Into spring: Still the Swebian campfires gloom through the spooky forests of the north, but the Roman intruders are getting more and more dangerous. Roma now ownes every village of the Sweboz' western neighbours and if the young consul Blasio, who sits in Gawjam Heruskoz instead of Roma, should fall into a bad mood, the wild forset roamers could get into serious trouble. Meanwhile there are rumours, that in the far east some crazy people of the village of Gordu Neurii decided to lead their lifes in the middle of nowhere under swebian banner from now on. King Harjawulfaz hardly believes this, but silently decides to maybe take a look at this people, if Roma should attack.
..into summer: ..but Roma does not attack yet.
..into autum: Maybe the peace will last.
..into winter: Another year of peace for the whealing warmongers of the northern forests comes near it's end

https://img107.imageshack.us/img107/5901/swebozborderul8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The roman danger

SPQR

https://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5963/romanconsulzr9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Consul Blasio

Into spring: Young Consul Amulius Favonius Blasio has a faible for the north. Somehow he managed to convince the senate to continuously supply him with waggonloads of money, which he spends to engage one gang of those cute and tattooed mercenary spearmen from the wilderness after the other, conquering village after village. And though the brave Independents of the town, that will be called vienna in some far away future, crushed about five roman „legions“ at their walls during the last 10 years he seems to be successful. Two years ago he finally reached the northern sea and now he rests in Gawjam Heruskoz, celebrating wild partys with his personal druids and ignoring the merchants that constantly bring bad news from home.
The news are as follows. Evil Qartadast Empire has conquered the town of Rhegium and now sits firmly in southern italia. Also the worthless intruders whiped out the new Roman allies in Iberia and managed to convince the even more worthless Greeks of Taras to join in the war against Rome. Roman defenders now have to deal with three of those nosey phalanx forces and Jupiter knows what's going to happen.
Consul Amulius Favonius Blasio does not care too much. He is a man of the forests, who has reached the northern sea. Unpatiently he sents the merchants home again. They did not bring as much money as they used to by the way. Maybe he should crush those swebian wildmen to come into a better mood again.
...into summer: Spooky silence at the south front. In the north, Blasius orders one of his generals, a certain Christianus, to explore the lands of the free gauls. Vienna is besieged again.
...into autum: That Christianus seems to be a proper guy. Soon another barbarian village will enjoy roman peace after the inhabitants are all killed. But very, very bad news from the southern front. Something about two battles against Epirus. Blasius isn't even able to listen to the words of the merchant till the end of his speech.
...into winter: Finally Roma reacts and huge armys from the north cross the alps in direction italy. But now that Capua is under heavy siege, the maybe will come to late.
PS: In spring also Arpi is besieged and the retreating roman reinforcements are still far away. Blasio himself preferes to stay in Gawja Heruskoz. Maybe he's afraid of being forced to appear in front of a court in Roma.

https://img50.imageshack.us/img50/9492/romanlegionbv3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Roman „Legion“ besieging Bratosporios

https://img178.imageshack.us/img178/3171/romatroublenf2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Trouble at the sothern borders

Safot Softim bi'Qartadast

https://img275.imageshack.us/img275/7971/qartadastkingnr3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Young Quarthadast King

Into spring: The Safot Softim bi'Qartadast is a giant on the rise. Being the most powerful empire in the world, the Poenicians now fight mighty roma, own the whole iberian eastcoast and definitely stopped the sand-wars against the Ptolemaians. There's only one problem: People generally seem to dislike their phoenician rulers for whatever reason there will be. Good, the rebellion of Oxtraca is one thing, those barbarians are like angry children sometimes. But the revolution of Lilibeo on Sicilia is a more than serious backlash for the Qartadast cause. What, by the beard of the great baal, came in the minds of those people? They are living dead men by now. To take back this key-town and punish the traitors with no mercy will be a priority-one task for the Safot Softim in the near future.
...into summer: Two little exploration commands drip into Roman territorium like raindrops into a rotten house with a broken roof. May they survive somehow and tell young king Hilmilkar, how strong those Romans really are.
...into autum: Good news from Italia. The greek friends of Qartadast seem to do better than expected.
...into winter: Maybe the do a little bit too good.
PS: The explorators in northern italy still play hide and seek. Lilibeo is left alone for the moment. The whole Safot Softim seems strangely passive Maybe the young king is a little bit too young to rule such an empire.

https://img128.imageshack.us/img128/5206/qartasicilyjx8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Lost Lilibeo


https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3633/maparabiadj9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of Arabia


As' Sabyn wal'Jau

https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/8691/sabynkingjt8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Halik Il Watar, Sultan of the desert-desperados

Into spring: Wise and mighty king Halik Il Watar is the ruler of the desert now. These times are good times for the Sabyn Jau. The conquering of Dumatha, which put the giant province of Arabia under their controll also convinced the inhabitants of Meroe and Axum on the other side of the red sea to live under Jau rules again. Halik Il Watar lights his favourite water-pipe and smiles. The great enemy of the Jau, the so called „Pharaos“ of the fertile land of egypt are desperately engaged in their ruinous war whith the Arche Seleukeia and Halik hopes, that this war will go on for ever. Anyway, there is much left to do. Especially the near town of Sabata, which still claims to be independent, is a constantly itching splinter in the toes of the great arabian king. But hopefully not for long.
...into summer: Strong Sabyn Jau forces gather around Dumatha.
...into autum: Huge forces patrol the desert. One of them, led by faction heir Ham Il Yafir, sneaks around a seleukid settlement in northern Arabia, playing a dangerous game whith the allied Arche.
...into winter: The game becomes even more dangerous, because the selekeukid town of Gerrha is strongly garrisoned. So maybe another alliance will be in tatters soon.
PS: In spring Ham Il Yafir retreats, which is a wise kind of acting. He now marches in western direction to stop a ptolemaic army from trespassing the deserts.

https://img442.imageshack.us/img442/5742/sabynheirck7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Halik Il Yafir retreats to whip the Ptolemaians


https://img442.imageshack.us/img442/2343/mapnortheastik0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the Northeast


Phalavii

https://img120.imageshack.us/img120/9756/pahlaviikikngjo2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Brave King Thruxra

Into spring: Oh, the shame, the unbearable shame. Nisa the beautiful became helpless prey in the claws of evil Arche Seleukeia five years ago. Great king Phraotes died and now young Thruxra has to rule over a kingdom, that could soon be dead too. Already the phalavian steppes tremble under the feet of two dangerous Arche armys, one of them near Kiat, and not much warriors are left to hinder them from marching. Oh people of Nisa, stand up and throw out those misplaced greeks.
...into summer: „Become protectorate, ehemm, hommhomm“, that's what the seleukid diplomat said. He should be happy. that great Thruxra spared his life.
...into autum: Doom aproaches like a mericeless phalanx, as now King Thruxra is besieged by the Seuleukid devils in Antiochia Margiane.
...into winter: And now they built siege equipment. Kink Thruxra prepares to die. The Seleukid army is about five times stronger than the Pahlavii defenders, and there are only wooden walls. And no help comes from Kia, which soon will be the last Pahlavii stronghold.
PS: In spring the wonder of Antiochia Margiane took place. King Thruxra and his men managed to defend the wooden walls, crushing about 2/3 of the selekeukid intruders. This, proclaimed Thruxra later, could only be explained with an interaction of the gods themselves, who this time fought sholder to sholder with the Pahlavii.

https://img120.imageshack.us/img120/6759/pahlaviitroublete8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Trouble's approaching


Bactria

https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/1149/baktriankinglk3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Bactrian Basileus

Into spring: Bactria is on the rise too. A short war with the Aka Rauka resulted in a bactrian victory, the conquering of two northern settlements and the total capitulation if the proud Sake, who are now a completely surrounded client kingdom of Bactria. Also Bactria decided to go east and take the town of Takashila. And another interesting thing happend. Bactria switched sides in the great diadochii wars of it's neighbours. No longer the Arche but now the Pharao is allied with the blue greeks from far out. Maybe Bactrian powers will join in the great war soon, maybe they finally will make the difference.
...into summer: Small Bactrian forces play the old provocing-the-Arche-by-territorial-violation game. But the Arche keeps calm.
...into autum: Huge bactrian forces emerge the waste lands north of the troubled pahlavian Empire.
..into winter: Seleukeian territory is violated again.

https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7001/bactriainvasionce2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Bactria invading the wastelands


Saka Rauka

https://img54.imageshack.us/img54/3055/sakakingnc5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Poor Saka King

Into spring: The formerly proud Saka Rauka are now defeated and forced to live in their reservation of Chighu, hunting the evil steppe rabbit untill the end of their days. Don't you speak to them about that issue, if you meet them.
...into summer: The Saka army leaves Chighu and then returnes. Why not.
...into autum: And out of town and into town again.
...into winter: And even in winter a good walk out of town can be fun.
PS: Finally in spring the Saka forces seem to go on a bigger journey.

https://img54.imageshack.us/img54/8492/sakawalkdh0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
A winter-walk into spring


Hayasdan

https://img165.imageshack.us/img165/8458/hayasdankingbx2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Mher the Lame of Hayasdim

Into spring: The tiny Hayasdan Empire maybe will be a little bit bigger in the future, because Hai armys actually started to explore the sauromatean wastelands north of them. These are the results of a whicked plan created by Mher the Lame, who is constantly in a very bad mood due to his lameness. Now the world waits eagerly for the sauramatean response.
...into summer: Hayasdan troops at the gates of sauromatean Uspe. Will they attack? Meanwhile in the west the Eleuteroi town of Trapezos, a rich trading centre at the pontic coast, is besieged.
...into autum: Uspe is spared this time, but more Hayasdim troops enter sauromatean territory.
..into winter: Now the troops turn east onto the Rebel stronghold of Kabalaka. It will be a hard task, but maybe war with the steppe archers is finally avoided.
PS: Trapezos is now, to the anger of the pontic king, a Hayasdan- town.

https://img371.imageshack.us/img371/1908/haiexpasnionre4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The siege of Trapezos

Sauromateans

https://img289.imageshack.us/img289/830/sauromatankinghd8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Phidas of the Sauromateans

Into spring: Sleepy King Phidas of the sauromatean tribes has not yet heard about the plans of Mare the Lame. He is actually much too occupied with the organisation of the great sauromatean fox-hunting festival, which brings him to the edge of his skills as a king every springtime. But wait till he gets started.
...into summer: Hayasdan troops at the gates of Uspe. Will King Phidas wake up?
...into autum: Will he wake up?
...into winter: No, he won't.

https://img289.imageshack.us/img289/1276/sauromguardscy5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sauromatean guards at the Koinon borders


https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/5685/mapcentralhellenicbl5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the central hellenic world


Arche Seleuceia

https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/5429/archekingmy2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Theodoros Syriakos, lookalike and pathological hater of the Pahlavii

Into spring: Ups and downs for the Arche during the last decade. Being kicked out of Asia Minor by Koinon Hellenon, the great Empire now concentrates on the two other wars, which it is constantly leading. Still Seleukeia is in the hands of the Ptolemaians, but due to the reconquering of Damaskus, the former Arche capital is now part of a completely surrounded region. If the faithless Bactrian traitors would only ceep calm for another few years, Seuleukan people could finally be freed from the unbearable oppression of silly egyptian ursurpators. Meanwhile the invasion of Pahlavia is going on strongly and soon another noisy neighbour will be calmed down forever.
...into summer: Celebrations all over the Arche Seleukeia. A ptolemaic force is beaten to dust near Damaskus
...into autum: Arche prepares to reconquer Antiochea Margiane from the purple barbarians of the steppes. Their chief will not survive this.
..into winter: Next spring will be reconquering time.
PS: It is reported, but not confirmed, that the King Theodoros Syriakos ate his crimson hat with salt and coriander ofter being informed about the crushing defeat of Antiocheia Marginare.

https://img49.imageshack.us/img49/3857/archesuccessrorwarsgh3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The endless war in Syria.


Ptolemaic Kingdom

https://img49.imageshack.us/img49/4370/ptolemaianpharaowu4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pharao Leontiskos

Into spring: The great Pharao is sincerely not amused about the losses of Side (to the Koinon) and Damaskus (to the Arche). But tricky ptolemaic diplomacy managed to create a bactro-pahlavii-egyptian alliance against the mighty seleukian foe, and so hope is the air again. The isolated Seleukia will be protected from her former tyrants and also those itchy arabs will be sent back into the desert, where they belong to. Ptolemaic wealth, craftsmanship, wisdom and haute couture will rule the world, once that clumsy zyklopos from Mesopotamia is crumbled into tiny pieces, promised Pharao Leontiskos Traikikos at the gates of the royal palace in Alexandria last week.
...into summer: Celebrations all over the egyptian Empire. A seleukid force is beaten to dust near Bostra.
...into autum: One general-led army approachs those phoney arabs.
...into winter: Nothing serious happens on the mainland, but a Koinon army has landed on the shores of Cyprus.
PS: Cyprus is lost, but the desert expedition, led by a certain Archimedes Soknopaio Nesou accompanied by two more members of the royal family, seems to be quite promising

https://img45.imageshack.us/img45/8585/ptolbattledp7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The battle of Bostra


Kingdom of Pontos

https://img166.imageshack.us/img166/7876/pontoskinguw4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Arsames, the worrying warrior

Into spring: Declaring war on the neighbours from Koinon Hellenon was not a good idea for the formerly uprising empire of Pontos. The town of Nikaia and three full armys were lost in the fights against the better equipped Koinon troops and King Arsames Kianos looks like he went through a time of serious worrying.
...into summer: And on he worries.
...into autum: And worries even more, because another pontic army, which approached Nikaia is crushed by Koinon defences.
...into winter: Again Pontos throws a huge army against the Koinons strong defenders. The possibility of a second defeat makes the king feel uncomfortably worried again.
PS: And, to make the mess complete, Hayasdan took Trapezos!

https://img234.imageshack.us/img234/6851/pontosbeatenpj0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Being pushed back by the Koinon


Epirotean League

https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/7193/epirotankingde1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The new Pyrrhus

Into spring: Finally the decades of shame and humiliation have come an end for the threatened Epirote League, although Phoenicians were needed to bring back the old phyrrhic spirit to the western Greeks. Now, almost 30 years after that dishonourable ceasefire resulting from the death of great Pyrrhus, Epirus is on war with Rome again. It has three strong armys and one strong compagnion, so the situation is not as hopeless as it seems. Maybe even Amulius Favonius Blasio will be forced to return to Italia again.
...into summer: Spooky silence in italia. The mighty phalangites eagerly await the roman attack. For now, it seems like Roma decided to wait too.
...into autum: This autum will be remembered in the epirotean land as the year, when the spirit of Pyrrhus returned. Two mighty epirote armys approached roman territory and two huge battles ended with victorys for Epirus. Roma is in serious trouble now.
...into winter: Now siege is layed upon Capua. If the roman defensive troops will be delayed a little while, this siege could succeed and the Epirote League could have a future again.
PS: Also Arpi is besieged in spring, and the first roman reinforcement legion is crushed. The next year will show, if Epiros is at the gates of dawn or at the gates of doom.

https://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9894/epirosphrrhicspiritxn0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
„Capua, you'll have it better“, painting by the Epirotean King himself


Getans:

https://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8614/getankingod4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Getan Dwarfmaster

Into spring: Still no news from the gloomy warrior-dwarfes from behind the seven hills.
...into summer: Minor struggles with the Eleutheroi due to alcohol-abuse on both sides as usual.
..into autum: Struggles again, this time won by the Getans.
..into winter: and this time by the barbarians

https://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7097/getaishothy6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Boredom and alcoholism behind the seven hills



Epilogue

The Koinon Hellenon kept quiet this year, only beating back the Pontos and doing an expedition on the isle of cyprus. Even more quiet were the mainlands and the northern borders. So the greatest news of the year for Koinon people was the completion of the mighty temple of Athene in Athenai.

https://img135.imageshack.us/img135/1326/athensviewsp1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Athenai as seen from the mountains

And also an old friend from the northern borders wants to say goodbye to you, because due to his lifestyle Ponponeos Hyperteleatos probably will not be there anymore, when in 222 the next cut will show the upos and downs in the world according to the Koinon.

https://img126.imageshack.us/img126/6645/koinonmisogynistfc3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
So say goodby to an aging misogynist womanizer of some international standing and notourious reputation.

See, you,
yours Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Extremely interesting still. Though my modem connection has a hard time viewing it all. :grin: Enjoyed it again!

[VandalCarthage]

I don't usually read battle reports or threads like this, but that was truly interesting. Way to go mate ~:)

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you very much for the feedback, which I really appreciate. I think the game itself is extremely interesting. Even the diplomatical behaviour between the factions often seems to make sense, which is, as you know, very unusual for a RTW mod. I liked the activities around the punic war very much. Qarthadast tried to isolate Roma by forming alliances with her neighbours, the Epirotes and Aedui. Roma tried the same and allied with the Lusitanias. Only one year later Lusitania is destroyed by Qartadast and another year later, Qartadast manages to involve the three mighty Epirote armies in their war (probably by sending a small one to the front and asking Epirus for reinforcement when attacked)
So the Phoenicians seem to act really smart. (While Roma is on the loose in the northern forests due to her crazy Consul Blasio, but that's another story)

Also the trait system is simply amazing. I especially like the smeary and doubtful characters it creates.

The biggest problem for me in the mid-game is, that I earn too much money (I know I could simply destroy the mining centres, but thats not the same) But though my Empire is quite safe now, the game is definitely not starting to get boring.

Currently fundamental changes shake the earth in the Koinon neighbourhood, so the next update will show a world, that somehow turned upside down.

[keravnos]

Yes, very nice! Looks like a "Pathe news" AAR to me, which was obviously the point.

[Vorian]

Great read.

A question though: How do you manage to monitor so carefully the AI movements? (especially diplomatic ones) Do you have toggle_fow always on, even during changing turns? Man if that's true your patience is Budha-like.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

During the year, that I am reporting about, I completely turn off the FoW and watch, what the AI does while changing turns. Then I leave the game with strg/alt/entf and try to write about what has happened, not knowing what the KI will do next. That indeed affords a little patience but to me is very interesting too.
After the year I turn on the fog again and rely on the informations of my spy network all over the world.
As for the diplomacy, you always get the messages. I belive, the diplomacy-system is tuned down by the EB-developers, so that the KI-Factions are not too agressive among eachothers and relationships are quite stable. So most of the messages you get, are really important. And it's quite fascinating: Kathargo was neighbouring the Lusitanians for over thirty years without declaring war. Then you get the message: Alliance of Rome and Lusitanii and immediately the Lusitanian faction is destroyed by Kathargo.
Same whith Karthago and Epiros: Karthago had conquered Rhegium from the Romans and was now neighbouring Epirus, but instead of declaring war to them they allied and soon the longlasting Epirotean-Roman peace was over and Epiros did most of the work for the Qartadast.
This tuned down diplomacy system together whith the social-security script, that supports poor factions with money is one thing I especially like in EB, because it keeps the small factions alive and prevents the world from being a super-power-monoculture. Even the Lusitanians will hopefully do much better when they are worked out in the upcoming patches.

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

But anyway it has a somehow reconciliating epilogue: Only one year after the Qartadast Elite-fighters murdered the lusitanian nobility, simple Ombroxia-people arose with grim and kicked out the pontic parfumeurs.Ombroxia? :inquisitive: Pontic parfumers? :inquisitive:

[Obelics]

ahah! this is somethink between an AAR story and an AI Faction Progression, and the whole think is a sort of very original, creative work.
Great job Quirinos, and thanks for having had a nice eye on my guys, it's strange, reading of Phraotes, Thuxtra etc. i almost had an eye tear. I think this is the evil side-effect of EB. Playing this mod you begin to think to faction you liked a lot as somethink of your own...:laugh4: in my time-frame, phraotes is dead long time ago of old age, as governor and restless-pedagogue:whip: in gava-alanna (he was never king sic!), while thuxtra is still alive as Shahanshah in gava-mazsakat...
Liked very much the images too, they seems a sort of postcards.

great contribute to EB!
salut!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Liked very much the images too, they seems a sort of postcards.
Yes, and each sorrounded in the faction's colour.~:)

I really like your funny style of writing, Quirinus. The idea itself is very interesting.

"They were baking little breads" hähähä! Im really looking forward to read how Koinon told Pontos "were the frog has the curls". :laugh4:

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Sorry posted twice! Would delete it if I could...

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Aymar de Bois Mauri: Thank you for reading so carefully. I have already edited the post, so now the phoenician parfumers are thrown out of Oxtraca, as it has to be. I had a lot of difficulties with the proper spelling of settlement-names, especially the town of Bratosporios was misspelled by me in four or five different ways.
Artaserse: I think, everybody, who read the Waste Land and then stumbles over one of the phalavian armys with a spy, while playing a campaign, wishs them more then good luck in their hopeless struggles against the neighbouring superpowers, especially when the stack is led by a familiar character and contains some Daha skirmishers, phalavian archers and stuff. It's like a different version of the Wate Land, that happens somewhere out of sight, while you are making your own expieriences.
The next update will take a while, because I'm going to Berlin now for about one week. But I want to tell you in advance, that Thruxa has survived the next ten years, but god, must he suffer! I'm glad to hear, that he's much better off in your timeframe.

I highly appreciate your interest in this story. Next update will will show a world, which has turned upside down in more than one way.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you too, Nixalsverdrus, and don't you let those gaulic recruts trample on your nerves too much!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

:whip:

I'll have a try.:smash: ~D

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Aymar de Bois Mauri: Thank you for reading so carefully. I have already edited the post, so now the phoenician parfumers are thrown out of Oxtraca, as it has to be. I had a lot of difficulties with the proper spelling of settlement-names, especially the town of Bratosporios was misspelled by me in four or five different ways.No problem. Yours is a great AAR. And you have a very funny sense of humour. Great work. :thumbsup:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thanx again, Aymar! Will be updated during next week.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

So here it comes again:

The world according to the Koinon Hellenon

https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/638/koinonlogo3yu.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Cut 5: The year of 222 / World in turmoil

Due to certain evolvements in the world, the structure of the post has been changed a little. So now the headaches of Casse-King Mowg are no longer the headliner-news of the world.


Prologue: The Koinon History of the last ten years

https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/9387/mapkoinonenpire4gl.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the Koinon Hellenon

To the relief of many Koinon Noblemen the reign of King Pergamos was only an intermezzo of a few years. What they did not know, was, that they would remember this years as a golden aera of relative peace and prosperity. Because now King Haimon Eurypontidos Lakedaimonios entered the throne and started to reign.

https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8480/koinonking8co.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Haimon

The first thing he did was disinheriting a well educated, popular and peaceful man of the greek mainlands and declaring the completely unknown strategos Chares Keramaikos Attikos as his heir because of his military-skills (one star). Epicureian philosophers in Atheai also claimed, that the complete lack of management skills, that Attikos shares with the King, might have been a reason for this decision.

https://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1080/koinonheir7ak.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The new heir

Then the king ordered „permanent rearmament“ in Attika and personally started an expansive war against the Arche Seleukeia. Soon Tarsos fell to the Koinon powers and after several huge battles Haimon and his Spartan Hoplites conquered the great Antiocheia to the shame of the arche. But even that did not satisfy our Kings lust for life on the battlefields. So, approaching Edessa, he was attacked by the extremely annoyed Arche King Timoxenos in person, conquerer of Damaskos and certainly one of the best Generals of the world. The heroic victory in the battle of Edessa, in which Haimon himself put the Arche King to dead, was the the peak of his military career so far. Satisfied with himself and his proper beard he rested in Edessa, refusing to improve his management-skills as always.

https://img246.imageshack.us/img246/627/archedeadking3hr.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The dead Arche-King

Meanwhile on the opposite coast of Asia Minor, the people of Trapezous made a revolution against their new Hayasdan rulers and joined the Koinon by free will. Emediately the Hayasdan-Kingdom declared war. After the first two attacks against the polis were heroically pushed back by simple skirmishers of Trapezous, Koinon sent help from the Krim. King Haimons plan was as follows: By conquering one more Arche settlement and one more Hayasdan-Settlement, Pontos would be completely surrounded by Koinon borders and should become a client-reservation in the near future, where nobles from the greek mainlands could spend their holidays. That would look nice on the map too. What Haimon not thought of, was the desperate resistance of Pontii and Hayasdan and the unbelievable annoyment of the Arche. So the following things happened:
Two middle aged generals, both filthy minded, were constantly envolved in desperate battles against the Hayasdan, who threw their entire military power against Trapezous. In spite of permanent support from the Krim they did not manage to push them back yet.

https://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8858/koinonhayasdanfront5gu.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation around Trapezous

In western Asia-Minor Nikaia had to defend herself against the Pontos for about five times with average troops, because the king needed all the elite soldiers for his war against the Arche.

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/7357/koinonwesternponticfron2ek.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation in western Asia Minor

https://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9477/koinonnikaiadefense4dh.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Nikaia-Captain fighting the pontic chariots

The king himself got stuck in Edessa and now has to be freed from Arche siege by a minor general with the next Koinon elite army from Attika. This general has to save the king, so he was not able to help out Tarsos, which was also heavyly besieged by Pontos. So the unlucky Gouvernor of Tarsos decieded to sally, knowning, that in the past Koinon had always won against the unskilled pontic armys. But this time, to the great shame of the Koinon, the demoralised elite spearmen were overrun by the gaulish and eastern overpower. Tarsos fell, our people are slaves now and all our buildings are crumbled.

https://img250.imageshack.us/img250/8940/koinonfallentarsus9rj.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation in Syria

So now King Haimon has to face a military catastrophy, which can only be compared with the loss of Athenai to Macedonia in 269 BC. Haimon is forced to change his plans and he also is forced to change his mind about the Kingdom of Pontos. As a man of radical mindswitches, he decides as follows:
After the siege of Edessa hopefully will be broken, this town and also Antiocheia will be given to the Ptolemaic Empire either for a ceasefire, either for free, just to annoy the Arche. Then revenge will come over Pontos like Achilles came over Hector, and this time Achilles will be called Haimon Eurypontidos Lakedaimonios.

Meanwhile in main Greece our new heir was informed about certain alarming developments on the Italic Peninsula. So the rich mineur-centre of Dalmatia was quickly taken from the Epirote League, and a few years later also Attikos gets his army to join in the italic game. Currently he besieges Taras, the capital of the Epirote Empire, which in his opinion, grew a bit too quick during the last decade.

To make the troubles even worse, the polis of Emporion at the shores of northern iberia rebelled to the Koinon last year, so that the Safot Softim bi'Qartadast joined the great club of Koinon enemies. We for shure appreciate the will of the people as always, but his is for shure too much, so that Emporion will immedately given back to them.

Untouched by all this affairs, a certain gouvernour spends his golden years in Epidamnos. We already said goodbye to him in the last cut, because a sudden death due to livestyle causes seemed to be certain, but as you see below, Ponponios Hyperteleatos is still rockin':

https://img186.imageshack.us/img186/5589/koinonhyperteleatos2mt.jpg (https://imageshack.us)


But now let's take a look at the

News from the rest of the world

https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7043/mapworld9jw.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the world in spring 222

The Punic War: The Italic Peninsula and the Roman Empire

https://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6457/mapitalia8jl.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the Italic Peninsula

Epiros

https://img227.imageshack.us/img227/2638/epirosking2kh.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sabyron Sasonios, successor of the great Pyrrhos

Into spring: What happened to the Epirote League during the last decade can only be compared to the outburst of a vulcano, that had been calmly collecting power for decades. It was a steamroll beyond comparison. One roman legion after the other crossed the alpes to defend the homeland, but it was not really their homeland, because this legions all consisted of the beloved gaulic warbands of Consul Blasio. These tatooed wildmen now had to face hellenic elite-troops for the first time of their lives. Almost always it was the last time too. Epirotan forces crushed one legion after another and soon the great Roma herself fell in shame and all the citizens were killed. And against the desperate roman resistance - and in spite of the loss of Dalmatia to the Koinon - the Epirote steamroll lingered on. Now the border settlements of the League are Segesta and Medilanum. Also Epirote diplomates bribed a young roman general, who was disappointed, because the Consul refused to show up at the front.
In the south, which was firmly held by the new poenician friends, the League felt safe for a long time. That's over now due to the arrogant traitor from main greece and the fact, that the borders to Rhegion suprisingly turned red again last year. But Sabyron Sasonios is not really worried. He's the conquerer of the central Roman Empire and he's in possession of an original strand of Pyrrhos' beardhair, which he bought off some honest looking getai-merchant on the black marked in Roma. So no man or woman in the entire world should even try to harm him or his subjects.
...into summer: Minor backlash at the northern-front, as the roman heir is victorious against an epirote army.
...into autum: Sabyron is raving mad through his chambers, because Taras, the capital of his uprising kingdom, fell under the Koinon rule after heroic defense. Also a big Epiros-army under the gaulic traitor Acco was defeated by the Romans in the alps. As Taras is defended too strong, Sabyron orders his forces to go north and declares alliance with Pontos, as he knows that the Koinon Hellenon will be annoyed about that.
...into winter: For whatever reason there will be, stupid northern romans retreat from northern Italia. Also the roman- and the gaulic traitor join together in one army, where they now can make cleverness-competitions with eachother.
PS: Harrharr, Epirote-style-revenge for Taras. An assassin did a good job!

https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/9632/epirotenorthernborders4ec.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Epirote northern borders

https://img444.imageshack.us/img444/6977/epirosromantraitor2uu.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Epirote roman turncoat

https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8112/epirotegaultraqitor4co.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Epirote gaulic turncoat

SPQR

A) Northern Empire

https://img224.imageshack.us/img224/6134/romanconsul0vb.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Aemulius Favonius Corpulentus, Consul of the Northern Roman Empire

https://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1941/romanheir1dj.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Roman Second Consul Lucius Neratius Asina

Into spring: Second Consul Neratius has turned into a grim man lately. Having experienced one military catastrophy after another, he spent his days desperately trying to teach those illiterate gaulic merchants to wash themselves at least a little and to stand in line properly. Now finally the greek expansion seems to slow down slightly and Neratius finds time to think about the man, who is in charge of all this mess. His thoughts are no friendly ones.
Consul Favinius Blasio has gained a little weight due to his germanic cook in Gawjam Hattoz, where he prefered to stay, as the civitas of Italia was murdered. So now the first latin word, that an average „roman“ barbarian learns, is usually „Corpulentus“. First he was angry about his new name, but when his favorite druid told him, that in the northern culture fat men were always seen as blessed by the gods, he was quite proud and gained self respect again. So, as bad news from home came too frequent to be ignored, he provided a diplomat with a really huge amount of money and told him to travel south. That however is one theory, wich tries to explain, what has happened in Sicilia about one year ago.
...into summer: Brave Neratius pushes back the greek enemy in northern Italia. A roman diplomat visits the humble clients of Avernia, maybe to threat them a little. No news from Corpulentus.
...into autum: A certain Gallus, general of the northern roman empire, defeats the Epirotes in the alpes, maybe because of the two triarii units, that could have dicided the apart from that all-gaulic battle between Roma and Epirus.
...into winter: The messengers of Corpulentus told the armys at the southern borders, to come a little closer to their Consul, because he feels uncomfortable in Gawjam Hattoz. Neratius obeyes grimly.

PS: In spite of all the roman victories, Epiros is still the bigger power in northern Italia.

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6299/romavictory7aj.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Roman victory in the alpes

B) Southern Empire

Into spring: Nobody but the involved characters will ever know exactly, what really happended in former Qartadast Sicilia around 223. Koinon spys were sleepy and all of a sudden, the Southern Roman Empire appeared. It consists of the the three Settlements Messana, Rhegion and Syrakousai an is led by a doubtful guy called Cheiron Saunites, who is obviously of Qartadast origin and leads a big army of hellenistic levy troops.

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/1269/romaqartadasttraitor9pt.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Cheiron Saunites, now probably a rich man

A certain Decimus Cluentius, an untalented diplomate, is suspected to be real founder of this indignified conglomerate of traitors. He must have bribed a whole Qartadast settlement and Cheiron did the rest. Now by simple corruption Roma is back into the southern game again.

https://img154.imageshack.us/img154/8571/romansuspecteddiplomat3zc.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Decimus Cluentius, subject of rumours

...into summer: For now, Cheiron keeps calm.
...into autum: As Taras is now under Koinon rule, Cheirons diplomates arrange a new alliance with the arrogant Pharao, which indeed is a masterpiece of diplomacy. Cheiron himself collects his hellenic forces and marchs onto Lilibeo.
...into winter: Now Lilibeo is besieged.

PS: Lilibeo is conquered in summer, so now whole Sicila is under Roman rule again.

https://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6862/romasouthempire0tk.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Southern Roma


Safot Softim bi'Qartadast

https://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9647/qartadastking3ua.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Himilcar

Into spring: Safot Softim bi'Qartadast is the by far biggest military power of the world. In spite of that, the old loyality problem led to results beyond believe in Sicilia. First everything turned out so well: Epiros did all the dirt work for Qartadast and soon the hellenic tyrants of Sicilia where buried and forgotten by phoenician forces. But now nearly everything is lost again. Only Lilibeo kept faith and now desperately waits for reinforcements from the homelands. And baal, these reinforcements would be ready to go, if there only were fleets to carry them. „Bring me the head of this Cheiron Saunites“, King Himilcar cried out, but he resides in deep Iberia, and the traitors head would be quite smelly until reaching him. „Smelly or not, bring me the head“, the king screamed again.
Iberia on the other hand, is almost completely under Qartadast rule. Completely? No, some mindless greeks in Emporion made a glourious revolution and declared themselves as members of the Koinon Hellenon. What they don't know: Instead of the fleets with reinforcements, that they await so desperately, a diplomat will show up, which is told to give them back to the Poenicans for present. Yes, such are international politics sometimes.
...into summer: Qartadast besieges another iberian village. Still no fleet for Sicilia at the horizon.
...into autum: Alliance with Epiros. The Qartadast navy emerges from iberia, but is weak and still has a long way to go.
...into winter: Now two qartadast fleets are at least near the reinforcment armies around Karthargo. Emporion is independent now and the greeks disappeared, after theit offer of ceasefire was denied.

PS: Fleet has reached Karthargo. The iberian village fell under Qartadast rule.

https://img142.imageshack.us/img142/8633/qartadastreinforcements5ja.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Qartadast reinforcements at Lepki

https://img254.imageshack.us/img254/326/qartadastmurder0hu.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Qartadast cruelity in Iberia


The northern Barbarians

https://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3555/mapnorthwest2xp.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the North-West

Aedui

https://img257.imageshack.us/img257/7267/aeduiking1qk.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Baeren oi Neamha

Into spring: „It's not a good idea to settle down in Bratosporios“ became a popular proverb among the people of the Aedui. Indeed the poor northern gaulic settlement has been the subject of constant fights from the beginning of history until now. Reconquered by brave gauls about eight years ago it soon fell into the hand of a faithless creature, which was paid by the red walrus of Gawjam Hattoz, and which name is forbidden to speak out by King Baeren even in chronologies like this one. But we have a picture:

https://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6785/romagaulictraitor2pe.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The faithless creature ruling Baratosporios with his „legion“. In opposite of the most original roman generals he at least spared the lives of the citizens

Nevertheless, now Bratosporios is save under Aedui rule again, and peaceful times may come, because the intruders seem to be in real trouble down there in their homeland. So King Baeren, who is still young, but really wise and respected, ordered his men to go for Burdigala, a village in the south, which is ruled by an aging grimbeard with lots of warbands. But Aedui, who are wisely allied with the Poenicians and the Epirote Greeks, are in a good position now, so maybe Burdigala will join them soon.
Meanwhile the constant war against the Avernian relatives seems to be not so hot in the last years. Maybe gaulic trickyness is at work, and the war is only an official one to keep the red fatbag of Gawjam Hattoz satisfied.
...into summer: Two small Aedui forces are thrown out of Avernian lands. Maybe just for show?
...into autum: Another small Aedui army is defeated in Avernia, but the big Avernii forces refuse to pursue it into aeduan territory. The siege of Burdigala ended in a catastrophy, but nevertheless, the town is besieged again.
...into winter: The siege of Burdigala goes on and is reinforced.

PS: Also the second Burdigala siege was in vain. But in summer, Aedui win a great battle against the Avernii and now the southern Avernii town of Vesontio is besieged.

https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/1433/aeduiempire0oa.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The lands of the Aedui

Avernii

https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/323/averniiking0bz.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Nammeios

Into spring: No big news from the Avernii. As the world around them turns upside down, they ceep cool and take baths in the mediterean sea. „Well protected, well respected“, as King Nammeios alway sais. Meanwhile the so called „Baeren-and-Nammaios-jokes“ are the new fashion among Massilian greek comedians, which exploit the great difference between the two Kings, regarding to intelligence and proper clothing.
...into summer: hmmhmm, in spite of the little victory against the Aedui, what is that arrogant roman diplomate in charge of.
...into autum: Perhaps we never will know about it.
...into winter: Still no news from Avernia.

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3023/averniivictory6ka.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pushing out the Aedui

Sweboz

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/7291/swebozfing3ro.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Harjawulfaz

Into spring: Still Swebotraustastamnos, the unspellable stronghold of the germanic illiterates, lies peaceful among the great forests. King Harjawulfaz nevertheless is quite satisfied: The undercover-cook, which he sent to Gawjam Hattoz to weaken the Roman consul by overfeeding him seems to do good. „'Corpulentus' they call him now“, the king said during a thing last summer, „but wait till they call him 'Hydroabdominatus Maximus'.“ Unfortunatly none of his vize-kings dug the joke.
...into summer: and the cook cooks on.
...into autum: Now it's the seasoon for tasty deer-roast with heavy gravy and cranberrys. Corpulentus agrees with enthusiasm.
...into winter: Ice-fishing season, so Corpulentus will have a little change in his menu.

https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6470/swebozsmallworld2xn.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The swebic empire

Casse

https://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7310/casseking3np.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Mowg

Into spring: While aging rapidly, King Mowg strongly suffers from headache, and none of the casse herbalistst are able to stop it. Maybe some fresh air would do good, out on the fields, where those Eleutheroi are.
...into summer: On the other hand: He's not as young as he used to be.
...into autum: And now the britannic river-duck has to be hunted down.
...into winter: Time for the Casse winter-sleep.

PS: In spring more headache after waking up.

https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/8735/cassetown4hc.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The Casse capital and it's inhabitants

Will be continued in a minute...

[Janius]

Very nice, just as always, keep it up :2thumbsup:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Minor Asia

https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9190/mapminorasia6lx.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of Minor Asia

Pontos

https://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9964/pontosking1tw.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Asarmes Kianes

Into Spring: As king Asarmes heard about the plans of his favourite enemy Haimon to turn Pontos into a reservation, where Koinon nobles would spend their holydays, he decided to teach this arrogant modern Alkibiades some respect. After several losses at the wooden walls of Nikaia finally Tarsos was conquered and the inhabitants had to suffer on behalf of Haimon. Now King Asarmes starts worrying again, because finally he suspects, that more respect for his kingdom could also mean more invading armies of the Koinon.
...into summer: But alas, now is the time for conquer, so more troops invade Koinon owned southern Asia-Minor.
...into autum: The 6th siege of Nikaia is pushed back by the Koinon, and suspicious things seem to happen in Syria. Asarmes now is a bit more worried than he usually is.
...into winter: Now it's all clear: The Koinon King himself appeared near Tarsos. The town must be hold at all costs, so reinforcement troups are sent into the town, which is now fully garonised.

https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8397/pontosreinforcement7kg.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Reinforcing Tarsos

Hayasdan

https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/4465/hayasdanking3tw.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Mher the Lame

„If you won't eat your porridge emediatly, King Mher the Lame will come and take you this night“, that's, what children of Trapezous is told, if they refuse to eat their porridge. King Mher the Lame, who knows about that fact, whishes the story to be popular all over the Koinon (In Attika kids are threatend with a similar story about Ponponios Hypertyleatos, who by the way, is still alive and rockin'). So the wild Hayasdan stopped their sucessful invasion of the Sauromateian outback and threw their entire military powers against the two filthy generals, which are in command on this part of the Koinon. And the longer Trapezous held out, the more evil Mher the Lame became. By now he is so evil that even his lameness starts to get better. And for now the war is not decided.
...into summer: Another battle at the gates of Trapezous is lost, but Hayasdan are powerful and will easily replace the losses. Also they own the Town of Kabalaka at the caspian sea now .
...into autum: „These rulers of Trapezous are a pair of middle aged morons!“ Mher the Lame roars at his generals. „It's a shame, that you didn't beat them to Hades by now. If I wasn't so lame, I'd go myself. Now kill them all, or I'll come to your houses tonight and take your children with me!“ And so more Hayasdan armies emerge onto Trapezous.
...into winter: Another defeat against the Koinon near Trapezous. Mher the Lame makes a night visit at the house of the responsible captain.

https://img151.imageshack.us/img151/3950/hayasdaninvasion6yg.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Invading Trapezous

The southern East
https://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2114/mapsoutherneast2wv.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the southern East

Arche Seleukeia

https://img178.imageshack.us/img178/857/archeking4ak.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Apollonios

Into spring: After the heroic dead of King Timoxenos at the gates of Edessa, young Apollonios Nabataekos was enthroned and had to take some backlashes in the first years of his reign. War with the former allied Arabs from down under broke out and Apollonios in person led the Arche Phalangites throughout the waterless deserts of Arabia. But for now the Arabs won, and Arche lost the settlement of Homna at the sinus persicus. Currently Appolonios retreats, maybe for Syria, where the more important things happen. Antiochea lost? Unbelievable! Arche Seleukeia now fights against two hellenic enemies, and in spite of the conquering of Bostra from the Ptolemaic Kingdom, times get hard these days. Also, the Pahlavii-Expedition seems to turn out into a complete failure. King Appolonios knows, that many people secretly compare him with the great Timoxenos. He will show them, that he is a dignified successor.
...into summer: Will he? Arche retreats from Pahlavii lands and from the Sabyn desert. One Arche General even is pushed back and hunted by the Sabyn Jau.
...into autum: The great retreat goes on. But also rumours about another great retreat are received with interest by Apollonios.
...into winter: Apollonios gains very good news. Edessa and Antiocheia are Arche towns again. Koinon-troops had left them alone and Arche was quick enough to take them. Apollonios orders the harsh punishement of the Edessa-inhabitants, but the folks of Antiocheia are spared, because they rebelled to Arche at „free“ will. Now the Arche retreat from Arabia is obsolete, so Apollonios tells his soldiers to wait for the Arabs to come and die.

https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7198/archekingleavingarabia2ub.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Retreating King Apollonios

Ptolemaii

https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6671/ptolemaianking8vg.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pharao Leontiskos

Into spring: The Ptolemaic Kingdom truly suffers under the constant wars of the last decades. Now even Bostra is lost. Pharao Leontiskos feels too old to fight again and again with almost no results but ceeping up the status quo. So do his subjects. But do they have a choice? Alexandria, the beautyful is for shure the best place to live in the whole world. Never shall it fall into the smeary claws of the so called Arche. So the fight must go on, and it will overlast Pharao Leontiskos, who sooner or later will find his peace in a small but precious pyramid near the big ones.
...into summer: Only minor military migration in the lands of the Pharao.
...into autum: Because the Pharao was in a good mood, alliance with those ridiculous Epiroteans from the barbaric peninsula in the north is accepted with mercy.
..into winter: Triumph! A seleukid general is pushed out of Ptolemaic territory near Palmyra.

https://img404.imageshack.us/img404/2849/ptolalexandreia3xg.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Alexandreia, the beautiful

As'Sabyn wal'Jau

https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4936/jauking3rt.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Nasha Karab Il Bayin, Hegemon of Arabia

Into spring: The self-confidence of the Sabyn wal'Jau was never stronger than today. As Sabata is reconquered, the priests recentently started to tell the old and long forgotten story of the queen of Saba again, and in their version, old King Salomon only plays a minor role. The Sabyn Jau are right to be self-confident. Whole Arabia is now under their rule and they finally dared to make a stand against former Arche allies, which they never was too fond of anyway. And for now, exhausted by the merciless deserts, the Arche-King himself and his mighty but clumsy armies seem to flee the holy lands, which are ruled wisely by Nasha Karan Ilk Bayin, dignified follower the legendary Halik Il Watar.
...into summer: Huge and mighty Sabyn armies march towards southern Arabia to hunt the Seleukid.
...into autum: And on goes the march of the five armies on the great southern-arabian road from Ubar to Gerrha.
...into winter: And on goes the march. But Seleukids refuse to flee now.

https://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4024/sabynmarch4fa.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The great Sabyn march

The northern East

https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/7586/mapnortheast8ou.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the northern East

Bactrii

https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/9015/bactrianking4ny.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Dion „Alexander“ Euergetes of mighty Bactria

Into spring: Now under the rules of King Dion Euergetes, Bactria has turned into a hellenistic superpower. The borders of the Empire go from Patala at the shores of the Indian Sea to Gava Yugra in the deep northern wastelands. Peace with the Arche lasts and the Saka nomads are still under protectorate. King Dion could be the happest king in world, but no! Mislead by greed and drunken of the feeling of greek superiority, the former friends from Pahlavia were firstly forced into a protectorate and then, as if that was not enough, betrayed and invaded. Now Kiat and Antiocheia Margiane are, to the anger of their inhabitants, bactrian towns and Nisa, the last of the Pahlavi settlements, is about to fall to an overpowered blue army. Dion Euergetes can nothing but smile about his own brilliance, when he thinks about the endless Arche-Pahlavii war, which was a complete failure to the Seleukids in the end. „One has to know, when to strike“, he keeps telling his subjekts, who, as it has to be, honour him with eastern-style humbleness. „Now who is the new Alexander?“ Meanwhile in Kiat the grim of the people grows and somewhere in the wastelands, King Thruxra seeks revenge.
...into summer: Mission accomplished.
...into autum: Satisfied with itself the great bactrian empire, who has no more enemies now, takes a little rest. Dion Euergetes has to think about, what has to be done next? Maybe another betrayal? These red nomads in the north recently became kind of cheeky. Fortunately a general with enough troops to kill them all is near. Dion decides to sleep over it.
...into winter: Arche is teased with troops on her territory again. If they would dare to attack, they would soon be crushed by mighty bactria.

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/9841/bactrasakahunt4qt.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Observing the Client


Pahlavii

https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/5663/pahlaviiking2hn.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Thruxra, the last of the great Pahlavii Kings

https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/8743/pahlaviidoom3xq.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pahlavi Situation in spring 222

Into spring: Oh how painful are the sweet sounds of the steppe-birds this year! Out there in the wastelands King Thruxra and his small bunch of Pahlavii Loyalists struggle for their bare survival. But Thruxra has no fear. He has lived through too much treatchery, too much sheer evilness in the last years of his reign and now his thoughts are pure and sober. Never will he let himself be forced into a protectorate and then be betrayed again. He knows his people are behind him. As Antiocheia Margiane fell and the doom seemed to be there, people of Nisa rebelled and threw out the Arche garnison. Now, as Nisa is under Bactrian pressure and about to fall again, a rebellion in Kiat is the last hope in this horrible times. But even if the last Pahlavi-town is crumbled under greek sandals, Thruxra and his heir Gaspar will not surrender but continue their struggle as free and independet masters of the great Pahlavii-plains.
...into summer: This summer the steppe birds refuse to sing and the lands are filled with sadness and silence: The Palavii-Empire does not exist anymore. Led by not even a regular general, the bactrian traitors conquered Nisa, while Kiat did not manage to revolt against the greeks. A last glourious attempt of Gaspar to free Nisa from siege failed. In spite of constant heroic defence, the Phalavii Empire was doomed by treachery, greed and superiour military power. Now Thruxra and Gaspar are on their own, sneaking the plains like disinherited lions in seek of blood.
...into autum: Thruxra and his guards are completely alone now. Slowly black bitterness creeps into his blue mind. „Out of the blue and into the black“, he softly sings, „they give you this and you pay for that. And once your gone, you won't come back, when youre out of the blue and into the black..“
...into winter: Now Gaspar is dead, but Thruxra has two new allied eleutheroi-generals to support him in his mission, which is to bring death to the Bactrii of course.

PS: In summer 221 Thruxra is still alive and alone.

https://img314.imageshack.us/img314/3904/pahlaviilastattempt4mx.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The last battle of the Pahlavii, lead by Gaspar

https://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8590/pahlaviieleutking7rv.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Thruxra, the rebel

Saka Rauka

https://img314.imageshack.us/img314/2329/salaking3hi.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Moga, King of the Saka Rauka

Into spring: Great news in the Saka reservation, as the village of Gava Saka is now a part of the red Nomadship. The new King Moga sees that as a first glimmering light at the end of the tunnel of frequent humiliation. Eagerly he jumps on his horse to have a look, at what is going on over there. Oh, how he wants to show those greeks, where the steppe-rabbit hides his family-jewelery.
...into summer: Oops, a big bactrian army marchs the steppes onto the small Saka expedition forces...
...into autum: ...so the Saka-expedition is orderd to go home again, because Moga just heard about what happened to his old collegue Thruxra and his peoples.
...into winter: Now the Saka forces dare to march on into the lands, closely followed by the Bactrii.

https://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3391/sakawalk3rz.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Exploring the new lands

Sauromateans

https://img142.imageshack.us/img142/3540/sauromking7qj.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Phidas, the Sleepy

Into spring: Peaceful lay the lands of the Sauromateans at the gates of dawn. Meanwhile King Phidas worries a little about the new deep blue borders in the north.
...into summer: But for now he only worries a little.
...into autum: ..and what do those deep blue armies want in Phidas beloved wild prairie-plains?
...into winter: ..who knows?

https://img142.imageshack.us/img142/8545/sauromateaneleut1so.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sauromatean troops hunting the Eleuteroi

The dwarfes

Geatae

https://img142.imageshack.us/img142/7222/getandwarfmaster8yv.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Dwarfmaster Koson

Into spring: Still in charge of his dwarfes, master Koson has a serious problem: „If I want to tell them to stop drinking that hallozinogen brew at least before sunset, I would have to be sober most of the time too“, he often mumbles, before falling back into one of his brew-inducated journeys to the centre of the earth again.
...into summer: Heyho, heyho! A great victory against the Euleutheroi occured on the fields. That of course has to be celebrated seriously.
...into autum: But what the hell is going on now? For the first time since decades, Getai forces take the offensive.The independent town of Sigidunum is besieged and, due to weak defenders, will eventually fall under dwarf rule this year. Responsible for this earthshaking event is faction heir Rhemaxos, who even hired a bunch of greek phalangites to fulfil his plans.
...into winter: Now the Getai attempt to besiege Naissos but are pushed back by Eleutheroi. Maybe Koson has heard about the greeks of Pella calling him „dwarfmaster“ and now finally will teach them and the cronist to stop that.

PS: Sigidunum is under Getan rule now and for that, the Pella greeks and the chronist agree and promise, that the Getai will never be called dwarfes again.

https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3048/getaeuprise0uf.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Getan uprise


Epilogue: Koinon during 222

In summer Qarthadast refuses the offer to take back Emporion for Ceasefire. The army (mostly iberian and massilian spearmen) in town is then evacuated by a Koinon spy-tranport-fleet, and the towns nobility is suggested to choose the Eleuteroi-way in the future.
On the fields near Trapezous another Hayasdan-army is pushed back. Not the first and sincerely not the last one.

https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9897/koinoncaptain7vp.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Lonley captain fighting the evil Hayasdan-Kataphraktoi, Museum of modern art, Trapezous

Also this summer will be remembered as the season of the great retreat from Syria. Our King is freed from his trap in Edessa by one of his generals and now both armies are on their way back to Asia-Minor. Also the antiocheian garrison left the town. Unfortunately the arrogant Pharaones refused to make peace and take the towns, so the majors are simply left alone with the decision, what side theiy will be on in the next years. King Haimon is not too pleased about all that. His heroic victory against the Arche-Basileos turnd out to be a failure. All this energy sacrified in vain, and also Spartans are among the thousands of dead soldiers. Next time he hopefully will think twice before ordering an invasion.
Meanwhile in Italia, the Epirote Capital of Taras is gloriously conquered by our heir against the deperate resistance of the defenders.

https://img154.imageshack.us/img154/7645/koinondefendersoftarsus9sl.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Defenders of Taras

In autum the King appears near Tarsos. Also the gouvernour of Ipsos, a skilled and virtuous general called Nicodromos Pallenaios Atticos, collects an army of troops, that were entirely recruited in Minor-Asia, and marchs on Ancyria to help in the so called „revenge project“ according to Pontos. Antiocheia and Edessa are taken over by the Arche, and the fact, that all unprotected Edessa inhabitants are killed, leads our king into rage and depression at the same time. His entourage has to suffer honestly.

https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7776/koinonanc0hb.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Nicodromos approaching Ancyria

In winter ther „revenge projekt“ starts to steamroll: Haimon pushs back the first pontic defender-army and now almoust stands at the walls of Tarsos. Nicodromos almost reaches the wooden palisades of Ancyria. Next year siege instruments will be built once more. Meanwhile Mantios Thisbios, filthy but successful defender of Trapezous beats back the Hayasdan one more time.

https://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4017/koinonfilthhead2na.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Filthy Mantios

PS: Katastrophy and shame! Our beloved heir was killed by an Epirote murderer in Taras. King Haimon, who besieges Tarsos now, sponanously declares the brave Nicodromos as new heir. May he be luckier. Also the king orders his young son Soson to Taras, to improve his skills as a general and leader of the Koinon in a far away future.

https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/2128/epirusmurderer5nj.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The murderer (killed soon after his deed)

https://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9242/koinonnewheir8bf.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The new Heir

https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/8399/koinonkingson0hw.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The King's son

Also another dead has to be mentionend. It's the dead of a dirty old man, which was expected for a long time, but anyway came much too soon. Our old friend Ponponios Hyperteleatos died of „natural causes“ in his hometown, where he spent his last 20 years in a constant foaming celebration.

https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/3622/koinonhypertyleatos7gj.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

PPS: Summer 221: Ancyria and Tarsos are under Koinon rule now

https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/431/koinonancyria6vu.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The battle of Ancyria

https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5190/koinontarsos4oo.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pontic forces sally in vain at Tarsos

PPPS:

https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/1291/koinonphilosopher2gw.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
A great Philosopher who made a slightly different career in the world according to the Koinon

https://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8577/mapworld2213ps.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
World Map Summer 221

Hope you enjoyed,
yours Quirinus Kuhlmann

[DeathEmperor]

This AAR is so cool! :2thumbsup:

I love at the pace you're going at Quirinus. I'm playing a Seleukid h/m campaign the same way with slow expansion and prosecution towards my wars with the Ptolemaio and the Pahlava.

Can't wait for your next update! :yes:

[Aenos]

Truly one of the best AARs I have ever read! Very well written, enjoyable humour, a nice pace and I love the report-like way in which you write it. :2thumbsup:

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Hydroabdominatus Maximus

:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4:

Still very good and very funny!

[Vorian]

Great! Continue with the good work.


I especially liked Epikouros the Assasin

[Orb]

Classy!

Particularly like the Red Walrus!

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you all, I'm glad you liked this stuff.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

This is simply amazing. I wish we could get links in other history fora to things like this AAR and the Wastelands. So many people would download EB immediately if they could see how interesting it can be if you really role play the characters and factions.

Really terrific job QK. You're A-OK in my book.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you again! This is an interesting writing experience for me by the way, because I can write a really long story and am not responsible for the plot. The game makes it up for me, and that's a really comfortable writing position.
I now decided to post this on the RTR-AAR forums too, because the positive feedback encouraged me to do so and I think it could be interesting for the readers over there.
But now I have to continue the campaign for an hour or perhaps two....

[MiniMe]

But now I have to continue the campaign for an hour or perhaps two....
Keep on going, MAN, you're the ONE! :yes:
Great AAR :2thumbsup:

[MiniMe]

MINIME NEED MORE! :laugh4:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Minime will get more! Update is under heavy work, will be completed soon.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

So here is a little preview for the next update, which will come tomorrow, because I'm definitly too tired to upload all the screenshots tonight.

The world according to the Koinon Hellenon

https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/7038/koinonlogorl7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Cut VI: The year of 212 / Attack of the dwarfes

Preview: The Koinon Hellenon during the last decade

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/8220/mapkoinonsx9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the Koinon, Spring 212

https://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6080/koinonkingry2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Haimon, lately feeling his age

https://img250.imageshack.us/img250/5376/koinonheiraw9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Nicodromos Pallenaios Attikos, our new Heir, also a man in his best years...

It is now about 9 years ago, that King Haimon proclaimed, that the rebellious Pontic Kingdom should be pacificated, before the first grey hair would start to decorate his beloved and glorious beard. And so, with the help of the new heir, he conquered one pontic settlement after the other, until only Sinope was left. The pontic King Arsames lost his live in the last major battle against Nicodromos, and Haimon hoped, that Arsames' successor would prefer becoming a client king of the great Koinon to a shameful dead. So Sinope was spared for now and the great project of developing the Minor Asian infrastructure to calm down the rebellious former inhabitants of Pontos was emerged with lots of money and manpower.

https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8703/koinoneasternborderswu2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation in eastern Minor Asia.

Meanwhile at the Hayasdan Borders, Mantios Thisbios, a filthy old warmonger whith no other skills, had to fight battle after battle against the blue moutain wildmen, who threw army after army on their unwelcome new neighbours. It was probably the happiest time in Thisbios life so far. Kotais and Ani-Kamah fell under his supervision and he even entered the Koinon history-books with a heroic victory. King Haimon was not too happy about that, because now the heroic charts of the Koinon were no longer led by him alone. Nevertheless, Manthios Thisbios made a good job, altough the Hayasdan are still strong by now.

https://img444.imageshack.us/img444/3527/koinonthisbiosrq6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Manthios Thisbios, a filthy kind of hero

https://img144.imageshack.us/img144/460/koinonheroicvictory1fn4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The glorious battle of Ani-Kamah

https://img104.imageshack.us/img104/4474/kononhayhuntvx9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Hunting the Hayasdan Kathaphractoi

Also constant Seleucid and Ptolemaian attacks had to be pushed back and the eastern borders of the Koinon are far from secure until now.
One day our beloved King Haimon discovered the first grey hair in his beard. Having spent several years in Minor Asia, he then decided, that something completely new had to happen in his life. Also he was yearning for the company of his young son Soson, who was in charge of the Italic town of Taras and became a great economist there. Haimon therefore felt kind of alienated to his son, and that had to stop. After five minutes of thinking a great idea invaded the head of our king and one year later he landed on the shores of Africa with about 800 brave men at his side.
While Soson and the main reinforcement troops from Italia and Attika were delayed a little bit, Haimon was soon attacked by about 2000 ptolemaic levy phalangites near the town of Palaitonion. So, as he finally met his son again, he could tell him about another heroic victory in his career, so that the standings between him and Manthios are 2:1 now.
Palaithonion then was conquered and left in the hand of an assistent-governour called Pheiton. King and son fought their way through the desert, so now Alexandria, the beautiful is in the hands of the Koinon Hellenon, skillfully gouverned by Soson and defended on the fields by our glorious king himself.

https://img442.imageshack.us/img442/1525/koinonheroicvictory2so8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Haimons Heroic Victory

https://img115.imageshack.us/img115/3474/koinonafricaxq2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The Koinon in Africa

https://img75.imageshack.us/img75/6927/koinonptolattackeg1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Ptolemaic Phalangites attacking

Palaitonion was heroicly defended by Pheiton then, and the Kings troops had to suffer serious losses in the several battles against the extremely annoyed Pharaones. But for some reason, the ordered reinforcements from Attica didn't show up. What Haimon does not know, is, that the Epirotean League started to spam the sea with disgusting battleships, who are superiour to the best Koinon fleets. Nearly our whole naval power is destroyed by now and rebuilding takes time. So the King and his son are trapped in Africa now and will have to fight for their lifes on their own. May the gods of the olymp be with them.

https://img75.imageshack.us/img75/2945/koinonheroicvictorymm3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pheiton hunting the Ptolemaics off the walls of Palaitonion

https://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8366/epitrusshipde2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The evil „Flying Epiroteian“, who brought death to our best admirals

Meanwhile in the mainland, more than terrible things occured: First of all, Nicanor Aithalidos Atticos, an old man, who spent his live bringing wealth and happiness to the people of Pella, was severely killed by a professional murderer. Then, all of a sudden, the brown barbarians of the Getan tribes, who had been our closest friends for decades, broke into the Koinon mainlands, attacking both Epidamnos and Pella. Their first wave could be pushed back by the sons and grandsons of the legendary Ponponios Hyperteleatos, but those mainland generals, who didn't see a battle in their whole life, then decided, that a more skillful man was needed in this case. This man could only be Manthios Thisbios, who was a little bit bored in Ani-Kamah anyway. Receiving the news from home, he traveled to Attica as fast as he could.
The first thing, he proclaimed reaching Pella was, that the worthless Getan intruders would be officially called dwarfes again. „These ridiculous darkmen“, he stated, „may not be shorter in height than we are. But dwarfdom is not always connected with sheer body-height. In this case it's a state of mind. Anyway, these stinking juggernauts need a lesson to be taught and this time, I will be their teacher. My lessons, as you all know, are about suffering, bleeding and being killed in various ways, as for instance....“
It was a long speech, that will not be told here, as Manthios is not a great orator. Anyway, he now leads a punishment expedition towards Serdike, which, to the anger of the dwarfs, will be a hellenistic town soon.

https://img441.imageshack.us/img441/5707/koinonvictimub4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The poor victim of dwarfish deceitfulness

https://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2871/koinonpunsishmentrc2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Manthios' punishment expedition

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The first battle against the dwarfes

Meanwhile in Asia minor, the Pontic King refused to become a Koinon-klient for the 3rd time. So, as King Haimon can not be asked, our heir in charge lost his patience and decided at his own. Now a genereal called Anthagoras Atticos is told to lead the last battle against Pontos, no matter what Haimon would say about that.

https://img48.imageshack.us/img48/6200/koinonpontosmo5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Anthagoras Attikos at the walls of Sinope

So the Koinon Hellenon goes through hard times and 212 will be a year full of blood and battles. But enough of that for now. Tomorrow we will hear about that year, and we will hear about the troubles, triumphs and the more gloomy incidents, which happend not only to the Koinon, but to to all the other peoples inhabiting this precious world.

See you, yours Quirinus Kuhlmann.

[CaesarAugustus]

Wow I just discovered this AAR today, GREAT JOB QK:2thumbsup:! I'm looking forward to the next update with great anticipation!!

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Ok. here comes the second and main part of this update. Epilogue will follow in a 3rd post.

The world according to the Koinon Hellenon, Cut6, pt.II:

The rest of the world in the year of 212

https://img441.imageshack.us/img441/818/mapworldspringqo4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Word map, spring 212


Italic affairs

https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1148/mapitaliaec6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of Italia


Epiros

https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/9167/epiroskingbe0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
League-king Apolonios

Into spring: The times of conquer and glory somehow faded away for the Epirotean League. In the north, they did not manage to push the Romans out of Italy decisively and in the south, the loss of Taras is a constant pain in the ass of new king Apolonios Aiakides. After years of stagnation, this man now ordered more engagement in the south. Currently, a strong army led by a promising 19 year old General approachs the town, to crumble the still strong Koinon garrison. Also the worthless southern Romans are attacked in Rhegium.
Meanwhile in Capua, highly payed naval architects are working on another fleet of great ployremes, warships, that are so awesome, that no man has dared to write a description on them yet. So the Capuan people have a great time, singing shanties about the „Flying Epirotean“ and about crushing down the great Koinon seapower, sendig their Admirals to the deep bottom of the ocean.
...into summer: Epiros is pushed back from Rhegium by the South-Romans. That doesn't matter too much, because the skilled invasion force sent by the king himself layed siege on Taras, which shall no longer be ruled by Koinon usurpatores.
...into autum: The Taras-siege continues. Siege leader Aenereas Sasonios, a son of the former League-King Sasonios, ordered to build siege towers now. His proper army is reinforced by another one of nearly equal strength. Hard times for Taras Governour Eurynous Rhodios.
...into winter: Now the second army lays siege upon the Koinon fort next to Taras. Next spring will be wall-crumbling-time.

https://img441.imageshack.us/img441/318/epirossiegedb6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Taras under siege


SPQR

Northern Empire

https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/6433/romanaugustuspl4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Aemulius Favonius „Augustus“, alias Corpulentus

https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/826/romanheiruz9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Roman heir Caius Justus Scipio

Into Spring: The fact, that Aemulius Favionius, the corpulent food-worshipper of Gawjam Hattoz, has lately proclaimed himself as „Augustus“ was not suitable to enlighten the gloomy mood of his heir Caius Scipio. Not only, that the a roman renegate still rules the town of Medilanum for the Epirote League, right in front of Scipios noble roman nose. Not only, that the gaulic barbarians now sit behind the roman-built stonewalls of Bratosporios. Not only that! Also Vindobona, an eastern town, which resisted to the attacks of about ten roman warband-legions in the past, is now under the possession of those strange brown darkmen, that emerged from the Getan mountains to spam the world without warning. And „Augustus“, as usual, refuses to be interested in all that facts. He prefers to lay around in Gawam Hattoz, making up entertaining punishments for those poor Warband members, that fail to spell his new name properly. Scipo, who has been seriously annoyed from the day he was inherited, comforts himself with thoughts about the future. When this corpulent consul finally would have swallowed his last supper, he, Scipio, would be first man in the Roman Empire and then, yes then the times, they would be a-changing!
...into summer: Favonius Augustus is still alive and rockin'. Roman forces try a siege on Eburonum in the east.
...into autum: The siege of Eburonum goes on. No news from the court of the divine glutton.
...into winter: Another defeat for the Romans at the walls of Eburonum. Indiginated and indigested Favionius Augustus orders his troops to give Bratosporios another try.

https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/1879/romanwesternbordersie3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The western borders of northern Roma


Southern Empire

Into spring: In soutern Roma, Cheiron is still the only nobleman in charge. Ruling over three big armies of greek levies, he feels quite safe, although Rhegium is besieged by the Epiroteans. Anyway, in the light of day he does not think so much about his constant nightmares, where his old relatives from Qartadast keep appearing on the horizon of the blue sea with their warships and wallcracker-armies. But, knock on wood, this is never going to happen in real life.
...into summer: Rhegium is free again and a big Southroman army seems to go into invasion mode, but with Cheiron you can never be shure.
...into autum: As Cheiron seems to be satisfied with his lands in Sicilia, invasion mode is frozen again.
...into winter: Now four full levy-armies obey to the fabulous renegate. Maybe next year he will reconquer Roma herself with 'em.

https://img95.imageshack.us/img95/999/romsouthempig1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Southern Roma, ruled by the notorious renegate, Cheiron, publivc enemy no.1 of the Qartadast


Safot Softim bi'Qartadast

https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9629/qartadastkingfn4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Himilkar

Into spring: In the whole Safot Softim the number of people, who have caught a glimpse of King Himilcar in their lifetime, slowly decreases to nearly zero. Himilcar prefers to spent his divine time in the village of Tyde in the hispanic outbacks since more than twenty years. He starts to become legendary and some comedians constantly make jokes about his non-existence. So without the King around, Safot Softim seems to follow a policy of staying home and enjoying life. Sicila will be reconquered, yes, and that Cheiron will be crucified upside down, sooner, or, maybe better, later. The borders to the hellenic world in Africa are more than well protected and also Iberia is firm in the hands of Safot Softim.
Whole Iberia? No, a small village by the name of Oxtraca still prefers to be independent, and people there still call themselves Lusitanian Kingdom, when the nights are long and the cerveza is strong.
But what the heck! Great Kart-Hadast enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity for decades now, and that's not the worst way to lead ones life.
...into summer: A minor Qartadast exploration force kindly leaves Aeduan territorium.
...into autum: Qartadast seems to have given up the rebellious Oxtraca. Leaving these unteachable people on their own might be a wise decision.
...into winter: In absence, Himilcar is declared as god in the great metropolis of Kart-Hadast. Maybe next year news about that will reach the divine king.

https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/549/qartadastcapitalev3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The great Kart-Hadast


The lands of the north-western barbarians

https://img264.imageshack.us/img264/3590/mapwestmw0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the west with Qartadast Empire


Aedui

https://img174.imageshack.us/img174/8721/aeduikingqj1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Baeren oi Neamha

Into spring: The 50 birthday of king Baeren was permanently celebrated during the last three weeks in the villages of the Aedui. And the mighty gauls had good reasons to party till total exhaustion, as the number of those villages increased lately. First the stupid subjects of the „Gorgonic Glutton of Gawjam Hattoz“ conquered Bratosporios again and, sweating out their guts, built a magnificient stone wall around the town. Then mighty Aedui reconquered the town and now are the proud possessors of that wall. The independent Burdigala was finally conquered too. But the most precious thing is the town of Viennos, which brave general Borvo snatched from the worthless Avernii after defeating them heroicly in the fields near Bibracte. So it was no surprize, that Borvo-reigned Viennos was declared as Aedui party-capital number one during the heavy celebrations of the last weeks.

https://img174.imageshack.us/img174/5903/aeduiheroicvictmb3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Borvo ruling Viennos

...into summer: Near Gergovia an Avernii general with a big bunch of warriors seems to get a little bit dangerous. Nearby, serious Aedui forces hide in the forests. Maybe the trick will work.
...into autum: After a small Aedui spamming-commando has weakened the main Avernii field-forces near Gergovia, the glorious Litaviccos oi Cerunnos breaks out of the forests with his huge Adui-Elite Army and marchs on Gergovia. A great showdown might take place in this lands before the year is over.
...into winter: Glorious Litaviccos is a lot more glorious now, because he defeated the main Avernii field-force near Gergovia. Then another full Aedui army from Viennos did the rest of the work, so that the Avernii-general in charge has passed away now. The following siege of Gergovia might have been a little bit too early though. The garrison sallied and pushed back the Viennians. Anyway, the enemy is seriously weakened now and the town will fall soon.

https://img174.imageshack.us/img174/337/aeduimilitaryactionfc0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Aedui movements into winter from step one to four. (In step five they will be pushed back by Gergovia garrison.)


Avernii

https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/192/averniikingdn7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Young king Cintugnatos oi Lugos

Into spring: Sometimes it is not really advantagerous to be a protectorate of the Roman Empire. Especially when the first consul is called Favonius Augustus and refuses to give the protection, which, as new King Cintugnatos always says, is implicated in the word „protectorate“. So now the Avernii Clientsmanship is divided into two pieces and Cintugnatos, grown up with the jeunesse doree of Massilia, suddenly has to think deeply about different possibilitys and tactics to stop the decrease of his little empire. Maybe it's not to late, but serious decisions have to be made in the near future, no matter, what the roman ambassador promises.
...into summer: A large force of Avernii soldiers beats a small Aedui force out of the homeland near Gergovia. Does King Citugnatos try to defend his Kingdom by attack?
...into autum: The Avernii-force, led by mighty Cadeyrn moc Mallii, crushes another Aedui Spamgang and takes rest near the borders. But spys inform the general about a serious Aedui intrusion nearby. Cadeyrn, who puts his trust on his skilled shock-infantery, looks foreward to the possibility to gain a litte glory for him and his Tribesmenship in the near future.
...into winter: Bad news for the king. His brave Cadeyrn died on the fields! Gergovia held, but is weakened seriously. Maybe soon the king himself will have to leave the still comfortable Massilia to join in the struggle for survival. His hope, that Favonius Augustus will show up at the borders to protect his protectorate, have decreased lately.

https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6746/averniivictoryaj9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
A small spring-victory for Cadeyrn moc Mallii, who will bite the dust half a year later


Sweboz

https://img127.imageshack.us/img127/4386/swebozkingpk6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Reikiwulfaz

Into spring: Still the glorious history of the swebian uprise is an issue of the future. King Reikiwulfaz feels to old to start anything serious anymore, and the swebian cook in Gawam Hattoz, who constantly supplys the infamous Augustus with heavy food, is still the only one in the kingdom, who at least is making a kind of history.
Meanwhile the Swebic colony of Gordu Neuriji, where no nobleman ever showed up, seems to turn into a failed state. Most of the public buildings are broken and the Gordu people start to mumble and grumble, hoping to join the Eleuteroi-craftmenship again soon.
...into summer: Forest-birds are singing the sweet songs, that Reikiwulfaz loves so much, that his mood always becomes extremely peaceful in summer.
...into autum: And in autum, the birds sing on.
...into winter: Now the birds are silent, but the wolves howl. Reikiwulfaz loves that too.

https://img127.imageshack.us/img127/8155/swebozasusulaig8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Swebic business as usual


Casse

https://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8569/cassekinglm5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Caratavg dyn Ballii

Into spring: So, after King Mowg died of stroke a few years ago, now Caratavg dyn Ballii is in charge of the tattooed tourmentors of the brithish isle, who bravely guard the bridge, that leads to their beloved hometown.
...into summer: The bridge will hold at any cost necessary.
...into autum: He'll be sorry, who would dare to violate our precious bridge!
...into winter: So far nobody dared.

https://img322.imageshack.us/img322/9589/cassebridgegh8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Casse bridge


Getae

https://img322.imageshack.us/img322/6339/getankingrm3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Rhemaxos per Drobeta

Into spring: Soon after the dead of „Dwarfmaster“ Koson per Drobeta, his brother Rhemaxos took over the Getan Tribesmenship and everything changed. Rhemaxos enforced a law, that forbid to mix hallocinogen ingredients into the getan cerveza (the so called „Getan Purity Bill of 221“) and held a speech in Buridava, in which he severely attacked the Koinon Governour of Pella, Nicanor Aithalidos Atticos: „He called us dwarfs, but the real dwarf is an evil and smelly inhabitant of his ridiculous toga. Every boy and girl under sixteen years around Pella knows, what I'm talking about. So let's show those sophisticated molesters, that call themselves our 'friends', what dwarfdom is able to do!“
The the Getans invaded their northern hinterlands, conquering Singidunum, Ak-Ink and the brave Vindobiona, that held out against the Romans so long. After that Rhemaxos felt strong enough to ride the dragon. Against the warnings of his spies, he first ordered the murder of old Nicanor (which was quite easy, cause Nicanor frequently used to roam the red light districts in Pella disguised as a troubadour, and every human being in town knew that. So the „troubadour“ was slaughtered with a poisoned darts-arrow while performing in a sticky basement pub), and then told his brave generals to attack the arrogant Koinon Hellenon in Pella and Epidamnos.
Now, after the first attempt failed, the notourious Manthios Thisbios suddenly showed up in the Getan lands, with haughty soldiers, who constantly dare to perform primitive songs about dwarfs in public. This Thisbios will not leave the seven hills alive, swears King Rhemaxos at the grave of his dead brother.
...into summer: Oh, how painful is the sting of the iron pikes of the Koinon elite phalangites. And double-oh, how even more painful are the shameless swears, which are thrown among the poor people of the fallen Serdike by that unbearable bastard by the name of Thisbios. But someday king Rhemaxos will get hand on that bugger, and then pain and shame will be on his side.
...into autum: But hurray again! Money makes the world go round! The Spy-stories about the notorious corruption of the Eleuteroi from Sarmiszegethusa were true. A little monetary present, donated by an ambassador by the name of Duda, and these people gladly joined in the Getan Confederation. Now the expression in your eyes is as stupid as the brain behind them, Thisbios!
...into winter: In spite of the minor defeat at Serdike, Getan imperialism goes on. Duda, the bribesman has loaded another sack of gold and walks towards Eburonum now. The Euleuteroi, who defeated the Romans lately, might like a little protection by an emerging barbarian power too.

https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/23/getaidudaay9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Duda, the bribemaster at work


Arabic affairs: The great southern east

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Map of the great southern east


Ptolemaic Kingdom

https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/2043/ptolempharaomg5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pharao Semidas Apites

Into spring: Now old Pharao Leonthiskos has finally found peace in his tiny private pyramid, and the 40 years old Semidas has to deal whith the bloodstained affairs of the ptolemaic sucessor-empire. The first half of the decade went out quite successful for the pharaonic forces. They managed to starve out the great Antiocheia and take her over from her decimated seleucid garrision with no fight. They then reconquered Bostra from the Arche, so now Damaskos is an isolated Arche enclave, that will fall sooner or later.
But then the catastrophy occured in the western part of the empire. Notorious idiot-king Haimon, the „idignified imbecile from Lakedaimonia“ (Alexandria Examiner) dared to beat his iron fist right into the soft belly of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. In spite of desperate defense, he and his stunningly inellectual son managed to grab the beautiful Alexandeia with their dirty claws. „This“, said King Semidas in front of the exiled redacteurs of the Alexandria Examiner in Memphis, „was the last sacrilege, that this moron allowed himself to committ. Spies gave information about a crushing sea-defeat of the Koinon against our Epirotean brothers. So, may your next headline be: 'Megalomaniac greybeard built his own trap. Arrividerci, Haimon'.“ Meanwhile in Alexandreia the people, who where not enslaved, start to think, that this Soson Lacedaimonios seems to be not such a bad guy at all.
...into summer: Pharao troops gather around Damaskos. No serious attempts to reconquer Alexandreia so far.
...into autum: The troops are led by brave Archimedes Nesou. Maybe in winter they will fight.
...into winter: No they won't. „Better wait until spring“, said wise Archimedes. Meanwhile the forces of the Pharao are ordered to reconquer Alexandreia by Semidas himself and now march through the not-yet-holy lands to finish off the notourious „moron with the crown on his pinhead“ and his indignified son.

https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/6905/ptolemcounterrattackhm7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The march upon Alexandreia


Arche Seleukeia

https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/1785/archekongxh0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Archontos Apollonios Nabataekos

Into spring: Since more the ten years now Arche King Apollonios spends his time being member of a great army led by one of his generals and hanging around in the Sabyn Jau deserts. Rumours sneak around the Arche, that Apollonios and his companions are bewitched by a desert djinn and now can't move a muscle, until the divine Aphrodite herself will drop by and break the ban with a kiss or something.
Meanwhile, as Antiocheia is lost, Arche forces, who looked for the lost king, managed to conquer the desert metropolis of Dumatha from the notoriously cunning Sabyn Jau. But until Apollonios is back, the Arche will be even more clumsy than it is anyway.
...into summer: Apollonios moved a few miles and is now on Arche territorium.
...into autum: Now he disappeared into the desert again. Enlighted greek power seem to have a bad standing against arabian magic. Meanwhile the strong garrison of Damaskos prepares for defense.
...into winter: And still Apollonios and his men are lost in the shady labyrinths of the desert demons.

https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5116/archebewitchedkingae9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The bewitched Apollonios in the desert


As Sabyn wal'Jau

https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6580/sabynkingbf5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Watar Il Watar

Into spring: Ok, Dumatha is lost, but the proud incense merchants of southern Arabia are quite happy in spite of that. Though their new King Watar Il Watar may not be the most brilliant or glourious nobleman in the world, they all love him, because he is a really, really nice guy. He even is spoken of as friend of a couple of desert djinns, who helped him to stop the invincible Arche Army from invading the lands of the Sabyn in search of the precious incense plantations. And the Djinns are quite picky in choosing their friends, so the niceness of Watar Il Watar must be even more carismatic, then any human being could suspect in his limited fantasies.
...into summer: Desert djinns cross the Arche borders to ceep Apollonios under control.
...into autum: Oops, the got him again.
...into winter: Though the great desert is spammed with seleukid exploration troops, who lost their way, the homelands of Watar Il Watar and his people are well protected. So now one of the princes decided to make a try on Dumatha again. Watar Il Watar waves him goodby, lights another incense-pipe and looks foreward to the great bathtub celebration with his 70 women, who all love him from the deep bottom of their very own precious hearts.

https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/5126/sabyndumathalw3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Dumatha again?


The northern wastelands

https://img104.imageshack.us/img104/9797/mapnortheastzn5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the northern east


Bactria

https://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6492/bactriankingim1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Vakhsuvar Ebousinoios, the young, but evil king of Bactria

After destroying the Pahlavii, the Bacrian Kingdom walked further on the bloody road of conquering the northern wastelands. While the Saka Rauka are still subjugated, now the western nomads of Sauromatea have to suffer under this unpleasant kind of crypto-hellenistic behaviour. King Vakhsuvar, who is still very young, proclaimed that nomadism as a way of life shall be whiped from the face of the known world during his lifetime. Meanwhile the so called „long, long borders“, that Bactria has with the Arche Seleukeia, are still one of the most peaceful regions of the world. But though this peace has lasted for decades, it is somehow poisened. Maybe because the ghost of Thruxra, last high-king of the Pahlavii, is rumoured to roam the lands of his lost kingdom.

https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/8831/bactrianbordersxx5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The long, long borders

...into summer: another step is made in the direction of a world without nomadism. The Sauromate village of Gava Yugra fell in the hands of the violent blue greeks and as usual most of the poor inhabitants were sent to their ancestors.
...into autum: Incredibly mighty and incredibly evil bactrian forces slowly march southwards throughout the wastelands. If they reach Sauromathia, there will be no hope for the nomads. These troops would be strong enough to put the Arche herself to her knees. Oh, what will happen?
...into winter: Not much so far, because of winter delay.

https://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3552/bactrasuperpowerpn8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The great Bactrian armies marchin through the wastelands, watched and cursed by the restless ghost of brave Thruxra


Saka Rauka

https://img142.imageshack.us/img142/6724/sakakingpx7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Gobusan of the Saka Rauka

The anti-nomadism-speech of Vakhsuvar was read to the illiterate King Gobusan by his greek wife from Alexandreia Eschate, so that his hidden hatred against the blue colonists started boiling in his head like a tasty steppe-rabbit soup. But looking at the firceful subjugation army near Gava Saka, who could take the town anytime, this godsdammed Vakhsuvar would order it, he decided to keep quiet, until hopefully some day better opportunities would occure for the glorious Saka-Rauka.
...into summer: Unable to react, Gobusan sadly receives the news of the massacre in Gava Yugra, which the western brothers of the Saka had to suffer. Oh, if he only could....but he can't.
...into autum: Godamn, he can't. Dreamed of himself as a steppe-rabbit hunted by metallic-blue wolves lately.
...into winter: A steppe-rabbit with broken legs, who is frozen to the ground.

https://img142.imageshack.us/img142/6428/sakaopressionlw2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Saka-Rauka under „friendly“ observation


Sauromateans

https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/129/sauromkingxf5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sturanos, king of the western nomads

Now, as King Phidas, the sleepy fell asleep for ever, Sturanos is in charge of the free nomadship of the Sauromatean tribes. Times are hard these days, because evil greeks from the east have started to conquer the the western wastelands. The border-town of Gava Yugra is under heavy siege and may fall to the blue phalngite-demons this year, but Sturanos, who knows that he leads the last mighty nomad confederation in the world, will not surrender to these bastards, as Phidas did a few years ago, jusat to be betrayed by the Bactrians.
...into summer: Official sorrow is ordered upon the western wastelands, as Gava Yugra fell to the merciless greek blade.
...into autum: But worse than the sorrow are the worries about the near future.
...into winter: So far the winter is the friend of the western nomads. No blue steamhammer invaded the lands yet.

https://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7918/sauromtroublesmx9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Gava Yugra under siege, will soon be devasted


Asia Minor

https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7900/mapasiaminorrr2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of Asia Minor


Hayasdan

https://img264.imageshack.us/img264/1849/hayasdankingem9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Armenak

Into spring: Mher the Lame finally limped into another world, where old hostilities do not count anymore, so he can lay together with Ponponios Hyperteleatos, talking about the old times and trying to invade the nightmares of little children all over the world. Now young Armenak became king of the wild and fierceful Hayasdan. The Hay-empire is in turmoil, because the shameless Koinon Hellenon took two provinces, and in spite of desperate Hayasdan resistance could not be thrown out of them so far. Now these smeary greeks dare to ask for peace. Ha! Never there will be peace until Ani-Kamah and Kotais have returned to dignity.
...into summer: Calm are the borders of the Hayasdan this summer, but it's the silence of an upcoming storm by the name of Armenak, the Koinon-crusher.
...into autum: Now Hayasdan forces invade the Koinon borders from two sides, awaiting the reaction of this noble dungdigger, that claims to be the guardian of Kotais.
...into winter: Though a minor defeat occured in the mountains, Kotais now is under heavy siege of the mighty Haysadan, yeah!

https://img254.imageshack.us/img254/9512/haysiegext7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Kotais under siege.


Pontos

https://img254.imageshack.us/img254/421/pontoskingsu3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Ochos Kianos

Into spring: Since the legendary king Arsames Kianos was killed by the superiour intruders from the Koinon, his son and successor Ochos refused to become a Koinon klient-king three times. Although the people of Sinope, who are yearning for normal lives, beg him to give in constantly, he will not. He is convinced to be a descendent of the god Oceanos himself and therefore daily awaits the flood, that will flush away this Koinon Army, which keeps besieging Sinope.
...into summer: The flood didn't come. What came instead was an indignified green genereal of the Koinon whith a few smelly warbands from Ancyria. Those where the men, who put an end to the great Pontic Empire. King Ochos took dozends of them with him, before he died under the constant beating of primitive gaulish ironblades. May he rest in peace and permant glory.

https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5918/pontosdeadbg9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The heroic dead of the last pontic king.

With this sad picture ends the main part of this update. In about half an hour we will see, how the Koinon Hellenon made it's way through this eventful year of 212. So watch out for the Epilogue,

yours Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

The world according to the Koinon Hellenon, cut 6, pt III

Epilogue: The Koinon Hellenon during 212

Summer: The punishment expedition of Thisbios was a success so far. Two dwarf-armies are defeated and the town of Serdike can now hope to be hellenised soon, wether the people there like it or not. At the moment they don't like it. To tell the truth: Nobody in the whole world would like to be ruled by Manthios Thisbios. But that's what faith does to some unlucky people.

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3701/koinonpunishmentsummerbx1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Thisbios awaiting the battle

Also the Pontic Empire does not exist anymore. Anthagoras Atticos fulfilled his sad but necessary duty. Anyway, Minor Asia is still not a good place for holidays in this times, because the people there are somehow kind of grim. But soldiers and money will do their work in the next years and the memory of Pontos will hopefully fade away soon.

In Italy, Taras is threatened by an Epirote force, which seems to be too strong for a quick sally. Maybe we should give up this town and concentrate on the dwarfs threatening Attica. But first it must be defended to save the lives of our brave soldiers there, not to speek of Governour Rhodios, who is a close mate of king's son Soson Lacedaimonos by the way.

https://img405.imageshack.us/img405/1609/koinonrhodioskz1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Trapped Governour Rhodios

Autum: Three battles had to be fought by the Koinon this Autum. All of them went out well. Thisbios defeated a minor dwarf-mob near Sedike. In the hills around Tarsos a victory was reached against a seleukid intrusion force of some strength and near Kotais, in the wild beautiful mountains of Armenia, our notourious eastern horse-archer army managed to push back the smaller of the Hayadsdan invading forces. Anyway, the bigger one still is threatening Kotais and probably will lay siege on the stronghold of our Heir next season.

https://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6822/koinonserdikeautumnwh4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Escaping dwarfes near Serdike

https://img47.imageshack.us/img47/7382/koinonarmeniaautumes6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Hunting.time in the beautiful mountains of Armenia

Winter: In winter the siege upon Kotais was broken by our fierceful Horsearcher-army with the help of the heir. But in other parts of the Koinon the pressure emerged. Taras is now heavyly besieged by the two Epirotean forces. Also Alexandreia is attacked by a ptolemaic equipe from Memphis. May our king survive!


https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/5193/koinonkotaisvbreakwp1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Koitais is free again


PS: Spring 211: The defense of Taras was a close battle. The polis was attacked from two sides and heroicly defended by brave Rhodios and his men. In the end, four out of five soldiers were dead or wounded. Rhodios then made a hard decision: Being nearly killed, without the chance of beinig reinforced in the future, he decided to take his men, leave the town and return to the mainlands to help in the struggle against the dwarfes. Taras was not left to Epirote cruelity but given to the notorious Cheiron of southern Roma. The Romans, though acting strange and maybe without dignity, are on the other hand the only „civilized“ nation, who is not in war with the Koinon. So Rhodios wanted to give support to them, to let them fight against our Epiroteian enemy. Maybe after the dead of Corpulentus Augustus a real Roman will be in charge of the great Roma again. The King probably will kill Rhodios for all this, but the King is far away. Who knows, if or when he will ever return to the greek mainlands.

https://img296.imageshack.us/img296/6602/koinontaraswallfightdq5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Multicultural battle at the walls of Taras


PPS: Eburonum indeed got bribed by the Getan bribemaster Duda. The Getan Kingdom now has northern borders with the sweboz. And, to make this update complete: In Gava Mazsakata a Sauromateian civil revolt of suicidal character occured, while three Bactrian stacks hung around next to the town. This for shure is the work of King Thruxras ghost, who keeps roaming the wastelands with boiling unrest and will cause trouble everywhere, where trouble is needed.

https://img180.imageshack.us/img180/8311/sauromrebelliontt6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The ghost of Thruxra causing trouble in the wastelands

https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/5013/mapworld221nz0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the world in spring 211


Hope you enjoyed,
yours Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Orb]

Consistently brilliant!

:balloon:

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Waited a long time for it, and is still the best way to pass the time in this forum. There's a lot of suspense in it, too. Will Bactria ever be stopped? Will it crush the Arche to pieces? Will Rome unite again and will the Aedui annihilate the Averni? Very interesting still.:2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you for the encouraging posts, Orb, Nixalsverdrus and Caesar Augustus. This update was really a heavy piece of work and I'm glad, that you enjoyed it.
Nevertheless, as you say, Nixalsverdrus, the campain is still interesting in many ways. If now the Sweboz and Casse should take an example at the Getans and start some action, it will be even more amazing.
Lately I played a little as Sabyn Jau, and in this campain they and even the Lusitaniii expanded well from the start. So this strange barbarian paralysis is not an issue of whole EB but only of this campain. I still hope that in the next update they'll rise up like maniac piglets in the wind.

[DeathEmperor]

All right updates! :beam:

Awesome AAR Quirinus. I'm having weird problems with the 'barbarian' factions tooo. In one campaign the Casse dominated Britain, Ireland, and Scotland while the Aedui did nothing, and in another one Aedui rule all of Gaul and the Casse only have their starting city. Weird:inquisitive:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Yes indeed, though some factions in my campain finally awoke from their sleep. I think the developers are aware of that problem and take care of it while creating the 0.81 patch. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm shure it will improve the game decisively. Imagine: If the mines are tuned down and all the barbarian factions do well, it will be even more awesome, than it is now!
Nevertheless I'm glad that the patch takes a little longer than expected, because this gives me time to continue in this story. Making it up also always takes a little longer than expected.

[Vorian]

Great work!

[Dooz]

I just spent the last 2 days reading up on the whole story after having discovered the thread. Really, really awesome Quirinus. Totally different from any other AAR, very ambitious, and it's worked well. You've done a great job, thoroughly enjoyed reading every bit of it. Just put together masterfully. :2thumbsup:

Thank you! :balloon2:

It's got me really fired up for the upcoming 0.81 (0.90?) release, but I'm a bit worried. I don't know what your plans are, but I'm really hoping for at least one more update. I need to know what happens to Epirus, Rome, Getai and all the other interesting storylines. Must... get... to... turn of century.......... :eyebrows:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

What can I say, Wonderland and Vorian, great thanks you for your compliments, which are truly appreciated!
You don't have to worry about the next update, it will come for shure, but will take it's time. Such a major update takes about four days of work for me and in the next two weeks I unfortunately have no possibility to snatch them from my life. But maybe I will make a minor one in between, because of certain serious developments, which happen in the Koinon world around 209.
Anyway, when 0.81 is out I'm planning to start something different with the Sabyn wal'Jau, but I will not start with it, bvore this one is brought to a dignified end.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I just read in the "Seleukid Reforms"-thread that Macedon and the Arche Seleukia have the possibility to fullfill the mission of recovering the body of Alexandros the Great from Alexandria in Egypt to Pella. So, as Koinon is currently in charge of both cities in your game: Did your General get the "Nikesas Alexandros" (hope spelled that right)-trait a turn after conquering Alexandria? Or doesn't have Koinon the possibility for that mission?

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Yes, I read it too, and Soson imidiately ordered the destruction of the tomb. But all, what happened, was, that the people of Alexandreia got righteously angry. Soson didn't get no trait and he had to apologize. "I was drunk", he said, "drunk like Alexander in Persepolis, as he burned down the great palace and apologized later. So I hope you excuse this little sacrilege." To his surprize most people did.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Finally on a fast connection and got to view the feb. 10 updates. It is really absolutely amazing how you have kept up with everything QK. Simply spectacular. It's too bad we have a new build now. :grin: I have very very very much enjoyed it mate. :2thumbsup:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

I'm glad you could read the updates with your fast connection now and enjoyed it, Telekos! Thank you for the feedback, it's appreciated truly! I'm shure, you'll have a lot of fun with your new highspeed connection now...

Though I'm very anxious to download the 0.81 version, I decided to go on with the Koinon Hellon story first. It maybe outdated in it's Betatesting-aspects now, but the whole thing at least deserves a proper ending in my opinion. Maybe I'm going to play it until victory, I don't know. But the 202-update will come for shure.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Hello, this is a minor update, which had to be written because of thrilling incidences, which happend in the world according to the Koinon Hellenon lately.

It's called:

The doom of the Epirotean League / The movement of the glutton

The year of 211:

https://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9475/epirosking1tp5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Apolonios Aiakides, King of the Epirotean League

https://img75.imageshack.us/img75/9445/italia211epikingef6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Soon after Taras was donated to the South-Roman-Empire by a self-willed Koinon-General, the southern „Consul“ Cheiron orders his forces towards the Metropoleis of Capua and Arpi, which is the residence of the Epirotean King Apolonios. Cheiron himself preferes not to join in the fights but to supervise the operation from his comfortable hometown Lilibeo.

https://img337.imageshack.us/img337/3976/gawjamhattoz211si3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Meanwhile in the cold cold north, an aging man sits in a smelly hinterwald-village and feels sick.

https://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3083/augustusthecruelfq9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The man's name is Amulius Favonius „Corpulentus“ „Augustus“, the cruel, whose swebic cook dared to serve a rotten otter roast lately, causing the sickness of the mighty glutton. Augustus would have let this cook be crucified immediately, if only a suitable substitute for him would be in sight.

210:

https://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7172/gawjamhattoz210sh7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Messengers bring the great news from Italia. Augustus makes a decision of some gravity: After nearly thirty years of residence now the time has come to leave his beloved Gawjam Hattoz. Cook adieu! He, Amulius Favonius Augustus, would personaly free Roma from the greek obstruction. History would remember him as the most glorious Roman Consul, who ever was carried across the earth by strong men. As a hero he could constantly taste the the famous wonderworks of the roman cuisine in honour for the rest of his life.
Straightaway the cook is crucified and the consular sedan is taken out of the dusty garage.


209:

https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/326/roma209to1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
More glourious news from Italia. Arpi and Capua are now parts of the South-Roman-Empire. King Apolonios is dead. And Roma herself is under heavy oppression, though no nobleman leads the army besieging the metropolis. (Cheiron finally realised, that the unification of Roma would mean: No more South-Roman Empire, which means: No more South Roman Imperator. But it's to late to stop the developement, so the unlucky Renegate decides to stay Lilibeo an await the things to come with silence)

https://img133.imageshack.us/img133/6111/mediolanum209si9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
In the north, Mediolanum is besieged by Roma too. It's the last stronghold of the League in northern Italia and the Residence-town of the new Epirotean King.

https://img67.imageshack.us/img67/4184/epirosking2gc0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
But what kind of a Greek is that King? Caius Poenius Ingenuinus, who was bribed somewhere in the plains of the Po years ago, has made a stunning career, which now is crowned by the doubtful dignification to be declared as king of a crashing empire.

https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3117/augustus209ij7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Meanwhile the divine designated liberator of Roma got somehow lost in the territory of a decreasing roman Klient-Kingdom.


208:

https://img70.imageshack.us/img70/512/aventicos208sz0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Finally Augustus and his exhausted sedan-carriers luckily found a safe Roman village. It's Aventicos at the gaulic borders, ruled by his grandson Gnaeus Blasio. While the sieges of Mediolanum and Roma fail, Augustus is disturbed in his rest by news about a swebic revolution in Gawjam Hattoz, led by a cook, who is told of as the legendary crucification-escapologist of the northern forests.


207:

https://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4238/aventicos207dm0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
After spending the winter with his corpulent grandfather, Gnaeus Blasio leaves the town with his whole army for some reason. Augustus himself is not interested in Roma or Italia anymore. His yearning goes northwards, where Gawjam Hattoz, his precious home, is now in possession of the Aedui. The displaced Consul slowly starts to distrust his own senses. Also his subjects distrust them by the way.
Meanwhile in Italia the Roman captains lost the hope, that Augustus or even Cheiron would appear on the battlefields and help them with the tricky job of besieging epic walls.


206:


Nothing happens. At least nothing in public.


205

https://img216.imageshack.us/img216/3210/mediolanumfreemx9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
But in the underground, decisive things are commited. Hirrus, a skilled murderer, puts an end to the life of the crowned renegate of Mediolanum. Next morning the people of the town declare themselves as independent. Maybe not a very clever decision.

https://img216.imageshack.us/img216/1839/epirosking3st1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
So now the Epirotean League has got a new king......

https://img225.imageshack.us/img225/4799/romafreenu2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
which is the very last one. Together whith over 30.000 faithless members of the infamous plebs of Roma, who refused to rebel against the Greeks in the last decade, Proxenos Aiakides is killed within the crumbled walls of Roma, which now is the centre of a unified Empire again.

https://img379.imageshack.us/img379/6213/mapitaliaqt7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
No more south and north but, (with, to the anger of the Consul, a little exeption) unified Roma.

https://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8923/developmentmy9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Epirotean and Roman development in comparison.


And what does the Koinon Hellenon do, while all this is happening?

https://img54.imageshack.us/img54/7531/koinondeserttx4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
It marchs the aegyptianm deserts...

https://img54.imageshack.us/img54/6953/koinonhayasdanvl0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
pushs back the Hayasdan....

https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/1284/koinonseleukidsmx6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
fights against the mighty Arche....

https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4944/koinondwarfattacksj3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
defeats itchy dwarf attacks....

https://img74.imageshack.us/img74/1792/haimonri3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
and looks with great worries at the new, silly and dangerous habits of old King Haimon.


https://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7387/himilcarjg4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Meanwhile another old King, who already started to be a living legend, of whom hardly anybody had caught a glimpse in his life, celebrates a great comeback. But this is another story, which will be told on another day (probably in the middle of march, sorry, not possible earlier)

See you then,

yours Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Ludens]

Take your time, QK. This is worth the wait.

[Ower]

Take your time, QK. This is worth the wait.

can only agree, this is one cool AAR :2thumbsup:

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Now this is really epic! An epic AAR not only, but also some epic stories - I never thought Roma would be able to reconquer Italia. The image with the bodies in the river is terrific.:laugh4:

So take your time and I think the next update will be as hilarious as the other ones. :2thumbsup:

[keravnos]

Yep, one of the most incredible Romani traits is not that they lost every battle, far from it, but that they kept coming back even if their enemies thought they were down for the count. Same in here, I suppose!

[germanpeon]

It looked like Epiros didnt even have any armies to oppose the Roman reconquista, other than the small city garrisons. Why is that?

[Dooz]

Wow, incredible. That was a hell of a comeback, and well documented and told Q, thanks! The cook rebellion was brilliant, hah. Loved the shots of KH's goings ons too, nicely implemented. Had a chuckle at King Haimon and his newfound love of life. Great stuff my friend.

Not to disappoint all your fans, but I would recommend starting an 0.81 campaign sooner rather than later. Maybe after the next update? Or maybe after a quickfix is released or something. It seems like a decent stopping place, after the turn of the century... sort of. It doesn't seem fair for you to have to continue and 0.8 campaign when the rest of us are enjoying the new release. Anyhoo, in either case I'll be reading with great interest. Thanks for a great thread!

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Those pics remind me of that fifth century Athenian stele where they honor their dead who have fallen in just one year in Egypt, Greece, and maybe Italy fighting - all from one polis, in all those distant areas.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thanks for the great response!
Ower, Ludens and Nixalsverdrus:
I'll take my time and then the time of the Koinon will start rumbling again like an old steam engine.
Keravnos and Germanpeon:
I think, my General signed the death-sentence to Epiros, when he gave Taras to the Romans. Over half of the Epirotean forces died in the siege-battle at her walls before. THe other half was was smashed between several roman forces in northern italy.
I had the feeling, that Taras became kind of a puffer-state between Epiros and Roma, so I gave it away to see what happens. I gave it to Roma, because Epiros is at war with me and mabe because I wanted to see a few real Roman Legions in the game again. (Currently Roma builts Hastati, Principes and Triarii at least, so my plan worked)
So, it was partly my falt, that Epiros was so helpless. Anyway, nobody forced these greeks to crush their armys on my walls.
Wonderland: Maybe you're right, I will think about it.
Teleklos Archelaou: I would like to see this stele, is it to be found somewhere in the internet?

[Alkiviadis]

I had read from the begining of the year...
My opinion is the same...Simple amazing...
As i said...is like a movie...
i saved the pages to my computer in order to read whenever I want...
Congratulations...

Ah!and what is strg/alt/entf that you wright in previous thread?

[Boyar Son]

Um, when will new installments come out?

[Archer of Sparta]

This is the greatest peice of literature I have ever read, PERIOD.

[CaesarAugustus]

To echo K COSSACK's question, are you still planning on releasing any new installments QK?

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Tahnx for the requests. I'm planning to release one last chapter of this and then will start something new and completely different with the new 0,81 patch. This will be a story, where the fog of war will not be turned off at any time and it will be about the Sabyn Jau. Sorry I didn't have enough time to play and release in the last weeks. The last chapter of the Koinon will hopefully come in the beginning of April.

[Archer of Sparta]

Well I would like to thank you for what you have acompolished in this storyline.

You have actualy inspired me to play as Aeudi (SP?)

[The Errant]

Quirinus before starting with the Sabyn you might want to check out this thread https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=81280 apparently both the Hai and Sabyn are still missing some buildings. The Sabyn are also missing the desert irrigation building which dosen't make sense. They were adept desert farmers after all.

Also the Sabyn can't train their generals bodyguard equilavent unit from the highest tier barracks unlike most other factions.
The highest tier Sabyn barracks dosen't produce any extra unit as far as I can tell.

Loved you AAR by the way. IMHO the two best AAR:s ever written for EB are yours and Artaserse's Wasteland.

It's a shame your quitting this AAR. You've managed to immortalise the Koinon, dwarves, old man Corpulentus and even the passive Casse and Sweboz.

[Warmaster Horus]

Yep. Great AAR, very well documented and written. I just loved the Roman comeback.

[Dooz]

Indeed this was (is) one of the best AAR's I've seen. I've started a KH campaign now with 0.81a and had some cool things happen, wanted to maybe write up an AAR but I almost don't feel right about it, after this awesome one about the Greeks. I look forward to the final installment. :2thumbsup:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Once again thank you for the reply. I'm deeply honoured, especially by you, Alkiviadis, because you saved the files on your computer. I'm planning to do the same thing with the Waste Land, to prevent this great peace of art from disappearing.
The Errant: Thank you, I will check out the threat and think over my decision about the Sabyn Jau.
Anyway, my decision, to end this story with the 202 update, has also something to do with the huge number of storylines, which have to be followed and with my lack of time. I'm eager to do something more linear, which can be updated more often. Hopefully the Jau are fixed, when I'm ready to start the new one.

The whole 202 update will not be ready before the beginning of april, but as a litte teaser, I will post the prologue in about half an hour.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

The world according to the Koinon Hellenon

Cut 7: The long farewell

https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/2461/koinonlogoqh1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Prologue: Diadochii Troubles

https://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6016/mapkoinonvm1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the Koinon Hellenon

As the years went by, Koinon Hellenon was growing stronger and our beloved King Haimon, who might not be the smartest of all Kings, was growing older. In 204 BC the aging warmonger was campaining the southern nile-region with his men, happily kickinig the asses of his favourite enemys, the Ptolemaian Fake-Pharaonics. Every morning, against the strong advise of his personal butler, Haimon took a fresh bath in the Nile, not caring for the notorious river-crocodiles, who shared the waters with his divine body. And so it happend as it had to happen. A huge amphibic beast, descendent of Pharao Ramses II favourite pet-crocodile, grabbed hold of our beloved hegemon, the water made a sound like „blurrbh“, and King Haimon, who might not have been the wisesd of all kings, but for sure was the most glamouros of all, vanished between the waves and was never seen again.

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/7562/koinondeadkingdi4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Last picture of our King Haimon Lakedaimonios, which fate should repeat itself more than 1000 years later, when King Barbarossa disappeared in a river too.


Now unfortunately Haimon had not cared too much about the question, who would follow him as king in the last years. So his former friend Nikodromos Attikos, who once was a honorable conquerer of Minor Asia, but now hung about in the cultureless village of Kotais for the last 20 Years, was declared as King of the whole Koinon.

https://img451.imageshack.us/img451/4998/koinonkingas3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
64 year old King Nikodromos, a doubtful oldtimer who can't remember his better years.


King Nikodromos, whose grim against Haimon and the Lakedaimonides grew throughout the boring decades, then made a decision, which caused heavy rotation inside of the wet grave of our dead Hegemon: Knowing, that his reign will be a short one, he refused to declare Haimons son Soson Lakedaimonos as his heir. Instead of Soson, the governour of Tarsos, Hagasidamos Hyperteleatos, is now our new heir. So the eldest son of the perhaps most indignified man of whole Koinon history, Ponponious Hyperteleatos, is now Heir of the mighty Koinon. Holy Zeus!
Although this man seems to be of surprisingly proper virtue, this decision is an unbearable cheeky threat against the noble family of the Lakedaimonides.

https://img440.imageshack.us/img440/7983/koinonheirfe1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Heir Hagasidamos, a man of some proper virtue

https://img130.imageshack.us/img130/9366/koinonsosonlacnn3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Soson Lakedaimonos, left out again and raving with grim


„Not only is this man the son of some smeary beast“, Soson screamed, as the bad news reached Alexandreia, „also his ancestors are from the stinky isle of Crete. This is unbearable. I'm not and not and not amused. Not at all! Butler, bring me my hippopottamos-whip! I'll whip myself in shame, to clean my poor head from all this indignified mud!“
And so he did. After having whipped himself for a good while, his mind became clear again, and so he called for the messenger, and told him give the following mail to Hagasidamos:

„Dear Cretan. So, as my father sank into the muddy floods of the river nile, you seem to be in charge of a throne, that legally belongs to me. And you know what: I'm incredibly angry about that. Therefore I have a suggestion: Let's see, which one of us is the conquerer of better skill and honour. Let's take possession of the syrian coast. Let's meet in the town of bostra then and let the people of this place decide, which one of us is the most glamouros man of the Koinon. The winner shall be king, the looser has to retire himself on the stinking shores Crete for the rest of his life.
Sincerely yours Soson Eurypontidos Lakedaimonios of Sparta“

And so it was made. Hagasidamos, offended as a cretan garlic-sausage, ordered his military machinery eastward and glouriously reconquered Edessa and Antiocheia for the Koinon. His assistent general Timaginedas heroicly pushed back the Seleucids at Karkathiokerta, but was thrown out of this pathetic village by a n Arche-loyalist revolution in 203. Meanwhile the Heir, who indeed is very glourious („for a crete“, as Soson admitted lately), stands at the walls of Damaskos, an Arche-Enklave, that is strongly defended by a certain Nicator the Lame.

https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/681/koinondamaskoszg4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Our Heir at Damaskos.

https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/8111/koinoneastsituationxz7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Situation at the eastern borders.


Meanwhile Soson Lakedaimonios took his two little brothers Kallikrates and Kritiboulos for a campaingn into the holy lands of Iudäa. After several battles he reached the walls of the mighty Hierosalyma.

https://img175.imageshack.us/img175/8785/koinonklallikrateslacdw1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Brother Kallikrates

https://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2875/koinonkritibuloslaciz6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Brother Kritiboulos

https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/2777/koinonjerusalemwh0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Soson at the walls of Hierosalyma.

He managed to take the town, but, as the iudäan sparrows chirp from the roofs of the hebräic metropolis, this victory was only a close one. Sosons skills as a warriour are obviously „not even quite well“, so the birds chirped on. Nevertheless, the decendent of Haimon, the Great is still shure, that he will be the winner at bostra.


Meanwhile at the dwarfland-borders, another sad incident occured in the year of 204. Our hero and main dwarfwhipper, the great Manthios Thisbios has taken the eternal path to meet his doubtful ancestors. It was just after the order to return to Sparta for honouros retirement and pass over the dwarfhunting license to a younger general reached him in the filds near Nikaia. Thisbios drank about one gallon of halluzinogen dwarf-ale that evening and then, with the full moon shining on his dented helmet, he jumped off a rock, attempting to fly away. Here is a last picture of him:

https://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4629/koinondeadthisbiosrj4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The great Manthios Thisbios

Now, as celebrations are held all around the dwarflands, a honourable follower was chosen to protect the Koinon mainlands from itchy dwarf attacks. Here he is:

https://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6896/koinonthisbiosav6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The gloomy Euneos Thisbios, son of his nortorious father......


https://img462.imageshack.us/img462/3703/koinondwarffrontap8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
...is taking over the hunting-dutys at the dwarf-frontier

https://img488.imageshack.us/img488/4571/koinondwarfssh9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Now here is a painting of young Euneos' first battle against the dwarfes:


So, this is, what happened to the Koinon Hellenon in the last years. Now, with the year of 202, the long farewell begins. 202 will be the last year to be reported to you from the world according to the Koinon Hellenon. Many loose ends will remain but progression of the divine game of Europa Barbarorum is merciless and the chronist is too eager to try out something new in a new and different world.
So watch out for the report about the rest of the world in 202, which will be released, when the year is plaid, the pictures are made and the text is written.

Yours Quirinus Kuhlmann.

[CaesarAugustus]

Thank you for psoting the Prologue so fast QK. What is Waste Land?

[The Errant]

Thank you for psoting the Prologue so fast QK. What is Waste Land?

The Waste Land is Artaserse's (aka. Obelics on the EB forum) iconic masterpiece of an AAR posted on the RTR forums. Part of it's posted here on the EB forum too, but the complete set can be found on the link below.

http://forums.totalrealism.net/showthread.php?t=469

There are AAR:s and there are AAR:s, and then there are true pieces of unique art that surpass our ability to praise fully. The Waste Land is one such piece. The World according to the Koinon is another. :bow:

[Boyar Son]

The Arch isnt evil

lol pharaos reservation! great work!

[Vorian]

Excellent update as always.:2thumbsup:

[Dooz]

I never thought I would see that day. Thanks for the update QK! It's good to catch up with old pals... only to find out that they're all dead or dying and new blood is taking over. I find this to be a very appropriate place to end the story (after the upcoming full installment of course) seeing as it's the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. We await the conclusion. :bow:

[Warmaster Horus]

Great update! Nice to see it's back.(if only for a bit)

[Lysander13]

I have truly enjoyed reading this AAR. Spectacular work friend:2thumbsup:

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I like the idea to show the world as the greeks saw it, as a plain discus with water around it. Can't wait for the rest, although it's sad...

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

First of all I'd like to thank you really very much for the reply on that small epilogue. In the last weeks I did'nt have much time to play or even read all those new AARs, which appearded on the forum. I will catch up on that later.
Now I'm glad to be able to go on with last update. It's quite big and not yet complete, so I decided to release it in four parts, which will be about the Northwest, the Southeast, the Northeast and a Koinon Hellenon Epilogue. The first one comes out in a minute and the others hopefully one by one during eastern. I hope you like it.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Hello again, everybody. This is the first main part of the last update of this story. It's about the things, wich happened in northern Europe during the year of 202.


The world according to the Koinon-Hellenon

https://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4924/koinonlogooe8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Cut 7: The long farewell / The rest of the world in 202 / Pt.I: Northern European Chaos

https://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6987/mapworld202co2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the world in spring 202

https://img295.imageshack.us/img295/5984/mapwesterneuropeqr0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of North-western Europe

Aedui

https://img237.imageshack.us/img237/9237/aeduikingaa0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Baeren, who got maybe a little bit too settled down while aging

Into spring: King Baeren, highly respected head of the Aedui-Confederacy, could be the happiest man in barbaristic norther Europe. Under his skilled supervision, the Empire of the free gauls grew to a power and prosperity, of which Baerens ancestors could only have dreamed. Due to the alliance with the mighty white strangemen, who came out of the Iberian mountains, southern borders are save. Sure, the roman enemy, who is still led by evil Corpulentus Augustus, the notorious human plumpudding from Aventicos, seems to get stronger lately, but those strawberry-trolls were, according to the historian-druids at Darioritium-University, always pushed back, when the they dared to tresspass into gaul territory. So the 60th birthday of Baeren could have been a party beyond compare, if not his general Borvo would have been there to mix some bitter bile into the King's birthday cerveza.

https://img237.imageshack.us/img237/900/aeduiborvismjn7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Borvo and his compagnion Meriadoc in Gawjam Hattoz

Borvo, who firmly led the Aeduan Troops in the North during the last decade, gloriously conquered Gawajam Hattoz, the favorite village of the corpulent Roman Consul, from the Sweboz, who just had kicked the Romans out of this well known centre of Swebic Haute-Cuisine. When later the village Bagacos was reconquered by the roman Intruders, Gawam Hattoz became an enclave and Borvo and his friend Meriadoc were trapped in the town with their brave elite-fighters. King Baeren, sitting savely at the Atlantic-coast, ordered them to retreat to reinforce the mainlands but: Borvo refused. He and Meriadoc declared the „Independent and free confederation of Borvonia“ as founded in the so called „Manifesto of Borvoism“. Main issues of this manifest were:
-Romans have to be beaten up constantly and consequently
-Good and tasty food of some quality for everybody
-Every King has to resign from his throne at the age of 60, and pass over the crown to a dignified follower, who has at least some military skills.
-A brilliant man must show his brilliance by wearing a brilliant moustache
-Troubadours are allowed to sing only during periods of extreme drought (to cause some serious rain)
So, as Borvoism is widely discussed in the whole Aedui-Empire, including the University of Darioritium, King Baerens birthday is somehow spoiled this year.
-Into summer: King Baerens defensive forces suffer a dangerous defeat against the roman invaders near Viennos. „Send them another bunch of men“, the King orders tiredly, when getting the news.
But in worse troubles seems to be the enclave of brave new Borvonia. Huge roman armies approach from the south to threaten the nucleus of a promising new society. But then unbelieveble news are spread in Gawjam Hattoz: „The fat ist dead, the fat is dead“ cries out a spy, who managed to sneak through the roman lines. Indeed, Corpulentus Augustus, the XXL-nightmare of the north, seemes to have swallowed his last stew. But Borvo isn't really happy. At least, he thinks, the Roman Empire could be gouverned properly for a change. And this sincerely are no good news.

https://img413.imageshack.us/img413/562/aeduiborvoismdangermd4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The moustache-brotherhood seems to be in serious trouble

-Into autum: Now the preapocalyptic fears also arise within the Aedui-mainlands. More Roman armies trample down the tiny gaulic forest-flowers, two of them already threatening Bratosporios. And worse: While Borvonia is left out for now, beautiful Viennos, once conquered by the great Borvo, is now besieged by the Romans. King Baeren decides to send a messenger to Borvonia, to submit peace and collaboration.

https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/7974/aeduiviennosod5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Viennos under pressure

Into winter: Good news in both parts of the Aeduan lands: While the highly pressed Viennos is saved by faction heir Riankiadoc, Borvo and Meriadoc manage to defend themselfes successfully against the first wave of roman intruders. Two entire red armys are pushed back with nearly no losses.

https://img237.imageshack.us/img237/5378/aeduidefensewl1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The Aedui defend themselves.

Into the future: Though the Aedui were victorious in their defense for now, future is uncertain and the roman danger will not disappear for decades. So the Aeduan confederacy and Borvonia can in my opinion only survive by collaborating with eachother. Maybe Borvo and Riankiadoc will become friends soon. Then, and only then, the Aedui have a chance to survive.



SPQR

https://img237.imageshack.us/img237/2397/romanconsulcc7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Old Augustus Corpulentus again

Into Spring: „Tell me, where is our boss / Buried in Aventicos“, that's what the children sing in the streets of free Roma. Though the Empire managed to get rid of the horrible and disgusting Epirotean occupation, the first consul is not too popular in the italic metropoleis. One reason could be, that no inhabitant of the peninsula has caught a glimpse of the legendary old man with the unbelievable appetite for decades. In fact 68 years old Augustus refuses to visit Roma and prefers to sit in Aventicos. Annoyed and deeply offended by the barbarian occupation of his beloved Gawjam Hattoz, he leaves the fighting duties in the north to his famous Heir Gaius Justus Scipio.

https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/5498/romascipioku7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Scipio, the conquering, but aging heir of the SPQR

Scipio himself is not the youngest anymore. His hopes, that Corpulentus would die soon, crumbled, as the years went by. Embittered by decades of constant war, for an empire, that is run by a worthless moron, he starts to get seriously grim, if not to say evil, in his late years. Bad luck for the Sweboz, whose civil revolts were punished with fierceful cruelity by him lately. His only consoliation, the constant supply of skilled roman elite troops from Italia, made it even worse for the poor foresters. If Augustus would die this year, the Roman Empire would not really be better off with this poison-minded oldtimer. It indeed is an Aera of aging grimbags for the SPQR , and an end is not to be seen at the horizon.
Meanwhile in Sicily, another old grimbag, degraded from being head of the Southern Roman Empire, sits in his hometown and looks across the blue mediterian sea, regretfrully yearning for africa, his original home, to where he probably will never be allowed to return.

https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/1944/romancheironij8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Cheiron in his 50ies, a broken man and regretful renegate

-Into summer: Gaius Junius Scipio orders his personal slave to give him a couple of good licks with the whip in order to prove, that he is not dreaming. After receiving them, he slowly starts to believe, that it's true: The XXL-nightmare of the Roman Republic has finally entered the realms of the unknown. He's gone, gone, gone! Simply vanished. A wooden bridge over one of those typical northern swamps had been not strong enough to carry the load of the first Roman Consul. And those swamps are always hungry too. So, after a live of of eating, feasting and swallowing, nature itself swallowed the whole of the 350 pounds, which were the earthly shape of this remarcable man, this practical joke, Jupiter allowed himself to play upon the roman civitas, to play upon him, Gaius Junius Scipio. „Jupiter bless that bridge“, Scipio cried out. Then he showed himself to his soldiers. „Long live Scipio, the new Augustus“, the screamed. „Friend, Romans and fellow barbarians“, Scipio started on them, „there are deeds to be done....“

https://img248.imageshack.us/img248/2497/romascipioconsulgo4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The Consul is dead! Long live the Consul!

-Into autum: And deeds arte done: The Consul himself hunts a little Aedui-exploration-gang out of the forests near Bagacos for fun and then settles down in the village, pleasantly listening to the earthshaking trampeling of the unbelievable mighty warmachine, which now marchs throughout the barbarian forests, because he, Scipio, has ordered it.

https://img248.imageshack.us/img248/2941/romascipiohuntingaeduitx3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Scipio hunting the Aedui

-Into winter: Ok, the first steps of a brandnew Consul are not the easiest. But Scipio is not too annoyedwith the defeats. With all the power in the north, world domination will only be a matter of time.

https://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5388/romanoverviewsu2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Overview of Roman power in the north in winter 202

Into the future: Though the seed of Borvoism is also sown in the northern villages occupied by the romans, the SPQR is in a good position now. If Qartadast will not start a serious invasion soon, it's only a matter of time, that all thes barbarians will benefit from civilized roman lifestyle, wether they like it or not. Scipio anyhow is a little bit too old and will probably not see a decisive development in his lifetime.


Safot Softim bi' Quartadast

https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/5286/qartadastkingbn2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Old King Himilcar finally reappeard in history

Into spring: The uprise of King Himilcar from retirement was an earthshaking headliner, which was spread all across the Safot Softim within no time. About five years ago, the King, who at that time almoust had become a living mythos, suddenly gathered together some mighty Qartadasrt elite troops, marched through the pacificated iberia, conquered the glorious polis of Massilia from the worthless Avernii and defended it against Roma with braveness and success. Now the african public awaits eagerly the next steps of this gaulic adventure and so do Gaul and Roma. Lately a strong reinforcement army under an angry looking youngster general crossed the pyrenaeic mountains. Will they reinforce the king? Or will they betray the barbarian allies in the north, whose king seems to be a little naive and whose rich and fertile countries would be a tasty prey for mighty phoenicia.

https://img294.imageshack.us/img294/619/quartadasteuropeig7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
What will happen?

-Into summer: To the luck of the Aedui, the Quartadast elite force turnes left and takes rest at the gates of Massilia.
-Into autum: Now the Qartadastian force, which is under supervision of General Kanmi Saunites crosses the bridge, that leads to Gallia Cicalpina.

https://img49.imageshack.us/img49/8300/quartadastangrymanus6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Will the Qartadast join in the European game?

-Into winter: Not yet. General Kanmi still guards the bridge and waits for the things to come upon him in the future.
-Into the future: The future of the Safot Softim is somewhere hidden in the north of Itala. Allied with the brave Aedui, the Phoenicians have a real chance to put an end to roman superiority in Europe. If King Himilcar or his follower should decide to call the troops, that are situated in Iberia, Roma will have a hard time and the doom of the SPQR could be closer, than any italian citizen believes.

https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/5373/qartadastmilitarybi9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Qartadast military in pacificated Iberia.


Avernii

https://img49.imageshack.us/img49/4770/averniikingwb1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Tyranos oi Lugos

Into spring: Doom is near for the Avernii, who hide in their last stronghold Vesontio, and though King Tyranos has strictly forbidden to talk about it, everybody knows, that there is no future. No wonder then, that the Borvoistic underground movement is getting stronger day by day and that an increasing number of people sneak across the border to Gawjam Hattoz night after night. Now that Massilia fell, the Avernni economy lies there in the mud with broken neck and no Corpulentus will ever appear to change things to the better. Or, as a brovoistic druid summarized lately, before vanishing into the night: „We put our bets on the wrong hippopotamus. See you next year in Gawajam Hattoz“
-Into summer: A small Borvistic exploration gang is expelled from what's left of the once deep Arvian forests.
-Into autum: A young roman nobleman appears at the gates of Vesontio, to annonce the order of a serious tribute demand, which Scipio espects of the client kingdom as a kind of warm welcome-gift for himself. It's Gallus Gallicus, the man of the future, whose name sounds a bit threatening to the long-time-clients of the SPQR.
-Into winter: Gallicus disappears with huge amount of Avernian denarii.

https://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5913/averniivisitew5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Roman heir ante portas in the tiny Avernian kingdom.

Into the future: If Roma wins the war, and Avernia does not run out of money, there may be a modest kind of future. If not, then not.


Dwarf-Federation

https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7014/getandwarfmasterjx1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
New Dwarfmaster Spargapeithes per Dokidava

Into spring: A new national celebration day is established in the dwarflands: „Mantios Thisbios fell down on his knees / Trouble's now in hades and on earth is peace / Manthios Thisbios fell down on his face / hey, world's now a better dwarfmen's place“ Yes, dwarfish poetry is for shure not the most skillful in the world, but the Manthios-Thisbios-day was really heavyly celebrated in the dwarflands, which lately became a true barbarian superpower, extending as far as the northern sea. At the peak of the party, brandnew dwarfmaster Spargapeithes had a hallocinogen-beer-inducated vision of worldwide dwarfdom and himself trampeling down the wonderous temple of Pallas Athene in Athenai, which he colorfully described in a speach in Ak-Inkh. So the appearance of Thisbios' son ahead of a strong Koinon army did not bother the Getans too serious.
-Into summer: A great dwarf gathering is held near Singidunum. Thus is the „big month of getting sober“, which was ordered by Dwarfmaster Spargapeithes in a bad mood after awakening kind of worn out due to the celebrations of Manthios-Thisbios-day.
-Into autum: And really: In autum, the sobered dwarfs go into attack-mode again. A gang of daring trolls lais siege among Tylis, hoping to loot this rich and civilized Koinon-polis. Meanwhile a skilled dwarfchief with a horde of about 2500 tiny screaming wildmen attacks Euneos Thisbios, who violates the dwarflands in the footsteps of his fabulous father. (For a report of the tremendous failure of this attempt, wait for the Koinon-centered Epilogue of this update)

https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9866/getantylisattempthw9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Dwarf-attempt on Tylis

-Into winter: Another attack on the new Thisbios failed. But the son of the now buried dwarf nemesis is delayed now on helping out rich Tylis so Spargapeithes plan may succeed.
-Into the future: Dwarflands are already too deep and wild to be a worthy goal for the Koinon Hellenon. So, if the dwarfes manage to collaborate with the Aedui, they could gain a fat peace of the roman cake, operation out of the safety of their wilderness. If not, they are likely to go on with their hidden and misterious lifestyle for ever, fighting against the Thisbii and trying out every mushroom they can get hold on.

https://img262.imageshack.us/img262/2315/getanidyllene8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Gang of dwarfes roaming around with joy in the middle of their wilderness.



Casse

https://img249.imageshack.us/img249/174/cassekingfh1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Casse King Caratawc dyn Ballii

Into spring: Things in the Casse County are stable as the used to be. Bad for King Caratawc and his noblemen, who trample eachothers feet in Cassemorg, desperately trying to chase away boredom by beating up eachother and playing a primitive form of chess (King and pawns only). Good for the rest of the islanders, who spend their golden days in a unique paradise for independent people.
-Into summer: „We are wild, we are free, we're britains eleutheroi!!“ Sometimes this awful song is even to be heard on the streets of Cassemorg, but not often, because King Caratawc has forbidden it by death penalty.
Into autum: But even his little grandchildren continuously sing the song. Luckily they are not yet old enough for punishment.
Into winter: But not too old to be beaten up!
Into the future: Peacful life will probably go on until the Koinon Hellenon decides to invade the island.

https://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4528/cassemighthavebeenempmg1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The lands the Casse could have conquered


Sweboz

https://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1885/swebozkingau7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Swebic King Harjaz

Into spring: The Sweboz Empire went to a dreadful period lately. A few years ago, civil revolts added Gawjam Habbukoz, Gawjam Heruskoz and Gawjam Hattoz to the forester empire, and an uprise finally seemed to be possible. But the lands were spammed by Aeduan and Roman forces, and as Harjaz, the young Swebic king, is not the smartest and most expierienced man around, everthing fell apart again quickly. Lucky were the people of Gawjam Hattoz, who are now witnessing the uprise of a new way of barbarian lifestyle under the supervision of brave Borvo. But poor Heruskoz and Habbukoz, who fell under the bloodstained claws of Scipian bitterness and cruelity. Now the staus quo is established once more. When will King Harjaz find a sufficient answer to this injuries and humiliations?
-Into summer: He may, but not this summer.
-Into autum: „Strict neutrality“, said King Harjaz lately, „is our only chance to survive this chaos arising at our borders. So, nobody move, nobody get hurt.“
-Into winter: Ooops! Roma ante portas!

https://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7459/swebozdangernt8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Danger comes into the lands of the foresters

Into the future: Captured between the dwarfes and the SPQR, the situation of the Swebic confederation is nearly hopeless. Maybe, if King Harjaz winds up to choose the Avernian way, survival could be possible, but I'm afraid, old Scipio will not submit to such speculations.


So that was that. Watch out for the second part of the update, which will be about the developments in the Southeast of the world according to the Koinon Hellenon and wich which will hopefully come tomorrow.

https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/493/koinonsyriosatworkhi9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Greetings also from Koinon-General Syrios, who is in Charge of the impertinent Hayasdan in another part of the world

Hope you enjoyed, your Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Yay!!! EB's most insane AAR is back! (insane is a complement from me, btw) I can't wait to get some time to read it QK. :2thumbsup:

[Ower]

What to say, only 3 words come to my mind: Totaly awsom Dude!

[Warmaster Horus]

Marvellous! But, to put a damper on everyone's mood, it's the before last episode of TWAK.

[Boyar Son]

Great AAR as always!:2thumbsup:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you guys and see you tomorrow!

[Wolfman]

:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4: Itchy Dwarfs!!! Corpulentus falling thru a bridge!!! LOL! If i'm in a bad mood TWAK always cheers me up. I'll miss this AAR~:(

[CountArach]

Another nice update :bow:

[Dooz]

Wow. What more can be said? Or maybe, a lot more can be said but it would be unnecessary as words can't do this justice.

Hm. Anyhoo, great stuff Q, thank you for bringing this to us. :applause:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

I'm very glad to see all of you here again after such a long break. I wish you a happy eastern by the way, whereever you may be situated in this world. In a minute comes the second part.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Cut 7: The long farewell / Pt. II: The Southeast

https://img263.imageshack.us/img263/9851/mapsoutheastzh0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the Southeast

Former Ptolemaic Empire

https://img263.imageshack.us/img263/9002/ptolekingtx3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Pharao Stasitimos Philadelphios

Into spring: „Oh the shame“, could one cry out watching the broken pieces of the once mighty Ptolemaian Empire. Exhausted by decades of war against the Arche, the mighty Pharaones finally could not prevent the Koinon Hellenon intruders from invading the Ptolemaian Heartlands from north and south. Now the meditarean coast ist lost and the Empire is split into four pathetic enclaves. Disappointing was also the reaction of the Egyptian, Judean and Syrian folks, who used to be subjects of the divine Pharao and who basically don't care too much about what kind of arrogant greeks they are ruled by. But although Pharao Stasitimos seems to be the leader of a crumbled structure of ruins, he decided not to give in, gathered a band of desperate heroes near Bostra and promised at the pyramids of his ancestors, to put a quick but painful end to Koinons Soson Lacedaimonos by throwing him beyond the same crocodiles, to whom his worthless father was a tasty snack a few years ago.
-Into summer: The Pharao decides to wait for some big mistake, which this stupid and unexpierienced Soson will shurely make in the near future.
-Into autum: But what endless humiliation is that. Considering the mighty forces of Soson appearing near Bostra, Pharao Stasitimos decides to retreat to Palmyria, leaving Bostra nearly helpless in the claws of the spartian monster.
-Into winter: A desperate attempt is made at besieged Hibis in the deserts near the nile. Brave General Ieropadides sallys against the troops of the besieging minor Koinon-General. In glory, the Empire decends, at least in this part of the world. Hibis is lost to the Koinon.

https://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1865/ptolemdesperateattackhg3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Suicidal sally near Hibis

Back in Syria, young Asandros Rhakotidios can not believe, that his Pharao dumped him in Bostra, to become the victim of evil Soson Lacedaimonios. But alas, it's true.

https://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7769/ptolembostradefenseqf6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
In dishonour, the Empire crumbles in this part of the world.

Into the future: The future of the Ptolemaian empire will be a precarious existence as a puffer state between the Koinon Hellenon and the Qartadast. The future of Pharao Stasitiomos is to be constantly and violently beaten up by his angry ancestors in his afterlife within the deep tombs of their pyramids.


The Arche Seleukeia

https://img242.imageshack.us/img242/8203/archekingzz9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Archont Appoloniketes

Into spring: Mighty and undestroyable stands the Arche Seleukeia, as if she was built to last until eternity. The Koinon invasion out of Asia Minor was successfully stopped at Karkathiokerta, and though Damaskos is in danger now, it is strongly guarded and hopefully will be defended too. In Arabia, Seleucid invasion-troops managed to reach the heartlands of the mysterious Sabyn Jau, defeating them heroicly near Carna. If Appoloniketes decides to reinforce this expedition, the profitable incense trade will soon be in archo-greek hands, while these annoying Watar Ill Watars will get new jobs as plantation workers, harnish-polishers and folklore-dancers.
-Into summer: Mighty and undestroyable stands the Arche, but now without the enclave of Damaskos. Brave Patrokes Ornithopoleos, in his rage against the Koinon had decided to sally, and suffered a heroic death from the hands of the Koinon heir. Now the unhappy people of Damaskos are enslaved, and revenge will come soon and be sweet. Sweet as the smell of finest Sabyn Jau incense.
-Into Autum: But the siege of Edessa, which has also be set in summer, has not been broken yet, and may turn out as a success, which could start a revenge campain.

https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/873/archeedessanr6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The Arche besieges Edessa

-Into winter: Far away in Arabia a Sabyn village is conquered. But this fact would not cheer up the Archont, if he'd be aware of it by now. (He's not due to bad roads and naive messengers, that are constantly lured into the desert by djinns) At Edessa, the Arche suffered the most pathetic defeat since the loss of Antichia. Two entire armys, one led by a General, whose name is now eradicated out of history-papyrii, attacked a leaderless Koinon reinforement army, which aimed to help out the Edessa garrison. Kataphractoi were slaughtered by archers. Good it had been many archers, but...simply inecusable. Appoloniketes locks himself into his room and will not come out all day, as he always does in such circumstances.

https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/3619/archecrushingdefeatkr6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The crushing defeat of the year

-Into the future: Desipte the bad news from Edessa, the Arche is still one of the worlds superpowers, sucessfully expanding in arabia and threatening the Koinon with huge armys in Syria. Her traditional foe, the Pharaonics, are crumbled and the new enemy will have a hard and bloodstained time with the mighty sucessor-empire.



As Sabyn wal'Jau

https://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2671/sabynheirix3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sabyn Heir Alhan Yuha'man

Into spring: Unwelcome tasks emerged lately for the Sabyn Heir Alhan: The King is missing (to be honest, I couldn't find him on the map, as hard as I tried) and now young Alhan is left alone to deal with the constant archo-greek intrusions into the very heart of the Sabyn Jau Empire. A few years ago, those unstoppable phalangites even managed to conquer the town of Carna and had to be thrown out at incredible costs and losses. Now one of their armys is roaming the lands and who knows, what these merciless agressors will send into the beautiful desert lands next. If only the King were there. But he simply vanished. Noone knows, where he is. Was he abducted, did he get lost in the desert, lured inside by a hostile djinn? Or did he simply....flee? Alhan Yuha'man does not know, nor do his friends and subjects, and so it's up to him to save the Sabyn Homelands from danger, imperialism and phoney greek lifestyle.
-Into summer: Summer is beyond the doors, but where is the King?
-Into autum: Now Jau defense against the Arche is organised without his help.

https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/7128/sabynmainlandsvo5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Jau Mainlands in autum 202

-Into winter: But it's not organised well, as it seems. A worthless guy with an offending name (Seleukos Syriakos) dared to conquer the town of Sabata. It seems, that Alhan had forgotten to order the building of walls around that precious settlement. So the patience of the Sabyn nobles has run drie as a desert wahdi now and Alhan is disinherited. New king Nasha Karab Awtha will shure do better in pushing out those freaky g(r)eeks out of Sabyn homelands.

https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/723/sabynkingatleastkm9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The situation in winter, as precarious as it is

-Into the future: The Sabyn Jau are in real danger, but due to the notorious clumsiness of the Arche they have a real chance. Seleukos Syriakos must be pushed into the dust at any means necessary, and the Jau are back into the game. Otherwise their nobility is likely to be emploid as skillful plantation workers and folklore-dancers in the near future. And the wages will be really low.


So this was that. Whatch out for part three, which will be about the northeastern plains of the world according to the Koinon Hellenon and which will hopefully come tomorrow.

https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/504/koinonsyriosmoonvt3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Even the hardboiled Hayasdan-slaughterer General Syrios seems to be sad, that the end of this story comes nearer each day...

Yours Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Cut 7: The long farewell // Pt. III: The northern plains

https://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4884/mapnortheastiu0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Map of the Northeast

Bactria

https://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2913/bactriakingwq8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
King Biton Gabaios

Into spring: The bactrian attempt, to wipe nomadian lifestyle off the face of the world, turned out to be a complete failure lately. Though the military superiority of the blue wasteland-intruders was and still is doubtless, one of the conquered Sauromatean villages after the other revolted with rage and success and by now, all western wastelands beyond the former Pahlavii border are Sauromateian again. Lost Bactrian armys stuble throughout the plains with no idea where to go and what to do next. So the new King Biton Gabaios, who is not so deeply interested in nomadism as his notorious predecessor (who by the way was killed by an arrow out of nowhere in the pahalavian plains), thinks seriously about a different option of expanding his empire.
-into summer: It's the option „Arche“, that Biton thinks about. So he orders a minor general to cross the long border in order to tease the giant a little bit.

https://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2838/bactraprovokinggameux4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Bactrian General, teasing the Arche at Phrophtasia

-Into autum: But as always in history, Arche stays patiently peaceful.
-Into winter: And so the huge Bactrian armys still stumble upon the wastelands, sometimes threatened and fooled by a kind of mysterious ghost, who, as they considered with fear, also has found a suitable animal to ride on lately.

https://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7581/bactriawastelandslostnu1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The mysterious ghost haunting a Bactrian „peacekeeping-force“

Into the future: If the Bactrians would leave the wastelands as wasted as they are and finally would dare to threaten the Arche, success and luck could return to them and also the strange elephant-ghost could maybe decide, that it's time for him to rest in peace.


The Saka Rauka

https://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2350/sakakinghy1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Saka-Chief Gobuzan

While spending his best years in a reservation, closely watched by a hostile, deep-blue superpower, Saka-Chief Gobuzan winds up drinking a little bit too much blueberry-booze and playing the steppe-lyra in an unusal new way. At night his rough but sensitive voice can be heard around the yurtes of the Saka-tribe:
„That was written by Hank Williams....I'm a rolling stone / all alone and lost / for a live of sin / I paid the cost / And when I pass by / all the people say: / just another guy / on the lost highway...“
„Written by whom?? And what, in the name of the holy steppe-rabbit, is a highway?“, his wife asks herself, but then the sheer beauty of her husbands voice makes her fall into a peaceful and refreshing yurte-sleep again.
-Into summer: „I fell into a burning steppe-rabbit / shure I tried to get it, yeah I tried to grab it / but it burned, burned, burned / that steppe-rabbit / that steppe-rabbit“ „Now i dig, what he's up to“, mubles Gobuzans wife in her tent and gladly falls asleep again, while the sweet voice of her husband caresses the plains one more night.
-Into autum: As autum comes, Gobuzan stops singing, and, to the worries of his wife, starts to turn out strangely calm and somehow haunted.
-Into winter: „Oh, the rabbit, oh the rabbit, flee, you noble Saka men and women, as the rabbit is on the loose!“ These were the last word's of King Gobuzan, before he vanished into the endless wastelands for ever. „What could I do?“, asks his wife often lately, and: „Nothing at all“, is the frequent answer she gives to herself.

https://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8558/sakastepperabbitgz7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Gobuzans vision of the evil steppe-rabbit

Into the future: „Well I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer!! / The future's uncertain and the end is always near..“ Kind of that stuff...

The Sauromateans

https://img90.imageshack.us/img90/8486/sauromkingmm5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Sauromatean Chief Tiagaros

The Sauromatean people went through a hard time full of cruelety and murder lately. But, though their armys are traditionally weak, they proudly proved to be absolutely ungouvernable by any hellenistic power. That might have something to do with a certain clandestine cult related with a fearceful wasteland-wheatherghost called Thruxra the phalavian Elephant-man, which is now widely spread upon the Sauromatean people. But maybe they are also simply stubborn and pigheaded like hell. Not only Chief Tiagaros is very proud of that fact.
-Into summer: And proud he stays.
-Into autum: Another Bactrian intrusion is reported to the king.
-Into winter: A strange multicultural gathering takes place in the snowy plains of the Sauromatean wastelands. Two Sauromatean noblemen and three Roman diplomats, two of them obviously renegates. The king is not invited. The gods probably know, what these guys are talking about.

https://img155.imageshack.us/img155/6291/saurommulticultureho2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The strange meeting

Into the future: The wild hordes of the steppe will probably stay there for the next decades, and no blue stacks will change that fact. They will be safe in their splendid stubbornism and they will organise strange meetings with micplaced diplomats, and why shouldn't they?

The Hayasdan

https://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4378/haykingti0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Hay-king Armenak

Into spring: „By the beard of Mher the Lame, it's a constant shame!“ cried out King Armenaks Minister of foreign affairs, regarding to the Koinon Hellenon, refusig to retreat from Kotais, which belongs to the Hayasdan by tradition and divine law. And the minister is right. But though Armenak nods and orders the next band of Hay-deperados to reconquer the town, things are unlikely to change. So grim patience is a virtue, which is now needed in the Hayasdan realms.
-Into summer: But grim patience is not a virtue of Hay-King Armenak. So another siege is laid upon Kotais and another desperate attack is put upon this extremely annoinig Koinon veteran-horse-archer-army guarding the borders, which results in another crushing defeat for the Hayasdan. So again it's time for: „By the beard of Mher, the Lame, it's constant shame!“

https://img90.imageshack.us/img90/8880/hayasdankotaissiegewk0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Hay-attempt on Kotais

-Into autum: The news, that a Koinon punishment-expedition is spottet on the road to Mtskheta does not cheer up the general mood in the Hay-Headquarter.
-Into winter: It's Syrios the slaughterer with his horse archers, who arrived at the walls of Mtskheta, where King Armenak currently spends his winter-holidays. This can not be beared! So every Hay-Army nearby comes running fierceful to save the life of Armenak.

https://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5567/hayasdanreplykw7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The lifesavers in attack-mode

But the rescue failes, Armenak suffered a heroic death and Mtskheta now is in the claws of the Koinon Hellenon.

https://img172.imageshack.us/img172/4675/haykingdeadrl5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Bury my brain on top of the mountain.


Into the future: If the Hayasdan would stop their constant itchy attacks, Koinon rulers could be convinced of the possibility, that the Hay would make a tiny nice klient kingdom to the emerging superpower. But as those mountaineers are wild and free, they will probably have to suffer until their end, which seems to be nearby.


That was the main part of this last update. Watch out for the Epilogue about the Koinon Hellenon, wich will finally be the end of this story.

https://img244.imageshack.us/img244/90/dwarfimpressionsja8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Impressions from the dwarflands


Hope you enjoyed, Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Watchman]

:applause:
...I can't look at the Getai with a straight face now. :sweatdrop:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Well, that's allright, because those itchy dwarfs refuse to look at you with a straight face.

[pockettank]

if theres an award for best aar ever then u deserve it... and if there isnt 1 than they need 2 make u one :turtle: best one ive read.. :applause:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you pockettank! I'm glad and also a little bit sad, that the end of this story is ready to be posted in a minuite. But also I'm looking forward to finally try out the 0.81!!!

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

So at least here it is: The final update of the final update:

https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/6334/koinonlogolv9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

The world according to the Koinon Hellenon, cut 7:

Final epilogue: The deeds of the Koinon Hellenon in this final year of 202:

Spring: In spring 202 the tension between Koinon Heir Hagasidamos Hypertyleatos and his brave challenger Soson grows constantly. The Heir besieges Damaskos, Soson sits in freshly conquered Jerusalem and eagerly awaits the arrival of another young son of Manthios Thisbios, Herakleias, who will take over his place as gouvernour and free him for his quest against the ptolemaian Pharao.

-into Summer: Hail Hyperteleatos. The Seleukids in damaskos pathetically sallied, and were defeated by our brave heir. Damaskos now is in the hands of the Koinon.

https://img159.imageshack.us/img159/6268/koinonbattleofdamaskosfg4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The famous battle of Damaskos.

Near Kotais, where our King in his unexplorable moods has chosen to spend his last years, the impertinent Hayasdan strike again, but are defeated heroicly by our brave veteran-horse-archers under the supervision of General Syrios. Nevertheless, Kotais is besieged by them one more time. Maybe a punishment-expedition would be a nice adventure to our bored King for a change.

https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/9708/koinonhayattackfc2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Another heroic victory for Eulaios Syrios and his fabulous horse-archers.

-Summer: Syria: After the arrival of the young Heraklieas Thisbios, Soson leaves the metropolis Jerusalem in the hands of that incompetent youngster and entries Ptolemaian territory with nearly no fear, aiming to lure the Pharao himself into attacking him.
Meanwhile in Asia-Minor, brave Syrios breaks the siege of Kotais. The King anyway perfers not to join the inevitable punishment-expedition, so Syrios has to lead this project on his own.

https://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4197/koinonsyriansummereb0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The Syrian situation with the two throne competitors, the Pharao and young Herakleias Thisbios in charge of Jerusalem

-Autum: Brave Koinon border-wachdog Euneos Thisbios now receives his first heavy task in following his father as the main Koinon-dwarf-desintegrator. Near the border, he is attacked by a outnumbering gang of unscilled-forest-stinkfoots under the rule of a wicked dwarfchief. Thisbios turns out to pass this exam summa cum laude.

https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/4995/koinonthisbiosreifeprfuaq1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The new dwarf-desintegrator at work

https://img411.imageshack.us/img411/9553/koinonthisbiosbeforedb1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Before...

https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/2891/koinonthisbiosafterrf4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
.... and after

At the end of the season, Koinon Hellenon is on the attack in several parts of the world: Soson reaches and besieges the walls of Bostra, which is cowardly left alone by the worthless pharao. A minour General called Menelaos Aithalidois besieges Hibis, another Ptolemaian settlement in the nile-valley, completing a plan, old King Haimon himself had followed shortly before his tragical crocodile-accident. To make things complete, brave General Syrios has led a sincerely neccessary Hayasdan punishment-expedition to the walls of Mtskheta. „I can't figure out the pronounciation of this pretty litte town“, he tells his soldiers, „but we're gonna punish it anyway.“

https://img409.imageshack.us/img409/5336/koinonconquerfinalecw2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Koinon sieges everywhere

Winter: Two of the three besieged settlements sallied in vain: Hibis is now in the hands of brave Menelaos, and the people there seem to be quite cool with that fact. „Greeks“, the say, „are greeks. Arrogant, moody and strangely perfumed, shure, but we always were ruled by greeks, and if you let them their will, life here in the nile valley goes on like it ever did, and that's not the worst of it, am I right or am I right. Sent my son to the new gymnasion lately by the way, and he's doing quite well..“
But in freshly conquered Mtskheta things are different: „By the beard of Mher, the Lame“, people whisper in rage, „this perverted Syrios will meet his fate one day. It's just 'slaughtering the slaughterer', as my uncle claimed lately at our clandestine Hayasdan revolutionary volunteer-meeting“
Anyway, the Koinon is on the rise.

https://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7858/koinonhigis2fn9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Brave Koinon-troops awaiting the sally of Hibis under the palm trees of the Pharao

https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/152/koinonhigis1nw4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Thus the Ptolemaian glory crumbles

https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/4914/koinonsyriosmtkhetiaue3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Minor-asian Javelieros at work for Syrios the slaughterer


At the walls of Bostra the siege lingered on, until our eager throne-approacher Soson of the Lacedaimonians, son of famous King Haimon, ordered the final attack. Defender Asandros Rhakotidos, who was dumped by his Pharao so inexcusable, had to make a happy face in a wicked game, as we use to say in Germany. Now he's preparing to defend his hometown against the highly overpowered Koinon-invaders in that battle of Bostra, which would stay unreported, if it would not be reported here:

The battle of Bostra

https://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6012/koinonbostra1gz9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Soson, watching the town of Bostra from a hill with pleasure, anticipating the battle (and the crown), while Asandros does not anticipate anything at all

https://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8546/koinonbostra2cw2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
„Hup ho!“ screamed Soson, and so the battle begins

https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5553/koinonbostra3ka1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The wooden walls are smashed. Some of the defenders are skilled and brave...

https://img389.imageshack.us/img389/8231/koinonbostra5yl7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
..some are only brave

https://img413.imageshack.us/img413/1064/koinonbostra6sc4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The great son of a great hero approaches Bostra on the back of his beloved great horse

https://img413.imageshack.us/img413/7546/koinonbostra8ut6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
On the main road, Asandros calls his men to the counter-attack after having performed a brainshaking speech.

https://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3695/koinonbostra7xh2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
And Asandros fights, like he never fought before...

https://img159.imageshack.us/img159/4673/koinonbostra9bk1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
And Asandros dies, well, he also never died before...

https://img159.imageshack.us/img159/2677/koinonbostra10bc5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
....desperate resistance continues...

https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2666/koinonbostra11dt8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
...but not for long...

https://img362.imageshack.us/img362/447/koiinonbostra12bc9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
...and so the rough chants of the Koinon soldiers one more time are chanted throughout a once ptolemaian main square, and the peple of one more ptolemaian town silently start to wonder, in wich Koinon household, silver mine or folklore dance-groop they will be employed (with low wages) in the near future...

https://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7061/koinonbostra13lk4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
..and the glorious Soson Lacedaimonios is at least a little bit more glorious and also a little bit more wealthy than before.


When Hagasidamos Hypertyleatos heard about that battle, he ran his fingers through his mighty grey beard and said: „Mmmh, mmmh, that little Soson....not bad indeed....almost quite.....good. Not to compare, of course, with the famous battle of Damaskos..“
The Pharao in Palmyria refused to make a statement and concentrated on supervising the building site of his very own tiny pyramid.
And the Koinon King didn't notice...


So, what's been to be told has been told. Now it's time to say goodbye to a flock of great men full of virtue and unforgettable glory:

https://img248.imageshack.us/img248/4531/koinonbyebyedt4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Time to say goodbye to the heroes of the Koinon Hellenon, here gathered in front of our beautiful capital Athenai


Also it's time say goodbye to a flock of great men full of itchy wickedness and unforgettable counter-glory:

https://img248.imageshack.us/img248/2082/koinonenemyshn5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Time to say goodbye to the favourite enemys of the Koinon Hellenon, here gathered in front of the rebellious town of Mtskheta (featuring also Aemulius Favonius Corpulentus „Augustus“, who never fought the Koinon but who is of course unforgettable in his own way).

https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/227/koinonatheanaitradept1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
Ateanai, the great and mighty metropolis of fruitful trade

https://img409.imageshack.us/img409/3127/mapkoinonfinisuz9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
The world according to the Koinon Hellenon in winter 202


So, my dear readers: It's done, when it's done. Now it's done!

Thank you so much for following this experiment, which would have been senseless without you, and see you soon in another world,

your's sincerely Quirinus Kuhlmann

[Tellos Athenaios]

A good read as ever. Looking forward to your next AAR.

[CaesarAugustus]

How sad. It's finally over.:shame: I hope you are planning on doing more AARs, QK.

[Ower]

A dam, I am going to miss this, great AAR - one of the best.
Thank zou for all that beatiful reading, and good luck in any future project you may make (hopfuly). :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

[Warmaster Horus]

Pity it's finished. Superb AAR. Magnificent. A work of art.
Enjoy 0.81.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you all for your positive reaction. It's the thing, that makes one go on with the storytelling. Though it's kind of sad, that this story now has come to an end, I feel great relief too, because finally I brought it to an end. The idea of following every faction in the game seemed suitable in the beginning, but as the Koinon grew and I got deeper into roleplaying the characters and manufacturing the screenshots, the updates started to take more and more time. On this last one I worked constantly from tuesday to sunday. If I would go on, the updates would come out very seldom, because I simply can't affort that much time.
But nevertheless I licked blood according to this unusulal and completly new form of literature and so I will start something else for shure, but it will be something with a more straight storyline. Maybe not as straight as the wonderful one of Count Arrach, which I'm currently reading with lots of pleasure, but a straight one without turning off the fow and without changing the narrative perspective for about 15 times per update. (And, by the way, with better screenshot from the start)
So, now I'm going to fool arount with the different factions of 0.81 for a while. A happy easter to you all.

[Ludens]

~:thumb:

[pockettank]

great aar im sad it has to end but i just downloaded EB and gotta say its awsome i was gonna play as KH but after reading this i went with epirus cuz it just didnt feel right after this and also when u showed the enemys of the KH u should have added Thruxra just since hes so infamous with Baktria but again this aar gets :2thumbsup:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Ludens: Thank you!
pockettank: Yes, you're right, Thruxra should have been added, athough he kind of survived as the Elephant-ghoust haunting the Bactrians in the wastelands....
I wish you lots of fun with EB and good luck with your Epirotean Campaign. Maybe in early game you'll met the grandfather and great-grantfather of Haimon Lacedaimonios. Then be careful, because these are really hardboiled guys....

[The Errant]

It's over. :sweatdrop: Dammit. Enjoy 0.81. and Good Luck with your next AAR. This one was epic. :2thumbsup:

[vonsch]

Truly a fun (and fine) AAR. :thumbsup:

I came to it fairly late (since I'm only a couple of weeks into EB), but it does stand out as exemplar of what an AAR can be.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

:rtwyes:
Yes, very good as always, Quirinus. Although I quite didn't understand the concept of Borvonism so far... or was it just about having the largest mustache?

You could make a Saba AAR, that would be nice.:yes:

[Wolfman]

I can't look at another faction in EB without laughing exspecially the Saka, Getai, and the Romani. If there was a hall of fame for AAR's i'd put you in it. I,ll miss this AAR lets hope you start a new one soon. This ending is Bitter sweet.

[alatar]

Brilliant AAR, now do another one:beam:

I think the KH or the mac's or eperious are good aar choices as there in the middle of things.

[Bonny]

finnaly/sadly the second AAR which i have read comes to an end. I really liked your way of storytelling, showing the progress of all factions and writing an own story for each one. Thank you very much for such a great and funny piece of computer game animated literatur :bow:

einfach nur ganz großes Tennis :thumbsup:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Thank you all for the friendly reply, wich honours me deeply (really!!)

Centurio Nixalsverdrus: Yes, I think you're right, the concept of Borvoism is indeed mostly about having the biggest moustache. (And about telling Kíng Baeren to pass over his crown (to Borvo) at his 60th birthday)

Wolfman 25: I really thought about making a kind of AAR hall of fame, listing them all with the number of views etc., like they do it in RTR-Forums, maybe with a little text, which explains, what an AAR is. Could be encoraging for more people to write one, which would be very nice. What do you think?

Alatar: My next one will not be about a hellenic faction. While I do not dare to make a Phalavi one because of the Waste Land, it could be about Saka, Sabyn Jau or maybe the Lusitanii. Anyway it will take a little time, because different things have to be written now. But it will come for shure.

Vonsch, Errant and Bonny: Thank you very much!

[alatar]

A Saka one would be very good, so many options, take out the Samaritians? The Parthia? The big blue beast?

[vonsch]

Wolfman 25: I really thought about making a kind of AAR hall of fame, listing them all with the number of views etc., like they do it in RTR-Forums, maybe with a little text, which explains, what an AAR is. Could be encoraging for more people to write one, which would be very nice. What do you think?


I think it would be interesting to have a thread explaining what an AAR is with some links to examples of a variety of types. I know the one I've been dabbling with evolved from a bit disjointed into a more epistolary style with letters among the agent/family members as the main thrust. But it's only now occurring to me just how many different styles there might be. You don't have to cover a whole campaign, for example. Some I've seen or that have occurred to me:

High-level third-person POV full campaign (a huge challenge)
Single battle report in detail
Follow a single agent or family member's career
Follow a single army's career or a single unit's career
Follow the history of a single region that sees a lot of action, perhaps from a POV of a non-combatant
Newspaperish reports of significant events across the known world
Cover a whole campaign, or part compaign, from the POV of many individuals affected (epistolary is good for this, but could do first-person or third-person too)
Follow a single family (based on their family name) through a campaign

One advantage to one of the more limited styles is you have a cleaner start and end without having to document a whole campaign. You can go into a lot of detail without exhausting yourself since the period of time is apt to be much shorter.

Limited intel can be fun too. Do this by using a limited POV for the narrator. He or she can't tell what they don't personally know, which leaves you the ability to create suspense for the readers and throw some surprises their way. Of course, there's the 30-40s serial style where you use chapter headings or captions to do it cliff-hanger style: "Will he capture Capua? Or will the legions of Rome fail and and her Empire be lost to the memories of history?"

Comic-book style works pretty well with lots of screen caps and some text photoshopped into it, as we've seen in many cases.

I'm sure others can suggest more, or refinements of these.

[Wolfman]

I think it's a very good idea and that you should follow thru with it.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Ok, maybe I'll try something like a list, but not before weekend..

[Orb]

Fantastically done, QK.
Great sense of humour. Good narrative. Progressively more sophisticated photoshopping and jokes.
Loved it!

[Chirurgeon]

while I was rummaging around in my closet looking for a different book I stumbled upon this beauty! I have read it again and laughed for the better part of an hour. Enjoy! :book:

[Romano-Dacis]

Quite a good AAR.

Those poor Getai. No matter how many lands they conquered, no matter how many other civilizations they dwarfed by their sheer size and numbers in the end, they would never live down the name of "dwarfmen"

[Gebeleisis]

i donno why we got the nick of "dwarfs" :inquisitive:

[Lysimachos]

i donno why we got the nick of "dwarfs" :inquisitive:

Because the Getai live beyond the seven hills :) You probably need some serious knowledge about the brothers grimm's fairy tales to understand that joke :laugh4:

[Gebeleisis]

uhm..lol?

[Teleklos Archelaou]

It was a hilarious and entertaining AAR - one of the two or three best I've ever seen here. It's called humor. If you guys don't quite get it, you can find plenty of ways Romanians stereotype in a "humorous" way other nationalities and ethnicities here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_humour). Sometimes such humor even makes fun of the people saying it, and is not really directed at the supposed object of the remark, such as this:
https://img389.imageshack.us/img389/1807/d37de9bflg8.gif

[Gebeleisis]

well i didnt say i didnt enjoy it,just that i didnt get why people made getians dwarfs :beam:

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Hello, here a few words in the dwarf case:
It was because of the getan skirmisher and hoplite untits, that looked kind of dwarfish to me. Later the fairy tale "Schneewittchen and the seven dwarfs" fitted in that concept, because also the Getans always came out of those hills where they lived. I did neither have in mind the historical Getans, of whom I don't know much nor the people of todays Romania. This was never meant in a national chauvinistic way like: "Compared to us you are just dwarfes, höhö". It had in general nothing to do with the real world or real history, it was kind of parrallel universe, the world according to the koinon hellenon. And there, (and only there) behind the seven hills, as Lysander stated, live the itchy dwarfes, drinking hallizinogenal beer and planning wicked plans against Thisbios, the Cruel....
Look, I also pictuered the Baktrians as kind of weird nazi nomadism eradicators, which has really nothing to do with reality nor history but with their behaviour in game.
The romans I took as a bunch of arrogant sissys under the rule of on overweightet Cretin, which was kind of an satirical exaggeration of stereotypes concerning the later Romans, who are seen as "decadent" in comparision to the "fresh" and "unspoilt" northern Europeans who overwhelmed them in the end. In no way it meant as an offense against today Italians.

I had no real concept and did not do much things on purpose in this story. I explored the fantastic game, which was quite new to me this time and made a few stories out the things I found.
I'm really glad, that someone (Chirurgeon) grabbed it out of the cellars of yesterday after nearly one year.
Hope, that explanation suits you, Gebelaisis, and thanks for defending me, Lysimachos and Teleklos.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Nice to see you still hang around here. Do you continue in playing EB? You kinda vanished after your glorious AAR.

[Quirinus Kuhlmann]

Nice to see you too, Centurio! I think I had been a little bit burned out after the Koinon AAR. But of course I am still playing EB. Currently I'm on a Pontus Campain on the 1.1., which was really a good choice, not only because of the beautiful galatian units of Ankyria.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I can understand that with the burn-out!