Printable View
Once again my amazing psychic abilities have served me well.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
You´re gonna try and take Tanais? Great, it´s always buggered me a tiny bit to see the unworthy steppe barbarians with their dirty hands on a glorious Hellenc colony.
Numidians (W-africa) = CarthagiansQuote:
Originally Posted by Dutchhoplite
Moeor = Ptolemai(multiple references to a ptolemay taking controle there)
Pahlava -> Gandahara(Cyan or something like that) -> Pahlava? or step people(again purple).
Erain - no idea, maybe Lusotana, just colored diferently, or Arverni again recolored, like he did with Bactria and the Demitrids, and probably still doing with Bactria and the Aegyptos rebels.
Indeed, you are correct, Ower.
Carthaginians ---> Numidia & Mauretania Alliance
Hayasdan ---> Median Empire
Ptolemaioi ---> Kingdom of Meroe ---> Ptolemaioi
Aigyptos is just Baktria, with picture edits so its two parts have different colors, and the same thing is done with Lusotanna and their territory in Ireland.
And then there is:
Pahlava ---> Gandhara ---> Pahlava
If you are wondering what happened there, I did a little bit of forced diplomacy. First Baktria took two of the three Indian provinces, then Nisa rebelled to Pahlava/Gandhara. I decided to use this for roleplaying. So I gave all of the other steppe provinces to Pahlava/Gandhara, moved all of their generals and armies from India, then just let the last Indian province fall to Baktria.
Oh, my god -- how long has Ghandara been dead?! They were my favorite faction... a substitute India!
Meh, Indo-Greeks are way cooler. Indo-Greeks with Armoured Elephants, Arachosian cavalry, Persian archers, Indo-Iranians, Baktrian Royal Guards, Indian Guild warriors and longbowmen, Indo-Greek Noble Hoplites, Dahae bandits, Hellenic Cataphracts, heavy and light artillery and Subeshi.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverend Joe
Seriously, do you get any cooler? Well, maybe if you´ve got a heavily modified Makedonian roster.
This must turn into a novel!!! Great work this is one of the longest aar I have read since day 1 [ yeah post count say im just a new guy but I have been a long time lurker ]
Thanks Panzer. It's always good to see the lurkers come out of hiding.
Well, Gandhara is gone for now but it may come back. Although they get oof to a good start, the Indo-Baktrian-Hellenistic ... Kingdom doesn't really do too well. They are now at war with Saka, Pahlav, and AS.
Chapter 78 : A Journey Up the Neilos
After a long war in Syria, the Romaioi were on their way home when they were attacked by an army of the Kingdom of Sab'yn. Consul Tiberius Aurelius Cotta won an easy victory and could have simply continued on his way to Alexandreia and on then to Roma, but instead, Cotta lead his men after the enemy, into the deserts of Sinai. After cornering the enemy in the city of Petra, Cotta decides to finish them off.
[At this point, FRAPS said that it was on an saving pictures, but when I quit and went to the folder there was no new screenshots. Although, I only missed two battle and a few events, that I can't remember.]
Scrounging together what resources they can find in the desert, Cotta and his men build siege equiptment to attack the city. Without good supply lines in the desert, Cotta chooses to attack the city instead of wait them out. Due to the fact the city only has a small garrison and lacks any kind of leadership, the walls fall quickly and the city soon follows. With effort from their allies from Italia, the Arche Makedonia once again gains control of the city of Petra.
Consul Tiberius Aurelius Cotta doesn't have much time to celebrate, though, as he dies in Petra just a few short months later:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/6726/maa3543zu4.jpg
Without their leader, the Romaioi leave the city and make for Alexandreia and then back to their homes. Thankfully, Chrysoloras Delphikos and his men are nearby and are able to stablize the city and raise a garrison to defend it before moving out, themselves.
Around the same time, Ainesidemos dies in Massalia. After Pyrrhos' journey to Pella, Ainesidemos had become the head of the western branch of the family. In Makedonia, Hellas, or the east, his death isn't even noticed, but to those in the west, an old leader is lost:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/623/maa3544it2.jpg
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
With the rest of lower Aigyptos solidly behind him, only Memphis had remained a rebel stronghold. After years of siege, Philippos is finally confronted by the weakened city garrison:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/2323/maa3545pp2.png
Great siege towers had been built, but after deciding the simply wait out Memphis, they sat unused outside the city walls:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/6633/maa3546cc4.png
Using these towers as a forward defensive wall, Philippos lines up his army and awaits the Aigyptos garrison. Without a skilled general, the attack is unorganized and weak:
https://img383.imageshack.us/img383/9149/maa3547jf6.png
Once the bulk of the enemy is out of the city, Philippos charges his reserves in from the sides and circles the cavalry, lead by his son, around the rear, between the city and the battle:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5006/maa3548rh9.png
Completely outmatched, the garrison of Memphis flees...
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/614/maa3549mp6.png
...and surrenders:
https://img383.imageshack.us/img383/8153/maa3550ov6.jpg
With this, Philippos takes the last enemy stronghold in the area and takes complete control of lower Aigyptos:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/2144/maa3551qa1.jpg
With a little battle experience now under his belt, Philippos' son, Alypios, is sent back to Alexandreia to finish his education. While in Alexandreia, Alypios is married:
https://img258.imageshack.us/img258/452/maa3495jf2.jpg
As a wife, Alypios takes a noble woman who is both strong and wise. They are to be partners for the lifetime ahead of them:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/7051/maa3552kp0.png
Around the same time, a daughter of Philippos is also married. Although the man's Hellenic family has power and wealth, they have quite bad genes:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4742/maa3554jp5.jpg
After the attending the marriages and waiting a few months to secure Memphis, Philippos gathers river ships and splits his force in half. While one group marches up the valley, the rest sail north and take control of minor cities and villages, returning the region to the Arche Makedonia. Finally, Philippos corners the last remaining rebel general and almost the entire army of Aigyptos in the city of Thebes. With his army reunited, Philippos besieges the city.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
While Philippos retakes Aigyptos, the Numidians once again invade the Arche Makedonia and attacks the city of Ippone:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5355/maa3553hw0.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Almost as soon as he arrives at Thebes, Philippos engages the armies of Aigyptos. A tiny Aigyptian force from the south attacks Philippos' army, forcing them to leave the city gates long enough for the main army to exit and join the battle on the open field:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5481/maa3571xu6.png
As only a diversionary force, the small army is hesitant to attack, but Philippos calls their bluff with a cavalry charge:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/7905/maa3573pc9.png
The tiny force is trampled under foot and Philippos gives the order to his men to reform to face the approaching army of Thebes. As the army repositions itself, the cavalry run the edges of the battlefield. With all of their attention on the infantry line, Philippos and his cavalry see the kataphraktoi coming over the hill too late to react. The rebel kataphraktoi charge into Philippos' cavalry formation and deal heavy losses:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4285/maa3574um6.png
While the bulk of his cavalry holds down the enemy kataphraktoi, Philippos positions his hetairoi and charges in at the enemy rear:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4863/maa3575ln2.png
Once surrounded, the kataphraktoi loose their advantage of mass and simply become overheated cavalrymen. Hacking at them from all sides, Philippos starts to win the fight through attrition:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/161/maa3578ml6.png
As nearly all of his men fall dead, the rebel general, the man who would be Pharaoh, attempts to surrender but is instead cut down, dying there on the field:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/7876/maa3579kl8.png
Back at the infantry line, Philippos' lieutenants struggle to retain order as the line fragments:
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/3391/maa3581ik3.png
Rushing back to the line, Philippos calls his men to order and reorganizes the line, taking an advantage of a lull in the battle:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/871/maa3582kn2.png
Once again the Aigyptos army comes at Philippos' army, but this time the men of Thebes are the only ones who are leaderless:
https://img383.imageshack.us/img383/181/maa3583rt0.png
Using his various forms of Thorakitai to his advantage, Philippos overwhelms the enemy and takes the field:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2729/maa3585nu7.png
With the fall of Hyspasines Kouriandaios and the capture of the city of Thebes, the Aigyptos Rebellion comes to an end and the land is restored is once again ruled from Makedonia:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9339/maa3587lv0.jpg
Athough the rebel armies are no more, the land of Aigyptos is filled with the armies of Ptolemai VII of Meroe. Though they are allies now, they had sought to gain more during the war but had gained nothing:
https://img383.imageshack.us/img383/5624/maa3592zq6.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
With Aigyptos restored to the Arche Makedonia, the last piece of the economy of the Pontos Mesogeios is once again in Makedonike hands. With less active armies and garrisons than the Antigonids, Philippos continues to build an ever bigger treasury in Pella. During this time of prosperity, great building projects are commisioned, especially common amoungst them are massive, complex expansions of ports and harbors all around the Pontos Mesogeios. With the great wealth and ever increasing trade profit, a few cities even grow in size, such as the cities of Sinope and Syrakousai.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To the east, the Arche Seleukeia continues to suffer. The satrapy of Baktria, which had once guarded the northern border of the Arche Seleukeia falls to armies of the steppes and leaves the Arche Seleukeia open to attack from multiple steppe tribes and alliances. From the west, the Median Empire attacks and destroys the armies of the Seleukids and begins gaining territory that had been in the hands of the Seleukid Dynasty since they acquired Persis so long ago. North of Persepolis, one of the last Seleukid armies is surrounded in Gabai, which falls quite quickly:
https://img383.imageshack.us/img383/8343/maa3590pz6.png
At the same time, the Median Empire even manages to continue their old war against the Kingdom of Sab'yn and gain territory in Maka:
https://img383.imageshack.us/img383/9278/maa3591tx6.png
With territories falling to many different steppe groups, the greatest threat becomes the alliance under the leadership of the Pahlava people. With an alliance and funds from Media, the armies of Pahlava swarm southward to liberate their fell Iranian brothers.
Although they lost Baktria, the bulk of the armies, as well as the Basileus of Baktria, himself, were away in India and very little actual power is lost. Raising Indian forces into their armies, the kingdom which had once been the Seleukid satrapy of Baktria marches west and attacks the cities of their old masters, planning to recover Baktria soon after:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/6360/maa3606zs2.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The known world in153BC:
https://img360.imageshack.us/img360/...153editws5.png
Next: Chapter 79 : Eremos Odysseia
Wow, the Seleukdids are getting cooked.
I excited about the next chapters title, even though I don´t quite understand it. I´m gonna guess it means something along the lines of Journey into the Desert/Wasteland.
Perhaps then the Arche Makedonia will finally deal with the last remains of the Pharaos. Or maybe not...it´s not really that deserty down there.
Those poor Seleucids, always had a soft spot for them :(
I'm quite happy with the Medians and Pahalva. After my initial gift of territory to Pahlava in the north and tricking Media into war with AS I just let them do what they will. The territory conquered between the last two chapters was all the work of the AI. I didn't want to fight another Hellenistic power, so I'm glad that AS is dying. Now I can expand eastward and fight eastern armies.
I'm sure the title to the next chapter is incorrect Greek grammer, but you got the basic meaning...
Wow, the best chapter since long. Don't get me wrong, they were all quite good, but this one especially pleased me, I guess that might have something to do with the Median, Baktrian and Pahlavan empires...
Look, I revamped my lvl 3 government in my own Mak campaign to a Seleukid style semiautonomous satrapy. Do you plan on changes in that direction? The old Nomos Symmachos Emphrouros is kinda out of date.
https://img300.imageshack.us/img300/...halbauthc7.jpg
:yes::yes::yes:
Actually I did have a government revamp in mind. But a complete redoing of the entire government of the Arche Makedonia. Mainly, I plan to create provinces. I'll go into it more when I get to it in the story. But, my plan is to make Type2 provinces, that are directly controlled by Makedonia and the Basileus. Type3s do double work as Satrapies (ranging from semi-autonomous satrapies to simply regions with differing cultures) and military controled regions. As for Type1s, I was thinking of redesigning them as my "core" rather than my "homeland" and giving Type1s to all of Makedonia, Thraikia, Epeiros, Hellas, the Aegean, and maybe Ionia. I also planned a complete revamp of my military and government. I haven't yet played to a point of doing all of this, but it is a plan in the head of Philippos (keeping with the Augustus-like image I have of him). Lets see if he lives to fulfill this.
Can't wait to see this executed!
Man, you're hardly even playing EB anymore... :dizzy2:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutchhoplite
Pfft AS.
My poor carthage.....:no:
Is that all possible, I mean can you change government types during a campaign, as well as regions with homeland and/or expansion indicators? I've tried the latter and found out that the changes don't work for ongoing campaigns.
Maion
I did not change the markers. What I did was the following (after MAAs suggestions a few months ago):Quote:
Originally Posted by Maion Maroneios
That works for me. :yes:
- in EDB, exchange the requirements for gov2 with these for gov3 so that both have the identical requirements. This allows you to build your satrapies everywhere, just limit yourself ;)
- modify the effects of gov3 so that they have the same happiness penalty and tax bonus as the seleukid gov3.
- in EB/data/text, edit export_buildings.txt for the description.
Agreed, you aren't really playing EB anymore. I don't know what your playing exactly, but it is very very cool.
Yeah, just changing the area you can deploy governments and the bonuses can make them a whole new government.
I'm still playing on an EB base. There's still the government system and stat system. It's more of a mod for EB... I wish I could add units and be savegame compatible, though, I'm running out of models that work for what I want. By the way, I recently gave myself Pantodapoi Phalangitai and African Elephants.
Hey Centurio, whatever happened to your AAR? It sounds like you've got a good campaign with some interesting role playing there that would make a good AAR.
Yeah, I have a fairly nice empire atm and a really cool alexander-esque King Antiochos, a really smart guy with god-like general's abilities... I implemented many of what you said, I made Thorakitai recruitable, enabled Klerouchoi through the real Klerouchiai, changed the government and at the moment I'm planning on making Kataphraktoi recruitable soon (though I don't think they are THAT fantastic).Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
Making an AAR is incredibly much work. English is not my mother tongue. I take screenshots of every battle and every worthwile occurence. After I have some 800 - 900 screens, I'm going through the screens, writing every notable occurence and virtually every battle down in a word document, 14 pages atm for 65 years. I try to rename every screenshot with its correct year, event and location. This is very much work, but the upside is that I have a complete history of my empire since 272.
So I'm thinking on what I could do about my campaign. Writing down the complete history in some kind of fact-sheet? Who would read that? This is only interesting for me. I'd be thankful if you had an idea on what I could make of my campaign. A mid-game AAR? A late game-AAR? Is it already late enough for a late game-AAR? :laugh4: I don't know. :shrug:
I see. Thanks for the information, Centurio! I have also found another way of gaining ''homeland'' provinces, namely creating a small script which creates the forementioned building and destroys the old ''expansion'' one. As for editing descriptions and such, I've found that out as well.
Anyway, I think this will make a very nice twist in my AAR when I reunite Alexandros' empire. I may make some sort of ''Makedonian Reform'' script for public usage is I experiment enough, we'll see :-P
Maion
Was that EB 1.1 map before?
From where could I get it? I think in the EB website you still have an older version of the map.
Sounds very interesting. Do you think that would work for an ongoing campaign? Would be awesome! Sadly I have absolutely no knowledge on scripting.Quote:
Originally Posted by Maion Maroneios
I should also warn you of a minor issue, when recently a new gov3 was built, the "new buildings built" scroll of the turn-beginning told me "WARNING: This baseline description should never appear on screen" regarding my new government. I don't know why, all I know is that it apparently works.
What map are you talking of? I'll send you a 1.1 map with edited province boundaries in Iberia if you like.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ibn-Khaldun
Centurio Nixalsverdrus, it does sound like you've got a good campaign going there. You could make an overview AAR that just gives the general story at a rapid pace, though it would be a shame to waste all of those pictures you've taken. Personally, I like seeing empires develop and would read an AAR even if it just a list of events that result in a great empire. If you want, you could even do an overview and then start up a mid/late game AAR. Though, if writting up an AAR isn't that much fun for you, you shouldn't force yourself.
As for that error... The descriptions for buildings have three entries, one for the name, one for the description, and one for the short description. If one of those entries is missing, it will give that default error message. You may have deleted or made a typo (missing space or something) with the short description making it revert to the default error message.
Ibn-Khaldun, if you are talking about the map that I drew on, that was in one of the pre-v1.0 previews. It is the "v0.9" map and there were a few tiny changes since then. Someone made an altered map, but I don't know where to find it. Though, I'd like to get that map for myself, as well.
Centurio Nixalsverdrus, I was talking about this map:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
But, if you could send me that 1.1 map of yours then I would really appreciate it! :bow:
Centurio: It does. The only problem is that it creates a homeland province every turn, so I'll stick to your way.
Maion
Allright.
Ive read this AAR since the beginning and i would just like to say it is one of if not the best AARs Ive ever read. I can't wait to see what comes next.:2thumbsup:
Not only I agree with you, but I believe this AAR is the best there is. I honestly have never read a better one. I just wish it could go on forever!
Maion
Thanks guys. And so it continues...
\/
Chapter 79 : Eremos Odysseia
After the end of the Third Ptolemaic War, the city of Bostra and regions around it had fallen into the hands of the Arche Makedonia. Because of the low population of the region, it had been heavily settled by klerouchoi. Unknown to the masses of selttlers, it had long been coveted by the Kingdom of Sab'yn. The Kingdom of Sab'yn of southern Arabia had fought the Ptolemaioi for the trans-Jordan area and Nabataea for years and when the Arche Makedonia took the region, they saw it as simply the same thing as the Ptolemaioi.
In the years before the civil war, Chrysoloras Delphikos had assisted his father in defending the city of Bostra and surrounding lands from what was nearly a yearly assault by armies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn. When the Makedonike Civil War had began, the Delpikos family had tried to remain in control of Bostra, but siding with Pyrrhos cost them. Under attack from both Sab'yn and the Demetrids, the Delphikos family moved out of Bostra and into the Pyrrhos-friendly client-state of Ioudaia. Bostra was subsequently lost by the Demetrids to the Kingdom of Sab'yn.
During the war, Chrysoloras Delphikos and his father had taken the few klerouchoi that chose to leave their homes near Bostra and added to it many mercenaries. After the death of his father, Chrysoloras formed an army and took the fight to the Demetrids. As the war drew to a close, Chrysoloras gained fame from taking Phoenicia as well as the city of Damaskos.
During the civil war, Pyrrhos had made peace with the Kingdom of Sab'yn and had allowed them to keep the territory taken from the Demetrids, but that was not enough for them. Seeking to become a true empire, the Arabian armies marched against the Arche Makedonia. With the outbreak of war, Chrysoloras sees his chance. Grasping at this opportunity to take revenge on his old enemies, Chrysoloras Delphikos gathers his army and marches against them. With the city of Bostra already secured by Herodes of Bosphoria, Chrysoloras takes his army south to take the fight to the enemy.
Chrysoloras himself is decent commander and leader. From his father he learned all he knows of warfare, especially the importance of field position and the advantage of defending. Most importantly he knows his enemy. After fighting and defeating so many Sab'yn armies in his youth, he knows how they fight, what weapons they use, and even how they think. Seeking to better know his enemy, Chrysoloras even learns a little bit of their language. Against the Kingdom of Sab'yn, Chrysoloras is prepared. Against the Demetrids, he was lucky. Against a different enemy, he would probably have been a poor general. But this is the war he has been waiting for since he was a child. He will make his father proud and make the Kingdom of Sab'yn suffer.
Soon after beginning his march southward, Chrysoloras and his men come upon an army of Arabia marching northerward. Taking the initiative, Chrysoloras attacks first:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3631/maa3555vt8.png
Although the army of Sab'yn are defending, it is Chrysoloras who manages to get the higher ground, and even manages to trick his enemy into coming to him.
From the safety of the hill, the mercenary archers rain down death:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/9363/maa3557nk0.png
Rather than charge their whole army into a line of sarrisas, the army of Sab'yn sends a small diversionary force toward the center while the bulk of the first wave attacks the Makedonike left flank:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1936/maa3558yy3.png
While an inactive second wave of Arabs watch, Chrysoloras circles his cavalry around the battle and charges the rear of the fight on the left flank:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1605/maa3559ry7.png
The enemy break from the fear of the cavalry and many loose their lives while trying to flee.
Seeing the losses of the first wave, the second wave of the army of Sab'yn is hesitant to charge forward. Instead, they attempt to skirmish with cavalry, but are no challenge for the superior range of Chrysoloras' mercenary archers:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4575/maa3561dg6.png
With no activity from the enemy and with his men growing hot and tired under the direct sun, Chrysoloras decides he must make the move and moves his men down from the hill and brings the fight to the Arabs. As the main line moves forward, a small group breaks off from the army of Sab'yn and charges once again into the left flank. The Makedonike cavalry outflanks and attacks but they too are soon outflanked:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/8055/maa3563ff8.png
At the same time, the elite forces of Sab'yn charge the center of the phalangitai line, forcing them to halt:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5127/maa3565ze9.png
The elites overestimate the fighting skill of their forces on the flank and soon find the forces they thought tied down charging them from the rear:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/5056/maa3567wy9.png
Then, with an order from Chrysoloras, the center of the line drops their sarrisas and charges in at the elites with their swords:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/2310/maa3568wv4.png
General Far'am Ali Yanuf falls dead soon after and his army surrenders:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/3457/maa3570hq3.jpg
The army of Sab'yn disbands and flees into the hills. As Chrysoloras and his men once again prepare to move south again, they hear that the city of Petra has fallen to the Romaioi. They move to the city to resupply but instead find it without an army or garrison. This event causes a delay in Chrysoloras' plan but after raising a small local garrison from the locals who are loyal to Makedonia (it had been part of the Arche Makedonia for many years), he and his army continue southward into the desert.
Following the coast, Chrysoloras moves into territory claimed by the Kingdom of Sab'yn and begins raiding towns and villages. About half way between Petra and the heart of Sab'yn territory, Chrysoloras meets with another enemy army, but this one is quite small:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2760/maa3520qk8.png
The two armies meet on a parched plain and begin skirmishing:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1629/maa3521ge8.png
The Sab'yn general then sends a small group forward to test the Makedonike line:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5517/maa3522jb3.png
Finding the Makedonike battle line stronger than he expects, the general orders a retreat and the small army of Sab'yn turns to flee back into the desert:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/3305/maa3523yb2.png
Chrysoloras orders his cavalry to give pursuit to the enemy and has his infantry return to their camp. As night sets in, the cavalry return and report that they have killed many of the routers. Unfortunately, many of Chrysoloras' cavalry are lost in the fights as well:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/8687/maa3525gc9.png
Without any further resistance, Chrysoloras and his army continues south and manage to take control of a major coastal city. Here, Chrysoloras is able to get some supplies and manages to send word back of his success, requesting reinforcements and reporting that he will move inland and try to take some of the major cities:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8182/maa3589zu5.png
With reports of a large army returning from a planned attack on Petra, Chrysoloras leaves the port city and heads back inland. Perhaps due to delaying too long in the city or maybe since the enemy can simply move quicker in the desert, the army that had been returning from the north manages to return all the way home and attacks Chrysoloras. Assisted by a couple small local forces, the large Sab'yn army tries to finish off Chrysoloras once and for all:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5959/maa3599ss9.png
Once again, the two forces line up on a desert plain and face eachother:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6640/maa3600ux8.png
While the bulk of the enemy hits the center of the Makedonike line, an elite Sab'yn force encircles the right flank, which Chrysoloras counters with the cavalry:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/4410/maa3601ls2.png
Fighting in much of the same ways they had in previous battle, with many waves of attacks, the battle lasts a good part of a day. With their forces constantly breaking and regrouping, the Arabs manage to hold on longer than expected but are eventually defeated through attrition:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/4558/maa3604pq1.jpg
[I don't know why I don't have more pics from that battle.]
With these armies defeated, the way into the heart of Sab'yn territory is clear. Defeating every army sent against him, Chrysoloras has only to take what he has earned. So, he orders what is left of his army to attack the city of Carna:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/7695/maa3616wo0.png
While Chrysoloras besieges Carna, several events unfold just to the west. Two armies are assembled in Aigyptos, an elite army in Alexandreia and a levied force in upper Aigyptos. The second force is assembled on Chrysoloras request and by Philippos' order and is to be sent to reinforce the war in Arabia. A fleet is also built and sent overland to the [Red] sea to help supply Makedonike forces that are fighting along both sides of the sea. In his desert camp, word also reaches Chrysoloras that war has broken out on the Nubian border and Philippos has invaded territory belonging to Ptolemai VII.
Chrysoloras does not have much time to rest in his camp, however. Within a half year, a small reinforcement army arrives and attacks Chrysoloras Delphikos and his men while General Hayu Yahzib sallies forth from the city of Carna:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/643/maa3617wu1.png
Planning ahead for this eventual battle, Chrysoloras is able to once again gain the better battle position and awaits the two separate Sab'yn forces:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4686/maa3618rl8.png
The forces of Sab'yn attempt the exact same tactic that had been seen in every previous battle and attack in two waves. Once again, the first wave heads for the left flank:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/15/maa3619nk9.png
Expecting this, Chrysoloras had deployed the bulk of his peltastai forces to the left flank. These peltastai manage to hold the enemy:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/8237/maa3620th8.png
The second Sab'yn force then attacks the center of the line, personally lead by General Hayu Yahzib and his elites:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1741/maa3623tb6.png
While the bulk of the enemy are fighting in the center or on the left flank, Chrysoloras leads his cavalry around his own right flank to attack the enemy from behind. Charging parallel to the battle line, the cavalry flows through and wipes out all the Sab'yn light infantry:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3079/maa3624hc2.png
With the reserve forces dealt with, the battle line breaks formation and surrounds the few elites still standing:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/9296/maa3627jc6.png
Soon even General Hayu Yahzib is dead and the city is forced to surrender to Chrysoloras:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/6708/maa3628pi3.jpg
With the taking of this city, Chrysoloras completes his conquest of the western coast of Arabia. All the way from Petra to the walls of the capital of the Kingdom of Sab'yn itself, the Arche Makedonia exerts its authority. Not only does the Arche Makedonia gain the ports and cities of western Arabia but dominates its people and takes control of its holy sites:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/3889/maa3630ik6.png
...including an important pilgrimage site to what is believed to be a stone from the heavens:
https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/6789/maa3629mv3.png
The coastal regions are mostly secured but the city of Carna itself is deeply contested. Before Chrysoloras can even set up a government in the city, it comes under attack by two large armies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn, pulled from their eastern front:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5125/maa3632mq4.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The known world in152BC:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/...522editqe0.png
Next: Chapter 80 : The Fifth Ptolemaic War
Great update as always, MAA!
Maion
Great update! I'm currently doing the exact same thing in my campaign at the moment. I want to conquer the Persian Gulf area, but I'm not sure what I want to take from western Arabia. I think I will just destroy everything in the Saba heartland and then head back. They are so pesky. If you position your army on a hill, with phalanxes at the front and archers atop the hill, they suffer 30% casualties before even reaching your line. I find the Sabeans to be an exceedingly thankful enemy.
I hear the unrest in the Arabian areas is a real bitch, though.
It is, but there are means to counter it. Hellenistic faction have good happiness buildings.
Maion
Thanks Maion Maroneios, Centurio Nixalsverdrus.
I haven't had any problems with unrest as of yet, but thats because the population is so low and I have such a large army stationed in the city. Basileus Philippos V has no plans to take all of Arabia or to hold onto any of it. Right now, I'm just roleplaying Chrysoloras' situation as it goes. I think I'll end up abandoning the area after dealing a good deal of damage to Saba, then go back north. I may eventually take and hold Arabia, but I plan to deal with Numidia, Iberia, and Persia first. Looks like I'm going to get to fight two strong eastern factions for Persia, too. :2thumbsup:
Your commitment to your AAR is truly legendary. Just about every AAR I know ended prematurely or was somewhat left unfinished. How long are you planning to carry along this one? Any spoilers to what territories are next in the path of your mighty armies? You don't really have to answer these questions, but I guess you can if you want to.
I always wished you would take on the northern Gallic and Germanic tribes sometime during your campaign, even though it is historically inaccurate. Then again, I doubt the Makedonians ever had the slightest ambitions to conquer Iberia as you have done.
Wow. The next chapter will be number 80. I think is AAR is now officially ancient! :laugh4:
It's got more chapters than most books! You've been writing this AAR since I started playing EB back a year or so ago in .81x! And you've got no plans to stop just yet. Awesome. Keep it up, MAA, let's see this baby get up to chapter 100!
:balloon2::balloon::balloon3: :balloon2::balloon::balloon3::balloon2::balloon:
I would give you 80 balloons, but the server won't let me. :tongue:
Wow, wow, wow, slow down man! You're inflating the currency! Balloons are valuable objects in .Org forums, and you must give them out carefully an grudgingly. Just look at what's happening to the real world currencies nowadays and maybe that would make you think!Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaotix27
You're still right Chaotix27, MAA deserves even more than that. However, because I am a greedy bastard, both right now and in real life, I will only give you one balloon: :balloon2:. Great AAR, MAA, keep it up!
I can't stand it! Everyone gives out balloons exceot me... Well, here are 2 from me::balloon: :balloon3:
HA!
Maion
Taking out the Sabaens completely would mean there's no one left to attack from that direction and as it is virtually impossible to have execute complete control over arabia that wouldn't be the right thing, would it? :beam:
Finally the Sab´yn are punished for their repeated attacks on Makedonike peaceful kleruchoi in Nabataia.
And yeah, it looks like you´ve got two Persian mini-empires on your hands right now.
ALL HAIL MAKEDONIA
Thanks everyone.
Ever since I started this campaign, my plan had been to spread to the Indus River. The Romans and Carthaginians kind of side tracked me for a century, though. I don't really have plans for northern Europe, though I might take just a little bit more of Gaul, especially if the Aedui finally come out on top (I don't want them to be too strong).
I'm glad that there are actually two eastern factions in the west. I was growing tired of fighting Hellenistic armies. Too bad the Medians field so many Pantodapoi Phalangitai, though. I had hoped that Pahlava and Media would fight eachother and one end up coming out on top, but their alliance holds strong. With only little effort from me, Pahlava went from a rebelling Nisa to a power that could challenge even me in only about a decade.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Arabia. I'll probably pull out for now and come back after taking some or all of Persia. Right now I only plan to conquer and hold the "Maka" area of Arabia, so that I might control the Persian Guld, and then leave the rest of Arabia to Saba.
So unless something unexpected occurs we can expect to see a Makedonia-Median war soon? Well, after the Sab´yn and Nubians have been dealt with of course. Looking forward to the 5th Ptolemaic war, it´s about time you deal them pesky bastard enough damange to deter future attacks.
Personally I think a conquest of Erythraia would be wholy justified and seriously hamper the Nubians economy. Taking Kush and Dra´amat might be a bit too much, but of course it´s up to you.
:balloon2: just to overflow you with them.
Could you plz kill off the Luso? They are mud on beautiful Iberia. Then enable Dosidataskeli and recruit them minimally (keep it historical) and ship them to the east, thus enabling Thorakitai Argyraspidai. C'mon, it'll be really cool!
You could use FD to make Parthia and Media fight. That'd be cool - meanwhile wipe out Ptollies. And maybe send some Iberians to Numidia.
I don´t know, personally I kinda like the almost defeated Luso´s. Plus, those mountain tribes are real tough to subdue. The Romans had to leave them for decades after taking the rest of Iberia, and never really subdued them. In all times, during Gothic invasion, Muslim ones, Spains unification and even Napoleons invasion everyone has had a hard time subduing them. Heck, even now a days lots of people still fight (or at least wish) for their "freedom".
But yeah, if they say start raiding the territory of the Arche Makedonia, a punitive expedition to take maybe 1 or 2 regions wouldn´t be all too bad.
Btw, I forget, are they still named Luso´s, or have you changed the name?
I'm wasn't planning on starting any wars, but in the end nearly all of my neighbors end up attacking me. For now, my plan is to conquer coastlines all around the Arche Makedonia and get control of as many seas as I can.
I was thinking of forcing a fight in the east, but for now I'm just going see what they end up doing on their own.
Philippos fought the Iberians for a long time and has plans to go back there and fight them again, if he lives that long. I don't really plan on completely wiping them out just yet. That is unless they force me to by being annoying, but they are mostly quiet right now. I think being divided in Iberia and Ireland at the same time stalled them. For now Lusotannia is still called "The Iberian Confederacy" but represents those two different factions.
On the subject of recruitment, I was trying to make a couple units to represent foreign Thorakitai units but couldn't do it with just two. Instead I've managed to make three different types of Thorakitai divided by the old continents: Europa, Asia, & Lybia. I have some giant reforms for the Arche Makedonia in mind, but I don't know how long it will be before I'll be able to actually implement them.
Sounds wonderful. Really looking forward to the hopefully eventual conquest of coastal Mauretania and Maeotis. A greek colony suffering under the hands of barbaric nomads...despicable.
Numidia seems like an interesting person to be alive, but maybe you could send Iberians to wipe them out. Sure, keep Luso alive, but don't let them get too powerful.
I don't mean to sound demanding.
Tanais is a really annoying situation for me. I really want to conquer it, but I don't want to go to war with the Sarmatians (my allies). It is their capital, so I can't buy it from them and no matter what I do, I can't seem to get it to rebel. I'm going to have to do something really complex just to take the stupid city.
I'm hoping that the loss of the coast will make Numidia/Mauretania go silent or at least slow their attacks. If not, I'm going to have to crush them somehow.
Both Sala and Kirtan are valid raid-targets if you ask me. Especially Sala, so close to the coast. Even Garama could probably be okay, I mean, the Romans got all the way down there, so it should be relatively plausible for the Arche Makedonia to do the same.
Don´t know what to do about Tanais though. Taking it and FD´ing back an alliance would work, but would probably require some heavy role-playing to explain why the Sauro´s just went back to being your friend.
Chapter 80 : The Fifth Ptolemaic War (Part I)
During the same period of time in which Chrysoloras Delphikos waged war with the Kingdom of Sab'yn, Basileus Philippos V suppressed the rebel forces in Aigyptos. After several years of fighting, the rebels had been completely vanquished and Philippos manages to push the borders of the Arche Makedonia to the edge of Nubia.
During the Makedonike Civil War and the war against rebel Aigpytos, the Ptolemaic dynasty, usurper kings of the Kingdom of Meroe, had been allies of Pyrrhos and Philippos. For some time, they had fought against the Demetrids and then the rebels. The Ptolemaioi had hoped to take more territory in upper Aigyptos but had never formed a capible invasion force. By the time Ptolemai VII had finally assembled his armies, Philippos V had already occupied all of upper Aigyptos.
It is debated whether Ptolemai VII gave the order or the Nubian generals in the field decide on their own, but once in upper Aigyptos, the armies of Meroe weren't simply going to turn around and go home. Prepared for some kind of attack, Philippos had moved his army outside the city and set up camp in the fertile regions near the river. One day, just above the river on the dry hills, the army of Philippos meets with the armies of Meroe:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/8323/maa3593uk8.png
Ptolemai VII had managed to levy huge numbers of troops to fill his armies and fuel his intended conquest. However, Ptolemai VII was a foreign usurper of the throne and many of the Nubian elites had refused to go to war for him. This left the armies of Meroe with a shortage of heavy infantry. The bulk of the forces from Meroe were simply poorly trained, poorly equiped peasant recruits.
This unarmored mass of men are easy prey to the deadly accurate arrows of Philippos' archers:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/5637/maa3595rw0.png
Although the infantry simply charged Philippos' line, the Nubian cavalry surprise the flank guards when they charge in at the left side of the archer line:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/3470/maa3596zu8.png
Although it is a surprise, the heavy infantry of Philippos' army quickly cut through the cavalry on the flank and the infanty in the center. The army of Makedones do not even tire before their enemy is fleeing to the south.
Philippos orders his men to retain their positions and soon the second Nubian army is upon them:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/7370/maa3597qm1.png
This smaller army doesn't even last as long as the first and brakes for the south, like those before them. While the first army is nearly destroyed in this battle, the second army manages to get away with the bulk of their forces intact to rejoin their comrades to the south:
https://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3081/maa3598ry7.jpg
Whatever the cause of the attack, Ptolemai VII now has to endorse the attack as his own and declare full war. The only thing worse than attacking an ally would have been admitting he had lost control of his own army. Now both Philippos V and Ptolemai VII have to fight this war and only one can come out on top. For Ptolemai, this means the chance regain Aigyptos. For Philippos, this means the chance to restore the old borders of the Arche Makedonia to where they once were or beyond.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
While Philippos' army prepares for yet another war, Philippos travels to Alexandreia to better manage the Arche. News reaches him of events from around the known world. First of all, he hears of the conquests of Chrysoloras Delphikos in Arabia and grants his request for a reinforcement army, which is to be comprised of mostly natives from Aigyptos.
News also comes that Euphrantos in Pella has gained an ever greater personal wealth for himself, no doubt through corruption and theft:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1207/maa3605rr7.jpg
With every passing year, Euphrantos becomes a greater disappointment to the royal family. Under the unattentivel watch of Euphrantos, the noble council of Makedonia has been gaining greater power and are once again in the position to choose a new Basileus if they wish it so. But for now the family of Pyrrhos serves their purpose. This is a fact the Philippos is well aware of. He has his own plans to deal with those who may someday oppose him.
In Syria, Sotades too has gained a great personal wealth, but his by trade profits and by managing a prosperous territory:
https://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7132/maa3634xo2.jpg
In Demetreia, Sotades continues to repair the damages of the civil war and add to the great city. Around this time, a great theater is completed that sets the city apart from all the other cities in the east, save Seleukeia:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/1055/maa3607yp0.jpg
Sotades also oversees a build up in military power in Syria. Building upon the remains of the Demetrid defectors, Sotades raised a force of kataphraktoi...
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1944/maa3613hd4.png
...and hippotoxotai:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/7003/maa3612qx1.png
Together, these units made up a huge army of cavalry that could challenge any eastern power at their own game, but for now they are but an experiment in warfare:
https://img513.imageshack.us/img513/4343/maa3611qn7.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Before heading up the Neilos, Philippos witnesses the marriage of his third child, a daughter, to a noble from Makedonia. Like the previous man to marry one of his daughters, he has social standing but little skill. He is left to finish his education in Alexandreia:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/4291/maa3614wd2.jpg
Leaving just after the feast, Philippos sails up the Neilos and takes command of his army. The army of Thorakitai then move into Nubia and beseige the old fort city of Pselkis:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/6163/maa3609on0.png
This city had once been the site of many battles to defend the Arche Makedonia's southern borders during the reign of the Antigonids. Now, Philippos surrounds the city and corners the aging Ptolemai VII inside. With Nubian reinforcements coming from both the north and the south, Philippos prepares seige equipment and prepares to take the city by force.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In the following months, Philippos monitors the situation around the known world from his camp near the Neilos.
Word comes from the east that the Pahlava have grown to great size and though they are still allied to Media, no longer follow the direct orders of the Median Empire. In fact, the Pahlava now grow to such strength that they can directly challenge the Median Empire or even the Arche Makedonia, itself:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/9558/maa3615cg0.jpg
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Of the sons of Pyrrhos, only one has a son of his own and that is Philippos with his son, Alypios. Though there is only one son in the next generation of the royal family, there were many daughters. Many years prior, Euphrantos had allowed his daughter to marry. After some time, word reaches Philippos that this nephew-in-law had won the games at Olympia. Not only is this man a great athlete, but a wise leader and administrator:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/8695/maa3633eg9.jpg
Philippos sends word to this Zeuxis Proirnaios and requests that he handle the affairs of Makedonia while prevent the noble council from gaining too much power. So, while Euphrantos is still the official representative of the Basileus in Pella, Zeuxis begins to take actually control of the administrative affairs.
Just south of there, in Hellas, Laandros (brother of Philippos) becomes quite skilled at running the affairs of a territory:
https://img523.imageshack.us/img523/866/maa3658ik6.jpg
Philippos also sends word to Laandros during this period. Philippos tells his brother of the situation in Makedonia and warns him of the council, Euphrantos, or Zeuxis gaining too much power. With all of Hellas under his command, and more trusted by Philippos than Euphrantos or the extended family, Laandros is given permission to deal with any problems he may encounter in the core territories.
After the fall of Sparte during the Makedonike Civil War, a great deal had changed. Sparte had grown in size, with most of the new population being an influx of foreign Hellenes. Since the fall of the city, it had lost what little that was left of the old Sparte of legend. One event to emphase this is the construction of a Athenian-like school within Sparte, by Laandros:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/5756/maa3637au2.jpg
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Surrounded within the city of Pselkis, Ptolemai VII of the Ptolemaic dynasty...
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/7828/maa3635oi9.png
...had only a tiny garrison to defend him and little hope of survival. When envoys come from Philippos demanding a surrender, Ptolemai does not even meet with them. From the walls of the city, Ptolemai can see the seige equipment of the army of Philippos and knows the city would fall. His son is still inside the Arche Makedonia and cannot reach him in time to relieve the siege.
Ptolemai VII has but one choice, to die with honor. Had he surrendered, with his son far from Meroe, there would be a contest for the throne of Meroe and it would fall away from the Ptolemaic dynasty. If Ptolemai VII were to die defending Nubian soil, he would be remembered with such fondness that his son could come to the throne before others could gain enough clout to claim it.
So, the city falls without much of a fight and Ptolemai VII falls with it. Arriving too late to save his father, Archagathos is informed that he is now Ptolemai VIII, king of Meroe and heir to the throne of Aigyptos:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1082/maa3636bb3.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
While Ptolemai VIII returns to Meroe to be crowned king, Philippos' own son is on the move. With his education complete, Alypios had raised an army in Alexandreia and begun to move south, down the coast. With orders from this father, Alypios prepares to conquer the Nubian coast and cut off sea trade from Kush:
https://img513.imageshack.us/img513/1193/maa3639ze4.png
Alypios' army had been raised in Aigyptos and is comprised of mostly swordsmen. Though they had had a short training time, neither the people of Aigyptos nor the Makedones who had settled there have a strong sword wielding tradition in such tactics. This act of raising men to fight in a tactic unfamiliar to them, would come back at Alypios later.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Around the same time, another man completes his education, the once Basileus Euktimenos of the Demetrid dynasty:
https://img513.imageshack.us/img513/1031/maa3640vz2.png
With his education completed, Euktimenos requests some sort of task or assignment from the court at Pella. Seeking to get rid of this "problem" Euphrantos grants his request, even sending him eastward, where he once ruled.
In Demetreia, Sotades first hears of this only a month before Euktimenos arrives and is thus forced to hastily deal with the "problem" himself. Knowing it is far too dangerous to allow Euktimenos to remain in Demetreia, he is assigned to be a governor of a town in Assyria, where he can use Euktimenos' skills in administration.
Euktimenos is accompanied by a detachment of royal guards under direct orders of Sotades and whose loyalty to Philippos is assured. These men are not only tasked with defending Euktimenos from danger but with removing him if he himself becomes a danger. Although, for now it seems Euktimenos has forgotten the days when he could have been Basileus and is openly loyal to Philippos.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The known world in152BC:
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/...522editqe0.png
Next: Chapter 81 : Betrayed!
Whoa I want to see that cavalry army in action!
*drools* Amazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
I don´t like the name of the next chapter, it could be so many different betrayals. Gauls, Getai, Medians, you never know. Heck, it could even be the Sauro.
Or Euktimenos!
Agreed...that pic is incredible!Quote:
Originally Posted by BerkeleyBoi
And I'm betting on a barbaric betrayal from the West...
Nice chapter and nice AI expansion, MAA.
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/...522editqe0.png
In my game, the Romans killed off the Aedui and the game didn't inform me. Now the Romans have crushed all of Gaul in only very few years, although I weakened them. They exploded and crushed the whole Arverni empire which owned all of Gaul before them. The Lusos in turn, once on the verge of destruction, have conquered all of Spain. It's really frightening.
Did you ever thought of "learning" from the defeated Romans the art of building Viae Maiores? Is that possible to mod in? I think this would simply involve the addition of a "macedon" ownership in brackets? Please, I'd loooooooovvvvve to build a Syrian Highway in my campaign!
Very interesting chapter.
So, how do you manage to update your AAR so often? I have never seen a more regular AAR than yours. I commend your efforts.
Thanks.
I've only used that cavalry army in the one battle with rebels those pictures are from. I plan on breaking the army apart and using divisions for various armies in the east but haven't been able to just yet. I may use them as a single united force one more time, though.
After writing that chapter, that seemed like the perfect title for the next chapter. :beam:
My AI expansion is in control now, but at the beginning I had a couple problems. In the beggining, the Aedui quickly came out on top in Gaul and invaded Germania while Sweboz did nothing. Meanwhile, Hayasdan invaded the steppes. I had to remove Aedui from Germany once and Hai from the steppes a couple times. Then the Romans when out of control and tried to expand northward, though this worked for me by letting me give all of the Roman Gallic territories to the Arverni and restoring balance. After the fall of Rome, I haven't really had any AI expansion problems, though I'm worried that the new Pahlava are going to expand too quickly.
I've actually already enabled highways for my faction, I'm just not using them. I completed the Italian system that had holes in it when I conquered the Romans but I just roleplayed that they built them. I also used highways in the Persian Royal Road territories, which you can see in some of my eastern screenshots. I've been debating when making an empire-wide system... maybe some new royal roads some time...
I try to update about once a week. I keep a pretty regular update but it isn't very rapid. Basically, it just takes me about a week to put a chapter together. Although, the next one is more than half done already and may come sooner.
Chapter 81 : Betrayed!
During the mild winter of 152BC, Philippos takes the opportunity to gain favor with the local peoples of Aigyptos by spending the Arche Makedonia's treasury locally. Philippos repairs the damages done to political, historical, and religious sites along the southern regions of Aigyptos that border Nubia. Due to lack of funds under the Ptolemaioi these ancient sites had fallen into disrepair only to suffer again when the armies of Meroe withdrew and looted all they could along their way:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/4145/maa3638bs5.jpg
Across the narrow sea from Aigyptos, Chrysoloras Delphikos also tries to win support from the local peoples. There is a bit support gained from amoungst those along the north-western coast of Arabia, but for now, Chrysolorars has bigger problems to deal with. Two armies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn wait outside the city of Carna. One tries to take the city by force:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/6489/maa3641wy7.png
The large enemy army comes at the walls of the city with many pieces of siege equipment. Once in range, Chrysoloras orders his archers to light as many of them on fire as possible:
https://img513.imageshack.us/img513/4703/maa3643dp7.png
After killing a great many Sab'yn soldiers before they can even reach the walls, the mercenary slingers are forced to put down their slings and defend themselves with their swords and daggers:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/674/maa3644iu7.png
With both ladders and towers, many Sab'yn troops manage to get atop the walls, but they suffer so many losses on the approach that Chrysoloras' mercenaries and Makedones maintain the upperhand:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/7564/maa3648hk3.png
After staunchly defending the walls, Chrysoloras' phalangitai move out from the city and challenge the remaining Sab'yn forces to combat:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/4682/maa3649kc9.png
Enemy General Sha'ram Ali Yanuf takes this challenge and forfeits his life to Chrysoloras' men:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/9964/maa3650vb0.png
Chrysoloras' army crushes their enemy but take more losses than a stranded army, without reinforcements, can afford to take:
https://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8537/maa3652je2.jpg
No sooner is Carna saved that it is once again besieged by enemy forces. Though one must wonder why this army did not come to the aid of the previous army in the battle a few days earlier. Surely combined the two armies could have taken the city, but they did not even attempt cooperation:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/1319/maa3654sp0.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Along the eastern edge of the Arche Makedonia, lies the Median Empire. Prior to the civil war, Bykoli and Pefkolaos had nearly conquered all of Media and put an end to this attempt to reestablish Median glory of old. Just before their fall, luck smiled upon the Medians. Neokles died and left the throne of Makedonia to be claimed. After the withdrawl of Bykoli's amry, the Medians managed to rebuild and expand to challenge that glory of old.
During this time, Pyrrhos managed to get an alliance with Media against the Demetrids. Media then joined the alliance against the Arche Seleukiea. This alliance consisted of the Arche Makedonia, an alliance of eastern steppe tribes, Gandhara, and Media. All members hated the Arche Seleukeia and openly waged war with them. Once the civil war drew to a close, Philippos put great effort in maintaining peace on the eastern edge of the Arche Makedonia and had for a time. All things must come to an end, however:
https://img184.imageshack.us/img184/6803/maa3653yl0.jpg
The betrayal had been planned for some time, seeing as Median forces were well prepared along their borders for and invasion. The Medians immediately cross into the lands of Babylonia and besiege the cities of Isidoros' Babylonian Kingdom:
https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4523/maa3700um4.png
With war between the two largest members, the Arche Makedonia and the Median Empire, and Gandhara long gone, the anti-Seleukid alliance falls to pieces. While the bulk eastern steppe tribes retain their alliance with the Arche Makedonia, the new Pahlava Empire breaks their alliance to Makedonia and sides with the Median Empire:
https://img513.imageshack.us/img513/6904/maa3656cd9.jpg
Soon after, the Medians sign a peace treaty with the Kingdom of Sab'yn and return Maka to their control. This frees up the full force of the Kingdom of Sab'yn to fight Chrysoloras Delphikos, and eliminates a war for the Medians:
https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/6112/maa3659ih6.jpg
Even with a new war on their west, the Medians continue their war to their east. Forces of Pahlava and Media push southward into the last core territories of the Arche Seleukeia remaining:
https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/5118/maa3664aw0.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The war with Media is not only a political and military matter but an economic matter. From the east come many goods that pass through India, Baktria, Media, Babylonia, and Syria before passing into the markets of the Arche Makedonia. Most of these goods are luxury items such as silks, gems, and spices. However, one key trade item from the east has been the critical resource of tin from Baktria.
The Arche Seleukeia had been an ally of the Antigonids for a long time and had encouraged trade through their lands. This trade alliance had profitted both sides and even supplied the elephants that were now bred by the Arche Makedonia in Demetreia. During Aristotelis' war with the Arche Seleukeia, the supply trade goods and tin from Baktria had been cut off, but the rebel rulers of Baktria had managed to continue trading with the Arche Makedonia through the Arche Seleukeia for years. When that ruling family lost Baktria to invading nomads, the trade had been interupted but had managed to continued in some amount up until the Median invasion of Babylonia. Without the strength or will to stand up the the Median and Pahlava Empires, the new rulers of Baktria do not even try to maintain their trade with the Arche Makedonia.
With local reserves insignificant, the cost of tin and bronze within the Arche Makedonia climbs rapidly. This results in an increase in demand for iron, which subsequently increases in price as well. With great military plans for the future, Philippos cannot risk letting the cost of warfare increasing. This leaves Philippos searching for a new supply of tin or even iron.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In Aigyptos, many armies begin to move. Philippos returns with his army to Alexandreia, while the Grenideus family moves up the Neilos with a replacement force to defend Pselkis. Along the coast, Alypios moves against the old Ptolemiac colony of Ptolemais-Theron, now a thriving trade city. With the fall of this city and those around it, sea trade from Arabia to Meroe can nearly entirely be cut off and the economy choked:
https://img523.imageshack.us/img523/6043/maa3660xk2.png
Philippos stays in Alexandreia only a short time and as soon as a Rhodian fleet arrives, sails westward along the coast of Lybia. To the west there are enemies of the Arche Makedonia who need to learn a lesson that only a Basileus can teach, though there are other reasons behind and western excursion:
https://img126.imageshack.us/img126/253/maa3661kc9.png
Another army leaves Aigpytos on a fleet, but this one heading eastward. An army of quickly levied men sails down the Arabian coast to help relieve the besieged forces of Chrysoloras Delphikos in southern Arabia:
https://img523.imageshack.us/img523/4048/maa3662ie5.png
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The known world in 151BC:
https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/...151editft5.png
Next: Chapter 82 : Hold the Walls
Don't tell me you are going to conquer the island of tin.
conquar the smelly barbarians of the tins!!!
assist ur seleukid allies!! make them fight ur proxy thru ur treasury!!!
those medians must be crushed!!! send ur newly experimental horse archers back at them for their own game!!!
The tin islands. Britain. Could you honestly hold them? They are so far away....Quote:
Originally Posted by teh1337tim
I thought there was iron in north Iberia.:book:
Wait, is that a Makedonian army right there?Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
And I honestly hope you don´t take the Tin Islands, seems a bit...far-fetched to me. But the Numidians on the other hand, they must be destroyed. And then maybe Pyrrhus can return to Iberia to finish what he started.
Damn those Medians. I´m guessing the next chapter will feature an attack on Carna and Seleukeia.
go east, and make a trade alliance (kinda liek that of the sassanids of later period) with teh mighty Sinae!
Heheh, far fetched is it? But what if the Basileus is crazy?Quote:
Originally Posted by General Appo
Goddamnit why didnt I notice that this AAR is continues the Antigonids?:embarassed: However after reading the whole Phyrric part I must say this still keeps getting better:2thumbsup:
There can be only one crazy Basileus. And if MAA wants a fight, he´ll get one. You have no idea how crazy Pyrrhos (the real one, AKA mine) can get, but if MAA goes to the Tin Island...well, you´ll just have to wait and see.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dumbass
Britain would indeed be hard to hold with Pella as my capital. I have some plans for what is to come, but I won't spoil it yet. I am going to try to use trade and resources as more of a roleplaying point to keep gameplay interesting.
General Appo, Makedonian army right where? If you mean the picture of Persis, then yes. I used that army to kill all of the garrisons of the towns I gave to Pahalva when I recreated them. After that the army wandered Seleukid territory acting like a spy and keeping me up to date with eastern expansion.
Thanks, Kuningaz, nice to see you again.
imo you should conquar ur border cities and build them up a little then gift them to seleukids...useful to have a buffer against the eastern asian people.. like pahlava baktria etc...
Lol you should go to ireland... i mean why not...carthage went there and established colonies for tin!
Quote:
Originally Posted by teh1337tim
Ummmm....what?
I also read an article in a magazine -- I think it was National Geographic or something like that, which really freaked me out -- that some people claim to have found pottery evidence that Carthaginians were trading with South Americans at one point.Quote:
Originally Posted by General Appo
Apparently Carthage is the new Atlantis.
Cap for distance to capital is 80%, so it should be OK. But right you are in your hesitancy, for it will be me who conquers Britain for Makedonia. Sometime. Maybe.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
The Phoenicians/Carthage traded up the Atlantic coast as far as Britain but never really set up any true colonies out there. They also traded down the African coast, but it is almost impossible for them to have made it to the Americas. Not impossible to do so, just extrememly unlikely.
Yeah, I know they traded with the Brits, though most of the trade would likely have gone through middle-men first. But yes, I know the Carthies had set foot on the Brittish Isles, but the notion of Carthaginian colonies there just struck me as so absurd. Maybe it isn´t all that absurd, but it was presented as undisputed fact.
And yes, it is extremely unlikely they went to America. But heck, they probably went south of the equator, so who knows. We can´t be sure.
But anyway, when did this become about Carthaginian colonies around the globe? I want a new chapter!
Well, the Greeks even went as far as ''Esperia'', or America as they called it. Greek coins have been found there, just do a quick net search and you'll come across it. That's why I see no reason the Phoenicians wouldn't be able to do so, as advanced in trade as they where.
Maion
I know they were in Sri Lanka and probably in SE Asia as well, but America? The coins could have been lost by a numismatist, mind you. :inquisitive: