:sweatdrop:Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaotix27
:skull:
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:sweatdrop:Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaotix27
:skull:
I played Broken Crescent too for a bit, but... I don't know, I think I'm just a little too spoiled by EB. I'll probably play it a bit more once more character traits are put in, that's what is turning me off from it right now.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
After an eternity and a half I finally managed to read the entire AAR (plus 60% of the other posts).
Congratulations Marcus for this extraordinary AAR and the endurance you have shown in writing it.:2thumbsup: !
to MAA from a lurker, you are a AAR hero and legend. :2thumbsup:
Thanks again to everyone who read have read and to those who have commented.
Well MAA, I just want to say thanks. This was the most enjoyable AAR ive ever read. It was what inspired me to start a campaign with Makedonia myself, which then led onto my AAR The war against Seleukeia. I suppose the mantle rests on my head come to think of it, there aren't any other active Makedonian AAR's. Weird because there were heaps at one stage. Anyway, thanks, this was awesome. I do hope you do another AAR at some stage.
Congratulations! A mighty fine looking empire you set up, too, and to get to follow its creation was both interesting and a lot of fun.
Well, MAA, I have to admit that I have been a complete lurker, but since this AAR is over (or temporarily over) I just thought that I'd say thanks and congratulations.
Here, have a "slave" I acquired from my Romani campaign:
:belly:
Thanks again. :bow:
I've played this campaign almost another decade and have been taking screenshots. I was thinking about making another chapter, but I keep not having either time or energy to do so...
Aww c'mon MAA, just for old times sake
An entertaining and well written AAR, all things considered. I liked reading it after the fact, as it were, because I didn't have to wait for updates. (I am not a patient person.)
Chapter 41 : Elymais
Aristotelis Argeades had marched his men through the mountains of Media and into the valleys Elymais. Were he a general, the Basileus would have repremanded him and forced him to return his troops to allied territoy. Aristotelis is however, himself, the Basileus of the Arche Makedonia. Thus he was the most powerful man in all the known world. When he decided to do something, some say they doubted that the gods themselves could have changed his path. Now he marches toward the city of Susa, seeking the combat he so desires.
Bykoli, his son, is left to defend the eastern front, against the forces of the Arche Seleukeia, from the great city of Seleukeia, once the capital of their enemy. Bykoli is not a bright man, but he had learned much through experience, and with the advice from his brother, friends, and advisors he is quite a compitant leader. A strong military man, he had passed through the Spartan Agoge and lead his army to victory many times, personally conquering Babylonia and its two greatest cities, Babylon and Seleukeia.
The regions of Babylonia have posed more of a difficulty to Bykoli and the Makedones. Though Hellenized greatly by the Seleukids, the region maintains much of its ancient culture and dispises the occupation of foreigners. For this reason, Bykoli begins to doubt the conquest and the chance to maintain control over the regions even further to the east. The Seleukids had managed to control the regions with local government and by pandering to the local customs and cultures. In Babylonia, there is even a great temple, built in the Hellenic fashion, dedicated to an ancient god of the local people:
https://img149.imageshack.us/img149/2271/maa2295gq1.jpg
While in Seleukeia, Bykoli repels an attack by the Arche Seleukeia army, lead by the Seleukid general Sophron Sidonos Phoinikikes. [For some reason FRAPS wasn't on and I was simply pushing the button for no reason during this battle.] Sophron Sidonos Phoinikikies retreats, but his exhausted army stops within striking range of Basileus Aristotelis and his veteran army of Makedones. Leaving the main road, Aristotelis attacks the exhausted enemy from the side, attempting to take them by surprise:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4884/maa2255ow0.png
As the Makedones approach, the forces of the Arche Seleukeia take up position on a hill and wait for Aristotelis to come to them. To weaken their heavy cavalry, their only strength remaining after the loss at Seleukeia, Aristotelis orders his slingers to open fire:
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9946/maa2256rr3.png
In the attack, almost half of the enemy Hetairoi are wiped out and general Timoxenos Hierapoleos Syriakes dies. Though filled with a desire for combat, Aristotelis is no fool. He orders his line to slowly surround the enemy. Seeing this tactic, the Arche Seleukeia generals order their cavalry to charge the flanks of the Makedonike Pezhetairoi formations:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9553/maa2258sl7.png
The Seleukid Hetairoi soon become pinned down and Aristotelis orders his Thaikioi to circle around the enemy's rear. Quickly, the enemy general Apolloniketes Megas is slain. Soon Sophron Sidonos Phoinikikes is surrounded and has entire bodyguard killed:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4185/maa2261pm7.png
Fighting up to the last second of his life, Sophron Sidonos Phoinikikes is slain. The Thessalian cavarly soon wipes out the last of the infantry and Aristotelis orders his men to charge the last standing enemy general and his few surviving horsemen:
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3879/maa2262wa4.png
Soon, Diogenes Chalkidos Syriakes, too, falls dead as well. With that, Aristotelis wins his first military victory in this war which he himself started:
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2606/maa2265jv8.jpg
The battle is small an insignificant, and Basileus Aristotelis seeks more. His unquestioning veterans follow his every command as he continues eastward. In short order, they are completely cut off from supplies and communication. Bykoli is left to hold the eastern side of the Makedonike domain together without knowing the status of his father.
More than a year goes by, as Aristotelis besieges the city of Susa. Gathering men from their own eastern front, the Seleukids manage to put several armies together and counter Aristotels:
https://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2753/maa2269pa1.png
Aristotelis lines up his men on a broad field and awaits the enemy. First to run forward are the natives of the region, in the service of the Arche Seleukeia:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2335/maa2271gm4.png
These men are sacrificed without a second thought and soon the Seleukid phalangitai move forward to engage Aristotelis' veterans:
https://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4295/maa2272zu3.png
The cowardly enemy don't stand for long. Only a small group of elites hold their ground as the rest of the Seleukid army turns to flee:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5127/maa2273rm0.png
Just as the last of the enemy break, the reinforcements from the city of Susa arrive. Aristotelis orders his men to reform their line and brace themselves for another fight:
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3010/maa2274zh8.png
After fighting for a while, the Thraikioi attempt to flank the enemy but a unit of Seleukid phalangitai counter them. Rather than flee, Aristotelis gives the order to attack. Not even considering disobeying their great leader, the Thraikioi charge the enemy pikes. Their loyalty is only tested shortly though, as the Thessalian cavalry charge in and decimate the Seleukid phalangitai:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9679/maa2275rq5.png
Formations begin to deteriorate, as both sides charge eachother with no order. The furiosity of the battle reaches a pitch and Aristotelis gives the order to charge in and wipe out all the enemy:
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5856/maa2276bx4.png
As the battle draws to a close and the majority of the enemy begins to flee the field, Aristotelis leads the cavalry in one last charge, wiping out the last of the Seleukid soldiers still standing:
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7302/maa2278di8.png
[I love the animations happening in this pic.]
The Seleukids are almost completely wiped out and not a single unit reforms after the battle. The city of Susa is left defenseless and Aristotelis wins his battle:
https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7179/maa2280eu6.jpg
At first Aristotelis is disappointed. Though he took a city, the battle was an easy one and there was no way any commander worthy of leading a Makedonike army would loose it. His disappointment is soon met with another challenge. Before he can even move his men toward the city, another army of the Arche Seleukeia attacks:
https://img216.imageshack.us/img216/9249/maa2281rp4.png
This army is lead by Philonides Sidonos Phoinikikes, brother of Sophron Sidonos Phoinikikies, whom Aristotelis had killed a year prior. This army is a true army worthy of being called Makedones, pulled from the eastern front and sent over to battle the Arche Makedonia. Two lines of phalangitai face eachother on an opened field. Aristotelis, as defender, is able to take position on the high ground and awaits Philonides:
https://img149.imageshack.us/img149/6465/maa2282bf2.png
As the two lines prepare to clash, Philonides sends forward his medium infantry in an attempt to disrupt the Makedonike formation:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6259/maa2283zt2.png
On the Makedonike left flank, Philonides Sidonos Phoinikikies personally leads a cavalry charge, but is quickly countered by the Thraikioi:
https://img88.imageshack.us/img88/6808/maa2284jh7.png
Aristotelis then personally leads the cavalry to the left flank to counter the enemy cavalry as the two line finally clash and begin the main battle:
https://img88.imageshack.us/img88/976/maa2285aw2.png
To the left flank, the other wing of Thraikioi face Seleukid Thorakitai. The Thorakitai hold their ground and prove a challenge for the Thraikioi, but the Thraikioi blades give them the definate advantage:
https://img88.imageshack.us/img88/115/maa2286oz3.png
On the left flank, Aristotelis leads a charge at the rear of Philonides Sidonos Phoinikikies' Hetairoi and kill the man. With their general fallen and the Makedonike Pezhetairoi showing no signs of weakening, large portions of the Seleukid army turns and flees:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6181/maa2288bz8.png
For a while they hold their ground, but eventually the other Seleukid generals turn and run away, abandoning their men:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/7836/maa2289ci4.png
Such an action completely breaks the morale of their remaining troops and they too flee. Only a single unit of phalangitai hold their ground, perhaps in an attempt to buy some time for the rest of their army. The Thraikioi make short work of them, when attacking from behind:
https://img155.imageshack.us/img155/1482/maa2291kw0.png
[I recorded a video of them wiping out those Pantodapoi, but it doesn't want to be uploaded whenever I try.]
The darkness of the autumn sky is an erie indicator of the fate of the Arche Seleukeia, as the last remnants of one of her last great armies runs for the hills:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8326/maa2292uv4.png
[No real point, but I liked the mountain and sky combination of this picture.]
With nearly no losses, Aristotelis wins one of the greatest battles of this age. Not only does Aristotelis ensure his capture of Elymais, but he also breaks the back of a once great nation:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5365/maa2293cg4.jpg
Though Aristotelis takes control of the city of Susa and commands the valleys of Elymais, contact with the Arche Makedonia is not stable. The Arche Seleukeia still controls the coasts and Media controls the mountain passes, cutting off communication and supplies often. The situation is worsened when the Arche Makedonia's Median allies begin to move their entire military force from the east, where they once waged war with the Seleukids, and over to the west, near the borders with the Arche Makedonia, plotting.
Aristotelis grows ever intraverted and starts to become paranoid of every little thing. He refuses anyone to enter his presence unless he is prior known or well trusted. He appears publically rarely and has little direct contact with the locals, now his subjects. He selects an even greater number of bodyguards from his men he can trust [122 men] and starts fearing his own death ever more:
https://img149.imageshack.us/img149/811/maa2296kk4.jpg
The Seleukids attempt to retake the city, but are quickly repelled. The event has no great significance, but Aristotelis takes it as a sign that worse is to come:
https://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9610/maa2301sl5.jpg
Back in the lands of the fertile crescent, Bykoli is forced to take ever greater administrative powers. Every little event this side of Italia is brought to his attention and he is forced to make the decisions on all of them. During this time, Bykoli orders greater mines built in Armenia, colonies established in Sinai and along the sea south of there, and orders the construction of great harbours in Makedonia to receive even greater imports, from the vast territories, back to the homeland.
With a great influx of people from different places, a plague strikes the city of Petra in Sinai. Amoungst the first killed is Phoudanos Troios, brother-in-law to Aristotelis, who had ruled the area with near supreme power since the time Demetrios had personally left him in charge of the region:
https://img155.imageshack.us/img155/8858/maa2294as9.png
Bykoli gains even greater power once his brother finally assembles his army and goes to sea. Leaving the Arche in the hands of regional governors, allied kings, and his brother, Neokles, first born son and heir of Aristotelis, sails from Iberia and lands his army on the shores north of Numidia. Leading the royal army of Demetrios, Neokles attacks the Qarthadastism port city of Ippone. To the east, Pyrrhos and his son come ashore and lead two armies which sail from Sikilia. Leading his mixed army against the city of Adrumento, his second army of Syracusaians raids the surrounding countryside, breaking the will of the Qarthadastism citizens:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8634/maa2302ai6.png
Further to the east, Antisthenes Gortynios, governor of Kyrenaia and long time enemy of all that is Kart-Hadast, mobilizes the entire garrison and marches through the desert. Following the path the armies of Kart-Hadast had established, which prisoners had devulged, Antisthenes prepares to attack the colonies of Kart-Hadast along the sea:
https://img146.imageshack.us/img146/4380/maa2303ul9.png
The known world in 188BC:
https://img511.imageshack.us/img511/...xmak188yh9.png
Next: Chapter 42 : Africa
Oh my God MAA! You are the One AAR writer of all times! Brilliant update. It must be damn hard to control your empire by now. Take care of Carthage and then you'll be freed from any African worries. I'd watch out in Europe though. The Getai seems to like their small empire, but I doubt peace will last much longer. Let's not forget the Lusotannan, Gauls, the Sweboz. I'm sure you want to recreate Alexander's empire, yet I smell trouble brewing in Europe.
Once again, great to see an update!
Yes, thank god this is back up and running! :D
GO Marcus :2thumbsup: wipe out those African swine :skull:.
Was kinda worried you stopped:sweatdrop: glad to see your still here:smash: .
wow... If writing AAR's would be a full time job, you'd be a millioner by now!:2thumbsup:
Wow. I thought you finished this AAR, MAA, but it's back! I think this deserves a baloon... :balloon3: !
SWEETNESS !!! I LOVE THIS AAR ... Love how u role-played the Pahlavans as Gandhara. THIS IS AMAZING !!!!!!
Prince
Amazing? THIS...IS...THE ANTIGONIDS: A MAKEDONIAN AAR!Quote:
SWEETNESS !!! I LOVE THIS AAR ... Love how u role-played the Pahlavans as Gandhara. THIS IS AMAZING !!!!!!
But anyway,
WOOOOHOOOO! An update!
I have a feeling that Aristotelis is going to become a corrupt warmonger and someone's going to try to assassinate or overthrow him. :batman:
lol ... indeed :laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxinius Scipio
But this is SO MUCH MORE epic than 300 ... not even joking !!!
Prince
Awesome update, MAA! The Empire strikes back! :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:
Thank you for the comments, though you exagerate.
I'm not sure how often I'll be updating, but I'll try to keep this going for a little while. I'll probably stop after the v1.1 release, as that would make the version I'm playing more than two versions old. Though, there's not much let to conquer (that's non-barbarian).
My European front is pretty secure. Getai loves me, for whatever reasons and doesn't even seem to consider betraying me. Sweboz is busy throwing themselves against the Lugoae. And the two Gallic factions have been equally balanced in their 'civil war' for decaded. There is only on faction in Europe that is disturbing the balance...
Aristotelis is over 70 now and should be dying at the drop of a hat, though doesn't seem to want to set quietly aside...
I think "all" you have to do (granted, it's a helluva big "all") to wrap this one up is reunite Alexander's empire and "defeat" Qarthadasht (namely, conquer and sack Qarthadasht and as many major cities as you deem necessary.) If you could somehow accomplish that, you would become a living god in the eyes of the Org.
A very tense chapter! I very much like your new style, it makes the AAR so much more Novel-like, not only like retelling a game. I can hardly wait for the next chapter!:2thumbsup:
One thing that I didn't mention in the chapter was that I had just crushed two full-stack armies on Kart-Hadast in Kyrenaia. When I noticed that this was almost their entire military, I couldn't pass up an invasion of Africa. They really don't stand a chance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverend Gonzo
Thanks, I was trying to get more into the characters. It is much more fun to write with more details too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Basileus Seleukeia
So glad this AAR is still alive, it's simply the best.
Keep going
Chapter 42 : Africa and the Median War (Part I)
As the cold winter of 188BC hits the lands of the east, the forces of Makedonia settle into their camps or cities where garrisoned for the long winter. In the mountains of Media, however, there are armies marching across the snow, to betray the only friend the young nation has ever known. Years earlier Media had secured a ceasefire with the Arche Seleukeia and moved their forces westward. Now the armies of Media march northward in a surprise attack of Antigonid controled Armenia:
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/1254/maa2304go4.jpg
Spies had seen the army approaching and reported it to the garrison at Phraaspa. Lysippos now risks his army in the winter weather, by setting up camp near a bridge just to the south of Phraaspa. Lysippos knows that it was not quite cold enough to freeze the river, but the temperture of the water would kill anyone who tries to ford it. If an army hopes to cross into the Arche Makedonia, they would first need to take this bridge:
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/549/maa2306bd2.png
Lysippos is the son-in-law of Euboulides, the youngest son of Antigonos who had just recently died. When Euboulides had taken all of his sons and invaded Bosphoria, Lysippos was left in charge of the Egrisi territory. Lysippos is a plain man with no great talents in any area, and he did not seek war. When the Kingdom of Hayasdan attacked the Arche Makedonia, however, he lead the war against the enemy and invaded Armenia. After Armenia had fallen, he moved his army to Phraaspa and liberated it from the Arche Seleukeia.
The army of Lysippos itself was an odd assortment. The core of the army were Hellenes, trained in the Makedonike military style, who had been brought into the Antigonid military during the time of the alliances with Hellas. Their recruitment and deployment to Pontos, in fact had weakened their city states to a degree and allowed Perseus and Chrysoloras more ease in securing power over all of Hellas. In the initial battles with the Kingdom of Hayasdan, Euboulides had lead these men until they were garrisoned in Egrisi. Reinforced by Pontic Hellenes, Armenian archers, and steppe cavalry, the army was then transfered to Lysipppos' command and had defeated the Kingdom of Hayasdan.
Now, Lysippos and an army of Hellenes far from home defend a small bridge against an sudden surprise attack from what was thought to be an ally. Lysippos is ready for the enemy, as they approach he has his superior number of archers opens fire on them:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3639/maa2307np0.png
Taking losses from Lysippos' archers, the Medians charge across the bridge. On the other side they meet a waiting wall of pikes:
https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/9014/maa2308hd9.png
Before the battle can even begin, however, the Medians break and flee back to their own territory. They had hoped to take the area by complete surprise and they were not prepared for Lysippos to be guarding the bridge:
https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/7899/maa2310qx3.png
Lysippos gives chase with his cavalry, but is stopped by a single unit of Armenian refugee spearmen, who buy enough time for the rest of the army to escape:
https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4545/maa2311km2.png
Between the archers and the cavalry pursute, Lysippos manages to eliminate half the enemy forces:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/7091/maa2312ue9.jpg
Message is sent through Armenia, Van, Sophene, Assyria, and Babylon to Bykoli, but by the time he hears of the battle he already knows of the Median betrayal of the alliance. One new piece of information is sent from Lysippos in the letter, that interests Bykoli. Lysippos sends word of the Median military system. Alexandros had destroyed the Achaemenid military system and the Arche Seleukeia had depended on Makedones for the core of their military. With no Makedones willing to fight for them and no local elites, the newly formed nation of Media lacks any elite core for their military. They can raise large armies, but they can field nothing that could stand up to the Makedonike military system.
With this information and further information from spies, Bykoli sends word back to Lysippos that he may proceed at his own discression, defending or even invading the Kingdom of Media. Yet Bykoli does give warning that if Lysippos encounters too much trouble, it would be impossible to send reinforcements from Babylonia to reinforce him. Until the coastal regions of Babylonia are taken from the Arche Seleukeia, Bykoli cannot move his forces out. He does promise, however, that when the coastal cities fall, he will send reinforcements and personally invade Media.
As a new war is starting just north of him, Aristotelis is forced to defend the city of Sousa against forces of the Arche Seleukeia, who were also beginning to suffer from a lack of well trained elite soldiers. Appearing before the citizens of the city one of only a few times, Aristotelis personally leads his loyal men in defence of the city:
https://img159.imageshack.us/img159/9089/maa2313sl2.png
Aristotelis leads his men out of the city and lines up to face the Seleukid troops. As his men slowly march forward, Aristotelis leads a cavalry charge against the enemy flank. The initial charge is devistating and the cavalry begin to mop up any resistance:
https://img159.imageshack.us/img159/2630/maa2315lc0.png
[I like the eastern wall with the huge greek temple sticking out above it.]
With their flank crushed, the Seleukid army turns and flees before the two lines of infantry can even begin their fight:
https://img159.imageshack.us/img159/6420/maa2317ka8.png
Aristotelis wins the day, but not much is gained or lost by either side in the battle:
https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4138/maa2318gx5.jpg
Aristotelis returns to the ancient palace of Sousa and returns to his withdrawn lifestyle. Messagers reach Bykoli, not without difficutly, and tell him of his father's battle. Bykoli sends word back of his plans for the war with Media and the planned invasion of Seleukid coastal holdings, but Aristotelis does not respond.
Perhaps spreading from Sinai, a plague hits the great city of Memphis and affects every last person, including Asklepiodoros Grenideus, the last of the nobile Grenideus family who had been the original administrators of Aigyptos just after Demetrios' conquest:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/7497/maa2319xx6.png
North of Memphis in the giant city of Alexandreia, great panhellenic games are founded. The first major games outside of Hellas, the Arche Makedonia funds an improved version of the games held at the Ptolemaia, proving that the Antigonids are greater that the Ptolemaioi in all aspects, to the citizens of Aigyptos:
https://img159.imageshack.us/img159/7746/maa2268le4.jpg
Far to the west of their, Antisthenes besieges the great port city of Lepki, Prince Neokles besieges the city of Ippone, and Pyrrhos besieges Adrumento just south of Kart-Hadast. In an unexplainably daft move, a small army from Kart-Hadast moves to attack Pyrrhos and his first-born son, Sotades, while besieging Adrumneto. General Theopropides from the city then marches his garrison out of the city in an equally stupid move and assists in the battle:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/4431/maa2321dg4.png
Pyrrhos decides to possition his men around a large stone outcropping. He moves his phalangitai to counter the forces from the city while the Samnites circle around one side of the stone and his son leads the cavalry around the other side to face the small army from Kart-Hadast:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1231/maa2322ys9.png
While the cavalry wipe out the Qarthadastism missile throwing machines, the Samnites hold down their infantry:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/6696/maa2324xj8.png
Sotades is young and inexperienced, but successfully leads a charge at the Qarthadastism men and breaks the small army from Kart-Hadast. While he chases the enemy from the field, the second Qarthadastism army approaches from the city of Adrumento but Pyrrhos and the phalangitai are ready for them:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2968/maa2325ds4.png
The comparible disipline and training between the two armies is clear as the two lines clash and the Qarthadastism men break their formation and loose all cohession. Sotades returns from the chase of the other army and possitions his men to charge at the enemy rear:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/7320/maa2326wm3.png
Sotades charged his cavalry down the battle line and soon the entire Qarthadastism army is breaking and fleeing. In the midst of the battle Sotades looks up and notices the enemy general attempting to flee. Signalling to his men, he orders all the cavalry to give chase:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/8190/maa2327yr4.png
General Theopropides falls dead and Sotades turns the cavalry around to finish off all the remaining infantry. Almost no enemy survive and the city of Adrumento falls to Pyrrhos and his son:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/4062/maa2329hq5.jpg
In looting the city, Pyrrhos gains a level of wealth previously unavailable to him. The new found money grants him greater influence in the Antigonid court:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/603/maa2330mc2.jpg
After holding the city for about a year, Pyrrhos sails northward with his army, leaving Adrumento in the hands of his son and the Sikilian army:
https://img108.imageshack.us/img108/826/maa2336xg8.png
Back in Babylonia, the forces of the Arche Seleukeia march northward from their coastal holdings an attempt to retake their lost capital:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/6835/maa2331nf6.png
Bykoli and his friend/son-in-law Pefkolaos prepare the army and march them out to face the army of Aristodikides Lampsakou Troikes. Bykoli has the definate advantage, as he not only control the defensive position but has the advantage of experienced professional soldiers, while the enemy only has various conscripted levies.
When the Seleukid soldiers notice Bykoli mobilizing his army, they attempt to move to a more defendable place. This act, however, leaves them vulnerable to the archers on the walls of the city:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8984/maa2332oz5.png
Taking losses from the archers and seeing the massive army moving against them, the army of the Arche Seleukeia turns and flees. Pefkolaos leads the cavalry in pursute of the enemy. Forced with pursuing enemies, a small group of spearmen turn to stop the charge. Pefkolaos charges straight into them and begins to cut through them. Bykoli, who had lagged behind joins the fight a bit late, but the cavalry know who is their true leader:
https://img136.imageshack.us/img136/6984/maa2334lg9.png
The battle results in yet another undecided outcome between the Arche Makedonia and the Arche Seleukeia:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6105/maa2335vw0.jpg
To the north, the unmilitaristic Lysippos defeats the Median army near Phraaspa [which I forgot to take screenshots of] and marches his men south. By the following autumn, Lysippos and his army are besieging the Median capital of Ekbatana. Ekbatana has a massive population and massive garrison, but the complete lack of any elites prevent the garrison from attempting a counter attack:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5121/maa2337pq4.png
Far south from their, another town is besieged, this time it is the Antigonid town of Pselkis:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/884/maa2339ci7.png
The aging Harpalos Kyphios manages to repel the Nubian army with few losses. Every loss, however is difficult to replace. Many Aigyptians and Makedones were granted land in the area in exchange for military service, but other than those men the area lacks any soldier class. As a result, Harpalos Kyphios begins to import soldiers from the south, both from Nubia and Aithiopia, to help garrison the city:
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5417/maa2340qn4.jpg
As things settle down for another winter, a few minor events occur around the Arche. In Illyria, a small army of Illyrian locals turn on the Arche and raid their own towns in the area, all in exchange for Median gold. The local garrison puts down the revolt, but it makes the locals uneasy:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/7149/maa2341ms5.jpg
In Seleukeia, Bykoli studies at the schools of the east. Merging his knowledge of warfare in the east and the west, he increases his skills in war, if only slightly:
https://img443.imageshack.us/img443/7392/maa2342db9.jpg
At the same time, an army from the city of Babylon, on oders from Bykoli, marches south. Faced with the chance of another siege or various counter attacks, Bykoli is unable to leave the city of Seleukeia undefended. Seeking to prove their loyalty to their new masters, the people of Babylon raise an army and march south to fight the Seleukids while Bykoli defends their homeland:
https://img443.imageshack.us/img443/355/maa2343lc9.png
And on the African front, they city of Lepki falls to the forces of the Arche Makedonia. With the fall of the city, all of the coastal region between Kyrene and Adrumento surrender and become part of the Arche Makedonia:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3310/maa2345ky8.jpg
The known world in 186BC:
https://img297.imageshack.us/img297/...xmak186fj9.png
Next: Chapter 43 : The Age of Seiges and the Median War (Part II)
Now THAT is an empire.
NO KIDDING:jawdrop:Quote:
Originally Posted by Zenith Darksea
Kept going Marcus finish those Medians:egypt:
Cool. Want an advice? Betray the Lusos! They have three provinces in sw spain which are extremely rich with mines. And a great empire like yours need money I know. Plus you'd have a much better border on the Pyrenees.
good job MAA!
Thanks.
I was thinking about attacking the "Iberian Confederacy", but they are one of my closest allies. It is kind of funny that the two places I want to invade in Europe are my closest friends, Getai and Lusotanna. I guess they know I want their lands and are kissing up to me.
Now that Lusotanna has upset the balance in Europe, however, I think war is all but inevitable... to restore balance. Iberia could fall in about a year. Their entire army is in Gaul waging war and completely trust me on their coastline.
The Sun shall never set on the Makedonian Empire ... :thumbsup:
Prince
Chapter 43 : The Age of Seiges and the Median War (Part II)
Pyrrhos had besieged the Qarthadastism city they called Atiqa for only a short while before reinforcements from the city of Kart-Hadast, itself, move in to attack him in an attempt to lift the siege of the city. Although the Qarthadastism armies consisted of elites, they have no general and are much to eager for battle:
https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7742/maa2346te0.png
Having the advantage of being on the defence, Pyrrhos positions his men on a wooded ridge near an old burned out estate. Facing only a small number of enemies, Pyrrhos orders his men into a deep formation and takes advantage of the forests at his flanks:
https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7901/maa2348ck8.png
Without even waiting for their reinforcements, the Qarthadastism soldiers of the first army march up the hill to engage Pyrrhos' men:
https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7474/maa2349gx3.png
As the African elites engage the Pezhetairoi, Pyrrhos orders his cavalry to move around his own right flank and attempt to gain position to the enemy's rear:
https://img182.imageshack.us/img182/1138/maa2350ay2.png
Lacking a noble mind to keep discipline, the Qarthadastism elites begin to to break formation. The Pezhetairoi, however, hold their formation, and the conclusion of the battle becomes known to all:
https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/6943/maa2352rm8.png
Pyrrhos, always calm and patient, doesn't rush the battle. Before he can even make a tactical move, the enemy begins to break and flee into the hills. His well disciplined men hold their ground as his slingers fire on the fleeing men:
https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4391/maa2351od7.png
Pyrrhos, ever the practical man, ignores any preceived loss of honor in the act and ordered his cavalry to cut down ever last retreating man. The cavalry is in perfect position, too, charging in from the side and wiping out every last man.
With pride and discipline, the Pezhetairoi hold their position, denying looting their fallen enemies or attacking the routers, and stand firm. Only a great general could have such respect that his men would stand their ground with such richly ordorned defeated enemies just in front of them:
https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/5002/maa2354ih6.png
As the last of the enemy fall under foot of the Illyrian cavalry, lances are spotted cresting a hill, as the garrison of the city of Aqita arrives, though too late to reinforce the battle:
https://img182.imageshack.us/img182/1595/maa2353zw4.png
Pyrrhos repositions his men to face the new enemy, who simply march straight up and confront the Pezhetairoi battle line:
https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8854/maa2356pn7.png
Personally leading the cavalry this time, Pyrrhos charges in on the enemy rear, immerging from the woods, just after the infantry clash begins, and brakes the remaining enemies:
https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3206/maa2357gi5.png
Suffering few losses, Pyrrhos takes the field and marches on the city. Not a single Qarthadastism soldier had managed to flee back to the city and Pyrrhos takes it without a fight:
https://img182.imageshack.us/img182/3892/maa2358us3.jpg
The city's population, and in fact the entire region's population, is too large to manage without inevitable rioting and uprisings. Pyrrhos is thus forced to dislocate many people and even enslave portions of the enemy, to be sent back to the east. As Pyrrhos does this in Aqita, Neokles does similar to the west in the city of Ippone. Surrendering without a fight, the city of Ippone falls into Neokles' hands. Just like his father, he has thus failed to win an actual battle the a war he started.
In order to win over the remaining peoples, in the regions from Ippone to Lepki, Neokles enacts several decrees that harm the nobles but help the peasant classes. First and foremost, Neokles orders low taxes in the newly conquered regions. Secondly, he orders that the great noble farms of the Phoenicians be torn down and then issues land grants to the common people, winning over many of the peasant classes:
https://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5558/maa2369jc2.jpg
To the far east, the allied Babylonian army still besieges the coastal cities and ports at the base of Babylonia, yet the armies of the Arche Seleukeia do nothing to counter them.
And in Media, Lysippos continues his siege of the Median capital of Ekbatana, and at first the siege is uneventful. After about a year, several armies of the Median arrive from the the east to assist those isolated within their capital. The first, consisting mostly of untrained peasants, attacks in the autumn of 186BC:
https://img503.imageshack.us/img503/4326/maa2359nd3.png
As the battle begins, it is clear the the forces from the city are incapible or unwilling to join their brethen. The Medians are slow to attack and at first only move between Lysippos and the city. Lysippos doesn't risk attacking and simply rotates his battle line to face the enemy:
https://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1447/maa2361xp2.png
As the vanguard of the enemy approach to test the line, they suffer causualties under a rain of arrows:
https://img503.imageshack.us/img503/2051/maa2362at3.png
After suffering losses, the entire Median army moves forward and runs through the line of trees. As the enemy approach, the Lysippos steadies his men as they prepare for combat:
https://img503.imageshack.us/img503/5894/maa2363ba2.png
For many of the enemy, the battle is very short. Soon, they break and start fleeing into the woods. To prevent them from regrouping, Lysippos orders his steppe cavalry to give chase and cut them all down:
https://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8002/maa2364wo7.png
Perhaps as a feigned retreat or perhaps simply because the regained their courage, one group of fleeing spearmen turn as the cavalry approach and present their spears. The steppe cavalry breaks off quickly, but not before taking many losses:
https://img503.imageshack.us/img503/6251/maa2365qz4.png
The steppe cavalry break off their pursuit and return the battle line. By this time, however, the battle is over. The enemy retreat, but they soon reform and are joined by the city garrison, arriving late. They do not attack again this day, and the two battle lines stand silently watching eachother until sunset:
https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/3084/maa2367jg9.png
https://img503.imageshack.us/img503/5370/maa2366yl3.png
Lysippos holds his ground, but he fails to draw the city defenders into battle and the Medians hold their capital:
https://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9242/maa2368hs1.jpg
Lysippos and his men begin to settle in once more for the siege, but only a few months later, as the first snows cover the ground, another army from the east moves against him:
https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/1522/maa2370vb2.png
With the city garrison once again delayed, Lysippos' army waits in a snowstorm for the enemy to arrive:
https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9112/maa2372rs4.png
The enemy slowly marches forward until they come within bow range. Then, charging forward, the ran through a downpore of snow and arrow:
https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/7350/maa2373nq2.png
Very few Median soldiers even survive to reach the battle line and those who turned to flee tak arrows in their backs and fall dead on the field. Lysippos' army easily wins the day and crushes the enemy army before the Ekbatana garrison could even mobilize:
https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/4386/maa2374tg0.png
Even on the far side of the Arche, more Median treachery is seen. In northern Italia, a small army of Gallic allies, turns against the Arche Makedonia and takes Median gold to loot the countryside. Loyal Gallic garrisons quickly puts them down, and a detachment from the spy network watching over the Romaioi quietly removes those agents of Media who had made the deal:
https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/7523/maa2375jn9.jpg
Spring reaches Media, but there is no reprieve for Lysippos. Once more, an army from the east throws itself at Lysippos and his men:
https://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8119/maa2376xw9.png
The mountains still hold their winter snow, but down in the valleys the spring growth has begun and the armies are forced to fight in shoulder length grasses:
https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/7595/maa2378kk3.png
The Medians spare no time in intiating the battle. As soon as they are on the field, they charge forward and engage Lysippos' phalangitai. The Makedonike phalangitai hold their line and the battle starts off well:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6867/maa2379mx4.png
To the left, an small group of Medians attempt to flank the battle line but are quickly countered by the Pontic Peltastai:
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/4498/maa2380ph6.png
The battle is fierce but very short. The small Median army doesn't stand long and soon retreats. The retreat is quickly followed by the deployment of the Ekbatana garrison, however. The garrison lines up on the far side of the field but does not initiate battle.
They attempt skirmishing a few times, but are pushed back by a rain of arrows from Lysippos' Armenian bowmen:
https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/4681/maa2381eg6.png
Skirmishing for hours, Lysippos' archers soon run out of ammo. The Medians, however, still have a supply and harrass the battle line from afar. Lysippos orders a counterattack. Charging forward, under a rain of arrows, the Pontic Peltastai charge the enemy archers and manage to route them:
https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5791/maa2382om0.png
Once both side are depleted of ammo or archers, the battle comes to a complete halt. Once again, the two armies face eachother until sunset:
https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/7890/maa2383xv3.png
Crushing the last of the eastern armies, Lysippos once again settles in to besiege the city of Ekbatana, confident that he has broken the enemy's back:
https://img112.imageshack.us/img112/2571/maa2384vm9.jpg
As the campaigning season of 185BC begins, an army of Iberians and Hellenes from Iberia arrives in Africa. Transferring the garrison of Ippone to their control, Neokles marches out and to the east, to the great city of Kart-Hadast. With fleets cutting the city off from the sea, Neokles, heir to the throne, besieges the city walls and prepares for a long seige:
https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5382/maa2385lk9.png
Just north of there, an earthquake shakes the straits between Sikilia and Italia. Though few die, many take it as a sign, though the meaning of the sign is different to each man:
https://img186.imageshack.us/img186/6939/maa2392hk6.png
The summer also brings disturbing news. Since the breaking of the Romani back at the start of the Romani War, the only powers in the known world were the Arche Makedonia, the Arche Seleukeia, and the city of Kart-Hadast. Now, the Arche Seleukeia is broken and fading away, and the city of Kart-Hadast is under siege and destined to fall. The only remaining power should be the Arche Makedonia, but news from the east says otherwise. The rebel satrapy of the Arche Seleukeia, in Baktria, has filled the void of the Arche Seleukeia and raised great armies. Having forced the steppe nomads into submission, crushed the nation of Pahlav, and continually winning battles against Gandhara, the small nation of Baktria is considered by some to have even surpassed the Arche Makedonia in power and greatness:
https://img186.imageshack.us/img186/2741/maa2386bc5.jpg
Word reached Aristotelis in Sousa, but he doesn't seem overly concerned. He had secured the city and knows that nobody could take it by force while his army lives. Outside of his immediate area of influence, he doesn't mind much that is happening. He is a great man, but age, anger, and paranoia have gotten to him. As he reached his 70th year, he has given up on acheiving anything further and simply tries to relax:
https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/9056/maa2387mc3.png
Sieges continue all around the Arche Makedonia. In Africa, Neokles besieges the great port city of Kart-Hadast and the last of her armies. In Media, Lysippos settles in for the siege of Ekbatana, hopefully undisturbedd. And in southern Babylonia, the allied army of Babylonians besiege the city of Charax at the river delta. In Seleukeia, Bykoli prepares his army, having receintly received a new deployment of elephants from Demetreia.
The known world in 185BC:
https://img183.imageshack.us/img183/...xmak185xs3.png
Next: Chapter 44 : The Battle of Karchedon
That little blue smudge is more advanced than your mighty empire?! :stunned:
Well, MAA, I think you found your climactic ending. :2thumbsup:
I always wondered what makes for being "the most advanced faction". Your Baktria is nice though. Mine is again a giant blue mass in the steppe.
When Karchedon has fallen, will you recolour the Carthies and call them Numidia? I forgot how you did that.
Your endurance is monumental...keep it up and thanks for supporting my latest AAR!
It's actually quite simple. You go into the descr_sm_factions in the EB/data/ folder, and there you change the primary_colour and secondary_colour to the colour of your liking.Quote:
When Karchedon has fallen, will you recolour the Carthies and call them Numidia? I forgot how you did that.
*Cackles like a maniac* Its Alive! It's Alive.
Wow two more execellent updates. Do you have any idea how the pahlav/maurya are doing? anything on their army composition?
Man, how can you keep putting out so great chapters? I enjoy every single one of them very much, and now I've even got a reason not to look forward to the 1.1 release: It will stop this AAR. But well, that's how things go, the earth will still turn and turn.
Thanks Haxos! And how do you change the name?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hax
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverend Gonzo
I'm not sure what makes the most advanced faction, as far as game dynamics goes, but I think it has something to do with who has more large cities and advanced structures.Quote:
Originally Posted by Centurio Nixalsverdrus
Baktria behaved quite well in this campaign. They went to war with Saka Rauka pretty early on and made them a protectorate. Since the only diplomacy the AI seems to respect is AI on AI protectorates, there is a pretty good garentee that Baktria will never go north. I wish they would have gone to war with AS as some point in the game, though.
I was thinking of making a Numidia/Mauretania alliance out of the remaining Carthaginian territories. They can only recruit Numidians, elephants, and Liby-Phoenicians in those areas, anyways. (LP make up about 90% of the recruitment in those provinces, though. :wall: )Quote:
Originally Posted by Centurio Nixalsverdrus
Color change is in the "descr_sm_factions.txt" and names are in the "text/expanded_bi.txt".
Thank you. I was thinking of invading Iberia in honor of your current AAR. :laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by Chirurgeon
Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reality=Chaos
At first, their armies were mostly Indian Spearmen and Indian Longbowmen. Once they expanded into Iran, they started recruiting locally (since the AI seems to recruit the bulk of its army from their front lines), so they started to have a lot of archer-spearmen and skirmisher cavalry. I haven't checked much lately, but they must have upgraded some of their MICs in India because I've seen some of those Guild-Warrior guys in their army.
They aren't standing up well against Baktria, whatever they are fielding, though.
Thank you, kind sir. I'll try to keep moving forward, if only to get the record for longest AAR. :sweatdrop:Quote:
Originally Posted by Basileus Seleukeia
WOW !!! This is one is a biggie. Btw ... r the Mauryans loosing BECAUSE they are fielding Iranian units instead of Indian ? >_> .... <_< ... lol ... just curious :P
Prince
Thanx. :2thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
This AAR is made of epic win dude, love it from the first page to the most recent one.
And thanx you and hax for the hint on changing the colours.
Thanks. And no problem, guys.
I don't know, but they conquered most of the Iranian platau using Indian units then started losing once they were fielding Iranians. :beam: Though, part of that fact was that defeating AS was easy for them, but Baktria is putting up a bigger fight.Quote:
Originally Posted by IndianPrince
Again, chiming up in support of your decidedly Epic AAR.
Chapter 44 : The Battle of Karchedon
War continued to be waged on the eastern front of the Arche Makedonia, but in the west only one city stood in opposition to the great empire. The colonies and sub-cities of Kart-Hadast had been conquered one by one and now only the great city of Kart-Hadast herself remains in defiance. To the west, the Numidians, allies to Kart-Hadast remain loyal, but there loyalty is in name only, as they seem to be in no rush to save the city which had subjugated them.
Finally, after nearly two years, an army of Numidian, Lybian, and Garamantian allies arrive at Kart-Hadast. In an attempt to save their allies, they attack Neokles and offer an oppertunity for the Qarthadastism army to counterattack:
https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9586/maa2393rr6.png
As the battle begins, however, the forces of Kart-Hadast are nowhere to be seen. For the time, her allies must fight alone, if only to buy time for the Qarthadastism elites to assemble:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8178/maa2394gj3.jpg
Expecting to fight on two fronts, Neokles has his men deploy in defensive formation. Only facing an enemy from one side now, he quickly orders his men to reform as a single line and face the one approaching army:
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4214/maa2395oi4.png
Neokles is son of Aristotelis and next in line to the throne of Makedonia. When he came of age and took on duties as a member of the royal family, his grandfather was secretly disappointed in him. Demetrios knew that this man would one day inheirit the throne and had hoped that his grandchild would be a great man.
Neokles was a good leader and worthy of his position, but he is no great man. Neokles is smart, trustworthy, generous, and loved by the people, but he is also lazy and gloomy. Neokles showed no signs of seeking any greatness as a child, and when he came of age his grandfather forced him into the Spartan Agoge, in the hope of drilling some disciple into him. He completed the Agoge, but did not excede at it.
After he completed his training, he joined his grandfather in Massalia on the request of his father. There he bonded with his grandfather and earned the respect of the royal army. And when Demetrios died, Neokles was the only family member there by his side. After returning Demetrios to Aigai, Neokles conquered Toloso but soon returned to Massalia where he settled down for much of the rest of his life. When threats from Gauls increased, he moved the army back to Tolosa, but engage in no battle at that time.
Finally, when the Hellenic colonies sought help fighting against Kart-Hadast forces in Iberia, Neokles found his war. Though the early part of this war was simply fought by Hellenes and Iberians who were allied with the Arche Makedonia, Neokles was the one who finally defeated the last armies of Kart-Hadast in Iberia, allowing the Iberian Alliance to liberate their subcontinent.
When his father went eastward, seeking battle, Neokles realized that the fate of the Arche was in his and his brother's hands. It was then that Neokles began assembling armies to invade Africa. Aristotelis had ignored Kart-Hadast, wanting to expand eastward an reunite the empire of Alexandros. Neokles, however, had fought against them and realized the only way to keep them from comming back and attempting to retake Iberia and the islands was to burn the city of Kart-Hadast to the ground. So, with the support of Pyrrhos and his family, Neokles attacked Africa.
Now, the gloomy, 'educated', slightly paranoid Neokles is on the doorstep of his hated enemy, with only two armies between him and his goal. Neokles calms his men and prepares them for the battle. Looking forward, they see, leading the enemy charge, cluster of great beasts barrelling forward. Neokles orders his archers and slingers to target the elephants and has his infantry brace themselves:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7576/maa2396bs4.png
[Just so that you, reader, understand my tactics and fear, I'd like to mention that I adjusted the stats on elephants so that they were back to vanilla levels. After this battle and another one I decided I was going to lower it so it was somewher in between vanilla and EB stats, though I haven't done so yet.]
The enemy infantry charges forward and engage the Pezhetairoi. The elephants, however, halt and the archer on their backs begin to fire on Neokles' Bosphorian Archers:
https://img502.imageshack.us/img502/990/maa2397fb5.png
The elephants' delay proves useful to the Makedones. Soon the great beasts begin to panic, under so much fire. Charging away from the battle, the elephants begin to attack their own men:
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/5404/maa2398am5.png
With the elephants out of the way, Neokles decides to make his move. Personally leading the Hetairoi, he circles around the right flank and charges in at the enemy soldiers waiting in reserve:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/214/maa2399tz2.png
With this move, the entire Numidian army breaks and turns to flee. Neokles takes this oppertunity to turn his Hetairoi back and charge the fleeing enemy. The Numidians take great losses and scatter into the hills.
As Neokles pursues the Numidians, the forces from Kart-Hadast finally show themselves. Seeing this, a small segment of the Numidians reform their line and regroup. Neokles orders his battleline to reform and face the forces of Kart-Hadast, then circles around the reformed Numidians:
https://img502.imageshack.us/img502/6298/maa2400aq4.png
The Hetairoi make another charge and easily break the remaining Numidians:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8302/maa2401dd9.png
Neokles returns to the battle-line and deploys his Hetairoi on the left flank. While Neokles rests he army, the Qarthadastism does little. Their army is slow to battle and simply walks around deploying their troops. After a while, the cavalry of Kart-Hadast moves forward to scout the Makedonike line. Seeing his chance, Neokles once again leads the Hetairoi in a charge, this time against the Qarthadastism general, Muttines:
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/1816/maa2402hv5.png
As Neokles engages the enemy general, a division of enemy cavalry charges in and joins the fight:
https://img209.imageshack.us/img209/8938/maa2403hy4.png
The clash takes much longer than Neokles had hoped and soon enemy spearmen approach the battle, coming to their general's aid. Neokles realizes he needs to retreat but comes up with a plan. Neokles turns his Hetairoi and retreats up the hill. The Qarthadastism citizen cavalry break off as well, but the enemy general pusues Neokles up the hill. As the cavalry force reach the top of the hill, the Basilikon Agema, who were hiding the grass along the top of the hill, charge in from the side and attack the Qarthadastism general:
https://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7807/maa2404dr3.png
Faced with heavy infantry, the enemy general doesn't stand long. In a panic, he and his bodyguard cowardly flee, all the way back to the city wall of Kart-Hadast:
https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2407/maa2405id4.png
With the general leaving the battlefield, Neokles takes the oppertunity to finish off the last of the enemy cavalry:
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/2203/maa2406zc9.png
As the last of the Qarthadastism cavalry is defeated, their spearmen begin to slowly withdraw the battle quiets down. The only activity is the enemy bolt throwers, firing from great distance and killing Neokles' Pezhetairoi:
https://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2667/maa2407ad9.png
Neokles moves his Hetairoi to the right flank, where he orders the right Basilikon Agema to move forward and take out the enemy artillery. Marching forward, unapposed, the Basilikon Agema engage the enemy artillery crew:
https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/632/maa2408zi4.png
This action finally gets the enemy's attention and they move in to save their artillery. The Basilikon Agema turns and falls back to the battle-line, but a lone soldier gets stranded behind:
https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5972/maa2409jh6.png
Finally, the enemy begins to move forward and attack the Makedonike battle-line:
https://img529.imageshack.us/img529/3209/maa2410tk4.png
[One of those dots between the first and third enemy group on the right is that one stranded guy. He actually made it all the way through the battle and rejoined his group.]
On the right flank, the last division of Sacred Band infantry from the city of Kart-Hadast attacks the pikemen:
https://img528.imageshack.us/img528/7777/maa2412pn5.png
And in the center, elite Africans try to break through the line:
https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/56/maa2413ph4.png
Soon, all the enemy are fighting up against the Pezhetairoi pike line. The Basilikon Agema are then ordered to circle around both flanks. Charging in on the left...
https://img529.imageshack.us/img529/6268/maa2414al4.png
...and on the right, they engage the enemy from behind:
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5524/maa2415qj0.png
On the left flank, the Basilikon Agema is drawn from the main battle and is soon bogged down in a fight against Qarthadastism elites:
https://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9408/maa2416df9.png
Suffering causualties, the Basilikon Agema call for reinforcements. Circling around the left flank, the Bosphorians attack the enemy from the side and soon break them:
https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1497/maa2418rd3.png
On the right flank, the Sacred Band holds their ground, though surrounded. As they fight, Neokles, too, circles his Hetairoi around the right flank and charges in from the rear at the enemy African pikemen:
https://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5100/maa2417ur4.png
Finally, the Sacred Band and the rest of the enemy on the right flank breaks and begins to flee. While the Hetairoi give chase, both flanks of Basilikon Agema move to the center of the battle and attack the last standing enemy:
https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2395/maa2419rb4.png
The last of the enemy are wiped out, but Neokles fails to take the city. General Muttines and a handful of men make it back to the city and hide behind its triple wall. Fearing the losses that he would take assaulting the wall, Neokles once again settles in for the siege:
https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2817/maa2420jn4.jpg
Once again, time passes with little happening in the Arche. While mercenaries pester the allies of Kart-Hadast in Garamana and Mauretania, Neokles is secure in his seige.
To the north, the Iberian Alliance continues their invasion of Gaul. This annoys the Arche Makedonia, as a balance of weak hostile powers is preferable to a strong power in the region, even a friendly one.
East of there, the Germanic Alliance, led by the Sweboz, continue their war with what remains of the Boii, north of the river Istros.
Further east, a general sense of balance remains in the steppes.
In the far east, the forces of the Arche Seleukeia try to retake Sousa once again:
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5818/maa2421zz0.png
With a nicely sized army of local archers to reinforce him, Aristotelis once again defends the city. None know at the time, but this is his last battle, and the last time he is ever seen alive by the common people:
https://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5885/maa2422at4.jpg
Even further east, Baktria continues to defeat the armies of Gandhara. News is spreading that the Mauryan Empire has fallen and Gandhara is forced to fight on their own, without support from eastern India. Baktria takes advantage of this news and begins an invasion of India, itself.
To the south of the Arche Makedonia, an unofficial alliance is established between Meroe, Aithiopia, and the Kingdom of Sab'yn. All three groups begin mobilizing their militaries and openly defying the Arche Makedonia. With an alliance between Sab'yn and Makedonia, the Arabs are hesitant to openning engage in battle.
Back in the Arche, after lengthy sieges, Charax and the port cities fall. Soon afterwards, Ekbatana, capital of Media, falls in the north:
https://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4201/maa2423iy1.jpg
These victories are celebrated for only a short time. Soon the news of these victories is dwarved by even greater news. In Sousa, Aristotelis falls ill during a feast and dies shortly afterwards:
https://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4599/maa2424nm5.jpg
The known world in 183BC, the year Aristotelis dies:
https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/45...183editxq1.png
Next: Chapter 45 : The Two Kings
WOW ... That was some nice piece of luck. Delaying of re-inforcements. Its happened only once to me :) ... anyhoo ... GR8 CHAPTER !!!!!!
Prince
Excellent chapter, MAA, keep it up! :2thumbsup:
And by the way, in regards to the name of your next chapter...
Two brothers sharing the throne, and the younger one is more skilled than the older one? Sounds like Alkyoneus and Demetrios to me. History repeats itself, I guess. A nice touch, even in the early and late stages in the empire, the monarchs' politics remain similar!
Yeah, you're going after the Lusos! :2thumbsup: With an empire like this the only thing left to do for you is go and burn the world.:smg: :whip:
Thanks. It was quite fortunate that the second army was delayed. Though, even if they had come at the same time it probably wouldn't have been to difficult. Other than the elephants, the first army didn't really have anything challenging.Quote:
Originally Posted by IndianPrince
Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaotix27
Yeah, I gave the next chapter the same name as Chapter 1 because of the similarities. Unlike Demetrios, these two may be the end of the dynasty, however...I haven't declared war on Lusotannia yet (though I'm only a couple years passed this last chapter), but I may if they start causing more problems or they are able to gain the advantage in the current stalemate in Gaul. The Aedui would easily win the war if they were serious about it. They seem to be only putting about a third of their effort into fighting Luso, while putting two thirds into fighting the Arverni (allies to Luso). The Arverni however are able to hold their ground as they only have to defend against a single enemy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Centurio Nixalsverdrus
Gades has been riotting. I think I'll 'help out' my Lusotannii alies by buying the town from them (giving me a better base for my eventual invasion of Iberia).
Still epic, still a great AAR, still loving it:laugh4: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:
Quote:
Next: Chapter 1: The Two Kings
I am sensing a pattern...Quote:
Next: Chapter 45 : The Two Kings
Thank you, kind sir.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reality=Chaos
Indeed, but unlike last time, where there was mediocre leader and a great leader, both with sons, this time I have two poor leaders without any sons to carry on the family line.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hax
Well, you could always let one of Alyoneus's grandsons take the throne... or maybe let Pyrhhos the Crippled be king... he seemed like a pretty good general
I see you have lost none of your skills as a writer, MAA! The title of the next chapter and your dark comments to the royal line make me even more impatient towards the next update. I can hardly await it:2thumbsup:
Aw, man, don't do that, that's cheap. :thumbsdown: Roleplaying a loss is the coward's way out.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
Well, he just said. They hae no sons :P
Ha! I just finished a take-home final for a college class. Eleven essays requireing citation. That's why I haven't been around lately...
Now it's time to get back to my AAR. I had been hoping to post another update, to explain everything, but I obviously haven't been able to.
The problem with my family line is that Alkyoneus' line has died out and the two new guys are the last of Demetrios' line. Antigonos had a third son, and then there is always the decendants of Antigonos' cousin Alexandros (Pyrrhos being third born in the leading family there).
The way things are looking, I don't see how I can avoid civil war and was thinking of how to role-play that within the RTW engine. I was thinking of just pulling all of my forces back to Makedonia and disbanding half of them to simulate half being defeated... Or maybe I'll disband an army, then find some rebels and use codes to give them a bunch of Makedonian-like units and fight the rebels in a battle...
I wish I was better at editing those files to simulate things. That is one thing (of many) that makes your AAR so great. It adds a great deal of realism. Congrats on finishing your take home final. Well at least a civil war would prevent your invasion of Iberia for a while at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus
As you'll see in the next chapter (see below), I'll have time to engage in at least one more war before I have that civil war. Those dirty barbarians in Iberia might make a nice target. :egypt:Quote:
Originally Posted by Chirurgeon
Chapter 45 : The Two Kings
The news of the death of Aristotelis spread across the world quite quickly. In the civilized, hellenistic portions of the Arche Makedonia, not much changes. Aristotelis has left the Arche years earlier and left the power with his sons. His death does not change much. In fact, across the Arche, the death of Aristotelis is treated more like the death of Demetrios' son, rather than the death of a Basileus. His most memorable aspect being that of relation to Demetrios.
In Armenia there was rioting, but it was light. In the Getic Confederation, the people mourn, for Aristotelis had been a friend to the Getai, the Thraikioi, and the Dacians. When Aristotelis was a young man he had visited the Getic Confederation and raised an army of local mercenaries, who he lead to victories against the Ptolemaioi.
The rest of the surrounding nations take the new differently. In Europe, the news is taken mostly as a minor event that doesn't concern them. Those in the north do nothing different, the Sweboz and the Boii continue their war. And the Gauls and the Iberian Alliance continued their war, not caring of news from their mighty neighbor. Kart-Hadast celebrates, for they assume that Neokles will break off his siege and return his army home for mourning. He does not.
To the east, the Seleukid Dynasty takes the news with glee. They immediately move against Sousa and besiege Aristotelis' army who hide behind its walls:
https://img341.imageshack.us/img341/6294/maa2431gl5.png
Aristotelis' army gives the dead Basileus all of his honors and burns his body in a funeral pyre. His ashes are collected for transport back to Aigai, but they also prepare to disperse them in secret, so that no enemy could claim them as a prize.
The army of Aristotelis is leaderless, but not defeated. They decide to come out from the city and face the enemy as Aristotelis would have done. And so they march forth and meet the enemy in the shadow of the walls of Sousa.
Fighting for the memory of their fallen leader, the Thraikioi charge the most elite enemy they could find and cut through them:
https://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1989/maa2432ij6.png
Seeing the fierce eyes of the Makedones and the Thaikioi, the Seleukid army hesitantly withdraws from the region and Aristotelis' army wins the day:
https://img264.imageshack.us/img264/1672/maa2433wp7.jpg
With the way home secure, the army of Aristotelis prepares to march westward and all the way back to Aigai, with the remains of their Basileus. This is disturbing new to Bykoli and Pefkolaos in Seleukeia, however. Bykoli had set in motion a plan to defeat the Seleukids in Babylonia and the fall of Sousa would bring an end to that plan and perhaps mean the loss of all of Babylonia, as well.
Bykoli sends a letter to the head of the garrison at Sousa requesting that he remain and hold the city, just long enough for Bykoli to secure Babylonia and to buy time for an army from Syria to move and replace Aristotelis' army in Suosa. Honoring the son of their beloved Basileus, the men agree to remain.
Bykoli and his friend / son-in-law Pefkolaos immediately move their army against all remaining Seleukid holdouts in Babylonia. With the fall of the coastal cities to the allied Bablyonian army, the Seleukids no longer have any supplies or have anywhere left to retreat to.
Bykoli engages the bulk of the Seleukid force in the palm forrest south of Sousa:
https://img523.imageshack.us/img523/3435/maa2434ht9.png
The Seleukid forces take a defensive stance, so Bykoli and Pefkolaos must march the army forward. Pefkolaos leads the cavalry on the left flank, while the elephants are deployed on the right flank:
https://img505.imageshack.us/img505/516/maa2436fy1.png
At first the Seleukids are hesitant to fight, so Bykoli orders that both flanks move around the enemy and attack from the sides:
https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2508/maa2437ix3.png
The elephants prove quite effective against the enemy's light infantry, but are forced to withdraw as reinforcements move in:
https://img442.imageshack.us/img442/1846/maa2439ie3.png
The two armies meet, and among the giant palms fight eachother for the coasts of Babylonia:
https://img208.imageshack.us/img208/5456/maa2440av1.png
In the end, only one army can win and Bykoli manages to pull out a victory. The victory has cost his men greatly, however. After the battle, Bykoli and Pefkolaos are forced to withdraw all the way back to Syria and rebuild their army.
While in Syria, Bykoli is joined by his father's army who had been reinforced in Sousa and now are traveling west his his ashes. Bykoli leaves Pefkolaos in charge and joins them in their trip to Aigai. Once there, they take Aristotelis' remains to rest along-side those of his father. Due to their long service to Makedonia and they're willingness to stay in Sousa at Bykoli's orders, Bykoli gives large grants of land to each of Aristotelis' men and allows them to finally retire. Many of these men had been serving in the military their entire lives and had followed Aristotelis in his many battles. Now they finally have time to rest and live normal lives.
When Aristotelis died, he left both his son to rule the Arche. They were told that they would rule together, but Neokles would be the prime ruler. Thus, Neokles is declared Basileus of the Arche Makedonia, though he still remains in Africa:
https://img186.imageshack.us/img186/7343/maa2425wr2.jpg
The royal line looked as though it was approaching an end. Aristotelis had two sons and two daughters. Neither of his two sons had yet had a son of their own. The royal line could be continued through one of the female descendants of Aristotelis, or even one of the daughters of Demetrios or Alkyoneus, but it had been tradition to pass the reigns of power along the sons in the family. All the direct lines in Alkyoneus' family had ended and now Neokles and Bykoli were the last direct lines in Demetrios' family:
https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/483/maa2426fs8.png
[Aristotelis and his descendants]
Neokles is accepted as Basileus, but the Makedonike nobles are hesitant against Bykoli. Bykoli is dull, lazy, and quite a selfish man. He would often indulge himself in pointless feasts and entertainment, wasting money. He spent much of his luxury time with his soldiers and his good friend, Pefkolaos Idomeneus, husband of his daughter, rather than with nobles and his own family. This led to many rumors about his lifestyle.
Bykoli is extremely superstitious and engages in many odd practices, including an interest in foreign ways of thought and religion. He is also quite paranoid about disease and injury, avoiding those that may be ill and panicing over the slightest wound, sometimes resulting in increasing the threat of said wound. In the end, one of the biggest reasons that he is disliked is physical. Since he was young, he had an odd condition with his eyes. One of his eyes would not follow his vision and would often wander as he spoke. This, his low intellgence, and some of his early vices led people to believe that he was moron and should have been abandoned as a baby.
Bykoli had succeeded at war, but this success was widely contributed to his friend Pefkolaos and not earned by his own hand. Many of the Makedonike nobles said that Pefkolaos is the true power and Bykoli is only his puppet and his way to greater power. At this time, it looks as though Pefkolaos is lining himself up to be the successor to Bykoli once Neokles was dead. This threatens the nobles, who did not want a Thraikian on the Makedonike throne.
The nobles and those of the extended family began to consider where they would put their support, once Neokles was dead. They feared Bykoli, and the lines of Alkyoneus and Demetrios were at an end. Antigonos had had a third son, however, named Euboulides. Euboulides had been born when Antigonos was an old man, and thus, his house had never been a strongly supported branch of the family. Euboulides had since died, but his wife had given him three sons. All of his sons are now in Bosphoria and have never been involved in the politics of Makedonia. If not the sons of Euboulides, only one option remained: the descendants of Alexandros, nephew of Antigonos.
In the head family of this branch of the dynasty are three brothers, the sons of Nepos. First there is the eldest, Neikolas, liberator of Gaul and current governor of Massalia. His brother Gelon, governor of northern Italia. And finally the youngest, Pyrrhos, the great conqueror of Italia and Africa. Pyrrhos is well loved and has a strong family, with three sons of his own. Pyrrhos had also had the support of Demetrios and was now close friends with the newly crowned Neokles. Many nobles begin to support Pyrrhos even more than before, but not openly, fearing he might be eliminated by the sons of Aristotelis as a rival.
For now, succession is secure and the Arche Makedonia has a Basileus. With Aristotelis' death, a small wave of change comes over the Arche, mostly in an attempt to gain favor for Bykoli. From Syria, where Bykoli had returned to, Bykoli and Pefkolaos begin to administer the Arche, for Neokles is still besieging Kart-Hadast and unable to do so himself. Finishing a project originally commisioned by Aristotelis, but forgotten, the Persian Royal Road is rebuilt and upgraded. Using technology learned in Italia, the great road is rebuilt, all the way from Ionia to Elymais:
https://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8103/maa2427uy7.jpg
In Alexandreia, a great theater is built and dedicated to the memory of Aristotelis:
https://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7739/maa2428gm9.jpg
In Makedonia and Hellas, great farming estates are being built, so that more agricultural product could be produced from the hilly landscape of Hellas:
https://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3373/maa2430sx0.jpg
Not everything is easy, though. Less than a year after the death of Aristotelis, Asphalion, the hellenized Phoenician king of Judaea, dies. As a result, the allied state of Judaea begins to rebel. Moving in a Klerouchoi army from southern Syria and the coasts, Bykoli orders the town of Hierosolyma occupied and order restored. Promising the people continued freedom, Bykoli quickly chooses an new king and crowns him king of Judaea:
https://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8057/maa2429gc1.jpg
To the south, an even greater problem arises. Horemhotep, general of the king of Meroe who now calls himself Ptolemai VII, attacks the city of Pselkis:
https://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9311/maa2446nw8.png
This comes just weeks after Harpalos Kyphios, governor of Pselkis dies peacefully. Now his son-in-law, Admetos Datos, is left to command the garrison and defend the city without any practical military experience:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6527/maa2447fo3.jpg
Admetos decides to march out of the city and engage the enemy, despite this and begins to move his men out. Seeing the Makedonike army deploying, the Nubian army moves to a defensive possition:
https://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1671/maa2448gv4.png
Horemhotep runs his cavlary back and in to position to get the far from the deploying Makedones, but Horemhotep fails to see Admetos deploying his cavalry through another gate. Seeing the enemy cavalry without infantry support, Admetos leads his own cavalry in a charge against them:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2324/maa2449yd7.png
The Nubian general is quickly surrounded and Admetos' superior number of cavalry easily defeat the Nubian immitation Hetairoi:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6760/maa2450ln2.png
As soon as Admetos' cavalry kill the Nubian general, they fall back and the main battle line, deploying from the other gateway, moves forward to confront the enemy infantry. Moving to the right flank, the Klerouchoi Peltastai open fire with their javelin on the enemy elephants:
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/1641/maa2452dn4.png
Most of the elephants fall dead or dying and the remaining elephants, javelin sticking from their hides, panic and flee. With this move, the Klerouchoi Phalangitai move forward and confront the main line of enemy infantry. At the same time, Admetos leads his cavalry in a charge of the reserve line of enemy in the rear:
https://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8960/maa2453fc7.png
The enemy quickly breaks and flee back south, but the Admetos orders his army to pursue them. By the end of the day, the Makedonike army marches back to the city and leave a field of dead outside their walls:
https://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8744/maa2454ls6.png
Admetos wins the day and manages to kill an enemy general and wipe out an enemy army in his first true battle:
https://img120.imageshack.us/img120/520/maa2455wf1.jpg
Not only does Admetos win over his men, but he gains a good deal of knowledge of warfare in the battle that will serve him well when the Nubians inevitably return:
https://img120.imageshack.us/img120/9396/maa2456qh2.jpg
As time passes, things return to normal in the Arche Makedonia. To the west, the siege of Kart-Hadast continues and no further Numidian allies arrive to save the city. After almost three years of sieging the city and blockading her ports, the city begins to show signs of considering their defeat.
In Nabataia, and army of the Kingdom of Sab'yn moves in and begins to occupy areas long claimed as part of the Arche Makedonia. Though war is not officially declare between the nations, Bykoli orders reinforcements sent to the rebuilt, hellenized, colony-city of Bostra in northern Nabataia, in an attempt to disuade invasion:
https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/453/maa2457jj1.png
Bykoli would have moved in to engage the Sab'yn himself, in diplomacy or war, but he had already begun a march eastward. Seeking to draw the eastern wars to a conclusion, Bykoli and Pefkolaos move their retrained and replenished army through Elymais, to confront any who challenge them:
https://img120.imageshack.us/img120/995/maa2458ci3.png
The known world in the year 183BC:
https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/45...183editxq1.png
Next: Chapter 46 : Our Lake
Yay! Update, woohooo!
Our lake, you're referring to the Mediterranean, righto?
Perhaps he is referring to that lake where the Keltoi would have sunk Hellenic loot... or did he already conclude that storyline? Can't remember...
Anyway, a very good and interesting chapter. :2thumbsup:
My Moosey senses are tinglingQuote:
Originally Posted by Hax
Great update as always MAA, really liking this more character personal storytelling
:2thumbsup:
Thanks guys. :bow:
The loot from the lake was already recovered a while back, by the new Basileus, Neokles, actually. So...
I hope I didn't get bogged down in the description of Bykoli, there.
Long story short: the nobles are fine with Neokles but don't like Bykoli.
I just finished reading this from start to finish in two days and it is without a doubt one of the best AARs in the history of EB! :2thumbsup: Looking forward to chapter 46. :whip:
Thank you. :bow:Quote:
Originally Posted by strategos alexandros
I've been sick and in bed the last few days and haven't had a chance to do anything, including working on my AAR. I think I'll start working on Ch46 tonight, though...
the best yet :smash:
Chapter 46 : Our Lake
As the time passed, the new generation of leaders take complete and secure control of the Arche Makedonia. In the east, Bykoli and Pefkolaos march against the remnants of Medians and the Arche Seleukeia. In the west, Neokles besieges the great port city of Kart-Hadast.
The siege of Kart-Hadast had lasted more than three years, but they are finally ready to talk. With their food and supplies completely diminished, the leadership of Kart-Hadast have no choice but unconditional surrender. Neokles proudly marches the royal army through the might gates and walls of Kart-Hadast:
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/429/maa2459pk5.jpg
It isn't a historic military victory, but it is a great gain for the Arche Makedonia. Not only does the Arche gain control of the coasts and their trading, but also the fertile lands of Africa. With this victory, a mightly enemy is defeated and complete control of the Mesogeios Sea is gained. Although Iberians, Numidians, Mauretanians, and a few Phoenician colonists still control coast at the very west of the sea, none of them have a military fleet. The Makedonike navy, in fact, had already secured control of the Pillars of Hercules and now governs who comes and goes from the entrance to this sea. With complete control of the sea well in hand, a fleet sails from Rhodos, to tour the Mesogeios Sea and to hunt down every last pirate, raider, and rebel ship.
As for the great city of Kart-Hadast itself, Neokles is only mildly strict. The Romani had been a noble and worthy enemy, and when Pyrrhos took their capital he did nothing to it and left them with their autonomy. The people of Kart-Hadast have been less noble. They had used piracy, raiding, and surprise attacks against the Arche Makedonia. For this, hatred had built up against them, amongst the people of the Arche Makedonia. Because of this hatred and due to the overpopulation of Kart-Hadast, Neokles rounds up many people and forcefully relocats them to other locations, near and far. He also allows his men some time looting, so that the people would know who now rules these lands.
No autonomy is granted to the people of Kart-Hadast:
https://img395.imageshack.us/img395/5229/maa2442vu6.png
Neokles is kind enough to let the culture remain intact and orders that none of his men loot any religious or cultural sites. Chief amongst these is the great temple complex in the center of the city:
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/3958/maa2461ze0.png
While securing the city, Neokles personally visits the great harbor of Kart-Hadast and rededicates it to the Arche Makedonia. A week later, a Makedonike fleet enters the port to make it their new permanent home:
https://img409.imageshack.us/img409/4417/maa2462yv8.png
All across the newly conquered region, there is worship to Phoenician gods, gods who have become quite minor in their own homeland. Chief among them is Baal-Hammon, who is worshipped everywhere in the region:
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4727/maa2463rt4.png
As Neokles reaches the end of his survey of the newly conquered city and watches as people are rounded up to be sent away, he see the great military complexes of the city. Once capible of training and housing many men, horses, and elephants, these complexes were now abandoned:
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/676/maa2464jp5.png
With the fall of Kart-Hadast, there is celebrating all across the Arche Makedonia, but soon things slow down and return to normal. In Armenia, an earthquake hits, but with little damage:
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4444/maa2466in0.png
With the war in the west completed and Bykoli staying on the defensive, very little fighting is taking place in the Arche Makedonia. To the east, however, there is plenty of combat. With the fall of the Mauryan Empire and the devision of India, Gandhara is left extremely weakened. The northern Indus valley had even fallen into the hands of the Hellenistic Baktrians. Now war wages all over in Iran over Gandhara holdings there. Baktria fights many battles, which they usually win, but little land is gained or lost:
https://img252.imageshack.us/img252/4534/maa2468hf2.png
To the south of there, the Arche Seleukeia had rebuilt their military and instead of turning it against the well defended Arche Makedonia, the decide to engage Gandhara and regain territory they had lost long before. They besiege the city of Karmana many times, but are pushed back. They do not give up, however:
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9901/maa2469hd7.png
With the Arche Seleukeia - Gandhara War, Bykoli and Pefkolaos decide to march their army north and finish off the remnants of Media before the Seleukids turn their attension back westward.
All is going well in the Arche Makedonia, and with little exception there is peace. It did not last long, though. In an act of outright betrayal, the Empire of Sab'yn marches their armies northward to attack the Arche Makedonia:
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/94/maa2467sn5.jpg
Attacking the Hellenistic colony at Bostra, and army of Arabs engage a Klerouchoi army of Makedonia:
https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2724/maa2471gp1.png
Reinforced by local levies and Cretan Archers, the Klerouchoi army, under the command of Eulandros Delphikos, lines up outside the unwalled colony:
https://img409.imageshack.us/img409/2185/maa2472xo5.png
In order to avoid the arrows of the Cretans, the entire Saby'n army rushes forward toward the Klerouchoi Phalangitai. Eulandros Delphikos orders his men to hold their ground and they brace themselves:
https://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3654/maa2473it7.png
The line doesn't hold long and soon the enemy are pushing through the pikes and into the Klerouchoi infanty:
https://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7249/maa2474zj7.png
On the left flank, the Klerouchoi Peltastai hold off a small group as the first of the enemy in the center begin to break and flee:
https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/708/maa2475xr2.png
The center of the Makedonike line begins to deteriorate and Eulandros Delphikos order the unoccupied Klerouchoi Peltastai on the right flank to move to the center to reinforce the line:
https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/1007/maa2476jq9.png
With reinforcements in the center, the Makedones gain the upper hand and both sides realize it. As the Saby'n soldiers begin to loose the battle, they break and flee. The Makedonike center gives chase, but are soon countered by the enemy generals and their elite infantry bodyguards:
https://img520.imageshack.us/img520/5507/maa2477no6.png
The courage of the elites rallies the fleeing men and they turn back to reinforce the battle. Seeing his own men now outnumbered, Eulandros Delphikos orders all his men to charge in and reinforce them. Thus, a new battle begins as both army clash without any order:
https://img259.imageshack.us/img259/9624/maa2478qh1.png
Eulandros Delphikos personally circles around the battle, but just as he gets into position Shamdar Il Watar, general of the enemy, falls dead and the enemy army breaks. Eulandros and his cavalry then give chase:
https://img259.imageshack.us/img259/650/maa2480oy6.png
In the chase many men fall dead under the feet of the Hetairoi, including the other general, Alhan Il Watar Yuhan'em. In the chaos, some enemy even turn the other way and wander through the boarded up city, looking for somewhere to run to:
https://img259.imageshack.us/img259/8023/maa2482hs4.png
As the Hetairoi chase the enemy into the hills, the Klerouchoi army reforms just in case the enemy reforms or are reinforced:
https://img259.imageshack.us/img259/8167/maa2483yr8.png
Although Eulandros Delphikos was afraid he didn't have enough men, he wins the day without too many losses:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9513/maa2484bv3.jpg
Around the same time as the Battle of Bostra, Median reinforcements attack Bykoli and Pefkolaos in Iran:
https://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7020/maa2485lq8.png
The masses of untrained levies seek to relieve the city of Apameia from Bykoli's siege, but they are too quick to attack and the garrison of the city is not ready to sally out and assist them:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3492/maa2486ji2.jpg
Bykoli lines up his men, with his elephants on the left wing and Pefkolaos leading the cavlary on the right. The enemy approaches but is in complete disorder and without any plan:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/190/maa2488og3.png
Pefkolaos circles around the flank and charges the few enemies that get near the Makedonike battle line:
https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9279/maa2489tj2.png
Charging through the unorganized mass of men, they easily break and flee. Pefkolaos then chases them from the field:
https://img329.imageshack.us/img329/142/maa2491ul7.png
Only killing Makedones due to arrow fire, the Median army is easily defeated. Bykoli and Pefkolaos then settle back in to continue the siege:
https://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4336/maa2492rv4.jpg
The known world in 181BC, just after the fall of Kart-Hadast:
https://img329.imageshack.us/img329/...xmak181zg5.png
Next: Chapter 47 : War and Peace
Brilliant! But what are you calling the old Carthaginians, Numidians? Some sort of confederation maybe, between various Numidians, Berbers and Libyans.
Great stuff as always, MAA...truly an AAR for the ages...Too bad the Sabyn turned their backs on you...
A silly question: What's up with the dark bluish-gray color of the old Qarthadast territories in northern Africa?
Looking forward to Chapter 47!!! War and Peace, eh??
Thanks, Appo...you stated my question better than I did...:inquisitive:Quote:
Originally Posted by General Appo
Great job MAA, keep it up! Heh... you get rid of one enemy, and along comes another. What are you going to do about Saba? Attack or defend? At the very least, I think Bostra needs a wall :laugh4:
Thanks guys. :bow:
I'm not sure what I'm going to call ex-Carthage (I haven't changed the name yet). I was thinking just "Numidia", but the territory is mostly Mauretania. For now it's just a coalition of ex-allies to Carthage.
I think I'll take a little bit of territory from Saba, but probably not their core. Maybe just take all territory around the Persian Gulf. I've decided to role-play that the distance from Bostra to Carna is too far to march and won't invade by land...
Defense might be tough, though. I can't recruit any units in Bostra, Petra, Jerusalem, and can only get siege equiptment from Sidon. I'll have to ship in troops from at least Syria every time I take losses defending.
Damn, I hate areas like that. Oh well, good luck, teach those Arabians not to mess with greatest empire the world has ever seen.
Nice Update MAA! :2thumbsup:
Cool. I knew you would do what you did with the Carthaginian remnants.:smiley:
:2thumbsup: that was just what I needed today, another update, and a nice one too
:2thumbsup: Great update!