alternate history: alex vs parmenion

you are parmenion. you have just survived alexander's assasination attempt. and you know your heir philotas is dead. it is inconsequential whether you really are guilty of the plot to kill alexander or not, the fact is you are now at war with him. he is in india with most of the army. but you are in persia with most of the royal treasury. and you are sitting atop his communication routes. you know your cautious and experienced generalship is responsible for the stunning victories against the persians but brash and inexperienced alexander gets the credit because since he's the king. he claims treason, you claim vengeance. so now there is open war between the two of you. what do you do to win this war?

I prepare my armies and fortify my capital as well as I can.....

Then, when preparation is done, I hire a team of Assasins and send them to kill the "King".....

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Originally Posted by nokhor

you are parmenion. you have just survived alexander's assasination attempt. and you know your heir philotas is dead. it is inconsequential whether you really are guilty of the plot to kill alexander or not, the fact is you are now at war with him. he is in india with most of the army. but you are in persia with most of the royal treasury. and you are sitting atop his communication routes. you know your cautious and experienced generalship is responsible for the stunning victories against the persians but brash and inexperienced alexander gets the credit because since he's the king. he claims treason, you claim vengeance. so now there is open war between the two of you. what do you do to win this war?

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Make a deal with the Persian nobility as the reputation of Alexander the Great is a powerful weapon and one that will give him most of the Greek troops. You will need troops you can rely on and the Persian are a ready source.

Find out which Hellenic generals and troops can be trusted, or bribed to make war against Alexander.

Send men to Greece to raise troops there, as many are hostile to Alexander and would fight for you. You would also need to secure, or nullify Macedon in some way. Make trouble in Greece to keep the Macedonians occupied if they turn out to be hostile. If need be use the Phoenician fleet to keep them on the european side of the hellespont while you deal with Alexander. You will also need to make deals with Armenian, Arab, and Anatolian princes to secure your rear as you will need the Hellenic troops that would otherwise keep them in line. Perhaps the less reliable Hellenic forces, unwilling to fight Alexander, could be turned to this task IF they could be trusted to remain out of the fray.

Alexander would have only two choices. One; move along the coast with the fleet in support, as he traverses the desert regions. Very foolish choice as his army would be in bad shape when the decision came. He is unstable so he might very well do this, but it couldn't be relied upon.

Two; move inland and advance against Parmenion from the more fertile northern Persia, capable of supporting a large army. This means he would have to wait until summer, giving Parmenion time to train Persian Kardakes, and ready his army.

Hire mercenaries to raise an army for the short term, preferably HAs to harras the rear of Alexander's army. Spread rumours to Greece and the rest of the empire that Alexander is dead and the army defeated. Your first objective must be to survive, even if that means sacrificing the Hellenic Empire. Remember that your enemy's enemy is your friend. Don't be afraid of making deals with surrounding states, promising land for armies and alliances. Then advance to attack Alexander in India. Make a pact with the Indian princes. Like every phalanx, if attacked from behind it will collapse.

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Originally Posted by King Henry V

Hire mercenaries to raise an army for the short term,
.......
Like every phalanx, if attacked from behind it will collapse.

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What are you?! Constantinople 1453?! ~D

Also, a phalanx attacked by bodkin arrows fired from longbows or a composite bow will collapse.....