The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR [Archive] - Page 3

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

12-20-2008, 22:19

The Neo-Persian Empire

Since the fall of the Persian Empire, the story in the east is that of client-states replacing their protector. Rule by Makedones becomes the way of life, but small isolated groups of nobles dream of the days when Persia ruled the world. Myths and exagerations replace facts from the era of the Achaemenid Empire and people of all classes look back on the glory of the past as though it was paradise. From within and from without of the Arche Seleukeia, those who dream of what once was plot the downfall of the Seleukid dynasty.

The Hayasdan Era

When the man named Alexandros destroyed the glory of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, the lands of Armenia remained relatively unconquered. Here, the ally of Persia continued to exist, independant of the kingdoms created by Alexandros. When the newly created Makedonian kingdoms took to fighting amoungst themselves, the kings of Hayasdan in Armenia began a campaign of conquest, with the dream of creating an empire like that of Kurus (Cyrus) the Great.

Around 250BC, Hayasdan negotiated and alliance with the Ptolemaic dynasty of Aigyptos, who had been winning a war against the Seleukid dynasty, which they called the Syrian Wars. The Seleukids were begin defeated and pushed back into Media and Persia and there was no longer any need to fear them. The kings of the Hai took this time to go about conquering all of Armenia, Iberia, Albania, and Astrophene. After decades of warfare, the entire region was unified under the Haikakan King and the dream of recreating the glory of Persian Empire was directly ahead of them.

The Kingdom of Hayasdan at its greatest extent in 227BC:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1980/hayasdanatgreatestextenfc2.png

Just as the success of the Ptolemaioi had allowed for the creation of this Armenian Kingdom, the failures of the Ptolemaioi would be its undoing. By 230BC, the Antigonid dynasty had pushed the Ptolemaioi out of Anatolia and the Seleukids had pushed them out of Babylonia. Things only got worse for the Armenians when another ally, the Kingdom of Pontos, decided to invade territory belonging to the Antigonids. The Kingdom of Pontos dealt a heavy blow against the Antigonids but in the end was completely conquered.

Soon after the Pontos-Antigonid War, the city of Trapezous rebelled from the Kingdom of Hayasdan and was promptly annexed by the Antigonids. To the Antigonids, this was liberating a Hellenic city. To the Armenians, this was foreign conquest of their territory. When the armies of Hayasdan marched against the city of Trapezous to put down the rebellion, they were countered by the armies of Makedonia. What followed was the First Hai-Antigonid War, in which the kings of Hai lost territory near Kappadokia and all coastal territories on the Pontos Euxinos.

Peace came and went. The Second Hai-Antigonid War was fought when the all but broken Ptolemaioi broke their treaty and declared war on the Antigonids. Hayasdan renewed their old treaty and the two fought against the Antigonid dyansty in Syria and Kappadokia. The Ptolemaioi were quickly conquered in Assyria. For the Hai, the war became a defensive war over Iberia and the Van region. Eventually peace was negotiated with only a slight loss of territory in western Iberia for Hayasdan.

Soon after the Second Hai-Antigonid War the attention of Hayasdan turned eastward. The Antigonids were busy with two large wars on their west and the Arche Seleukeia was being invaded by armies of India. This was the oppertunity that the Armenians had been waiting for to spread into Media and Persia. While the armies of Armenia invaded Hykania, their agents encouraged rebellion and uprisings in Media.

The fatal blow for the Kingdom of Hayasdan came during this war. While the King of Hayasdan and the bulk of the army was away in Hykania and Media, a Seleukid army from Assyria marched around Media and conquered Armavir, capital of the Kingdom of Hayasdan. The later loss of Phraaspa then cut the king off from his homeland. Albania took this oppertunity to rebel and declare independence. The Iberia and the Van regions were invaded by the Antigonids. A year later, Armavir rebelled and expelled the Seleukid garrison, only to be invaded by the Antigonids. The Kingdom of Hayasdan was destroyed.

The Media Era

The Armenians had fallen, but the rebels that they had supported in Media had managed to create a kingdom of their own. With assistance from the exiled Haikakan King and his army, the Medes manage to set up a powerful kingdom within Seleukid lands. Soon after the fall of Armenia, the Antigonids send an offering of peace to the lands of Media. It would soon be seen that the new leader of the Antigonid dynasty was hoping to invade Babylonia and Persia and hoped to make the young Median Kingdom an ally. Peace between the Medes and the Antigonids lasted almost through the Antigonid-Seleukid War that was to follow. But in the end it became clear that the Antigonids sought to annex Media along with Babylonia and Persia and the Median King declared war on the Antigonid dynasty. After the death of the Antigonid ruler, his son went to the task of conquering Media and destroying the young kingdom.

By 177BC, all that was left of the young Median kingdom was a small strip of territory in Hykania:

https://img372.imageshack.us/img372/3001/medianturningpointpt8.png

Once again it was fate that saved the dream of Persia. A power struggle broke out amoungst the Antigonids for royal succession and the old ruler's son and his army left Media, headed west. The Median Empire was born from this act. Not only had all lost territory been regained but the Elymais was added to the lands ruled by the Median king.

Over the next several decades, the Antigonids fought a civil war and the Seleukids regained their lost power by expelling the Indians from Persia. While peace was maintained with the Seleukids, border territories that had belonged to the Antigonids were slowly annexed into the Median Empire. During the Antigonid civil war, the Median Empire had supported the western faction, which enabled them to annex eastern Antigonid territory but the civil war came to an end with the western faction triumphant.

Median attention now shifted eastward once again. The Seleukids had expanded northward into the steppes but had stretched themselves too thin. The Seleukid steppe territories were on the verge of rioting and the Medes made sure to push them over the edge. When the cities of Khiva and Nisa rebelled against the Seleukids, the Medes sent in as much aid and money they could spare. This new power, born from the steppes, made a strong alliance with the Median Empire, and together they went about putting and end to the Seleukid dynasty:

https://img372.imageshack.us/img372/999/persiandawnju4.png

Over the next decade, the Medes and steppe faction---who ended up settling in Parthia---went on a campaign of conquest. By 147BC, the city of Persepolis had fallen and the dream of a new Persian Empire was in sight.

To the east, Baktria had been invaded and conquered by a group know as the Saka Rauka but they too were to fall to the Iranian powers. In 145BC, the Parthians started expanding northward and conquering neighbors other than the Seleukids. A Parthian army lead by an ex-Seleukid general marched against the Saka and conquered the city of Baktra, where he was set up as puppet king:
https://img372.imageshack.us/img372/4599/maa4002xm3.jpg

The Neo-Persian Era

The next drastic change came in 145BC, with the death of the Parthian king. Suddenly there was a real threat that the Parthian Empire would collapse and that the Seleukids may even recover some of their lost power and territory. Many claimed rule of the newly conquered lands and sub-division or civil war drew near. The king of Media found himself in a unique position. The Medes had funded the Parthian expansion and been a loyal ally in the war against the Seleukid kings. Support from the king of Media could ensure the success of a potential king in the north, but this new king would then owe his position to the king of Media.

Moving quickly, before it was too late, King Koyroun of Media put all of his support behind his choice, promising both political and military support. With Median support behind an already strong Parthian prince, the civil war was over before it started.

King Koyroun used the event to gain all he could from it. In a ceremony in the city of Persepolis, the king of Media personally crowned the new king of Parthia. This was more than a symbolic event, though. The two kings announced that there would be a political and economic union between the two peoples and the lands of Media, Elymais, Persia, Iran, and the steppe territories would be unified under one empire. For the peoples of the unified territories, trade and transportation would be free and unimpeeded between all regions, encouraging trade and trade profit. Politically, the Median kings would rule in the west and the south, while the Parthian kings rule in the north and the east. To show their interconnection, the two royal families would intermarry and be unitied in blood and intent. Militarily, each king would command the armies in his given region and all major military matters would be discussed before being acted on by a single king. Each king kept their own sub-capital but Persepolis would be the capital of the unified lands.

Most who knew anything about the new empire knew that the Median king was dominating the new "shared" empire and that perfect unity may be something that last but a short time, but even those who were aware wanted to believe such a unification was possible that they just ignored the warning signs of discontentment.

With a capital in Persis, the new unified empire would be known to others as the Persian Empire reborn. After nearly two hundred years, the peoples of the east were free from foreign rule and once again powerful. The soldiers and common people now had the goal ahead of them of "liberating" the peoples of Armenia and Babylonia from Makedonian rule. While the king of Parthia waged war against the Saka Rauka in Baktria and the Seleukids in Gedrosia, the king of Media renews his war with the Antigonids to his west.

(King of the Seleukids:)
https://img372.imageshack.us/img372/9314/maa4142yd7.png

With new forces and an unprecedented zeal behind them, King Koyroun marched into the lands of Armenia, Assyria, and Babylonia in the year 144BC. After a couple months of besieging the city of Armavir in Armenia, General Aram was ready to take the city by force:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6529/maa4096gt9.png

An archer-heavy garrison deals heavy casualties in the Median approach. The ram is destroyed, but towers reach the walls in the north, and a section of the wall is destroyed to the south. Men from the steppes defend the walls, and the Medes face great opposition:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/530/maa4099mc3.png

The breach in the wall, however, allows General Aram to exploit his heavy cavarly:
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/6144/maa4100si6.png

Within the city, a wall of native spearmen stop the Median cavalry but are pushed back:
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/4791/maa4101tl6.png

After a long fight, the spearmen begin to break and the routing men are cut to pieces. Unsure whether the battle is over or not, the Medes march on the center of the town. Near the city's eastern gate, the garrison axemen from the walls confront the Median cavlary:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1358/maa4103nd1.png

With nowhere to run and surrounded, the remanants of the garrison are killed, but at great cost to the Median cavalry:
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/45/maa4104hw1.png

With the death of the defending general, the garrison surrenders and the city falls to the army of Media. For the Antigonids, it is a close battle, though:
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/6109/maa4106ic2.jpg

To the south, another Median army under the command of another General Aram---though this Aram is son of the king---attacks the lightly defended city of Arbela:
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/9556/maa4107je8.png

Towers reach the walls, rams reach the gates, and walls come falling to the ground:
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/7444/maa4110my6.png

On the walls, Median elites face only poorly equiped levy spearmen:
https://img372.imageshack.us/img372/4459/maa4111au8.png

As the light spearmen try to hold the defenses, the Thraikio-Armenian abandon their place by the gates. As the walls come down and the gate breaks open, the defending commander fears for his position and falls back toward the center of the city:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7861/maa4113we8.png

On the walls, victory is certain for the Medes as every greater numbers climb up onto the city walls:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2630/maa4114dk1.png

When the last defender on the wall surrenders, the Medes once again assume the city is theirs and march on the center. However, knowing they will most likely be executed if they surrender, the Thraikio-Armenians hold their ground in a city street. As the massive Median force fills the streets, the Makedone General and his men fight all that come at them:
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/1086/maa4116ns2.png

The battle lasts longer that any in the Median army would have predicted but is still a short battle. Each Thraikio-Armenian soldier kills dozens of horses, and men fall dead in the city street to their blades. Finally, surrounded and demoralized, the defenders surrender:
https://img372.imageshack.us/img372/4694/maa4117sb0.png

This is a clear defeat for the Antigonids, even though their tiny garrison almost manages to take half the Median army with them:
https://img372.imageshack.us/img372/7631/maa4119vu3.jpg

The fall of the city of Arbela and Armavir moves the borders of the new Persian Empire to the edge of the Tigris and well into Armenia. When news reaches Media of the death of the king of Babylon, King Koyroun of Media prepares another expedition to take Babylonia. The fall of Babylonia and Armenia could mean the breaking of the Antigonid line and a possible push all the way into Syria.

The dream of renewed glory is finally realized, but will it grow or be shattered?

The Persian Empire in 143BC:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6176/neopersianempirefq4.png

julius_caesar_the_first

12-20-2008, 22:53

WOW:shocked2:!!! So THIS is the challenge. Good luck with the war. I get the feeling you're going to need it.

As always great chapter:2thumbsup: and I await the next one eagerly:beam:.

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

12-21-2008, 00:54

This is great! A shift of perspective, I love that. :smiley:

Subotan

12-21-2008, 01:02

Awesome. I'm loving the maps, you should include them more often.

Olaf Blackeyes

12-21-2008, 01:59

FINALLY!!!!!!! A true challenge to the great Arche Makedonia. (Insert Super Evil Laugh Here)
I can only hope that this truley become an EPIC war. After the CivilWar Era ended this began to get stale. Now In the face of adversity be see how well the Arche holds up.:laugh4::laugh4::laugh4::whip:
Lets see how the Basileus deals with these defeats from Spain eh?

General Appo

12-21-2008, 02:51

Fogging brilliant chapter, and fogging brilliant story progression! One of the AAR´s where you don´t feel like you always know what's next.
Euktimenos army could sure come in handy now...

Olaf Blackeyes

12-21-2008, 02:56

Euktimenos is gonna join teh Persians and overthrow Makedonia (MUWWHAA!!!!!)
This will prove to be epic.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

12-21-2008, 21:59

Thanks to everyone who follows and thanks to those who have commented.

I tried to make a greater challenge in the east, but then a couple other problems come and hit me in the next couple years.

Then next chapter is back to Basileus Philippos. Although, I haven't played this campaign in about two or three weeks and am down to only two or so chapters worth of info. Philippos is getting old and has to deal with problems in Makedonia coming up, so between that and other problems that manifest the Median War cannot get the attention it needs.

I have a plan to use some more of those maps in a couple chapters...

SwissBarbar

12-21-2008, 23:21

Maion Maroneios

12-21-2008, 23:33

Just caught up with the recent events MAA, and all I can say is keep it coming:thumbsup: You are a true inspiration for me man:yes:

Maion

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

12-22-2008, 01:41

No, it's you who deserves many thanks. This AAR is far and away the best i've ever read. The time and passion it costs you is unbelievably great. One should make a movie out of this AAR, at least i'd watch it 3 times and buy the DVD :2thumbsup:
Splendid! Once I'm a billionaire, I'll make a 10 parts history movie out of it. There will be no CGI, we will buy a whole Greek province and build up Pella at the imperial stage completely. We will hire 90,000 extras and provide each of them with full chain mail. Each part will last 90 minutes and cost $ 1,000,000 each minute. Or more, money doesn't count.

Subotan

12-22-2008, 16:19

Splendid! Once I'm a billionaire, I'll make a 10 parts history movie out of it. There will be no CGI, we will buy a whole Greek province and build up Pella at the imperial stage completely. We will hire 90,000 extras and provide each of them with full chain mail. Each part will last 90 minutes and cost $ 1,000,000 each minute. Or more, money doesn't count.

And not let Oliver Stone anywhere near it.

Maion Maroneios

12-23-2008, 22:48

And not let Oliver Stone anywhere near it.
:laugh4:

Maion

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

12-24-2008, 22:35

LOL

Thanks for the comments. I have been busy with family and Christmas so I haven't had time to play the campaign, write anything, or even visit these forums much. I'll start working on the next chapter in a couple days, probably.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

12-31-2008, 00:26

I've been busy for the holidays and haven't been playing/writting/posting for this AAR. I'll probably start working on it when classes start again in a week or so.

gamegeek2

01-12-2009, 03:20

yay, its not dead! :smash:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-12-2009, 04:58

I've finally started working on the next chapter but it will be a couple days still...

Next: Chapter 92 : Father and Son

SwissBarbar

01-12-2009, 08:12

juhuuu ^^

General Appo

01-12-2009, 18:13

Yay!

HunGeneral

01-12-2009, 19:41

Good news:2thumbsup::laugh4:

Subotan

01-12-2009, 22:10

I can't wait :2thumbsup:

julius_caesar_the_first

01-12-2009, 22:56

Excellent news:beam::beam::beam::beam::beam:

Olaf Blackeyes

01-12-2009, 22:56

MOAR THREAD!@!!!!!!!!!!1111one

:laugh4::laugh4::laugh4::laugh4:
WOOT!!!!!!

Cbvani

01-13-2009, 04:51

MAA's AAR has become quite the institution, it seems. And it certainly deserves it. What an accomplishment! Well done, even though I've said it before.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-13-2009, 19:49

Thanks.

I might have the next chapter up tonight.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-14-2009, 10:23

Just a short catchup before the next chapter. Philippos V is Basileus of the Arche Makedonia. After a long civil war, Aigyptos was left independant but insisted on war with Philippos. Philippos reconquered Aigyptos then moved west to fight the Numidians. After conquering the coast of Mauretania, Philippos moved into Iberia and conquered Katabria.

Meanwhile, Alypios Antigonos (heir to the throne) remained in Aigyptos to defend the southern border from the Nubians. After crushing three armies of Nubia, Alypios returned north.

In Arabia, a single army defeated Sab'yn garrisons and "liberated" various regions who ally with the Arche Makedonia (client states).

In Babylon exisists a client-state of the Arche Makedonia, who recently lost their king. Many of the Babylonian elites desert. The king's son-in-law assumes power but has very weak authority.

In Persia, two separate Iranian groups rise to power in the Median and steppe invaders to the east. After the death of the steppe king, the Median king elects them a new king under the promise of a stronger alliance/confederacy. This unification increases the power of these two (collectively become a Neo-Persian Empire) and Makedonian-controlled Armenia and Assyria are invaded and conquered.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-14-2009, 10:31

Chapter 92 : Father and Son

In the year 144BC, things were going well for Basileus Philippos V. Aigyptos had been fully restored, his son had crushed Nubian resistance, the Numidia-Mauretanian Alliance had been crippled, and the Iberian Confederation was all but destroyed. Only two problems still remain, one domestic and one military. The war went poorly on the east, but Philippos trusted his brother and son to deal with the problems. To deal with the other problem, Philippos would have to hasten his war in Aquitania and return to Makedonia.

In the deep cold of winter, as snows cover the ground, Philippos orders his armys forward and over the walls of the city of Bourdigala:
https://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6291/maa4121dv3.png

The city is quite large and houses the last Iberian garrison this side of the mountains, but it has poor defensive barriers and small, unreinforced walls. With only a couple rams, those walls and gates come down in many places:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/589/maa4123ib4.png

Only a small Iberian force defends the walls, but when the walls come down, the Iberian army come down in force from the center of the city. Philippos, in turn, ordered his men into the city and takes the battle into the streets of Bourdigala:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/5645/maa4125zr6.png

The bulk of the Iberian army quickly reaches the walls. However, by this time, the Thorakitai army of Philippos have already taken the walls and are within the city. At the base of the city's hill, the two armies confront eachother, two great masses, pushing up against eachother:
https://img378.imageshack.us/img378/3473/maa4127rk3.png

In that battle, the Iberian general falls dead, but his men fight on. As they see it, if this city falls, the Iberian Confederacy is all but destroyed and Iberia conquered.

Philippos orders his men to form a spear line and slowly pushes the enemy army up the hill and into the center of the city:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/2299/maa4130fg3.png

The Iberians take refuge in the buildings and in the city square at the the top of the hill, but the Makedones surround the hill and cut off any escape:
https://img378.imageshack.us/img378/8817/maa4135pw2.png

Surrounded and outnumbered, the Iberians are given the chance to surrender, but they remain defiant until the end. Reluctantly, the order is given to throw in javelin from all sides...
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/2175/maa4137la5.png

...and charge in to wipe out the survivors:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1355/maa4139aj5.png

To the very end, most Iberians choose death over surrender, but the city falls and Philippos wins the day:
https://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8466/maa4140lp1.jpg

With that, the land of the Aquitani fell under the domain of the Arche Makedonia and the Iberian Confederacy all but disbands. The Aquitani were a mixed people and never completely loyal to the Iberian Confederacy, though far from happy to welcome the Makedones:
https://img378.imageshack.us/img378/8135/maa4141vq9.png

Philippos quickly turns control of the city over to a distant cousin from northern Italia and marched his army westward. In Massalia, he is greeted by an army of Thorakitai, raised by his order a couple years earlier. Word soon arrives that the second army of Thorakitai he ordered assembled in Sikilia is also ready. While in Massalia, Philippos retrains his men and prepares to march his own army and the Massalioi army west to meet up with the army from Sikilia and yet a third new army, completed in Illyria.

During his time in Massalia, Philippos receives the news of the Median offensive and the fall of Armenia. For the old Basileus, it is too late to change course and personally intervene in the war with the Median Empire (soon to be the Persian Empire). The war in the east will have to be left to Alypios Antigonos, for if Philippos changes his plans now, there may not be an Arche for Alypios to inherit.

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In northern Iberia and southern Gallia, it is not long before trade ships from the north begin to arrive. Hearing of the great demand in the Arche Makedonia, ships full of tin begin to arrive and sell their goods to the Aquitani and Kantabrian ports:
https://img361.imageshack.us/img361/1377/maa4143sb1.png

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In Syria, Alypios Antigonos had arrived. While campaigning in Nubia, Alypios had taken to using the name Antigonos. The name reminded his men of the old rulers and gave credibility to his one day rise to power (as well as give the dynasty of Pyrrhos II as a whole) as an "Antigonids". As a man, Alypios Antigonos is much like his father, Philippos, and grandfather, Pyrrhos, in attitude, disposition, and appearance, that is save one very visible point. Pyrrhos had been a military man and was often seen as just a fellow soldier to his men. Philippos had trained with the Spartans and spent years in enemy territory fighting in Iberia, thus learning to live a "Spartan" life. Alypios, on the other hand, had been raised in Makedonia and educated in Alexandreia, never far from the comforts that come with nobility. Although far from incapible of military life and not at all soft, there was no guessing from what class Alypios originated. Alypios was pedantic, well dressed, every hair in place, and always decorated his tent elaberately. Dispite all this, he was still a good general and well capible of leading men, he simply lacked the "common man" image that had made his grandfather so beloved.

When he arrived, Alypios Antigonos found Syria in trouble. Sotades had risen an army to defend Syria and ordered men gathered in Anatolia, but very little forces had been put together for a counter-attack into Assyria and absolutely no plan. Alypios' own army (currently retraining in Alexandreia) would soon arrive, but that would only give him two armies, plus the remaining forces in Babylonia and Armenia. Meanwhile, word had arrived about the unification in the east and the rebirth of the Persian Empire. The enemy was now organized and strong.

Alypios immediately assumed command of the military in Syria and beyond. Money, manpower, and resources were abundant, but so were pride and foolishness. Alypios prepared for war. His own army and the army organized by Sotades would move into Assyria and halt Persian expansion. Meanwhile, a Hellenistic army would be assembled in Anatolia and an allied army of Syrians would be assembled to the south. In order to succeed, though, Alypios would need the forces of the Iberians, Thraikio-Armenians, Babylonians, and the army of Euktimenos. Word was sent to Iberia, Armenia and Babylonia for the forces there. There orders were simply to avoid any large battles that cannot be won but at the same time to hold their ground. To confront Euktimenos, Alypios prepared to personally head eastward.

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Euktimenos had moved his army to an easily defendable well / village within sight of the Tigris
river, just to its west, in central Assyria. There, his army had halted for some time. Being able to
easily claim the army is to defend the region from the Medes, this location made sense. Here,
they are far from Sotades in Syria but still close to support from Assyria.

Euktimenos walked the camp, greeting his men as he walked and thinking of what his next move
would be. He had just come from a meeting of his lieutenants and advisors. Koronos, captain of
the Agema, had advised that the army return to Edessa and await orders / punishment from the
Basileus or Syria. Koronos had been ordered to guard Euktimenos and to kill him if he rebelled.
As he thought, Euktimenos knew well that Koronos had been stretching his orders even now and
was probably currently deep in his own thought, considering killing the young Euktimenos. But
Koronos was an old soldier without any sons and had grown attached to Euktimenos, who he was
constantly at the side of, for the last decade.

None of the other advisors openly suggested rebellion, but many saw their chance to break away
from the Pyrrhids and form their own kingdom with Euktimenos as Basileus. Agetos, a rich old
Hellene settler from Edessa who had been a supporter of the Demetrids, was especially ready
from rebellion. As the meeting had come to an end, Agetos caught Euktimenos alone and told
him that this was the time to make his move, trying to spur Euktimenos to some "heroic" action.
Koronos and the Agema would have to be quickly killed and then the whole army would be loyal to
Euktimeons and nothing would stop Euktimenos from ceasing Assyria and maybe rallying the
people of Syria to his call. Agetos is a power-hungry old man who does not understand the ways
of war, but he has the power to sway all other nobles in Assyria. Euktimenos had recieved the
best education available in Demetreia and then under house-arrest in Pella, and he knew that
opposing the Pyrrhids would be suicide, even if it could be streched into another decade long civil
war. Now was the time, though. Euktimenos knew that his actions thus far are more than enough
to be executed and even if he did not rebel he may die anyways.

One trait that had been with Euktimenos his entire life, however, was his indecisiveness. Even
when Basileus with claim to power over the known world, he was not even ruler of his own
life. First his mother, then advisors, then Philippos had always had control over his life. Even
now, it was Agetos that dragged Euktimenos around and truely made most of the decisions. But
the decision to turn on the Pyrrhids would have to be Euktimenos', and Euktimenos is not a man
that is good at making decisions.

Deep in thought and walking through his camp, Euktimenos did not notice when a man ran up to
him, at first. As he got close the Euktimenos, Euktimenos recognized the soldier as on the
leaders of his scouting groups. The soldier had gone to Euktimenos' tent to deliver a report but is
now exhausted from running through the camp to find his general. In a short exchange, the
soldier informs Euktimenos of a group of riders approaching, bearing royal banners.

Expecting only royal envoys from Sotades, Euktimenos slowly makes his way to the camp gates
to meet the riders. When he arrives, he sees three men in armor and a man in robes being
greeted by the guards at the gate (there were also a half dozen servants and a couple more men
in armor guarding the horses just outside of camp). The three men wore bronze cuirasses, which
were extremely ornate. Euktimenos is then surprised to see that a man in the center with an
exquisite helm enters the campt first and leads the way, not the old man in robes, who he thought
to be the envoy. Slowly, this man removes his helm to reveal a man who Euktimenos had not
seen since many years ago in the capital of Pella. Standing before Euktimenos, surrounded by
men loyal to Euktimenos was Alypios Antigonos, son and heir to Philippos, protected by only two
men.

Suddenly, the memory of youth flashed before the eyes of Euktimenos. He saw Philippos enter
the gates of Demetreia with his handful of guards and defiantly walk down the streets to face the
defeated Euktimenos. Once again, the image of Philippos was before him, almost foolishly
confident of his security. Alypios Antigonos was an image of his father in looks and confidence.

Euktimenos moved forward and greeted Alypios Antigonos as any noble would greet a Basileus or
prince. Alypios followed by greeting Euktimenos as a royal would greet a noble or general.
Rather than any awkwardness that Euktimenos expected, Alypios smiled and politely suggested
going into Euktimenos' tent to talk. Right then, Euktimenos could have ordered his men to kill or
restrain the heir of the Arche Makedonia. With one quick order, Euktimenos could gain a
bargaining chip against Philippos. His men stood ready, expecting an order. He did nothing.
Once again, Euktimenos could not make a decision and simply did as he was advised to do by a
"better". Euktimenos leads Alypios to his tent and enters as a condemned man enters an
execution square.

Alypios Antigonos, his aid, and his two guards all enter the tent behind Euktimenos. Behind
Euktimenos is Koronos and another Agema guard, but they themselves are loyal to Philippos. As
Euktimenos sits down, the only thought on his mind is whether the killing blow will come from the
front or from the sword of Koronos behind. Once again time seemed to stand still as old
memories flashed before the eyes of Euktimenos. He knew well that Philippos had made a great
mistake in allowing him to live and somewhere deep down that this was the moment that the
mistake of the father would be rectified by the son.

As he looked forward, Euktimenos sees Alypios Antigonos smile once again and began to talk, "It
is time we take this war to the Medes and push them back across the mountains." Euktimenos is
surprised and says nothing. "I have taken command of the armies of Syria and am planning a
counter attack," Alypios continues. "I need good generals and I hope your victory against those
rebels wasn't just a fluke... We must prepare for war, my old friend." With those words,
Euktimenos seems to jump back to life and joins the conversation.

Over the next several hours, Alypios Antigonos and Euktimenos discuss the plans for the war and
where the army of Euktimenos would fit in. Not once did Alypios make mention of punishment for
Euktimenos or even mention of any transgression against the Basileus. Alypios spoke with
Euktimenos as he would any other general under his command.

As the day came to a close, the two ate an evening meal talked of their time together in Pella.
Though they hadn't been anything like close friends, they had known eachother for quite some
time during their youth. As the sun started to set, Alypios Antigonos prepared to leave so as to
travel during the cool of the dusk.

Just before he leaves, Euktimenos catches glance of Alypios Antigonos speaking with Koronos
near the camp gates. A couple mornings later, Agetos is found dead in his tent. It appears that
he had taken his own life, but Euktimenos knows better. Koronos' loyalty had been tested, an
enemy of Philippos' Arche had been removed, and a silent warning had been sent to Euktimenos,
all in the death of one man.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

By the spring of 143BC, things were not going so well for the Basileus
of the Arche Makedonia, but things had yet to reach their lowest point:
https://img378.imageshack.us/img378/3646/hxmak143editfk8.png

Next: Chapter 93 : Folly

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

5000th Post!

SwissBarbar

01-14-2009, 11:04

Great :2thumbsup: Can't wait to read what happened next time, since the lowest point is not yet reached :dizzy2:

Mediolanicus

01-14-2009, 11:38

The best way to celebrate 5000 posts.

Epic - as always -, MAA! Fantastic.

julius_caesar_the_first

01-14-2009, 12:05

WOW...just simply WOW. I really liked the story of Euktimenos:2thumbsup:.

Excellent job you are doing with this AAR. It's just incredible. I can't wait for the next chapter:beam:.

And congratulations on the 5000th post:smiley:.

Lysimachos

01-14-2009, 13:44

Great comeback! You have us all on the edge of our seats again!

Kuningaz

01-14-2009, 15:18

Excellent chapter as always. And I must say I'm really amazed how many provinces have that 'geographer reports' feature, wouldn't have thought that a region so far away from Greece as Aquitania has one.

gamegeek2

01-14-2009, 17:17

:smash::smash::smash::smash::smash:

HunGeneral

01-14-2009, 17:51

Great update:2thumbsup:

Nice move with that new "united" Persian empire. I wonder what the lowest point will be...:dizzy2:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-14-2009, 22:27

Thanks, everybody.

I tried to add something more to the chapter than just a battle review, but the story ended up longer than I had planned.

The next chapter will cover some of the lesser characters in the Arche.

Subotan

01-14-2009, 23:05

Awesome! A huge post of text that was enthralling, an the tin problem has been solved! Here's to the Arche! ~:cheers:

Charles the hammer

01-15-2009, 04:45

its great to see this still going ive read both of The AARs and its still interesting after all this time i hope it goes to the end (i think thats 14 AD)

strategos roma

01-15-2009, 08:58

This aar is awesome. Keep it up!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-15-2009, 19:55

Thanks for following. :2thumbsup:

Olaf Blackeyes

01-15-2009, 19:57

I kinda feel sorry for the poor Iberians. But let us see how Neo-Persia does eh?

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

01-15-2009, 21:26

Great chapter (as almost always). If I had just one wish, I'd wish more detailed close-up shots of your battles instead of the common overview-shots.

Subotan

01-15-2009, 21:59

The only reason I might be sad when EBII comes out is that this might stop. :(

Dutchhoplite

01-16-2009, 12:17

I love this :)

By the way...Do you modify ai recruitment?? It would be weird to have an "Median" army with pikes and other hellenistic units.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-18-2009, 07:09

Thanks.

Iberia has been relocated to Ireland and have built a decent base of power there. They have two armies staring down three Casse armies at the Ireland-Scotland landbridge but don't fight eachother. Maybe when they are finished off on the continent, they'll do something up there.

I usually take a bunch of picture for my battles but then edit out all but the ones that show the most so as to keep my screenshot count down in each chapter. The next chapter is going to be about just one battle and will probably have a greater range of picture types.

EB v1.0 didn't stop this AAR. EB v1.1 didn't stop this AAR. EB v1.2 didn't stop this AAR. And EBII is a ways off... :clown:

I thought of removing the Pantodapoi Phalangitai from the recruitment of Media and Pahlava, but they haven't been fielding too many of them. I'm pretty happy with their recruitment so far, so I haven't altered it. I may in the future if lack of funds force them to start recruiting crap. Although it is conceivable that some Hellenistic units would be fielded in a post-Alexander Persia.

Lysimachos

01-18-2009, 10:17

Although it is conceivable that some Hellenistic units would be fielded in a post-Alexander Persia.

Yes. They'd certainly be aware of the advantages that the hellenistic type of warfare offers, so it's not too far fetched to assume they'd seek to complement their own forces with the hellenics living in the east.

Reverend Joe

01-19-2009, 22:03

How exactly did you pull off the neo-Persian empire? Did you force an alliance between Pahlava and Media, or give Media to the Pahlava or something else?

And as for the Pantodapoi Phalangitai, you could always raise their hiring/upkeep costs to discourage Persia from recruiting them if they become too numerous later rather than make them entirely unrecruitable.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-20-2009, 06:18

Ever since I brought back the Parthians, I'd been trying to make them and Media fight eachother. But anything short of complex intervention wouldn't break them up as allies. They even do the thing the AI does when they completely trust eachother and leave their shared borders completely undefended. Since I couldn't get them to fight and choose who would dominated Persia, I decided to unify them like they practically were anyways. Basically, all I did was change their colors to be the same and then renamed both "Persian Empire".

Pantodapoi Phalangitai haven't been much of a problem yet, but we'll se what they start recruiting when/if their economy starts collapsing due to my invasion.

Megas Methuselah

01-20-2009, 06:32

I like the clever way you solved the problem with the divided Medians and Parthians. It seems there's a small possibility that the two will one day erupt into an all-out civil war (unless they keep loving each other, of course).

Fantastic job, MAA! :2thumbsup:

:balloon2:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-22-2009, 02:07

I had been hoping to have the next chapter up by now, but it is now impossible. My computer completely died and I don't have access to the campaign, pictures, or what I've written. I'm trying to fix my computer (I think the power supply died), but that will take a week or so. Hopefully, it is nothing serious and I'll be able to recover my AAR (and all the much more important stuff I had on my computer) soon.

Olaf Blackeyes

01-22-2009, 02:18

NOOOO!!!!!!!

(kills self)

We shall fwee...Wodewick

01-22-2009, 02:28

NOOOO!!!!!!!

(kills self)

But now you won't know what happens!

BTW: Shame about the computer MAA, hope you can get that fixed. And as always awaiting the return of the Arche Makedonia!

Olaf Blackeyes

01-22-2009, 02:39

But now you won't know what happens!

LOLOLOLOL:laugh4::laugh4::laugh4::laugh4::laugh4::laugh4:

Ok
(Revives self with the zombie powda)

Aemilius Paulus

01-22-2009, 03:08

Mediolanicus

01-22-2009, 09:58

I hope you were prudent enough to save a copy of your savegame on a flashdrive/disc... Were you? After all, you can never be too paranoid.

I think he'd rather lose the save game than the more important stuff on his PC. It would of course be a shame to see this epic AAR end this way...
I hope everything can be repaired and recovered, MAA. Good luck.

SwissBarbar

01-22-2009, 10:28

OMG the devil himself must have sent the Electronic Daemon of Pain (EDP) to make your computer shut down. :sweatdrop: :sweatdrop: I really hope this great AAR is not lost, and of course the same counts for your even more important stuff. Curse the damn daemon :furious3:

Lysimachos

01-22-2009, 10:33

(and all the much more important stuff I had on my computer)

You mean, there are really things more important? :inquisitive: Weird world! :dizzy2:

Maion Maroneios

01-22-2009, 11:30

You mean, there are really things more important? :inquisitive: Weird world! :dizzy2:
Well, I actually consider my porn collection to be way more important than a stupid EB savegame.

OK guys, just forget what I just typed:beam:

Sad to hear about your computer, MAA, my hopes of everything turning out OK be with you:yes:

Maion

strategos roma

01-22-2009, 11:38

That's so sad. This aar is the best on the forums.:no:

HunGeneral

01-22-2009, 12:43

This doesn't sound good

Good luck MMA to getting the computer back to live. Hope it can be solved.:yes:

I also lost quite many camaigns because of technical problems.:wall:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-22-2009, 19:55

Thanks for the kind words. I'm pretty confident that the majority of the machine still works and the harddrives should be completely undamaged. Since my campaign is not compatible with any officially released version of EB and is also extremely modded, there really wouldn't be a point to keeping a savegame on an alternate location. I would have to save my entire EB folder along with it. Though, even if my computer is dead, I should be able to access the harddrives from another computer... hopefully.

Optimisitcally, this should only delay the next chapter a week or so.

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

01-22-2009, 21:52

Nah, I'm sure Obama can fix it. :2thumbsup: ~:joker:

Kuningaz

01-22-2009, 23:32

Nah, I'm sure Obama can fix it

Believe:laugh4:

Subotan

01-23-2009, 00:16

Nah, I'm sure Obama can fix it. :2thumbsup: ~:joker:

MAA should ask for a bailout.

Ozymandias the Great

01-23-2009, 23:21

Yes we can! Yes we can!

Olaf The Great

01-24-2009, 05:25

Well when Obama fixes your computer.....

I'm thinking giving them the ability to recruit much more badass units through lower MICs(since because of Hais wacky recruitment, they're basically screwed with type 3 govs), and giving both factions the super-cataphracts Pahlava can recruit, and the infantry Armenia can recruit.

You might want to add_unit them armies, since they're probably going to throw tons and tons of Pantadapoi at you.

Chaotix

01-25-2009, 18:28

Wow... such a tragedy, this AAR is so great. My computer died last month, too, and I had to get a new one. If all else fails, MAA, you will probably be able to salvage your hard drive with all the data on it. Then you can connect it to your new computer with a certain cable, and transfer all of the data.

strategos roma

01-26-2009, 06:00

I remember seeing spartans in a demetrid army in the civil war. How did you do it?

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-27-2009, 00:39

So far I've been content with the "Median" recruitment. I have the feeling I won't be after a while, though.

The Spartan Hoplite has its own model, so it is really easy to mod into any faction. You just have to copy the greek_cities line in the descr_model_battle.txt and change the faction name to your own (for both models and sprites). Then add your faction to the recruitment line in the export_descr_units.txt and add recruitment where you want (probably just copy and alter the one entry KH has for them). If you plan to manually do this, you'll probably want to search the forums for a better description. (I actually added them for my faction too, but have never used them. I wasn't sure how the civil war was going to turn out at the time and whether I was going to roleplay the Spartans joining me. Instead Sparta was destroyed and I've decided that nobody will ever field "Spartan Hoplites" again.)

My new powersupply arrived today and my computer is back in working order. I'll probably start work on the AAR again tommorrow.

SwissBarbar

01-27-2009, 00:41

good news :sweatdrop:

Olaf Blackeyes

01-27-2009, 00:55

WOOT!!!:2thumbsup:

julius_caesar_the_first

01-27-2009, 09:45

Excellent news:beam:

HunGeneral

01-27-2009, 10:53

Great news indeed:2thumbsup:~:cheers:

@Olaf: "WOOT!" -what does that mean?:dizzy2:

julius_caesar_the_first

01-27-2009, 16:32

Use this : http://www.urbandictionary.com/ . I'm not too good with abbreviations and the Urban Dictionary has helped me a lot:smiley:.

Olaf Blackeyes

01-27-2009, 16:39

@Olaf: "WOOT!" -what does that mean?:dizzy2:

It means WOOT!!!!!!!
(Or for those of you whom can't speak 1337, awesomness)

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-29-2009, 02:57

Chapter 93 : Folly

The death of King Isidoros Oresteus had hit the Babylonians hard. He may not have been a Babylonian, but he was their king. From his intial position as a minor general of Makedonia, Isidoros Oresteus had made himself the king of an ancient city, rebuilt the city, and governed it until his death. With no sons to take his position after his death, the title of King of Babylon had fallen to the husband of his only daughter. Thus, Keraton Apolloniates had become the new king in Babylonia.

Although he is of the line of Isidoros Oresteus, most Babylonians (and even many Hellenistic settlers) don't feel that Keraton Apolloniates is worthy or capible of being the new king. Under King Isidoros, popular support had been able to resist the Median invasion, but the changes in kings had brough many changes in the minds and feelings of the people. Many in the army of Babylon desert. Hellenes and Makedones call for reunification into the Arche Makedonia. Amoung the locals the opinion is split between supporting King Keraton, choosing their own king, and simply surrendering to the new Persian Empire, who claim to be their brothers.

Seeking to prove himself worthy to his new people and seeking to take the fight to the Persians (a thought that Keraton had suggested earlier but had been turned down by Isidoros), King Keraton assembles his army and crosses the Tigris River. At first there is considerable success and the eastern banks of the river are easily retaken. Encouraged by his initial success and full of foolish pride, King Keraton marches his army northward into eastern Assyria.

Around this time, a messenger arrives from Syria bearing the seal of the Basileus. Orders arrive from the Basileus' heir for all armies and allies to defend their ground and fight conservatively. Even with these new orders in his hands, King Keraton Apolloniates makes the choice to push forward.

Near the occupied city of Arbela, a large organized force confronts King Keraton and his army. Although he is outnumbered, King Keraton does not back down:
https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/1097/maa4157gj0.png

In an area of rolling hills and scattered woods, near the base of the mountains, King Keraton arranges his army. On foot, he forms three lines. In the first row are his elites and lesser spearmen. In the second row are the light eastern infantry. Finally, in the third are his heavy archers. The king takes position behind the lines with the light cavalry on his flanks:
https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2721/maa4158bj9.png

When the Persians take up position in a low lying wooded area and do not move forward, King Keraton gives the order for his army to march down from the hill they are assembled on and to move to confront their foe:
https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/8038/maa4159tt8.png

The Babylonians march forward slowly, until the point where the enemy are just before them. As the enemy psiloi begin to throw their javelin, the Babylonians begin their final charge down the hill:
https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/1051/maa4160kl9.png

The fight is quite short and the entire Persian force are broken and flee into the forest. Babylonians, both elite and levy, give chase:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/189/maa4161le2.png

To the Babylonians, the day looks won and victory is in the minds of all King Keraton's men. However, when the first of the pursuers come over the next hill they view a great Persian force before them, assembling in the next valley:
https://img516.imageshack.us/img516/659/maa4162lq0.png

The Babylonian spearmen try to reform their line, but before they can achieve any order, the Persian army is already upon them. Some of the first men sent in to soften up the Babylonian line are men from Arabia, in service of the Persian Empire. For the Babylonian elites, these men are no challenge at all, but are simply meant to tired the line before the main attack comes:
https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/3650/maa4165iz6.png

The Persians hit the whole length of the line, soon after. Many of those from the first force who had been fleeing now turn and join in the fight once again. Already tired and outnumbered, the Babylonian morale begins to faulter.

On the right edge of the Babylonian line, light Persian spearmen have managed to surround the flank and are pushing in on the elite Babylonians from all sides:
https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/5809/maa4166ya4.png

Earlier, King Keraton had ordered the second and third line to no give chase after the intial battle. As the first line of spearmen had given chase to the Persian army, Keraton and the rear of the army had slowly marched forward to conserve energy. When the second fight began, Keraton had hoped to reinforce his line with his light infantry. It had become too late, though. The Persian cavalry are able to circle around the flanks of the first line and charge in at the second line of light infantry:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/8262/maa4164ns3.png

The Babylonian cavarly, detached from the main force and cut off from their king's commands had been ordered to chase routers and had already moved behind the enemy line. But rather than charge in at the enemy rear and relieve the spearmen in the first line, the cavalry had already begun chasing down routers and looting the dead:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3266/maa4170vu6.png

While looting the dead, a second trap is hatched. While passing a small patch of trees, a group of light spearmen, that had been appearing to flee, suddenly turn and charge the Babylonian cavalry. When a second group hit the cavalry from the rear, there is nowhere left to run and the Babylonian cavalry is cut to pieces:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1903/maa4171bd2.png

King Keraton watches as his men die, but knows the battle had not yet been lost. The Babylonians are outnumbered but all it would take is one correctly timed move and the Persians would break. However, Keraton knew that time had come and gone when Prince Aram, mastermind of the Persian battle strategy, arrives on the field to the west:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/3600/maa4167ar7.png

Prince Aram and his men soon joined the force fighting against the Babylonian spearmen and started to push them back up the hill they had come down:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6835/maa4168xe6.png

King Keraton had stayed near the rear of the battle at first, but had moved up when Prince Aram arrived so as to help inspire his men. Now alone in the rear and out of arrows, the heavy archers decide to save themselves and flee the battlefield:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/801/maa4169np9.png

Behind the Babylonian main line, to the surprise of all, the Persian cavalry had been slaughtered by the light spearmen. These men then move up to the right flank and brake a large group of Persian levies. When a second Persian cavalry charge came on the right flank, the combined force of elite, levy, and light spearmen crushed it handley. King Keraton then orders the light spearmen to the center of the line while he tries to rally his men to keep fighting on the left flank.

Not far from where he is encouraging his men, up a hill, Prince Aram moves forward to watch the battle from high ground. Seeing the enemy prince alone with his kataphraktoi, King Keraton Apolloniates ordered his cavalry up the hill to face the enemy general.

As he draws near Prince Aram, King Keraton ordered the charge. Prince Aram ordered a counter charge, but his cavalry did not move. Instead, an unseen group of psiloi come out from their hiding behind the trees and horses. These psiloi charge through their prince's bodyguard and straight for the charging Makedonian cavalry:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/3280/maa4173jx4.png

The charge of the psiloi cost Keraton his momentum (and the lives of many psiloi). Soon after, Prince Aram and his kataphraktoi charge in. The charge alone kills many of King Keraton's men. Facing heavy kataphraktoi and surrounded by light infantry, King Keraton has nowhere to run when the enemy spear pierces his side:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/4765/maa4175hn1.png

King Keraton Apolloniates dies there on the battlefield, the last king of Babylon:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/8581/maa4176mj4.jpg

At this moment, Prince Aram orders his elites into the fight in order to finish the last of the Babylonian resistance. On the right flank, the Babylonians face elite Persian heavy infantry:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/9503/maa4177qo5.png

On the left flank, phalangitai box in the line while lighter infantry charged in on the flank:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/2851/maa4178vm5.png

Surrounded, outnumbered, and king-less, some Babylonians chose to fight to the death. Most surviving Babylonian soldiers, however, find their way from the fight and turn to flee:
https://img185.imageshack.us/img185/5126/maa4179rn3.png

Seeing himself as the "better man" and seeking to not found the new Persian Empire on blood, Prince Aram allows these men to leave the battlfield. Even in victory, though, the Persians have lost the bulk of their army and all of their cavalry:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/7273/maa4181ys3.jpg

It is in Euktimenos' camp that the first survivors arrive. The heavy archers and many of the elite Babylonian spearmen had managed to get away from the battlefield but had chosen to flee to Assyria rather than Babylonia. Most of the surviving levies of Keraton's army chose to disband, return home, or disappear into the hills.

When news reaches Babylon that their king is dead and their army defeated, rioting brakes out in the streets and buildings burned. Specifically targeted are the Katoikiai and anything that is of a Hellenistic nature. For months, anarchy rules from the throne of Isidoros:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2821/maa4182ix2.jpg

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The loss of the Babylonian army and the termoil in the east completely dwarves events to the north. Passing almost unnoticed, Herokles takes the old Hellenic colony city of Tanais:
https://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9527/maa4189hb4.jpg

As a descendant of Euboulides, Herokles and his brother remain the only direct descendants of Antigonos Gonatas but rule only the regions north of the Pontos Euxinos. To add to this region, not only is Tanais taken but also all of the remaining coastline and the territories along the river far inland. These lightly populated fertile lands hold great potential for grain production to feed the growing Arche:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/1847/maa4190iz7.png

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Several months after the death of King Keraton, a small force directly from Media crosses the Tigris River and attacks the city of Seleukeia. Within the city are many still loyal to the Arche Makedonia or to the idea of raising another king in Babylon, so the city resists:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/5991/maa4208od8.png

With many arrows still available to them, the wall defenders rain down death on their enemy like they had many times before under King Isidoros:
https://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2783/maa4209ev5.png

Dispite their best efforts, the enemy tower reaches the walls of the city and the Persian troops come onto the walls, pushing back the defenders:
https://img222.imageshack.us/img222/6199/maa4210bu1.png

The city defenders fight will all they have but cannot resist the invaders in the end. Killing two-thirds of the enemy army in the process, the city defenders eventually surrender and Persia takes the city:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/949/maa4214mu0.jpg

In an act that is apposed by Prince Aram yet will be remember by all Hellenes for centuries to come, the surviving Persians and their reinforcements sack the city and kill many. After killing the Hellenes and Makedones and enslaving the royalists, the city is placed under Persian control:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/4295/maa4215ze3.jpg

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

News of the fall of Babylonia reaches Basileus Philippos V just as he enters Illyria. After retraining his army, he, his army, and his newly recruited army from Massalia, comprised of Massalioi and Keltoi, move eastward. At the same time, a second new army, comprised of Sikilioi and Italioi, moves up Italia. A third new army, comprised of Epeiroi and Illyrioi, wait in Epeiros for the arrival of the Basileus. The Basileus rushes his plans forward, but little does he know, things will get worse before they get better:
https://img301.imageshack.us/img301/4253/maa4191zf1.png

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Next: Chapter 94 : Rock Bottom

Olaf Blackeyes

01-29-2009, 06:07

WOOT!@!!!!!!!!!! :2thumbsup::2thumbsup::2thumbsup::2thumbsup::2thumbsup::2thumbsup:
AWESOMESS IT LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!
(Does the happy dance before dieing if a heart attack)

Dutchhoplite

01-29-2009, 09:08

*Joins dancing and cheering*

SwissBarbar

01-29-2009, 09:11

Yeah, great :2thumbsup:

Oh, but you forgot the map ;-)

julius_caesar_the_first

01-29-2009, 11:19

WOW!!!!:jawdrop: It can get even worse for the Arche? :jawdrop:

This truly is an EPIC campaign. Incredible job your'e doing MAA:2thumbsup:

PS: I voted your AAR in the Hall of Fame and I'm sure it will win:beam:

Maion Maroneios

01-29-2009, 12:33

Excellent, truly excellent. I'm very happy to see this continuing:thumbsup:

Maion

NickTheGreek

01-29-2009, 17:31

Yay I'm so happy this is continuing :beam:

HunGeneral

01-29-2009, 19:00

YAY. This is great. The Arche lives!!

Lets party :birthday2:~:cheers:

Great update by the way:yes:

Subotan

01-29-2009, 20:32

Awesome! And it's great to see that although your AAR lives, the Arche is having a bumpy ride. Makes a change from the string of glorious victories.

Olaf Blackeyes

01-29-2009, 20:40

Honestly i think this is a good thing. A campaign where u do NOTHING but win gets boring fast. What i would like to see happen is the Arche gets the @#$@$ kicked out of it, is forced to make a peace with the Persians and actually has to rebuild its forces. Then its like an epic world war, between the two powers with hundreds of battles and no one is winning, until someone important dies or something then one side collapses.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-29-2009, 21:00

Thanks for following! :bow: I'll try to keep updating this regularly again... hopefully. The next chapter is going to be a bit short, though I might include some info I was going to not even mention to extend it a bit.

There was no map in the last chapter because I only had one from the previous year and the next year, neither of which fit the situation I ended the chapter in.

The next chapter will show that Persia isn't the Arche's only concern...

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

01-30-2009, 00:29

Cool chapter, MAA. :bow: Was it very hard to lose that battle? :wink:

Kuningaz

01-30-2009, 03:49

my god is this awesome... are you in a pact with the devil or something maa?:inquisitive:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-30-2009, 04:57

Cool chapter, MAA. :bow: Was it very hard to lose that battle? :wink:
Was it obvious? :shame: Just choosing to fight a battle that outnumbered basically lost me the battle. I also purposely played less conservatively then I usually would (ie the chasing to the first routers). I may have been able to win the battle, but I'm not sure I could have won the battle without exploiting AI stupidity though (such as exploiting the fact that the AI tends to never concentrate their power in one place on the field).

my god is this awesome... are you in a pact with the devil or something maa?:inquisitive:
Sell my soul to write a never-ending AAR? :egypt:

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

01-30-2009, 22:46

Not extremely obvious, but somehow logical... I can remember only one time that I lost a battle I thought I'd win, and I think this would be somehow similar with other players...

When you destroy the first enemy troops in a battle where the enemy comes with reinforcements, the following troops are not able to go into a proper formation. I think the AI somehow doesn't notice the absence of the already destroyed troops. It will instead scatter its units around the countryside, each on its own. That's not only tactically stupid, but more importantly quite strenuous if you have to kill one unit after the other. Always wait until the enemy has reached its final formation, use 3 x speed maybe.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

01-31-2009, 01:33

In that particular battle, the second army did attack me, though the third just stood around in weird places (that is why the Median general was just up on a hill 90degrees from the battle, doing nothing).

Kuningaz

02-03-2009, 05:00

Sell my soul to write a never-ending AAR?
What else would be worth it?:egypt:

Ibrahim

02-03-2009, 05:12

I have yet to actually comment in this thread in a serious manner, even though I have repeatedly read this, but I must say: this is a great AAR. Thank goodness that you saved it, MAA.

What else would be worth it?:egypt:

never ending dinohunting trips?

Chirurgeon

02-04-2009, 05:24

I leave for several months and come back and MAA is still cranking out the goodness. Awesome update. Can you post a map of where things are at? You are still fighting a massive civil war if I remember correctly. Nice to see some defeats mixed in with victories. Setbacks are a natural evolution of expansion. Keep it up!

Olaf Blackeyes

02-04-2009, 07:21

The Civil War ended several pages ago Chruriegon sorry to say it.

SwissBarbar

02-04-2009, 10:02

Yes, but you should read it, theres a new threat in the east, which promises amazing struggles. It'll blow your mind :2thumbsup:

Chirurgeon

02-04-2009, 15:55

Im so embarrased...I was gone longer than I thought!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-04-2009, 22:50

When you left Pyrrhos II was fighting the civil war? Pyrrhos died of old age and his second son Philippos became Basileus Philippos V of Makedonia. Soon after becoming Basileus, Philippos launched a massive invasion of Syria and brought down the rival Demetrid dynasty (though the last of the Demetrid line still lives and serves as a general in Philippos' armies). Not all territories were recovered, though. Aigyptos rebelled and many territories in the east were lost to the Median Empire. Philippos spent his reign retaking Aigyptos and Nubia, conquering the Mauretanian coast, and fighting the Iberian Confederation one last time to get access to the British tin trade. Meanwhile, Pahlava was reborn and utterly crushed the Arche Seleukeia, with help from the Median Empire. The two powers have since formed a federated unification in the Neo-Persian Empire and invaded the Arche Makedonia in force, destroying the Babylonian client-kingdom. Alypios Antigonos, only son of Philippos (and only male member of the royal family of his generation), has taken command of the armies of the east in order to hold off Persian invasion while building an army. And, as always, the noble council in Makedonia has been plotting.

There was also a war with Sab'yn, but none of the royal family was involved and no territory offically gained by the Arche Makedonia.

I'll have a map in my next chapter, I just didn't have one that matched up the situation for the last chapter.

Antinous

02-04-2009, 23:07

This is going to be so great!!!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-05-2009, 01:53

Chapter 94 : Rock Bottom

In the winter of the year 143BC, a fleet of ships arrives in the port cities of Kantabria from the Pontos Mesogeios. The fleet, made up of many small and medium sized ships, is commanded by Admiral Menelaos. This fleet would soon embark on an adventure like those of myth and stories of old:
https://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5797/maa4184ho3.png

Trade connections had been established to the islands in the north, but all of the trading was currently being conducted by traders coming down from the islands or local Keltoi going up to the islands and returning. Philippos had ordered Admiral Menelaos to gather a fleet and to sail it north to make the way clear for Hellenic trade fleets as well as assess the possibility of establishing trade colonies in the future.

Admiral Menelaos is no fool, prior to his journey around Iberia, the admiral had visited Karchedon. Thanks to Pyrrhos, the city of Karchedon had been left intact and relatively unharmed by those Makedones who sought retribution. In the great libraries of Karchedon, Admiral Meneloas copied charts and descriptions of the ancient Karchedoi explorers and traders. To most Makedones, these documents had been something sitting on an old shelf and were simply passed over by sailor and scholar alike. Admiral Menelaos knew they would be needed on the journey ahead of them, for he was not just to find the islands but also to chart them and make contact with the inhabitants.

In Kantabria, the admiral refits his ships for the travel. He had learned the hard way that ships designed for the Mesogeios Pontos were not well suited for the "Megas" Pontos. After this journey, Admiral Menelaos also found many men were deserting, not wishing to go through an even longer version of such a trips. So, Admiral Menelaos puts out a call for new soldiers and sailors. Many Hellenes and Makedones of the western Arche, who seek adventure, volunteer for the quest. Local Kantabrians and Keltoi also joined the crews of the ships as sailors, guilds, translators, and navigators. In the coming years, the mismatched men of Admiral Menelaos' fleet would definately have a trip worthy of inclusion in the cronicles of great tales...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Arabia

The winter of 143BC and spring of 142BC brought warfare to the lands of Arabia, once again. After quite some time of reconstruction, the Kingdom of Sab'yn finally manages to rebuild its miliatry forces and launch and counter-attack at the minor kingdoms that years prior had split off from its empire.

The closest, and almost always troubled, land is the Kingdom of Carna. Just outside the lands of the Sab'yn, this city had been the furthest push of Chrysoloras Delphikos and his army of Makedones. Now, the king of the city has to defend his lands from an army of those who were once his overlords with only locally raised troops. After months of siege, the Sab'yn army grew tired of waiting in the desert and attacked the walls of the city:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/903/maa4144cd9.png

The defenders of the city had had practice defending the walls, and they make easy sport out of the large, unarmored army that approached the walls. Some Sab'yn soldiers, especially those with some form of armor, manage to get atop the walls with their ladders and force the defenders to fight to defender their city:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/7761/maa4148sa0.png

Although the Sab'yn soldiers who get atop the walls are better trained and equiped than the defenders, too much of the Sab'yn army had fallen before it even reached the walls and the army of Sab'yn had no chance for success:
https://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8652/maa4151pc5.png

When the last of the Sab'yn army falls dead or flees from the field, the city of Carna knew it is safe once again... for now, that is. A battle had been won against the odds, but news soon comes that that another Sab'yn army is on the way to force the city into surrender:
https://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1051/maa4152hx0.jpg

A few months later, an of the Sab'yn moves east to the Kingdom of Zufar. This lightly populated region of Arabia had been freed from the Kingdom of Sab'yn by the Aigyptoi army but had never been expected to holdout long. To the surprise of all those concerned, the Kingdom of Sab'yn had not sent an army to retake the region once the Aigyptoi moved into Maka, and the Kingdom of Zufar became officially established.

Although they had become independant and established and army, the Kingdom of Zufar has little money, people, or resources. When the Kingdom of Sab'yn finally comes to "put down the rebellion" in sping 142BC, the Kingdom of Zufar is little prepared:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3915/maa4192jl2.png

By the time the enemy army is to the city of Ubar, it is too late to fight a battle in open field. The city's defenders decide to force the Sab'yn troops into street fighting within the small town. Therefore, the army takes up position in the city market:
https://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6836/maa4195ob3.png

The Sab'yn army moves into the city. While a small group moves around the edges of the city, the bulk of the army marches into the streets. The streets quickly narrow and the Sab'yn army finds thems already wedged in before they even face their enemy:
https://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8783/maa4196ho4.png

The king of Carna takes the cavalry and chases off the flanking troops with ease, giving his infantry the morale boost of knowing they will only have to worry about an attack from one side, down a single narrow street.

The spearmen of Carna hold their ground and use the tight space to negate their enemy's numerical superiority:
https://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3759/maa4198uj1.png

The battle lasts for some time. It seems to be a stand off, but the city defenders slowly begin to loose the fight. Being pushed back into the market square, and tiring, the battle begins to look lost. Suddenly, the entire Sab'yn army turns and runs from the city:
https://img168.imageshack.us/img168/381/maa4201zf8.png

At first the men of Carna are confused, but the confusion lasts only a moment. Soon bravado takes over. The spearmen of Carna charge forward and pursue their fleeing enemy. They only travel a single city block before they find themselves facing their enemy once again:
https://img168.imageshack.us/img168/3795/maa4203ec4.png

By mistake or design, the Sab'yn army draws the Carna infantry from the market square and into an open intersection. Now, the Carna defenders are force to fight their enemy on two different sides.

The situation soon becomes worse when the king of Carna calls back a group of spearmen to help fight off the Sab'yn cavalry which had out-fought the Carna cavalry and chased them back into the city around the back:
https://img158.imageshack.us/img158/8671/maa4204na6.png

The Sab'yn cavalry quickly fall dead by the spears, but the army of Carna remains outnumbered. When the enemy general dies, the Sab'yn army breaks once again. This time the king orders his men not to pursue, fearing another false retreat.

Once it becomes clear this isn't a feint, the king orders his cavalry out but keeps his infantry in the city, just to be careful. The disorganized and broken Sab'yn soldiers flee into the desert and disappear:
https://img158.imageshack.us/img158/4024/maa4205ow3.png

Somehow, the tiny army of Zufar repel the large army from Sab'yn, but loose almost a third of their army in the process:
https://img502.imageshack.us/img502/7136/maa4207nd8.jpg

Although victory is achieved by both the Kingdom of Carna and the Kingdom of Zufar, a new wave of request for military aid arrive in Syria. Alypios Antigonos now must add war in Arabia to his great pile of troubles. If aid is not sent, it is possible the Arabian kingdoms will break their treaties with the Arche Makedonia or possibly even rejoin the Kingdom of Sab'yn.

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The Keltoi

Just as in Arabia but on the far side of the Arche, a Makedonian allied buffer state is in risk of falling.

In the wake of the destruction dealt by the Romaioi in Gallia, the Arche Makedonia (through the family of Pyrrhos II) had restored the lands and title of the Arverni kings. Prior to the Romaioi invasion, the Arverni kings had ruled over many different tribes. Since their return to power they had been finding it hard to control many of these foreign tribes, especially those that had been untouched by Romaioi power. For many years, the Arverni and their subserviant allies in Sequallia had been physically devided by the Aedui Confederation. Thus, the Sequallia had been subserviant to the Arverni in name only and ruled themselves. However, the recent renewal of war and the Arverni conquest of Lugonesis had physically reunited the two broken territories. The Arverni kings once again tried to dominated the Sequallia, but the Sequallia kings had grown accustomed to autonomy.

When the Aedui and their confederation once again came to make war with the Arverni, the Arverni found little support from people who were supposed to be within their own kingdom. The tribes of the north had found new leadership in the Sequallia tribe (who had protected and lead these lesser tribes in the times of the Romaioi conquest and during the time isolated from the Arverni). The northern tribes have left the Arverni to face the Aedui alone:
https://img514.imageshack.us/img514/4935/maa4216mo3.png

The Arverni, Aedui, and Sequallia had managed to gain control over all the Keltoi tribes in the west (that did not live within part of the Arche Makedonia), but to the east there was still the Kingdom of Bononia, north of the Istros. Once a great power in the region, the Boii had lost territories to Germanic invaders, the Arche Makedonia, and the Getic Confederation. The Boii are far from destroyed, though. They had resisted invasions from Germania, Lugia, and Getai but still stand strong and are ready to rise again.

Discontentment had been growing for some time in Pannonia over the mismanagement of the aged Makedonian "advisor to the satrapy". Once a great man, this distant relative to Philippos had lost the majority of his mind in his old age. Due to high taxes and cultural differences between the locals and the Hellenistic settlers, it does not take much to push the region over the edge.

In the summer of 142BC, the keltoi of Pannonia lead a revolt against the Makedonian governor and threw out the garrison. The anger of the rebels manifest itself in the destruction of the Katoikai and the murder of Hellenistic settlers:
https://img158.imageshack.us/img158/346/maa4217gd0.png

Once the Makedones are overthrown, however, the Boii make their move and quickly annex the region. The speed and intent of the Boii lead many to believe the whole rebellion had been orchestrated by the Kingdom of Bononia to begin with, but there is little evidence to prove this.

The Arche Makedonia is now faced with war in Arabia, Nubia, Numidia, Babylonia, Armenia, and Iberia as well as rebellion, corruption, and possible large scale betrayal. A few years prior, Basileus Philippos had thought that the Arche had finally been repaired of its troubles caused by the civil war, but now a whole new set of troubles come at him, all at once.

For now, the Basileus must delay his plans once again and face one trouble at a time. Rebellion in Pannonia cannot be tolerated. The greatest mistake of the Pannonioi and Boii is that they had not noticed the Makedonian Basileus and his four armies just across the border of Pannonia, in Illyria. When the scale of the rebellion is revealed, Philippos quickly orders his armies to march north and put it down before it spreads to the Alpine satrapy or threatens Illyria:
https://img158.imageshack.us/img158/6440/maa4218ao7.png

Basileus Philippos V also sees this as a great way to test his new military concepts of the Thorakitai in large scale, and practically within sight of the Noble Council of Pella.

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The known world in 142BC:
https://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4853/hxmak141editaw1.png

Next: Chapter 95 : The Boii

Chirurgeon

02-05-2009, 01:58

Wow this is great. I like the part about Iberia. Those mysterious Islands to the north and their even more mysterious inhabitants will come to light soon. How exciting. I have yet to see a major clash with the Hellenistic world and the Casse. Sounds intriguing.

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

02-05-2009, 02:20

Wow, this is so intriguing! A five-star-chapter in my opinion. :bow:

Antinous

02-05-2009, 02:46

Arche seems similar to the kingdom of Alexandros the great after his death.

Keep crankin out the storys.

SwissBarbar

02-05-2009, 07:47

Very nice chapter :2thumbsup:

julius_caesar_the_first

02-05-2009, 11:08

So the Arche reached rock bottom? Good. Now the only way left to go is up:smiley:.

Keep up the great work MAA:2thumbsup:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-05-2009, 19:53

Thanks. :bow: I plan to write a whole story about the adventures in Britain. It will probably be first person and completely made up.

The next chapter is a different style and is actually just an introduction to the chapter after it. I have already written the next chapter, but feel like rewritting it again because I don't really like its feel. I'll probably post it in less than a week this time, though.

Kuningaz

02-06-2009, 02:49

Really great chapter. Please dont annihilate Vindobona I was born there:embarassed:

machinor

02-06-2009, 13:37

Really great chapter. Please dont annihilate Vindobona I was born there:embarassed:
And I'm living there right now! :sweatdrop:

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

02-06-2009, 22:42

:inquisitive: You have got no plans for Heruskolandam, have you?

Kuningaz

02-06-2009, 23:11

And I'm living there right now!
Well I live in Aquae now (figure out which town that is:smash:) but I'm currently on a students exchange in Mexico all the way across the megas pontos:2thumbsup:

machinor

02-07-2009, 14:47

Well I live in Aquae now (figure out which town that is:smash:) but I'm currently on a students exchange in Mexico all the way across the megas pontos:2thumbsup:
I'm not that geeky to know all of the Roman era names of Europe's cities. :beam: :book:
Aaaah Mexico... always wanted to go there. I hope you enjoy your exchange! :2thumbsup:

ollicompolli

02-08-2009, 13:00

Wow...this is amazing...

gamegeek2

02-09-2009, 03:22

Longest AAR ever. No doubt.

julius_caesar_the_first

02-09-2009, 12:26

I wonder if MAA could get this AAR registered officially as a World Record:beam:.

Olaf Blackeyes

02-09-2009, 15:10

Now tat would be EPIC!!!!
I mean a world record:beam::dizzy2:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-09-2009, 21:59

I haven't even been to any of the places in Total War games, save the Yucatan (M2TW). But don't worry, I haven't any plans to burn down anyone's home town... right now.

"The Antigonids" was introduced on 6 October 2007. I've been writting this AAR for almost a year and half. That seems too long to write an AAR...

I had planned to post the next chapter sooner, but over the weekend I realized that I don't have access to the computer I wrote it on until Tuesday (tommorrow). Though, that's somewhat of a good thing. I had an exam today and midterms tommorrow and the day after, so I should / am concentrating on studying for those. Once again, I've failed to meet my own arbitrary AAR dateline.

Mediolanicus

02-09-2009, 22:02

Chirurgeon

02-09-2009, 23:16

I can't tell you how many deadlines I have missed. Alas the fans are so addicted to these things we keep coming back. In the grand scheme of things it doesnt matter! Take your time on the update and don't sweat it :)

Kuningaz

02-11-2009, 03:07

I'm not that geeky to know all of the Roman era names of Europe's cities.
Hahaha well me neither, but I know my hometown's name (from latin classes^^). Well, it's Baden:beam:

Aaaah Mexico... always wanted to go there. I hope you enjoy your exchange!
You bet your a** I do:laugh4: Just can't play EB properly because the battles won't work on my new lap:no:

Aemilius Paulus

02-11-2009, 04:00

Don't worry about missing your deadline, youe fans can wait (although with impatience, but we understand).

Good luck with those exams and midterms! (what's the difference between those two actually?)
Absolutely right. :yes:

We can all wait, and your RL is much more important than this, as much as most of us would hate to admit it. What you make on the midterms will be pivotal in your life, while this... Well, you know. I have had to largely withdraw from the main forums myself, due to school, restricting my .Org activity to the EB Tavern and User Profile conversations.

BTW, if you do not win the .Org Hall of Fame with your AAR, I am going to mobilize all of the peole on EB Forums on a revolution! Seriously, out of all the people in the entire TW community, I doubt anyone can match what you did. You have the best game to do an AAR on, and your AAR itself is incredibly long and masterfully written. Are you going to Conquer the World? That would be quite interesting, especially as most EB/your AAR fans would not be able to handle the end of this epic story. I hope EB II will not come out until you finish this mother.

P.S. How did AARs come about? Who "invented" them, if such thing is possible?

machinor

02-11-2009, 04:01

Hahaha well me neither, but I know my hometown's name (from latin classes^^). Well, it's Baden:beam:

You bet your a** I do:laugh4: Just can't play EB properly because the battles won't work on my new lap:no:
Aaaaah Baden... famous from the Karlsplatz metro announcer's "...und zur Lokalbahn nach Baden". :beam:
I'm from the Raetia-Noricum-border orginally. Now try to find out, where that is. :laugh4:
We should get back to the topic, though. :shame:

Hopefully, the Arche will be able to aid its client kingdoms in Arabia. Or else some of the minor kings who currently depend on mighty Makedonia might think about splitting from the empire since they don't get any fast help from the basileus. It would seem that the task of managing an empire and distributing one's attention equally does not become easier with increasing size of that empire.
:juggle2:

EDIT:
AARs were simple After Action Reports (as the name suggest), where players would tell about their battles or campaigns. Those simple reports evolved into today's more narrative tales which often are rather inspired by than about the actual campaign. I don't think that there is a distinct inventor or creator of this kind of thing. You may see it as some kind of evolution without a distinct turning point (very much like in history). At least there is no inventor I know of... however, AARs in their current form were already around for some time when I first came into contact with the Total-War-series online comunity, so I might not be the ultimate source.

Kuningaz

02-12-2009, 04:23

Aaaaah Baden... famous from the Karlsplatz metro announcer's "...und zur Lokalbahn nach Baden".
I'm from the Raetia-Noricum-border orginally. Now try to find out, where that is.
Hm, Wikipedia tells me it's got to be in the beautiful Bundesland of Tirol, but of course I got no idea which town:laugh4:
Now that's really enough off topic, sorry:shame:

V.T. Marvin

02-13-2009, 22:29

If I may add a completely personal recollection on the AAR evolution: I was lurking RTW forums since it came out (mostly twcenter - RTR forms then), but for some reason was never much interested in AARs until Arsacese (aka Obelics) started his epic Waste Land. For me it was a revelation and I dare to say a turning point for many.:egypt:

Well that really seems like a prehistory now. Even to the point that his opus magnum survived till today in fragments only due to the tragic loss of twcenter server:wall::wall::wall:

I just hope that MAA has his story backuped safely for the sake of posterity. Alas! People and computers are mortal, but memory of the glorious past shall survive! And this story surely shall too.:2thumbsup::bow::2thumbsup:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-14-2009, 00:24

Well, I'm done with all of my exams. (Now I have to look forward to two papers I have to write in the next couple weeks.)

I had an odd dream last night that I watch the Battle of Thermopolyae, in person, then went home and wrote an AAR about it on my computer. :dizzy2: So I woke up encouraged to work on my AAR. I'm still not happy about the format, so it might take until tommorrow before I post it, though.

Managing a huge empire is difficult, even though I have to roleplay some of that difficutly. I don't ever plan to conquer the whole maps since I'm roleplaying this campaign. I roleplay that the steppes and desert are unconquerable and that the Europeans are un managable (ala Romans in Germany --> Varus). Coastal "barbarian" regions are conquerable, but I don't plan to go into Germany, or even Gaul really. I might even roleplay difficulties in Arabia, Nubia, and Iberia (the game made difficulties for me in Pannonia by itself).

I do have a copy of the complete AAR on my harddrive, but it seems more likely that my computer will die than the fora.

By the way, it seems I won the HOF award. I just want to thank everyone who voted for me (I voted for Chirurgeon).

Chirurgeon

02-14-2009, 03:28

Congrats man! you totally deserve it! Thanks for all your continued support with all the AARs on the forum. This has to be one of the most Active AAR forums around and the community is wonderful

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

02-14-2009, 03:29

You deserve this award, MAA. :yes:

julius_caesar_the_first

02-14-2009, 09:30

Congratulations:applause::applause::applause::applause::2thumbsup::2thumbsup::2thumbsup:

You deserve it:smiley:

HunGeneral

02-14-2009, 15:28

Congratulations MMA.:applause::applause::applause:

You really deserved that Award. Here have a baloon::balloon2:

SwissBarbar

02-14-2009, 16:41

Congratulations! :2thumbsup: You deserve it

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-14-2009, 22:05

Histories of Alkman Thermaios
Book 4 - Section 1

https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8087/maa4186ru2.png

Alkman, servant to Euphrantos and his court. Historian of the life of the man who is son of the
great Pyrrhos ; brother of the great Philippos [V] (who is ruler of all the Hellenes). Euphrantos
representative for his brother in Makedonia and governor of those lands. I, Alkman, bear witness
and record the life of Euphrantos and his family in their rule of Makedonia during this age.

First, I grant my thanks to Zeus for the opportunity to serve the great family of the descendants of
Antigonos [I] in their rule over the lands of this great empire. May Zeus continue to bless their
family and the Arche they have built.

https://img244.imageshack.us/img244/8671/maa4188tu2.png

In my previous writtings I had written of the life and times of Euphrantos and the occurrences
within Pella and greater Makedonia. My books [I]Thraikioi, about the histories of the Thracian
people, Histories of the Kings of Old, concerning the ancient kings of Makedonia, and
Travels, retelling the stories and sights of the east, had gotten me fame and the attension of
Euphrantos, Philippos' representative to Makedonia. Hired to cronicle the lives and events of
those in Pella, my previous three books have been on those topics. In later days, events have
becomes such as to demand a greater reach of writtings.

Philippos, emperor of all Hellenes, had been appointed ruler of the lands of his father Pyrrhos won
in the great civil war of Bykoli. Descendant of both Antigonos [I] and Pyrrhos [I] of Epeiros, the
line of Pyrrhos [II] was strong and chosen by Zeus to rule the lands of the Hellenes. After
defeating the forces of Bykoli and restoring the line of the Antigonids, Philippos [V] conquered the
lands of Aigyptos, Numidia, and Mauretania.

In Kantabria, the emperor had conquered barbarian lands and brought peace to the region. In
Aquitania, he had brought freedom to the subjegated Keltoi and destroyed the Celtiberian fortress
at Bourdigala with genius siege tactics.

Histories of Alkman Thermaios
Book 4 - Section 2

Above all, however, it was the Boii War that tested Philippos. Not since the restoration of the
Antigonid line had the armies of Hellas faced an organized enemy. It came to pass that in the
twenty-third year of Philippos' reign that the lands of Pannonia were encouraged to rebellion by
the Kingdom of Bononia. In these lands, Hellenes were slaughtered by the rebellious spirit and
those who would have been the voice of reason to their rebellious Keltoi brothers were brutally
silenced. In the Keltoi city of Vindobona alone, thousands died by the sword and the Hellenic
garrison driven out. When the region, in the depth of anarchy, was evacuated by the armies of
Hellas, the armies of the Boii moved in to retake a land they had lost more than a hundred years
earlier.

The Kingdom of Bononia, with great plans for their furture, made hopes that the lands of the Keltoi
under Hellenic domination would all rebel and bring down Hellenic power. Reminding many of
what the Spartans had done decades earlier in Lakonike, the rebellion was so bloody that it simply
pushed the would be allies of the Boii to the side of their masters, Makedonia.

With four full strength armies, greater than any single force ever move as one in all history, save
maybe the barbarians of ancient Persis, the emperor personally moved into Pannonia and
besieged the Boii garrison at Vindobona with his royal army while his other forces restored peace
across the region with force.

https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8887/maa4234em2.png

Reports from the veterans of the Illryian army, whom I spoke with the next year, watched on while
preparing to reinforce the royal army, describe the event as a slaughter. The old veterans of the
army of the emperor who had seen battle against all kinds of enemies amaginable, stormed the
walls of the city and killed all who showed themselves in the streets.

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1579/maa4237buc4.png

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1995/maa4238bwa6.png

The emperor, in his wisdom, saw the time as right to put an end to the Boii. The garrisons of
Pannonia returned and quickly put rebel leaders to the sword. The royal army of the emperor was
the first to cross the Istros and secured the other bank. With their crossing secured the three
armies of Philippos moved northward into the forested lands of the barbarians.

The Boii were a warrior people, a people born for combat and a people who died in combat. In
the northern lands there was no shortage of enemies to face in combat. With his royal army still
guarding the river crossings, Philippos faced the forces of the Boii with the three new armies of
Massalia, Sikilia, and Illyria. It was the third army that first encountered the armies of the Boii and
their great general, Diazenos.

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1564/maa4239ft9.png

It must be mentioned that, as far as barbarians are concerned, the soldiers of Bononia were both
strong and brave. They were much a change from the fanatics of Gallia or the untrained rabble in
Iberia. They shared much with the tribes of Galatia or the Kingdom of Tylis and could field true
warriors.

The armies of the Boii and the forces under the emperor met in open field south of the barbarian
city of Eburonum. Emperor Philippos lead the main force from Illyria up the middle of the battle
while the army of Massalia moved up through woods to the west and the army of Sikilia
approached from the east.

https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/5351/maa4240bgi3.png

The heavy hoplitai forces of the armies of the emperor were equiped with Keltic armor and armied
with spear and sword. These men made the up the bulk of the Hellenic force and numbered
25,000. They were backed up by peltastai and hoplitai of regional origin, aproaching 4,000. The
cavalry force numbered 1,800 and was composed mainly of Illyrian Hippeis. Each of the three
armies of the emperor shared similar numbers but with different fighting techniques of the
reserves. [Total Hellenistic forces were most likely somewhere between 80,000 and 100,000.]
The Boii forces numbered 120,000 [most likely exaggerated]. The enemy forces were split into
two distinct types. The heavy Boii forces wore heavy mail and wielded varying weapons, including
large sword and axe. The lighter force moved quickly ahead of the heavier forces and were
armied mostly with spear.

The light Boii forces charged the lines of the emperor and intiated the battle. The heavy Boii
forces approached much slower in a broader line. Once the heavy Boii infantry engaged in battle
they began to enveloped the edges of the Hellenic force. The hoplitai came to the aid at the
flanks and prevented envelopement.

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9518/maa4243bzl1.png

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/2836/maa4242bdb9.png

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1042/maa4247boe3.png

https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/52/maa4250bxw4.png

The second wave of Boii forces moved down from the hills of Eburonum. These forces did not
reach the battle before the Illyrian Hippeis charged in at the rear of the first wave and forced a
hole through their line. Using this hole, the heavy hoplitai moved forward and through the Boii
line.

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/7975/maa4249bvv2.png

The army of Massalia moved out from the forest and against the second Boii wave. The army of
Sikilia arrived late but reinforced the army of Illyria and pushed back the heavy Boii infantry.
Before the battle was even concluded, the cavalry under Captain Herakleon marched north and to
the city of Eburnorum. The city was entered and the populace scattered to the hills. The forces of
the emperor surrounded the last of the Boii elites just north of the city and put them to the sword.

In the following months, the emperor remained in Eburnorum while his armies defeated the
remnants of the armies of the Boii and set fire to their villages and cities. Before the emperor
even left the region, Germanic forces were already moving in to clean up the scraps left behind.

The emperor gathered his armies and the spoils of war and returned back across the Istros,
burning the bridge after his return. A small garrison was left in Eburnorum, but it withdrew into
Pannonia before the year was over.

Histories of Alkman Thermaios
Book 4 - Section 3

The armies of the emperor were remanned by fresh recruits and moved south. The emperor
made his camp in the city of Serdike.

In the courts of Pella, I was witness to the strange behavour of the Noble Council. Many acted as
though a barbarian general had his army just outside the city walls. For some time the nobles
following the Skionaios family had secretly talked of once again using their power to choose a new
emperor and now believed the emperor [Philippos V] had learned of their plot and was now
coming for their heads. As it soon became clear, that the emperor indeed did know.

Pressing Euphrantos to action, the nobles were even able to convince my master to raise the
army of Makedonia to be used against his brother. For too long the nobles of Makedonia had the
power to bring about civil war...

[At this point the text becomes damaged and is impossble to decipher, with exception of a few
passages.]

...against such a force not even the old royal army of the great Demetrios could stand a chance of
success...

...the emperor entered the city...

...separate to the emperor and bearing no official power of their own. The meeting of the nobles
and their decisions they made were not official in any way. Any advice or laws given to the
emperor for approval was only a suggestion and approved by the emperor due to lack of care or
appeasement. Their true power lay in the ability to convince others of their point of view and turn
the nobles against the emperor. While he kept them happy, the emperor ruled. When they were
upset they would sow the seeds of discontentment with no care to the well-being of the empire or
their homeland.

The idea of an emperor giving power to such a group that directly apposed him seemed completely...

[At this point the text is once again damaged and several sections are lost to history.]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The known world at the end of 141BC:
https://img24.imageshack.us/img24/1783/hxmak141beditib9.png

[Just a little side note: I purposely filled this with a bit of propaganda, a one sided point of view, and many inaccuracies (such as inaccurate unit names and descriptions). The next chapter will be in the same format and have an even greater one-sided point of view.]

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

02-14-2009, 22:27

Epic, brilliant, marvellous, ... :bow: :bow: :bow:

One of the best chapters! :2thumbsup:

SwissBarbar

02-14-2009, 22:29

A great idea with those black and white screenshots! Fabulous. Once more a superb chapter! Glad it's continuing.

Olaf Blackeyes

02-15-2009, 02:50

(****s pants)
~:eek::jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop:~:0:fainting::fainting::fainting:
How..... HOW!?!?!?
HOW did you kill that bastard?!?!?!?!
Ive been trying for 3 months to kill him.
(dies of a heart attack)

Antinous

02-15-2009, 06:51

You always have somthing funny to say Olaf. :smile: Oh and if you have a heart attack you won't be able to find out how to kill your worst enemy.

Olaf Blackeyes

02-15-2009, 08:28

Hey i could just devolve into random 1337 2934K but that wuld piss off ppl.

Chirurgeon

02-15-2009, 17:17

Once again you fail to dissapoint. Incredible screenshots to go with the well done text. A nice twist to an Epic work.

Antinous

02-15-2009, 21:18

Hey i could just devolve into random 1337 2934K but that wuld piss off ppl.

So true. :laugh4:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-15-2009, 22:28

Thanks, everyone. :bow:
The next chapter is going to be in the same style and though there will not be a listed title, I title it "Revolution or Reform".

Antinous

02-15-2009, 23:28

Viva Le Revolution!!!!

strategos roma

02-17-2009, 09:53

Great chapter, though I preferred the old format!! When are you going back to the median war?

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-17-2009, 20:35

Alypios Antigonos, heir to the throne, is still assembling armies in Syria. The Persio-Hellenic War will continue/heatup in two or three chapters.

Maion Maroneios

02-20-2009, 12:18

I bow to your superiority yet again, Markos:bow:

Maion

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-20-2009, 23:56

[The lost Sections of 3 and 4 of Book 4 recounts the story of Philip V confronting his brother
outside the city of Pella, the entering of the city of Pella, and his greeting of the people. Other
authors record that Euphrantos greeted his brother and joined with him expecting to use their
combined forces to take the city and remove the nobles. Instead, Philip peacefully enters the city
and adresses the people.]

Histories of Alkman Thermaios
Book 4 - Section 5

The speech of Philip [V] was all that was needed to win over the last of the crowd who had
assembled before him. The nobles of the council had tried to turn the people against their emperor
but the people have always loved a hero. Emperor Philip had proven himself a victorious hero time
and time again. Now, in the face of betrayal, the emperor had extended a hand of forgiveness and
sought no retribution.

With his brother and the royalists from the council at this side, Emperor Philip began his campaign
of reform and rebirth of his great Empire. As he promised in his speech, the power of the council
would be expanded as well as the size of the council itself. The first additions to the council were
nobles from Epeiros and Thessalia, as well as a number of lesser nobles of Makedonia. The
highest levels of noblility of central Makedonia would no longer have complete control over the
council.

The emperor then granted power of adminstration of Makedonia, Epeiros, and Thessalia to the
council itself, granting them the same powers of that of a governor. With this move, the aged
Euphrantos was relieved of his position and allowed to retire. The lands of Makedonia were now
governed neither by the emperor or by one of his appointees for the first time ever.

Over the first months of the newly reformed council, the emperor defined its role and continued to
expand its power. Laws and matters of local concern were now overseen by the council. Many
reforms were also put through the council's consideration.

Amoungst them, one of the most important was the consideration for military eligibility. Over the
lifetime of Emperor Philip, the phalanx had been implemented less often, in preference of the more
manuverable infantry styles. Requirements for service had not officially been changed dispite the
other changes to the military of Emperor Philip. First, the council declared that any man with the
equipment or enough money to purchase their own equipment was now capible of joining the ranks
of the infantry line. No longer was it required that a man be a landed Hellene, he could be any man
of sufficient Hellenization, willing to serve his emperor. Soon after, the emperor announced that the
treasury of the Arche would offer to pay for equipment and hire any man, of sufficient Hellenization,
no matter his social standing. Salary reductions from these men would pay for the equipment over
the first several years of service.

Histories of Alkman Thermaios
Book 4 - Section 6

The next reform within the Empire was the great act of unification and redefintion that the emperor
had spoken of in his speech. After only a couple months of holding the new council, Emperor Philip
[V] announced another set of changes. No longer would a member of the council gain his seat by
birth but by selection from amoungst the people of his region. The great era of Democracy that had
been born in Athens would return to Hellas and the people would rule themselves once more.

To expand this great wave of Democracy, the emperor once again added more seats the council.
Now seats in the council were granted to the cities and lands of southern Hellas. Each city would
have their own representatives, based on population, and all Hellenes would be equal in the great
Empire of Philippos. The council immediately agreed with the emperor and all of Hellas was unified,
as equals, for the first time ever.

With a new age dawning, the old ways and symbols of the past had to be done away with. Athens
had been the center of Democracy and now it would be the center once more. The emperor ordered
a new council chamber built near the Athens agora and the emperor officially moved his center of
government to the great city of my birth. The city had been burned during the war with the Spartans
and great patches of the city were still in ruins. There was plenty of space for the new government
structures and the redesign of the city to be the capital of the world.

Once in Athens, the council went to work. There first act was the granting of citizenship to the
peoples of all of Hellas and defining the needs to vote in each individual region. All those
considered a Hellene were immediately given full citizenship, with many foreigners living in the
region being considered soon after. After the first year of meeting in Athens, the council granted full
citizenship to all free men living within the council areas.

A unification of laws and practices came soon after. All laws within the council areas were
standardized, as well as weights, measurements, and language. Bringing people together as one,
regional laws were abolished and standard justice was ensured for all. The official language of the
Council Region became Hellenic and no other language was permitted for official or trade usage.

Worship within the coucil region became a matter for the council. A high priest to Zeus was now
appointed by the council and managed all the religious matters of the state.

Two years later, council seats were granted to all of the islands of the Aegean, the Ionion cities of
Anatolia, and southern Thrace. After this addition, the council became stable and seats were only
added when there was a great enough argument that a city or region had grown in size or
importance.

The Provinces of the Arche c140BC:
https://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1285/am140bst0.png
White = Council Regions (Type1 government)
Red = Provinces (Type2 governments)
Yellow = Satrapy (Type3 government)
Orange = Military Controlled Region (roleplayed Type3 government)
Green = Client State / Ally (Type4 government)

Histories of Alkman Thermaios
Book 4 - Section 7

The next reform from the emperor came to be the redefinition of how the Satrapies would be run.
Local autonomy within the satrapies had lead to the great civil war and brought about great
destruction. No longer would the local nobles decide the affairs of the Satrapies and choose whom
they would follow. By order of the emperor, the majority of the satrapies were converted to royal
provinces. These provinces would be run directly by the emperor through men appointed to govern
each region. These men would be selected and withdrawn by the command or the emperor or
Council and have complete control over their province. The act put an end to region family alliance
for power and the practice of families creating minor kingdoms within the Arche and choosing whom
they would follow. No longer would there be the chance for opposition like their had been amoungst
the families of Aigyptos at the end of the civil war.

Within the new satrapies, the laws of the council would be inforced and the official language would
be Unified Hellenic. Citizenship would be granted to most Hellenes within the provinces and many
non-Hellenes. The harsh taxation that had been imposed on the satrapies was lowered. Many
Hellenes from the council region, who were guarenteed to retain their citizenship, moved out into the
provinces to take advantage of cheap land and low taxes.

Not all satrapies were removed, as many did not have sufficient Hellenic populations or did not
practice Hellenic customs. These regions would be continued to be governed by local nobles or
Hellenic noble families under the supervision of the military as they had been before.

To extend upon the military reforms of Emperor Philip, the emperor later added a division of
provincial guards to the official military. Within the provinces, mounted light infantry would patrol the
roadways and ensure the safe travel of all traders and peoples. Within a decade, these men would
be partolling newly rebuit roadways engineered by Italian road builders. With new guarded
roadways, safety in the provinces became greater than it had ever been before, allowing for new
waves of land trade and transport.

In a matter of three years, Emperor Philip [V] had transformed his Empire from a kingdom to a
democratically run land of united Hellenes. With this new unity, the ferver of the people of Hellas
turned eastward to rescue the enslaved peoples suffering under the tyranny of the Persian Empire.
In my next set of writtings, I will cover the events in Athens and Hellas during the war in the east
over the several years.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Next: Chapter 97 : Another Point of View

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-20-2009, 23:57

This chapter was a bit boring. If you don't feel like reading it, you can just wait until the next chapter when I review and rebut this chapter. Also, any comments/questions about plausability of these events in this timeframe should also wait until the next chapter. The next chapter will probably be short and will be in the standard voice of my AAR rebutting this interpretation of events and leading into the next part of my AAR. The next couple years are dominated by conflict...

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

02-21-2009, 00:56

ET TU, MARCE? NON REGNUM ESSE NUMQUAM REGES SERVITUR!

Apologies for my bad Latin, but I'm shocked. Athens capital? Democracy? Romaioi customs? :sweatdrop: :no:

Oh, aside from that I like your chapter! It's in no way boring, instead it's very refreshing after all the battles.

Olaf Blackeyes

02-21-2009, 01:10

(Has a MASSIVE WTF meltdown)

Roman control techniques?!?!
Roman Style government?
Is this a Greek controlled version of the Roman empire?

Chirurgeon

02-21-2009, 01:51

Great job MAA. Its important to mix it up sometimes. You have done a wonderful balancing act. The chapter is information heavy but that is not boring. It adds to the already incredible depth of your AAR. Not every chapter has to have battles. As you well know the readers of these AARs are diverse. It is nice to take a break from battles and get the context of the times the people are living in. Excellent job!

alatar

02-21-2009, 14:56

I liked the last chapter, very good.

Although Philip V sriking back at regions held by family members is strange, considering his father fought the civil war based on the fact that he was related to every governor in the west:beam:.

Dutchhoplite

02-21-2009, 15:38

Great chapter :)

I'm still wondering about the democracy bith though...

Reverend Joe

02-21-2009, 22:29

(Has a MASSIVE WTF meltdown)

Roman control techniques?!?!
Roman Style government?
Is this a Greek controlled version of the Roman empire?

Well, to be fair, just about everything "Roman" was actually an Etruscanized Greek custom.

I personally think MAA just redoubled his level of awesome, even if it's only roleplay.

Olaf Blackeyes

02-21-2009, 23:18

Well, to be fair, just about everything "Roman" was actually an Etruscanized Greek custom.

Ok ill give u that one.

I personally think MAA just redoubled his level of awesome, even if it's only roleplay.

How can u measure his awesome level?

Dutchhoplite

02-22-2009, 00:29

It can't ;)

Olaf Blackeyes

02-22-2009, 00:31

Dammit my awesome meter broke

Subotan

02-22-2009, 12:20

Dammit my awesome meter broke

I think that's the greatest compliment Olaf has ever given.

Antinous

02-22-2009, 21:24

I think that's the greatest compliment Olaf has ever given.

I think your right!!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-22-2009, 21:52

Chapter 97 : Another Point of View

Near the end of 142BC, Basileus Philippos V moves four veteran armies within sight of the walls of Pella. By 140BC, the Basileus has managed to reform his government, military, legal system, trade system, and imperial mechanisms for control. Many at the time saw the acts of Philippos as a movement away from totalitarian rule and a move to a rule by the nobles or an actual rule by the people. In actuality, the creation of the Council of Elders and the democratic reforms only increased the power of the Basileus.

When Philippos II conquered Hellas, the Hellenes saw the Makedones as conquerers and saw themselves as occupied. Under Antigonos II, the Hellenes were once again conquered, but this time Antigonos II gave them regional autonomy in order to prevent revolt. Peace was very unstable. When Perseus and Chrysoloras decreased the autonomy of Hellas during the rule of Demetrios II, the Hellenes rebelled but were once again occupied. This time each city-state of Hellas was given status equal to that of a Satrapeia. During the Makedonian Civil War, the city-states of Hellas once again tried to gain independant rule from Makedonia. Under the leadership of Sparte, the Peloponnesos League took control of southern Hellas, but the burning of Athenai and the slaughter of its people cost Sparte the support of the rest of Hellas. When fighting the Peloponnesos League, young Philippos first came in contact with the idea of a unified Hellas. The Hellenes were willing to unify with the Makedones in order to defeat the city of Sparte. Over the years, the differences between Makedone and Hellene had vanished and the idea of apposing them as alien seemed archaic in the minds of the common Hellene. This campaign and what Philippos saw amoungst the Hellenes stuck in the head of the Basileus until it became the idea of a unified Hellas.

Upon reaching Pella, Basileus Philippos is met by Euphrantos (younger brother of Philippos) and the old Royal Army, which is basically an army of retired veterans being rewarded with a life of service. Rather than fight with his brother, Euphrantos bows down to Philippos as a servant. Together they would appose the rebels in the Noble Council.

Philippos enters his capital and is met by a crown that had been riled up by the rebellious members of the Noble Council. In a great speech, Philippos adressed the crowd and reveals his plans for the future. The theme of the speech is a unified Hellas; the idea that all are the same: Spartan or Athenian, Ionian or Dorian, Makedone or Hellene, and even barbaroi or Hellene; and finally that all are the people of the Arche. Perhaps due to shear charisma, the crowd chears and follows their Basileus.

Basileus Philippos V does not do away with the council or even have its rebellious members executed, for they had not actually directly apposed the Basileus. To the exact contrary, the Basileus extends the council and increases its numbers. The powers he gives the council are insignificant and buerocratic in nature. The increase in size would ensure that the new members, thankful to Philippos for their position, would weaken the power of the old members. First Epeiros, Thessalia, and northern Makedonia are given seats in the Council of Elders, then later the lands of southern Thrakia, Hellas, Ionia, and the Aegean.

Once Hellas is added to the Council Regions, the capital was moved to Athenai and the city is redesigned and rebuilt to be a great capital. Basileus Philippos V had always been a man who was drawn to the southern Hellenic culture and invisioned an Arche that was truely Hellenic:
https://img13.imageshack.us/img13/8581/maa4275nu9.png

The laws and reforms that the council pass are also all from the mind of the Basileus. The vast amount of new members are nothing but puppets to the Basileus who will pass any idea that he gives them to pass. Under command of the Basileus, the Council of Elders pass laws to unify the justice system of greater Hellas, create a unified standard language, change the requirements of military service, change religious organization, reform the academy system, create a system of guarded roads, and most importantly the creation the Province System. The Province system simply changed the borders and system of governance within the Arche's Satrapeia. Now, all government of the provinces is done through direct representatives of the Basileus, in itself a giant move toward totalitarian power.

One noteworthy change in boundries is the redrawing of the borders of the Pontos province to the old Satrapiea bounderies before the civil war. This pushes Galatian control out of Pontos and restores the city of Amaseia to control from Sinope. The Galatians do not offer any resistance to this action, but become very resentful of the decrease in power.

The Provinces of the Arche c140BC:
https://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1285/am140bst0.png
White = Council Regions (Type1 government)
Red = Provinces (Type2 governments)
Yellow = Satrapy (Type3 government)
Orange = Military Controlled Region (roleplayed Type3 government)
Green = Client State / Ally (Type4 government)

The conflict within the Council of Elders pits old rivalries against eachother and prevent any true power from being gained by the council. The expansion and changes to the Council Region continued until Philippos was content with the complete lack of cooperation within the council. Basileus Philippos V manages to unite the peoples of greater Hellas under an idea of unity, but within the council encourages old rivalries and oversees a completely worthless exercise in beurocracy.

Many called this new age an return to Athenian democracy, but that was far from the truth. In most regions, the elites would choose a representative from amoungst themselves or only offer the people once choice of representative. Those who are permitted to make the choice varied from region to region, often requiring an substancial level of wealth to cast a vote. Even in Athenai, you are required to own land. A system of bribery and outright cheating comes about soon and the system is far from democratic, but Philippos only requires that it appear democratic to the people.

Basileus Philippos V decides to remain in Athenai and oversee the Council of Elders as he continued his push for further reforms in his old age.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The brothers, sons, and daughters of Philippos, as well as all their families, all come to Athenai to see the new government and support their Basileus. During this time, Alypios Antigonos (son and heir of Philippos) and Sotades (elder brother of Philippos) met with Basileus Philippos and discussed the plans for the counteroffensive against the Persian Empire. It had been several years since the armies of Media occupied Babylonia and Armenia but the armies of the Arche had held the line.

It was decided that Alypios Antigonos would lead the invasion of Babylonia. Commanding the other armies would be Antisthenes Kyphios (son-in-law of Philippos), Maikenas Pagasiaos (son-in-law of Philippos), Laandros (youngest brother of Philippos), and Euktimenos Demetrios (last of the Demetrids) dispite the fear he could betray the Arche. The plan is to draw the bulk of the Median army into a battle, defeat them on the open field, and force them back over the mountains. While Philippos pursues, the other armies will take out any force remaining in Babylonia and retake the lands.

After spending the winter together, the family once again went their ways. Sotades, Alypios Antigonos, Antisthenes Kyphios, and Maikenas Pagasiaos all sailed for Syria, with Laandros to follow a few months later. Euphrantos returned to his estate in Makedonia to live out his days in excess. Philippos remained in Athenai to oversee the government.

Before leaving Syria, Rhode (wife of Alypios Antigonos) had thought herself with child but was not certain. In Athenai it was confirmed and by the time of the return journey, she is full with child. Alypios stays by her side as much as he can and even ignores many of his minor duties. Just under a month after arriving back in Syria, Rhode gives birth to a healthy son. The boy is named Hippostratos and word is sent out to the far reaches of the Arche that the line of Pyrrhos II is secure for another generation. The great fear that another civil war might occur as another family line came to an end vanished all at once. Now it is this childs duty to live and to become a great leader:
https://img382.imageshack.us/img382/1346/maa4251sn5.png

Alypios Antigonos stays with his wife and son as long as he can, but duty soon comes that cannot be avoided. The armies on the Persian border are almost all assembled and it is time to retake Babylonia. Antigonos says his farwells to his family and quickly changes from family-man to general. Studying the tactics of the Median armies, he prepares for this war to come:
https://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9661/maa4264ls0.jpg

The family of Alypios Antigonos was left in the care of his uncle Sotades, but Sotades does not live much longer. Dying quietly in Demetreia, Sotades joins his father, Pyrrhos, in the afterlife:
https://img382.imageshack.us/img382/2853/maa4252qk3.jpg

Sotades had never desired great power and had found happiness in managing every minute detail of administering the lands of Syria. A general in his early life, he came to hate warfare in his midage. Sotades had been the most trusted general and advisor to both Basileus Pyrrhos II (father of Sotades) and Basileus Philippos V (younger brother of Sotades). Other than his wife, Thebe, Basileus Philippos trusted no one person greater than his elder brother, Sotades. When the news arrived in Athenai that his brother is dead, the Basileus goes into mourning.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Persian War: Opening Shots

The first battle of the war against the unified Persian Empire occures in an isolated region of the world. Since the fall of Seleukeia, there had been no major battle between the Arche and Persians, only a few border skirmishes in Armenia. The first move is not by the armies of Alypios Antigonos but by the armies of Media.

A force from Babylonia moves down the coast of eastern Arabia until it comes to the garrison of Gerrha, where the Aigypto-Nubian army had set up their base. The Persians assume they can take the city with ease but are surprised when reinforcements from Maka arrived. Assembled to assist in the invasion of Babylonia, the allied kingdom of Maka already had an army moving north.

When the army of Maka attack the Persians, the Aigypto-Nubians quickly reinforce:
https://img382.imageshack.us/img382/9153/maa4253zs5.png

The Aigypto-Nubian forces take up position in a draw:
https://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3555/maa4254ue5.png

Meanwhile, the army of Maka set themselves up on a ridge just to the north. Once all the armies are in position, the Arabians move forward:
https://img382.imageshack.us/img382/5901/maa4256fz5.png

The Persian army moves up the hill to face their enemy and make attempts to circle forces around the northern flank. Seeing this, the Nubian cavalry rush over the draw and to the flank of the Maka army. Meanwhile the Arabians hold their ground and the desert slingers target the enemy medium cavlary:
https://img382.imageshack.us/img382/7726/maa4258ao1.png

The flankers are easily broken and chased off by the Nubian cavalry:
https://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5206/maa4259nj2.png

Once the flankers are broken and the Median cavalry are destroyed, the infantry charge. Seeing the charge, the Persian army brakes without a fight:
https://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6773/maa4261jk1.png

To the south, the Aigyptoi charged the southern flank and together with the men from Maka chase down and slaughter the Persians:
https://img24.imageshack.us/img24/2374/maa4263cp0.jpg

The Aigypto-Nubian army, under Makedonian leadership, join with the forces from Maka and start to slowly move up the coast to push the Persians back to the Euphrates.

North of Babylonia, Alypios arrives at his camp along the western edge of the Euphrates and makes the final plans for his invasion. To his immediate north is an army from Pontos and Ionia under the command of his brother-in-law Maikenas Pagasaios. North of him is the army of Syria, reinforced by the survivors of Isidoros' Babylonians, under the command of Alypios' brother-in-law, Antisthenes Kyphios. Then there is the allied army of southern Syria, followed by the army of Euktimenos Demetrios defending Assyria. In Armenia, the Thraikio-Armenians defend their homeland against invasion. In Iberia [not pictures], are two armies. One of steppe cavalry and one of levied Armenians:
https://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7546/maa4267nw8.png

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The known world in140BC:
https://img502.imageshack.us/img502/9480/hxmak140edit.png

Next: Chapter 98 : The Persian War: First Act

Subotan

02-22-2009, 22:14

Antinous

02-22-2009, 22:57

I think Arche should get some defeats in the beginning and then kick butt in the end. Also awesome chapter!!!

Tyrfingr

02-23-2009, 01:06

Philippos' scheming is cool as well. Although for some reason, I bet that Hippostratos turns out to be a real douche.

Dull/Uncharismatic/Langorous for the win ;) Great chapter by the way, MAA!

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

02-23-2009, 01:18

Great chapter, MAA. I definitely see the Augustus in Philippos. Now go and drive the Persians before your mighty armies... one rush unto the Oxos!

strategos roma

02-23-2009, 11:45

Your armies are huge!!! Go chase the persians back to parthia.

Maion Maroneios

02-23-2009, 12:11

Holy Crap, that last screen looks awesome, as in the old sense of the word; dread-inducing. Would anyone care to calculate how many real soldiers that would represent, because I have a feeling that that invasion would be the largest single movement of troops up until probably WW1/2. You also need a name for this huge campaign...an Operation _______.

Philippos' scheming is cool as well. Although for some reason, I bet that Hippostratos turns out to be a real douche.
First of all, excellent updates MAA! Secondly, replying to your question about the estimated number of the invasion in RL, Subotan, it would probably be something like this: 6 armies x 3,000 soldiers (approximately for Huge unit size settings) equals 18,000 soldiers in-game. Usually, people multiply this by 10 to represent the RL numbers, so this means that (in RL terms), this invasion would probably number 180,000 soldiers RL :dizzy2:

Maion

Subotan

02-23-2009, 18:51

Wow! That's about the modern estimate for the Persian force at Thermopylae :dizzy2:
Ofc, I'm sure various Makedonian historians will "correct" that number to one much more glorious.

Olaf Blackeyes

02-23-2009, 19:29

If i EVER saw an invasion force like THAT coming my way i would **** my bowels out.
:fainting::fainting::fainting:~:shock::scared::scared::jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop:~:mecry:~: mecry:~:mecry::surrender:

Subotan

02-23-2009, 23:02

Well duh, because you always play Sweboz.

Reverend Joe

02-24-2009, 01:31

Wow! That's about the modern estimate for the Persian force at Thermopylae :dizzy2:
Ofc, I'm sure various Makedonian historians will "correct" that number to one much more glorious.

Actually, I think the thing that would make this so impressive would not be the number of troops so much (which is damn impressive anyway, if we're comparing it to Thermopylae) but the fact that they will not be marching together, but rather in multiple groups in a coordinated invasion.

Now that's unprecedented.

Cbvani

02-24-2009, 01:44

Time for a good old fashioned expedition to the Indus.

Chirurgeon

02-24-2009, 04:28

So it begins...Excellent job MAA...I am truly ready for a fight of the ages!!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-24-2009, 07:58

Thanks for the comments.

I wanted to wait on responding to comments about Democracy and reform until this chapter was posted. As you can see, they are far less democratic and far more Machelavelian. The province system and official council did get some inspiration from Roma. Philippos was raised in Italy and spent the time from about when he was 5 to 15 within the city of Roma itself. Between his experiences in Italy and his love of all things Athenian, I made this reform. In the end, the Arche was just too large for one man to efficiently control without a complex system of beurocracy and centralized loyal government.

I estimated the army strength at about 220,000. (12.5x for infantry, 8x for cavalry, and about 10x for auxileries) Although, the total force is stretched out along a front longer than 1,000 kilometers and has never gathered in a single location. I gathered about five full armies for my "Syrian Invasion" that ended the civil war and Philippos had four armies in Pannonia a few chapters back, so this isn't the first time I've gathered a huge force. This is probably the biggest army I've ever assembled, though (especially if you include the reinforcements and replacements in the city of Edessa you can see there and Palmyra you can't see).

I have been quite fortunate to get three great leaders in a row. So far the Pyrrhic Dynasty has had Pyrrhos II, who was a great general; Philippos V who followed in his father's footsteps, ended the civil war, and reformed the Arche; and (Alypios) Antigonos III who is turning out to be a good general and leader if a bit overly noble. You're probably right, Hippostratus will probably turn out to ruin everything that his line created and cause all kinds of trouble. We shall see, and hopefully Alypios will have another son or two so I can have a couple to choose between.

Dutchhoplite

02-24-2009, 23:01

I hope this will not the walkover it looks to be ;)

General Appo

02-28-2009, 15:15

Thank God, for a minute there I thought Phillipos was actually going democratic.

Subotan

02-28-2009, 18:17

Actually, I think the thing that would make this so impressive would not be the number of troops so much (which is damn impressive anyway, if we're comparing it to Thermopylae) but the fact that they will not be marching together, but rather in multiple groups in a coordinated invasion.

Now that's unprecedented.

Would that actually be possible in the Ancient World? I tried it on my glorious Epeiros campaign, with Operation Blue Storm which involved four armies blitzkreigen Anatolia as fast as possible, weaving in and out of each other to attack the Antigonids. The amount of communication and co-ordination required would be incredible, even for a front as narrow as Anatolia. For the 1000+ mile front the Phyrric Dynasty is planning, it would be unprecedented.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

02-28-2009, 20:48

Philippos is definately not a democrat. His son is very similar to him, so you can expect similar governance in the next generation, too.

I've played the next four years of my campaign, which is actually many hours of gameplay. I've fought about ten battles and the Persians continue sending more armies at me. I may have to cut down on my goals for the war, but you will all see.

It may be impossible to have this many men in the ancient world, both for reasons of supply and communitcation. I'm trying to keep things simple for roleplaying, though. As far as Babylonia is concerned, the orders to the armies are quite simple. Philippos is to go in ahead of the rest and then the other four armies are to move up opposite sides of each river and fight anything that was passed by. Their orders are simply to move slowly to the gulf and stop advancing if you hear one of the other armies has been delayed. In Armenia, things are a bit more difficult to coordinate. We shall see if it all works out.

I hadn't editted my pictures of a while and the last chapter caught up with my editting. So, I've been editting hundreds of pictures and have finally gotten to the writing stage of the AAR. Not sure when I'll have it up, but don't expect anything exciting unless you like battle reviews.

Subotan

03-01-2009, 22:14

By Ahura Mazda, you put so much effort into this.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

03-03-2009, 00:30

The story of the First Persian War can be found here:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=113588
Chapters 98 through 124 are told in first person from the perspective of a
Nubian bow hunter who joins an army of Makedonia, fights a war against
the Neo-Persian Empire, and ends up becoming a Royal Guard to the heir
to the throne.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

07-27-2009, 23:26

Chapter 125 : The First Persian War :
The Armenian Front (Part I) : Sitzkrieg

In the twenty third year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V (142BC), the Median armies of the newly reformed Persian Empire finally broke through the walls of the great city of Seleukeia and brought an end to the short lived Kingdom of Babylon. Not only was the Kingdom of Babylon an ally to Philippos, but the city of Seleukeia was the home of many Hellenes who had settled in the lands of Mesopotamia. When the Medes took the city, they ignored the orders of their king and slaughtered thousands of those within the city walls and sold many more into slavery. This brutal act united the people of the Arche in a call for vengence and brought the armies of Makedonia to war with the new Persian Empire.

https://img31.imageshack.us/img31/3819/maa4215.jpg

The fall of Seleukeia was quickly followed by an invasion of Assyria and Armenia by Persian forces. Both of these areas were within Philippos' Arche, but they was unprepared for war. The Arche was still recovering from the Makedonian Civil War. Although it had been nearly two decades, the Makedonian Civil War had caused a great wounds in the east which required much time to heal. In their state, the border provinces did not stand a chance against the onslaught and fell quickly. In Armenia the Persians were even welcomed by many of the people.

Basileus Philippos V was wagin war in Iberia at this time and could not personally lead the troops against Persia. Philippos rushed back to Makedonia but was drawn away when the Boii invaded the lands of Pannonia and forced Philippos to strike back.

https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/9284/maa4247.png

The Boii hordes were crushed, but with heavy losses. Basileus Philippos returned to Makedonia, but saw his only chance for reform slipping away. Rather than lead the armies of Hellas in the war against Persia, Philippos ordered his son to take command of the armies and retake the lost lands. While his son, Alypios Antigonos III, prepared for his invasion, Philippos began a sweeping reform of Makedonia's political system. This was followed by many other reforms in the military, province system, and rights of cititzenship. Alypios Antigonos III took little interest in these reforms and was first preoccupied by the birth of his first son and then by the matters of the war.

In the twenty fifth year of the rule of Basileus Philippos V, his son began the invasion of Armenia and Babylonia, to retake lands lost to the Persian Empire. With his two brother-in-laws, his uncle, and the old Basileus of the Demetrids, Alypios Antigonos III lead five armies into Assyria and Babylonia. At the same time, two armies supported by a large number of steppe horsemen were to invade Armenia. The southern army of Klerouchoi Thraikioi was lead by Isodorianos Kremasteus and was to attack from Assyria and move up from the southeast. The second army was commanded by Ainesidemos Pydnaios and was to attack from Pontos and head directly east. Both of these men were simple generals and had no relation to the royal family nor political interests.

The invasion began with Alypios Antigonos III taking his lone army into Mesopotamia and confronting the Persians. Along the border between Assyria and Babylonia, Antigonos confronted the Persians for the first time (See Chapter 99 : Drawing out the Enemy). This battle was quickly followed by a series of battles within sight of the city of Seleukeia (See Chapter 100 : The Battle of Seleukeia (140BC)). After the Battle of Seleukeia, the Persians retreated behind city walls and waited to be reinforced. Rather than attack any of the garrisons in the region, Antigonos took his army across the river Tigris and blocked any Persian attempts to reinforce the few remaining forces in the region. Several months later, near a town established by the Persians, Antigonos fended off several attacks by the Persians and holds his position (See Chapter 101 :The Battle of Etesiphon (140BC)). The Persians are unable to reinforce the cities of Babylonia.

With these victories behind him, Antigonos set up a camp and awaits the other armies of Makedonia. The remaining four armies in Babylonia moved forward and began their sieges of the various cities and garrisons of Mesopotamia. In Armenia, the armies were to move forward at this time, as well. In the south, Isodorianos Kremasteus moves out of Sophene and into Assyria, then turns north for Armenia. To the west, Ainesidemos Pydnaios' army was not yet prepared to march and he delays moving for several months. With Isodorianos' army gone from the Lake Van region and Ainesidemos still in Pontos, eastern Kappadokia was left exposed and the Persian take this advantage.

A detachment from the city of Armavir is sent first into Kappadokia and then turns north for the city of Kotais. The only thing that stands in the way of the Persians is a small garrison and the steppe horsemen. Underestimating the steppe warriors, the Persians charge forward only to get ambushed. The steppe horsemen make their first of many sacrifices in the war that day when they take on the much heavily armored Persian cavalry.

https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/852/maa4323.png

Due to greater numbers and experience, the steppe cavalry wipe out every last Persian on that battlefield. Even those who flee are chased down and hit in the back with arrow and sword.

In Mesopotamia, the secondary forces of the invasion begin to achieve their goals. The first city to fall is Edessa in Assyria, which falls to Euktimenos of the Demetrids (See Chapter 101 :The Battle of Etesiphon (140BC)). Then Seleukeia and Babylon fall to the brother-in-laws of Alypios Antigonos III (See Chapter 102 : Winter Snows).

Winter comes to the lands of Mesopotamia but they hit Armenia much harder. Isodorianos falls ill and is forced to halt his advance into Armenia. His army considers move against the Persian without him but none of his lieutenants are confident in their command ability and there are no skill leaders within traveling distance that are not already occupied. So, the Klerouchoi Thraikioi army set up camp for the winter. Ainesidemos fairs no better to the west. Hearing of Isodorianos' illness, Ainesidemos halts in Kotais to raise the additional soldiers he will need if he is forced to invade Armenia alone. As Babylonia falls, the Armenian front of the war is not even opened yet.

Once again, the steppe horsemen are forced to wage the war alone. This time, they defeat an army of ill equiped levies in the Lake Van region. Firing arrows from afar, the steppe horsemen wipe out several thousand men in a series of surprise attacks. When the Persians break and flee, the steppe horsemen give chase again and kill every last man.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/3851/maa4390.png

When news arrives that a relative to the Persian king has come to take command of the Persian forces in Armenia, Ainesidemos sends the steppe cavalry in to try and ambush him. Near the city of Armavir, the steppe cavalry set their trap:

https://img32.imageshack.us/img32/3811/maa4393.png

A small group of horsemen attack the Persian noble while he patrols the countryside with a small army. They pelt their enemies with arrows then flee. The foolish Persian noble gives chase but soon finds his cavalry isolated from his infantry. Out from a wood and over a hill, the entire force of steppe warriors charge the isolated group of heavy cavalry:

https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/543/maa4398.png

The Persian have no place left to run and fight off the thousands of barbaroi surrounding them. Even with their heavy equipment and training, they cannot hold out long. The Persian noble falls dead alongside his men on the snowy field:

https://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5164/maa4399.png

Unable to face the remaining forces of the Persian army, now reinforced by the garrison of Armavir, the steppe horsemen retreat. A great many fall that day, but their actions prevent the Persian general from using his skills in warfare against the armies of the Arche in the following years.

That same winter in southern Syria, Chrysoloras Delphikos dies quietly in in sleep. He had been one of the great generals who retook Syria during the Makedonian Civil War. Once that war had ended, he lead an army to victory in the lands of Arabia. Due to this skills in battle and iron will, the lands of western Arabia fell to the Makedones and the Kingdom of Sab'yn was crippled for decades.

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3798/maa4404.jpg

Off in the lands he helped conquer, trade was continued to be built up. The lands of Arabia had proven to be very valuable to the trade with India and the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom. The allied Kingdom of Ubar uses Makedonian silver to build a trading port and assist / profit from that trade.

https://img43.imageshack.us/img43/5617/maa4406.jpg

That spring, Antigonos moved into Media, trying to draw the Persians into a decisive battle over the fate of Media. The battle does not come. Instead, the Persians remain behind the walls of their cities and Antigonos is forced to retreat back to Seleukeia. In Armenia, both armies of the Arche do not move. In Kotais, locals are trained and equipped using money from Hellas for the first time and in Assyria, Isodorianos' illness does not break. The only good news from this entire year comes from the far south. Laandros, brother to Philippos and uncle of Antigonos takes the last remaining city along the coast and secures the last portion of Mesopotamia. In a battle using phalangitai, Laandros crushes the last remaining Persian force in Mesopotamia (See Chapter 104 : A Wasted Year). For the first time since before the Makedonian Civil War, the mouths of the Tigris and Euphrates are returned to the Arche.

A second winter arrives. Antigonos spends it in Seleukeia, but in Armenia Ainesidemos finally moves forward. Isodorianos recovers in the autumn, but snows block his advance. Under pressure for action, Ainesidemos is forced to move forward alone and begins his siege of Armavir at the worst time of the year. Fortunately, the countryside surrenders without a battle and only the city of Armavir remains defiant.

https://img195.imageshack.us/img195/505/maa4445.png

The known world during the twenty seventh year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V ( 138BC):
https://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7810/hxmak138edit2.png

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Next: Chapter 126 : The Armenian Front (Part II)

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

07-28-2009, 02:13

Did you invent chapters you are referring to? Because I don't seem to be able to recall any of these past chapter 99... but maybe I'm just getting old. :dizzy2:

Also I'm surprised, is Sitzkrieg a well-known word in the US? Because I only accidentally stumbled upon it, it's not well known in Germany.

Anyways, great to have the Pyrrhic Dynasty back, MAA. :yes:

Vasiliyi

07-28-2009, 03:24

Exellent, Ill be looking forward to read this now. :2thumbsup:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

07-28-2009, 07:42

Thanks Centurio Nixalsverdrus & Vasiliyi.

The chapters in the sidestory were #98 through #124. I didn't number them in the other thread but I did keep them numbered in my AAR text file and that is how I kept track of them. When I referenced them, I figured I would just leave the chapter number in just to give an idea of where is sat relative to the other chapters in the other thread.

It is hard to say anything is well known in the USA when it comes to history. I suppose anyone who knows a decent amount about WWII will know the term/joke Sitzkrieg, in the USA. It is hard for me to say, though, since I seem to know more about history than the average American.

Vasiliyi

07-28-2009, 23:36

It is hard to say anything is well known in the USA when it comes to history. I suppose anyone who knows a decent amount about WWII will know the term/joke Sitzkrieg, in the USA. It is hard for me to say, though, since I seem to know more about history than the average American.

Agreed, Americans are practically idiots when it comes to anything history. Shame on the public schools here in america. Shame.

(sorry for spam)

Roka

07-29-2009, 22:12

good to see this epic continued

i liked the shift in perspective when you done the side story, but obviously that left of the details of the Arche out

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

07-30-2009, 00:51

Thanks, Roka.

I'll try to get through all of what happened at the same time as the sidestory and get to some new content soon.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

07-30-2009, 00:53

Chapter 126 : The First Persian War :
The Armenian Front (Part II) : Persian Counterattack

In the spring of the third year of the First Persian War (138BC), the Persians began their counter attack. The Persian King Koyroun of Media moved an army into Mesopotamia and besieged the army of Laandros in the city of Charax, near the sea. His mistake, however, was in splitting his forces. Half his army began the siege of the city while the other half was still marching down from Elymais. Alypios Antigonos III prepared his army in Seleukeia, but his army was too far away to intercept the second half of King Koyroun's army. Instead, an army of Aigyptoi and allied troops from the lands of Arabia stopped the reinforcements at a river crossing. They ambushed the Persians as they crossed the river and surrounded the lead of their army while the rear was still crossing (See Chapter 105 : Beginning Again, Fresh). The entire army of Persian reinforcements were killed, drown in the river, or surrendered.

King Koyroun gave up his siege and withdrew back to Elymais. The army of Aigyptoi and Arabs held the key river crossings and forced the Persian king to take the long route back to the city of Sousa, buying Antigonos time to move his army into the region. Once in Elymais, Antigonos turned north and marched on the city of Sousa.

The Persian spring offensive was not restricted to lower Mesopotamia. In Armenia, a small force moved to relieve the city of Armavir. Ainesidemos could handle the garrison within the walls of Armavir, but any additional forces might be too much for his ill trained army. The Persians expected not to see any enemy forces until they reached Armavir, but Isodorianos surprised them east of the city, where he challenged the Persians in the open field.

https://img200.imageshack.us/img200/7518/maa4473.png

The Persian forces positioned themselves defensively along a ridge on the north side of the road, which had been built by Hellenes. Isodorianos was forced the march his men the morning of the battle to the site chosen by his enemy. Isodorianos expected the Persians to hold their ground and give him time to form up his lines. Instead, the Persians charged the Klerouchoi Thraikioi as soon as the emerged from the forest south of the roadway. For Isodorianos, this was not completely a disadvantage. This charge ruined any chance the Persians had for a successful defensive stratagy and Isodorianos knew that even out of formation there was no Persian who could match his soldiers.

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1210/maa4477.png

The Persians charged then retreated and then charged again. With every retreat, the Thraikioi were able to gain better formation. Eventually, the line was formed and the skilled men in the center and the spearmen guarding the flanks. Then the archers and cavalry moved forward. Safely behind the infantry line, the archers fired at a high angle down on the distant Persians.

https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/3481/maa4479.png

The Persians tried to move their cavalry around the western flank but were met by Klerouchoi Thraikioi horsemen. Although they were outnumbered, the Thraikioi managed to push back the Persian cavalry and cause them to flee.

https://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8244/maa4478.png

With the Persian cavalry in retreat, the Klerouchoi Thraikioi infantry moved forward and crossed the roadway. The Persians quickly gave up the high ground on the other side which was quickly occupied by Isodorianos' archers. The infantry broke formation and charged, but the majority of the kills at the end of that day were by the archers atop that hill.

Isodorianos did not wipe out the Persian forces that day. This was Isodorianos' first mistake that year. Rather than retreat towards Media, the surviving Persians retreated towards the city of Armavir and managed to reinforce the garrison there.

https://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6765/maa4482.jpg

Isodorainos' second mistake came when yet another army of Persians appeared in Armenia. It was completely unexpected and had managed to circled around behind his position in the east. Isodorianos was forced to give up his defensive position in eastern Armenia and give chase to the Persian army. He was lucky and caught them before they could join forces with the armies in and around Armavir. This time he faced elite Persian infantry and heavy cavalry but had the advantage in archers.

https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8204/maa4506.png

Because the Persians had been quickly marching towards Armavir and Isodorianos' army was chasing them, both armies were tired and neither had chance to claim the high ground. Isodorianos rushed his cavalry to the high ground as soon as the battle began but had his men march forward on the level ground.

https://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9744/maa4507.png

The Persians did not contend Isodorianos taking the high ground and chose to send their cavarly against the Klerouchoi Thraikioi infantry. The Persians were surprised to find how effective the Thraikioi weapons were. These soldiers carried with them their fathers' or grandfathers' weapons that had been brought from Thraikia. It had been generations since these weapons had been used in the east, but the Persians quickly learned to fear them.

https://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9202/maa4510.png

The Persian cavalry could not last long. They fell or fled from the field. With the Persian horses gone from the field, Isodorianos ordered his infantry forward and to attack the Persian infantry. First came a volley of thrown spears from the Klerouchoi Thraikioi and then a charge.

https://img27.imageshack.us/img27/6894/maa4512.png

The Persian elites tried to hold their ground but the ill trained Persian troops quickly paniced and the battle was over. This time Isodorianos gave chase to the Persians and blocked them from reaching the other forces near Armavir.

https://img198.imageshack.us/img198/1664/maa4515.jpg

While the war with the Persians raged, Euktimenos of the Demetrids took the opportunity to build by his own personal wealth, profiting from the war. From the city of Edessa, Euktimenos slowly built up money for his future and whatever it may bring him and the Arche which he claimed to be loyal to.

https://img189.imageshack.us/img189/787/maa4501.jpg

The known world during the twenty seventh year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V (138BC):
https://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7810/hxmak138edit2.png

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Next: Chapter 127 : The Armenian Front (Part III)

Horatius Flaccus

07-30-2009, 01:04

Amazing! Simply...amazing! :dizzy2:

TruePraetorian

07-30-2009, 19:24

Great AAR, and not to put it down in any way at all, but have you lost any battles? I don't think I recall reading a single major military defeat..or even a close battle..doesn't that get somewhat boring after a while?

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

07-30-2009, 21:09

Good chapter, but why did you chose to colour Arabia in black? Or does your game still contain Dumatha?

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

07-31-2009, 01:35

Thanks. :bow:

not to put it down in any way at all, but have you lost any battles? I don't think I recall reading a single major military defeat..or even a close battle..doesn't that get somewhat boring after a while?
I lose battles occasionally, though it is quite rare. The AI is so predictable and I never go into battle unless I have the forces to win. I did have a series of losses when the war with the Persians began. I lost five regions to them. I just didn't give an overview of those battles because most were sieges in which I had only a few units. I've had some tough battles too. The battle with the Boii (multi rebel stacks) was quite difficult and cost me almost two stacks of troops. When I took Sousa I almost lost as well. I've already written the next chapter and will touch on that battle again then.

why did you chose to colour Arabia in black? Or does your game still contain Dumatha?
No, this old version has the same map that is in the current version of EB1, so no Dumatha. Since the Arabian desert is unconquerable, I decided to have it rebel until someone controls the majority of surrounding regions, at which time they would have laid claim to the area in the interior. At one point I had it colored brown for Saba, but then I pushed them back into their corner. But it is just a picture edit I did on the map when I first played this part of the campaign many months back.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-02-2009, 09:19

Chapter 127 : The First Persian War :
The Armenian Front (Part III) : The War is Decided

The spring of that third year of the war (138BC) the Persians attempted a counterattack but it was not until the season of autumn of that year that the war was decided. In Armenia, the Persian armies near Armavir finally gathered their forces and attacked Ainesidemos' besieging army. Because this attack came so soon after Isodorianos' battle to the east, his army was unavailable to assist. The steppe cavalry were nearby but they also would not make it to the battlefield in time to help that day.

https://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4487/maa4532.png

This distant battle happened to be the first battle to test the military reforms of Basileus Philippos V. The core of the army of Ainesidemos was made up of men from Pontos and Iberia that had been equipped with weapons and armor purchased directly with money from the Arche. These men wore equipment that was not their own or passed down in their family. It was supplied to them when they were recruited. This armor was not the best available but offered the levied troops greater quality equipment than which they could have brought themselves. It also offered a limited sense of uniformity to the army. Although they had been equipped with weapons and armor, these men were still levied forces with only a few months of training.

https://img24.imageshack.us/img24/3227/maa4533.png

The battle, that day, began with the Persians taking a position on a ridge. Ainesidemos held his troops back and forced the enemy to come down to him. After some mild skirmishing, the whole Persian army came down from the hill and charged the spearmen line. The skirmishers quickly filtered through the line and the levied soldiers prepared for battle.

https://img196.imageshack.us/img196/6495/maa4535.png

After a failed charge at the center of Ainesidemos' line, the Persians found a weakness. On the flanks of his line, Ainesidemos had placed his Iberian spearmen who had been equipped with inferior weapons. and no armor. The Persians recognized this weakness and sent in their elite infantry to break the left flank.

https://img196.imageshack.us/img196/11/maa4538.png

Fortunately, Ainesidemos had seen the weakness of the unarmored spearmen prior to the battle and had chosen to back them up with steppe warriors. He knew if the Persians charged these weak spearmen it would give him the chance to outflank their flanking maneuver.

Once the Persian elites were tied down, the steppe axemen circled around the side of the Persians and charged them. Their axes worked well against the Persian heavy armor.

https://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9413/maa4540.png

On the opposite flank, Ainesidemos moved his eastern horsemen around and charged the Persian levies.

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/4157/maa4541.png

Soon both flanks of the Persian line were falling apart and Ainesidemos ordered his infantry line forward. The battle slowly moved its way back up the hill the Persians had come down. The Persians held for a surprising amount of time, perhaps hoping the garrison of Armavir would come to their aid. Neither did the steppe horsemen come to the aid of Ainesidemos nor did the garrison of Armavir come to the aid of the Persians. Eventually Ainesidemos took the field. The few remaining Persian soldiers retreated towards Media and Ainesidemos resumed his siege of Armavir.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/8461/maa4542.jpg

Although the Battle of Armavir (138BC) was a key battle on the Armenian front of the war. It was the last time the Persians were able to attempt to relieve the garrison at Armavir, but the true successes of that third autumn in the war were accomplished in Elymais. Having lost the chance to challenge the Persian King to battle in Mesopotamia, Alypios Antigonos III had moved northward and begun a siege of the city of Sousa.

For months, the Persians had moved around the city and not engaged Antigonos, but when their king arrived from the east, the decided it was time to challenge the Makedones to a battle. The Persians had managed to gather more than 86,000 soldiers in Elymais to challenge Antigonos and his 30,000 men from the Arche. The battle could have been a victory for the Persians but they were unable to gather all of their men to attack at once.

The foolish governor of Sousa decided to be the first to attack. This nephew of the king marched his troops out and attacked Antigonos outside the city. Although the Persians managed to set a trap for an isolated group of soldiers in that battle, the city garrison was not large enough to take the army of Antigonos (See Chapter 106 : The Battle of Sousa).

A few weeks later, the Persian king arrived and attacked the army of Antigonos. This was the most successful of the battles that season. Though the Makedones lost thousands, the Persian king's army was wiped out and the king was killed (See Chapter 106 : The Battle of Sousa).

https://img27.imageshack.us/img27/976/maa4551.jpg

Upon hearing of their king's death, the remaining forces in the region gathered and attacked in a third battle that season. The Makedones were exhausted and had taken heavy casualties. Antigonos considered retreating but instead decided to fight once more. He set up his men very defensively and tried to avoid any unnecessary fighting that day. At points in the battle it seemed as though the Persians had won, but Antigonos managed to rally his men on the right flank and come to the rescue of those holding out on the left flank. The field was taken, the Persians killed or captured and the city of Sousa surrendered (See Chapter 106 : The Battle of Sousa).

Antigonos had lost 7,000 of his men, nearly a third of his army, but he had killed or captured 75,000 Persian soldiers. In a couple of months, the Persians had been completely broken. For more than a year the Persians would fight each other over who would be the next king. Their military would not be rebuilt for at least a decade.

Once again, winter came.

The known world during the twenty eighth year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V (137BC):
https://img9.imageshack.us/img9/1176/hxmak137edit2.png

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Next: Chapter 128 : The Armenian Front (Part IV)

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-02-2009, 17:45

:2thumbsup:

Ibrahim

08-03-2009, 05:18

that was quite a battle there:beam:

chenkai11

08-03-2009, 07:50

What is the unit (spearmen) in the 2nd picture of 1st Persian War, the Armenian front (partIII)?

Companion Cavalry

08-03-2009, 08:10

As immersive as the narrative was, I have to say I missed the previous style of your updates :medievalcheers:

Horatius Flaccus

08-03-2009, 20:42

Once again, excellent chapter!

What is the unit (spearmen) in the 2nd picture of 1st Persian War, the Armenian front (partIII)?

I believe he has modded that unit in, and it's based on the Eastern Auxiliary model of the Romans (Imperial Reforms) and the shield of the Koinon Hellenon Thorakitai. It's part of the reforms of Philippos V.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-03-2009, 22:04

I appreciate the comments. Thanks for following.

The third battle near Sousa was almost lost. Barely came through and decided the war.

Those guys in the first few pictures are modded units to represent a military reform. Part of the full scale replacement of phalangitai tactics. As Horatius Flaccus said, they are the eastern version of levied troops that have their gear supplied by the state. They are based off Roman Eastern Auxilia but have a different face, clothes, and shield. It is my own low-quality skinning job.

chenkai11

08-04-2009, 04:24

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-04-2009, 08:04

Chapter 128 : The First Persian War :
The Armenian Front (Part IV) : Subtle Conquest

In the spring of the twenty eighth year of the rule of Philippos V, the lands of Makedonia, Hellas, Epeiros, and Ionia completed a new system of roadways. Though the mountains of Hellas were difficult to conquer, Romaioi engineers managed to construct a great system of transportation to unite the often divided lands. The road that would be most famous was the great roadway that winded through the hills from Athenai north to Salonika, bypassing Pella, and then traveled inland before turning east and to the city of Byzantion. This became the main road through eastern Hellas, but there were also many others.

https://img23.imageshack.us/img23/5125/maa4455.png

That same spring, the vast army of cavalry mercenaries from the steppes, that had been fighting for the Arche in Armenia, headed east. Traveling from Iberia to the Pontos Hykania, these mercenary warriors completed the easy task of claiming the lands for the Arche. For the people of the region, little would change, as little changed when the were first conquered by the Makedones and then again conquered by the Median armies of the Persian Empire. Only one town resisted. They attempted to face the steppe horsemen outside their city, but the steppe warriors rained down death from all sides and killed every last man that resisted.

https://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9637/maa4574.png

In Elymais, Alypios Antigonos III took command of a new army and marched for the Persian Gates. The Persians did not resist at all that year. They fought internally over who would be their new king and left themselves open. However, for that whole year, Antigonos would not be able to face the Persian in a decisive battle. By winter, he was determined to invade Persis and take the old Persian capital. He would march the next spring (See Chapter 107 : The Persian Gates).

That summer, the Kingdom of Ubar fell to the Kingdom of Sab'yn. This first kingdom to fall to the revitalized Kingdom of Sab'yn cost the Arche a powerful ally in southern Arabia.

Ainesidemos would continue the second year of the siege of Armavir for the majority of that year. Because one army was enough to besiege Armavir, Isodorianos took his army of Klerouchoi Thraikioi east, across central Armenia an into the lands north of Media. As the autumn approached, Isodorianos settled in for what he thought would be a long siege of the city of Phraaspa. As the first snows came to the lands, so did an army of Persian reinforcements.

https://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4629/maa4597.png

A small army of Persians, reinforced by the city garrison, attacked the Klerouchoi Thraikioi. Since the Klerouchoi Thraikioi held the high ground and had superior archers, the Persians were at a huge disadvantage. For the majority of the day, the Klerouchoi stood in the cold and watched the Persians attempt several charges. Only a few charges even managed to reach the infantry line. Once engaged, the Thraikioi cut through their enemy quickly and easily.

https://img33.imageshack.us/img33/201/maa4602.png

After a day of complete failure, the Persians surrendered. The city of Phraaspa then fell and Isodorianos gained all the lands that controlled access between Armenia and Media. Just to the south, many Persian armies gathered, but they were prepared to fight each other and not ready to challenge Isodorianos. The city would remain a secure garrison for the Arche until the end of the war when it was returned to the Persians.

https://img33.imageshack.us/img33/6827/maa4603.jpg

With the fall of Phraaspa, the garrison in Armavir realized they had no chance for continued survival. After holding out for two years, the garrison and the city surrendered to Ainesidemos and his army. This was the last Persian army in Armenia and its surrender brought a close to the war on this front. Neither Ainesidemos nor Isodorianos would risk leaving Armenia ungarrisoned to invade the heavily garrisoned lands of Media.

The known world during the spring of the twenty ninth year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V (136BC):
https://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2885/hxmak136edit.png

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Next: Chapter 129 : Hellenic Kings of Foreign Lands

Roka

08-04-2009, 15:16

https://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9637/maa4574.png

One word to describe this screenshot: EPIC :2thumbsup:

strategos roma

08-05-2009, 03:35

Truly incredible!! Your dedication towards your aar is great. Here's a balloon.:balloon2:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-06-2009, 03:42

Thanks strategos roma, Roka.

I took Kabalaka with nearly 2000 horse-archers and fought only three units of spawned slave units. They didn't stand a chance. It wasn't important to the war, but I love those images or thousands of arrows raining down.

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-06-2009, 17:21

Good chapter and I like that you used the Romaioi roads as I did in my campaign as well... But I think it's "Hodoi Hyperterai", because "hodoi" means roads and "hyperterai" means superior. "Megaloi" means great.

Sorry for nitpicking. :dizzy2:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-06-2009, 21:32

Yep, you're right. I hadn't even thought about it every time I read it. Since I wrote that description more than six months ago, I'm not sure where I got the name. Although, as you can see by all the typos, I didn't put much thought into writing it. :dizzy2:

Besides, I like nitpicking. People are way too frightened to offer constructive criticism these days.

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-06-2009, 23:20

Besides, I like nitpicking.
Maybe you will regret saying that soon. :sweatdrop: :clown:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-08-2009, 10:55

Chapter 129 : Hellenic Kings of Foreign Lands

While the lands of the Arche Makedonia were separated in a great civil war, the lands of Persia also began to fall into disorder. Weakness within the Arche Seleukeia had given birth to the Kingdom of Media long before the War between the Arche Makedonia and the Arche Seleukeia. When the war of Basileus Aristotelis came, it decimated the armies of the Seleukids. The later withdrawl of Bykoli and Pefkolaos from Persia left a power vacuum in Media and Elymais. This vacuum was quickly filled by the Kingdom of Media before the Arche Seleukeia could recover. The Seleukids lost all hope of easily retaking these lands.

While the Makedones fought each other, the Arche Seleukeia and the Kingdom of Media fought over the lands of Persia. At first it appeared that the Arche Seleukeia would win but then came the hordes of steppe cavalry from the north and the betrayal of the lands of Baktria.

When the steppe warrior tribes invaded Parthyaia, the lands of Baktria refused to fight for the Seleukids any longer. Such a betrayal could not stand and the Basileus of the Arche Seleukeia declared war on his old Satrapy. With this, the Seleukids faced a war against three strong enemies without a single ally. Over a decade, the Seleukids lost army after army and were pushed back to the southern coasts of Persia and Gedrosia. When Persepolis fell to the armies of Media, the Seleukids were all but defeated.

At this same time, the new Kingdom of Baktria turned her back on Persia and launched a massive invasion of India. The Indus valley quickly fell and the armies of Baktria pushed eastward into lands never conquered by armies of Makedones. With the armies of Baktria in far away lands, there were not enough forces in Baktria to defend it when another great horde of horsemen arrived. A people called the Saka Rauka came from lands unknown and poured over Baktria. With Baktria lost to this young state and now separated from the other Hellenes of the Arche Makedonia by the new Persian Kingdoms, a new kingdom was born in the Indus Valley: the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom.

At first, the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom simply continued its wars against the minor Indian kingdoms and against what remained of the Arche Seleukeia. The Seleukids had moved their capital to distant Alexandropolis in Arachosia when Persepolis fell, but several years later it fell to the armies of the new Indo-Hellenic Kingdom. Isolated in a foreign land, the last members of the once mighty Seleukid dynasty had to fight a continually defensive war.

https://img31.imageshack.us/img31/4889/maa4451.png

Lead Epikrates, descendant of Seleukos I, the Seleukids managed to win every defensive battle they fought, but every time they tried to take lands lost to them, they were defeated. With very few Hellenic subjects and no well trained army, the Seleukids began there slow fade into the pages of history.

https://img159.imageshack.us/img159/9089/maa4409.png

Although it seemed as though the rebellious satrapy of Baktria would grow into a great power, there were many setbacks for them. The first had come when the Saka conquered Baktria. The Saka did not stop at Baktria, though. They pushed through the mountains and invaded the Indus valley where the young Indo-Hellenic Kingdom was still being established. Pulling troops from their eastern campaign, they were able to hold off the Saka, but their dreamed conquest of all of India was now impossible.

When the new Kingdom of Parthava and the Kingdom of Media united into one powerful new Persian Empire, the balance of power once again changed. The new power expanded in all directions. Great parts of the northern plains and deserts fell to the Persians, the Arche Makedonia was invaded in Babylonia, Assyria, and Armenia, and the Saka in Baktria were attacked. When the Persians invaded Baktria and defeated the Saka, another great problem fell on the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom. The Persians took the lands of Baktria but the great mass of Saka people that had settled there were once again uprooted. Rather than retreat back to where they had come from, they crossed the mountains and headed for the Indus Valley. The great mass of injured, old, women, and children fell upon the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom and there was nothing they could do to stop them. This new mass of people brought their culture, their technology, their skills, and their problems.

This was not the end of the problems for the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom, for chasing the Saka peoples were the armies of Persia. With Baktria conquered, the Persians turned their eyes to India. Like the Seleukids, the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom was forced to fight a defensive war against a powerful new Empire.

https://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2926/maa4452.png

When the Arche Makedonia began their invasion of Persia, the pressure on the Seleukids and the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom was decreased. With a common enemy, both eastern kingdoms sought the friendship of the powerful Arche Makedonia. From the Arche Makedonia, friendship and silver was given, but first the Seleukids and the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom had to end their war with each other. Soon, all three enemies of the new Persian Empire were united against them, but once the Arche Makedonia sought peace with Persia, the war in the east turned bad for the isolated Hellenes once again. The Indo-Hellenic Kingdom continued to receive silver from Hellas and were happy with the sea trade to Arabia, but they did not forgive the Arche for making peace with the Persian Empire.

https://img9.imageshack.us/img9/3742/maa4705.jpg

In the deserts of Nubia, the descendants of the old Ptolemaic dynasty continued on much as the Seleukids did in the deserts of Persia. Ptolemai VIII Archagathos remained king of Meroe, having gained the throne when his father died trying to invade Aigyptos (See Chapter 98 : Introduction). Against the armies of Ptolemai VIII, the young Alypios first gained experience in war and in Nubia first decided to adopt the name Antigonos. Alypios Antigonos held off the armies of Ptolemai VIII and managed to take Meroe's coastal settlements for the Arche Makedonia.

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5524/maa4453.jpg

Since the war with the Arche Makedonia, Ptolemai VIII had failed many time in invading Aigyptos and retaking the coastal settlements lost to him. Like the Seleukids, the Ptolemaic king's only success was in retaining his power in a foreign land. Unfortunately for the Nubians, it seems that the Ptolemaioi would continue their rule when it was announced that Klearchos, son of Ptolemai VIII, was declared heir to the throne of Meroe.

https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8338/maa4454.jpg

Nearly all of the lands settled by Hellenes and many lands that had adopted Hellenistic culture had fallen to the Arche of the Antigonids. Though they had lost their Hellenic lands, many of the old Diadochi families did not disappear but instead retreated into foreign lands. Most peoples of these occupied lands saw the small Hellenic force as invaders and resented their foreign kings. In that atmosphere, little was accomplished by those kings, but they all learned to hate the great Arche that had been built by Demetrios II Megas decades earlier and was currently ruled by Philippos V.

Next: Chapter 130 : The Arabian Front

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-08-2009, 18:43

Great, the political overview style I like best! :2thumbsup:

Vasiliyi

08-08-2009, 19:53

Great, the political overview style I like best! :2thumbsup:

agreed, I especially like it when you talk about the other (losing) factions. Its nice to have a view of whats going in in Egypt, and Pura (which is held by AS).

Btw, that screenshots with arrows flying everywhere is beautiful, makes me want to write a Sarmation aar.

Good work, though I do miss the old narrative style as well. :2thumbsup:

Horatius Flaccus

08-08-2009, 20:11

Great, the political overview style I like best! :2thumbsup:

Second that.

but they all learned to hate the great Arche that had been built by Demetrios II Megas decades earlier and was currently ruled by Philippos V.

I'm curious which effects this will have on the real Arche.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-08-2009, 22:05

I'm not sure which style of writing I prefer. I was getting a bit tired of the character stories, but that was mostly because I was trying hard not to get too deep by not being able to help it.

Other than the Ptolemaioi in Meroe, the other Hellenistic factions really aren't a threat to me. I've actually been trying to keep them alive. But due to the war I had fought with AS and the fact that Baktria was my other half in the civil war, the AI hates me and won't accept any deals, even at this great distance from me. I've FD'd peace and trade rights but I know that the second I border either of those two again they'll attack me. That's the gameplay side of it and on the roleplaying side, one ally backing out of a war and leaving the others still fighting really would make them angry.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-14-2009, 08:27

Chapter 130 : The First Persian War :
The Arabian Front

Before the war with the Persians, one of the most active military theaters for the Arche was the Arabian peninsula. Several armies had invaded these dry lands in the years between the Makedonian Civil War and the First Persian War. They had broken several kingdoms from the Kingdom of Sab'yn and created client kingdoms for the Arche. As aggression built in Persia, the armies of the Arche withdrew and left their new allies to defend themselves. At first, the task was simple because the armies of Sab'yn had been destroyed after facing the Arche in open battle. After several years, the Kingdom of Sab'yn recovered and sought to reclaim her lost territory.

The first attack from the Saba came the very same year at the Battle of Sousa (138BC) that Alypios Antigonos III fought in Elymais. The Kingdom of Ubar had been liberated from the Kingdom of Sab'yn but left to govern itself. Only a few dozen Makedones remained behind to advise the new king. King Argeos had managed to build himself an army but his lands were poor and vulnerable to attack. Without a wall to hide behind, he was forced to confront the Saba armies when they came.

https://img26.imageshack.us/img26/3811/maa4483.png

Just outside the city, the two armies met. The Saba soldiers chose to run forward and all clash with the Ubar line all at once.

https://img29.imageshack.us/img29/795/maa4484.png

The fighting was fierce but not very complex. The two armies simply pushed against each other and tried to cut down the other side. The Saba attackers tried to break through the Ubar line with the defenders simply bought time for their king.

https://img30.imageshack.us/img30/6456/maa4486.png

The battle was finally decided when the king of Ubar surprised the Saba with a cavalry attack from behind. With his overwhelming force of mounted soldiers, he charged his enemy and scattered them into the desert.

https://img40.imageshack.us/img40/3048/maa4489.png

Only the Saba elite chose to hold their ground and fight the cavalry. Though they and their general fell, the Saba cost the Kingdom of Ubar a great toll in horses and men that day.

https://img30.imageshack.us/img30/7266/maa4491.png

The King of Ubar lost more than half his men in the battle but held his kingdom.

https://img200.imageshack.us/img200/5678/maa4500.jpg

King Argeos of Ubar sent word to the Arche Makedonia for assistance but none would come. The Makedones were too busy with their own war and were only able to send a small amount of silver to aid the Kingdom of Ubar. King Argeos was angry but could do nothing about it. He simply waited and tried to rebuild his army.

Two years later, the armies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn came again to the city of Ubar. This time, Argeos was completely outnumbered and couldn't hold the field. His men tried to form a line but feared being surrounded and broke soon after the battle was joined.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1347/maa4588.png

The battle moved into the city of Ubar itself. There, King Argeos tried to rally his people in defense of the city but was cut down by a Saba soldier. He died on the battlefield as a hero, but his death meant the fall of Ubar.

https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6194/maa4591.jpg

The Saba soldiers stormed the city and fought the last survivors of the Ubar army near the market that had been built by the Makedones.

https://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9724/maa4593.png

The city fell and the Kingdom of Ubar was reabsorbed into the Kingdom of Sab'yn. The Saba army chose to be kind and did not punish the people of Ubar. They would not always be this fair.

A few more years passed and the war against the Persians continued for the Makedones. After a great battle outside their capital (See Chapter 110 : The Battle of Persepolis (134BC), Alypios Antigonos III captured the city of Persepolis and forced the Persians to consider negotiations for peace.

https://img20.imageshack.us/img20/5854/maa4668.png

While the army of Antigonos camped within the walls of Persepolis, the people of the Kingdom of Carna cowered behind theirs. The Kingdom of Sab'yn had managed to consolidate power in Ubar and moved her armies to the west. Though there were several small kingdoms along the west coast of Arabia, only the Kingdom of Carna had an army that could resist the Saba. If they fell, there was nothing stopping the Saba from marching all the way to Makedonian Syria.

https://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4227/maa4671.png

Unlike Ubar, the Kingdom of Carna was rich and had a large population. She had large walls surrounding the city and a sizable army, but the Saba came to her walls with two armies.

https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/5036/maa4673.png

When the Saba approached her large walls, the soldiers of Carna rained death down from above. Still the Saba came with ladder and siege tower. Most Saba soldiers fell before they even got to the walls and the rest fell quickly atop them, though a couple groups of elite Saba soldiers made the Carna soldiers pay heavily.

https://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9408/maa4676.png

Outside the walls, the king of Carna gathered his cavalry and circled around the city to face the Saba cavalry that had gathered outside his walls. With a great charge and counter-charge the two groups of horsemen raced toward each other and clashed on the parched desert soil.

https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2420/maa4678.png

The battle was explosive but short. The Saba cavalry did not stand long. After destroying the Saba cavalry, the Carna cavalry split up and chased down all the remaining Saba infantry that still stood outside the walls of Carna. All went well for the Carna cavalry until one group confronted the Saba elite swordsmen. The Saba elites cut right through the light Carna cavalry but were overwhelmed with the bulk of the Carna horsemen joined the battle.

https://img190.imageshack.us/img190/1306/maa4680.png

The king of Carna managed to defeat a force twice the size of his own but lost more than half his own army doing so, including much of his cavalry.

https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2236/maa4683.jpg

Soon after this battle, Alypios Antigonos III managed to achieve peace with the Persian Empire. The Makedones returned many conquered territories but were able to gain official control over all the lands of Mesopotamia as well as the lands of Elymais.

https://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5164/maa4697.jpg

With the Persians defeated, the Arche's Arabian allies hoped that they would soon be getting the promised help from their powerful ally to the north. However, the Arche had grown tired of warfare and few in the Arche noticed, or cared, what happened in distant Arabia. After many requests for assistance, Antigonos was finally convinced to send help to the south. In Syria an army was gathered to march south to Carna, but the Kingdom of Sab'yn was also busy rebuilding her army.

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The known world during the thirty second year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V (133BC), after the peace agreements with Persia:
https://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2848/hxmak133edit.png

Next: Chapter 131 : An Era of Peace

Roka

08-14-2009, 16:04

Captain Rab :laugh4:

I find that hilarious because Rab is a nickname for someone named Robert in Scotland, it's also a fictional fisherman that me and my friends from uni have created. Often during classes we detail his and his faithful sidekick Tam the alcoholic's misadventures.

Anyway, back on topic, nice chapter.

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-14-2009, 23:34

Good chapter. I recognize one of your images from a chapter of a distant past.:smash:

Vasiliyi

08-14-2009, 23:56

Good chapter. I recognize one of your images from a chapter of a distant past.:smash:

The one with the cavalry charging eachother? I think thats the one you were talking about.

Anyways, good chapter MAA. Although, im wondering. Are you re-writing everything that happened when you did your other narrative, right?

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-15-2009, 00:49

The one with the cavalry charging eachother? I think thats the one you were talking about.
Exactly.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-15-2009, 08:58

Thanks for following. :bow:

My favorite is when the Carthaginians get an admiral named Akbar.

Yes, I've been reviewing the time during the war in Persia that I covered during the narrative. I meant to only do two chapters but it turned into about five (though that always happens for my AAR). Sorry about the repeated information. After the war ended, I managed to avoid anything major (a war) from happening for about a decade. Also, since I've had a busy summer, I haven't played this campaign much. Those two factors together give me little content after the war's end. I'll probably have a couple chapters on random events such as births, deaths, and such, then one more chapter on Arabia and I'll have gotten through the next decade. Because of that, I was repeating some old content I had taken away from the main push of the war in Persia to buy me time.

Publio Cornelio Escipión Africano Mayor

08-21-2009, 16:46

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-22-2009, 01:02

It is a very interesting AAR Marcus, but I was wondering how do you document your campaign???

Do you use the traditional, and always popular, paper & pencil?
Do you update it in real time or do you wait a few years and document?

I hope you can answer this questions.

Cheers.
I usually just take screenshots of everything I plan on mentioning in the AAR. Then I go through my screenshots when writing, only posting about half of them to actually show and using the rest to remind me of details or what else to mention. I usually don't write the AAR until I have moved on several years (in game) and months (in reality), so a lot of what I write I write from memory about the screenshots or roleplaying / making things up to fill in the gaps.

Next update will be coming today or tomorrow, if anyone is still following.

Vasiliyi

08-22-2009, 07:41

I usually just take screenshots of everything I plan on mentioning in the AAR. Then I go through my screenshots when writing, only posting about half of them to actually show and using the rest to remind me of details or what else to mention. I usually don't write the AAR until I have moved on several years (in game) and months (in reality), so a lot of what I write I write from memory about the screenshots or roleplaying / making things up to fill in the gaps.

Next update will be coming today or tomorrow, if anyone is still following.

Ha, are you kidding? Of course people are still following. People fear following an aar that just began, because you know, most aars end shortly. Yours has over 700 comments and 35000+ views? People are still following this EPICNESS (for lack of a better word). :2thumbsup: :clown: ... now get to work. :whip:

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-22-2009, 11:23

Chapter 131 : An Era of Peace

As the First Persian War came to a close, Basileus Philippos V was approaching seventy years in age. Though he had neither lead men into battle for many years nor fought in the war, the war in the east had put a great stress on him. While his son waged a war against Persian soldiers on a battlefield, Basileus Philippos waged war against the nobles of the Ruling Council. Although supreme power still remained in the hands of the Basileus, Philippos did not wish to risk directly countering the commands of the Ruling Council. Instead, Basileus Philippos did what he was good at and manipulated the council from the shadows. Through his actions, the war continued to receive the needed funds. Even as the war raged, Philippos managed to finish rebuilding the Arche. For the first time since before the Makedonia Civil War, the Arche was peaceful and rich. The people of the Arche loved their Basileus, even if they didn't know exactly how he accomplished what he did.

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3062/maa4698.jpg

Though he was old and occupied with the matters of ruling a massive empire, Basileus Philippos V continued to expand his skills. In his spare time, he preferred to read about military tactics and speak with his generals. Although there was a good chance he would never again lead an army into battle, he continued to better his skills as a general.

https://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2770/maa4605.jpg

As he awaited his son's returned from the war, he managed the Arche. Both victory and tragety were put before him and he had to deal with it all. Soon after the end of the First Persian War, Basileus Philippos learned of the death of the great Galatian general Protogenes Datos.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/964/maa4606.jpg

It had been Protogenes who had lead the Galatian kings soldiers into battle during the Makedonian Civil War. General Protogenes had expanded the domain of the Galatians in Anatolia (though Philippos had taken the newly gained territories away during his provincial reforms), and lead his battle hardened soldiers to victory in many battles against the Demetrids. The war may have not turned the way it had if the Galatians had not chosen to side with Pyrrhos II. Even decades later, the site of Protogenes' greatest battle was still remembered and celebrated. Travelers who passed looked at the field where thousands had died and ensured the fall of Demetreia to Philippos during the war.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1553/maa4686.png

Another tragedy was news of a widespread plague in the city of Korinthos. All of Hellas began to panic but the Council's order to isolate the city kept the plague from spreading beyond her walls. Thousands died.

https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2115/maa4621.png

In happier news, the great Gymnasion in Athenai was completed. In the new capital, this rebuilt Gymnasion Akademaikon was unique in the Arche, specially designed for both exercise and learning. This was but one of the great building projects of the era.

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/4509/maa4637.png

With the war against the Persians ended, the Arche began to overflow with funds. For the first time since the rule of Basileus Aristotelis, the Arche brought in more money then she could spend.

https://img43.imageshack.us/img43/236/maa4688.jpg

For the second time in his rule, Basileus Philippos V lowered taxes across the Arche. Yet, still the treasury overflowed. To spend some of the money, Philippos commissioned another series of building projects, including port expansions, new academies, and an Romaioi styled road that would connect Demetreia in Syria to the old Persian Royal Road in Assyria.

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On the opposite side of the Arche from Assyria, in the lands of Iberia, there was a growing problem. When Philippos had first invaded southern Iberia as a youth, the Iberians had fled before him. This left many lands and field free to settle. A great influx of Hellenes, Makedones, and other citizens traveled to Iberia and set up farms and settlements. They settled in many areas of southern Iberia but did not cross into the lands of the Lusotanni and Arevaci.

When the Lusotanni and Arevaci tribes were defeated by Philippos, many of the refugees from southern Iberia had nowhere left to run to and chose to returned to their land. When they arrived, they found their lands occupied by Hellenes. The refugees were forced to settle in the cities, which were growing ever more Hellenistic. As time passed, more Hellenes arrived to the lands of Iberia. Many Iberians who regained their land or had not fled at all were force off their lands in favor of Hellenistic settlers.

Although it seemed clear that the tension came form the settlers, the true tension was actually generated from amongst the Iberians. The tension grew from the disagreements between two groups who had begun to form. First were those Iberians who embraced Hellenistic culture and moved into the cities, generally the youth. Then there were those who still held onto their own culture. They saw the Hellenes as an enemy and the Hellenized Iberians a traitors.

https://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7600/maa4581.png

Tensions only grew in Iberia when two Makedonian governors mysteriously died at the same time. At first the Iberians were blamed and the army began looking for local assassins. As time passed it began to looked less like murder and more like random chance and bad luck. The settlers were outraged at the mere thought of Iberian assassins, and the Iberians were outraged when the Hellenes blamed them for something they did not do.

https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7454/maa4635.jpg

Adding to the troubles in Iberia were the Lusotanni and Arevaci tribes themselves. For more than forty years, these and other tribes in central and western Iberia had been occupied by the armies of Makedonia. Even after the reforms of Basileus Philippos V and the creation of "Provinces", these more hostile lands of Iberia continued to be ruled by generals, through the blades of their soldiers. Especially amongst the Lusotanni, a wave was building up again and all it needed was the right occasion to break across all of Iberia.

Amongst the Arevaci, there was less tension with the Arche directly. Some even began to embrace Hellenistic culture of their own will. Some wished to be given the rights of a Satrapy, to be ruled locally by themselves but still loyal to the Arche. In the city of Numantia, a Hellenistic temple was built and co-dedicated to Dionysos. Some welcomed this huge sign of Hellenistic culture, but this temple alone nearly tore the city apart.

https://img37.imageshack.us/img37/2897/maa4702.jpg

In financial news, the already profitable region of Kantabria completed an expansion of a complex of old Iberian mines. Through trade with the Tin Isles and now with her mines, the region added greatly to the income of the Arche. Because of this, it was heavily occupied and governed by the military.

https://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2499/maa4715.jpg

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An earthquake shook Epeiros a year after the end of the First Persian War, killing thousands...

https://img31.imageshack.us/img31/470/maa4684.png

...but most people feared the spreading plague. Another or perhaps the same plague that was hitting Korinthos hit a couple cities in Africa. Because of the overpopulation of the region, tens of thousands became ill and thousands died. Even a Makedonian governor fell sick.

https://img24.imageshack.us/img24/7277/maa4687.png

More trouble came when rioting broke out in the isolated village of Ammonion that year. The cause was unknown, but many believe it was due to the oracle there. Even after the rioting was stopped by soldiers from Kyrenaia, the people remained discontent. The troops was forced to remained in the city and permanently garrison the small outpost.

https://img43.imageshack.us/img43/5104/maa4692.jpg

A tragedy hit the royal family as Basileus Philippos waited for his son to return from the east. In the old capital of Pella, Makedonia, Euphrantos died quietly after a short bout of illness.

https://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7097/maa4714.jpg

Euphrantos was the younger brother of the Basileus and had governed Pella since the capital had been moved to Athenai. Though he had been a lover of the shadier aspects of life and never competent at any given task, he had remained loyal to his father and his brother throughout his life. He left behind a wife, two daughters, and a son who was no more than ten years in age. With the death of Euphrantos, only Basileus Philippos and his brother Laandros survived of the sons of Pyrrhos II. Six males now remained in the royal family and three where children.

A plague broke out in Syria, hitting the Klerouchoi city of Bostra the hardest. It was uncertain if this was the same plague that had hit Hellas and Africa, but many believed another massive plague was going to hit the Arche once more. Plagues had catastrophically hit the Arche before. In the last great plague, tens of thousands died in Hellas and Basileus Neokles had died, triggering the Makedonian Civil War.

https://img34.imageshack.us/img34/9632/maa4719.png

The peaceful years continued and so did the massive building projects. In Syrakousai, the main trading port between Hellas and the west, an enormous expansion of the port itself was completed. The project had taken many years and cost a great deal. Many said it was not worth the effort, but Syrakousai was proud of their effort and their new port.

https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/9311/maa4717.jpg

In the lands of Assyria, Euktimenos of the Demetrids and his son continued to claim to be loyal to Basileus Philippos V and his dynasty. Euktimenos was growing old like Philippos, and like Philippos he continued to study the ways of war. No matter what he said, as long as Euktimenos lived, the people of the Arche feared another civil war.

https://img7.imageshack.us/img7/570/maa4729.jpg

Good news for the Demetrid Dynasty came in the thirty fifth year of the reign of Philippos, when Euktimenos' son Synlekteinos married. Although it was a joyous day for their family, many feared the thought of the Demetrid line continuing or growing stronger.

https://img22.imageshack.us/img22/8826/maa4725.jpg

Euktimenos had always been weak, even when he held the title of Basileus in Demetreia. His lands then had been ruled by his mother and his advisers. Now in this old age, he truly had no plans to begin another civil war. He simply wished to prove himself in the First Persian War and then live peacefully until the end of his days. His son Synlekteinos was another matter. He had been raised on stories of the greatness of his ancestors and truly believed his right to rule had been striped from him before he was even born. If he ever built support, he could be a problem for the Arche, but so far his father had kept him from doing something disastrous.

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The known world during the thirty sixth year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V (129BC):
https://img35.imageshack.us/img35/748/hxmak129edit.png

Next: Chapter 132 : Out of Arabia

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-22-2009, 20:39

Great chapter, MAA! :2thumbsup: Where do all these earthquakes and plagues come from? In 115 years I cannot remember more than one plague in my campaign.

Ha, are you kidding? Of course people are still following. People fear following an aar that just began, because you know, most aars end shortly. Yours has over 700 comments and 35000+ views? People are still following this EPICNESS (for lack of a better word). :2thumbsup: :clown: ... now get to work. :whip:
QFT. The Anabaseis ain't dead by the way. :beam:

Vasiliyi

08-23-2009, 05:28

Great chapter, MAA! :2thumbsup: Where do all these earthquakes and plagues come from? In 115 years I cannot remember more than one plague in my campaign.

QFT. The Anabaseis ain't dead by the way. :beam:

What is QFT?

Apraxiteles

08-23-2009, 05:45

Quote For Truth, I think.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-23-2009, 07:12

Where do all these earthquakes and plagues come from? In 115 years I cannot remember more than one plague in my campaign.
Up until the release of v1.0 the disasters were working fine. My disasters work just like Teleklos programmed them to (on this pre-v1.0 version of EB that my campaign is played on). I have no idea why people have been having problems with the disasters. Maybe some tiny change was made in some file on accident before the release and nobody has been able to find it.

The Anabaseis ain't dead by the way. :beam:
That's good to hear. :beam:

What is QFT?
I always thought it was "Quite F-ing True", but Apraxiteles is probably right. Same basic meaning, though.

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-23-2009, 18:38

Up until the release of v1.0 the disasters were working fine. My disasters work just like Teleklos programmed them to (on this pre-v1.0 version of EB that my campaign is played on). I have no idea why people have been having problems with the disasters. Maybe some tiny change was made in some file on accident before the release and nobody has been able to find it.
If it's in a single or two files and savegame-compatible, perhaps you might want to share your disaster file with us? (Or at least with me)

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-24-2009, 06:44

If it's in a single or two files and savegame-compatible, perhaps you might want to share your disaster file with us? (Or at least with me)
Since I'm pretty sure that Teleklos went over the main files when the error was first reported, I would think they are working fine and the error would be in some minor file. Although, I've never modded disasters and I'm not entirely sure what all the files that are associated with disasters are. I wouldn't even know all the files to copy and post.

keiskander

08-25-2009, 08:18

This AAR is great and inspired me alot to write my own one. Fun to see what happens when the king dies if peace will last or civil war will break out. :beam:

paullus

08-29-2009, 14:45

wow. had no idea this was still going on. i've got reading for all day!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-30-2009, 00:46

Good luck writing, keiskander.

wow. had no idea this was still going on. i've got reading for all day!
Yep, been going for nearly two years now. A nice little alternate history I've got going. Thanks for following... to everyone.

I haven't even started on the next chapter. I've been using the time I usually write to write a story, but I still plan to continue. I haven't played a whole lot for the last few months, either. I have about two more chapters left to write before I catch up to where I'm playing. You might have noticed that the last chapter covered four years of the campaign. Without any wars, the game doesn't have much to write about but still takes about as long to play. I get several more years along before I'm caught up, though...

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

08-31-2009, 20:05

Chapter 132 : Out of Arabia

Although the latter years of Basileus Philippos V's rule were dominated by peace, there was still conflict in the world and wars still raged outside and along the edge of his Arche. Though unorganized, the Numidians and Mauretanians still raided the Arche's coastal cities in Africa. The Iberians, too, continued to threaten the Arche's borders with raids and ambushes, but they could never be found when pursued. In Gallia, the tide of warfare had shifted for the first time in decades, and the war amongst the tribes threatened to overflow into territories held by the Arche. The Median borders with the Persian Empire remained suspiciously quiet. It was in Arabia that troubles brewed. There, a true war waged between the Arche's allies and the Arche's enemies.

For more than a decade, the city of Carna had requested aid from her Hellenic allies but had received very little. Several times the city and her king had fended off invading armies and withstood sieges. There had been great challenges for the city during the Arche's war with the Persians, but for several years the Kingdom of Sab'yn had left Carna alone. For only a couple years the city saw peace, and once again the Saba returned to besiege the city.

Because of the desert heat, the armies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn had always tried to take the city by force before the summer began. This siege was no different from those that came before. As the summer approached, they attacked the city walls with their siege equipment.

https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8205/maa4704.png

Though his army had been cut in half by previous battles, the King of Carna rallied his men and prepared them for whatever came. When the Sabaean soldiers began moving their siege equipment for the walls, the soldiers of Carna threw everything they had down at them. From their place atop the walls, they were able to cause heavy damage to the enemy siege equipment and to the army itself.

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/8336/maa4708.png

Only a few Sabaean ladders even made it to the walls. Only death awaited at the top for those who climbed them.

https://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1564/maa4710.png

While his soldiers defended the walls, the King of Carna personally lead what was left of his cavalry force out from the city to engage the Sabaean cavalry. Like he had before, the king lead his cavalry to a victory just outside the walls of his city.

https://img42.imageshack.us/img42/2081/maa4711a.png

Barely loosing any men, the King of Carna once again was able to defend his city and wipe out an army of the Kingdom of Sab'yn.

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6481/maa4713.jpg

The city of Carna celebrated their victory, but even greater news came soon after. After years of preparation, an army of Syrians from the Arche had begun their march southward. Almost half the army had been equipped to fight as Thorakitai directly by Arche funds, but most of the soldier were of generally low quality. This did not matter greatly, for the Kingdom of Sab'yn had not been able to field a well trained army since the days of the Makedonian Civil War.

As summer came to the deserts of Arabia, the Syrian army came to a halt. Not wishing to risk marching in the heat of the summer sun, the army stopped at a small town that was allied to the Arche. Known mostly for an odd rock, the city was of little importance strategically but did have some importance in trade. The city hesitantly became the home of the army of foreigners for the summer.

https://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4313/maa4723.png

The summer came and went but the soldiers of the Kingdom of Sab'yn just kept coming. Leaving nothing to chance, the Saba sent three armies to take the city of Carna. With the Syrian army still in their camp far to the north, the army of Carna had to fight alone when the attack came once more.

https://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4459/maa4738.png

The Sabaeans took heavy casualties when they came at the walls, but they had the numbers to withstand the losses. Still they were able to storm the walls. The soldiers of Carna fought with all they had, but they could not hold out against the overwhelming force that was coming over the walls on ladder and tower.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/4682/maa4742.png

After several hours of fighting, the soldiers of Carna were forced to give up the walls and the Sabaeans took the city gate. With the gates opened, the Sabaean cavalry charged forward and into the city.

https://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6193/maa4743.png

There was little resistance for the cavalry, but a handful of spearmen tried to hold back the swarm of horses that poured into their city. Although, as more and more horsemen joined the battle, the spearmen's effort proved futile. Most fell dead and the rest retreated back to their homes, giving up the fight.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/9871/maa4745.png

The Sabaean cavalry then charged into the city, believing that it was theirs. When they came upon the city palace, they found themselves to be mistaken. Rallying all the men he had left, the King of Carna managed to ambush the Sabaean cavalry and cut them down.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/5974/maa4748.png

Soon, almost all the Sabaean horses lay dead but the enemy infantry marched down from the conquered walls and through the opened gates. Into the city they marched and down her streets. From all sides they marched against the King of Carna and the few men that still stood with him.

https://img42.imageshack.us/img42/579/maa4750.png

The soldiers of Carna who still stood after the battle they had fought against the Sabaean cavalry tried to stop the Sabaean soldiers in the narrow streets but did not have the numbers needed to hold their enemy back. When they panicked and started to run, the King of Carna finally surrendered his city.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6130/maa4752.png

Failed attempts to take the city of Carna had cost the Kingdom of Sab'yn many armies. Even success had cost them greatly. With their army almost entirely wiped out, the had finally won.

https://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6246/maa4753.jpg

Although he had surrendered, the King of Carna was executed. In the days that followed, a large portion of the peoples of the city were slaughtered and many more were rounded up and sold into slavery. The Saba treated the people of Carna so poorly that even those people in the Arche, who had not cared of the events in Arabia, were outraged.

https://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1060/maa4754.jpg

Without a city to rescue and lacking the resources or will to retake it, the Syrian army remained where they were and began to barricade the city. The Kingdom of Sab'yn conquered many minor kingdoms along the coast but waited to attack the garrisoned city in the north. They knew that these soldiers were from the Arche and not simply allied to her. Attacking that city may have begun a war with the Arche, one the Arche was willing to fight, a war that the Kingdom of Sab'yn could not win.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The known world during the spring of the thirty seventh year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V (128BC):
https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/527/hxmak128edit.png

Next: Chapter 133 : A Generation's Passing

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

08-31-2009, 21:55

Carna is always a slaughterhouse. Who are these archers you have there in Carna?

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

09-01-2009, 06:42

Theses guys?
https://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/units/saba/saba_sabean_archers.gif
Those archers are "Sabaean Archers". In my pre-release version, there was nothing available for recruitment in Arabia, so I had to manually mod all of the Arabian units in. The archers may not have been modded in for foreign factions in the official release version of EB.

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

09-02-2009, 00:41

Yes, I saw them in my 1.1 build yesterday too. I just could not remember them because they are so seldom! They always use slingers, and a few Arabian archers in between.

the man with no name

09-09-2009, 22:05

I've read from the "Down from africa" part to here and really like it. I also read the beggining up until the chapter: "Death of a Basileus." I look forward to readingm btween the 2 parts. Good luck and keep it coming.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

09-18-2009, 00:22

I've finally started writing the next chapter of this AAR. It should be done in a few days.

A while back I mentioned some maps I had made for this AAR and I thought I'd post a few since they are now accurate for the time frame.

First is the divisions of the Arche:
https://img9.imageshack.us/img9/3487/provinces128.png
White are regions controlled by directly by the Basileus and Council (Type1 Government)
Red are Provinces controlled by representatives of the Basileus (Type2 Government)
Yellow are Satrapies (Type3 Government)
Orange are military controlled (Type 3 Government)
Green are Client Kingdoms and Allies (Type4 Government)

Then there is this one that shows the expansion of the Arche by rulers:
https://img10.imageshack.us/img10/204/expansion128.png
(Only territories that were held are shown.)
Black is territory held at the start of the game.
Red is the expansion of Antigonos II.
Orange is the expansion of the shared rule of Alkyoneus and Demetrios II.
Yellow is the expansion under Demetrios II after the death of his brother.
Green is the expansion under Aristotelis.
Light Blue is the expansion under Neokles. (there was more expansion eastward but that territory was lost during the Makedonian Civil War.)
Dark Blue is the expansion under Pyrrhos II. (other than the Civil War gains, there was only Philippos' conquest of Iberia.)
Violet is the expansion under Philippos V.

Then there is this map that is unrelated to the AAR or to RTW:
https://img10.imageshack.us/img10/1238/europe1701.png
After playing ETW, there were many things that I didn't like. Especially the map, I mean how could you not have Wallachia in the map of Europe? I decided just for fun to make a map of how I would have divided Europe during the time frame (1701+). After 22 versions, I made this map. I'm not entirely happy with the Balkans and Russia wasn't researched greatly. Corrections and suggestions are welcome.

Dutchhoplite

09-18-2009, 19:28

What's the difference between the two different Type 3 governments??

Scipio Germanicus

09-19-2009, 02:31

Great story! Easily one of the best, if not the best, on here.

What's the difference between the two different Type 3 governments??

If memory serves, there isn't any difference gameplay-wise. They are only different for the purposes of the story. Of course, if I'm wrong someone correct me.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

09-19-2009, 08:01

Thanks, Scipio Germanicus.

What's the difference between the two different Type 3 governments??
It is just a roleplay difference. In military controlled regions, I keep a large army and a general in the region, while in Satrapy regions I only have a few regional units and try to keep family members out of the town to represent local rule. Of course there are exceptions. I also won't often build any culture buildings in military controlled regions.

Lysimachos

09-19-2009, 09:32

It's really a blessing you haven't run into a gamebreaking crash yet. It's always those campaigns that made the most work :no:
There's nothing that can compare with the epic-ness of this AAR. I'd really like to know how many screenshots you already used :laugh4:

the man with no name

09-19-2009, 17:57

It's really a blessing you haven't run into a gamebreaking crash yet. It's always those campaigns that made the most work :no:

You jinxed him.:clown:

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

09-19-2009, 20:12

These are great maps!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

09-23-2009, 07:25

Chapter 133 : A Generation's Passing

The last years of the reign of Basileus Philippos V were years of peace for the Arche of the Hellenes. Before the Makedonian Civil War, the Arche had been expansionistic, militaristic, and constantly competing with other powers for dominance of the Mesogeios Sea and Mesopotamia. The Civil War changed all of that. Other than small annexations of regions for trade and stability, the only expansionistic exploits of the Arche following the Civil War was the failed conquest of Arabia. Without any aggressive wars and having achieved dominance in her defensive wars, the Arche was graced with an era of peace and prosperity.

Even the Persian War had not been a war of expansion. After reclaiming lost territories, the Arche halted the march eastward. Having 'reclaimed' Elymais, the border with the Persian Empire was fortified and heavily defended. Even the armies that garrisoned those regions were defensive in nature, Alypios Antigonos III having taken his two armies with him when he returned to Hellas.

https://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9128/maa4732.png

During these years of peace, the Persian Empire remained quiet on the Arche's borders. They did, however, continued their own expansion elsewhere. In the northern and eastern steppes, the long lost sons of the nomads, who had invaded the Arche Seleukeia and formed half of the new Persian Empire, returned to the steppes to conquer their brothers. West of the Indus River, the armies of Persia burned the lands and terrorized the citizens of the the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom. Elsewhere, the Seleukids were under constant threat of attacked and besieging in the tiny enclave of power that was left to them.

https://img16.imageshack.us/img16/171/maa4730.png

Other than the western branch of the royal family, from which the Pyrrhic Dynasty came, there were two smaller branches of the family that still existed. Both of these branches were descendants of sons of Antigonos II Gonatas and had closer ties to the old Antigonid Dynasty.

In Assyria, even the remnants of the Demetrids were quiet. As long as the meek Euktimenos lived, he prevented his son Synlekteinos from taking any foolish action against the Pyrrhic Dynasty. Few feared betrayal from Euktimenos, but there was a concern of what would happen if he were to die and his son were to gain fame.

In Bosphoria and Skythia the descendants of Euboulides son of Antigonos II lived quietly as well. After giving up claim to the throne during the Civil War and joining the side of Pyrrhos II, the family had remained quiet. Herodes had fought in the Civil War and then retired to Bosphoria. His only noteworthy deed after then was the conquest of the Hellenic city of Tanais. His brother Anaxagoras had spent his life studying in Hellas and then governing Bosphoria. He conquered the city of Olbia, while his brother still fought in the Civil War. Even as he aged, Anaxagoras continued to study, though saw little chance of using his knowledge for anything other than governing:

https://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4933/maa4755.jpg

During this era of peace, Herodes died while on patrol for rebels. Having taken ill in the countryside, he died before he could return to Tanais. This left Anaxagoras as the last surviving member of his family and only surviving direct male descendant of Basileus Antigonos II Gonatas.

https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/7573/maa4792.jpg

Herodes' passing also meant that the Basileus himself was the only surviving man who had lead troops into battle during the Makedonian Civil War. The events of the Civil War had changed the lives of all it touched, but now it was finally beginning to fade into the past, only by the deaths of all those involved. Only Basileus Philippos V and Euktimenos of the Demetrids still lived that tied people to those events. Soon only one would remain.

The known world during the thirty seventh year of the reign of Basileus Philippos V (128BC):
https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/527/hxmak128edit.png

Next: Chapter 134 : A New Basileus

Centurio Nixalsverdrus

09-23-2009, 15:22

Love it. :2thumbsup:

Horatius Flaccus

09-23-2009, 15:36

Excellent, again!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

09-24-2009, 07:01

Thanks for following. I have another chapter ready for tomorrow.

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

09-24-2009, 20:09

Chapter 134 : A New Basileus

Another year of peace passed, but not even the gods could prevent Basileus Philippos V from joined his brothers and comrades who had passed on. As his father had, Philippos died quietly in his sleep at the capital.

https://img198.imageshack.us/img198/2822/maa4772.png

Basileus Philippos V had ruled for thirty seven years (only one year short of Basileus Megas Demetrios II's long rule), and in his years he had taken a shattered and war-torn Arche and reforged it into a powerful Empire. His father Pyrrhos II had been the beloved victor of the early Makedonian Civil War, but it was Philippos who had ended the war. He had expanded the domains of the Hellenes and brought prosperity back for the first time since the beginning of mad Aristotelis' rule. He had reformed the Arche and her armies. He brought democracy into the Arche while at the same time strengthening the position of the Basileus. Although his father was the man loved by the masses, Philippos would go down as one of the most accopmlished Basileau in the history of the Arche Makedonia.

A great funerary feast was given in Athenai and many speeches were given about him and in his honor. After debate, it was decided that Basileus Philippos V would be laid to rest with his ancestors in Aigai. After many days of feasting and mourning, the old Basileus was finally layed to rest and passed into the pages of history.

At the age of forty five, the only son of Philippos, Alypios, became Basileus Antigonos III. Antigonos was a great general and was loved by his soldiers and by the masses. He even had the charisma to influence those around him. He didn't, however, have any skill with management tasks. With his father gone, the task of managing the entire Arche now fell to him and his ineptitude.

https://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9751/maa4776.png

The first order given by the new Basileus was to send an army recruited in the west to Demetreia, in Syria. With the death of Philippos, it was feared that the Demetrids would once again make a grab for power. It may have been the new army in Demetriea or may have just been the attitude of Euktimenos, but no uprising came at that time.

The task of managing the entire Arche was a task that would overwhelm Basileus Antigonos III. However, he did not even get the time to make a mistake of his own before everything started to fall apart. As though the gods had been holding back troubles for Philippos, he had an era of peace. When he died, all those troubles were finally unleashed and fell upon Antigonos.

At the same time as the death of Basileus Philippos V, the head of the Romaioi state died:

https://img29.imageshack.us/img29/2870/maa4774.jpg

The council that ruled Roma had elected this man to rule in their stead, reelecting him every few years to the task and allowing him to act as a king would. This had worked out well for Roma's Hellenic protectors, for this man was a friend to Hellas and the Pyrrhic Dynasty. With his death, the Romaioi council once again ruled their city and the territories of central Italia. Though the Romaioi council had been friends of Phyrrhos II, it was unsure how they would react to his grandson, Basileus Antigonos III.

Then came the news of an attack on the city of Hippone. For nearly twenty years, since the Mauretanian campaign of Basileus Philippos V, the Numidians and Mauretanians had been quiet, defeated. Although it was unrelated to the death of Philippos, they seemed to unleashed an attack only after his death.

https://img9.imageshack.us/img9/8492/maa4761.png

The city had one of the largest native garrisons in all of the Arche and was able to handle the attack on its own. The Numidians employed desert dwelling mercenaries to try to take the walls, but the state equiped local Thorakitai were able to hold them on those walls.

https://img15.imageshack.us/img15/3935/maa4765.png

Though the city took great damage and many towers reached the walls, the large garrison was able to defeat their attackers. As the battles still waged atop the walls, the governor of Hippone rallied his cavalry and charged out of the city to confront the Numidian general.

https://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9830/maa4767.png

The cavalry of Hippone killed the Numidian general while the infantry of Hippone held the walls. Very few soldiers of Numidia survived the battle, but they managed to damage the wall and kill more than a thousand of the city's defenders.

https://img11.imageshack.us/img11/8224/maa4771.jpg

Word reached Athenai and the new Basileus that Hippone had repelled her attackers but soon news came of another invasion. Unexpected and moving quickly, the Kingdom of Sab'yn had marched two armies across the deserts of eastern Arabia and attacked the Arche's allies in Maka.

https://img196.imageshack.us/img196/6029/maa4779.png

Though the cities of southern and western Arabia were of little value to the Arche, the cities and ports of eastern Arabia were necessary for her trade to India. Basileus Antigonos III could not let these regions fall but it was too late to send any reinforcements. The local peoples would have to defend themselves from the Saba armies.

The armies of Sab'yn attacked the city from two sides, bringing up siege equipment on both the side facing the sea and the side facing the land. The defenders were prepared and had a large contingent of slingers. With the slingers positioned them atop the walls, they began to rain down death on the slow moving enemies as they approached the walls with their siege equipment.

https://img34.imageshack.us/img34/9185/maa4781.png

As the Saba soldiers approached the walls, slinger stones were joined by thrown spear, raining down on them. The armies of Saba took heavy losses before they even managed to get atop the walls, but they did manage to get atop those walls.

https://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1902/maa4784.png

With ladders and towers attacking all points around the city, the city defenders were spread thin when the Saba soldiers managed to get atop the walls. All around the city, defenders tried to push back the attackers and back over the walls.

https://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3185/maa4786.png

After hours of fighting, all of the Saba soldiers atop the walls were killed or routed. The ladders were pushed down and the siege towers were destroyed. With defeat before them, the horsemen of Saba turned and retreated back across the desert.

https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/91/maa4791.png

In both Hippone and Maka, the defenders had managed to push back the enemies of the Arche. However, in both regions new enemy armies were being gathered to renew the attack on another day. There had been no peace in these regions even during the time of Philippos V, but now things had grown worse. The Arche's enemies were beginning to move.

As winter came, new troubles brewed for the Arche and her new Basileus. In Gallia, the war that had been going, off and on, for more than a century looked as though it was coming close to an end. For years, there had been a balance of power in the region, ever since the defeat of the Romaioi. However, disagreements between the Arverni and the Sequallia had grow so bad that the Sequallia had abandoned the Arverni and joined their enemy. With the balance of power shifted, the Aedui Confederacy began to attack the Arverni and her remaining allies. The Aedui threatened to defeat the Arverni, an ally of the Arche, and perhaps one day threaten nearby Hellenic cities such as Massalia.

https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6016/maa4778.png

That same winter, there were reports of gathering Persian armies along the eastern border of the Arche. Basileus Antigonos III knew that the Persian Empire could not be trusted, and as soon as they had rebuilt their economy and military they would attack the Arche yet again. He had expected betrayal to come sooner, but he knew that it would come.

https://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4186/maa4793.png

When spring came, two huge armies from the Kingdom of Sab'yn moved against a different front of the Arche. They marched north, across the deserts, and attack the army of the Arche that was garrisoned at Macoraba. This was the last outpost that stood between Arabia and Syria. Were it to fall, the Kingdom of Sab'yn would be able to attack at the heart of the Arche.

https://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2084/maa4794.png

The troubles just seemed to pile up for the new Basileus. He tried to handle them, but the more troubles that came, the more he sought to avoid the tasks of managing the Arche. Quickly, the council of nobles in Athenai took up the tasks that Philippos had done and Antigonos now avoided. Lacking a strong hand in management, the power of the council grew at the cost of the new Basileus.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The known world during the second year of the reign of Basileus Antigonos III (127BC):
https://img9.imageshack.us/img9/364/hxmak1272edit.png

Next: Chapter 135