The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR

[Constantius III]

Excellent chapter - great stage-setting! Reminds me of that coordinated Corleone Family offensive at the end of the first Godfather movie. Though it's kinda weird to see a Ptolemaic Meroe full stack up by Bostra...got lost did they?

Hopefully this Phil V will live up to expectations and do a good deal better than the OTL Phil V. He's had a fantastic start in the West after all.

[Reverend Joe]

Phillipos Argeades, eh? A good omen indeed.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Excellent chapter. Baktria, huh?

[Ower]

Great Update MAA. You recolored the region at Olbia I asume. As the city controls a lot of Land and not just the costal strip.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks everybody.

I was hoping to get this up sooner, but I got sidetracked and then had a little writers block on the events of Pyrrhos' death. I'd like to say I'll have the next on up soon, but I'm going to be away for the next week, starting tommorrow.

I had only changed the faction name for "Numidia" and not the rest of the text entries since the edit was made to the files back when I was planning an invasion of Numidia. I had planned to conquer Numidia and make the whole faction "Mauretania", but the civil war messed up my plans.

Philippos V is off to a good start. Even his in-game traits are great.

Baktria?

Yeah, I edited the map. There are actually four edits to that map at the end, though all for roleplaying purposes.

[Gaivs]

Whens this getting made into a movie haha.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Baktria?

Yeah, I edited the map. There are actually four edits to that map at the end, though all for roleplaying purposes.

Baktria made peace with the Seleukids (or was it the Saka?), although "Baktria" is the Demetrids. Did you photoshop that I think?

Good hint Ower, the fact that Olbia controls a really huge, clumsy and ill-shaped piece of steppe is the reason I'd never conquer it.

[General Appo]

Yet another victim of the region limit. Damn CA and their engine limits.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Yet another victim of the region limit. Damn CA and their engine limits.

Sacrifice Gaetulia then.

[Chirurgeon]

Truly amazing. What a great chapter to return to from vacation. How old was Pyrros when he died? Anyway keep up the good work and I look forward to the Syrian Wars!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks.

Even though they are one faction, I'm roleplaying the Demetrids-Baktria as two different factions. When something happens that seems to involve one side more than the other, I roleplay it was that side. So, for that particular event I made it Baktria and editted the picture.

I roleplay my own borders and have recently decided to start altering my minimap pictures to show that. I just ignore many of the odd shaped regions that the region limit has resulted in. Had I started earlier, I would have edited the Danube as my northern border...

Pyrrhos was 66 years old or around there. For 4tpy, that's a pretty good age. I thought about reloading so he wouldn't die, but decided to just go with it and add it to the story.

[Chirurgeon]

I would like to nominate your AAR for the AAR of the month competition over at TWC. I need your blessing first. Here is the link if you want more info :) http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=182706

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I would like to nominate your AAR for the AAR of the month competition over at TWC. I need your blessing first. Here is the link if you want more info :) http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=182706

Sure. That's cool.

[Che Roriniho]

I would like to nominate your AAR for the AAR of the month competition over at TWC. I need your blessing first. Here is the link if you want more info :) http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=182706

AAR of the Year, much?

[Chirurgeon]

Added this AAR into the competition over at TWC. There are some really good ones there. Although I lean towards the EB ones :) Here is the link:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=182706
I am doing this mainly to generate interest in EB. I have taken three of the most popular AARs here and posted them over there. I will try to do this each month. There are too many good AARs on this forum and its time to get the word out!

[PowerWizard]

I'm sorry guys, but you can only nominate AARs that are posted on TWC (due to forum policy).

This is awesome stuff though, and I would like to see it race in the competitions.

So MAA, if you could the repost it on TWC, like hooahguy did here:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=109

I'm sure it would finish in the top 3.

PM me if you have any questions.

(If you don't have an existing TWC account, registration takes about 2 minutes.)

[Lysimachos]

This AAR is already over there, in fact: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=162579
Adding a link to the twc-thread in the nomination would be a good idea, though.

[PowerWizard]

Thanks, I've corrected the link in the nomination thread! Good luck!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Bumping this to just say that I'm going to try and start working on this again. It's been a busy summer and I haven't been around the forums or able to play the game.

I played this campaign again yesterday, for the first time in months, and I got to a turning point. Its gotten a bit interesting again so I have more drive to write up what I did to get there. Hopefully I'll have the time...

[Chaotix]

w00t! That's awesome! This AAR is never going to end. (good thing)

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 69 : The Syrian War (Part I):
The Fringes

Africa

While Philippos leads a huge invasion force of Makedones and allies in an invasion of Syria, a much smaller invasion into his own territory takes place in Africa. Numidian and Mauretanian forces once again attack the city of Ippone, but this time they are lead by an exiled noble from the conquered city of Kart-Hadast:


Dispite their skilled leader, they met the same fate as every other invasion attempt of the city:


In the city of Kart-Hadast, things are much different than what the exiles chose to believe. After the initial slaughter by Neokles, Pyrrhos had managed to achieve order in the city and managed a friendly peace with its Phoenician inhabitants as well as the Lybian and Numidian locals of the region. Though the region had been conquered, with many enslaved, there is almost no current discontentment from within the Makedonike controled territories. Many were even glad that the city had been conquered. The people of Kart-Hadast had always been traders and the inclusion into the Arche Makedonia had opened new trade routes to the eastern parts of the Arche that had been previously unavailable due to the war between Kart-Hadast and the Arche Makedonia.

The exiled nobles did not care what it was like back in their city, though. They only wanted their senate reinstated and the Makedones out of Africa. Although the war with Numidia and Mauretania had been a small issue for the Arche Makedonia, it was ever the small itch needing scratching.

Assyria

As part of the invasion of the Demetrid controlled east, the descendants of the Thraikioi who had settled in Armenia had taken up arms and marched south into eastern Assyria. While besieging the Demetrid garrison at Arbela, an army of reinforcements from Babylonia attacks these Thraikioi, marking the first battle in this new Syrian War:


The Thraikioi line up to face the reinforcement army attacking from the north, but are surprised when the Demetrid men simply stall for time. The Thraikioi are surprised again when it is actually the small number of phalangitai and kataphraktoi from the city that strike first:


While the bulk of the Thraikioi force hold the line, the cavalry and elite forces move to face the enemy forces approaching from the city of Arbela:


While the cavalry tie down the kataphraktoi, the elite Thraikioi attack the phalangitai. While the bulk of the elite force charging directly at the short enemy line, a small group sneaks around the rear and charge in at them out of a grove of trees:


Meanwhile, the reinforcements from Babylonia advance and face the Thraikioi main battle line:


Soon the Demetrid general, Atrosokes Dionysopolites, falls dead and the forces from the city break and flee. Free from their battle with the enemy phalangitai, the elite Thraikioi join their brothers in battle with the larger army. Now overwhelmed, the large enemy army start to flee from the battle:


The Thraikioi cavalry chase down all those who try to escape and kill and capture nearly all of them:


Without any defenders, the city of Arbela surrenders and the Thraikioi gain a stronghold in eastern Assyria where they wait for the remaining invading forces to do their jobs as well.

Phoenicia

With a hand full of his father's klerouchoi at the core of a mercenary army, Chyrsoloras Delphikos had marched north from Ioudaia and into Phoenicia. Having secured Tyre without a fight, the army marched north to Sidon, where the regional garrison is stationed. After only a few short months, Chrysoloras Delphikos and his army is attacked by an army of the Demetrids:


The Demetrid army oddly charges forward...


...then suddenly stops a short way outside of skirmishing range:


While the bulk of the enemy force watches from their possitions, the enemy cavalry make several suicidal charges directly at the pike line, testing the will of the mercenaries:


After waiting quite some time, Chyrsoloras finally makes his move and orders his entire cavalry force to the right flank. The enemy forces counter this by making a move against the now undefended left flank. Chyrsoloras' brother-in-law leads his cavalry in a charge in front of the battle line back to reinforce the left flank, but then halts. Noticing enemey kataphraktoi from the city, Chrysoloras' brother-in-law leaves the infantry on the left flank to fend for themselves and charge at the enemy cavalry instead:


The cavalry get into a scrape and begin hacking at eachother with their swords, both sides too afraid of a charge to let the other side disengage. Soon the fight is joined by Andragoras Dikaios, from Sidon, and his heavy kataphraktoi. Seeing his cavalry falter, Chrysoloras soon joins the battle as well, charging in at an exposed enemy flank of the elite kataphraktoi:


The fight lasts some time, with the enemy infantry all breaking and fleeing in the mean time, but eventually only Andragoras Dikaios and a small force remain. They try to flee back to the city but are too weighted down from their heavy armor and are easily caught and killed:


Late to the battle and unaware of their general's death are the phalangitai from the city of Sidon. Now fully refreshed, the mercenaries of Chrysoloras line up to face the new enemy:


A short battle in the Makedonian style takes place, but after a short time the Demetrid forces are become aware that their general is dead and the cause is lost:


After a very long day, Chrysoloras Delphikos manages to hold the field:


Fully aware of the ultimate fate of the war, the garrison of Sidon disbands. Before Chrysoloras can take the city, however, another army from the north attacks:


Once again, on the plains of Phoenicia, two armies of Makedones face eachother and duel with [fields] of pikes:


Both sides deploy peltastai on the flanks who also face eachother in an attempt to outflank eachother:


Taking a long route through the woods, the full cavalry force of Chrysoloras' army manages to win the game of outflanking and charges at the rear of enemy phalangitai:


In the style of Alexandros, Chrysoloras takes the field and moves to the city of Sidon:


Syria

In the city of Demetreia, Antigone, the royal court, and the young Basileus Euktimenos Idomeneus are well aware of Philippos and the invasion. Although they order their generals to fight with everything they have, they are well aware of the fact that it is only a matter of time before Syria is lost. The effort to hold Phoenicia had been an attempt to prevent themselves from being cut off from Aigyptos. If they can flee Demetreia and get to Aigyptos, there is still a chance that they can continue their fight. The loss of Tyre and Sidon have now cut them off from the coastal route. If Demetreia is threatened, the only choice now is to take the inland route and risk going near the they city of Heirosolyma or eastward and through the desert.

In the east, the remnants of the Illyrian army move to control the borders between Assyria and Syria, but soon face a huge army from Demetreia:


Unable to offer much resistance, the Illyrians are easily defeated and retreat back into Kappadokia:


With the southeast secure, the royal family and royal court in Demetreia prepare for a trip to Damaskos and ultimately to Aigyptos. Philippos once again surprises the Demtrids, though. Risking the winter seas, the Romaioi cross from Kypros and land in southern Syria. Meanwhile the Galatians force march through the cold and approach the city from the north:


Even in the dead of winter, the Galatians are ready for combat. Cornering an army of the Demetrids to the north of Demetreia, they move in to wipe them out before they can join with the garrison inside the city:


Oddly, it is the Demetids who go on the offensive and march uphill toward the Galatians. Perhaps they truely believe in their yound Basileus or perhaps they know they are going to die and simply wish to die with glory. Either way, the light force stands no chance against the Galatian warriors:


The light Galatian infantry hold down the enemy combat line while the elites circle around the rear and crush them from behind while the cavalry wipes out the few reserves:


Without much effort, though some casualties due to carelessness, the Galatians crush their enemy and take control of the valley just north of Demetreia:


The Arche Makedonia

In Makedonia, an odd event takes place. A grandson of Neokles joins the ranks of generals in Philippos' armies. Although his father had joined Bykoli and Pefkolaos and died early in the war, young Abantes Skionaios ended up living in territories controlled by Pyrrhos and Philippos. After his education he had joined the military, where he was made a general due to his noble blood. As the descendant of Antigonos Gonatas to join side of Pyrrhos, he is welcomed but watched closely.

In Anatolia, vast numbers of kleroi are completed in order to make farming the the region much more efficient. The project to build the kleroi had been begun by Neokles in his reforms, but had stalled during the civil war. Restarted under Pyrrhos, the system of huge agricutural estates spread all across Anatolia are now complete:


As spring returns to Syria, Philippos once again begins his advance. Sotades besieges Tarsos, Herodes besieges Edessa, the Galatians move to block the borders between Syria and Assyria, the Romaioi cut of of way out of Demetreia to the southeast, and the fleet blockades the ports. With all the escapes from Demetreia removed, Antigone and Euktimenos have no choice but to remain behind the walls of the city. And soon those city walls are besieged by Basileus Philippos V of Makedonia, himself:


Around the same time, though late, Isidoros Oresteus, the self proclaimed king of Babylon, fulfills his promise to Philippos and joins in on the invasion. King Isidoros moves to besiege the city of Seleukeia, which is now deprived of most of its forces after the battle with the Thraikioi:

The known world in162BC:

Next: Chapter 70 : The Syrian War (Part II): The Allies

[Chirurgeon]

Glad to have you back. The forums have been rather slow as of late. Excellent update. I like how you beat your enemies into submission but don't completely wipe them out. I have been doing that in my AAR and it makes for some interesting storytelling and scenarios. It seems more realistic too. Keep up the good work!

[Gaivs]

Awesome! Great to see this return.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I really missed your AAR lately. Great! I finally followed your footsteps partially and also modded Thorakitiai into my Makedonian game. It worked perfectly and I think it won't be the last modification. Thanks for all those inspirations.

[hrrypttrbst]

Fantastic that it's back, I can't wait to see the other part of the Syrian war.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for folllowing and thanks for commenting.

I like to keep factions alive so that I can use them again some day, or just to fill out what would be an empty region. In the next chapter I get the Ptolemaioi in Nubia to go to war with the Demetrids and they start to retake Aigyptos.

I'm constantly making changes to my game. I tried to do some skinning work, but I can only view and not alter to file format of the skins on my computer and was too lazy to look for a free program that could. I'm thinking of redoing my recruitment system again too, changing it so that non-Hellens can join the ranks of the Thorakitai, Romaioi style.

Hopefully, there won't be another large gap before I post the next chapter...

[NickTheGreek]

Wow excellent update Marcus

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 70 : The Syrian War (Part II):
The Allies

In the time of Antigonos, the population of Makedonia had been depleted by the oppertunity of foreign settlement and what seemed like almost constant invasions and wars. Since the beginning of the Antigonid line and the reforming of the Arche Makedonia, foreign soldiers had been a neccessity in a Makedonike army. Over the years many foreign troops had done great things for Makedonia, such as Neikolaos' Keltoi or Pyrrhos' Illyrioi. Allied armies under the command of foreign commanders had also been a great help to the Arche Makedonia. In the Makedonike civil war, however, they have reached a greater amount of service but with a greater cost. Foreign forces such as those of the Galatioi, Ioudaioi, Romaioi, and Babylonians had served Pyrrhos and Philippos greatly in the war. However, each of those groups had gained greater autonomy and leverage against Makedonia. They now pose a greater risk to the stability of the Arche Makedonia in the post-war years to come.

Lesser known allied forces, such as the steppe cavalary, originally loyal to Lysippos, had also done great deeds for the Pyrrhids. Over the years of the civil war, the steppe forces in Armenia had almost single handedly harrassed the Demetrid forces in the region and prevented any meaningful profit return from Armenia. Now, with an Sophene Armenian general and his army besieging the city of Armavir, the steppe forces take once more to wiping out small isolated Demetrid forces before they can group together and provide a challenge:


Under the rain of arrows released from the swift horsemen...


...only death remains:


The steppe horsemen strike again, quickly:


This time their enemy brings better armor...


...but it is only a matter of time before an arrow falls at a weak point:


In Syria, the Demetrids are desperate to save their Basileus and relieve their capital. Gathering their forces, the Demetrids send a great army through eastern Syria but are halted by the Galatians:


With the Euphrates river to their left, the Galatians line up to block the avance of the Demetrid army on Demetreia:


Just like in past engagements with the Galatians, the Demetrids rush forward to meet them, judging the Galatians upon their numbers alone:


As they approach, the Galatians throw their spears...


...then charge in before the enemy can form a phalanx:


Unable to form a cohesive line, the Demetrid army breaks into several groups and begins to fight the Galatians. Using their superior numbers to their advantage, each group of Demetrid soldiers attempt to encircle each individual Galatian group, but they still underestimate their enemy:


The Demetrids ignore the Galatian archers as they move around their left flanks and concentrate on encircling the infantry, but then the archers lower their spears and prove the the Demetrids that you should not turn your back on any Galatian, no matter his perceived battlefield role:


Meanwhile, the cavalry succeeds at their own flanking along the river to the right flank of the Demetrids and crush the few men holding down the elites:


Free from battle on both sides, both flanks charge toward the center and encircle those Demetrids who were attempting to encircle the Galatian center:


The center of the Galatian line, previously threatened by encirclement, falls back and allows for the flanks to completely encirlce the remaining enemy. While the encircled Demetrids are slaughtered, the cavalry chases down those who escaped and are trying to flee:


The Galatians move to protect the Euphrates crossing, but their battlefield is remembered as the sites of one of the greatest battles ever fought, both because of the odds and because of the tactics used:


Their good new is soon dwarved by bad news from their home, however. Their king, the king of Galatia, is dead:


This event posses a difficult situation to Philippos, who also gets a similar message just outside of Demetreia. Though the Galatians are allies and a client kingdom, they have used the war as an excuse to expand their power and territories, claiming part of the Pontos satrapy for themselves. It had been planned to disband their military after the war, then slowly reduce their powers until the point when Galatia could be formally added to the Arche Makedonia, removing their autonomy and the problem. However, now that the king is dead there is an oppertunity to take control of the region of Galatia. If Philippos does not seize this oppertunity and a new king is chosen it will be another generation before this chance comes again. After great thought, Philippos allows the Galatians to choose a new king. Philippos realizes there is far too much risk, with a large standing army, loyal to Galatia and not Makedonia. The first step must be to disband that army and reclaim Pontos.

One ally who had long since proven themselves loyal to the Pyrrhids are the Romaioi. Because of their fair treatment when conquered and their permitted internal autonomy, the people of Roma were friends to Pyrrhos and had proven a valuable ally. Not long after the Galatians repel one army of the Demetrids, a second attempts to break through to Demetreia. This time it is blocked by the Romaioi, under (indefinately extended) Consul Tiberius Aurelius Cotta:


Rather than face the enemy in the open field, the Romaioi take up the defensive possition at a river ford. The Romaioi assume the enemy will simply wait on the other side or try to find another way around, but he fanatical men, seeking to save their Basileus, decide to simply charge across the waters and into the waiting spears of the Romaioi Triarii:


While the Triarii take up the front line, the other ranks and Romaioi skirmishers let loose thousands of spears from behind:


With the Demetrids unable to form up their lines in the river, the advantage goes to the Romaioi who hold the line at the river bank against everything that comes across:


With fanatical drive, every last Demetrid soldier throws himself against the Romaioi line. By the end of the day, on the river banks, at the bottom of the river, and floating down it toward Demetreia are thousands of corpses intermixed with the moans of dying men:


Tiberius Aurelius Cotta looses very few men and holds his defensive possition, easily winning the battle. When word reaches Philippos of the battle, he sends his personal congratulations:


With the armies of Syria and Assyria wiped out and an army of Ioudaioi between him and Aigyptos, Chrysoloras Delphikos takes the remnants of his father's army and his own mercenaries and marches out of Phoenicia and eastward to the city of Damaskos:


Meanwhile in Makedonia, Euphratos, younger brother of Sotades and Basileus Philippos, manages to acquire a sizable wealth for himself managing the money of the Arche Makedonia:


Over the years, the finances of Makedonia had greatly improved. Once Anatolia, Pontos, and Kappadokia were conquered, the fear of debt was gone. Now, with the invasion of Syria in sight, the days of a surplus in the royal treasury are within sight once more. Governors and Generals all across the Arche Makedonia prepare for the future and plan military build-ups and building projects.

To the far west, Zaikedenthes Echinaieus once again is forced to defend the city of Ippone from agression from the Numidians and exiled nobles of Kart-Hadast:


The city is defended once again, but it is only a matter of time before the garrison is weakened and the Numidians are able to throw a large enoug force at the city to break it:

[In case you hadn't guessed, I got tired of fighting this battles and just started to use "auto_win" on them.]

As the winter months set in, the generals of the Arche Makedonia in Syria and their armies settle into their camps and wait out the sieges of the few remaining Demetrid cities and their garrisons. In southern Syria, however, Chrysoloras Delphikos is surprised when a small army attacks from the south. It would seem that the small force had managed to pass through Ioudaia undetected, but it is little concern for Chyrsoloras and his large amry of klerouchoi and mercenaries:


On the hills outside of Damaskos, the two armies of phalangitai meet and begin their sarrisa duel:


As the phalangitai fight the army, from the south, coming from the city, the enemy general and his kataphraktoi cavalry charge in at the flank:


A group a phalangitai manage to move in and attack the enemy kataphraktoi, but in order to hold them down, Chrysoloras is forced to send in the Kretan archers, who are well capible of performing the task:


The first army breaks soon after and Chrysoloras Delphikos takes the cavalry to chase it down. The army from the city rushes in to save their general, but neither the general nor any of his men manage to flee the battlefield:


The next day, Chrysoloras Delphikos and his army takes the city of Damaskos. Those in the city are neither angry nor overjoyed. For most inhabitants, nothing changes with this change of power. Though for Chrysoloras and his men it is a plus. They are now able to weather out the rest of winter in the warmth of the city barracks.

Before the winter draws to a close, once again the Galatians are attacked as well. Rather than rescue Assyria from the army of Herodes, the forces in the east all attempt to move westward to their Basileus and to their capital:


At first the two armies face off against eachother across the river, taunting eachother. It is only a matter of time before the Demetrids can take no more and make their move across the Euphrates and into Syria:


The Galatians form an arc around the landing of the bridge and wait:


Once a sizable Demetrid force is across the bridge, they charge in from all sides:


The emeny is quickly slaughtered and the Galatians reform their line. Seeing the failure of the larger force, the smaller Demetrid force falls back and leaves the field of battle:


All across Syria, Assyria, Babylonia, and Armenia the garrisons and cities of the Demetrids are running out of supplies and nearing the point of forced surrender. Demetrid envoys from Syria who manage to get passed the armies of the Pyrrhids move to Aigyptos. From Aigyptos a few armies had moved north to assist Syria, but far more of the forces of Aigyptos had remained idle. With Syria doomed to fall and the Demetrid line end, the generals and nobles of Aigyptos turn their back on Demetreia and prepare to take power for themselves, rather than fight and fall with Syria. The Demetrid envoys are forced to return to their Basileus with new of no reinforcements.

The known world in161BC:

Next: Chapter 71 : The Syrian War (Part III): Reconquista

[Chirurgeon]

nice update MAA. Man you use alot of screenshots. Must take you a while to crop and organize that. My hat goes off to you on that one :)

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Great update MAA! But don't you want to claim that tiny strip of Maeotis for yourself, as you already roleplayed your Skythian borders as well?