I should write an AAR. Who do I play as? ^^
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I should write an AAR. Who do I play as? ^^
Whoever is interesting to you of course!
Whoever is interesting to me.. hmm. I think I legitimately like Rome the most but I also think everyone has already done that. I also like Egypt.
Chapter Nine
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
At the crack of dawn we gathered our things in preparation for the assault. We outnumbered them considerably, almost nine to one. We were not worried at all, except perhaps for the stray arrow.
https://i.imgur.com/YZEbm28.jpg
Our commanders had hired a unit of mercenary Thracian Warriors to join us for the time being as we did not know if the Athenians would be assaulting in the coming days and we would need all the help that we could get.
As usual we split our forces in order to prevent a bottleneck during the assault.
https://i.imgur.com/CavcgCp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NJgmxrQ.jpg
Once our men were over the walls a short but furious melee erupted as we beat back the defenders from the eastern walls and gates.
https://i.imgur.com/2z79Oe8.jpg
On the other side we encountered no melee resistance, but we came under heavy missile fire while taking the southern gate.
https://i.imgur.com/V3Hwr14.jpg
With the southern gate and eastern wall firmly under our control, we sent in reinforcements.
https://i.imgur.com/X9bh7Qg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rSXDw4Z.jpg
There was very little resistance left then, and they were mopped up very easily.
https://i.imgur.com/wzvCFXV.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/i4OqqxD.jpg
It was a quick victory with very few losses, with almost all of them from missile fire.
https://i.imgur.com/JDbzeT7.png
With the city under our control, we settled in for the hard battle that was coming. With over 8,000 Athenian soldiers headed our way it was going to be a very rough battle. We called in a smaller third army, about 1,200 men, from defending Odessos to reinforce our numbers. It seems to have worked because our scouts reported that the Athenians retreated when they saw our numbers, so we are safe for now. Still, with a struggling economy and rising costs for pretty much everything, it is very hard to raise even more forces considering that we are stretched thin. What we really need is a break from warfare so we can build infrastructure. But the word is that the Athenians are refusing peace so until that front is closed I guess we must press on. Varga wants us to finish off Tylis, saying that war again with them is inevitable, which I suppose it is, but on the other hand, we really do not need any more enemies than we already have. The Athenians are more than enough for us. To be frank, I would love to have more chances to kill some Greeks, but I just want to survive the encounter.
https://i.imgur.com/4CShBC7.jpg
Chapter Ten
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
As we waited for new men to reinforce our losses, our spies reported that most of the Athenian forces had left the closest Athenian city, Pella, which used to be the capital of the now vanquished Macedonian empire. We left in a hurry for the border. We did not know how long that large Athenian army would be gone so we needed to take advantage of their absence!
https://i.imgur.com/cAAixyE.jpg
Our infiltrators managed to poison some of the provisions that the garrison used, killing a good number of them before our assault so undoubtedly the assault would go at least a little bit smoother.
Not wanting any lurking Athenian army to attack, we assaulted immediately.
https://i.imgur.com/HMtiMQo.jpg
We had split our forces to do a two-pronged attack, two ladders on each side of the city, because getting bogged down in the streets of Pella was a very real fear for us. The last thing we wanted was to be stalled in the streets fighting against a hoplite shield wall.
https://i.imgur.com/dqMloJK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/V0urJ7P.jpg
From the east there was no resistance on the walls. Why? I do not know, but our forces took the gatehouse very easily.
https://i.imgur.com/6jkj50i.jpg
Initially our commanders sent forward our men on the western side, but withdrew when we noticed a large amount of defenders on the western side of their city. Maybe they didn’t notice our other army approaching from the east? Either way, they decided to not storm the western walls to reduce casualties if possible.
https://i.imgur.com/IppGds8.jpg
The army on the eastern side poured through the gates, eager to finally bring the fight to the Athenians!
https://i.imgur.com/2fY4PyP.jpg
It wasn’t long until our warriors found the enemy. Most of the garrison is militia hoplite. Deadly when locking their shields together and forming a wall, but if we can break that wall they fall like flies as their spears become much more useless in close range.
https://i.imgur.com/gyx0KqM.jpg
After dealing with a sole unit of hoplites, the eastern force surged forward through the empty streets, searching for an enemy that seemingly did not want to be found.
https://i.imgur.com/BgSIEkw.jpg
But it was not long before they slammed into an iron wall made up of the majority of the garrison; hundreds of hoplites— both with and without armor— faced them as well as the elite Tarantine cavalry, spears gleaming menacingly even through the clouds of the day which threatened rain. A furious melee began with neither side giving ground; the defenders were keenly intent on retaining control of the city.
https://i.imgur.com/WLtrqMQ.jpg
That is when the western side was sent in to help. With the eastern forces bogged down in the city as we feared even when attacking through two of the main thoroughfares, we needed to open up a third direction of attack to end this battle quicker. So we sent our own hoplites to storm the walls in order to take the western gate.
https://i.imgur.com/SADCytr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Kqy4GP7.jpg
Back on the ground, our men in the side streets who were trying to get to the flank of the large hoplite formation in the center of town had to fight through numerous lines of hoplites in their path, making progress painfully slow.
https://i.imgur.com/NpB2BCn.jpg
Our men fighting on the walls were met initially just by militia hoplites and were dealing with them easily, but they were soon reinforced by armored swordsmen. This caused a huge problem as now our hoplites were cut off and surrounded by much better foes. A call for help went out, and reinforcements who were already on the way picked up their pace.
But it was too late. An entire unit of our hoplites was cut down on the walls. I cannot imagine that that must have been like, to fight in the face of certain death. Some even say that a number of our men who were seriously wounded grabbed hold of Athenian soldiers and jumped off the walls with them, falling to their deaths.
Just as the last few of our men were fighting to survive on the wall did our reinforcements scale the ladders and try to save them. But it was too late, and that entire unit of hoplites perished.
https://i.imgur.com/CQZnnnb.jpg
Finally our men took the western gates and we charged into the city and through the streets, aiming to flank the large amount of enemy in the center of the city who were still in a deadlock with our forces even after over an hour of fighting.
https://i.imgur.com/ktE1FuW.jpg
Just as we entered the city and went around to flank the enemy, our forces fighting through the side streets finally broke through the defenders and charged to help their brothers. Even though they were exhausted, they charged forward, knowing that the lives of fellow countrymen depended on them.
https://i.imgur.com/3axyD5b.jpg
They managed to catch the enemy in the flank unawares and began turning the tide of the battle in our favor.
https://i.imgur.com/leCLNSZ.jpg
At the same time we surged into the plaza as well, taking down as many Athenians as we could before they formed against us.
https://i.imgur.com/3BhfDcD.jpg
It was a joy to kill those Athenians. Every swing of my sword which hit Athenian flesh made my heart feel nothing but joy. I remembered my family who died by Hellenic hands, and while these men who I was killing now might not have had a hand in my suffering, for me it is guilt by association. As far as I am concerned, any Hellenic man who is capable of holding a spear or sword could have been there, and until I find out who they were without a doubt, I will continue with my vengeance.
https://i.imgur.com/SZzSMlK.jpg
With their men falling rapidly, the defenders threw down their arms, surrendering. Almost 400 of them were thrown in the city jails for the time being, until we could decide what to do with them.
https://i.imgur.com/OgbRgVy.jpg
We ended up sacking the city, taking a huge amount of plunder. Half of it was given to the royal treasury to pay for more men and weapons, and the rest was divided up between us soldiers as our loot. We burned down their temples and useless buildings, and put the populace to work as we set about rebuilding the city to more our liking. And in the night, as the flames of the city burned, we drank and mourned our dead.
https://i.imgur.com/DZ265mT.png
Pella, one of the biggest cities in Greece, had fallen to us. It did not prompt Athens to ask for peace, but I feel that a little more of this will bring them to their knees. At least for the time being. In the meantime, we will prepare for the next battle with the Athenians that is bound to come.
https://i.imgur.com/bcHdufP.jpg
Replenish your troops and/or fortify your position around the river that borders Pella and Larissa. It makes for a fantastic defensive position. :yes:
My plan was to scout out where the other two large Athenian armies were. I know there are at least two of them because I saw them preparing to invade me before they turned back, so once I destroy those Ill march on the last few Athenian towns and hopefully they will sue for peace, or be destroyed in the process. I know at least one of them is right by Epidamnos because I set it as a war target in the hopes that my ally will attack it with their stronger armies. Though for right now Im just going to reinforce Pella so it can hold off on an attack if it comes, while I scout out the enemy.
Nice AAR. Ill be following this.:bow:
Excellent AAR - thanks
I recently started a new job so I'm sorry if I haven't been able to update much, I'll try to update this weekend.
Chapter Eleven
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
With Pella under our control, we set our eyes towards the next closest Athenian town: Larissa. It was a relatively small village compared to Pella, but it was known for one thing: olives. Delicious and juicy olives that make me salivate… uh, nevermind. They also produce incredibly valuable olive oil. They were rare north of Pella, so taking control of a powerhouse of industry like that would be a boon to our economy.
So we set out to take control of the olives.
Our spies reported that the garrison was really demoralized, so this would be an easy battle, as we outnumbered them over two to one. None of us were very concerned. We were veterans. We had seen many battles up to this date against some of the most feared weapons and soldiers in the world, and a bunch of poorly armed peasants were not going to strike fear into our hearts.
https://i.imgur.com/YjTeuvF.jpg
It was a very quick battle. We set up as we usually do, by surrounding them and picking them apart. We charged, they tried to fight back, but it was futile for them.
https://i.imgur.com/92KBIfF.jpg
But they quickly surrendered when they saw how many we were and how few they were.
https://i.imgur.com/ccsTH2P.jpg
We lost only six men, three of which were from friendly fire from our horse archers. Pretty pathetic performance from the garrison, if you ask me.
https://i.imgur.com/mpHQOk8.png
Larissa was ours, and along with it the valuable olives and the olive oil presses. We were honestly pretty surprised how quick and easy the conquest was, but now we had to look towards our next conquest, and the next threat. The Spartans, whose legend stretched over three hundred years had declared war on us. We had much to fear from them, assuming they are still the warriors that they claim to be. We did not know their strength, but I have a feeling we will be feeling Spartan iron very soon, and we will see if the Spartans really are the warriors the legends claim themselves to be.
https://i.imgur.com/3qBRO4X.jpg
Meanwhile, Athens came to us with terms for a truce. We accepted, even though we know that they are simply going to reinforce their numbers to fight us again. But because Athens seems to be pretty beat down now, and we need to concentrate on Sparta, we felt that we had to accept to get them off our backs, even if for a short while. I highly doubt that this truce will last very long, for not only are the Athenians treacherous, our thirst for Greek blood is yet to be quenched.
https://i.imgur.com/lXnv5DL.png
Author’s note: I finally got to play a considerable amount and there are some major updates on the way! But with school and a full time job, finding time to work on this is tough so just be patient, updates are coming!
Silly question, are you playing with a mod that changes the way the game looks, overall or is that light just that way because it is autumn?
No graphics enchantments. If anything can be said about the Rome 2 campaign map, it's quite nice to look at!
Chapter Twelve
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The ink on our treaty with the Athenians was barely dry when we received word that three large Spartan armies have entered our lands! They began plundering the countryside, since there was nobody there to contest them. And how could we with only two armies? They had almost 8,000 men under arms in the immediate area while we had maybe 5,000. Combine that with their superior armor and weapons, it would only spell disaster for us if we attacked.
https://i.imgur.com/OxNXxRZ.jpg
Panic was rife through our ranks. Nobody knew how we would defeat these three large armies which, combined, could smash our armies with ease, especially if they managed to separate our two armies. We felt that this would be the end of us, the end of all our conquests over the past few years.
But then one of our king’s advisors thought of something. If we could simply split up those three Spartan armies and fight them one by one, we would be able to defeat them without having to take on over eight thousand Spartans all at once.
This would take planning, and in the meantime we raised every fighting man available to come fight. We also hired as many mercenaries as we could afford, even if they were Greek, as a surprising number of Greeks hated the Spartans for some reason. Our numbers increased to over 11,000 men under arms. Not all of them were fully trained like us, and only a small number of us had serious battle experience, but the numbers still counted, and with that we felt much more confident about our chances.
And with our numbers greatly inflated, we marched towards what would be a very eventful week.
https://i.imgur.com/3vuREKA.jpg
We spotted our first target. One of the armies had split from the other two, and was now separated by a river. By the time enemy reinforcements arrived it would be too late. But before that, we had to whittle down the Spartan numbers. Infiltrators managed to poison some of their food supply, and we began hit and run attacks on their forces in advance of our armies arriving to offer battle.
By the time we arrived, the word was that the Spartans lost a third of their forces even before we arrived.
https://i.imgur.com/O87io3g.jpg
We deployed for battle. Blaikisa, who was the overall commander of our armies for this battle, addressed us.
“Comrades! Do you know what we are here for today?”
A few men called out a variety of answers like killing Spartans, or living to see the next day, but he shook his head, called for quiet, and began to speak again.
“No! My comrades, you are here to annihilate those Spartans! Surround them! Cut them into a thousand pieces of flesh that even the smallest of animals can feast on when this day is through! Show them no mercy, for they will show none for us! Now go forth and win this day, for your tribes, for this nation, and for glory!”
A rousing cheer came from the ranks, but my mind was elsewhere. I thought of my family who was no longer with me, and a feeling of sadness washed over me. I really missed them, and if those Greek raiders had not showed up at our village I might not be here today. Then I remembered why I was here in the first place, and that feeling of sadness turned into anger and I excitement as I waited for the word to advance.
https://i.imgur.com/N3QXhcF.jpg
Blaikisa raised his sword, and up and down the lines the captains pressed their men forward.
We advanced, with our heavy cavalry on our flanks. We would need all the support we could get for this battle. The Spartan strength was in their heavy infantry, not their cavalry, so we were not concerned about that, but we would need heavy cavalry to help break their formations.
https://i.imgur.com/hIHgyQY.jpg
But we were not going to just face them head on. That would never work nor break them quickly. So a large number of our men ran down our right flank. The forest covered their movements so the Spartans never reformed to meet the new threat.
https://i.imgur.com/mtRMVcb.jpg
We marched toward the Spartans, and that is when we first saw them. They were truly fearsome.
https://i.imgur.com/npljqVG.jpg
But we had no chance to feel terrified, for we charged into those Spartan spears.
https://i.imgur.com/ykmI33j.jpg
The Spartans had large shields with reinforced iron, so killing them was rather difficult, at least from the front. We managed to kill a number, but for a while it was almost a standoff with neither side getting an advantage over the other. But the main Spartan weapon was in their formations, and once we broke their shield walls I feel we were pretty well matched. I managed to kill at least half a dozen Spartans before they broke. They are very good with the spear but I outmatched them when it came to the sword.
https://i.imgur.com/4ZNJgCG.jpg
But while I was an expert swordsman (not trying to boast, I swear), my countrymen were not doing quite as well across the battlefield. In at least one place it even seemed as if the Spartans would break through our lines and possibly escape relatively intact, for they had sent in their cavalry and they were causing some havoc among our men.
https://i.imgur.com/Ikmkro1.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JlLFU2p.jpg
And that is when we sent in the reinforcements. From the rear of their lines, a dozen of our units, mainly mercenary units, charged into the Spartan line.
https://i.imgur.com/OiP2ie8.jpg
We had surrounded them, and even their most elite units began to fall under our swords, especially with our heavy cavalry making repeated charges into enemy flanks.
https://i.imgur.com/R8NjpIa.jpg
They were completely surrounded and falling fast. Our numbers were simply too many for them to handle, and they fled the battlefield.
https://i.imgur.com/EWfaccb.jpg
Or at least they tried to, we slew most of them as they fled, but a couple hundred still got away. We only assume that they ran to their other armies for what they assumed would be safety.
https://i.imgur.com/4mbuGY1.jpg
We had utterly crushed them. We had lost not even 300 men, which really shocked us. Varga and I got through our first encounter with the Spartans with our swords bloodied and our bodies unscathed. It didn’t even feel fair to be honest. Morale soared among the ranks. If we could so utterly crush them this time around, surely we could do it again!
https://i.imgur.com/oX2CTru.jpg
But this was just the beginning of our encounter with the Spartans. There would be many more in the future, as there was still thousands of Spartans out there for us to kill!
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Author's note: I'm legitimately shocked how easy this went.
What do you expect? =P Steamrolling the poor AI with 4 armies and agents! You need war on more fronts =p
I know, I know. Im actually also at war with Cimmeria for some odd reason, and Ill imagine I will have to turn on the Ardiaei eventually. Plus Tylis still is a thorn in my side.
Chapter Thirteen
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Immediately after we defeated the first Spartan army we moved over the Achelous River to confront the other two Spartan armies.
We didn’t attack immediately. We stalked them for two full days. We did not want to confront both armies at the same time. After all, divide and conquer was the way to victory! The Spartans surely knew where we were but neither side attacked, leading to something that resembled how a cat and mouse interacted. But instead of a cat and mouse, it was two large armies facing off.
But of course our plan was not to just hound them forever. When one of those two armies was nice and comfortable inside their temporary fort while it was pouring rain, we struck.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Author’s note: Like an idiot, I did not take a screenshot of the pre-battle screen. Sorry.
https://i.imgur.com/CYPSzS1.jpg
We sent in our men to cover all entrances to the fort. Nobody was going to escape this battle, and while those Spartans took cover from the rain we would strike, hopefully launching our assault before any meaningful defense could be organized.
But they were not totally oblivious to the ways of war, for they had sent out numerous patrols. When they spotted us, they headed back to their fort at full speed to tell their army to rise and prepare for attack. It was hard to hide over ten thousand men from an enemy army, so we wanted to make sure none of their scouts made it back alive to give them any information that might hurt us.
https://i.imgur.com/AY2GSDl.jpg
But those scouts did not make it far; we were able to catch them with our cavalry and slay every last one of them.
https://i.imgur.com/q7QeIub.jpg
There wasn’t only cavalry though: they had sent out infantry as well to help patrol. While our cavalry was mopping up the cavalry, our infantry took on the other patrols.
https://i.imgur.com/i48sZ38.jpg
And once the cavalry finished, they joined the infantry in the fight, ending that fight rather quickly.
https://i.imgur.com/pr3K5e8.jpg
With the scouts finished off, we charged the fort! Everyone was equipped with a torch to help burn down those palisades that they seemed to foolishly rely on for defense.
https://i.imgur.com/nVYch0E.jpg
Their defense was better in some areas than others. On the western side the Spartans failed to form a solid line of defense, and we managed to enter the fort and establish a foothold. Of course the Spartans quickly recovered from that, but we held that foothold.
https://i.imgur.com/jhFCwTO.jpg
On the southern end they had held their gate well, not allowing us initially to break through. We would need to burn down their walls to gain access.
https://i.imgur.com/RXzAtc3.jpg
And on the eastern side… well, nobody really knew what was going on there; the fight kept going back and forth between us gaining a foothold into the fort and being pushed back.
https://i.imgur.com/KtIjXpW.jpg
Finally the southern walls began to collapse, and our men had a much easier time to storm the fort, but they were still held up by stubborn Spartan defenders.
https://i.imgur.com/NxuE0Ag.jpg
On the western side our men had made significant headway, with our archers helping thin enemy numbers. And with their help, we finally managed to break the defenders on the western gate, and we spilled into the fort.
https://i.imgur.com/ID2ki6Q.jpg
With one gate fallen, many Spartans tried to flee the battlefield, but they were run down by our cavalry. We counted dozens slain by our men, and maybe only a dozen who was able to escape.
https://i.imgur.com/32fz5Yi.png
Back inside the fort, the tight and organized Spartan lines melted into one on one combat, the kind of combat that we excelled at.
https://i.imgur.com/v14Jz7p.jpg
Finally we were able to break the final defenders holding up our forces at the eastern gate with a substantial charge into the rear of the Spartan formation. After a few minutes of fighting, the remaining few hundred defenders surrendered. We did not accept their surrender, and we carried on.
https://i.imgur.com/9RVRy4M.jpg
The slaughter of the Spartan army continued until there was nobody left to kill. When our swords were lowered and the clamor of battle subsided, we surveyed the damage. Almost three thousand soldiers from both sides lay dead within the fort. After burying our dead and burning the remainder of the fort, we packed up and moved towards our next battle.
https://i.imgur.com/OeWtwfe.jpg
We had sustained more casualties than in the last battle, but still managed to escape this battle with fewer casualties than expected. Perhaps the legends were exaggerated…
https://i.imgur.com/KLur2ZE.jpg
Chapter Fourteen
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
After our victory over the second Spartan army, we began to chase the last one incessantly. For three days we chased the Spartans, not letting them rest, not letting them eat, assaulting their patrols as often as possible, and all the while, their morale ebbed away.
Finally we cornered them against a mountain. With nowhere to go, the Spartans had to accept our offers for battle. Let them die a glorious death at our hands, instead of dying from hunger or desertion! We outnumbered them more than two to one! Victory was assured, and we were eager to finish this battle.
https://i.imgur.com/UkvlHhJ.jpg
It was a gorgeous day that we lined up for battle. The sun was out in full force, a far cry from the last battle where we fought in the rain and mud.
https://i.imgur.com/1KTqDM4.jpg
Off far in the distance, the Spartan remnants looked down upon us, seeing their deaths approaching. They had to be soiling their pants for what was coming!
https://i.imgur.com/zKWpOIV.jpg
We took our time getting into position. They had no relief armies, and the sun had many hours left before it departed for the day, so we were in no hurry. And if our patience unnerved the Spartans even more, all the better! There was heavy forest on our left flank so we put all of our cavalry on our right flank, including our horse archers. We hope that with a withering barrage of arrows we can help hasten the Spartan rout.
https://i.imgur.com/m3MZWBW.jpg
We finally charged up the hill and into the Spartan lines. The men who faced us were not hoplites but simple swordsmen, which made their departure even simpler for us. We were used to fighting hoplites by now, but fighting simple swordsmen? Child’s play for us battle-hardened soldiers.
https://i.imgur.com/mcUgh2J.jpg
But it was not our swords and spears which caused them to run. It was our horse archers. They were grouped en masse and they rained hell upon the Spartan formations, killing hundreds.
https://i.imgur.com/9W7Fv9O.jpg
Of course the Spartans were not just going to sit there and take it, so they sent in a unit of spearmen to remove the threat our horse archers were to them. Unfortunately for those spearmen, they did not see our cavalry hiding in the tree line, and they were swept away by thundering hooves.
https://i.imgur.com/IFpcjeI.jpg
On the left flank, not having any cavalry or spearmen there to counter their cavalry proved fatal for well over one hundred of our brothers, as their cavalry combined with their infantry tore through our lines. They almost broke through if it wasn’t for our reinforcements preventing the rout of our men in that area.
https://i.imgur.com/OA3csxH.jpg
It did not take too long for the green Spartan forces to begin to fall back, and eventually, rout. Most didn’t get far. Our horse archers watched them carefully, striking down any Spartan who fled.
https://i.imgur.com/gD4TFyo.jpg
And what started as a trickle became a stream. And from a stream, a torrent. The entire Spartan army was on the run, and our horse archers and cavalry rushed to take them all down before they evaded us.
https://i.imgur.com/Wld5AY1.jpg
But there was one holdout: the Spartan royal guard. They were defending the Spartan royal heir, who apparently was commanding this final Spartan army. They fought hard, killing over two dozen of our men in less than a minute after first contact. So we held back, and let our arrows do our fighting. All we had to do was hold our shields close and not lose any more men. I was among that front line against the Spartan royal guard, and blocking those maddened thrusts from the Spartans was a very tough task. As our arrows rained down on them and picking them off one by one, they were increasingly desperate to get out of their predicament, and their attacks became more and more intense.
https://i.imgur.com/qUdFTzz.jpg
But all we had to do was buckle down and let our arrows do the work.
Eventually the royal guards were whittled down to only a few men. They tried to escape but it was too late for them. We hunted them down with no pause, and that was the end of the battle.
https://i.imgur.com/A5EVWIc.jpg
Turns out, the royal heir, his entourage, and a few other survivors from the battle managed to escape, preventing a total victory.
https://i.imgur.com/bPLYLP9.jpg
But they did not make it far. We found them not far from the battlefield, and we slaughtered them with a thousand arrows.
https://i.imgur.com/M4PjoXc.jpg
But as we were celebrating our victory, other forces were claiming a much greater victory: the capture of Sparta itself!
https://i.imgur.com/qwSjwIW.jpg
The city was assaulted on a stormy day, making the ground slick with mud as our men trudged and slipped towards their assault positions.
https://i.imgur.com/bsckSxq.jpg
Getting nearer to the city, our forces split up. Our spies reported that they have pike phalanxes in the town, forcing us to split up our forces to make sure we wouldn’t have to throw ourselves upon their pikes in an endless slaughter.
https://i.imgur.com/MYVb6Lp.jpg
Reaching the city center, our forces mercilessly attacked the forces in the way of their final victory.
https://i.imgur.com/ZuSkdbD.jpg
Some Spartans tried to flee, but they did not get very far.
https://i.imgur.com/XSQa9KX.jpg
Most of the defenders were merely boys, unfit to stand up against us. It seems as if the Spartans sent all their best men against us in the field, leaving few good men to protect their previous city.
https://i.imgur.com/DXz1Xyp.jpg
Once all defenders of the avenues into the town center were broken, the battle was quickly over.
https://i.imgur.com/bLkqdvJ.jpg
The Spartans soon surrendered. There was no gallant final stand, much to our disappointment.
https://i.imgur.com/tRUaaf3.jpg
We did not lose even 200 men in the assault, a rather easy victory.
https://i.imgur.com/MNdnxSh.png
With the capital taken, we executed the Spartan king and royal family and occupied the city. Sparta was no more!
https://i.imgur.com/g3Dgb9Z.png
With news of the fall of Sparta spreading throughout the region, Athens declared war on us. Again. So we took the severed head of the Spartan king and sent it to Athens as a warning of what war would bring. They ignored our warning, and we geared up for war once again.
But even if the Athenians did not declare war, we would have still been on the warpath either way. Tylis has gained ground against our allies, and it is time we step in and wipe them off the face of the earth. I think Varga will be very happy to hear that!
https://i.imgur.com/011ihCS.jpg
But first, we have a more pressing matter at hand. Not only is the city of Athens, or as they call it, Athenai, in our grasp, we are in position to strike against Apollonia, the other Athenian town. Athens was lightly defended and should be easy to take, while Apollonia would be a tougher nut to crack.
https://i.imgur.com/kbsWQzA.jpg
In any case, the Spartan war did not even last two moons, a rather short war by our standards. But by the gods, it was a bloody one. Thankfully it was much more their blood than ours. It has been years since we have seen peace, and it doesn’t seem like it will come any time soon.
Chapter Fifteen
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
With the road to Athens wide open, Blaikisa jumped at the chance to take the city. Bringing a second army along, he put the city under siege. Meanwhile, Dadas marched towards Apollonia and the large Athenian army there, taking it slow to avoid any possible traps as they traversed the mountainous terrain. I decided to tag along with the force taking Athens, because it was always said that Athens was a beautiful city and I really do not want to miss out on an opportunity to fight through the streets of one Athens and spill some Athenian blood in the process. Varga decided to stay back, for the odd chance he finds some Tylans to kill.
https://i.imgur.com/RWiVcj2.jpg
After ladders were built, Blaikisa ordered an assault. The city was lightly defended, and frankly, underwhelming. We anticipated a sprawling city with huge buildings. But other than a large temple and a few sort of large government buildings, it reminded me of a standard Hellenic town. Quite disappointing if you ask me.
https://i.imgur.com/cXMpxS6.jpg
Our men climbed over the walls, eager for the fight! We had eight ladders, so we were able to spread out our men in order to prevent being bogged down in any one place.
https://i.imgur.com/vNS24Og.jpg
Most of what the enemy had were militia and levies, along with a few units of slingers, so the fights on the walls were not too difficult.
https://i.imgur.com/pqyhC7e.jpg
We managed to take one of the gates, though with losses. Their archers were barricaded inside the gatehouse and it took a while before the barricades were broken down and the archers killed. In the meantime, they managed to kill dozens of our men.
https://i.imgur.com/rsFkV84.jpg
With a gate open, the rest of our forces charged into the city, preparing to take the city center and wipe out the rest of the garrison.
https://i.imgur.com/c6xHFHl.jpg
But things were not going too well on the walls now. Using a corner of the walls to their advantage, the Athenian defenders managed to pin down two of our units, a unit of Triballoi swordsmen and a unit of Thracian infantry. Once pinned down, Athenian slingers went to work. With their sides completely exposed, our men were cut down in droves. When we finally got units to their position, we found every one of our men slain.
https://i.imgur.com/TRdCT8c.jpg
When news spread of the complete loss of two experienced units, it only enraged our men and they fought even more ferociously against the defenders on the walls who still held out.
https://i.imgur.com/SeN4rmQ.jpg
Finally the defenders on the walls were routed and slaughtered, and we got into position on the ground, facing the few defenders left at about two hundred paces away. Neither side made a move. The air was silent, save for the faint cries of the wounded in the distance. We paid them no heed as we stared down our foes. The Athenians knew very well what was coming, and they could do nothing to prevent it.
https://i.imgur.com/IBzzDqy.jpg
That is when the sound of two hundred hooves beating the ground was heard. Our horse archers arrived.
Taking aim, they loosed volley after volley upon the Athenian survivors huddled in the town center.
https://i.imgur.com/9uTc7K1.jpg
Desperately trying to hide under their shields, the remaining Athenian defenders were being slowly killed off by our arrows. This was child’s play though. We wanted to wet our swords with Athenian blood before the battle was over, and if the archer’s managed to kill them off before we could get our chance, we would be rather angry.
https://i.imgur.com/tsHa5D0.jpg
Bored with waiting for the archers to do their thing, a few of us climbed to the top of the hill inside the city, and looked over Athens. It really was a nice little city. Not quite Pella, but nice architecture and nice greenery made Athens a place maybe one day I might settle down in. Maybe.
https://i.imgur.com/fRgrO5E.jpg
We made our way back to our lines just as our archers received the word to cease fire. There were still some defenders left, so we drew our swords and charged, intent on finishing the job as quickly as we could. We would be getting our swords wet in the end after all!
https://i.imgur.com/L5AlWDp.jpg
The few remaining Athenians who still stood against us could barely hold their line as we threw ourselves against their shield wall mercilessly.
https://i.imgur.com/amRq8ci.jpg
It wasn’t a very good shield wall, and we broke it rather easily. With their shield wall shattered, it wasn’t long until they began to flee. They didn’t get far though; we ended up capturing over two hundred Athenian soldiers on the roads out of the city, and they were brought back in chains.
https://i.imgur.com/6ELZR4h.jpg
Athens was in our hands now. We had lost two entire units of veteran soldiers, which really hurt as losing veterans was always a tough ordeal, and a few other units had taken severe casualties. But otherwise our casualties were light.
https://i.imgur.com/dGT9B75.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/YtWUtBa.jpg
On our other fronts, the Scythian fleets finally left the mouth of the Danube, giving us much relief!
https://i.imgur.com/0evtPEt.jpg
Now that the southern peninsula was in our hands, we could concentrate on taking out Athens once and for all. As I travelled back to Dadas’s army, I remembered how just a year and a half ago we were all panicking for the large Athenian armies heading in our direction, and with Tylan armies bearing down on us, it all seemed hopeless. But nowadays, we are the undisputed masters over Athens, and soon, the rest of the Greek peninsula!
Chapter Sixteen
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Immediately after we took Athens we moved on Apollonia. A third army, fresh from the siege of Athens, joined the other two preparing to lay siege to the final Athenian town.
Now here is where we had to use strategy. The Athenians had a lot of experienced soldiers with pikes. We cannot face them in an all-out assault as we would get torn to shreds upon their pikes, even with our vastly superior numbers.
So we surrounded them and waited it out.
https://i.imgur.com/cijrGvS.jpg
It only took a few weeks. The large army that was reinforcing the garrison managed to get on ships and flee the city like cowards. It didn’t take long after that for the garrison to surrender without a fight.
https://i.imgur.com/zcWhI6R.png
But of course, the Athenians still posed a major threat, especially with that large army patrolling the waters just outside Apollonia. We could not leave the area until every last Athenian army and fleet was gone.
Both fortunately and unfortunately for us, they were now all at sea. They had limited supplies but they also had free reign of the local seas because we do not have a navy, at least not yet. We would either have to build one or we would have to wait this one out.
https://i.imgur.com/qDE0DUR.jpg
Thankfully though, they came to us. A few weeks after we chased the Athenians out of Apollonia they came back in force and assaulted the city.
https://i.imgur.com/jDSB9as.jpg
Instead of unloading further down the coast and marching to face us as a united army, they decided to land directly in the city. I'm not sure their reasoning, but it was kind of terrifying to see all those ships slowly making their way to shore towards us, even though we knew they would be landing in different areas, fragmenting their formations to our advantage.
https://i.imgur.com/y7BPabc.jpg
We waited patiently for what was to come. We had deployed on the beaches, waiting for the ships to arrive so we could catch them as they left their boats.
https://i.imgur.com/mf9rWs3.jpg
A cry went up from our left flank. More Athenians were coming from the left side of the city! We had not seen them approaching while watching the main army come via ships, and now they were rapidly advancing towards our unguarded left flank. We had infantry reinforcements coming in, but they were on foot and would take a while to arrive. And we couldn’t divert men away to counter the new threat, because if we cannot put our full weight on the incoming seaborne assault then we risk being overrun.
https://i.imgur.com/lrGW8B6.jpg
So we sent cavalry to stall the new threat until infantry could arrive.
https://i.imgur.com/q0i4Zl5.jpg
They charged at the Athenian cavalry and managed to chase both them and a unit of slingers. The other units had spears or pikes so our cavalry steered clear of them, hoping that the infantry got to them first before they would reach the town.
https://i.imgur.com/d7ijHG9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/WxfdooF.jpg
Meanwhile the Athenian naval forces got off their boats and charged ashore, right into our waiting spears, which punctured their leather armor pieces as our arrows gave them an iron greeting from above.
https://i.imgur.com/DfxcBM5.jpg
But enough of them managed to get off the boats and form phalanxes, making the situation much harder. After a long while, we managed to break one of them, opening up the rest to flanking attacks.
https://i.imgur.com/PfBagtA.jpg
Just outside the town, the reinforcing infantry finally reached the advancing Athenians and was able to stop them from entering and causing havoc within the city.
https://i.imgur.com/iUfT8kE.jpg
Though it was at considerable loss; they managed to form a phalanx against our men and slay a large number of good Dacian warriors before they were eventually routed slaughtered.
https://i.imgur.com/UIotrII.jpg
Back on the shoreline, a few Athenian units snuck around the side, trying to flank our main line, but were stopped by a single unit of ours. They ended up losing all but two dozen of their men, a truly heroic effort!
https://i.imgur.com/my8iQOk.jpg
The battle slowly turned in our favor as Athenian units began to rout. Once a pike phalanx breaks, its men are easily slaughtered. They do not have our skill when it comes to the sword, and their strength is in their long pikes.
https://i.imgur.com/jWyeMyY.jpg
With bloodlust raging through our veins we chased after all the fleeing Athenians. Some initially tried to make it back to their ships, but they had beached them so they offered no refuge from our blades. The only option for them was over land. They did not get very far.
https://i.imgur.com/f1CBUmf.jpg
Back on our left flank our infantry was still embroiled in battle with a few stubborn Athenians. But a piece of wood cannot hold back a wave, and they broke after repeated cavalry charges, even after taking refuge in a wooded area, hoping to prevent our cavalry charges. It didn’t work, and not a single Athenian survived the encounter.
https://i.imgur.com/0UXpsoA.jpg
Back in the city, only a few levy hoplites stood against us, and being pressed by both sides, they did not last long.
https://i.imgur.com/rtih7FB.jpg
But that was not the end of the battle. Somehow a number of enemy units including hoplites and slingers got off further down the coastline and snuck in through the city.
https://i.imgur.com/FS4cQqB.jpg
We managed to catch the unit of slingers before they got very far and would be able to do some damage.
https://i.imgur.com/E442TSp.jpg
But the hoplites managed to sneak in and attack our generals, who were commanding the battle from the town center!
https://i.imgur.com/Tys4CSs.jpg
Our generals quickly withdrew from the town center as our available infantry rushed in to take out the unsolicited attackers. Generals on horseback have no business fighting hoplites. Though they did happily help in the pursuit!
https://i.imgur.com/eTPVqeT.jpg
There were still a few more ships coming towards the shore, so our men had some breathing room before the last leg of the battle began. The bodies littered the town and surrounding areas.
https://i.imgur.com/ABz6T7z.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AvnKUxq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rb9uwkE.jpg
The last few ships hit the shore, and their eager crews jumped off, not knowing the fate of their brethren.
https://i.imgur.com/RTGeLsZ.jpg
They soon found out.
https://i.imgur.com/eCcl0R1.jpg
With the final Athenian units routed and hunted down, the battle was over. It was a bloody day. Mostly it was Athenians who were lying on the ground, but quite a few of our brothers had fallen as well. But even with over a thousand of our dead, it was a good time to celebrate. We had wiped out three Athenian armies. Yes, two of those were not very large, but that was still three fewer armies than what they had before the battle, and now we were three steps closer to wiping out Athens once and for all!
https://i.imgur.com/cbUlydi.jpg
With no way to reinforce or resupply, and no friendly port to take shelter in for the coming winter, the remaining Athenians were trapped out at sea.
https://i.imgur.com/yOffvjQ.jpg
To make things worse for them, the Romans joined the war on our side. Obviously they only joined in to have an easy finish to this war and claim some of the glory, which we were okay with, and we hoped that the Roman navy would eventually clean up what was left of the Athenians.
https://i.imgur.com/m25IX6S.png
More importantly, we could now turn our attentions to other foes, such as Tylis.
To date, it has been almost five winters since we began this campaign against Athens. I find it amazing how much time has passed since that fateful declaration of war from Athens in support of their ally Tylis. Tylis was never truly a problem for us except for a tight spot here and there, but it was Athens who truly made us sweat. And as I recall, it was because of their Athenian allies that we got put in quite a spot when we sustained multiple attacks by powerful armies within a couple of days. With their formidable pikemen, they cut down hundreds of our men. I put them only second to the Rhomphaia when it comes to feared weapons. You can block or get past a Rhomphaia with enough skill or quality equipment. Much harder to get past a wall of pikes, and both skilled and unskilled warriors fall to a pike phalanx. But for now, that ordeal was over for us.
The age of caution is over. Once we can be sure that Athens is no longer a threat at all, we will move west, wipe out Tylis (which Varga is very excited for), and then move on foes unknown.
It is a great time to be part of the Getae!
Are those naked hoplites in one of the screenshots? ^^
Also, can you show a screenshot of the map? (The world map with all the borders and colours and all)
Yeah, those are naked hoplites. Actually a rather good unit, puts up a stubborn fight.
Heres the map:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Christ! War with so many people! I'd feel paranoid :D The naked hoplites are from a mod though, yes?
Yeah, well my war with the Nervii, Averni, and Egypt are because of my treaty with the Ardiaei. Cimmeria declared war on me but really hasnt done anything besides put a couple of tiny fleets in my waters. I was actually at war with Royal Scythia for one turn but I begged them for peace and they thankfully accepted. That is when they started hanging out by the mouth of the Danube. I can only assume how that massive fleet was headed towards my capital...
And yeah, its a mod. I think its Champloo's unit packs.
Chapter Seventeen
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
That winter was one of both great sadness and great happiness for our people. Tarbus, our king, died of sickness brought on by a very cold winter. His eldest son Costico, who was also leading an army in the field, became our new leader. As a nation we mourned our leader whose wise guidance led us from a nation of obscurity to one that everyone knew of and our feats of arms. We had crushed Athens and Sparta, nations who once called themselves the pillars of civilization. They never thought that we “barbarians” could defeat them and yet here they are, strewn at our feet like a fallen leaf at the foot of a tree.
https://i.imgur.com/6dEuiYr.png
Along with the harsh winter came the harsher winter storms. There is a reason we do not set sail during the winter, but the Athenians had no choice. Combined with being harassed by Roman fleets and pounding winter storms, the remnants of the Athenians sank at sea.
https://i.imgur.com/6oRFJeT.png
But in the meantime, our past and future foes, Tylis, joined forces with the Galatians, creating the Celtic Confederation. They will find no safety in numbers!
https://i.imgur.com/v0wnBGh.png
We declared war, and our army, led by Dadas, another army, led by Costico and another army led by someone whose name I don’t remember, attacked Naissos. Their garrison was already starving, so the fight was rather quick and painless.
https://i.imgur.com/Bf6qKKA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Umk5GVf.png
Dadas occupied Naissos, and Costico with another army advanced in late winter on Singidum, the last of the Confederation’s holdings in Europe.
https://i.imgur.com/nnmCkis.jpg
We had a short siege, only long enough for the snow to stop before we assaulted with our ladders.
https://i.imgur.com/M10fB3f.jpg
Since this would be the final time to kill some Tylan soldiers (well, now they are “Celtic Confederation” soldiers), Varga and I joined with Costico’s army to get in on the action.
Varga was excited. This would probably be the last time he would get the chance to fight the people who killed his brother, and he was thirsty for revenge. Because of his experience in battle, he was put in charge of one of the units who would be going over the walls first. He was leading inexperienced men, and he was unsure how they would fare being part of the “forlorn hope,” or the people who would be over the walls first. Our experience with But I knew he would fine; he was one of the best warriors I have ever known.
Our faction leader decided to assault in a heavy fog, as to conceal our approach from our siege camp as much as possible. We did not want to let the defenders prepare for our attack for too long before we came over those walls to kill them.
https://i.imgur.com/6JMNrMf.jpg
Singidum was built into the side of a small cliff, enabling it to have a natural barrier on the northern side. But they seem to have forgotten about our archers who could rain down arrows upon them from the top of the cliff. We took advantage of that, and charged our horse archers through a dense forest to the cliff.
https://i.imgur.com/mbdGnzG.jpg
Our ladders reached the walls, and the men swarmed over into the waiting swords and spears of the defenders.
https://i.imgur.com/xS88av2.jpg
They were also greeted by a large number of ranged units, who killed many of our men as they struggled to get control of the town defenses.
The unit who suffered the most under missile fire was Varga’s unit. While his men cleared out one of the watch towers, they came under a hail of missiles which slew most of his men.
https://i.imgur.com/Uz7Zund.jpg
From what I was told, the second the tower was cleared, Varga led an attack against the enemy missile units, routing the enemy and exacting sweet revenge on the people who had slain many of their comrades already.
https://i.imgur.com/POizyic.png
Elsewhere on the walls, our men were surrounded by heavily armed defenders, who were putting up a very good defense, even against impossible odds. We had to send in reinforcements to prevent total destruction of our assaulting force. I was among the reinforcements, and we ran towards the walls to save our brothers. But in many places, it was too late. Hundreds of our men were slain, and entire units were wiped out, fighting to the death even when surrounded.
https://i.imgur.com/uaLR2Eu.jpg
We cut our way through the masses of spearmen, dodging enemy spear thrusts and returning their attacks in kind. The battle slowly turned in our favor as more defenders were cut down and more of our reinforcements scaled the walls.
https://i.imgur.com/xgVCauZ.jpg
The defenders who had fallen back from the walls to make a final stand at the town center met a deadly surprise: arrows coming from our horse archers from the top of the cliff, shattering their hopes of a temporary respite as they prepared for the coming onslaught.
https://i.imgur.com/m0ZvZNA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/2ZwrpC8.png
Finally after much bloodshed, the defenders broke, and fled the city any way they could as they tried to escape our men. They wouldn’t get far, as our cavalry hunted whoever tried to flee.
https://i.imgur.com/1TBatzO.jpg
But the battle wasn’t completely done, as there were a few men hiding in the town center from our archers. They couldn’t stay there forever. To their credit, they staged a valiant last charge, resulting in the death of every last one of the dozen or so who charged our wall of men.
https://i.imgur.com/ylfDT7X.jpg
The city was ours, but at a heavy cost. Three of our units were wiped out, and another two units were ground to almost nothing.
Among the fallen was Varga’s almost entire unit. Only seventeen men of the one hundred and sixty who began the battle remained. When the battle ended, I searched for his unit, eager to see my friend again and talk of our exploits. I eventually found his men, or what was left of them. When asked where my best friend was, they somberly pointed me to a body covered by a blanket. I was in shock. Varga was the best warrior I knew, him falling to the enemy seemed inconceivable! They told me how Varga led the charge against the enemy missile units, quickly wiping out one of them. He fought like a wild dog, killing dozens of the men who once were part of the Tylan people. He was getting his revenge for his brother. But after the first enemy missile unit was defeated, they were met by a deadly volley from another missile unit who appeared from hiding. Many brave warriors fell in that volley, and among them was Varga, hit in the chest by a javelin, and he joined his brother in the afterlife.
I wept for my friend and for the first time since that horrible day over ten years ago when my family was slain by those Hellenic raiders, I truly felt alone. There was nothing I could do but steel myself, and prepare for the next fight.
https://i.imgur.com/xoMvh4J.jpg
But we would not be getting the chance to fight the Celtic Confederation anytime soon. After our capture of Singidum they begged us for peace, and we accepted. We had no intention to cross over the Bosporus strait. If they stayed on their side we would stay on ours. For now at least.
https://i.imgur.com/u2W4bDo.png
We were finally at peace with all our neighbors. It has been over ten long years since we have seen a peace like this. But I had a feeling it would not last long. Large fleets from Knossos threatened Athens and Sparta, and it was not a threat we could take lightly. So I rejoined Dadas’s army and we began marching south once again to meet this new menace, for as long as these massive fleets were hanging around our shores, we could never be truly at peace.
https://i.imgur.com/pI3fGSv.jpg
Chapter Eighteen
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
For a year we waited by Athens for Knossos to attack. After all, they had three large armies hanging out by our shores, so it seemed almost a certainty that they would be invading our lands.
But a year passed, and nothing happened with those fleets. Eventually they left, and we headed north back towards Malva. I was sad to leave Athens though, over the past year I have grown quite fond of that city, with its warm sun, fields of trees with ripe oranges on them, and rolling green hills overlooking the ocean. But for now, my duty is to my people, so such thoughts must be put aside.
War came in the springtime with the Celtic Confederation. They declared war on us for us not allowing their forces free access of the Danube. Silly reason if you ask me, as they were embroiled in a large war to the north and could not afford to attack us, or even declare war on us.
So after waiting a little bit to see what they would do, we attacked them, striking at their lands since they seemingly would not attempt to strike at ours.
Our army with a second army led by a relatively new general named Bikili crossed the Bosporus strait and laid siege to Nicomedia, the closest Celtic stronghold to our lands.
https://i.imgur.com/gcbooQl.jpg
We waited a few weeks to see if the Celtic Confederation could muster an army to help their garrison, and when we saw that they had no help coming, we assaulted the city.
https://i.imgur.com/Xeo49Wm.jpg
It was a gloriously sunny day, the sun shining off our helmets like a thousand small suns.
https://i.imgur.com/1AiNwWM.jpg
Dadas, being the seasoned general that he is, rode around the lines, stirring us up for the battle to come. It was going to be a hard fight, the enemy was prepared for us. But he told us that every man’s actions today would count for the final victory. With that, he called for volunteers for the forlorn hope, the first men to go over the walls. I had a feeling that fate would want me over those walls first, so I joined the fated men of the forlorn hope.
https://i.imgur.com/6CRNPsg.jpg
For some odd reason, a few Celtic units boarded ships and began to sail down the coast. Seemingly they were trying to escape.
https://i.imgur.com/bOAqlzZ.jpg
Then they pointed towards shore, right next to our lines. Were they trying to land and then attack our flanks? Either way, our cavalry and horse archers lined up to tackle the problem.
https://i.imgur.com/SpnLdEw.jpg
They landed, and were promptly cut down by two hundred arrows fired all at once at them.
https://i.imgur.com/69S1G2p.jpg
Whoever was left after the first few volleys were beset upon by our cavalry, who easily wiped out the surviving Celtic soldiers.
https://i.imgur.com/nbkApga.jpg
With the way clear to the walls, we began moving our ladders towards the city.
https://i.imgur.com/AwYZ8rw.jpg
We had eight ladders. The enemy could not defend everywhere, so in some places our men climbed over the walls with no resistance.
https://i.imgur.com/oNbHXLs.jpg
Other units were not as lucky. The defenders had many skirmishing units ready, and they let loose a volley as soon as our men came over the walls. Dozens of men were cut down immediately. I was not among them, thankfully. Then the survivors of those units had to fight through hundreds of defenders with diminished numbers. It’s a miracle how none of our units were completely wiped out.
https://i.imgur.com/3vTp1uH.jpg
We were prepared for this situation, and had reinforcements waiting right at the base of the ladders, instead of having them rush towards the walls from where the generals were. While some men were hit and killed by missile fire while waiting by the ladders, more of our men were saved by the reinforcements who were immediately available. It was a wise decision, and had it been taken in previous siege assaults, many lives of good warriors would have been saved.
https://i.imgur.com/OJadZIG.jpg
We climbed over the walls on the right end of our assault, meeting little resistance. We quickly focused our attack on the flank of the Celtic unit who were trying to fight off one of our assaulting units to the left of us.
https://i.imgur.com/I7VkXC8.jpg
The fight was a very bloody one. The defenders were very skilled with a sword, and it was a challenge to get the best of them. They were our equals. Maybe they did not have the experience we did in battle, but they certainly knew how to use their swords very effectively. If it was not for our experience I don’t think many of us would have survived unscathed.
https://i.imgur.com/mZrnYCh.jpg
We slowly hacked our way through the Celtic defenders, relieving the pressure on our beleaguered brothers in arms. The blood flowed freely, and my body was soon covered in blood, both the blood of my brothers and the blood of my enemies.
https://i.imgur.com/H9GvT05.jpg
Finally the last defenders at the walls were cut down or chased off, and our men flowed like a swollen river over the walls. The capture of the city was imminent!
https://i.imgur.com/A2FgffZ.jpg
The amount of bloodshed just by the walls was horrific. Over a thousand people lay dead by our feet, and the killing was not quite done yet.
https://i.imgur.com/IWkKrvP.jpg
The units which took the most casualties were held back to rest while the rest of us pressed forward towards the center of town. Being among the most experienced, Dadas and Bikili chose my unit to lead the charge!
As we approached the center, the archers in their towers began firing at us. We picked up our pace, starting at a slow jog and then breaking into a full on sprint as we charged up the hill towards the waiting Celtic defenders.
https://i.imgur.com/dxUAWoC.jpg
We slammed into the waiting shields and swords of the defenders, throwing ourselves at them in order to break their shield wall.
The fighting was fierce. We swung wildly at each other at first, and soon the frantic swings became more calculated. I managed to kill him with a jab to the neck, but not before he deeply cut into my thigh.
https://i.imgur.com/5Th6lUz.jpg
The defenders fought with a tenacity that I have not seen since we fought Athens in Pella all those years ago. We had to fight tooth and nail for every meter we went forward. But we were pushing them back, even if it was slower than expected.
https://i.imgur.com/GMwHQjK.jpg
Finally we spotted the leader of the garrison. He was surrounded by his men, shouting encouragement in a vain hope that if he held us off our whole army would leave. Fool, there were thousands of us left and a mere handful left of them. But I did admire the man for the attempt.
https://i.imgur.com/h2b9auB.jpg
Finally we cut through his bodyguard, and I came face to face with the commander himself. He took a swing at me, and I parried and returned in kind. He dodged it, and jabbed at my legs. His sword sunk deep into my already injured left thigh. I yelled out in pain, forcing myself to stay on my feet. He had a look of hate on his face. He clearly wanted to kill me, and he advanced towards me, coming in for the kill. I didn’t let him though; I threw my weight behind my shield, knocking him off balance, allowing me to drive my sword through his chest.
https://i.imgur.com/xtmZrvL.jpg
I sank to my knees because the pain in my left leg was far too great to remain standing. Another defender, seemingly in anguish over the death of his friends and seeing my vulnerability, charged at me. With my remaining strength I thrust my sword up, cutting into his stomach which he left wide open when he charged at me. But then my legs gave out, and I sank to the ground along with my opponent.
https://i.imgur.com/oRXADbr.jpg
A fellow soldier helped carry me back to our camp. We had taken the city with just under six hundred losses. None of our units were wiped out, so that was very positive news.
https://i.imgur.com/B5BMnqF.jpg
The Celtic Confederation leaders soon came to us with a peace deal. They apparently had enough and wanted an end to the hostilities. Which was fine by us, we didn’t really want to continue this war with them anyhow. It was a drain on our resources and for little gain so it was better to end the hostilities than to keep on fighting for no real reason.
https://i.imgur.com/srjHGjs.png
Our leaders decided to not occupy the city which we had just conquered. Instead, we gave it back to their rightful owners, the local tribe of Bithynia. With them we secured an ally across the Bosporus who could hold off any attacking foes from crossing into our lands from Anatolia. With peace negotiated and an ally gained, our armies crossed the strait and headed back into our lands.
https://i.imgur.com/8XReaXu.jpg
After the battle, I was worked on by the army surgeon. He wanted to cut my leg off since it was in such a severe condition but I begged him to let me keep it. I did not want to live the rest of my life as a total cripple. I would rather take my chances than be doomed to live on the streets like I've seen so many invalids before. He obliged, and after he cleaned my wound of the blood and closed it up with thin string and a needle, he sent me on my way. I could not walk without assistance so I got to ride the wagons with the other wounded on our way back to our lands.
Weeks and months passed and my leg did not fully heal. I still walked with a limp, rendering me unfit for combat.
I was in shock. I had been fighting in the service of my people for over twelve years now. I knew nothing else. My life before joining the army was gone. Everyone I knew from my old life was gone; Varga, Charnabon, and most importantly, my family who had been killed all those years ago. They seemed like a distant memory now, and I wondered if they could see me from the afterlife, and I wondered if they would approve.
I had accomplished so much while in the army of our people. I had helped expand our lands, bringing us into the world stage. Now nobody could ignore us like they once did. We had conquered the Odrysian Kingdom, we had wiped out the infamous Spartans, and most importantly, we had crushed the great nation of Athens! The history books will sing the songs of our victories! I do not know what will become of our nation, but I have confidence that we will come out victorious of every trial and tribulation we will face in the years to come.
As for me, I think I will return to Athens permanently, maybe even grow my own orange grove. I might have known only war for the past decade, but I am sure I will be able to adapt to a much deserved life of peace.
Fin.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Thank you all so much for reading! I've had a lot of fun playing and writing this AAR, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and I hope you will join me for my next one!
The map of my conquests and neighbors at the end:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read: