Heirs Of Alexander - PBM Write Up Thread

The Heirs Of Alexander - A Seleucid PBEM For Rome Total War 1.5

The thread is the designated write up thread for this.

It seems so long ago since we were a united people. So long since King Philip II and his son, Alexander the Great, made the world Greek. But after Alexander’s death in Babylon the Empire he built has fallen apart into minor kingdoms and small tribes. In mainland Greece, the Antigonids, or Macedons, fight with the independent Greek poleis as well as a power new to the Greek world, the Roman Republic. In Asia Minor, several of the splinter factions fight for control of Alexander’s Empire. The People of Pontus on the southern shore of the Black Sea have been seen trickling in through the mountains towards Antioch and Tarsus. Farther east the Armenians and Parthians are eyeing Seleucia with greed. To the south, our hated enemies the Egyptians plan assaults north, towards Sidon.

The Seleucid Empire has entered into an era of bad times, with no friendly neighbors and a small failing military. But it matters not, for Greek bravery shall always triumph over the despots of the east and the traitors to Alexander’s Empire.

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The summer of 269 BCE was a harsh one and man outside of Sidon was sweating. But the morale of Antiochus’s army had been greatly lifted by the arrival of his second born son, Demetrius who had already become famous himself for his vast intellect. It is here that things will turn around for the failing Seleucid Empire…

“My son, today we make war,” spoke Antiochus, in his every present and powerful voice. “Just know that everyone will be watching your every move. You’ve proved yourself to be an excellent governor and an even better speaker, but today you shall also prove that you are a great warrior like the rest of your family.”

“Do not fear, father, it shall be so,” murmured Demetrius without confidence. Yet that voice would change by the day. “But what interest could you possibly have with Sidon? It’s not a particularly profitable city and the Egyptians have no place in our Empire!”

“It’s not a matter of having it,” Antiochus muttered with a sly grin across his face. “It’s a matter of them not having it.”

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The Egyptians forces were little more than weak phalanxes and skirmishers; they never stood against the joined armies of Antioch and Damascus. After blasting the gates down, Antiochus’s hoplites fought their way into the streets of Sidon.

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After the Egyptian spearmen were killed the path was cleared for Antiochus, Demetrius, and both of their personal cavalry escorts to annihilate the skirmishers holding the center of the city.

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By the end of the day, spears and swords were hung in the recently captured barracks. The city’s population had been chained up and sent to various parts of the Empire as slaves. The Seleucid army had burned the corpses of the Nubian garrison and buried the few men who had been killed that day in the streets of Sidon. But perhaps the biggest difference after the battle was the aura of confidence shining from Demetrius.

Antiochus turned to his son, “Perhaps now you see why Sidon must be taken. The Egyptians are our eternal enemies and will always remain so. Even if some day we seize the Nile or if they occupy the lands that spread from Babylonia to Ionia.”

“I understand now father, somehow it just seems right to spill such foul blood,” hissed Demetrius, a newly found anger seeming to pulse within him. “I guess I was wrong too. The Egyptians do serve a role in the Empire, but only as strong backs to do our work.”

“Well, the profits of war always make men much more likely to go about the dirty business,” spoke Antiochus with his sly smile again. “Demetrius, I have been turning a campaign around in my head for quite a while now; I just haven’t known who should lead it. It’s clear to me now though. In the west, along the coast, are numerous small and wealthy city-states and trading villages. I want you to lead a campaign against the western Mediterranean islands and bring them under control of the Seleucid Empire. I have already arranged for almost one hundred biremires to arrive at a small fishing village outside Sidon. When they arrive you will take the army I have assembled here and sail west towards the Egyptian aligned city of Salamis. You will not stop your conquests until you have reached Kydonia, on the island of Crete. From there we can plan a future campaign, possibly against Sparta or against the Ionian poleis.”

Demetrius did not speak a word but only nodded his head.

It would two years before Demetrius would reach the shore of Cyprus. For these two harvests, the Seleucid Empire seemed to be at a near peaceful state. Trade rights had been opened with their northern neighbor, the Pontians, and the eastern people of Parthia. But as the last winter faded away into spring, the Seleucids would enter a time of war once again. Seleucia, in the east, was besieged by the Parthians. The wedding of Dione and Anaximander of Tyana would be darkened by troubled times coming to the Empire once again. But if there was a silver lining, it was Demetrius and his Mediterranean Campaign. By June, he had reached the shores of Cyprus and his army quickly besieged and attacked the city of Salamis. The Seleucid army was further bolstered by the addition of Cilician mercenaries who had been convinced to join the army with promises of land and easy and well-paying jobs as doing garrison duty in the city.

There were never any doubts amongst any of the men before going into battle. After the victory at Sidon, they all had the utmost confidence in Demetrius.

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The fight began outside the un-walled city, but even this was short-lived. The Cilician mercenaries harpooned their enemies with javelins shortly before they joined each other in melee combat.

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While the Nubian phalanx fought against the ragtag Cilician pirates, the Seleucid levies stabbed at the backs of the Egyptian hoplites.

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Once the fighting outside of the city died away, the battle continued in the center of Salamis. The Cilician mercenaries and Seleucid levies engaged the Nubians spearmen from the front, Demetrius and his personal bodyguard crashed into the rear and left flank.

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The enemy had been entrapped and swiftly killed. Not only was Salamis now under the control of the Seleucid Empire, but so was the entire island of Cyprus. Then, like he and his father had done before, the native Egyptians were enslaved and distributed as far away as Ionia and Babylonia. The Cilician pirates were given their cushy job as the city’s garrison and by the first day of spring, Demetrius and his army had left the island towards it’s next goal: the wealthy Greek polis, Rhodes.

While Demetrius sailed west towards the Hellenic islands off mainland Greece, troubles stormed in from the east on the other side of the Empire. The jealous Parthians have come forth from the wasteland that is their home in search of stealing the gem of the eastern world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

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“The Parthians have given us no other option,” spoke Aristarchus, his voice breaking the total silence in the center of Seleucia. He walked, in favor of his own fine mount, back and forth along the lines of hoplites, peltasts, and cavalry. “They will never try and break down these walls, why you ask? Because they haven’t a man on foot amongst them, every single last one of them sits lazily on a mount. They plan to starve us into surrender unfortunately for them, we will not go down without a fight. If we fail today, I can promise you that this city and everyone you love in it will meet a horrible fate at the hand of these Eastern devil-men. There is no hope for relief from anywhere else in the Empire, the only army that could possibly help us is Antiochus’s himself and even with the assistance of Hermes, he would not make it before we all starved to death.

“That is why we fight today. If we do succeed and send these babbling foreigners back to the scraggly mountains from whence they came, we shall be remembered as heroes of Seleucia, the Empire, and the entire Greek world forever. If we all die outside the wooden gates of our city we will be remembered as legends, heroic deeds told from generation to generation like Hercules himself. I believe either end is one fitting for men such as we!

“Now prepare your shields and spears! Ready your javelins! Mount your steed! We go to fight!”

A horribly fierce cry came from the many Greek mouths (and quite a few foreign ones too). Iron clanged on strong wood as the hoplites banged their spears madly on their hoplons. Then, and without a word, the men marched silently out of the gates of Seleucia with the noon sun beating down on their deeply tanned necks.

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Aristarchus’s javelin-armed cavalry harassing the Parthian horse archers and cataphracts before falling back behind the phalanxes.

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A cry ripped its way through the metallic clashing of the battle. Nearly every head turned towards the noise, just in time to see Aristarchus, in full Grecian armour falling from his trusty steed on to the hardpan of the desert. After seeing the fate of their leader and heir to the throne, Aristarchus’s bodyguard turn tail and run. They do not stop to even help a failing phalanx that is attempting to stave off a cataphract-led charge.

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The Seleucia garrison did not stand much longer after the death of Aristarchus. The Parthian cataphracts quickly broke the remaining phalanxes while mounted archers slaughtered the Seleucid peltasts. The battle had been a failure by anyone’s standards, but one of Aristarchus’s closest friends, Antigonos, managed to pull his body back to the city where it was mourned by all including his son Zeuxis, who would soon come to age.

Aristarchus’s other son, Cleitos, had barely escaped death. He had left Seleucia just before it’s besiegement and had set off to Hatra to fulfill his new job as governor. Little did he know how soon he too would be fighting off the eastern despots…

Back in the Mediterranean, Demetrius had run into his own problems. Landing on the shores of Rhodo he quickly hired some native archers to help fill some of the gaps in his own army. The city was quickly besieged, but not before a messenger could escape and bring word of Rhodes condition to Sparta, the capital of the loosely allied and independent Greek poleis. By entering into war with the Rhodians Demetrius had also brought the Seleucid Empire into conflict with several other powerful Greek city-states including Sparta, Pergamum, Athens, Kydonia, and Halicarnassus. The Seleucid Empire’s only peaceful neighbors had been riled into aggression.

But that would not stop the chain of events that had already been started at Rhodes. Demetrius had no plans of giving up on his campaign or his father’s plans just because of the weak confederation of the once-great southern Greeks.

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Demetrius’s recently hired archers proved to be a valuable asset. Not only did they harass the Rhodian hoplites but they also proved their talent in melee combat against none other than the garrison commander and his personal cavalry unit.

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The fighting at the center of the city was fierce. The Seleucid levies’ much longer spears gave them initially a large advantage over the Greeks. But once the phalanxes closed in on each other the stronger and better armoured Grecian hoplites were free to tear apart the poorly equipped levies.

But by the end of the day Seleucid superiority was proven by Demetrius tactical talent as well as his own ferocity in battle. Now it was time to show the rest of the Greeks what happened to traitors of Alexander.

But on the other fronts of the Empire other problems rose, problems that could only be solved by blood.

Aristonous of Perge married, for the second time, into the royal family almost a year previous to Demetrius’s assault on Rhodes. Before the death of Alexander, the royal families of the various regions of his Empire were not only friendly but commonly married amongst each other. Aristonous of Perge was not originally from the Seleucid Empire. He was by blood a Pontian. Aristonous was the grand-nephew of Antiochus by law and had received a cushy job as governor of a minor city in Asia Minor. While he had married into the Seleucid royal family he was still a member of the Pontian family tree; for he was the nephew of the king of Pontus also. While conflict with the expanding kingdom in the north was inevitable, Aristonous’s marriage would make it happen much sooner.

Pontus would send it’s own military towards Tarsus as well as calling on it’s friendly neighbors, the Armenians, to attack Hatra. At the same time on the southern front, the Egyptians would attack the city of Damascus in Syria.

Antiochus was in command of the only military forces not tied to a city in the Eastern Empire. He was thus charged with the job of breaking the sieges at the three different cities, unfortunately it seemed that not all of the sieges could be broken before the city fell into enemy hands. Thus, Antiochus had to make the horrible decision of which cities he would save and which one must fall.

Being near Damascus, it was clear that the siege here would have to be the first one broken. In the winter of 265, Antiochus’s army, Damascus’s garrison, and the Egyptian army led by Captain Psammetikhos would crash together.

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The battle would be easily won by the Seleucids since the Egyptian army consisted mostly of missile units.

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Antiochus and his cavalry breaking the enemy forces; Antiochus won nearly the entire battle with nothing but his cavalry.

Antiochus and his army would travel for nearly a year north along the Mediterranean before reaching Tarsus. While the siege there would be easily broken and the Pontian military completely obliterated, Antiochus could not stop thinking about Hatra which he had condemned to fall and his grandson Cleitos who waited inside it’s walls…

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The Seleucids were vastly outnumbered at Hatra and was a certainty. But like his father before him, Cleitos was not going to die without a fight. But Cleitos had one advantage his father, Aristarchus, did not: this time the easterners actually planned to assault the city rather than starve it to death.

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Knowing that his hoplites were less likely to flee if they had no where to run to, Cleitos commanded his phalanx into a single line in the center of Hatra.

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Armenian missile units were forced to run between the spears of the hoplites and the opposite walls of the Greek buildings if they hoped to take the center of the city. At the same time Cleitos and his cavalry had the ability the crash into the bottle-necked foe.

Cleitos would manage to carry a victory at Hatra at the expense of many of the strong hoplites lives. If he had known that the Armenians hadn’t quite given up yet perhaps he wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic in his victory…

Shortly after the victory, a larger, better trained, and better led army arrived out of the mountains of Armenia into the wasteland that was Assyria. This time it was clear that Cleitos would need aid and luckily for him Antiochus and his elephants were nearby to help.

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Antiochus’s cavalry and elephants riding down the Armenian skirmishers, clearly a victory here would be easy for such a powerful force.

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After seeing that victory was impossible, the Armenian general, Zipoetes, did what any reasonable eastern coward would do: turn tail and run! By Antiochus never let him leave the battlefield.

Once again, the east was safe. For how long Antiochus did not know but it seemed the armies of Pontus and Armenia had been momentarily stopped.

Back in the western end of the Empire, new wars were just beginning. Aristonous along with a strong force of levies and mercenaries had taken control of the Greek city of Halicarnassus. The battle was a fierce one but easily taken by the hot-headed general.

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The mercenary hoplites and Halicarnassus’s own brave men would’ve been a good match for each other if only Halicarnassus’s phalanx hadn’t already been greatly weakened by Aristonous’s archers.

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Pikemen fighting against the legendary Greek phalanxes, in the background, Aristonous can be seen sneaking around to the back of the phalanx.

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Aristonous smashing into the flank of the phalanx; he later easily acquired victory over the rebel polis.

Aristonous would continue to push north towards Pontus-controlled Galatia. He quickly besieged Ancyra, which was defended by a small, poor-quality garrison led by Aristonous’s brother, Spartocos. Luckily for Spartocos, a nearby garrison commander of a nearby village would bring a small force to try and relieve him, the force led by Captain Thothorses consisted of a small group of poorly-trained infantry.

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Levies fighting against Spartocos and his personal bodyguard.

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A pike phalanx marching into battle against Captain Thothorses and his small group of infantry.

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By the end of the battle, Spartocos and Aristonous would finally clash. The two men’s mutual hatred was apparent by the equal ferocity both of them fought with. But eventually Aristonous came out on top forcing Spartocos to retreat behind the walls of Ancyra.

Aristonous followed and quickly constructed a battering ram to blast down Ancyra’s doors. Once the way was clear Aristonous abandoned his army and in the hunt for his hated brother. He found Spartocos in the center of the city and did not waste a moment in spurring his horse in the direction of the Pontian general.

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Aristonous and Spartocos trading blows.

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Eventually, Aristonous would come on top of his eastern kin. His sword had finished the life of his own brother and most hated enemy, but Aristonous would not get much time to celebrate his achievements…

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…For moment’s later his own life would end on the tip of a spear.

Back in the Mediterranean, Demetrius’s campaign was coming to an end as he laid foot upon the coast of Crete. His force quickly destroyed the Cretan opposition and by the end of the summer he was marching in Kydonia.

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Anaximander would finally leave Antioch in search of a military career. He would head directly north to Cappadocia, he would find a victory here and vastly cripple the Pontians. Aenesidenos Eucaerus and Clisthenes of Chalcis would be adopted into the royal family for their own military careers at Ancyra and Mazaka, respectively.

“Come, take a look for yourself,” muttered the doctor in distaste at the nosy messenger.

The doctor opened the canvas tent, which glowed with nearly a hundred candles making it stand out like a star in the desert knight. The messenger walked forward and stopped, he stood there for just a moment staring at his king who’s face was a washed yellow in the flickering candlelight.

“Mi’lord?” asked the messenger.

A guttural response came from Antiochus, which seemed to be more madness then words and then a pained scream. Antiochus turned back and forth in pain, only screaming more and louder as he did so. The gray hair which had accompanied the man since the beginning of his reign was littered on his pillow and across the hardpan of the desert that served as a floor.

“Close the tent,” murmured the messenger. “I don’t want to see anymore…”

The year was 260BC.

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Demetrius, son of Antiochus sat on an elegantly carved wooden chair inside the city of Kydonia. He sat oblivious to the shouting, arguing and debating that was transpiring around him. His new title as Emporer was tedious, he was a General, a warrior of the people, not a bureaucrat or a politician. His various advisers, nobles and minor Generals where debating the plague from the south, the Ptolemaic Empire. Pharoh Ptolemy had vowed long ago to bringing down the Seleucids, however until this day, the true invasion force had not come.

Seleucid scouts had spotted several armies, bearing marks of the Pharaoh, marching towards Sidon and Damascus. Until now however, the noble campaign Demetrius had embarked on in the name of his father had meant that Seleucid military might had been focused on the north and the west. The time had come for the biggest decision of Demetrius' life, carry on picking off the Pontic, Armenian and City States one by one, or take out the Seleucids biggest threat, Egypt.

"Sire. You must understand, Egypt only has mindless Numidians on it's borders, it has the ability to strike all out on us. And it will do." Suggested one adviser over the rabble.

"Silence." Demetrius groaned to his court.

"I received today a message. It was not a letter, nor an item of any kind. It was an Egyptian, an Egyptian assassin."

"Good lord sir. Are you okay?" Gasped one man.

"I am fine. He did not target me, but my entourage. Innocent Seleucids, good Seleucids who did not deserve such treatment. This cannot be tolerated. My Father wanted a campaign in the north west, however I am sure that with his genius mind he would recognize the threat we now face. Today Gentlemen, we go to war. We have no Generals out there on the border, however my finest Captain, Captain Alcman is capable of mobilizing on Jerusalem within the year."

"Jerusalem sir, but the Egyptian border army is only months from there."

"That is more than enough time. I fully expect the Egyptians to siege it back. Let them die at the gates. However we skip ahead of ourselves, Jerusalem is an important city to Egyptians. And so it will be our message, I propose we exterminate three quarters of it's population, we are going to send a message to old Ptolemy. The Seleucids are coming."

Ans so messenger to messenger the word was spread, mobilize on the Jerusalem, take no prisoners, take all the glory.

Captain Alexandros Alcman knelt down cautiously to the sandy ground on which he stood, deep in concentration.. Ptolemy, a good friend of Alcman stood behind him.

"Tomorrow is the day Ptolemy." Alcman muttered.

"I'm not sure I follow you Alexandros. Tomorrow? The siege of Jerusalem is truly so important to Demetrius that he would grant you such a gift? So early in yout quest."

"I needed it repeating myself. Ever since I was conscripted into this god forsaken army I dreamed of one day returning to the fishing village where I grew up...." As Alcman continued Ptolemy stood listening intently, he had only of known Alcman the soldier, for there to be another side to this fine man was incredible. It became apparent that Alexandros had grown up in a small fishing village outside of Jerusalem. He had been conscripted into the Seleucid army during the days of Antiochus, he had worked his way up the military ranks from there.

"Well little Alexandros has earned his freedom, well done Alex. You deserve it. However, why do you wait? Why are you not out on a fishing boat right now?"

Suddenly Alexandros's mood became bleak, his body wilted and became much more uneasy.

"There is a catch. As I would be returning to my village which is near to Jerusalem, Egyptian patrols launched from Jerusalem are still lurking those parts. I cannot return to the village just to be enslaved by Ptolemaic fanatics. And so the Emporers plan has worked perfectly, he has offered me freedom before the battle for Jerusalem so he looks wonderful in the public eye, giving freedom to a lowly captain, who only has a vast amount of average victories to his name, not one true 'heroic' victory. However he knows I cannot leave before helping in the liberation of Jerusalem, without it my freedom would be but temporary."

"We could win the battle without you, we have the great war elephants. Go, go take your freedom."

"Alas, a disorderly mob is no more of an army than a heap of building materials is a house."

"But dearest Alexandros, this army is not a disorderly mob."

"It will be without a clear figurehead."

The next day the sun was beaming relentlessly down on Jerusalem, but a battle had to be fought, and it had to be fought now, regardless of conditions. The elephants under Alcman's command meant a ram was not needed, their great tusks would batter a way into the city.


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And so it began, the operation on Jerusalem was in full flight.

The elephants set to work on destroying the weak gates guarding the town.

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As soon as the gates where demolished, a joint Seleucid elephant and cavalry force then blitzkreiged their way to the central plaza, brushing aside Egyptian skirmishers and terrified spearmen.

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The battle however was not without it's losses. One Alexandros Alcman had not came through the battle, he fought at the initial charge into the gates, he died instantly whilst defending his fellow soldiers. He never won his freedom.

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The new commander of the expeditionary forces was Captain Lyssimachos. He walked, alone, along a Jerusalem back ally. In a few minutes he would be pressed to give an order which he would regret for the rest of his life. His greatest fear was that Alcman would die, he as Alcman's second in command was the undisputed choice for the successor. He was however not as loyal to the Empire, he had relatives living in Jerusalem and knew he would be killing them. A small tear drop trickled down his face, blending with his sweat forced upon him from the hot sun. A few metres away, around a corner, Lyssimachos heard footsteps running. Obviously the messenger asking for the order, which everybody knew would come. The order to slaughter hundreds of women and children. Surely this was not the Greek way, but if he refused then Demetrius would have him killed for high treason.

Eventually the order was given, Lyssimachos's life would be plagued forever by guilt and regret.

However there was no time to dwell, the Egyptian army had been marching faster than could be anticipated. Within a few months they would be at the gates. In the mean time Jerusalem appeared to the casual observer as more of an army camp than a city. Barracks where errected, troops where retrained and new units recruited.

Lyssimachos was preparing for the moment that they knew would come before Alcman first lead his troops into Jerusalem. The Egyptians where always going to try to relieve Jerusalem. In a small hut adjacent to the town square Lyassimachos lurked, pacing up and down, running thousands of calculations in his head. Would they sally forth to defeat the foe? Or wait for the enemy to attack, as had been previously planned. Eventually after much consultration with his entourage of advisors he issued orders for the garrison to be on full alert. They would sally out and drive the foe away. His battle plan was formed, Jerusalem was the Emporers and it would stay that way.

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As soon as the battle began, the cavalry and elephants which had so effectively taken Jerusalem, rushed out it's gates to it's defence. It targetted the skirmishers and infantryman, in an attempt to isolate the legendary chariots.

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Although pharoh horseman had rushed to their defence, the relief effort had not worked. And before long, Captain Amasis, leader of the Ptolemaic forces, had been slain.

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After that, the Egyptin cowards ran from our pursuing troops. The day belonged to the Seleucid Empire.[/b]

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They had broken the siege, however the majority of the Egyptian forces had saved themselves to fight another day. The two armies would clash again.

As the months past Cleitos, Demetrius' brother set out to command the forces attacking the Ptolemaic Empire, currently under the command of Lyysimachos. It was to be a long road however recent improvements to the Seleucid road network vastly added speed to the journey. Demetrius was still in Kydonia, the threat of pirates and the fleets the the Seleucid enemies meant he could not risk trying to get back to the mainland.

As the Greek City States began to arrange their forces on the borders of Pergammon, Alexander, governor of a neighbouring city sent word to Demetrius.

At the time of delivery Demetrius was looking over reports from the Parthian front, a very dawment area during his reign so far, however the reports from the low class Generals stationed there where still long and had to be looked over. It was late at night, and he was very tired. As a result the great banging at the marvellous doorway was quite a shock.

"Yes." Demetrius simply replied.

"Emporer. The City State of Pergamum is ammassing troops on our borders."

"Well then I would much rather be fighting them, other then ordering men against them." Demetrius uncharactistically snapped. The strain of emporer life was now firmly taking it's grip. Sweat and tears where trickling down Demetrius' face.

"I apologise my lord. Perhaps this could wait."

"No. A few hours ago I had the pleasure of reading up on the situation in Pergamum, we do not have many troops there. Tell Alexander to hire merceneries and recruit militia. Now be gone."

The brief moment of composure collapsed once more as the servant left the room. Demetrius slowly rose up from his chair, taking deep breaths. He then shuffled towards the small chest in the corner of the room. Slowly, kneeled down, pausing to wipe sweat and tears from his eyes. His shaking hand reached out to open the fine mahogany treasure chest. With a creek, it opened to reveal the finest sword money could buy. Hand crafted by Antiochus' blacksmith it was truly a work of art, it glimmered slightly in the moon light.

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The party was filled with music, games and happiness. Kassandros would now be heir to the Seleucid Empire, the direct line could continue. The moment of the night was but the last, Kassandros was presented with the great sword Demetrius had been playing with the night before. Demetrius had a revitalized appearence compared with the previous night, there was finally something other to think about other than battle reports and state of the empire articles from Greece's brightest minds. Demetrius had an eligable heir, his son would be the next emporer.

Meanwhile merceneries and militia where marched into the Greek City State lands. Initially it began to be a successful expedition, however being far from the nearest recruitment grounds meant reinforcements could not reinforce the army, and thus the Seleucid forces where depleted as so many battles began to take their toll. The Greeks presence in the region remains, however their forces became very much depleted.

In Jerusalem the blood baths and corpse heaps had slowly been decomposing. However the city was sieged, once and then a second time. As soon as the Seleucid garrison took up arms however the weak Egyptians fled. It was not until Cleitos arrived with his band of warriors that the constant sieges where able to be ceased. The garrison joined forces with Cleitos army to attack the one thousand strong Egyptian army.

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Outnumbered, Cleitos knew he would have to attack quickly, and hope for a deceisive strike to bring down the Ptolemaic army. He unleashed a now trademark storm of chariots and elephants, quickly followed up by his Infantry.

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The plan had worked, although he did not demolish the army and some enemy soldiers escaped, it was a great victory.

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One year later, Cleitos stood in a similar area to the one which he had been so successful tweleve months previously. His failure to push the Egyptians back further was beggining to harm his public standing.

"Lord Cleitos. General Karakus to see you." Said a servant. Karakus was a low General, however he had won a few skirmishers and his popularity within the populace was rising.

"Ah, Cleitos. Still not moved on I see." Karakus smuggly said.

"What do you want Karakus?" Cleitos impatiently said.

"Thought I'd see how your campaign was coming."

"Listen Karakus. I can win every battle, out manouvre every egyptian general, out plan every scholar, but I see no way to win the war. Egyptians are like ants. For every one I kill, five more take it's place."

"Now leave me in peace."

"Ok, but Bostra is ready." Karakus said whilst turning and leaving the room. Karakus had many spies in Egyptian towns, many people who owed him favours. Bostra must be weakly defended, it was the only explanation. Many of Cleitos troops however where being retrained or on leave. If there was even a mediocre force at Bostra then Cleitos would be humiliated, and his army disbanded.

Swallowing his pride, and listening to a lesser man, doing a deal with the devil, Cleitos lead what remained of his elephants, some militia and phalnxmen and local merceneries to Bostra, sitting north of the red sea. Fortunately, the Egyptians had only a small garrison there, in an uneventful siege, Cleitos had taken Bostra, and whats more he was now in striking distance of the Egyptian heartlands around the river Nile.

What followed as a war of attition employed by the Egyptians to try and wear down Seleucid forces, while it did not successfully work it did buy them time, Seleucids could not head towards the heartlands whislt their armies where repeatedly getting attacked. While there was a stalemate on the Seleucid front. Demetrius did recieve news of the fall of his fellow Greeks. Two successor states where defeated within a year, not by Seleucid forces, but by the threat from the west, Rome.

Rome was forever expanding it's borders, north south and east. The expansionist attitudes from the Romans, and of course the Seleucids, put them on a ticking time bomb that is destined to explode resulting in war between the two peoples.

*One day.* Demetrius thought whilst reading the reports his Island in the medditerrean sea.

*One day, the Seleucids will bring down Rome, the nation which attacks brave citizens of Alexandros' old empire. One day, I, or my successors, will sit on a throne in the centre of Rome. One day.*

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Cleitos was a hero once more, he now sat on the back of a noble steed heading towards Memphis. After a few years fighting Ptolemaic Fanatics that still lurked around the crumbling empire, he was finally in a position to wipe the empire off of the map, once and for all, the sworn enemies of the Seleucid empire since the times of Selukos himself would be destroyed. The Seleucid days of destiny had arrived. Cleitos had now planned to sacrifice glory for tactical supremacy. Had he taken the Ptolemaic capital first, what remained of the Ptolemaic Empire would still be linked and would be able to share armies and intelligence. Taking Memphis would split the empire in two, without any hope of communication between. Effectively creating two inefficient city states.

The Ptolemaics where already economically and militaristicaly crippled, there garrison in Memphis was outnumbered 5:1. The siege was just a matter of maneuvering towards the centre of the town and claiming it, killing the small garrison made up of Nubian militia on the way.

After that a support army which had been commissioned years before by Demetrius to support Cleitos had finally arrived. It swung south to take Thebes, meanwhile Cleitos would lead his experienced troops north to take Alexandria, capital of Egypt.

As the decade drew to a close, Cleitos, now Supreme Commander of the Seleucid Expeditionary Force (SEF) in the old Ptolemaic Lands , was sieging Alexandria, and Thebes was under siege too.

A buzz of activity surrounded Alexandria. Men where preparing for battle, but one man inparticular drew his sword before calling over his Lieutenant.

"Is it time sir?" The Lieutenant asked.

"Good luck Keerg. May the gods shine fondly upon you on this the greatest day in our history. Tell the men, the siege is over, the assault is about to begin."

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Unfinished business

In the summer of 240 BC, the Seleucid Empire turned its attentions to the East. With Egypt conquered, the Empire was free to focus its energies on the wars with Pontus, Armenia and Parthia. Three Seleucid armies were ordered to move east: Achaeus was to march from Nicomedia on to the Pontic capital, Sinope; Hermias was to move from Antioch on to Armenia by way of Hatra; and Arcesilaus was to leave Damascus to Seleucia, to assist in the war with Parthia.

The war with Pontus was resolved quickly. In 238 BC, Achaeus defeated a Pontic army sallying from Sinope, killing the three remaining members of the ruling family. He then stormed the rebel held city. His achievement was such that his King Demetrius appointed Achaeus as his heir, disinheriting his own son, the jobsworth Kassandros.

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Achaeus, with a force largely composed of levy pikemen, milita and mercenaries, beats off the last thrust from the doomed Pontic Empire.

Armenia took a longer to subdue. Hermias stormed the Armenian city of Kotais in 238 BC. However, the defending Armenian King Aramu, a man whose voice made mighty nations quake, sold his life dearly.

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Backs to the wall, silver shield pikemen are massacred by the doomed King Aramu and his bodyguard.

A year later, Hermias would also fall - ambushed by two Armenian armies in the mountains east of Kotias. Outnumbered two to one, the Seleucids beat off their attackers but Hermias died in the pursuit. Command of the Seleucid army in Armenia went to man of the hour, Captain Peflokaos. Two years later an outnumbered Peflokaos stormed Artaxatta, losing a third of his army in bloody fighting on the walls and town forum.

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The Seleucids once again underestimated the fighting quality of the Armenians. A whole company of phalangites fell storming the walls and elephants were required to force through the city gates.

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Overconfidence led the elephants and kataphracts to race unsupported to the town centre, where they were charged by the brave Armenian King Arame. In the chaos, the elephants ran amok and only one survived the assault.

Armenia was not conquered until the Winter of 233BC, when Achaesus brought up his army, the conquerors of Pontus, to storm the Phraaspa.

The third eastern war - with Parthia - was less decisive. Although the King Demetrius stormed Susa in 240 BC, the Parthians tried to evade pitched battles. For this, Demetrius was grateful, as the Parthian kataphracts were a surprisingly difficult proposition for the Seleucid phalanxes.
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Three Seleucid phalanxes struggle to bring down a single troop of Parthian kataphracts.

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…forcing Demetrius to bring up his war elephants to tip the balance of forces.

The difficult mountain terrain meant it was not until 233 BC that the Seleucids reached the Parthian capital, Arsakia.
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The Parthian King Arses dies bravely in defence of his capital.

The Parthian kingdom lingered on after the loss of their capital, holding out both in Campus Sakae but also seizing Campus Alanni from the Scythians.

A desert interlude

In the summer of 238 BC, the Romans declared war on Numidia. Demetrius immediately began preparations to join in the war. He realised that the Numidians would not be able to defend themselves and anticipated that Roman conquest of Libya would threaten the rich provinces of Alexandria, Memphis and Thebes. Unfortunately, the only commanders in the region were untried and of little talent. Consequently in 237 BC, a Seleucid army of 1350 men under the command of an undistinguished General Memmon marched on the Numidian city of Siwa. They were met by 1150 Numidians, led by a fine leader, Muttines.

The battle opened with a mercenary force of Arab camel riders being used to catch Muttines, who was attempting to join the main Numidian force in Siwa.
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The battle of Siwa opens with the death of the Numidian leader, Muttines.
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The Seleucids under Memmon face the main Numidian battle line.
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The nimble Numidian cavalry finds a way through the Seleucid front line and hits a phalanx in the rear.
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The personal intervention of Memmon and his bodyguard stabilises the situation.
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Locked in hand-to-hand fighting, Memmon fails to notice that a phalanx on his right flank has been drawn out of line and quickly surrounded and butchered by the fast moving Numidian infantry.

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A similar fate almost befalls a phalanx on the Seleucid left. Memmon, an inexperienced commander, fails to make the best use of his phalanxes in the battle.

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However, the Seleucid line holds and Memmon then groups together his cavalry for a massed charge on his right. The Seleucids kill 940 Numidians, for the loss of 186 of their own.

Memmon drew the wrong lesson from the battle. That winter, storming Siwa, he tried to get his cavalry to do all the fighting and in the process lost half of his mounted force before the city fell.

Thereafter the desert war was a low key affair. Memmon marched through the desert, reaching Cyrene in 234 BC. The loss of the city destroyed what was remained of the Numidian kingdom.

The blade itself incites to violence

In the winter of 236 BC, Arcesilaus found himself with a full strength army outside the city of Nicomedia. Across the straits lay the city of Byzantium, garrisoned by a solitary cohort of hastate. Although in 240 BC, Arcesilaus had initially been ordered to join the war against Parthia, that command had been quickly belayed, as the Parthian opposition proved to be much less than was feared. Instead, the general had marched through Anatolia, putting down a few rebels but with little greater purpose. Indeed in the summer of 236 BC, Demetrius had ordered the general to prepare to embark for Scythia, as that kingdom threatened to invade the Seleucids newly conquered but lightly defended Armenian territories.

However, Arcesilaus was a patriot and a sentimentalist. It was unbearable for him to hear at first hand the stories of the Roman occupation of the great kingdoms of Greece and Macedon - which he still regarded as the rightful home to the Seleucids. Consequently, Arcesilaus boarded the fleet destined for Scythia but rather than head northeast, he ordered its admiral to cross the straits and land outside Byzantium.

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An elephant crashing down the gates of Byzantium heralds the start of the great Romano-Seleucid war.

For three years, Arcesilaus ranged virtually unopposed through northeastern Greece, seizing first Thessalonica and then Larissa. However, by 233 BC, he was in a difficult situation, as the Romans gradually brought reinforcements into the theatre.

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The strategic situation in Greece in 233 BC: as Arcesilaus struggles to hold a rebellious Larissa and advance on Thermon, he receives news of a large Roman army marching on Thessalonica. Meanwhile, a second Seleucid army under Amopaon Philoromaeus lands near Athens.

The summer of 232 BC was a decisive moment in the battle for Greece. First, Arcesilaus beat back the Roman army threatening Thesslonica, killing 776 men for the loss of only four Greeks. Second, Amopaon defeated a large Roman army outside Athens, killing 1187 for the loss of only eleven men.

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Amopaon relies on the firepower of his archers and slingers to crush the Roman army opposing his advance on Athens.

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Amopaon then cuts his way into the forum in Athens…

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… and uses his phalanxes to prevent relief forces breaking into the city centre.

The Seleucids fought many battles against the Romans in Greece, but always they prevailed. Sometimes in the most unlikely circumstances…

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Seleucid levy pikemen defeat Roman Praetorian infantry outside Athens.

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231 BC, Arcesilaus is forced to relieve Thessalonica for the second time from a large besieging Roman army.

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Roman equites in wedge formation charge Seleucid cataphracts, but lose heart at the last moment.

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Seleucid cataphracts charge a cohort of triarii in the rear. The brave triarii will stand and it will take a flanking charge of the militia cavalry in the distance to make them break.

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Later in the winter of 231 BC, Arcesilaus leads his army to another victory - killing 362 Romans with only 3 Greek deaths (all to friendly fire).

Not all Seleucid victories were so accomplished, however. Gyras, a general of doubtful courage, badly botched his assault on Corinth. He lost 302 men to a defending force of only 264 Romans.

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True Roman, Aulus Scipio, heroically defends Corinth from a bungled Seleucid assault.

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In a scene that characterises the inept siege of Corinth, the Roman general only succumbs when a Seleucid peltast inadvertently kills a Seleucid elephant and the beast falls on the unfortunate Roman.

The capture of the Statue of Zeus at Olympia left Greek spirits around the Empire, alleviating some of the terrible loyalty problems that had plagued the last decade. However, while Greece had been liberated, the Romans were far from crushed.

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A Seleucid spy outside Lepcis Magna provide some insight into the remaining strength of the Roman empire.

Assyria the Summer months of 230BC

I am Demetrius and late grows my hold on the Throne of the great Empire of Seleucia. At 66 years, I feel the power leaving my bones as I sit upon my horse and we trek West from Hatra towards my capital at Antioch.

Whilst the North of the Empire is still in a state of war, it no longer requires my personal attention…I have far too many younger members of my family, living well on our Imperial coffers in Antioch. Far better that they take armies to defeat our weaker foes in the North.

My attention now is to the West and Greece. The Homelands of Macedonia and Greece are liberated from the Romans yet the Brutii continue to press our borders there. I intend to send my Heir, Achaeus, to the region if I can. The experience will do him good, although I would not intentionally endanger him.

Ermias’s troops were disembarked form their ships South of Thessalonica and immediately moved North towards Bylazora to aid Arcesilaus.

Arcesilaus continued to besieged Bylazora who’s garrison was very small. However, news reaches him of a Brutii relief force approaching from the North, and Arcesilaus determines that he cannot wait longer to take the city. However, it appears the same news reached the ears of the Garrison commander of the city and emboldened with this he decides to try and break the siege himself.

Whilst Arcesilaus’s forces prepare to storm the city the Garrison commander sallies forth in the belief that the approaching Brutii armies are mere moments away. At first he sends his single unit of Hastati out through the Southern gates directly at Arcesilaus’s forces but they walk into a hail of arrow fire from our archers and the waiting siege towers. The Garrison commander exits the city from the Western gate to try and link up with the approaching friendly forces……he finds none in the west, so moves South, towards Arcesilaus.

The Hastati unit routes after a very brief melee with Arcesilaus’s phalanx but they move too swiftly for us to pursue and the remaining 6 men disappear into the city.

Meanwhile, the Garrison commander moves steadily towards Arcesilaus, still seeking a friendly flag or signal on the horizon. Arcesilaus moves two of his towers forward to take the undefended walls, but one is destroyed by tower fire and the unit of Thracians are decimated, only 23 men return to our lines in a fit state to fight that day, a similar amount are sent to the surgeon….they will fight again. However, the tower pushed by our Illyrian’s reaches the walls and they proceed to capture the gates and surrounding towers.

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One tower down but the Illyrians take the walls unopposed.

As they do this, the Garrison commander realises that no friendly force is coming and his retreat to the Western gate is cut off by Arcesilaus’s militia cavalry. In an effort to break back into the doomed city he charges Arcesilaus’s phalanx head-on with harrowing results.

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Bylazora’s garrison commander tries to escape.

He makes good his escape though at the cost of most of his guards lives. With still no relief force approaching Arcesilaus sees no reason to rush so makes good the city……

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Bylazora’s walls gates are opened to the Seleucid/Greek Alliance.

…….before surrounding the few defenders left. The Garrison commander is the last to fall and is fittingly despatched by our own heavy cavalry.

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The Brutii commander at Bylazora’s final moments

.

The Winter months…..

……draw in and the Brutii relief force intended to break our siege at Bylazora does not approach the city and after seeing Ermias approaching from the South decided to cut him off with a small delaying force. The battle is utterly decisive in Ermias favour, where he loses 11 strong men the enemy force is destroyed with 173 warriors littered on the field of battle.

An order is sent for Amopaon to move his army onto Apollonia, the Brutii capital, and besiege it. Whilst Zoilos’s army moves North East of him to cover his flank. As expected Zoilos encounters a relief force of no small matter but, in the falling snow, puts them to flight in short order for the loss of 71 warriors. News is heard from his scouts that the enemy do not stop running and disappear into the hills….they count the enemy fallen as 347 warriors, including Gladiators who were cut down by our chariots.

Meanwhile Romano forces continue to gather around Lepcis Magna. Although our spy keeps me appraised of this military build up, we have no armies to speak of in the region apart from within the walls of Cyrene led by the fool Memmon, he is not in a position to take on such force. I determine that one of my family members lounging within the safe walls of Antioch will lead the army I currently sit with in a fleet towards Cyrene to meet this growing threat. With the army I have near Hatra and the four armies within our homelands of Greece I do not feel we need many more fighting forces with which to crush our Roman enemies. Although, I understand that they will not secede to an enforced peace until we break down the gates of Rome itself and dismantle the decadent Roman Senate.

After so many years of enforced campaign perhaps now is the time to re-organise our armies and re-coup lost sons of Alexander. We have expanded at such rate that I even have paid mercenaries as garrisons! This is unacceptable, our cities should be tended and protected by our own sons and not turncoats and brigands. Once I have sent a re-ordered army to Cyrene and one to aid the brave Amopaon and Zoilos take Sparta I shall make such changes a priority of my remaining years.

Ahhhhh…..Sparta. The home of the bravest ones, favoured by Zeus himself. Unfortunately still held by our Roman enemies. Soon, my children, you will know relief from their yoke.

A few weeks of travel and I am back in my capital, Antioch. I have given command of my army over to my least apathetic family member, Antiochos of Tyana, once we have ships for him he will sail to meet the Scipii in Africa. I have also started gathering another army South of Alexandria. Our engineers tell me that they have copied a Romano design of armour and weapons and we are able to train such troops in Alexandria and Sardis.

To match the enemy and aid us in assaulting their cities I have authorised the training of Silver Shield elite troops and they are to be armed and armoured in this way.

Late this year I received word of Amopaou’s assault on Apollonia who’s strong garrison was led by a Quintis Brutiis, a supposed “noble” Roman. Our forces were evenly matched but the city only had wooden walls surrounding it, allowing our Phalanx’s almost unopposed entrance into the city with simple rams. Once Amopaou had a foot hold in the city the fighting was still fierce….

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No quarter is given or expected on the Streets of Apollonia.

…..but in a manner benefiting our Phalanx’s. The result was never in doubt but the casualties higher than normal. The defenders were slaughtered and lost 1092 of their number whilst we lost 330 brave souls.

Summer (229BC).

Worrying news from around the Empire, riots from disquiet citizens have broken out these past 6 months in Siwa, where no-one was thankfully killed, Seleucia, 1093 citizens were killed by the garrison who lost 20 of their men, and Alexandria, where 2656 poor citizens were killed to a loss of 44 warriors in the streets.

The cause of the unrest in Alexandria is obvious. In our haste to match the gathering Scipii forces we removed too many troops from the city. Combined with the still high level of taxing we have generally in the Empire it was apparent to even the blind that problems would be prevalent. I have taken steps to instruct all regional governors to reduce taxes throughout the Empire, we have a very large surplus each fiscal season, too large and tempting for some governors – including certain members of my wasteful family.

My Family………my hope is that some enforced campaigning in the deserts of North Africa against our Scipii enemy will provide them with some more frugal talents….or kill them. Which ever, matters not. The family is large, my succession secure.

Late on in the summer I received news that Bylazora has been besieged by the Brutii forces surrounding it finally. We were expecting this and the city is enforced accordingly, we are even welcoming an assault! Let them come and die against our walls, we have many archers in the city and experienced troops, the confines of the city streets will see the Romans die in their thousands…the city will not fall. I will wait for a year or two for the Romans to decide what to do. Should they still fail to assault the city I shall send a relief force, perhaps Amopaou shall have this honour.

Winter (229BC)

Another son of Alexander has come of age. Alcaeos, a strong boy. I will put him in command of an army and sprit him away from the capital immediately lest he learn the decadent habits of his older siblings.

Zoilios continued to move North towards the Brutii’s new capital of Salona. He fought a small battle against a holding force just South of the city – he killed 160 Romans to the loss of 18 warriors – before moving onto the city and besieging it.

A flood occurred in the region Atropatene. Riots result due to damage to some buildings and the governors inability to rebuild the citizens properties fast enough – the winter is a sorry time to have no roof above your head. Again I instructed the Empire to start lowing taxes and to start building and improving the cities we run….too long have we been comfortable to just allow tax coin to flood into the capital, unthinking of where it comes from or how we can improve the lives of our people.

Summer (228BC)

Zoilios has taken Salona from the Brutii! Another “Capital” of their nation has fallen….they should learn to keep their capital within their heartlands. There was little resistance from the Garrison commander a certain Cnaeus Atinius, seems the Brutii are focused against Bylazora and that their largest force perished in Apollonia, and although Zoilios lost 136 souls in the battle the Brutii lost the city and 238 men in the battle.

We move closer to our goal of Rome….

Winter (228BC)

Sore news from the North. Parthia, our old enemies have become bold indeed and have besieged Kotais……this is a problem. Although my heir, Achaeus, is nearby he has not much army in which to break the siege. The city will not hold for long and although an army marches North from Hatra as I write this, I do not believe it will arrive in time. I do not wish to endanger Achaeus at this late time of my living years yet I see little choice. Should the garrison hold for another year, he will have to move to its aid.

Sparta. I have not forgotten thee. We raise an army in Athens and Corinth to take the city, Greek citizen warriors to free a Greek city. Sparta, still held by the Brutii, is isolated from re-enforcement by land and blockaded by Sea. I would normally be inclined to just besiege the city over a number of years but the suffering that would cause to our Greek cousins is unacceptable and we will have to take it swiftly. I am sure the newly trained members of our new army will be keen for this liberation, many have friends and relatives in Sparta already and are more than willing to go to their aid finally.

Summer (228).

Oh woe, oh perish! How did I anger the Gods so? Artaxarta, with my heir apparent residing within has been struck with a Plague! All I can do is pray daily that he remains safe and uncontaminated within the walls of his palace and grounds.

Winter (228)

More cheerful news reaches my ears this autumn time, finally the Brutii cowards have assaulted Bylazora and as I predicted they failed. With many siege engines they assaulted the city and Arcesilaus defended the city bravely. He decided to try and hold the enemy at the walls, something I would not have done, but his message says that he did this to prevent citizen deaths in the battle….a risk that could have resulted in ALL of their deaths. I am displeased by his actions, although they were effective but his losses were high due to his “consideration”.

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Hard fighting on the walls of Bylazora

For all the bravery of his warriors he could not prevent the gates being taken and they changed hands several times during the battle, he has his cavalry and Elephants to thank for sealing the breach in the gates and for repelling those Romans foolish enough to enter the city. None, I am glad to here, got but a few yards into the city and were met at the gates each time by his Cavalry.

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Despite breaking the Roman forces Arcesilaus faces another siege by Brutii re-enforcements. However the assembled force is nothing compared to that placed the previous month and with re-enforcements of our own from the South the siege is broken utterly and the Brutii finally put to flight for the loss of only a further eight warriors of Seleucid.

All around the Empire I continue to rationalise our forces. Mercenary units are disbanded and I move to make completely Seleucid based contingents.

Sparta was finally liberated by Abreas of Castabala for the loss of only 83 warriors, all 297 defenders were killed. Somehow though the citizens seem less than happy to see their cousins, which I find perplexing. Riots have broken out but I trust Abreas can control this wayward element..

I am glad to say that Kotais was relieved by Agathocles army from Hatra. He force marched his men through the mountain passes and arrived before the city was assaulted, we will pursue our old enemy across the boarder and finally end this threat.

I worry for my succession. The Plague in Artaxarta does not wane.

Moving North, Amopaon was attacked by a large Brutii force. He was sorely outnumbered but, again, his tactical brilliance gave him a resounding victory. Finding a hill he placed his few Phalanx units in a defensive formation protecting his archers.

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The larger Roman force advances on Amopaons well chosen position.

Despite being dwarfed by the Brutii army, Amopaon did not falter and sent his chariots in a wide and bold flanking move. Before the Brutii could react his chariots attacked the weak rear of their line.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/stor...leucidpic9.jpg

Chariots engage the ballista’s and War Dogs at the rear of the advancing line.

This bold move drew back several line units away from the Brutii attack and using his own body guard and cavalry unit wisely he broke the enemy on the Phalanx line for only the loss of 86 warriors. After chasing the routing enemy he counted 1142 Romans dead, including Gladiators.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/stor...eucidpic10.jpg

The Phalanx line holds.



Summer (227BC)

Glad news from the North, just North of Kotais, Agathocles beat the invading Parthian army for only the loss of 11 warriors. He has progressed into Parthian lands. It is time to end this pointless war and defeat the Parthians finally.

Winter (227BC)

Aristarchus marched South of Cyrene to try and meet the building forces of the Scipii and on the sun baked sands near the sea the large forces clashed. Aristarchus’s army carried the day but the losses were high – 275 warriors - and despite decimating the enemy with 780 deaths he failed to stop the continued incursion of the Scipii. Amongst the 275 dead was Aristarchus himself….sadly attacked and killed by a pack of dogs! This was no way for a warrior of Seleucia to die, the Scipii will pay dearly for this outrage with the armies we have formed near Alexandria.

Two full armies now march West to face the Scipii armies.

I still fear for my Heir. Still trapped within a plague ravaged city. I pray daily to all the Gods for his safety, many nights I do not sleep and I have started to fast in the hopes that my atonement may find the Gods look kindly upon me and my Heir.

I grow weaker…the Gods do not hear me, nor I hear their guidance anymore…

Summer (226BC)

Much happens in our Greek homelands. News is that mighty battles have been fought between Romano forces and Zoilos and Amopaon…..I have little concern for such things now, my dynasty is in the balance…I shall continue my fast, I pray each day that the plague will cease…

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=62666

Summer (225BC)

I am writing this in order to keep the entries up to date. I am Demetrius’s scribe and faithful servant, Demetrius himself passed on to the netherworld this last day. On the day of his passing news was received that Artaxarta was free of Plague, it is a deep shame that such news only arrived after his passing but I am sure the Gods have received him as the Hero he is despite the sadness he took with him across the river styx.

I will serve the new King when he arrives in the Capital.

Winter (225BC)

I am the new King. I have to travel to Antioch in order to take up my position formally but already the endless reports, documents and people wanting audience with me have started arriving at my mobile encampment! My governorship of Artaxarta has done nothing to ready myself for this and I hate it.

It is ironic that I should take up the Kingship from one as great and loved as Demetrius at this time, so near to our greatest endeavour……the storming of Roman lands.

I arrived in Hatra this week. It is a far better and more interesting place than Artaxarta ever was and if this is an indication of just a small part of what Antioch has to offer then, at least, some aspects of my Kingship could be interesting.

News reaches me from my previous region. As Agathocles continued his final strike against our old enemies Parthia. However whilst assaulting Campus Alanni he found the resistance to be far greater than expected and in particular I have been told that the Parthian Generals Cataphracti caused very many casualties. All I can read from this news is that Agathocles was a fool and a useless General…..it is good that he died during the battle. We hold Campus Alanni but his death leaves me with no overall commander in the region and we are unable to make the last push and finally exterminate our enemy.

Agathocles idiocy cost my Empire 895 souls when he outnumbered the garrison more than 2:1!

Summer (224BC)

Well, what a greeting I received at Antioch. All was going well…parades and festivities awaited me all to be turned sour by the news that Larissa was rioting! It appears that certain citizens still have Roman sympathies – I gave the Constable instruction to put these riots down at any cost. His zealous actions resulted in the death of nearly 3,500 men, women and children as well as several hundred of his own men.

Of course, I immediately ordered his execution. It is quite clear where the unrest was generated as after his public death the riots stopped.

Since Amopaon and Zoilos had to retreat from the Romans back towards Salona it now rests with Zoilos to beat the Romans back again towards their homelands whilst Amopaon recovers from his wounds. I was greatly heartened to hear of Zoilos’s successes against the combined armies of the Julii and Brutii Roman factions.

First, just North of Salona he claimed 517 Roman lives for the loss of only 65 of his warriors and then later that same month another 533 lives for the loss of only 19 warriors! His command skills it seems grow greater each day.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/stor...eucidpic11.jpg

One of Zoilos’s confrontations near Salona.

Late in the Summer I received word that Euenus had to strike out of Salona upon an advanced Julii army. He gathered what forces he could, this was an urgent task as the Julii army threatened several of our settlements as it had managed to get past Zoilos’s army in the North of the region. So, Euenus had the unenviable task of going up against a far superior Roman force. He tells me that it consisted of some highly trained Roman soldiers that are referred to as Praetorian’s. He managed to snatch a victory still, through his own personal valour and killed 502 Romans. His mainly Militia force was also badly damaged though as he lost 372 warriors. This could not be helped though, and our thanks went to him for defending our cities with honour.

Winter (224BC)

Finally the armies we have been building up these years in Libya have struck out against the Scipii. It fell to Charax’s fresh troops to take the invaders on first and his men killed nearly 10 Romans to their 1.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/stor...eucidpic12.jpg

The “New Model” Army faces off against the Scipii in Libya.

The Roman army was destroyed with 1,075 Romans dead to our mere 119. The only item that upset me was the “escape” of the Roman General who was in charge of this army…….he died in the desert of age before we had the chance to kill him ourselves in battle.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/stor...eucidpic13.jpg

One of our most proficient spies “…more cunning than a sackful of hungry weasels”

Summer (223BC)

I am told that Plague has hit Thermon. The city is of little consequence in our broad plan but I have ordered a stop to all traffic too and from the city.

Agathoclies of Azotus landed his mainly mercenary force North of Salona and immediately did battle with a Julii army. His losses were heavy, 387, but these were virtually all taken by his paid forces….this is acceptable. He did destroy the enemy army of 305 men. A decent trade for the coin we spent on the Mercenaries I feel.

Zoilos is now well placed to try and assault Segestica again. However, the area is swarming with Romano forces but I expect him to attempt something daring. We need that city and the following battles will decide the control of the gateway into Venetia and then Rome itself!

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/stor...eucidpic14.jpg

The Romano alliance forces build up around Segestica whilst Zoilos defends Northern the bridge.


Summer (223BC)

The Brutii continue to send forces South from Pannonia, to combat this I have ordered that Ermias moves North and first takes Porrolissum before moving West with a view to seizing Campus Lazyges and Aquincum. He has an able army and we believe the settlements to be lightly defended at least until Aquincum. He is to cover Zoilos’s rear as he pushes into Romano lands. Hopefully Zoilos will again be supported by his close friend Amopaon who is now recovered from his wounds and raises an army at Salona.

Winter (223BC)

Early in the winter our forces moved in earnest against the Scipii invaders in Libya. With two generals and three armies I envisage we will push the invaders out of our lands.

News arrived late this year of Antiochos of Tyana’s campaigning in Libya. His first encounter against the Scipii was a resounding victory where his warriors took 1,051 Roman souls for the loss of only 179 of his own. It appears this was the largest concentration of Roman forces in Libya and although the remaining armies are significant, with this victory we have officially turned the tide against the Scipii.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/stor...eucidpic15.JPG

Antiocles corners the main Scipii army in Libya.


My diplomats also advise me that the once proud Barbarian nation of Gaul has been eradicated. Whilst I am sure this is sorrowful for that nations citizens, I find this news tedious in the extreme and it has no interest for me or my Empire. However, within the same reports I did receive news of a wonderful victory against our newest Romano enemy, the Julii, North of Salona in Illyria.

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...45#post1100645

I was also informed that we had an “agent” in the area North of Salona who was well versed in targeting individuals. Whilst I have no record that any of my predecessors have used such people by their very existence I am sure they either did use them or at least certainly planned to use them in the future. I tested this man by choosing a Julii General in the area a certain Augustus Balbinus, a rather pompous named man who, nether the less, may cause a problem to our forces in the region.

News reached me just before the eve of the next year that our agent was successful in his task. To which I sent a healthy purse to him and advised him to play close attention to the last remaining Romano General around Segestica who goes by the name Gaius Lutatius.

I really must ask this agents name….assuming he’ll be willing to part with such personal information.

Summer (222BC)

Our second army in Libya struck out against the Scipii. Led by Charax Thea, this is an army with a high proportion of mercenary’s in its number and as such, against an experienced Scipii army, it suffered higher than normal casualties in the encounter. Matters not, as Charax was still victorious that day killing 889 Scipii but lost 349 warriors on the hard-baked sands of Libya.

Winter (222BC)

I was awoken early this morning of Autumn by news that dissidents in Sparta have started Riots. Why was I awoken by such trivial matters?!? After suitably chastising the messenger I sent an order back for the garrison captain to increase the number of troops he has. Building programmes are already underway…..such happenings should cease once they are complete. Other than that, all we can do is increase security within the city.

Due to this unruly awakening I was in a foul mood until after lunch when I received a message in code from our agent in Illyria. It seems that the Brutii general Gaius Lutatius had a terrible, and fatal, accident. It appears that he was busy writing reports in his tent, alone, and somehow his stylus must have slipped and it became embedded through his eye and into his brain……perhaps the stylus IS mightier than the sword at times. I joked with my aides that I must remember to be very careful when writing out reports on my tablets…..but they hadn’t read the report and unfortunately they didn’t understand my mirth. They’re loss I suppose.

Late this year I was updated on our progress in Libya. First Charax Thea’s mainly mercenary force utterly destroyed a Roman army South of Cyrene for the loss of only 97 warriors – his booty was 883 heads. Then good old Antiochos of Tyana dealt the final blow by cornering the last remains of Scipii incursion into Libya and killing a General at the same time.

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...48#post1100648

Perseas stared at the immense walls of Patavium in the distance. He had awaited this moment his entire life, and now his moment to prove himself was at hand. "Sir!" Perseas squinted in the winter sunlight to find his advisor approaching. "SIR! The Romans are coming! The Romans!" There wasn't a moment to lose! Perseas quickly began ringing off orders. "Hurry men! Form up! No no no! Come on now! Into phalanx formation! Now!" There was the clink of armour and the sound of marching filled the air. Perseas could now see the two Julii armies approaching, their red sheilds glinting in the sunlight. He could hear their General shouting orders. And then it happened... the charge. It was a foolish attempt, however, and Perseas could only laugh as the Romans skewered themselves on the longs spears of his Phalanx Spearmen. It did not take long for the Romans do see that their defeat was at hand. Soon the army was routing in all directions, and Perseas was victorious. And now the prize was won- Patavium was theirs!

Achaeus shiffled uncomfortably in his throne. Damn this thing he thought. "My lord, we have a messanger from North Africa who wishes to see you. He brings a message of Scipii military movements." Archaeus sighed and said "Send him in." The doors opened and a tall man entered the room. "Greetings my lord, I bring sad news from the south" What else is new? "Go on." The messenger nodded and continued. "The Scipii have built up a force that greatly outnumbers our current armies in North Africa. All of the generals agree. We need more troops!"

https://usera.imagecave.com/Gaulgath/seleuicidspic1.PNG

"You have enough troops. We have our own problems to deal with." Archaeus replied. The expression on the messangers face clearly showed what he thought of that, but he did not say anything except: "Yes my lord. I understand. Sorry for wasting your time."

Perseas wiped his mouth and laughed. The food here was better than anything he had tasted in a long time. "More wine please!" A servant quickly came over and filled his goblet to the brim. All the while he chatted with his freinds and advisors, until desert came- a series of fresh pies which he devoured hungrily, and unleashed a rather loud burp. Perseas left the room drunk, and struggled up the stairs to his chamber. He was struggling out of his clothes when he heard something- a scream! Suddenly he heard a knock at his door, and more frantic screaming. "My lord! We're under siege!"

Agathocles did not like the odds. One force of Romans in front of him, and another coming up on his rear flank. Then again... he was one of the most impressive generals to fight under a Seleuicid banner. Thats how he got his last name- "Infantryman." Agathocles unsheathed his sword, and commanded his trrops to get into phalanx formation. The Julli were unable to penetrate the phalanx, and soon routed. Agathocles quickly ordered his troops to turn around to face the other army. Still things were going well, but they were taking casualities. Wait, what was this? A regiment of hastati getting behind their lines! Agathocles knew what must be done. "CHARGE!" His bodyguard smashed into the infantry. "Kill them all!" Agathocles cut two down with his sword. "Keep fighting men! We can do it! we can-" He didn't even see the sword coming.

Perseas knew now was the perfect time to sally out. His sentries reported a small fore of Seluicids coming in. It has to be Agathocles! His men marched neatly out of the gate to clash with the Romans. "FORWARD!" He yelled. "We march to our bloody buisness!" Perseas knew that victory would be there's as the clash of steel on steel echoed through the valley. He charged his bodyguard into a regiment of legionaires. Screams filled the air as their spears dug into Roman flesh. Perseas didn't even notice that his bodygurad was being cut to ribbons. Suddenly his horse screamed and the next thing he knew he was falling. He look around and saw the Romans fleeing the field in fear. Then his attention turned back to the people around him- he screamed as they came upon him, and then it was over.

Achaeus rubbed his forehead in frustration. Being the leader of the Seleuicids was becoming an impossible task. Every day seemed to be filled with more bad news. The citizens were rioting in almost every city, and some had even decided to take up arms and join the Romans! Patvium was lost this way, and now the newly captured Antium was about to fall too. Something had to be done, obviously, and Achaeus knew that he was the only man suited to the task, for no one knew the Seleuicid empire like he did.

https://usera.imagecave.com/Gaulgath/seleuicidspic3.PNG

Here is my write up for the first half of my reign: sorry i'm taking so long, I'm like a turtle when it comes to RTW I also apologize for the lack of screenshots, some battles aren't even covered I'm afraid. I keep forgeting to turn on fraps and take pics :wall:

In the summer of 211 BC, our illustrious sons of Alexander and Hercules were fighting hard to create an empire to rival that of our father’s. Our situation can be summed up rather simply. We were waging war with Rome in Greece, Northern Italia, and Afrika, not to mention the hordes of rebels sprouting up out of the mud throughout the Empire and those pony-riding Parthians to the north. The forces of Seleucia decided to regroup before attacking Rome. Two stacks assembled to try and hold off the Scipii hordes that loomed menacingly across the border of Libya. Another stack lay in ambush between Patavium and Segestica. A single unit was placed up the road a ways, and the Romans, always seeking blood, launched an army up the road, directly into our ambushing armies waiting clutches.

https://img477.imageshack.us/img477/...41343870qm.jpg
Captain Androcles finishes off the last legionary on the field

https://img477.imageshack.us/img477/...41410201oe.jpg
The ambush worked, though through lack of cavalry many Romans escaped

Winter passed and across the globe, armies rested and planned their summer campaigns. We Seleucids prepared to decapitate Parthia, while also pushing the Brutii out of Greece. Near the Alps, the winter was harsh, but our stack blockaded the port of Patavium, hoping the Romans would be goaded into a rash attack. The infamous “Red Romans”, however, apparently outsmarted us on the campaign map. They prepared to attack, but they clearly felt the loss of a ½ stack the previous year. They gave up the siege of Arretrium, giving us a firmer base in Italy. In summer, 209, the Julii attacked our half-stack in Northern Italia, ignoring the full stack blockading the port of Patavium (much to the dismay of the Seleucid commanders). Our smaller army now had to fight for it’s life. The defense of Trieste, a small fishing village near Patavium, followed:

https://img455.imageshack.us/img455/...44009453lt.jpg
Though heavily outnumbered, Captain Ceas makes a stand.

https://img484.imageshack.us/img484/...44241750wh.jpg
Captain Ceas sets up his lines in the traditional manner…

https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/...44543458rg.jpg
Caes unleashes his chariots on an unfortunate unit of Auxilia who tried to flank the impenetrable line of spears that is the phalanx

https://img52.imageshack.us/img52/14...45002010hq.jpg
Amid a storm of missle fire, the phalanx holds

https://img52.imageshack.us/img52/10...45202789bv.jpg
Though a victory, many Romans escape to die another day…

Days passed, days turning into weeks, turning into months, etc. Then all of a sudden, the Romans launched a new offensive on our brave Greek armies, one coordinated attack on the army besieging Patavium, and another on the extreme southern front.

Southern battle:
https://img266.imageshack.us/img266/...70018706pg.jpg
Our militia cavalry send principes flying in a sudden charge

https://img155.imageshack.us/img155/...70148873tt.jpg
A brave but foolish Scipii general charges with his bodyguard into a solid block of pikemen. He dies soon after

North:
https://img174.imageshack.us/img174/...71514897uv.jpg
Auxilia are good spearmen, but the guys with longer spears always win ~:)

Also, we launch a naval campaign involving dividing the fleets and pushing up the Adriatic coast, in order to ensure that the Romans do not land any armies in Greece, and to cripple the Julii’s and Brutii’s naval prowess

(right here my fraps screwed up, and I have no pics for the next couple battles)

The Romans laid siege to Patavium, but surprisingly have left Arminium alive to pump out the desperately needed cavalry. A Scipii army is routed in the south, and out naval campaign sinks a ship with a medium Julii stack on board.

I'll get right into it:

A scipii army formed up and tried to push one of our armies in north africa into the sea, but were routed:

https://img106.imageshack.us/img106/...01929uk.th.jpg
The Romans have more cavalry, and try to flank us.

https://img108.imageshack.us/img108/...05151uc.th.jpg
Luckly both of our generals have extremely experienced and large bodyguards; they are well able to keep the equites away from our phalanx.

https://img223.imageshack.us/img223/...04178cx.th.jpg
The Roman infantry timidly wait, hoping the cavalry will give support...

https://img74.imageshack.us/img74/26...15296vq.th.jpg
...but the Roman Cavalry are all but destroted.

https://img105.imageshack.us/img105/...30031bj.th.jpg
When the Roman Infantry do advance, they are butchered by the phalanx

https://img224.imageshack.us/img224/...43920ee.th.jpg
Another Roman army is destroyed on the shores near Lepcis Magna.


https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...05433lh.th.jpg
This time a General's bodyguard is present, we must watch them carefully.

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/7...05126qr.th.jpg
We use the Libyan Mercenaries to lure Roman infantry into the waiting phalanx

https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/...47734ny.th.jpg
Victory

Here is a formation I decided to try out. Here's what I hoped the Romans would do:
https://img154.imageshack.us/img154/...52969wt.th.jpg
KEY
Blue is Scipii troop expected movements
Red is Scipii cavalry expected movements
Yellow is Scipii archers expected deployment
I have my skirmishers deployed so that if charged they can sink back into the spear wall and continue firing, but the unit who charged will have to keep going and attack the spears, and obviously die. The militia cavalry will try to draw the roman cavalry away. I put the best units in the indents of the line, so that cohorts are channeled in there and surronded.

https://img510.imageshack.us/img510/...33353wg.th.jpg
The mercenaries suddenly fall back, and the phalanx butchers the remaining cavalry. Everything goes according to plan.

I sat down and played for an hour or two here, but alas I screwed up with my fraps again and have nothing to show for it. I can say that we took Arretrium and Tarentum, and destroyed at least 3 more Scipii stacks in the south.

https://img302.imageshack.us/img302/...47672bf.th.jpg
Romans have attacked Patavium regularly in the past years, and our units haven’t been retrained or our walls repaired. So Captain Damasos decides to deploy near the city center, to avoid the destroyed buildings or any further harm.

https://img410.imageshack.us/img410/...46397fk.th.jpg
Our defensive formation: Three rows of phalanxes, four of archers, onagers, and cavalry to clean up anything.

https://img410.imageshack.us/img410/...01963bh.th.jpg
Damasos gives the order to fire the onagers, and the Romans are frightened greatly. We do cause some damage to nearby buildings, but nothing that can’t be fixed.

https://img410.imageshack.us/img410/...01963bh.th.jpg
Tada

For my successor, whoever you may be:
I think Thrace has a spy in Bylazora
I think Julii have a spy in Patavium
If you move quickly we can take Croton
Our army in Northern Africa is leaderless and decimated, there is a large army in the queue at Alexandria/Memphis, and I’d advise moving it to the front.
The general in Arretrium is the Roxorz, I’d send him to Rome herself when your ready.

I survey the Italian area that I am now sworn in to capture. Building on the firm foundations created by my forefathers and the blood and sweat of good men I am proud to have the honour of commanding what could be the final battles.

https://img47.imageshack.us/img47/4877/asel17ef.th.jpg

Our intelliegence on the location and strength of Rome is not perfect. I will look to our spies to gather information on the enemy that is bound to lie ahead.

But of immediate concern is my understanding of good phalanx tactics. I have studied Roman and Egyptian tactics. I know how to beat Phalanx so will use that knowledge as a guide to what I must avoid. Generalship of smaller battles is called for to gain an insight in the finer aspects of controlling our fine troops.

Perthia is a mobile foe. Lets see what Pikes can do to horses.

https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/...sel21ym.th.jpg

https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/...sel30lx.th.jpg

https://img433.imageshack.us/img433/...sel41kb.th.jpg

Hmmm. A pike wall will protect archers. The heavy Perthian cavalry appeared ready to charge my archers that were standing amongst the pikes. Several times they threatened this but didnt each time turning away and presenting archers with good targets.

The victorious army marches on afterward towards the sole remaining Perthian city. It will be some time before they reach that city.

There are rebels in our empire. I will kill some.

Now have enough confidence to take on some Romans.

--
Scipii in Africa are the target.

https://img200.imageshack.us/img200/...sel54aj.th.jpg

I have not fought against (or with) advanced Roman troops before.
--

We have troops that look like Romans. I postion them well back. Im going to rely on archers, cavarly and chariots.

https://img200.imageshack.us/img200/...sel60hl.th.jpg

Roman cavalry is routed by Scythed chariot passing through. My Cavalry charge in to take advantage of this.

https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/...sel79xd.th.jpg

https://img105.imageshack.us/img105/...sel82ke.th.jpg

--

Battle for Croton

Now its Brutii's turn to feel our wrath.

https://img125.imageshack.us/img125/...sel97ya.th.jpg

My archer reinforcements were stuck at the edge of the map and never entered the battlefield. Resorted to Pike power...and what a sight it was.

https://img122.imageshack.us/img122/...el103ee.th.jpg

https://img408.imageshack.us/img408/...el113tk.th.jpg

Clear victory...but very close to running out of time.
--

We now have 49 regions and need just Rome. More updates tomorrow evening.

The same first turn..continued

Arretium is being beseiged by Julii. We are to break the seige by sallying out and then use the army of Arretium to attack Rome.

Sally from Arretium

https://img122.imageshack.us/img122/...el120qr.th.jpg

Dont know fully whats in the beseiging army but lets give it a go.

https://img281.imageshack.us/img281/...el135ts.th.jpg

I plan to use the 5 mobile units out in the field, archers on top of the walls and the pikemen can stay safely behind the walls.

https://img281.imageshack.us/img281/...el144lf.th.jpg

Cavalry charges out on the sally. The Julii forces pull back but these poor guys with the ballista cant push their weapons fast enough.

They would soon be dead and the most of the Julii army would retreat off the battlefield. The seige was broken.
----

Small battle against Julii forces near Patavium

https://img281.imageshack.us/img281/...el177oy.th.jpg
----

Capture of Mediolanium.

Our forces wont be able to control the immenent rioting in Patavium. So I raise the tax to very high and withdraw most of the Patavium garrison and use it to attack its way to, and then assault, Mediolanium.

https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el188ci.th.jpg

I packed lots of pikemen into the same space. Dont know if that helps or hinders. The Roman generals made their way into the formation by going down one side. They all died bravely
https://img193.imageshack.us/img193/...el192rt.th.jpg

https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el200wq.th.jpg

https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el213bc.th.jpg
----

Sally from Campus Lazyges

Against the Julii again.

https://img258.imageshack.us/img258/8/asel220tt.th.jpg

https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el230pl.th.jpg

https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el245yc.th.jpg

Same plan as usual. Rush out with mobile forces and kill the beseiging army out side the walls...or from the walls with missiles.

Barbarian mercenariaes that started understrength will receive the first charge.

https://img244.imageshack.us/img244/...el253md.th.jpg

Five units from the Julii right flank were caught and routed.
https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el265oe.th.jpg

Scythed chariots are excellent at killing cavalry that approaches it from behind.
https://img258.imageshack.us/img258/...el271ud.th.jpg


https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el286mz.th.jpg

https://img304.imageshack.us/img304/...el294rr.th.jpg
----

Ambitious Rebel bashing

It looked dull so I waited during deployment. It then rained. Ideal weather for fighting against archers.

https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el300mb.th.jpg

Led the enemy, mainly foot soldiers, all over the map. In order to tire them.
https://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5253/asel318ed.th.jpg

https://img130.imageshack.us/img130/...el327qu.th.jpg

But their many archers got my chariots and in a flash they were running amok. They did no damage to Jullii nor us....until late in the battle when I led persuing cavalry to the amok chariots. It worked a dream..amok chariots routed the Roman cavalry
https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el334bi.th.jpg

https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el349gs.th.jpg

https://img460.imageshack.us/img460/...el356cd.th.jpg
----

Next installment...Thursday. Fall of Rome.

The Assault of Rome - Death to SPQR

It is late in the summer of 201BC and the assault on Rome is now the objective.

An expendable militia hoplite from Ariminum is sent south towards where Rome is known to lay. It scouts the area and soon reveals the Roman capital and defending SPQR forces.

Forces from the nearby city of Arretium are eager after breaking the seige and plan their advance on Rome. Moving at the speed of the slowest in the stack the picture shows that Arretium forces can reach Rome.

https://img281.imageshack.us/img281/...el152nb.th.jpg

The problem is that reaching Rome will leave the mixed unit stack insufficient movement points to attack or seige. Not too bad perhaps as they will be located on a river crossing and ready to attack next turn. But the objective is Rome..there is a better tactic.

Arretium sends out its cavalry. It has more movement points and can initiate a seige of Rome this turn. It orders loads of seige equipment.

https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/...el162qt.th.jpg

Next comes the infantry from Arretium. This moves up next to the cavalry and then finally merges with the cavalry stack. The computer still considers this now extended stack as able to assault/seige. The extra troops increase the amount of seige equipment being built.

Lacking any seige artillery nor spies we cannot get into Rome this turn. But we are seiging Rome as the summer turn ends.

It is now SPQR's turn. They sally out. Exactly as we want them to do.

https://img126.imageshack.us/img126/...el364hu.th.jpg

I like these odds. Lots of enemy to kill and a very powerful general to lead our troops to victory.
----

Battle for Rome

The SPQR is going to sally. I dont have any chance to deploy..but thats OK.

https://img388.imageshack.us/img388/...el371gz.th.jpg

As SPQR sally two infantry units my two seige towers attack the walls.

As its two infantry units attack my troops pushing the towers so my cavalry attack and rout the SPQR infantry. Some loses due to gateway fire.

But we are soon on the walls and have captured the Gateway and surrounding walls. Looking into the city we see that the Plaza is undefended. But do we rush into claim it. No. We want to teach the SPQR army a lesson and wipe it out. The SPQR reinforcements are entering the city from the north gate, whilst we take up position around the western gate.

https://img126.imageshack.us/img126/...el398da.th.jpg

A few elite Cretan Archers get too eager and run towards the north gate only to smack into Velites rushing the other way towards our western gate. I should have put those archers up safely on the walls.

https://img290.imageshack.us/img290/...el401qr.th.jpg

Let the killing begin. Best phalanx I have is fresh and faces tired velites. No contest.

https://img519.imageshack.us/img519/...el416zw.th.jpg

Killing goes on in the street. Archers meanwhile have a shoot out in the north west corner of the city.

https://img222.imageshack.us/img222/...el426kb.th.jpg

Timer running down. We press forward toward the square. There are two big Roman Armoured Generals (Faction leader) plus Equites here. We keep the pike wall intact.

https://img393.imageshack.us/img393/...el436mz.th.jpg

Lured the Generals to attack my Cretan archers..who didnt move through the pikes quick enough...and are down to one man. But neither did the SPQR generals move through this dense mass of pikes. When charged from behind by Cat's the Roman Generals fell.

https://img393.imageshack.us/img393/...el445dc.th.jpg

https://img322.imageshack.us/img322/...el452ui.th.jpg

Equites are doomed to fail.
https://img393.imageshack.us/img393/...el469db.th.jpg

I capture the plaza but the timer is low and runs out before the plaza has been held 3 minutes. DRAW.

https://img130.imageshack.us/img130/...el477jy.th.jpg

To run out of time. So close yet so far. Still some troops did very well.

https://img435.imageshack.us/img435/...el485pl.th.jpg


Aftermath of the battle for Rome

Well thats not to bad.

https://img457.imageshack.us/img457/...el499ve.th.jpg

Didnt expect that. But perhaps because the plaza was mine when time ran out when the draw was declared that was good enough. Exterminated the population. 22,000 die. Rome belongs to us.

https://img282.imageshack.us/img282/...el500ry.th.jpg

And so ends the campaign.

https://img110.imageshack.us/img110/...el521ne.th.jpg

https://img113.imageshack.us/img113/...el537fl.th.jpg