Zalmoxis's Lightning: a Getae AAR (Completed)

[Hooahguy]

Author's note: This is my second AAR with the Getae (or Getai, if you followed my Europa Barbarorum AAR almost six years ago). Since Im basically unemployed for the next month with not much to do, I should have plenty of time to work on this AAR and I hope it will be as good as my Suebi AAR! Enjoy!


Introduction



My name is Tarbus, and I hate the Greeks. They came into my village a moon ago, a band of Greek raiders. We tried to hold them off, but their numbers were too many for our tiny village, and we were soon overwhelmed. But we stood and fought, defending our homes from these heathens who call themselves men. I stood at the entrance to my home, protecting my wife and two sons. I killed two Greek whores before one of them stabbed me with a spear. I fell, and I watched my sons murdered in front of my eyes and my wife dragged away into slavery. I fell into darkness, awaking to the sight of my friends, the twins Varga and Charnabon, tending to my wounds. Varga told me that most of the village was murdered or carried off into slavery. They managed to fight off a few of the Greeks and hide in their cellar until the raiders left. They were a cunning pair, but now all three of us were utterly lost.


So we picked up whatever what was left of our lives and joined the warband of our tribe’s war cheif, Dadas.


https://i.imgur.com/5oHuWYA.png


We headed to the capital, Malva, where Dadas was assembling an army. We signed up as humble spearmen, the arrow fodder for our great tribe.


https://i.imgur.com/6ZRF2ni.jpg


That is me in the middle, looking all regal. And that’s Varga and Charnabon beside me.


We do not know where we are headed; we do not know what will become of us, but as long as I can kill some Greeks I will be happy. And should I die in battle, I am sure that I will join Zalmoxis in the afterlife, and until then, he will help me bring pain upon those who have caused me, my village, and my tribe so much suffering.


https://i.imgur.com/6JYWSNq.jpg







Mods used:

ChapLoo's Gold Unit Compilation, 4TPY, Rome 1 music mod, Radious Total War mod (encompasses all his R2 mods), Splenyi better campaign camera, and the Zoom down all the way mod for battles.

[Sp4]

Great, looking forward to this. What difficulty are you playing on?

[Hooahguy]

Hard.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter One


We had only been training for two months when Dadas marshaled the army together. We were going to war!
The problem was with whom. We weren’t heading south; we were heading north, to the Biephi tribe. We were going to take their town, Zarmizegetusa, or as we just call it, Zarmiz. We had been lacking a major fortified city for a long time, and we could not call ourselves a major power in the area if we do not have this town in our possession. Once we have this town in our possession we can start assaulting south. At least that is what my captain told us. Another war chief, Daizus, would be joining us with his hardened troops. His army had been out defending our borders for a while now so we needed his experienced troops helping us in the assault.

So we marched in the early autumn, and we somehow snuck up on the city. Our scouts reported that the main Biephi army was away from the city, so we had to plan our assault carefully to avoid having to deal with too many defenders at once.

https://i.imgur.com/v4RIkR5.jpg

A small army was on the outskirts of the town, so we gave battle. The defenders of the city rushed out to help their comrades. We were about to fight our first real battle!

https://i.imgur.com/4USQSW1.jpg

It was a dark and hazy day, as we waited uneasily for our warlord to give the order to advance.

https://i.imgur.com/u28glgL.jpg

I could see Daizus’s troops arriving to our west in good order. They had many hardened men and I was eager to fight alongside them.

https://i.imgur.com/qLOhq36.jpg

Across the field, we could see the enemy warriors standing there and milling about. They must be terrified of what is to come, and the pain that we are about to deliver upon them!

https://i.imgur.com/r49caxc.jpg

Our line advanced, and as we pressed forward, they began to move towards us as well. We closed the distance. One hundred and fifty meters between us. Then one hundred. Then only fifty. Then our lines charged.

We were not at the front, our warlord decided to keep the green troops behind the more experienced ones, so the swordsmen and falxmen (warriors with long, curved blades that could easily tear through armor) were the ones to make first contact. But in the first frantic moments of the battle, our captain received word that the second that an enemy unit opens up their flank to us, we charge. And the minute we received that order, we saw our opening, and we gave a loud cheer, and ran into the fray.

https://i.imgur.com/Qy5EgkR.jpg

It was hell. I never expected large-scale fighting to be this frantic. I have fought enemies before, but it was always on a much smaller scale, maybe a dozen against a dozen. But this, this was thousands! I was near the front so I was confronted with the enemy very quickly. His back was turned, so I thrust my spear into him. I saw the crimson of his blood spill out as I yanked my spear out of him. He twisted around as he collapsed, his eyes empty of any emotion but one of pain. He writhed on the ground for a second, then he was still, his face in the dirt as blood seeped out of his wound. My first kill in my career as a soldier. I didn’t have time to ponder this, there were enemies all around who meant to kill me, so I had to keep moving and stay alive. We pressed against the flanks hard, but then we heard a rumble from our right.

“Enemy cavalry!”

We spun in that direction, and we saw a group of shock cavalry bearing down on us. We hurriedly got into a counter-cavalry formation, but it wasn’t enough. The thundering charge tore through our formation. But by the grace of the Gods, our losses were less than half a dozen! I lost sight of the twins during the fierce melee, but I'm sure they will be alright. The cavalry made a mistake, they did not pull back as soon as they finished the charge, and they got bogged down among us. Our spears began to dispatch the enemy riders from their mounts with ease.

https://i.imgur.com/EcetrJf.jpg

To our right flank our heavier infantry were just slaughtering the enemy troops, who were not quite as well armed, and the enemy on the right flank began to rout.

https://i.imgur.com/8WdkEtR.jpg

But the center and left flanks were not doing as well. Enemy melee cavalry had charged the center alongside heavy infantry, and they were tearing up our men, with the help of a lot of enemy skirmishers who rained spears down upon us.

https://i.imgur.com/HtKNzDT.jpg

Our unit, fresh from repelling the cavalry on the right flank, was told to charge the skirmishers as they were harassing our men. They ran, but we eventually caught and slaughtered them, although we were quite exhausted after we caught them. Those skirmishers can run fast!

https://i.imgur.com/Umv7NPC.jpg

We fought hard, bled hard, and it took a long time to break the enemy. I was almost was killed twice during this battle. A spear flew right by my face, killing the man behind me, but I fought on. Another man tried to stab me with a spear, but I blocked it with my shield. I blocked it, but the force of the thrust put the point of the spear clean through the shield, centimeters away from my chest. I threw my shield aside, tearing his spear away from him and I plunged my spear into his neck, killing him. I then grabbed an unbroken shield that was unbroken from the ground and continued to fight.

https://i.imgur.com/h080fD2.jpg

Finally we broke them. Our cavalry had to chase down the fleeing enemy as us foot soldiers were simply too exhausted to pursue them ourselves.

https://i.imgur.com/FOt64o7.jpg

We had won. We stood there, bloodied and exhausted, but we had won. I found the twins. They were alive, though Varga had a deep cut on his leg and was limping.

https://i.imgur.com/KH1Kd5X.jpg

We had lost over 1,200 men. It was a tough loss, mostly for Daizus’s army who bore the brunt of the losses. We had captured over 650 enemy soldiers, who we put in prison for the time being, as we didn’t want them to flee and reinforce our enemies.

https://i.imgur.com/ST3IQ4J.png

With most of the enemy defenders dead or in prison, we set up to storm the gates of the city!

https://i.imgur.com/JzDkLn5.jpg

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Two


We couldn't feast the night after the battle since we still had work to do. We rose in the morning, gathered our weapons and armor, assembled outside our siege camp, and we began our assault. I was very nervous as siege assaults are infamous for their high casualty rates for the attackers. While we would not be the first to be sent in, I was still a bit fearful that my life will end this day. The twins were not nearly as worried. In fact, Varga was excited for this battle.

"Tarbus! Stop being so damn nervous! Just keep your shield up, spear pointing at the enemy, and you will be just fine!"

We brought four large ladders to the assault so we can attack from two sides to prevent being bogged down in one area.

https://i.imgur.com/TRxFKey.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/YG6uiAF.jpg

We advanced under fire, with enemy archers launching fire arrows at our ladders, trying to burn them before they reach the walls.

https://i.imgur.com/OPIuRaW.jpg

They only managed to burn one of the ladders, but they also inflicted heavy casualties on the unit pushing the ladder, and they had to fall back.

https://i.imgur.com/LYflyNB.jpg

But the other ladders made it to the walls, and our warriors flooded over the walls.

https://i.imgur.com/5TgKNVI.jpg

Our men captured the southern gate first, and held it while waiting for the others to join them and take the city. They didn’t have much to hold though, the enemy held back since we outnumbered them six to one.

https://i.imgur.com/3kT76vx.jpg

On the other side of the town, our men began to engage the preliminary defenders and started pushing towards the eastern gate to let the rest of the army in.

https://i.imgur.com/KACz4YG.jpg

We rushed in, making a beeline for the town center.

https://i.imgur.com/vj4FSuv.jpg

The defenders put up a stiff resistance, but we had them outnumbered far too much for them to hold us off.

https://i.imgur.com/tlKu4vi.jpg

And no matter how valiantly they fought, they fell before our swords and spears.

https://i.imgur.com/u3MYLQv.jpg

The town was ours! We had only sustained about 300 casualties, mostly due to their archers, so it was impressive that we were able to take the town with so few losses.

But there were still Biephi armies out there, so after a few days of celebration, Daizus and his army set out to take them on. Our army stayed put to defend our newly taken town.

https://i.imgur.com/BE37JcR.jpg

But instead of our forces chasing around enemy armies, we dispatched assassins to take out enemy commanders. Our assassins killed two of their commanders, whose armies dissipated into the woods and over the border, and Daizus fought a minor skirmish with their final army, which resulted in the death of the Biephi faction leader. The Biephi were destroyed, ending the war with them.

https://i.imgur.com/TCJNcgl.png

Now we could finally rest a bit as we built up our society and armies for our next conquests. But danger is always lurking. The Catiaroi, a violent tribe from the east, are right on the border, and they might lead us to war once again...

https://i.imgur.com/opkZZuD.jpg

[Myth]

Hooah, does the DLC change the map in any way? Any new settlements? Since Thrace is of great interest to me... Also, what are the top units for the Odryssian roster?

[Hooahguy]

No new settlements, but I am annoyed that I can't change the capital, as the Getae start with a minor town and i would love a walled town for my capital. As for the Odryssians, I hear their falxmen are extremely deadly, but I'll have to check into this more tomorrow.

[Sp4]

The flaxmen the Getae get aren't so great (if they're even the same). They die pretty quickly and they aren't the same as they are in R1. The Odryssian Kingdom gets some unit that isn't exactly the same but they have a somewhat bigger weapon and armour and just overall look more fancy. Those guys are really really dangerous, as in, you don't even want to leave legionaries in a melee with them =X

It's annoying how you go up against them as a Greek faction pretty early on. They'll take hoplites and phalanx infantry apart without issue.

[Hooahguy]

Yeah I've noticed how if the falxmen are left in melee for too long they start to sustain heavy casualties so they really are best for shock troops.

And historically falxmen were deadly against the Romans as the flax would just tear through Roman armor like butter.

[Sp4]

Yeah it is like some sort of battle scythe. Like a farming tool adapted for warfare or something. I am not sure if the Odryssian Kingdom gets the same kind of units. Their weapon doesn't exactly look like a falx(?). It seems more like a long, sword with a forward curve which is probably really good for breaking shields and all sorts of other stuff. I'll have to do some reading up as I have literally no idea how it works.

-E- I have done reading up and they do use a different weapon. They use a romphaia, which is kind of like a two handed forward curved sword. It apparently was not as devastating as the falx. In the game, I guess the big difference is that the Getae falxmen are essentially naked and have no shields or armour values, so they die like flies, especially to ranged weapons while the romphaia wielding guys are usually heavy infantry with shields and armour. I have not compared their attack and damage stats but I guess they can stay in a fight much longer and having shields (kind of mounted onto their left arm while wielding the romphaia with two hands) they probably have a higher melee defense too.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Three



It has been a year since we have seen battle. But what a year it has been! Word is that we are planning on an invasion of the Odrysian Kingdom to our south. There is much to be done! We had to stabilize our fledgling economy before mounting an invasion, and if possible, raise another army. There are simply too many enemies around us to risk leaving a flank open to them, at least that is what my captain said.


He had a point. The Catiaroi were annihilated by a Scythian tribe to the east, so now we are nervous of a possible invasion by the eastern riders who cut down thousands of men with their arrows without taking a single loss.


https://i.imgur.com/v9XgMfx.png


We didn’t know who would be coming over the hills, so we posted scouts by the border which should give us enough time to react. We hope.


https://i.imgur.com/DnH9vYe.jpg


So before we could invade we had to scout out our enemy. Our target was the town of Odessos, which was not only a port city, but also their capital, so it would be heavily defended. Interestingly enough though, the only forces they had initially were naval based units, so it wouldn’t be too hard of a fight to take them down but it still would be a challenge.


https://i.imgur.com/1TWjuOM.jpg


But then a new threat came over the horizon. A large Eravisci army arrived at the border, seemingly to invade, so we were sent back on forced march in order to meet them in battle.


https://i.imgur.com/5adpSOH.jpg


But as we neared the place where we were supposed to be, we did not find an Eravisci army waiting for us, but an Ardiaei army, and nearby the smoldering ruins of what we only assume was the Eravisci army. Our leaders talked to the Ardiaei leader who was commanding the army, and they offered us trade rights and a non-aggression pact. We eagerly agreed if it meant one less pressure on our borders, and we went on our way. Personally I do not think that we should be making any peace with any Greek, but if a temporary peace is what must be done to get revenge on our foes, so be it.


https://i.imgur.com/Uhhbz6Z.jpg


We soon found out that the Ardiaei completely wiped out the Eravisci. The military might of the Ardiaei will need to be addressed sooner rather than later…


https://i.imgur.com/uajjH92.png


With the immediate threat neutralized we turned again towards our southern neighbors. They were currently fighting with the Macedonians, so we might have to take advantage of this! Our spies observed the Odrysian Kingdom take a large city from the Macedonians, but then the Macedonians took it back, and now it looks like a very large Odrysian army laying siege to that same town again.


https://i.imgur.com/dmZXtGW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ekxSzW0.jpg


And while all this was happening, we were simply waiting on the banks of the Danube River, seeing how this will all play out. If it goes too well for the Odrysians, we might have to rethink who we attack first…


https://i.imgur.com/z2CWC9s.jpg


But the most important change was that we are no longer lowly spearmen! My entire unit has been retrained into swordsmen. If we plan on taking on the advanced armies of the Odrysians and the Greeks we need better troops than just lowly spearmen. While I do miss my spear, having a sword is just as good. Training for it is much harder, as fighting with a sword is much harder than fighting with a spear. Fighting with a sword is more of an art than a spear. It’s not thrusting everywhere, you have to parry much more, you have to be so much more careful about everything you do as if you make a mistake it could be your last. We train in all weathers, rain, wind, even snow. The twins joined me in the new unit, and they took to the swords as eagerly as I did, so I hope to fight alongside them against the Greeks soon. Now I just hope we will get to whet our appetite for Hellenic blood sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, we will keep training sun or snow…


https://i.imgur.com/DhkAcBO.jpg

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Four


We are finally breaking camp. We are on the march! We are headed south, which means our target is the Odrysian Kingdom. We weren’t going alone. Another chieftain, Blaikisa, raised an army alongside ours, and we marched in unison towards our enemy to the south. They were already in a war with another Thracian tribe, Tylis, was also at war with them so we would be able to press them from two fronts. They only really have one large army that we must deal with, but I’ll be damned, it was a terrifying army. The Odrysians didn’t have much expertise in cavalry or with ranged weapons, but there was one weapon that they excelled at using: the Rhomphaia, a long curved two handed sword, almost a polearm, that could cut through shields and armor like it was grass. It was a truly feared weapon, and this large army that we had to face had almost three thousand of them. It was a terrifying thing, having to face them.

So we arrived at the Danube River, and we set up for the crossing. We worked for two days on building the rafts in which to cross the river. Finally after the last unit crossed we formed up and began marching again. Our scouts reported that the main Odrysian army was not too far away, less than two day’s march from the river.

It was a tough march. The southern lands around the Danube are covered in marshes, which made the trek a very tiring one. But we stopped for the night before battle and had a good rest, so we should be rested for the morning. But few of us slept. We had a very hard day ahead of us and many would not see the moon again.

We finally gave battle, but conditions were not on our side.

https://i.imgur.com/tOy9dxT.jpg

The battlefield had a thick layer of fog, initially making it hard to see across the battlefield. I don’t know how our leaders are planning this battle since they can’t see where the enemy is. But I relaxed, knowing that is why we have scouts to find the enemy.

https://i.imgur.com/Bsk6PrI.png

https://i.imgur.com/ImO5jId.jpg

We found the enemy. They were waiting nervously about a kilometer away.

https://i.imgur.com/Pi8J6NM.jpg

Then Blaikisa arrived with his forces.

https://i.imgur.com/AUWv6Yk.jpg

With our forces assembled, we marched towards the enemy lines. We were usually joking amongst ourselves, but now it was hauntingly quiet. The only sound was the sound of our shoes hitting the ground and the rattling of our weapons and armor. Even Varga, who always had something to say, was silent.

https://i.imgur.com/zcL7zNR.png

We stood across from each other, not thirty meters apart. Then we charged, our lines colliding in a clash of blood, iron, and flesh.

https://i.imgur.com/8mh3dfL.jpg

It was hell. I do not think I have ever been in a fight that tough. Granted, I've only been in two battles, but I will tell you that facing against the Rhomphaia is terrifying. I have never been so scared in my life. I saw some of the men around me soil themselves just before we charged. The rows of Rhomphaias would have glistened in the sunlight. If the sun was shining, that is. Which it wasn’t. But I could still see the rows upon rows of those terrifying blades, each of which represented death to us.

So as our lines collided, a Rhomphaia immediately slashed at me. I blocked it with my shield, the blade bouncing off the boss of my shield. I immediately plunged my sword into his neck, killing him. I advanced through the sea of bodies and blood, swinging this way and blocking that way, it was a both terrifying and exhilarating experience. A Rhomphaia sliced straight through my shield, only stopping at the boss. It got stuck, so I tossed my shield aside, tearing his weapon away from him and I drove my sword into his chest. I grabbed a shield off the floor and pressed further into the melee. Now that I think about it, I tend to lose my shield quite often...

https://i.imgur.com/vjVe1Gx.jpg

Our lines were hard pressed by the Odrysian forces, and in a few places our men were taking heavy losses. It even looked like in some places that our men would flee. This is when our great cavalry came to the rescue. Our horsemen charged into the rear of the enemy lines in order to save the battle.

https://i.imgur.com/HWx6S2p.png

https://i.imgur.com/0oIl43N.png

And where our horsemen were not available, our horse archers rained hell onto the enemy. It wasn’t too long before a number of enemy units began fleeing.

https://i.imgur.com/B8Ophd5.jpg

Even though we were tired, covered in blood, and almost literally wading through a sea of bodies and limbs, we were enthusiastic to finish the job and wipe out as many of them as we could!

https://i.imgur.com/JU7niHs.png

With part of the enemy lines in full retreat, our commanders sent available units to flank enemies that were still holding out.

https://i.imgur.com/fh0hVoX.jpg

Finally the enemy was routed, and our horsemen and archers chased down the ones who fled, slaying most of them with arrows or trampling them underneath our hooves.

https://i.imgur.com/k2ul2BA.png

The day was ours. We had killed almost all of the Odrysian army, not even three hundred were left when we were through with them! We had clearly won the day!

https://i.imgur.com/UCH4Pn4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OSI2uR0.png

It came at a heavy price though. Almost a quarter of our men lay dead on that battlefield, and a few units that took heavy losses had to be combined in order to maintain battlefield effectiveness. But regardless of the losses, we had taken the day, and in effect, taken their capital, Odessos, which we would begin marching towards immediately.

https://i.imgur.com/Esz0QWp.jpg

But it seems like Tylis sent an army to raid their capital, and it seems like they have razed it pretty much to the ground, at least according to our scouts. This makes things a bit interesting I would say. I was looking forward to spending a few nights there; I heard the wine is great. But I guess we will now have to find out what awaits us in the buried ruins that used to be the Odrysian capital!

https://i.imgur.com/ZPoYMwc.jpg

[Sp4]

That's a big fight.

[Hooahguy]

Yeah, it lasted just over 20 minutes. I was kinda lucky how the battle went, those Thracian warriors are very fearsome and in custom battles they cut through my forces like butter so I'm glad that I pulled a win here.

[Sp4]

Yeah I do not really like fighting their warriors and nobles. It's annoying as a Greek faction when you get to do war with them early on.

[Hooahguy]

If I didn't have the second army I almost definitely would have lost.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Five


We started out for Odessos. It was raining heavily on our march, the mud making progress very slow and painful. Man and beast fell in the thick sludge, adding days to our progress. We lost much of our provisions in the quagmire, forcing us to forage. But the land around us was not rich, and finding enough food was difficult. A number of our comrades fell from hunger in the muck, never to rise again.

Eventually we arrived at our destination, expecting to encounter the hardened forces of the Odrysian army sent to defend their capital. But we saw the flag of Tylis instead. The Odrysian capital had fallen a week ago, and was now in the hands of Tylis.

https://i.imgur.com/0vaKgyr.jpg

We bought supplies, and set out initially for our next target, the large Odrysian town of Pulpudeva. It was early winter by the time we arrived near the town, at the time still under their control. We were met by a delegation of Odrysians, carrying a large chest with them. They begged us to turn around and go home. Internal strife, added to numerous enemies at their gates, plus the fact that we effectively demolished their only large army, forced them to try to make peace with whoever would listen. They offered us one thousand gold coins to leave. Our leaders accepted, on the condition that we can set up camp by their city for the coming winter. It is too late to head back to our lands, the Danube is too violent now to cross and we would lose many men in the attempt. They agree, and we waited out the winter by the city.

https://i.imgur.com/WjO8vwu.png

We left in the early spring as soon as the roads dried. We were encountered by a large Tylan army which challenged us why we were in their lands, but after a few spoken words we parted ways peacefully and began our crossing of the Danube.

https://i.imgur.com/2QDfRre.jpg

In the meantime we found out that Tylis has taken the final two Odrysian towns, and the remaining leaders of the Odrysians are on the run.

https://i.imgur.com/ZBNqT7c.jpg

But we could not worry ourselves about that. We had crossed the Danube yet again in late spring and had declared war on Tylis! We desperately needed the port town of Odessos, so we had to march, and in the early summer we attacked, after spending much of the spring training more men for the coming campaign.

https://i.imgur.com/e3i1Cx0.jpg

The enemy garrison was very small, so none of us were too worried about this battle. There were no Thracian warriors with their Rhomphaias, only simple spearmen and skirmishers. We were confident of an easy victory.

https://i.imgur.com/1bVcMYk.jpg

We split our forces in half in order to surround and crush the enemy garrison.

https://i.imgur.com/1113mhr.jpg

We waited for Blaikisa’s army to arrive, as we wanted a swift and crushing victory with as many men on our side as possible.

https://i.imgur.com/2tMAXw7.jpg

We fought a minor skirmish outside the main gates of the town, as our horse archers peppered the enemy from the other side.

https://i.imgur.com/TrcDkYC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/f6UClcl.jpg

Our heavy spearmen from Blaikisa’s army joined us for our final push into the town. They paused for a second with us to rest a bit before we were sent into the fray, the main part of the battle.

https://i.imgur.com/6Rv5Ugc.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7tA0qjO.jpg

Pressed on all sides, the garrison quickly fell before our swords and spears.

https://i.imgur.com/TKityjJ.jpg

I ran towards a vulnerable-looking spearman who seemed cut off from his peers. He saw me, and panicked. He lunged his spear at me, which I blocked. His spear fell from his hands, and he froze. We hesitated, staring at each other for the briefest of seconds, almost as if we were reconsidering what would be coming next. The hesitation ended. He went for his dagger, and I put my sword through his shoulder. He fell, screaming. I considered finishing him off, but I had no time. There were more enemies to face, and I couldn’t be bothered with one man writhing on the ground, so I moved on to the next foe in my way.

https://i.imgur.com/9v58h3y.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/IWw4Sd9.jpg

We soon had the Tylan defenders on the run, and we eagerly gave chase after a short melee.

https://i.imgur.com/Tf0TYMW.jpg

As I was running I came across the man who I had stabbed in the shoulder. He was dead; a bloody hole in his chest where I assume a spear was driven in. I felt a bit of pity for him, but I remembered that he would have done the same thing to me, and I shook off the feeling.

https://i.imgur.com/z0oHtTl.jpg

With the last defender slain, we caught our breath and celebrated the victory.

https://i.imgur.com/Nn33qdj.jpg

It was a very easy conquest. We lost only thirty-one men, one of them being from friendly fire when an arrow struck his neck. But losses aside, the town was now under our control, and we began preparing the port for economic purposes so we can raise more armies to take on larger and more powerful foes.

https://i.imgur.com/avP1j8x.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/j1J0CqB.jpg

It was then that we received word that the Odrysians have been completely defeated, with not a single member of the Odrysian royal family being left alive.

https://i.imgur.com/8CHXVRF.png

With a port town under our control, we decided to make peace with Tylis, if possible. They had allied themselves with Athens, who we were now at war with. Surprisingly, they accepted the peace proposal, and hostilities were ceased. For now.

https://i.imgur.com/gZgcyV9.png

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Six


We had a few weeks of peace before we got dragged back into a war with Tylis. How the war started again, I do not know. I'm a lowly soldier, I know nothing of politics. But whatever the reason for resuming the hostilities, Blaikisa and his army set out to take the Tylan capital, Antheia.

https://i.imgur.com/xTaRauJ.jpg

I was not there for the battle, so I can only tell you what I heard from the men who fought it.

They once again split their forces in two in order to surround the enemy.

https://i.imgur.com/bRPrzg2.jpg

Some Tylan forces landed by boat to reinforce the garrison, so our forces assaulted the enemy as they came off the boats, coming under fire from Tylan slingers in the process.

https://i.imgur.com/nAM6i9d.jpg

But once our soldiers had closed the distance they made quick work of the slingers.

https://i.imgur.com/G1MhlMi.jpg

The main part of the army charged to meet the garrison, resulting in a large clash in the center of town.

https://i.imgur.com/72yaPeT.jpg

The Tylan defenders didn’t last long.

https://i.imgur.com/sbpC0tJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/FWDtAZU.jpg

The cavalry chased down whoever was remaining of the garrison, skewering or trampling dozens, and capturing the rest.

https://i.imgur.com/HVgBdSW.jpg

We had more losses than taking Odessos, but it wasn’t terrible losses and they were easily recoverable.

https://i.imgur.com/T2PJm9t.jpg

But with that early victory, came threats from all over that are panicking most of us.

The Scythians are at the mouth of the Danube in boats with large armies. We do not know what they intend to do with those armies, but the possibility of a Scythian invasion frightens us, as we are woefully unprepared for it.

https://i.imgur.com/Nr76QKD.jpg

To our south comes a large Athenian army. Facing Athens with their pikemen and heavy spearmen always frightened us, and now that nightmare was all too real.

https://i.imgur.com/VDnTCuq.jpg

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Seven


The Athenians were pounding at our gates. We had to meet them in combat on our terms, not theirs, so our commanders began to gather our forces. The night before we set out we were sitting around a fire, finishing up what was left of our dinner, and nervously joking, knowing what was coming in the coming week. Varga was especially nervous.

“I keep feeling as this will be my final battle. I know that the fates have been with me until now, but I cannot shake my feeling of dread that I might die this battle.”

Charnabon tried to calm him down.

“Brother, if the Gods wanted you dead, you would have been dead long before by now.”

We talked long into the night, trying to reassure each other that we would all pull through just fine. It was tough though, we were facing one of the greatest armies in the world. The Athenians were known as one of the strongest militaries in the known world, and we would be facing their best army, who called themselves the Eagles of Zeus, who was their biggest god or something.

After a hard march we gave battle to the Athenians.

https://i.imgur.com/OVlIh8R.jpg

It was late in the day when we lined up for the battle. We were all fidgeting from the apprehension for facing the greatest army we have ever faced.

https://i.imgur.com/a1egJpX.jpg

We walked slowly towards the enemy lines, knowing that many lives would end in the coming hours. Charnabon and Varga were by my sides, all three of us pledging before the battle to stick together to keep ourselves alive through this ordeal.

Then the Athenian cavalry charged. It was terrifying, the thundering of hooves shattering the silence of the day. We countered with a shield wall with horse archers behind us giving us some support. It didn’t help much, as not even a shield wall can prevent two hundred horses bearing down on you.

https://i.imgur.com/QDhiRt8.jpg

It was chaos. The neighing of horses, the screams of men pierced the sky, periodically broken by the whistling of arrows as they descended upon their targets, tearing flesh apart with their barbed tips. We tried to hold them back but we needed help, as the Athenian cavalry was very skilled and were able to parry our attacks with ease.

But it wasn’t them who we feared most. It was their pikemen. With their seven meter long spears called sarissas, they could tear down even the most veteran of warriors. We were told to stay away from their pikes at all costs, but knowing the ways of battle, having to face them would be inevitable.

https://i.imgur.com/Ttw21vu.jpg

On the left flank our cavalry tried to rout the Athenian cavalry but even with 3-1 odds in our favor we had trouble as they were facing the elite of Athenian cavalry.

https://i.imgur.com/nQp2IOL.jpg

In the center the battle swung wildly. One minute we were clearly winning, and at another minute all would seem lost. We faced some brazen hoplites who fought mostly naked, consuming a copious amount of drugs before combat. But no matter how drugged up they fought, they fell like the rest. A spear or two will force even the most drugged up warrior to his knees.

https://i.imgur.com/GFN6ckP.jpg

But after the naked hoplites were routed, we faced our worst enemy: the pike phalanx. Men scrambled over each other to get away as they advanced. Not all were successful. I got separated from the twins in the mad dash to escape. I saw a half-dozen of my comrades killed in an instant with well-timed thrusts by the Athenian pikes, and we retreated.

https://i.imgur.com/m4EfgEz.jpg

We were joined by a unit of Triballoi Swordsmen, who were the backbone of our army. We were hoping someday to be trained to their level, but right now, they were decimated from one hundred and sixty men to a mere eighty men. We were down to one hundred. Our unit commanders decided to band together, but then they somehow got caught between the phalanx and a unit of elite hoplites. They got massacred, not a single man was left of that unit.

https://i.imgur.com/3B5Ju9r.jpg

It was a long, hard battle. I reconnected with the twins at some point late in the battle, and we pushed through together to survive.

And survive we did. It took a long time and many deaths, but we managed to flank and rout the Athenian phalanxes, winning the day.

https://i.imgur.com/xOQSimy.jpg

It was a very costly battle. If both of our armies had not been there we would have certainly lost. But we managed to annihilate the Eagles of Zeus, leaving not even three hundred Athenians alive. We had lost four entire units, and half a dozen at their minimum combat effective numbers.

https://i.imgur.com/2ADaPf1.jpg
Author's note: sorry for not more screenshots of this battle, it was so chaotic I didn't get too many.

That night we counted our blessings. Many friends have been lost, but thankfully our trio was unscathed.

Charnabon told his brother that he had nothing to fear now!

“See Varga! The Gods are truly on our side! From today until the end of days, we will be brothers!”

The next day brought new foes over the horizon, much to everyone’s dismay. A very large Tylan army descended upon us, assisted by the remnants of the Athenian army we had just defeated and another smaller Tylan army.

https://i.imgur.com/BbiZ3DR.jpg

I did not think we would have a chance. Everyone thought we would all die this battle, and that this would be the death knell of the Getae people. But I felt something about this battle. We will carry this day. I told this to some comrades around me, being met with a few nervous laughs but otherwise a grim silence. We had all lost comrades yesterday, and we would yet again be cast into the gauntlet of combat. We would certainly be losing comrades again today.

We waited nervously for the enemy to arrive. Usually we had to come to them, but their superior numbers must have spurned them into confidence.

https://i.imgur.com/3XuHUKS.jpg

With a few meters between us, we threw our javelins and charged into the carnage of the day.

https://i.imgur.com/Fps76w8.jpg

The remainder of the Athenian army, a mere three hundred men, tried to sneak around our lines, but we caught and slaughtered them, with not a single man of ours falling to their spears and swords.

https://i.imgur.com/t8GtTdR.jpg

In the center we were in the fight of our lives. Our cavalry circled back around to their flanks and charged, crushing enemy axmen beneath their hooves. The battle began to swing in our favor.

https://i.imgur.com/C81ASeu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/697s4wG.jpg

The Tylans had some Thracian warriors with their dreaded Rhomphaia, but they were not enough to affect a real change in the battle.

It was about then that Varga and I was separated from Charnabon. Varga panicked for a second, and then collected himself. Charnabon was a skilled warrior, and we were sure he would be fine. We fought on, dodging Rhomphaias and errant arrows from bow-happy horse archers.

https://i.imgur.com/2Dyc02E.jpg

After wiping out the left and right flanks of the enemy army, we concentrated on the quagmire that was the center. We were told to flank the enemy units that were holding out in the center.

https://i.imgur.com/R2slfqe.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/plPLfLf.jpg

In the meantime our cavalry chased down fleeing Tylan troops in order to prevent them from recouping their losses after the battle. The more we kill, the fewer we have to face later on.

https://i.imgur.com/3QTmKaM.jpg

It had been a bloody day, but we had won! The battlefield was strewn with corpses, but it certainly felt good to have defeated two large armies in as many days!

https://i.imgur.com/H4FUak7.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/U2Wee4N.jpg

But the joy of the day was dampened by our losses. From a count of ninety-five men before the battle my unit now had a mere sixty-three. Varga and I looked for his brother among the living. We could not find him among the living.

Dejectedly we began searching the dead, and that is where we found the body of Charnabon. His chest was torn from shoulder to hip, from what can only be a Rhomphaia. We wept for our fallen friend and brother. We took his body and buried it outside of our camp. Standing over his grave, Varga swore vengeance for his brother’s death. He grasped his brother’s sword, and drove it into the mound of dirt that covered the body of his twin.

“With this I swear that I will do everything within the realm of possibility to remove Tylis from the earth! I will not rest until either they are in the ground or I am lying in a ditch with ravens picking at my remains!” He stayed at the grave all night mourning for his brother. I headed back to my tent, exhausted and saddened from the past two days. I did not sleep well that night. I don't think anyone did.

We had won two great victories, but at a tremendous cost. Of over five thousand men we began with, we had lost almost three thousand men between the two battles. With the main forces of Tylis shattered, they retreated, as did we. We needed to recoup our losses to prepare for our next campaign.

https://i.imgur.com/F1ZEsdw.jpg

[Sp4]

Why do you play all those battles where you have a 95% chance to win?

[Hooahguy]

What do you mean? I'm generally a very cautious player, as in I usually bring two armies wherever I go. Why it has me at a 95% win chance for the Athenian battle is beyond me, it clearly didn't turn out to be such an easy victory.

[Myth]

An AAR looks much better if we have lead battles with screenshots instead of autocalcs.

[Sp4]

What do you mean? I'm generally a very cautious player, as in I usually bring two armies wherever I go. Why it has me at a 95% win chance for the Athenian battle is beyond me, it clearly didn't turn out to be such an easy victory.

Idk, it would probably just get to my head after the 5736th time of lining up everything neatly and then having it all be over again 3 minutes later. With those sort of battles, I spend more time loading and making some sort of formation than the battle actually lasts. I don't particularly care about what the game thinks would be an easy victory or not. If it gives me a 95% chance to win, I don't fight it, unless I have some seriously hurt cavalry units that are just going to get killed by autocalc.

[Hooahguy]

Ah ok, now I get it. It's an AAR. It's about the story so I want to tell all the story, and personally I like the battles. I love their atmosphere. Even if it's an easy victory it's fun to watch my men cut up the enemy. I don't play every battle. While all this was going on a small slave army attacked my northern city (don't recall the name off the top of my head) and there it was 96% odds so I autocalced as it wasn't relevant to the story.

Also my battles last a good amount. I haven't had a battle that lasted less than 12 minutes yet, and that one was the battles for Odessos where I drastically outnumbered them. For the open field battles the last one took 19 minutes, the one before that 21.

[Sp4]

Ah ok, now I get it. It's an AAR. It's about the story so I want to tell all the story, and personally I like the battles. I love their atmosphere. Even if it's an easy victory it's fun to watch my men cut up the enemy. I don't play every battle. While all this was going on a small slave army attacked my northern city (don't recall the name off the top of my head) and there it was 96% odds so I autocalced as it wasn't relevant to the story.

Also my battles last a good amount. I haven't had a battle that lasted less than 12 minutes yet, and that one was the battles for Odessos where I drastically outnumbered them. For the open field battles the last one took 19 minutes, the one before that 21.

The longest lasting battle I had yet (without mods) was a battle against the civil war faction in my Sparta campaign. I lost the battle as well, but I was outnumbered and since the civil war army is a copy of your armies, it was actually a good quality vs good quality army, which I thought I could win, but I moved too many people to turn one flank and didn't have enough to hold the other. Putting all my cav on one side with a big hill between both flanks probably wasn't a great idea either. It was roughly 5600 vs 6000 (2 full stacks against 3 or 4 full-half full stacks of AI.
The AI lined up their units to face my line, which took about 15 minutes because both formations spread nearly the width of the map.

The funny thing is, since the initial battle was actually an assault on an encampment (fortified army) I probably could have won by capturing the camp because there was no one to protect that and my cav was running past their encampment a couple of times. I wonder if you can actually still win battles that way. I didn't think to try.

[Hooahguy]

I don't remember, do you use mods? I vaguely remember you talking about using DeI.

[Sp4]

I have but somewhere along the line, they decided that battles still didn't take long enough, so they reduced the kill rates down to the point where the only way to kill something is to flank it or repeatedly hammer and anvil with cav. I don't mind that but it became everything every battle was about, so I've mostly gone back to vanilla now.

[Hooahguy]

Thats why I really like the take Radious has on his battles. Two units going head to head will take a while but enough pressure on the flanks can break a unit. As said before my battles take a satisfyingly long time to play so Im pretty content right now.

[hoom]

Hi there,

Not to get too offtopic but regarding Odrysian Kingdom roster further up the thread: I've been playing an Odrysian campaign.

Thracian Warriors are really pretty sweet.
They have a bit of armor, a small shield & that whopping Rhomphaia (am I the only one thinking 'rhomph, rhomph, rhomph' as I see them swinging?)

The big problem in the Odrysian roster though is there is 0 spear units. Yep 0 (other than cavalry).
Which makes it pretty hard to make a defensive line.

The Thracian Warriors can stand to a certain extent mainly due to their big attack but against tough elite enemies the lack of defense skill means they fall in big numbers, likewise armor isn't heavy enough to withstand missiles for long.
They are of course at their best with a flank/rear attack where they are really brutal, can melt elite units such as Oathsworn incredibly fast.

Thracian Peltasts are pretty good at combat for skirmishers, again pretty good attack, a bit of armor & weak defense skill so take a lot of losses in a sustained fight but useful as 2nd line & flankers.

You do get nice XP on training boost for the missile units which helps most enemies only reach my line fairly depleted -> they break after a bit of rhomphing.

I haven't got much experience with the Thracian Nobles yet but basically a better version of Thracian Warriors, still nearly no defense skill.

Fortunately I got nearly a full stack of good spears from convincing Getae to join my confederation.
Split between several armies I have some anchors to my line, but completely irreplaceable if destroyed so I have to be fairly careful with them.
There are Mercenaries but Odrysians get +50% upkeep cost on them so thats an expensive prospect.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Eight



It took a year to recover our losses from those two battles. It was a tough year of training and nervous watching the border for any more Athenian armies. We were still at war with us despite the truce with Tylis, so a new army could surface at any time. Considering our heavy casualties in our last battle with the Athenians, the fear was deserved.


Varga and I got new armor and weapons so we would be able to take on better equipped foes. No longer were we just facing other tribesmen, we are fighting against well-armed and equipped enemies who have already demonstrated that they can inflict heavy casualties on us with even poorly trained troops.


So in the beginning of the harvest season we launched a surprise attack against the small Tylan forces holed up outside of Pulpudeva, the town we are working on capturing.


https://i.imgur.com/tPS8z59.jpg


We spotted the enemy right next to a small village, and we began to jog towards the Tylan forces, eager for combat.


https://i.imgur.com/blqaY18.jpg


And just like always, our lines clashed in a vicious fight. Tylis put their best troops in the front so we were heading into their best troops right at the start.


https://i.imgur.com/8zNyozs.jpg


It was vicious. After the initial collision of our lines I was pushed to the back by the waves of our troops so I did not see much action this battle. But I could see the front lines from the back and it looked brutal.


https://i.imgur.com/bhqf0MW.jpg


While I was listlessly waiting behind the twenty men in front of me I could see other units circling around behind the enemy to hit them from behind and to flank them quickly.


https://i.imgur.com/JQG7t0a.jpg


I could also see our cavalry making short work of the enemy skirmishers.


https://i.imgur.com/wtft2I9.jpg


It did not take too long for a chain rout to begin, and we began to clean up the routing Tylan soldiers with cavalry and our horse archers.


https://i.imgur.com/qTSlVSr.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/42jbDdN.jpg


It was a good victory. We sustained some losses but that it to be expected from a battle of this side.


https://i.imgur.com/xGjkZSj.jpg


Our next step was to quickly assault the city, as there was danger on the horizon: another large Athenian army was spotted right by our borders. This was not very good and if we could not turn them back it would mean the loss of territory that we had already fought—and won— for.


https://i.imgur.com/AzryVRV.jpg

[Sp4]

I should write an AAR. Who do I play as? ^^

[Hooahguy]

Whoever is interesting to you of course!

[Sp4]

Whoever is interesting to me.. hmm. I think I legitimately like Rome the most but I also think everyone has already done that. I also like Egypt.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Nine


At the crack of dawn we gathered our things in preparation for the assault. We outnumbered them considerably, almost nine to one. We were not worried at all, except perhaps for the stray arrow.

https://i.imgur.com/YZEbm28.jpg

Our commanders had hired a unit of mercenary Thracian Warriors to join us for the time being as we did not know if the Athenians would be assaulting in the coming days and we would need all the help that we could get.

As usual we split our forces in order to prevent a bottleneck during the assault.

https://i.imgur.com/CavcgCp.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NJgmxrQ.jpg

Once our men were over the walls a short but furious melee erupted as we beat back the defenders from the eastern walls and gates.

https://i.imgur.com/2z79Oe8.jpg

On the other side we encountered no melee resistance, but we came under heavy missile fire while taking the southern gate.

https://i.imgur.com/V3Hwr14.jpg

With the southern gate and eastern wall firmly under our control, we sent in reinforcements.

https://i.imgur.com/X9bh7Qg.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rSXDw4Z.jpg

There was very little resistance left then, and they were mopped up very easily.

https://i.imgur.com/wzvCFXV.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/i4OqqxD.jpg

It was a quick victory with very few losses, with almost all of them from missile fire.

https://i.imgur.com/JDbzeT7.png

With the city under our control, we settled in for the hard battle that was coming. With over 8,000 Athenian soldiers headed our way it was going to be a very rough battle. We called in a smaller third army, about 1,200 men, from defending Odessos to reinforce our numbers. It seems to have worked because our scouts reported that the Athenians retreated when they saw our numbers, so we are safe for now. Still, with a struggling economy and rising costs for pretty much everything, it is very hard to raise even more forces considering that we are stretched thin. What we really need is a break from warfare so we can build infrastructure. But the word is that the Athenians are refusing peace so until that front is closed I guess we must press on. Varga wants us to finish off Tylis, saying that war again with them is inevitable, which I suppose it is, but on the other hand, we really do not need any more enemies than we already have. The Athenians are more than enough for us. To be frank, I would love to have more chances to kill some Greeks, but I just want to survive the encounter.

https://i.imgur.com/4CShBC7.jpg

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Ten


As we waited for new men to reinforce our losses, our spies reported that most of the Athenian forces had left the closest Athenian city, Pella, which used to be the capital of the now vanquished Macedonian empire. We left in a hurry for the border. We did not know how long that large Athenian army would be gone so we needed to take advantage of their absence!

https://i.imgur.com/cAAixyE.jpg

Our infiltrators managed to poison some of the provisions that the garrison used, killing a good number of them before our assault so undoubtedly the assault would go at least a little bit smoother.

Not wanting any lurking Athenian army to attack, we assaulted immediately.

https://i.imgur.com/HMtiMQo.jpg

We had split our forces to do a two-pronged attack, two ladders on each side of the city, because getting bogged down in the streets of Pella was a very real fear for us. The last thing we wanted was to be stalled in the streets fighting against a hoplite shield wall.

https://i.imgur.com/dqMloJK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/V0urJ7P.jpg

From the east there was no resistance on the walls. Why? I do not know, but our forces took the gatehouse very easily.

https://i.imgur.com/6jkj50i.jpg

Initially our commanders sent forward our men on the western side, but withdrew when we noticed a large amount of defenders on the western side of their city. Maybe they didn’t notice our other army approaching from the east? Either way, they decided to not storm the western walls to reduce casualties if possible.

https://i.imgur.com/IppGds8.jpg

The army on the eastern side poured through the gates, eager to finally bring the fight to the Athenians!

https://i.imgur.com/2fY4PyP.jpg

It wasn’t long until our warriors found the enemy. Most of the garrison is militia hoplite. Deadly when locking their shields together and forming a wall, but if we can break that wall they fall like flies as their spears become much more useless in close range.

https://i.imgur.com/gyx0KqM.jpg

After dealing with a sole unit of hoplites, the eastern force surged forward through the empty streets, searching for an enemy that seemingly did not want to be found.

https://i.imgur.com/BgSIEkw.jpg

But it was not long before they slammed into an iron wall made up of the majority of the garrison; hundreds of hoplites— both with and without armor— faced them as well as the elite Tarantine cavalry, spears gleaming menacingly even through the clouds of the day which threatened rain. A furious melee began with neither side giving ground; the defenders were keenly intent on retaining control of the city.

https://i.imgur.com/WLtrqMQ.jpg

That is when the western side was sent in to help. With the eastern forces bogged down in the city as we feared even when attacking through two of the main thoroughfares, we needed to open up a third direction of attack to end this battle quicker. So we sent our own hoplites to storm the walls in order to take the western gate.

https://i.imgur.com/SADCytr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Kqy4GP7.jpg

Back on the ground, our men in the side streets who were trying to get to the flank of the large hoplite formation in the center of town had to fight through numerous lines of hoplites in their path, making progress painfully slow.

https://i.imgur.com/NpB2BCn.jpg

Our men fighting on the walls were met initially just by militia hoplites and were dealing with them easily, but they were soon reinforced by armored swordsmen. This caused a huge problem as now our hoplites were cut off and surrounded by much better foes. A call for help went out, and reinforcements who were already on the way picked up their pace.

But it was too late. An entire unit of our hoplites was cut down on the walls. I cannot imagine that that must have been like, to fight in the face of certain death. Some even say that a number of our men who were seriously wounded grabbed hold of Athenian soldiers and jumped off the walls with them, falling to their deaths.

Just as the last few of our men were fighting to survive on the wall did our reinforcements scale the ladders and try to save them. But it was too late, and that entire unit of hoplites perished.

https://i.imgur.com/CQZnnnb.jpg

Finally our men took the western gates and we charged into the city and through the streets, aiming to flank the large amount of enemy in the center of the city who were still in a deadlock with our forces even after over an hour of fighting.

https://i.imgur.com/ktE1FuW.jpg

Just as we entered the city and went around to flank the enemy, our forces fighting through the side streets finally broke through the defenders and charged to help their brothers. Even though they were exhausted, they charged forward, knowing that the lives of fellow countrymen depended on them.

https://i.imgur.com/3axyD5b.jpg

They managed to catch the enemy in the flank unawares and began turning the tide of the battle in our favor.

https://i.imgur.com/leCLNSZ.jpg

At the same time we surged into the plaza as well, taking down as many Athenians as we could before they formed against us.

https://i.imgur.com/3BhfDcD.jpg

It was a joy to kill those Athenians. Every swing of my sword which hit Athenian flesh made my heart feel nothing but joy. I remembered my family who died by Hellenic hands, and while these men who I was killing now might not have had a hand in my suffering, for me it is guilt by association. As far as I am concerned, any Hellenic man who is capable of holding a spear or sword could have been there, and until I find out who they were without a doubt, I will continue with my vengeance.

https://i.imgur.com/SZzSMlK.jpg

With their men falling rapidly, the defenders threw down their arms, surrendering. Almost 400 of them were thrown in the city jails for the time being, until we could decide what to do with them.

https://i.imgur.com/OgbRgVy.jpg

We ended up sacking the city, taking a huge amount of plunder. Half of it was given to the royal treasury to pay for more men and weapons, and the rest was divided up between us soldiers as our loot. We burned down their temples and useless buildings, and put the populace to work as we set about rebuilding the city to more our liking. And in the night, as the flames of the city burned, we drank and mourned our dead.

https://i.imgur.com/DZ265mT.png

Pella, one of the biggest cities in Greece, had fallen to us. It did not prompt Athens to ask for peace, but I feel that a little more of this will bring them to their knees. At least for the time being. In the meantime, we will prepare for the next battle with the Athenians that is bound to come.

https://i.imgur.com/bcHdufP.jpg

[edyzmedieval]

Replenish your troops and/or fortify your position around the river that borders Pella and Larissa. It makes for a fantastic defensive position. :yes:

[Hooahguy]

My plan was to scout out where the other two large Athenian armies were. I know there are at least two of them because I saw them preparing to invade me before they turned back, so once I destroy those Ill march on the last few Athenian towns and hopefully they will sue for peace, or be destroyed in the process. I know at least one of them is right by Epidamnos because I set it as a war target in the hopes that my ally will attack it with their stronger armies. Though for right now Im just going to reinforce Pella so it can hold off on an attack if it comes, while I scout out the enemy.

[Gaius Octavius Caesar]

Nice AAR. Ill be following this.:bow:

[Magraev]

Excellent AAR - thanks

[Hooahguy]

I recently started a new job so I'm sorry if I haven't been able to update much, I'll try to update this weekend.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Eleven


With Pella under our control, we set our eyes towards the next closest Athenian town: Larissa. It was a relatively small village compared to Pella, but it was known for one thing: olives. Delicious and juicy olives that make me salivate… uh, nevermind. They also produce incredibly valuable olive oil. They were rare north of Pella, so taking control of a powerhouse of industry like that would be a boon to our economy.

So we set out to take control of the olives.

Our spies reported that the garrison was really demoralized, so this would be an easy battle, as we outnumbered them over two to one. None of us were very concerned. We were veterans. We had seen many battles up to this date against some of the most feared weapons and soldiers in the world, and a bunch of poorly armed peasants were not going to strike fear into our hearts.

https://i.imgur.com/YjTeuvF.jpg

It was a very quick battle. We set up as we usually do, by surrounding them and picking them apart. We charged, they tried to fight back, but it was futile for them.

https://i.imgur.com/92KBIfF.jpg

But they quickly surrendered when they saw how many we were and how few they were.

https://i.imgur.com/ccsTH2P.jpg

We lost only six men, three of which were from friendly fire from our horse archers. Pretty pathetic performance from the garrison, if you ask me.

https://i.imgur.com/mpHQOk8.png

Larissa was ours, and along with it the valuable olives and the olive oil presses. We were honestly pretty surprised how quick and easy the conquest was, but now we had to look towards our next conquest, and the next threat. The Spartans, whose legend stretched over three hundred years had declared war on us. We had much to fear from them, assuming they are still the warriors that they claim to be. We did not know their strength, but I have a feeling we will be feeling Spartan iron very soon, and we will see if the Spartans really are the warriors the legends claim themselves to be.

https://i.imgur.com/3qBRO4X.jpg

Meanwhile, Athens came to us with terms for a truce. We accepted, even though we know that they are simply going to reinforce their numbers to fight us again. But because Athens seems to be pretty beat down now, and we need to concentrate on Sparta, we felt that we had to accept to get them off our backs, even if for a short while. I highly doubt that this truce will last very long, for not only are the Athenians treacherous, our thirst for Greek blood is yet to be quenched.

https://i.imgur.com/lXnv5DL.png

Author’s note: I finally got to play a considerable amount and there are some major updates on the way! But with school and a full time job, finding time to work on this is tough so just be patient, updates are coming!

[Sp4]

Silly question, are you playing with a mod that changes the way the game looks, overall or is that light just that way because it is autumn?

[Hooahguy]

No graphics enchantments. If anything can be said about the Rome 2 campaign map, it's quite nice to look at!

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Twelve


The ink on our treaty with the Athenians was barely dry when we received word that three large Spartan armies have entered our lands! They began plundering the countryside, since there was nobody there to contest them. And how could we with only two armies? They had almost 8,000 men under arms in the immediate area while we had maybe 5,000. Combine that with their superior armor and weapons, it would only spell disaster for us if we attacked.

https://i.imgur.com/OxNXxRZ.jpg

Panic was rife through our ranks. Nobody knew how we would defeat these three large armies which, combined, could smash our armies with ease, especially if they managed to separate our two armies. We felt that this would be the end of us, the end of all our conquests over the past few years.

But then one of our king’s advisors thought of something. If we could simply split up those three Spartan armies and fight them one by one, we would be able to defeat them without having to take on over eight thousand Spartans all at once.

This would take planning, and in the meantime we raised every fighting man available to come fight. We also hired as many mercenaries as we could afford, even if they were Greek, as a surprising number of Greeks hated the Spartans for some reason. Our numbers increased to over 11,000 men under arms. Not all of them were fully trained like us, and only a small number of us had serious battle experience, but the numbers still counted, and with that we felt much more confident about our chances.

And with our numbers greatly inflated, we marched towards what would be a very eventful week.

https://i.imgur.com/3vuREKA.jpg

We spotted our first target. One of the armies had split from the other two, and was now separated by a river. By the time enemy reinforcements arrived it would be too late. But before that, we had to whittle down the Spartan numbers. Infiltrators managed to poison some of their food supply, and we began hit and run attacks on their forces in advance of our armies arriving to offer battle.

By the time we arrived, the word was that the Spartans lost a third of their forces even before we arrived.

https://i.imgur.com/O87io3g.jpg

We deployed for battle. Blaikisa, who was the overall commander of our armies for this battle, addressed us.

“Comrades! Do you know what we are here for today?”

A few men called out a variety of answers like killing Spartans, or living to see the next day, but he shook his head, called for quiet, and began to speak again.

“No! My comrades, you are here to annihilate those Spartans! Surround them! Cut them into a thousand pieces of flesh that even the smallest of animals can feast on when this day is through! Show them no mercy, for they will show none for us! Now go forth and win this day, for your tribes, for this nation, and for glory!”

A rousing cheer came from the ranks, but my mind was elsewhere. I thought of my family who was no longer with me, and a feeling of sadness washed over me. I really missed them, and if those Greek raiders had not showed up at our village I might not be here today. Then I remembered why I was here in the first place, and that feeling of sadness turned into anger and I excitement as I waited for the word to advance.

https://i.imgur.com/N3QXhcF.jpg

Blaikisa raised his sword, and up and down the lines the captains pressed their men forward.

We advanced, with our heavy cavalry on our flanks. We would need all the support we could get for this battle. The Spartan strength was in their heavy infantry, not their cavalry, so we were not concerned about that, but we would need heavy cavalry to help break their formations.

https://i.imgur.com/hIHgyQY.jpg

But we were not going to just face them head on. That would never work nor break them quickly. So a large number of our men ran down our right flank. The forest covered their movements so the Spartans never reformed to meet the new threat.

https://i.imgur.com/mtRMVcb.jpg

We marched toward the Spartans, and that is when we first saw them. They were truly fearsome.

https://i.imgur.com/npljqVG.jpg

But we had no chance to feel terrified, for we charged into those Spartan spears.

https://i.imgur.com/ykmI33j.jpg

The Spartans had large shields with reinforced iron, so killing them was rather difficult, at least from the front. We managed to kill a number, but for a while it was almost a standoff with neither side getting an advantage over the other. But the main Spartan weapon was in their formations, and once we broke their shield walls I feel we were pretty well matched. I managed to kill at least half a dozen Spartans before they broke. They are very good with the spear but I outmatched them when it came to the sword.

https://i.imgur.com/4ZNJgCG.jpg

But while I was an expert swordsman (not trying to boast, I swear), my countrymen were not doing quite as well across the battlefield. In at least one place it even seemed as if the Spartans would break through our lines and possibly escape relatively intact, for they had sent in their cavalry and they were causing some havoc among our men.

https://i.imgur.com/Ikmkro1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JlLFU2p.jpg

And that is when we sent in the reinforcements. From the rear of their lines, a dozen of our units, mainly mercenary units, charged into the Spartan line.

https://i.imgur.com/OiP2ie8.jpg

We had surrounded them, and even their most elite units began to fall under our swords, especially with our heavy cavalry making repeated charges into enemy flanks.

https://i.imgur.com/R8NjpIa.jpg

They were completely surrounded and falling fast. Our numbers were simply too many for them to handle, and they fled the battlefield.

https://i.imgur.com/EWfaccb.jpg

Or at least they tried to, we slew most of them as they fled, but a couple hundred still got away. We only assume that they ran to their other armies for what they assumed would be safety.

https://i.imgur.com/4mbuGY1.jpg

We had utterly crushed them. We had lost not even 300 men, which really shocked us. Varga and I got through our first encounter with the Spartans with our swords bloodied and our bodies unscathed. It didn’t even feel fair to be honest. Morale soared among the ranks. If we could so utterly crush them this time around, surely we could do it again!

https://i.imgur.com/oX2CTru.jpg

But this was just the beginning of our encounter with the Spartans. There would be many more in the future, as there was still thousands of Spartans out there for us to kill!




Author's note: I'm legitimately shocked how easy this went.

[Sp4]

What do you expect? =P Steamrolling the poor AI with 4 armies and agents! You need war on more fronts =p

[Hooahguy]

I know, I know. Im actually also at war with Cimmeria for some odd reason, and Ill imagine I will have to turn on the Ardiaei eventually. Plus Tylis still is a thorn in my side.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Thirteen


Immediately after we defeated the first Spartan army we moved over the Achelous River to confront the other two Spartan armies.

We didn’t attack immediately. We stalked them for two full days. We did not want to confront both armies at the same time. After all, divide and conquer was the way to victory! The Spartans surely knew where we were but neither side attacked, leading to something that resembled how a cat and mouse interacted. But instead of a cat and mouse, it was two large armies facing off.

But of course our plan was not to just hound them forever. When one of those two armies was nice and comfortable inside their temporary fort while it was pouring rain, we struck.

Author’s note: Like an idiot, I did not take a screenshot of the pre-battle screen. Sorry.

https://i.imgur.com/CYPSzS1.jpg

We sent in our men to cover all entrances to the fort. Nobody was going to escape this battle, and while those Spartans took cover from the rain we would strike, hopefully launching our assault before any meaningful defense could be organized.

But they were not totally oblivious to the ways of war, for they had sent out numerous patrols. When they spotted us, they headed back to their fort at full speed to tell their army to rise and prepare for attack. It was hard to hide over ten thousand men from an enemy army, so we wanted to make sure none of their scouts made it back alive to give them any information that might hurt us.

https://i.imgur.com/AY2GSDl.jpg

But those scouts did not make it far; we were able to catch them with our cavalry and slay every last one of them.

https://i.imgur.com/q7QeIub.jpg

There wasn’t only cavalry though: they had sent out infantry as well to help patrol. While our cavalry was mopping up the cavalry, our infantry took on the other patrols.

https://i.imgur.com/i48sZ38.jpg

And once the cavalry finished, they joined the infantry in the fight, ending that fight rather quickly.

https://i.imgur.com/pr3K5e8.jpg

With the scouts finished off, we charged the fort! Everyone was equipped with a torch to help burn down those palisades that they seemed to foolishly rely on for defense.

https://i.imgur.com/nVYch0E.jpg

Their defense was better in some areas than others. On the western side the Spartans failed to form a solid line of defense, and we managed to enter the fort and establish a foothold. Of course the Spartans quickly recovered from that, but we held that foothold.

https://i.imgur.com/jhFCwTO.jpg

On the southern end they had held their gate well, not allowing us initially to break through. We would need to burn down their walls to gain access.

https://i.imgur.com/RXzAtc3.jpg

And on the eastern side… well, nobody really knew what was going on there; the fight kept going back and forth between us gaining a foothold into the fort and being pushed back.

https://i.imgur.com/KtIjXpW.jpg

Finally the southern walls began to collapse, and our men had a much easier time to storm the fort, but they were still held up by stubborn Spartan defenders.

https://i.imgur.com/NxuE0Ag.jpg

On the western side our men had made significant headway, with our archers helping thin enemy numbers. And with their help, we finally managed to break the defenders on the western gate, and we spilled into the fort.

https://i.imgur.com/ID2ki6Q.jpg

With one gate fallen, many Spartans tried to flee the battlefield, but they were run down by our cavalry. We counted dozens slain by our men, and maybe only a dozen who was able to escape.

https://i.imgur.com/32fz5Yi.png

Back inside the fort, the tight and organized Spartan lines melted into one on one combat, the kind of combat that we excelled at.

https://i.imgur.com/v14Jz7p.jpg

Finally we were able to break the final defenders holding up our forces at the eastern gate with a substantial charge into the rear of the Spartan formation. After a few minutes of fighting, the remaining few hundred defenders surrendered. We did not accept their surrender, and we carried on.

https://i.imgur.com/9RVRy4M.jpg

The slaughter of the Spartan army continued until there was nobody left to kill. When our swords were lowered and the clamor of battle subsided, we surveyed the damage. Almost three thousand soldiers from both sides lay dead within the fort. After burying our dead and burning the remainder of the fort, we packed up and moved towards our next battle.

https://i.imgur.com/OeWtwfe.jpg

We had sustained more casualties than in the last battle, but still managed to escape this battle with fewer casualties than expected. Perhaps the legends were exaggerated…

https://i.imgur.com/KLur2ZE.jpg

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Fourteen


After our victory over the second Spartan army, we began to chase the last one incessantly. For three days we chased the Spartans, not letting them rest, not letting them eat, assaulting their patrols as often as possible, and all the while, their morale ebbed away.

Finally we cornered them against a mountain. With nowhere to go, the Spartans had to accept our offers for battle. Let them die a glorious death at our hands, instead of dying from hunger or desertion! We outnumbered them more than two to one! Victory was assured, and we were eager to finish this battle.

https://i.imgur.com/UkvlHhJ.jpg

It was a gorgeous day that we lined up for battle. The sun was out in full force, a far cry from the last battle where we fought in the rain and mud.

https://i.imgur.com/1KTqDM4.jpg

Off far in the distance, the Spartan remnants looked down upon us, seeing their deaths approaching. They had to be soiling their pants for what was coming!

https://i.imgur.com/zKWpOIV.jpg

We took our time getting into position. They had no relief armies, and the sun had many hours left before it departed for the day, so we were in no hurry. And if our patience unnerved the Spartans even more, all the better! There was heavy forest on our left flank so we put all of our cavalry on our right flank, including our horse archers. We hope that with a withering barrage of arrows we can help hasten the Spartan rout.

https://i.imgur.com/m3MZWBW.jpg

We finally charged up the hill and into the Spartan lines. The men who faced us were not hoplites but simple swordsmen, which made their departure even simpler for us. We were used to fighting hoplites by now, but fighting simple swordsmen? Child’s play for us battle-hardened soldiers.

https://i.imgur.com/mcUgh2J.jpg

But it was not our swords and spears which caused them to run. It was our horse archers. They were grouped en masse and they rained hell upon the Spartan formations, killing hundreds.

https://i.imgur.com/9W7Fv9O.jpg

Of course the Spartans were not just going to sit there and take it, so they sent in a unit of spearmen to remove the threat our horse archers were to them. Unfortunately for those spearmen, they did not see our cavalry hiding in the tree line, and they were swept away by thundering hooves.

https://i.imgur.com/IFpcjeI.jpg

On the left flank, not having any cavalry or spearmen there to counter their cavalry proved fatal for well over one hundred of our brothers, as their cavalry combined with their infantry tore through our lines. They almost broke through if it wasn’t for our reinforcements preventing the rout of our men in that area.

https://i.imgur.com/OA3csxH.jpg

It did not take too long for the green Spartan forces to begin to fall back, and eventually, rout. Most didn’t get far. Our horse archers watched them carefully, striking down any Spartan who fled.

https://i.imgur.com/gD4TFyo.jpg

And what started as a trickle became a stream. And from a stream, a torrent. The entire Spartan army was on the run, and our horse archers and cavalry rushed to take them all down before they evaded us.

https://i.imgur.com/Wld5AY1.jpg

But there was one holdout: the Spartan royal guard. They were defending the Spartan royal heir, who apparently was commanding this final Spartan army. They fought hard, killing over two dozen of our men in less than a minute after first contact. So we held back, and let our arrows do our fighting. All we had to do was hold our shields close and not lose any more men. I was among that front line against the Spartan royal guard, and blocking those maddened thrusts from the Spartans was a very tough task. As our arrows rained down on them and picking them off one by one, they were increasingly desperate to get out of their predicament, and their attacks became more and more intense.

https://i.imgur.com/qUdFTzz.jpg

But all we had to do was buckle down and let our arrows do the work.

Eventually the royal guards were whittled down to only a few men. They tried to escape but it was too late for them. We hunted them down with no pause, and that was the end of the battle.

https://i.imgur.com/A5EVWIc.jpg

Turns out, the royal heir, his entourage, and a few other survivors from the battle managed to escape, preventing a total victory.

https://i.imgur.com/bPLYLP9.jpg

But they did not make it far. We found them not far from the battlefield, and we slaughtered them with a thousand arrows.

https://i.imgur.com/M4PjoXc.jpg

But as we were celebrating our victory, other forces were claiming a much greater victory: the capture of Sparta itself!

https://i.imgur.com/qwSjwIW.jpg

The city was assaulted on a stormy day, making the ground slick with mud as our men trudged and slipped towards their assault positions.

https://i.imgur.com/bsckSxq.jpg

Getting nearer to the city, our forces split up. Our spies reported that they have pike phalanxes in the town, forcing us to split up our forces to make sure we wouldn’t have to throw ourselves upon their pikes in an endless slaughter.

https://i.imgur.com/MYVb6Lp.jpg

Reaching the city center, our forces mercilessly attacked the forces in the way of their final victory.

https://i.imgur.com/ZuSkdbD.jpg

Some Spartans tried to flee, but they did not get very far.

https://i.imgur.com/XSQa9KX.jpg

Most of the defenders were merely boys, unfit to stand up against us. It seems as if the Spartans sent all their best men against us in the field, leaving few good men to protect their previous city.

https://i.imgur.com/DXz1Xyp.jpg

Once all defenders of the avenues into the town center were broken, the battle was quickly over.

https://i.imgur.com/bLkqdvJ.jpg

The Spartans soon surrendered. There was no gallant final stand, much to our disappointment.

https://i.imgur.com/tRUaaf3.jpg

We did not lose even 200 men in the assault, a rather easy victory.

https://i.imgur.com/MNdnxSh.png

With the capital taken, we executed the Spartan king and royal family and occupied the city. Sparta was no more!

https://i.imgur.com/g3Dgb9Z.png

With news of the fall of Sparta spreading throughout the region, Athens declared war on us. Again. So we took the severed head of the Spartan king and sent it to Athens as a warning of what war would bring. They ignored our warning, and we geared up for war once again.

But even if the Athenians did not declare war, we would have still been on the warpath either way. Tylis has gained ground against our allies, and it is time we step in and wipe them off the face of the earth. I think Varga will be very happy to hear that!

https://i.imgur.com/011ihCS.jpg

But first, we have a more pressing matter at hand. Not only is the city of Athens, or as they call it, Athenai, in our grasp, we are in position to strike against Apollonia, the other Athenian town. Athens was lightly defended and should be easy to take, while Apollonia would be a tougher nut to crack.

https://i.imgur.com/kbsWQzA.jpg

In any case, the Spartan war did not even last two moons, a rather short war by our standards. But by the gods, it was a bloody one. Thankfully it was much more their blood than ours. It has been years since we have seen peace, and it doesn’t seem like it will come any time soon.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Fifteen


With the road to Athens wide open, Blaikisa jumped at the chance to take the city. Bringing a second army along, he put the city under siege. Meanwhile, Dadas marched towards Apollonia and the large Athenian army there, taking it slow to avoid any possible traps as they traversed the mountainous terrain. I decided to tag along with the force taking Athens, because it was always said that Athens was a beautiful city and I really do not want to miss out on an opportunity to fight through the streets of one Athens and spill some Athenian blood in the process. Varga decided to stay back, for the odd chance he finds some Tylans to kill.

https://i.imgur.com/RWiVcj2.jpg

After ladders were built, Blaikisa ordered an assault. The city was lightly defended, and frankly, underwhelming. We anticipated a sprawling city with huge buildings. But other than a large temple and a few sort of large government buildings, it reminded me of a standard Hellenic town. Quite disappointing if you ask me.

https://i.imgur.com/cXMpxS6.jpg

Our men climbed over the walls, eager for the fight! We had eight ladders, so we were able to spread out our men in order to prevent being bogged down in any one place.

https://i.imgur.com/vNS24Og.jpg

Most of what the enemy had were militia and levies, along with a few units of slingers, so the fights on the walls were not too difficult.

https://i.imgur.com/pqyhC7e.jpg

We managed to take one of the gates, though with losses. Their archers were barricaded inside the gatehouse and it took a while before the barricades were broken down and the archers killed. In the meantime, they managed to kill dozens of our men.

https://i.imgur.com/rsFkV84.jpg

With a gate open, the rest of our forces charged into the city, preparing to take the city center and wipe out the rest of the garrison.

https://i.imgur.com/c6xHFHl.jpg

But things were not going too well on the walls now. Using a corner of the walls to their advantage, the Athenian defenders managed to pin down two of our units, a unit of Triballoi swordsmen and a unit of Thracian infantry. Once pinned down, Athenian slingers went to work. With their sides completely exposed, our men were cut down in droves. When we finally got units to their position, we found every one of our men slain.

https://i.imgur.com/TRdCT8c.jpg

When news spread of the complete loss of two experienced units, it only enraged our men and they fought even more ferociously against the defenders on the walls who still held out.

https://i.imgur.com/SeN4rmQ.jpg

Finally the defenders on the walls were routed and slaughtered, and we got into position on the ground, facing the few defenders left at about two hundred paces away. Neither side made a move. The air was silent, save for the faint cries of the wounded in the distance. We paid them no heed as we stared down our foes. The Athenians knew very well what was coming, and they could do nothing to prevent it.

https://i.imgur.com/IBzzDqy.jpg

That is when the sound of two hundred hooves beating the ground was heard. Our horse archers arrived.

Taking aim, they loosed volley after volley upon the Athenian survivors huddled in the town center.

https://i.imgur.com/9uTc7K1.jpg

Desperately trying to hide under their shields, the remaining Athenian defenders were being slowly killed off by our arrows. This was child’s play though. We wanted to wet our swords with Athenian blood before the battle was over, and if the archer’s managed to kill them off before we could get our chance, we would be rather angry.

https://i.imgur.com/tsHa5D0.jpg


Bored with waiting for the archers to do their thing, a few of us climbed to the top of the hill inside the city, and looked over Athens. It really was a nice little city. Not quite Pella, but nice architecture and nice greenery made Athens a place maybe one day I might settle down in. Maybe.

https://i.imgur.com/fRgrO5E.jpg

We made our way back to our lines just as our archers received the word to cease fire. There were still some defenders left, so we drew our swords and charged, intent on finishing the job as quickly as we could. We would be getting our swords wet in the end after all!

https://i.imgur.com/L5AlWDp.jpg

The few remaining Athenians who still stood against us could barely hold their line as we threw ourselves against their shield wall mercilessly.

https://i.imgur.com/amRq8ci.jpg

It wasn’t a very good shield wall, and we broke it rather easily. With their shield wall shattered, it wasn’t long until they began to flee. They didn’t get far though; we ended up capturing over two hundred Athenian soldiers on the roads out of the city, and they were brought back in chains.

https://i.imgur.com/6ELZR4h.jpg

Athens was in our hands now. We had lost two entire units of veteran soldiers, which really hurt as losing veterans was always a tough ordeal, and a few other units had taken severe casualties. But otherwise our casualties were light.

https://i.imgur.com/dGT9B75.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/YtWUtBa.jpg

On our other fronts, the Scythian fleets finally left the mouth of the Danube, giving us much relief!

https://i.imgur.com/0evtPEt.jpg

Now that the southern peninsula was in our hands, we could concentrate on taking out Athens once and for all. As I travelled back to Dadas’s army, I remembered how just a year and a half ago we were all panicking for the large Athenian armies heading in our direction, and with Tylan armies bearing down on us, it all seemed hopeless. But nowadays, we are the undisputed masters over Athens, and soon, the rest of the Greek peninsula!

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Sixteen



Immediately after we took Athens we moved on Apollonia. A third army, fresh from the siege of Athens, joined the other two preparing to lay siege to the final Athenian town.


Now here is where we had to use strategy. The Athenians had a lot of experienced soldiers with pikes. We cannot face them in an all-out assault as we would get torn to shreds upon their pikes, even with our vastly superior numbers.


So we surrounded them and waited it out.


https://i.imgur.com/cijrGvS.jpg


It only took a few weeks. The large army that was reinforcing the garrison managed to get on ships and flee the city like cowards. It didn’t take long after that for the garrison to surrender without a fight.


https://i.imgur.com/zcWhI6R.png


But of course, the Athenians still posed a major threat, especially with that large army patrolling the waters just outside Apollonia. We could not leave the area until every last Athenian army and fleet was gone.


Both fortunately and unfortunately for us, they were now all at sea. They had limited supplies but they also had free reign of the local seas because we do not have a navy, at least not yet. We would either have to build one or we would have to wait this one out.


https://i.imgur.com/qDE0DUR.jpg


Thankfully though, they came to us. A few weeks after we chased the Athenians out of Apollonia they came back in force and assaulted the city.


https://i.imgur.com/jDSB9as.jpg


Instead of unloading further down the coast and marching to face us as a united army, they decided to land directly in the city. I'm not sure their reasoning, but it was kind of terrifying to see all those ships slowly making their way to shore towards us, even though we knew they would be landing in different areas, fragmenting their formations to our advantage.


https://i.imgur.com/y7BPabc.jpg


We waited patiently for what was to come. We had deployed on the beaches, waiting for the ships to arrive so we could catch them as they left their boats.


https://i.imgur.com/mf9rWs3.jpg


A cry went up from our left flank. More Athenians were coming from the left side of the city! We had not seen them approaching while watching the main army come via ships, and now they were rapidly advancing towards our unguarded left flank. We had infantry reinforcements coming in, but they were on foot and would take a while to arrive. And we couldn’t divert men away to counter the new threat, because if we cannot put our full weight on the incoming seaborne assault then we risk being overrun.


https://i.imgur.com/lrGW8B6.jpg


So we sent cavalry to stall the new threat until infantry could arrive.


https://i.imgur.com/q0i4Zl5.jpg


They charged at the Athenian cavalry and managed to chase both them and a unit of slingers. The other units had spears or pikes so our cavalry steered clear of them, hoping that the infantry got to them first before they would reach the town.


https://i.imgur.com/d7ijHG9.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/WxfdooF.jpg


Meanwhile the Athenian naval forces got off their boats and charged ashore, right into our waiting spears, which punctured their leather armor pieces as our arrows gave them an iron greeting from above.


https://i.imgur.com/DfxcBM5.jpg


But enough of them managed to get off the boats and form phalanxes, making the situation much harder. After a long while, we managed to break one of them, opening up the rest to flanking attacks.


https://i.imgur.com/PfBagtA.jpg


Just outside the town, the reinforcing infantry finally reached the advancing Athenians and was able to stop them from entering and causing havoc within the city.


https://i.imgur.com/iUfT8kE.jpg


Though it was at considerable loss; they managed to form a phalanx against our men and slay a large number of good Dacian warriors before they were eventually routed slaughtered.


https://i.imgur.com/UIotrII.jpg


Back on the shoreline, a few Athenian units snuck around the side, trying to flank our main line, but were stopped by a single unit of ours. They ended up losing all but two dozen of their men, a truly heroic effort!


https://i.imgur.com/my8iQOk.jpg


The battle slowly turned in our favor as Athenian units began to rout. Once a pike phalanx breaks, its men are easily slaughtered. They do not have our skill when it comes to the sword, and their strength is in their long pikes.


https://i.imgur.com/jWyeMyY.jpg


With bloodlust raging through our veins we chased after all the fleeing Athenians. Some initially tried to make it back to their ships, but they had beached them so they offered no refuge from our blades. The only option for them was over land. They did not get very far.


https://i.imgur.com/f1CBUmf.jpg


Back on our left flank our infantry was still embroiled in battle with a few stubborn Athenians. But a piece of wood cannot hold back a wave, and they broke after repeated cavalry charges, even after taking refuge in a wooded area, hoping to prevent our cavalry charges. It didn’t work, and not a single Athenian survived the encounter.


https://i.imgur.com/0UXpsoA.jpg


Back in the city, only a few levy hoplites stood against us, and being pressed by both sides, they did not last long.


https://i.imgur.com/rtih7FB.jpg


But that was not the end of the battle. Somehow a number of enemy units including hoplites and slingers got off further down the coastline and snuck in through the city.


https://i.imgur.com/FS4cQqB.jpg


We managed to catch the unit of slingers before they got very far and would be able to do some damage.


https://i.imgur.com/E442TSp.jpg


But the hoplites managed to sneak in and attack our generals, who were commanding the battle from the town center!


https://i.imgur.com/Tys4CSs.jpg


Our generals quickly withdrew from the town center as our available infantry rushed in to take out the unsolicited attackers. Generals on horseback have no business fighting hoplites. Though they did happily help in the pursuit!


https://i.imgur.com/eTPVqeT.jpg


There were still a few more ships coming towards the shore, so our men had some breathing room before the last leg of the battle began. The bodies littered the town and surrounding areas.


https://i.imgur.com/ABz6T7z.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/AvnKUxq.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/rb9uwkE.jpg


The last few ships hit the shore, and their eager crews jumped off, not knowing the fate of their brethren.


https://i.imgur.com/RTGeLsZ.jpg


They soon found out.


https://i.imgur.com/eCcl0R1.jpg


With the final Athenian units routed and hunted down, the battle was over. It was a bloody day. Mostly it was Athenians who were lying on the ground, but quite a few of our brothers had fallen as well. But even with over a thousand of our dead, it was a good time to celebrate. We had wiped out three Athenian armies. Yes, two of those were not very large, but that was still three fewer armies than what they had before the battle, and now we were three steps closer to wiping out Athens once and for all!


https://i.imgur.com/cbUlydi.jpg


With no way to reinforce or resupply, and no friendly port to take shelter in for the coming winter, the remaining Athenians were trapped out at sea.


https://i.imgur.com/yOffvjQ.jpg


To make things worse for them, the Romans joined the war on our side. Obviously they only joined in to have an easy finish to this war and claim some of the glory, which we were okay with, and we hoped that the Roman navy would eventually clean up what was left of the Athenians.


https://i.imgur.com/m25IX6S.png


More importantly, we could now turn our attentions to other foes, such as Tylis.


To date, it has been almost five winters since we began this campaign against Athens. I find it amazing how much time has passed since that fateful declaration of war from Athens in support of their ally Tylis. Tylis was never truly a problem for us except for a tight spot here and there, but it was Athens who truly made us sweat. And as I recall, it was because of their Athenian allies that we got put in quite a spot when we sustained multiple attacks by powerful armies within a couple of days. With their formidable pikemen, they cut down hundreds of our men. I put them only second to the Rhomphaia when it comes to feared weapons. You can block or get past a Rhomphaia with enough skill or quality equipment. Much harder to get past a wall of pikes, and both skilled and unskilled warriors fall to a pike phalanx. But for now, that ordeal was over for us.


The age of caution is over. Once we can be sure that Athens is no longer a threat at all, we will move west, wipe out Tylis (which Varga is very excited for), and then move on foes unknown.

It is a great time to be part of the Getae!

[Sp4]

Are those naked hoplites in one of the screenshots? ^^

Also, can you show a screenshot of the map? (The world map with all the borders and colours and all)

[Hooahguy]

Yeah, those are naked hoplites. Actually a rather good unit, puts up a stubborn fight.

Heres the map:

https://i.imgur.com/Rt45ft6.jpg

[Sp4]

Christ! War with so many people! I'd feel paranoid :D The naked hoplites are from a mod though, yes?

[Hooahguy]

Yeah, well my war with the Nervii, Averni, and Egypt are because of my treaty with the Ardiaei. Cimmeria declared war on me but really hasnt done anything besides put a couple of tiny fleets in my waters. I was actually at war with Royal Scythia for one turn but I begged them for peace and they thankfully accepted. That is when they started hanging out by the mouth of the Danube. I can only assume how that massive fleet was headed towards my capital...

And yeah, its a mod. I think its Champloo's unit packs.

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Seventeen


That winter was one of both great sadness and great happiness for our people. Tarbus, our king, died of sickness brought on by a very cold winter. His eldest son Costico, who was also leading an army in the field, became our new leader. As a nation we mourned our leader whose wise guidance led us from a nation of obscurity to one that everyone knew of and our feats of arms. We had crushed Athens and Sparta, nations who once called themselves the pillars of civilization. They never thought that we “barbarians” could defeat them and yet here they are, strewn at our feet like a fallen leaf at the foot of a tree.

https://i.imgur.com/6dEuiYr.png

Along with the harsh winter came the harsher winter storms. There is a reason we do not set sail during the winter, but the Athenians had no choice. Combined with being harassed by Roman fleets and pounding winter storms, the remnants of the Athenians sank at sea.

https://i.imgur.com/6oRFJeT.png

But in the meantime, our past and future foes, Tylis, joined forces with the Galatians, creating the Celtic Confederation. They will find no safety in numbers!

https://i.imgur.com/v0wnBGh.png

We declared war, and our army, led by Dadas, another army, led by Costico and another army led by someone whose name I don’t remember, attacked Naissos. Their garrison was already starving, so the fight was rather quick and painless.

https://i.imgur.com/Bf6qKKA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Umk5GVf.png

Dadas occupied Naissos, and Costico with another army advanced in late winter on Singidum, the last of the Confederation’s holdings in Europe.

https://i.imgur.com/nnmCkis.jpg

We had a short siege, only long enough for the snow to stop before we assaulted with our ladders.

https://i.imgur.com/M10fB3f.jpg

Since this would be the final time to kill some Tylan soldiers (well, now they are “Celtic Confederation” soldiers), Varga and I joined with Costico’s army to get in on the action.

Varga was excited. This would probably be the last time he would get the chance to fight the people who killed his brother, and he was thirsty for revenge. Because of his experience in battle, he was put in charge of one of the units who would be going over the walls first. He was leading inexperienced men, and he was unsure how they would fare being part of the “forlorn hope,” or the people who would be over the walls first. Our experience with But I knew he would fine; he was one of the best warriors I have ever known.

Our faction leader decided to assault in a heavy fog, as to conceal our approach from our siege camp as much as possible. We did not want to let the defenders prepare for our attack for too long before we came over those walls to kill them.

https://i.imgur.com/6JMNrMf.jpg

Singidum was built into the side of a small cliff, enabling it to have a natural barrier on the northern side. But they seem to have forgotten about our archers who could rain down arrows upon them from the top of the cliff. We took advantage of that, and charged our horse archers through a dense forest to the cliff.

https://i.imgur.com/mbdGnzG.jpg

Our ladders reached the walls, and the men swarmed over into the waiting swords and spears of the defenders.

https://i.imgur.com/xS88av2.jpg

They were also greeted by a large number of ranged units, who killed many of our men as they struggled to get control of the town defenses.

The unit who suffered the most under missile fire was Varga’s unit. While his men cleared out one of the watch towers, they came under a hail of missiles which slew most of his men.

https://i.imgur.com/Uz7Zund.jpg

From what I was told, the second the tower was cleared, Varga led an attack against the enemy missile units, routing the enemy and exacting sweet revenge on the people who had slain many of their comrades already.

https://i.imgur.com/POizyic.png

Elsewhere on the walls, our men were surrounded by heavily armed defenders, who were putting up a very good defense, even against impossible odds. We had to send in reinforcements to prevent total destruction of our assaulting force. I was among the reinforcements, and we ran towards the walls to save our brothers. But in many places, it was too late. Hundreds of our men were slain, and entire units were wiped out, fighting to the death even when surrounded.

https://i.imgur.com/uaLR2Eu.jpg

We cut our way through the masses of spearmen, dodging enemy spear thrusts and returning their attacks in kind. The battle slowly turned in our favor as more defenders were cut down and more of our reinforcements scaled the walls.

https://i.imgur.com/xgVCauZ.jpg

The defenders who had fallen back from the walls to make a final stand at the town center met a deadly surprise: arrows coming from our horse archers from the top of the cliff, shattering their hopes of a temporary respite as they prepared for the coming onslaught.

https://i.imgur.com/m0ZvZNA.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2ZwrpC8.png

Finally after much bloodshed, the defenders broke, and fled the city any way they could as they tried to escape our men. They wouldn’t get far, as our cavalry hunted whoever tried to flee.

https://i.imgur.com/1TBatzO.jpg

But the battle wasn’t completely done, as there were a few men hiding in the town center from our archers. They couldn’t stay there forever. To their credit, they staged a valiant last charge, resulting in the death of every last one of the dozen or so who charged our wall of men.

https://i.imgur.com/ylfDT7X.jpg

The city was ours, but at a heavy cost. Three of our units were wiped out, and another two units were ground to almost nothing.

Among the fallen was Varga’s almost entire unit. Only seventeen men of the one hundred and sixty who began the battle remained. When the battle ended, I searched for his unit, eager to see my friend again and talk of our exploits. I eventually found his men, or what was left of them. When asked where my best friend was, they somberly pointed me to a body covered by a blanket. I was in shock. Varga was the best warrior I knew, him falling to the enemy seemed inconceivable! They told me how Varga led the charge against the enemy missile units, quickly wiping out one of them. He fought like a wild dog, killing dozens of the men who once were part of the Tylan people. He was getting his revenge for his brother. But after the first enemy missile unit was defeated, they were met by a deadly volley from another missile unit who appeared from hiding. Many brave warriors fell in that volley, and among them was Varga, hit in the chest by a javelin, and he joined his brother in the afterlife.

I wept for my friend and for the first time since that horrible day over ten years ago when my family was slain by those Hellenic raiders, I truly felt alone. There was nothing I could do but steel myself, and prepare for the next fight.

https://i.imgur.com/xoMvh4J.jpg

But we would not be getting the chance to fight the Celtic Confederation anytime soon. After our capture of Singidum they begged us for peace, and we accepted. We had no intention to cross over the Bosporus strait. If they stayed on their side we would stay on ours. For now at least.

https://i.imgur.com/u2W4bDo.png

We were finally at peace with all our neighbors. It has been over ten long years since we have seen a peace like this. But I had a feeling it would not last long. Large fleets from Knossos threatened Athens and Sparta, and it was not a threat we could take lightly. So I rejoined Dadas’s army and we began marching south once again to meet this new menace, for as long as these massive fleets were hanging around our shores, we could never be truly at peace.

https://i.imgur.com/pI3fGSv.jpg

[Hooahguy]

Chapter Eighteen


For a year we waited by Athens for Knossos to attack. After all, they had three large armies hanging out by our shores, so it seemed almost a certainty that they would be invading our lands.

But a year passed, and nothing happened with those fleets. Eventually they left, and we headed north back towards Malva. I was sad to leave Athens though, over the past year I have grown quite fond of that city, with its warm sun, fields of trees with ripe oranges on them, and rolling green hills overlooking the ocean. But for now, my duty is to my people, so such thoughts must be put aside.

War came in the springtime with the Celtic Confederation. They declared war on us for us not allowing their forces free access of the Danube. Silly reason if you ask me, as they were embroiled in a large war to the north and could not afford to attack us, or even declare war on us.

So after waiting a little bit to see what they would do, we attacked them, striking at their lands since they seemingly would not attempt to strike at ours.

Our army with a second army led by a relatively new general named Bikili crossed the Bosporus strait and laid siege to Nicomedia, the closest Celtic stronghold to our lands.

https://i.imgur.com/gcbooQl.jpg

We waited a few weeks to see if the Celtic Confederation could muster an army to help their garrison, and when we saw that they had no help coming, we assaulted the city.

https://i.imgur.com/Xeo49Wm.jpg

It was a gloriously sunny day, the sun shining off our helmets like a thousand small suns.

https://i.imgur.com/1AiNwWM.jpg

Dadas, being the seasoned general that he is, rode around the lines, stirring us up for the battle to come. It was going to be a hard fight, the enemy was prepared for us. But he told us that every man’s actions today would count for the final victory. With that, he called for volunteers for the forlorn hope, the first men to go over the walls. I had a feeling that fate would want me over those walls first, so I joined the fated men of the forlorn hope.

https://i.imgur.com/6CRNPsg.jpg

For some odd reason, a few Celtic units boarded ships and began to sail down the coast. Seemingly they were trying to escape.

https://i.imgur.com/bOAqlzZ.jpg

Then they pointed towards shore, right next to our lines. Were they trying to land and then attack our flanks? Either way, our cavalry and horse archers lined up to tackle the problem.

https://i.imgur.com/SpnLdEw.jpg

They landed, and were promptly cut down by two hundred arrows fired all at once at them.

https://i.imgur.com/69S1G2p.jpg

Whoever was left after the first few volleys were beset upon by our cavalry, who easily wiped out the surviving Celtic soldiers.

https://i.imgur.com/nbkApga.jpg

With the way clear to the walls, we began moving our ladders towards the city.

https://i.imgur.com/AwYZ8rw.jpg

We had eight ladders. The enemy could not defend everywhere, so in some places our men climbed over the walls with no resistance.

https://i.imgur.com/oNbHXLs.jpg

Other units were not as lucky. The defenders had many skirmishing units ready, and they let loose a volley as soon as our men came over the walls. Dozens of men were cut down immediately. I was not among them, thankfully. Then the survivors of those units had to fight through hundreds of defenders with diminished numbers. It’s a miracle how none of our units were completely wiped out.

https://i.imgur.com/3vTp1uH.jpg

We were prepared for this situation, and had reinforcements waiting right at the base of the ladders, instead of having them rush towards the walls from where the generals were. While some men were hit and killed by missile fire while waiting by the ladders, more of our men were saved by the reinforcements who were immediately available. It was a wise decision, and had it been taken in previous siege assaults, many lives of good warriors would have been saved.

https://i.imgur.com/OJadZIG.jpg

We climbed over the walls on the right end of our assault, meeting little resistance. We quickly focused our attack on the flank of the Celtic unit who were trying to fight off one of our assaulting units to the left of us.

https://i.imgur.com/I7VkXC8.jpg

The fight was a very bloody one. The defenders were very skilled with a sword, and it was a challenge to get the best of them. They were our equals. Maybe they did not have the experience we did in battle, but they certainly knew how to use their swords very effectively. If it was not for our experience I don’t think many of us would have survived unscathed.

https://i.imgur.com/mZrnYCh.jpg

We slowly hacked our way through the Celtic defenders, relieving the pressure on our beleaguered brothers in arms. The blood flowed freely, and my body was soon covered in blood, both the blood of my brothers and the blood of my enemies.

https://i.imgur.com/H9GvT05.jpg

Finally the last defenders at the walls were cut down or chased off, and our men flowed like a swollen river over the walls. The capture of the city was imminent!

https://i.imgur.com/A2FgffZ.jpg

The amount of bloodshed just by the walls was horrific. Over a thousand people lay dead by our feet, and the killing was not quite done yet.

https://i.imgur.com/IWkKrvP.jpg

The units which took the most casualties were held back to rest while the rest of us pressed forward towards the center of town. Being among the most experienced, Dadas and Bikili chose my unit to lead the charge!

As we approached the center, the archers in their towers began firing at us. We picked up our pace, starting at a slow jog and then breaking into a full on sprint as we charged up the hill towards the waiting Celtic defenders.

https://i.imgur.com/dxUAWoC.jpg

We slammed into the waiting shields and swords of the defenders, throwing ourselves at them in order to break their shield wall.

The fighting was fierce. We swung wildly at each other at first, and soon the frantic swings became more calculated. I managed to kill him with a jab to the neck, but not before he deeply cut into my thigh.

https://i.imgur.com/5Th6lUz.jpg

The defenders fought with a tenacity that I have not seen since we fought Athens in Pella all those years ago. We had to fight tooth and nail for every meter we went forward. But we were pushing them back, even if it was slower than expected.

https://i.imgur.com/GMwHQjK.jpg

Finally we spotted the leader of the garrison. He was surrounded by his men, shouting encouragement in a vain hope that if he held us off our whole army would leave. Fool, there were thousands of us left and a mere handful left of them. But I did admire the man for the attempt.

https://i.imgur.com/h2b9auB.jpg

Finally we cut through his bodyguard, and I came face to face with the commander himself. He took a swing at me, and I parried and returned in kind. He dodged it, and jabbed at my legs. His sword sunk deep into my already injured left thigh. I yelled out in pain, forcing myself to stay on my feet. He had a look of hate on his face. He clearly wanted to kill me, and he advanced towards me, coming in for the kill. I didn’t let him though; I threw my weight behind my shield, knocking him off balance, allowing me to drive my sword through his chest.

https://i.imgur.com/xtmZrvL.jpg

I sank to my knees because the pain in my left leg was far too great to remain standing. Another defender, seemingly in anguish over the death of his friends and seeing my vulnerability, charged at me. With my remaining strength I thrust my sword up, cutting into his stomach which he left wide open when he charged at me. But then my legs gave out, and I sank to the ground along with my opponent.

https://i.imgur.com/oRXADbr.jpg

A fellow soldier helped carry me back to our camp. We had taken the city with just under six hundred losses. None of our units were wiped out, so that was very positive news.

https://i.imgur.com/B5BMnqF.jpg

The Celtic Confederation leaders soon came to us with a peace deal. They apparently had enough and wanted an end to the hostilities. Which was fine by us, we didn’t really want to continue this war with them anyhow. It was a drain on our resources and for little gain so it was better to end the hostilities than to keep on fighting for no real reason.

https://i.imgur.com/srjHGjs.png

Our leaders decided to not occupy the city which we had just conquered. Instead, we gave it back to their rightful owners, the local tribe of Bithynia. With them we secured an ally across the Bosporus who could hold off any attacking foes from crossing into our lands from Anatolia. With peace negotiated and an ally gained, our armies crossed the strait and headed back into our lands.

https://i.imgur.com/8XReaXu.jpg

After the battle, I was worked on by the army surgeon. He wanted to cut my leg off since it was in such a severe condition but I begged him to let me keep it. I did not want to live the rest of my life as a total cripple. I would rather take my chances than be doomed to live on the streets like I've seen so many invalids before. He obliged, and after he cleaned my wound of the blood and closed it up with thin string and a needle, he sent me on my way. I could not walk without assistance so I got to ride the wagons with the other wounded on our way back to our lands.

Weeks and months passed and my leg did not fully heal. I still walked with a limp, rendering me unfit for combat.

I was in shock. I had been fighting in the service of my people for over twelve years now. I knew nothing else. My life before joining the army was gone. Everyone I knew from my old life was gone; Varga, Charnabon, and most importantly, my family who had been killed all those years ago. They seemed like a distant memory now, and I wondered if they could see me from the afterlife, and I wondered if they would approve.

I had accomplished so much while in the army of our people. I had helped expand our lands, bringing us into the world stage. Now nobody could ignore us like they once did. We had conquered the Odrysian Kingdom, we had wiped out the infamous Spartans, and most importantly, we had crushed the great nation of Athens! The history books will sing the songs of our victories! I do not know what will become of our nation, but I have confidence that we will come out victorious of every trial and tribulation we will face in the years to come.

As for me, I think I will return to Athens permanently, maybe even grow my own orange grove. I might have known only war for the past decade, but I am sure I will be able to adapt to a much deserved life of peace.



Fin.

Thank you all so much for reading! I've had a lot of fun playing and writing this AAR, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and I hope you will join me for my next one!

The map of my conquests and neighbors at the end:
https://i.imgur.com/FDnNs70.jpg