The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR

[HunGeneral]

I can only say one thing: WOW.

(cant wait to see "seleucid" and "bactrian" units in the armies of Makedonia)

Your moded units look very good - they do look a bit like gauls but you could change that by giving them a beard like their officer has. You could also try to add bows as secondary weapons for them (a kind of recreating the "immortals") but thats your decision

oh yes and the most important: ALL HAIL MAKEDONIA!!!

[gamegeek2]

Very nice. I'm considering doing similar things once I'm in the Persian lands (Saka AAR), and maybe adding some greek/macedonian units, too.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks.

I tried to remake those guys again but accidentally saved under the wrong compression and RTW couldn't read the unit. Thanksfully I copied the file (the guys in the last pic) so I don't have to completely start over agian.

Saka has some pretty good Indo-Greek units. Some of those guys could easily be modded into some sort of standard Greek units for recruiting in Persia and Babylonia.

But enough with my mini-modding. I'm working on the next chapter. It will probably be a short one. Thanks again for following.

[chairman]

MAA: those thorakitai look pretty good, but the avxillia green tunic with the white band still throws me off. Also, if you switched out the chainmail for a more celtic style with a mail shoulder cape instead of greco-roman linothorax style shoulder straps it might help. Absolutely love your AAR. It is the pinnacle of EB.

Chairman

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 76 : The Sons of Pyrrhos

After eighteen years of civil war, people all across the Arche Makedonia seek only a time of peace and security. Busy with issues in Makedonia, Philippos decides to make that peace and give the rebels in Aigyptos an unexpected oppertunity. Risking egitimizing their continued rule over Aigyptos and giving them power, Philippos sends envoys to Aigyptos to negotiate peace with the local nobility:


Basileus Philippos V of Makedonia is now the sole ruler of the reunited Arche Makedonia (aside from Aigytpos) and now had peace. But Philippos could not rule the vast lands of the Arche alone. To maintain control of the lands, Philippos depended on many advisors, generals, nobles (both Makedones and foreign), and members of his own family. Makedonia, itself, is mostly controlled by the nobles and the foreign satrapies are primarily controled by regional nobles or kings advised by the generals of the Makedonike armies. However, the satrapy system had been shown to have weaknesses in the civil war and had too many chances for disloyalty. A rapid set of reforms and changes just after a civil war is too risky, though. Philippos realizes he must stick with the current system and simply rely on his generals and advisors to ensure peace, order, security, and loyalty. Closest and most trusted of Philippos' advisors are his own brothers. Pyrrhos had given his sons a great deal of responsibity under his rule and now Philippos continued to give them more. Pyrrhos' wife had given him four sons and no daughters, and now, with Philippos leading them, it is up to these men to rule the Arche Makedonia.

Sotades is the first-born of the sons of Pyrrhos:


Raised and educated in Italia, Sotades was too young to fight along side his father in the Romaioi War but first commanded an army at the age of sixteen against rebels in Italia. Sotades accompanied his father in the war against Kart-Hadast and is now the only surviving general that participated in that war. When Pyrrhos returned to Pella to claim the throne, Sotades came with him, at his side. Sotades fought several battles at the very beginning of the civil war but ultimately got tired of warfare and command. Seeing this in his son before he even did, Pyrrhos had given the title of heir to his second son, Philippos.

During the Syrian Invasion, Sotades once again lead an army but fought only one major battle during that campaign. With Philippos returning to Makedonia at the end of the conflict, Syria and the city of Demetreia were handed over to the control of Sotades. Finally doing what he most enjoys, Sotades now governs greater Syria and concentrates on rebuilding the damages of the war. Showing such zeal for his work, Sotades quickly wins over the people of Syria

Philippos is the second-born son of Pyrrhos and current Basileus of the Arche Makedonia:


Philippos was raised in Italia but was sent to Hellas where he participated in the Spartan Agoge and ironically became one of the last Makedonike nobles to complete it. After the completion of the Agoge, Philippos then spent a couple years in Athenai, at its great schools. After completing his education, Philippos raised an army of Hellenes and began to experiment with new tactics. Having been raised in Italia, Philippos chose to raise an army of Thorakitai and copy Romaioi military tactics. With his new army, Philippos made his way eastward, defeating brigands and assisting local governments who had problems with rebel armies. Eventually he made his way all the way to Syria and the city of Demetrios.

It was in Syria that Philippos first realized the divide that had begun to grow between the east and the west as well as the great fear people had at the immanent end to the Antigonid dynasty. Fleeing Syria, Philippos found his way to Aigyptos, where he finally got a true test of his army against an army of Meroe. After only one battle, Philippos was called by his father to Africa and then sent to Iberia to deal with the betrayal of the alliance with the Iberian Confederacy.

After thouroughly defeating the armies of Iberia and conquering half the peninsula, Philippos made his way eastward to assist his father and brothers in the civil war. After greeting his father, Philippos' first task was to defeat the Spartans, who had taken the civil war as an oppertunity to rebel and conquer much of Hellas. Due to their horrible treatment of other conquered Hellenes, the task of turning Hellas against Sparte and defeating them was an easy one. In the end, Philippos end up killing the very men who had taught him how to fight.

Philippos spent the next several years with his father and brothers in Pella, planning the invasion of Syria. Pyrrhos would not live to see the invasion fulfilled but his plan was a complete success.

With the war over, Philippos returned to Makedonia with the young Demetrid Basileus Euktimenos as a prisoner. During the celebrations in Pella, Euktimenos was publically humiliated but was not killed. Once the celebrations had died down, Philippos gave Euktimenos a mansion in Pella and placed him under house arrest. Only a handful of the descendants of Demetrios were still alive after the war, and since Demetrios had been so respected by the Makedonike people, killing one of his descendants would upset the masses. Philippos decides to leave Euktimenos alive, for now, to respect the memory of his ancestor. So, Euktimenos disappears from public view and public thought, quietly tutored and kept in Pella.

The great empire Philippos now rules finally pulls itself from the hole of the civil war. With all debts long repaid, the treasury of Makedonia continues to grow. Although racked by unprecedented corruption on all levels of government, the amount in the treasury grows to a point that it surpasses that of all other known kingdoms and peoples:


With the reunification, a huge treasury, and the reconstruction of devastated cities of culture such as Athenai and Demetreia, Philippos' Arche Makedonia once again reclaims the title as greatest kingdom in the known world:


Euphrantos the Crippled is the third-born son of Pyrrhos and widely known as the most corrupt:


Once Pyrrhos realized that the nobles supported him and were preparing to choose him over Bykoli were Basileus Neokles to died, Pyrrhos had to protect his family. Because of what had happened to Philippos in Syria, Pyrrhos chose to keep his third son with him in Kart-Hadast rather than send him to Hellas or even Italia for education. To protect him, Euphrantos was tutored in Kart-Hadast and very closely protected and spoiled by his father. Because of this and the fact he was crippled from birth, much like his father, Euphrantos did not get much experience with the real world.

Soon after Pyrrhos reached Pella and was declared Basileus, his wife and two youngest sons joined him in Makedonia. After spending his entire life in a foreign city under strict supervision, Euphrantos was finally in a large Hellenistic city and son of the most powerful man in the known world. In the years that followed, while Pyrrhos, Sotades, and Philippos waged wars and planned strategies, Euphrantos endulged in the vices of the large city and spent his nights in all kinds of unseemly activities.

Euphrantos' life would have continued like this if not for the death of his father and the rise of his brother to the throne. With his elder brothers fighting in the east, Euphrantos was forced to at least take a figurehead role in Makedonia, although Makedonia itself is mostly ruled by the noble Makedones. Euphrantos is never cured of his vices and gains little experience in management, but at least takes on a some responsibility.

As man in charge of Makedonia, Euphrantos manages to accumulate a sizable personal wealth, even with his squanderings in idle activities. At the same time, he even learns how to govern effectively, though it is arguable that what he lacks more than outmatches what he gains:


Laandros is the fourth-born and youngest son of Pyrrhos:


Laandros made the trek to Makedonia, after his father became Basileus, while he was still a child and was the only son of Pyrrhos to come of age while Pyrrhos was ruler of the Arche Makedonia. Due to the problems in Hellas, Laandros completed his education in Pella. While at school in Pella, he quickly became friends with Anaxagoras, the second son of the murdered Herakleon. At first it seemed that the two youths would follow the ways of Euphrantos and simply indulge in the pleasures of life, but both were quickly forced to take a possition of leadership when Pyrrhos died.

At the death of Pyrrhos, Anaxagoras would return to Bosphoria, and soon after Laandros was assigned to Hellas by his brother, Basileus Philippos V. Because of the rebellion in Hellas and the delicate situation in the region, Philippos needed someone who could both be trusted and who was capable. At first Philippos considered assigning Sotades to manage Makedonia and Hellas, but Sotades had connections with the army and was needed on the front. So, Philippos assigned Makedonia to Euphrantos, knowing the nobles would handle everything anyways, and assigned Laandros to manage all of Hellas.

In the job of governor of Hellas, Laandros began to excel. With his youthful ways put behind him, Laandros manages to become one of the greater governors in the Arche Makedonia:


In order to more closely monitor the Spartiatai, Laandros would administer from Sparte itself. After the civil war and the end of the Spartiatai rebellion, Sparte began to grow and change. Sparte finally began to loose the last traces of the old Spartiatai ways that had lingered for centuries. One thing didn't change, however, and that was the skill of the Spartiatai to teach the ways of warfare. Even without fighting a single battle, Laandros learned from his advisors and became a capable leader of men:


As for Anaxagoras, he returned to Bosphoria and quickly experienced a great oppertunity when the city of Olbia declared itself independant of the alliance of steppe tribes. Seizing on this oppertunity, Anaxagoras raised and army and quickly took the city for the Arche Makedonia. This action gained the entire coastline from the mouth of the Istros (Danube) to the former borders of the satrapy of Bosphoria. After taking the Olbia, however, he found himself bogged down having to completely reconstruct the city's infrastructure after years of neglect. Over the following years, Anaxagoras was forced to become compitant in construction and supervision:


Meanwhile, his elder brother Herodes helped Philippos fight the Demetrids and managed to personally take much of Assyria near the end of the war. Herodes, himself, could have contested a right to the throne at the beginnig of the war, being the direct great grandson of Antigonos Gonatas, but was too young to truely contest Pyrrhos and decided simply to join him against those who killed his father. From the war, Herodes manages to become a decent military leader:


Still in Assyria, Herodes even manages to gain prestigue in the Arche Makedonia:


Off in Babylonia, Isidoros Oresteus retains his title as King of Babylon, though spends most of his time in the more advanced and more Hellenistic city of Sekeukeia while rebuilding Babylon:


With one army of elite Babylonians and a sizable force of reserves, King Isidoros only makes a small amount of excess money in his Babylonian Satrapy. Almost the entire excess tax and trade income of the area then immediately goes to rebuilding Babylon as a great city, in a Hellenistic fashion.

After taking the city of Babylon, Isidoros begins to enjoy management of cities and lands rather than warfare. He does, however, lead his army to victory against the Demetrid garrison in Seleukeia at the end of the war. Now, with more than twice the territory, Isidoros returns to governing and management:


Although, Isidoros does not have any sons, he does have a daughter. After many years of going unwed, Isidoros' daughter marries. The man turns out be be quite inempt but Isidoros still declares him his heir:


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While the people of the Arche Makedonia only seek peace, the attension of the military of the Arche Makedonia once again shift to the areas outside their borders. The main problem for the immediate future of the Arche is the rebels in Aigyptos who are still attempting to sure up power in the region. To the west, Europa remains mostly quiet other than occational battles amongst the Gauls. In the east, the Arche Seleukeia had managed to stretch its border from Persis in the south to the fare northern steppes, but in the process managed to stretch their military quite thin. A major competitor to the Arche Seleukeia, in the east, is the rebuilt Median Empire. The Medians had almost been completely conquered by Bykoli at the beginning of the Makedonian Civil War, but with his withdrawl managed to reestablish themselves and grow. During the civil war the Medians had remained neutral to both sides as well as the Arche Seleukeia but had managed to expand southward into eastern Arabia:


With a recognition of the now reunited power to their west, the Medians agree to an alliance with Philippos:


This alliance allows for the Medians to focus their attension on one side of their empire and declare war on the Arche Seleukeia, planning to "liberate" Persis:


In order to fulfill their goals of defeating the Arche Seleukeia, the Median Empire also negotiates an alliance with a Seleukid-occupied group of steppe peoples and smuggles them supplies:


Philippos attempts to mantain peace for the Arche Makedonia as long as possible, but it is not long before it is broken. In an confusingly stupid move, the navy of Alexandreia sails north and attacks the coast of Syria. To answer this act, Philippos declares war against the rebels of Aigyptos and prepares his army to sail from Makedonia:


Travelling straight from Makedonia to the delta of the Neilos, Philippos lands his army outside of Alexandreia and immediately besieges the city while his navy takes control of the seas:


In order to avoid possible reinforcement of Alexandreia from the south, Philippos quickly attacks the city and easily takes it:


Although generally disapproving of foreign rule of any type, the people of Alexandreia welcome Philippos and the peace that will come with him. For nearly a decade, as the Demetrids declined and the rebels fought amongst themselves, the city of Alexandreia, and in fact all of Aigyptos, had suffered from near constant rioting and civil wars. In the fighting, the tomb of Alexandros was even damaged, though the body remains safe:


With Alexandreia, Philippos has a base from which it will be easy to retake the rest of Aigyptos. An alliance with the Ptolemaioi of Nubia also ensures some assistance dealling with the rebelsfrom the south. While Philippos prepares for his coming war, his first and only son comes of age and becomes a man:


Although he is a bit lazy, he takes after his father and grandfather. With Alypios now of age, Philippos declares him his heir, with Sotades next in line were both Philippos and Alypios to die. Alypios is quick to join his father and sails for Alexandreia, where he completes his education at the great library.

Next: Chapter 77 : Eastern Affairs
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Sorry for more review but I wanted to get all of the characters for the upcoming era to be explained. Basically, these guys and one other guy will decide the next decade of Macedonian history. I didn't have a map picture for this chapter because of the crazyness in the east, which will be explained in the next chapter.

[Cbvani]

Wow. I've got to read through this again from the beginning. Any plans to make it into a book?

[General Appo]

Would be kinda hard, seeing as pictures form a great part of it. AAR´s rarely make good books.

But yeah, continued great story. I´m eager to hear about these eastern affairs.

[gamegeek2]

C'mon, he could make it into an alternate-world setting. Maybe with elves. lol

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks, but I doubt it would make a good book. Not only is it picture driven but it lacks a main character, antagonist, challenge, climax, or end. If it were just written down it would sound more like a history book of an alternate dimension. I enjoy writting, although with most of my actual stories I've tried to write I just end up getting lost on how to end it after the story's peak point.

No elves, but along the lines of an alternate reality, I got bored the other day and made this picture of what BI would look like in this alternate dimension, if I were to quit the game right now and start up again in about AD200:

The Arche Makedonia tries to recover after loosing territory to both the Keltic nation and to the Neo-Persians, meanwhile the age of migration is about to begin in Germany, as well as dealing with a rebelling Italian client-state. Hun-like nation emmerging.

[Cbvani]

Thanks, but I doubt it would make a good book. Not only is it picture driven but it lacks a main character, antagonist, challenge, climax, or end. If it were just written down it would sound more like a history book of an alternate dimension. I enjoy writting, although with most of my actual stories I've tried to write I just end up getting lost on how to end it after the story's peak point.

No elves, but along the lines of an alternate reality, I got bored the other day and made this picture of what BI would look like in this alternate dimension, if I were to quit the game right now and start up again in about AD200:

The Arche Makedonia tries to recover after loosing territory to both the Keltic nation and to the Neo-Persians, meanwhile the age of migration is about to begin in Germany, as well as dealing with a rebelling Italian client-state. Hun-like nation emmerging.

That's flipping cool. I would like to play that sort of game.

[Europe]

Holy meatballs! Seeing a alternate dimension for this AAR Would be mind-blowing!
It would be interesting to see the fall of the Macedonian empire (but quite sad at the same time)

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I was thinking if I ever ended this, I'd make the last chapter a story of what happens to the Arche Makedonia and the world over the next few centuries.

Next chapter \/

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 77 : Eastern Affairs

During the seventh year of Philippos' reign, he had retaken the city of Alexandreia and the Neilos delta. With the great port taken, the Romaioi legion moves down from Ioudaia and make their way into Aigyptos, to finally make there way home. In the sea, however, the navies of Makedonia and Aigyptos engage eachother just off the delta. The superior Makedonike ships win the day:


With both land and sea secure, Philippos goes about rebuilding Alexandreia while his men prepare to sail up the Neilos. One of the first acts of restoration is the restoration of the tomb of Megas Alexandros and the replacing of his body to its rightful place:


When Philippos first took the town, since the tomb was damaged, it was momentarily discussed whether the body should be moved elsewhere (Makedonia or even Amonnion), but the subject was quickly dismissed.

After several seasons, Philippos and his son, Alypios, gather the army and march south to the ancient city of Memphis, capital of the rebel Aigyptos. In Alexandreia, Philippos leaves the family Grenideus, who are relatives to the great general Antisthenes Gortynois, in Alexandreia and give them charge:


In Arabia, the Kingdom of Sab'yn had profitted much from the Makedonike Civil War, gaining territories along the northern part of boths sides of the desert, though suffering losses to the Medians in the east. With plans for the future, the Kingdom of Sab'yn make peace with Aigyptos and an alliance with the Arche Seleukeia, both are enemies of the Arche Makedonia:


As for the Arche Seleukeia, she had suffered a terrible change of fate. Over the years that the Arche Makedonia had fought a civil war, the Arche Seleukeia had charged northwards into the plains and wastelands. After years of warfare, the armies of the Seleukids had been streched quite thin. Other than that, being isolated from large populations of Makedones and Hellenes, the quality of soldiers capible of being raised had also been quite low lately. When the Median Empire declared war and openly encouraged rebellion amongst the conquered peoples of the Arche Seleukeia, everything fell apart in the east.

When the Seleukid armies march south, the northern steppe regions of the Arche Seleukeia seize apon their oppertunity, declare themselves independant, and immediately raise armies. Marching southward, these armies manage to gain vast territories both peacefully and by force. After several years, the armies of the steppe peoples finally meet true resistance and begin to fight the armies of the Arche Seleukeia openly:


Meanwhile, the Medians move their forces eastward into Seleukid territory, planning on expanding into Persis:


It is around this same time, that the governor of the semi-autonomous satrapy of Baktria finally openly declares itself independant from the Arche Seleukeia, who is obligated to declare war. Having marched his armies into the Indus valley and conquered the Gandharans, the Basileus of Baktria is, in himself, a more than formitable apponent for the Arche Seleukeia.

Back in the Arche Makedonia, Philippos has problems of his own from across a wasteland. While still on their way to Alexandreia, the Romaioi are suddenly attacked by an army from the deserts. Since there is peace between the Arche Makedonia and the Kingdom of Sab'yn and no other people could raise an army of such size, the event surprises the Romaioi, who thought they were in safe territory:


The battle begins with the Romaioi with the lower ground and the army of Saba coming down off a hill toward them:


The Romaioi march forward to get up the hill and meet the Sabaeans on semi-level ground. In order to ensure they meet the Romaioi on a slope, the Sabaeans rush down as quickly as they can:


The mass of enemy soldiers is too much for the first line of infantry and Consul Tiberius Aurelius Cotta is forced to send his second line in early:


While the infantry do their best to hold the line...


...the Romaioi cavalry clash with the enemy cavalry:


After a short battle, the Sabaean cavalry break and flee. The Romaioi cavalry move to get behind the enemy line, but the Sabaeans panic when they realize they are without cavalry support and begin to flee:


Cotta once again learns a lesson of warfare, even at his advanced age:


Rather than continue forward to Alexandreia, Consul Tiberius Aurelius Cotta gives chase to the fleeing enemy. Pursuing them across the desert, the Romaioi finally corner the enemy army within the walled city of Petra, a city which was once a city of the Arche Makedonia.

With war once again threatening Syria and armies of Arabia marching northward, Philippos decides to take the offensive. Sending orders to his brother in Demetreia, Philippos orders the city of Bostra retaken and the klerouchoi settlers of the region liberated. From Demetreia, Sotades sends word to Herodes of Bosphoria to march his men south and accomplish the task:


After only a few months, an army that was just to the south of Bostra arrives and attack Herodes and his army, in the heat of the summer. Unlike the army that fought against the Romaioi, this army approaches the Makedones slowly and orderly:


With the home of a local Makedonike klerouchoi soldier right in front of them, serving a symbol of their fight, the line of Makedones absorb the intial charge:


Separating into two separate groups and attacking on either side of the villa, the Sabaeans throw their whole army at the line:


While the bulk of the battle occurs in the center, at the left flank, a group of Thorakitai fight a small enemy group, but the enemy quickly breaks. The Thorakitai pursue their enemy but fall into a trap when they are surrounded by a hidden enemy force:


In order to save the Thorakitai, Herodes personally leads his Galatian cavalry forward:


The Galatian cavarly has great success and breaks the entire ambushing party. Seeing their flank exposed, the rest of the Sabaean army breaks soon after. Although the first army is broken, scouts report the garrison of the city approaching. Herodes orders his battle line to reform an his cavalry to chase down and kill or capture as many enemies as possible.

As the infantry reform, a strong wind begins to blow and picks up the dust from the parched grounds:


Taking advantage of the poor visibilty, Herodes' steppe cavalry rush forward and take out isoloted enemy units:


The cavalry attack a group, fights them until reinforcements approach, then retreat. After doing this several times, a good deal of the reserve forces of the Sabaean army are wiped out. Meanwhile, the phalangitai infantry continue to move forward. Suddenly, the wind stops all together and the dust clears. The Sabaeans hardly have time to notice the vast infanty force just ahead of them, before Herodes orders the charge:


Confused by the dust storm and the sudden attack, the Sabaeans panic and break. Although some manage to make it back to the city of Bostra, all give up their arms and disband:


With this great victory, the regions east of the Jordan are restored to the Arche Makedonia and Syria gains a larger buffer area against attack:


With the city taken, Herodes prepares to finally return home to Bosphoria, but in Damaskos is a man ready to take his place and continue the war against the Kingdom of Sab'yn. Chrysoloras Delphikos had been raised in Bostra and had fought against Arabian invaders from the south his whole life along side his father. The civil war had given his family a break against this task, but once again Chrysoloras Delphikos takes up the mission of fighting the Kingdom of Sab'yn, however this time he will not simply sit behind the walls of Bostra and wait for the enemy to come to him.

The known world in156BC, four years after the fall of the Demetrids:

Next: Chapter 78 : A Journey Up the Neilos

[gamegeek2]

plz take gaul. plz, plz take gaul so you've trumped the Romans.

oh, and my modding forced me to reinstall EB, but my saves are all intact, and so I was able to update my AAR today.

[General Appo]

I see much grievances on the road ahead for the Sab´yn. But first of course, the remained of Aigyptos must be secured.
Have you noticed that you hold all but 2 ports in the Med? That´s right, those damns Numidians are denying you those ports. Take ´em!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Are we going to see Philippos and Cleopatra?

[gamegeek2]

Are we going to see Philippos and Cleopatra?

[Maion Maroneios]

I must admit, that'd be cool :-P

Maion

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I don't really have any need or desire to take Gaul right now. However, the Aedui are slowly winning the war against the Arverni and will inevitably turn on me some time. I may take part of Gaul, some day once my Arverni allies fall.

I'm thinking along similar lines, General Appo. My goal for the reign of Philippos had been to take back Aigyptos then take a series of port cities all around the Arche, especially take complete control of the Pontos Mesogeios and Pontos Euxeinos. However, a few things changed due to every faction suddenly deciding they hate me.

Aigyptos only has a fractured rebel Makedone nobility and a rebellious native population. There aren't any real Cleopatra-like people in Aigyptos. There is the Ptolemaic dynasty in Nubia, though. I tried to make Antigone a Cleopatra like character, though only showing the last, less than glorious, moments of her life.

[Dutchhoplite]

Hi MAA,

Great update, as usual

Could you tell me what factions you used or tell me in what part of the AAR they explained?? The Demetrids were Baktria. Media = Hayasdan i guess but the rest??

[General Appo]

I'm thinking along similar lines, General Appo.

Once again my amazing psychic abilities have served me well.
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.

[Ower]

Hi MAA,

Great update, as usual

Could you tell me what factions you used or tell me in what part of the AAR they explained?? The Demetrids were Baktria. Media = Hayasdan i guess but the rest??

Numidians (W-africa) = Carthagians
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.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

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.

[Reverend Joe]

Oh, my god -- how long has Ghandara been dead?! They were my favorite faction... a substitute India!

[General Appo]

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.

Seriously, do you get any cooler? Well, maybe if you´ve got a heavily modified Makedonian roster.

[Panzer_Sturmovik]

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 ]

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

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.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

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:


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:


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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:


Great siege towers had been built, but after deciding the simply wait out Memphis, they sat unused outside the city walls:


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:


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:


Completely outmatched, the garrison of Memphis flees...


...and surrenders:


With this, Philippos takes the last enemy stronghold in the area and takes complete control of lower Aigyptos:


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:


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:


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:


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.

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While Philippos retakes Aigyptos, the Numidians once again invade the Arche Makedonia and attacks the city of Ippone:


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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:


As only a diversionary force, the small army is hesitant to attack, but Philippos calls their bluff with a cavalry charge:


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:


While the bulk of his cavalry holds down the enemy kataphraktoi, Philippos positions his hetairoi and charges in at the enemy rear:


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:


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:


Back at the infantry line, Philippos' lieutenants struggle to retain order as the line fragments:


Rushing back to the line, Philippos calls his men to order and reorganizes the line, taking an advantage of a lull in the battle:


Once again the Aigyptos army comes at Philippos' army, but this time the men of Thebes are the only ones who are leaderless:


Using his various forms of Thorakitai to his advantage, Philippos overwhelms the enemy and takes the field:


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:


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:


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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.

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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:


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:


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:


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The known world in153BC:

Next: Chapter 79 : Eremos Odysseia

[General Appo]

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.

[Dutchhoplite]

Those poor Seleucids, always had a soft spot for them :(