Chapter 65 : Illyrians and Indians
Peloponnesos League, led by the Spartans, had taken most of Hellas, but the destruction of Athenai and Chalkis had cost them a great deal of support. They are now faced with a strong enemy border. Thessalia is a strong supporter of Makedonia but Aitolia is still available for conquest. In order to prevent another region joining, falling to, or being destroyed by the Spartans, Philippos quickly moves his army to Aitolia and occupies the city of Thermon. Because of the destruction of Athenai, the Spartans have lost all support in the area and Philippos is welcomed to the city as a protector:
Before he can challenge the Spartans, Philippos has to sure up control of Aitolia and prepare for what will happen to Hellas once it is retaken. Only a fool gets into a war without a plan for what comes after. Philippos also begins secret negotiations with the Athenians, the Korinthians, and a few other city-states who are ready to betray the Peloponnesos League.
The Eastern Front
While Hellas awaits a war, allied forces move in the east. After taking control of Kappadokia and restoring the region to Makedonike control, the Galatians and Illyrians moved into Kilikia. The Galatians moved south and the Illyrians moved east. After wandering through the mountains of eastern Kilikia for a while, the Illyrians decide to move south into the plains of Syria and pick a fight:
In a lightly forested region, the Illyrians corner a small Demetrid army of mostly levies. While the spearmen move forward, the slingers open fire on the enemy to weaken them up:
Then, as they come close to the enemy, the spearmen throw their javelin and prepare to charge:
The Demetrid army tries to fall back, but the Illyrians give chase and catch them just inside a small grove to trees:
The fighting goes on for a short time, but the Demetrid army lacks much strength. While moving around the flank of the battle, the Illyrian cavalry notice a flanking manuever by the enemy. While their infantry hold down the Illyrian spearmen, Demetrid kataphraktoi are moving around the rear to charge. The Illyrian cavalry quickly move to counter the flanking and charge in at the kataphraktoi before they can charge the battle line:
The kataphraktoi hit the battle line but are quickly followed by the Illyrian cavalry who hit them from behind. Loosing their mass and speed, the kataphraktoi get tied down in melee combat. Seeing their elite kataphraktoi surrounded, the Demetrid infantry panic and the whole battle line gives way and begins to flee, with the Illyrian spearmen giving chase just behind them:
The kataphraktoi soon break as well, but the Illyrian cavalry do not follow. Rather, they join the spearmen in chasing down the enemy infantry:
Although few are elites, the Demetrids have lost a great deal of men by the end of the day:
In Aigyptos and Lybia, Ptolemai VII and his son move into the desert, only to encounter a line of desert forts and a defense force well aware of their movements:
In Armenia, the army of steppe cavalry continue their campaign of destruction and annoyance against the Demetrids. Having surrounded the city of Armavir and cut off outside supplies, the Demetrids send in reinforcements to relieve the city. The steppe horsemen turn to meet their enemy and prepare to fight from two sides:
The horse-mounted archers once again use their tactic of firing at the enemy from all sides...
...then charging in and attacking the few demoralized men left standing:
Repeating this tactic twice in one day, the steppe horsemen greatly damage the two small Demetrid armies but fail to wipe them out and take back the city of Armavir:
The Arche Seleukeia and Gandhara
Divided and engaged in constant war, neither half of the Arche Makedonia can claim to be the sole greatest people in the known world. With the destruction of Athenai and the heart of Hellenic culture, Pyrrhos looses the lead. Meanwhile, the Arche Seleukeia rises from the ashes and is able to call themselves the most advanced people once again:
After more than a year of siege, the Arche Seleukeia manages to defeat the armies of Arabia in Persis. With their army wiped out, the Kingdom of Sab'yn negotiates a ceasefire with the Arche Seleukeia but does not give up on their goal of invading Iran:
Although there is no alliance with Media, Media has an alliance with Baktria and Baktria an alliance with the Arche Seleukeia. With this delecate peace and the defeat of the Sab'yn army, the Arche Seleukeia has peace on their western border. Now, they once again shift their whole focus to their eastern border.
Ever since the fall of the Mauryan Empire and the isolation of Gandhara, the war had shifted. The forces of India had at one point pushed all the way to the gates of Persepolis, but now the tides have turned. In a series of victories over the last couple decades, the forces of the Arche Seleukeia manage to push the Indians all the way out of Iran and Arachosia:
The Arche Seleukeia then starts to push into India itself and to the Indus River. In a few places, they even manage to cross the river and begin a campaign to conquer India itself:
From the Gandharan capital of Taksashila, however, the Seleukid forces are pushed back:
To the north, the Seleukids have a new problem. Though silent for a great deal of time, the nomads of the eastern steppe begin to move once again:
Back West
In Aigyptos, the envoys of Pyrrhos in Meroe manage to negotiate a deal. Promising the reborn Ptolemaic dynasty many things, they manage to get the Nubians to break their alliance with the Demetrids:
Then, in an even greater move, they manage an alliance between Meroe and Pyrrhos in exchange for even more promises and the agreement of a joint invasion of lower Aigyptos:
Meanwhile, having withdrawn back to the mountains of Kilikia, the Illyrians are attacked by Demetrid forces. This battle takes place near a ridge where Demetrios himself had set up a small fort to look down on Assyria so many years ago:
Taking up position on a hill, the Illyrians wait for their enemy to come to them:
Although the Demetrid phalangitai slowly move forward, the Demetrid kataphraktoi charge in on the left flank of the Illyrian line:
The charge is absorbed and the Illyrian spearmen begin their fight with the heavily armored horsemen. Meanwhile, the Illryian cavalry moves out from behind the line and begins to make their flanking move:
Although they are slow to move up the hill, the Demetrid phalangitai eventually join the battle and attempt to hold back the Illyrian spearmen:
On the left flank, the kataphraktoi gain the advantage and begin to push back the Illyrian battle line, but their victory is short lived. Soon, the Illyrian cavalry charge in from behind and completely decimate the kataphraktoi numbers:
In the center of the line, the Makedonike commander of the Illyrians falls dead, but the Illyrians fight on:
With the left flank now clear, those on the left flank circle around the rear of the enemy phalangitai and begin throwing their remaining javelin:
Tired from fighting and frightened from javelin fire from behind, the Demetrid phalangitai are quite easy to break and wipe out with a single cavalry charge:
Although their general dies, the Illyrians win the day and manage to hold the small fort in the hills of Kilikia:
Next: Chapter 66 : The Spartan War
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