Battle for Antiocheia

(I used Battle of Edessa and Battle of the Iron Bridge threads for this battle. Thank you GH!)

PLEASE DO NOT POST IN THIS THREAD!! USE OOC THREAD FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE!!

Background:

Patrokles Adiabenikos was once the Commander of the 1st Babylonian Army. He helped put down the Persian rebels who had declared themselves independent. But what others didn't know was that he planned to make his own rebellion against Arche Seleukeia. Gathering some support he successfully took control over Mesopotamia and created The kingdom of the Crescent.

Basileus Sarpedon Syriakos was in Egypt back in those days. He had other things on his mind and thus the Rebels never had to face Sarpedon's mighty Royal Army. But things changed after rebel forces under Patrokles Adiabenikos managed to take the capital of the Arche Seleukeia - Antiocheia. Basileus Sarpedon started moving north after refusing Patrokles' demands.

Patrokles wisely retreated from the city back to east. He planned to wait until Sarpedon attacks him and thus prepared defences on all rivercrossings. However, Sarpedon did not attack him. Two sides made their preparations and people in Edessa feared the upcoming battle in Assyrie.

Then suddenly Patrokles Adiabenikos and Epikrates Tabaiou Persikou crossed Assyrie in a quick march and entered Syria. This was a surprise to everyone. His forces were however tired for this march and Sarpedons fresh troops had an advantage choosing the battlefield...

The situation:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/...es/BoA-sit.jpg

The map:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/...es/BoA_pre.jpg

Rules:

The Battle for Antioch will be between Patrokles Adiabenikos (Cultured Drizzt fan) and Epikrates Tabaiou Persikou (mini) against Sarpedon Syriakos (The Celtic Viking) and will be umpired by me in the classic Throne Room tabletop style. It is expected that Cultured Drizzt fan, mini and The Celtic Viking will not communicate with anyone while the battle is taking place.

Since the full tabletop battle has been chosen, the battle will take place over a number of turns. At the start of each new turn, players are to draft new orders and send them to me. The turn schedule is as follows:

Turn 0: Deployment of advance guards
Turn 1: Early morning (and deployment of rear guards)
Turn 2: Mid-morning
Turn 3: Late morning
Turn 4: Early afternoon
Turn 5: Mid-afternoon
Turn 6: Late afternoon
Turn 7: Early evening

...with a night turn and additional day turns to follow as needed.

Divisions, deployment, and orders:

Players are to draft concise, in-character orders every turn and send them to me along with a map diagramming their movements. If orders are too complicated they run a risk of confusing the division commander and causing inaction. All divisions, unless being one of the two nearest the commanding general, are subject to an orders test (my rolling the die). 2-6, orders are executed, 1, they are not and the units are inactive for that turn.

To properly simulate the battle, orders will be given on a divisional level rather than a regimental one. Refer to the Word document (see below) to see a list of proposed divisions. Division commanders are generally experienced people and know how to execute operations such as wheeling, pivoting, and flanking. If you tell them to flank the left side of the line, they don’t need more information, such has how to do it in detail.

Since Sarpedon Syriakos (The Celtic Viking) is the Faction Leader, this will be represented by allowing him command of six divisions(plus 2 Captain led armies who will join the battle later) as opposed to Patrokles' control of five and Epikrates' control of four. Divisional rearrangement is possible, although with some caveats (again, refer to the Word document below).
Also, since Sarpedon had unused movement points his deployment area is a bit bigger. He may also use buildings in Village to house some of his units.

Battle structure:

The sides:
Arche Seleukeia
Basileus Sarpedon Syriakos (The Celtic Viking) - available immediately
Captain Protarchos - possibility of reinforcement starting Turn 1
Captain Minnio - possibility of reinforcement starting Turn 3

Kingdom of the Crescent
Patrokles Adiabenikos - available immediately - Overall Commander
Epikrates Tabaiou Persikou - possibility of reinforcement starting Turn 1

For the reinforcing armies, they each have a 50% chance of entering the battle on the turn indicated above. If the die roll fails, they have a 5-in-6 of doing so the following turn. If the die hates their souls and still won't cooperate, they will deploy two turns after indicated.

Common sense and, if needed, custom battles will be used to determine the outcome of each engagement.

Overall Commander coordinates all in-battle actions and covers for people who do not send in orders by providing skeleton, vague orders that will be implemented in the stead of the absent commanders.

Example of how orders should look like:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GeneralHankerchief

BILLYBOB'S ORDERS
Infantry: Advance in line with the rest of the army and attack the enemy's infantry in front of you. We outnumber them by one regiment of DFKs so I want them to wrap around and hit them on the flank.

Archers: All fire is to be concentrated on the enemy general unit. If you are charged then fall back to the spearmen.

Spearmen: Guard the archers, but if it becomes apparent that the enemy cavalry is going to make an attack then shadow them and respond as necessary.

Cavalry: Once the enemy flank is engaged then swing around and hit the enemy's rear.

~~~~~~~~~

include the map of course as well.

---

Deployment instructions:

For Turn 0, players must inform me which two divisions (besides their general unit) will consist of the advance guard and place them on the map. In addition, if they wish to rearrange divisions, they must inform me. Any divisional rearrangements that take place after Turn 0 will have to face an orders test for each regiment.

For Turn 1, players may choose to move their Advance Guards or hold them in place. In addition, they may deploy (but not move) their Rear Guards.

For Turn 2, combat is possible between Advance Guards, but not if players did not move them. Combat is not possible between Rear Guards until Turn 3.

For Turn 3 and beyond, combat is possible between all forces, provided that players have moved them forward.

Please use a red or blue line, depending on what I put in the map, to indicate which direction your forces are facing. Refer to the various maps in any of the other battle threads to see exactly what I mean.

DEADLINE FOR DEPLOYMENTS: 24 hours after both Cultured Drizzt fan, mini and The Celtic Viking acknowledge in the OOC thread that they have read this post and understand it. Please use the Word document in this file to copy and paste your units to the map above.

Public feedback for Turn 0:

Sopatros Nikephoros climbs on a cliff near an abandoned village. He looks down and sees two armies approaching each other. One wears the banners of Arche Seleukeia and the other one, coming feom east, wears the banners of the Kingdom of the Crescent. Finally, a battle that may end the rebellion in the heartlands of the Arche or .. a battle that may end the life of Basileus Sarpedon.

"It seems that Patrokles have taken his Persian Archers and his whole Cavalry contingent with him."

"And Sarpedon have brought ..." Sopatros rubs his eyes, "his entire collection of sarissas??"

Sopatros shakes his head and chuckles.

"This will be interesting battle!"

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/.../BoA_turn1.jpg

DEADLINE FOR TURN 1 ORDERS: 24 hours from this moment.

Public feedback for Turn 1:

Sopatros Nikephoros notices that both armies Rear guards have entered the battlefield. However Basileus Sarpedons ones are too far to support his cavalry and Phalanx Division. On Patrokles' side things are totally different. Sopatros notices how "King of Babylon" sends his Thureophoroi just in front of his cavalry. The same thing happen when his Phalanx units create a line in front of his archers.

Patrokles' Perisans did what they could but only managed to reduce only one of Sarpedons Klerouchoi Phalangitai units numbers before they had to retreat.

Sarpedon himself is so close to Patrokles' Thureophoroi that he could hear the heartbeats of Patrokles' men!

Suddenly he hears some noises from south-east. He looks and sees Epikrates Tabaiou Persikou and his army finally arriving to the battlefield.

"Things will most certainly heat up" Sopatros says to himself.

"And looks like Patrokles Adiabenikos is not the only one who will get some reinforcements! Is that Captain Protarchos coming from west? Yes, yes. He and his mighty army of Pandotapoi!" Sopatros laughs.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/.../BoA_turn2.jpg

DEADLINE FOR TURN 1 ORDERS: 24 hours from this moment.

Public feedback for Turn 2:

A fierce and bloody battle starts in the center between Patrokles' and Sarpedon's phalanxes. Another bloody fight is fought between both sides Cavalry Divisions.

During a brief pause in the battle Sopatros can see what have happened.

Sarpedon have lost all of his cavalry. Patrokles, his Infantry and Persian archers have completely destroyed them. Sarpedon managed to retreat west with his bodyguards but things don't look good for him. During this fight between cavalries Sarpedons heavy infantry under man called Alkaios just stood still and never tried to help their Basileus!

In the center, though, Sarpedon have upper hand. His phalanxes have almost destroyed Patrokles' phalanx and if things will not change then Patrokles' can say good by to his phalanxes. Also Sopatros sees that Sarpedons missile troops have annihilated Patrokles' entire Greek Archers Division!

"It seems as if nothing could stop Sarpedons phalanx! If they could stay relatively intact then they can go against Epikrates' men as well and probably win too! Also, it seems that Captain Minnio and his men will enter finally this battle too. More phalanx units for Sarpedon!"

The map:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/.../BoA_turn3.jpg

Public feedback for turn 3:

This morning have been a massacre for both sides. Sarpedon just recently lost his Cavalry Division and now he lost his Infantry Divisions in south. Epikrates and his Pandotapoi phalangitai had surrounded them and completely destroyed them.

However, Patrokles have lost even more. During the hours of late morning he lost his last phalanx units and the last of his cavalry. Since his Persian Arches tried effortlessly take down Sarpedons heavy infantry with their arrows they themselves were struck down by Sarpedons missile units. Only a unit of Persians have remained. He also lost 2/3 of his Thureophoroi in his last attack against Sarpedons Argyraspides..

Epikrates, after overwhelming Sarpedons southern divisions, could proceed his march against Sarpedons scattered units in north but face the chance being outflanked by Captain Minnio and his troops who have finally entered the battle.

"Choices.. choices.. choices.. Generals must make some good choices. Perhaps retreating is the best option for some of them?" Sopatros thinks.

The map:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/.../BoA_turn4.jpg

Public feedback for turn 4:

"It seems as if this battle never want to end!" Sopatros says to himself.

What is left of Patrokles' infantry is quickly destroyed by Sarpedons Phalanx and Heavy Infantry Divisions. After that they form a line to defend themselves against whatever Epikrates would throw against them.

Epikrates, however, must have other things on his mind. Everything is falling apart. His arches stand still and his Phalangitai who guarded his rear are slaughtered by Captain Minnio.

Then, in the center of all this, things get interesting. Sarpedon charges towards Patrokles and kills his bodyguards. In the same time Epikrates attacks Sarpedons missile units.

"Is it possible? Two leaders of the rebellion will die in the same battle?" Sopatros thinks.

To his surprise, it seems that Patrokles was unconscious and is now taken away by couple of Sarpedons guards. Sarpedon himself attacks Epikrates who is busy killing his slingers. Dust covers Sopatros' view for a moment but when it clears out he sees Epikrates retreating behind his lines.

"I wonder, what does Sarpedon do with Patrokles?"

The map:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/.../BoA_turn5.jpg

OOC: Although Patrokles is captured Epikrates still have units left. So, the battle continues!

Public feedback for Turn 5:

Sopatros sees that both generals are shouting orders and are preparing their lines, perhaps the last time. Basileus Sarpedon looks confident. The capture of one rebel leader is more than satisfactory. But the battle is not over yet..

Suddenly, Epikrates shouts something to his men and they all charge towards the location where Sarpedon was last seen. This surprised Basileus' men and for a moment they all looked their officers confusion in their eyes. But being hardened warriors they quickly got out of it and march towards Epikrates' men. Phalanxes clashed.. but this was a desperate situation and soon Epikrates ordered his men to retreat. He suffered some losses but managed to keep most of his phalangitai and his archers..

Sopatros looks towards Epikrates' archers who failed their general some hours ago. This time they performed rather well because they managed to keep Captain Minnio occupied and thus Epikrates managed to retreat without further bloodshed.

Seeing Epikrates flee and Sarpedons men finally getting some moments to relax Sopatros understands.. This battle is over.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i259.photobucket.com/albums/...urn6finale.jpg