[Epeiros/Pergamon AAR] Heirs to Lysimachos

[Swordmaster]

Only the Ptolemaioi would attack your islands, if they needed. But we're not so far yet, I think.

Actually, I was also thinking about the Bosporan region for expansion, colony-style or something. You might have some fun fighting the Sarmatians should they dare attack you. Sounds like a good relief from fighting Hellenic-style troops all the time. Kyrene sounds like too much Ptolies-backyard, and Syrakousai should be the Roman/Carthaginian playground for now.

[QuintusSertorius]

Capture of Pamphylia

The kingdom of the Ptolemies had the audacity to send an assassin to Sardis, in an attempt to kill Alexandros. Moving quickly to avenge this insult, he gathered the army and marched to invest Side.



It was swiftly taken and more Greeks added to the confederation.



Now Alexandros pondered on something bigger. Perhaps a raid against Aigyptos itself, or Syria. Something to send the message that Pergamon was not to be trifled with, no matter how mighty you may be.

250BC:



So I took Side. I've started making for Naissos, if only to have something to do, maybe I'll start a war with the Getai and eventually take Kallatis? Besides it's about time I had an army on that side of the Hellespont, and doing something with it. Makedonia are too weak to attack, I could intervene in their war with Greece, but that might tip the balance too far over the other side.

Alternatively I could scour up some stacks from Egypt and let them combine so I can actually fight them. Or go to Syria and start pillaging there. All this consolidating leaves you feeling like you're sitting on your hands, and I think rushing the diplomats in after I've taken something doesn't give the AI a chance to respond.

What you see there is my standard army; a core of classical hoplites, Celto-hellenics on their flanks, peltasts on the wings and lots of cavalry.

Only the Ptolemaioi would attack your islands, if they needed. But we're not so far yet, I think.

Actually, I was also thinking about the Bosporan region for expansion, colony-style or something. You might have some fun fighting the Sarmatians should they dare attack you. Sounds like a good relief from fighting Hellenic-style troops all the time. Kyrene sounds like too much Ptolies-backyard, and Syrakousai should be the Roman/Carthaginian playground for now.

Not a bad idea, attack it, stick some type IV governments in and as you say try fighting horse-archers.

I'd be glad of some battles though, to be honest. Both the Ptolemies and Seleukids are so busy fighting each other in Syria that I'm all but ignored, apart from the odd assassin.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

From my understanding, Pergamon wanted to conquer Anatolia but not necessarily Kilikia and Syria. If I were you, I'd go after AS and Pontos before invading Europe.

By the way, quite the unique AAR here. Keep it up!

[QuintusSertorius]

From my understanding, Pergamon wanted to conquer Anatolia but not necessarily Kilikia and Syria. If I were you, I'd go after AS and Pontos before invading Europe.

By the way, quite the unique AAR here. Keep it up!

I must admit, I am starting to feel that Side should be the limit of my eastward expansion. I don't think Kilikia was part of the old Kingdom of Thrace. Thinking I might send spies to Kilikia just to add some more rebel buffer between me and AS, along with weakening Egypt some more. I'm liking Galatia as a buffer between me and Pontos - at least until they get their act together and beef up some.

That's really my justification for going west - Naissos and Kallatis were in that old kingdom before it fragmented. Wouldn't want to take anything else in Europe, and I'm deliberately leaving the Makedonians unmolested. They're suffering enough at the hands of Koinon Hellenon as it is.

Right now I'm trying to weaken the Ptolemies in Syria, rather than undermine AS any further. If I do too much harm to AS, they won't be much of a fight later on when they've lost land to Parthia and Baktria.

Glad you're enjoying it, wish I had some more battles to report on. That's another reason I'm trying not to expand too fast, I need the AI factions to be able to pose some real opposition.

[QuintusSertorius]

Raids in Syria and Judea

Kestrinos continued on the mission the Basileus had set him of punishing the temerity of the Ptolemies. Having raided Sidon, he landed on the coast of Ioudea. There he was met by a hastily thrown-together collection of Ptolemaic troops.



The battle was a desultory affair, Kestrinos' men lining up to await the attack from the natives.



As soon as the lines engaged, Kestrinos and his cavalry surged around the flanks and charged to the rear, breaking the enemy and putting them to flight.



Kestrinos continued the march to Hierosolyma, scouts out ahead wary for the first sign of a serious response.

249BC:



Bit annoyed with the Ptolemaic AI. Not only did I leave Sidon completely undefended, which they ignored and marched past to attack my much larger force, but I moved a bigger stack close by to merge with some of the other units, and they wandered off!

So now I'll have a rather easy siege, followed by a pitifully easy battle, then hop back onto the ships. So far the Ptolemies have proven to be paper tigers, even more flimsy than the Seleukids.

I took Naissos, but not convinced I'll keep it. I may be a little too far north, even though it's part of Thracia. Perhaps give it to the Getai to strengthen them when I try for Kallatis to get a proper war going.

[QuintusSertorius]

Still 249BC:



Mostly because I've just spent the past three hours re-playing from 253BC down, because my two saves in 247BC were corrupted. Not fun.

Anyway, that's my army to collect up the Bosporan cities, complete with lots of horse archers. Anyone have any clue how I use them? I'm well up on light cavalry, but I never fight with horse archers. Get the feeling they're going to be critical to winning that region.

Sidon revolted to the Eleutheroi, Heirosolyma is under siege moments after I gave it to the Seleukids. I'm thinking resupply the army then attack Antiocheia, then give that to the Seleukids relatively unmolested.

Makedonia finally did something right and took Ambrakia. Even if they seem incapable of defending what they already have.

In this replay, Pontos managed to grab Sinope, finally. Romans are sitting outside Lilibeo doing nothing after one siege attempt. Maybe on reloading they'll do something.

[QuintusSertorius]

A vision of future glory

As Kestrinos Aiakidies slept, he dreamed of leading armies to victory, something that was entirely proper and right for a young Pergamene noble. He dreamed that there was an uprising, a charismatic man had risen among the Greeks of Pamphylia and gathered many disaffected men to his banner. This Termon Herakleios claimed descent from Herakles himself, and his followers numbered in their thousands. At the head of an army, Kestrinos marched to put the rebellion down.



The two armies met on a gently sloping plain.



As the skirmishers traded fire, Herakleios sent some of his cavalry to disperse Kestrinos' slingers.



They were chased off, and the slingers got back to work whittling down the rebel light troops.



The skirmishers missiles exhausted, the Pergamenes advanced to meet the enemy battle line.



On the right, Kestrinos drove away clouds of rebel skirmishers. He had arranged his men in a single line, the enemy held some reserves in a second line, but as a result shortened their frontage significantly.



On the left, more skirmishers were driven off.



Wary at first, the rebels threw themselves into combat.



The Pergamene wings closed in.



Fighting was fiercest in the centre, with rebel cavalry making a frontal assault.



Kestrinos' hoplites held their ground, though.



Kestrinos himself led the charge to the rear.



Meanwhile his Karian contingent charged into the back of the rebel line.



Kestrinos charged again.



Many rebels were now in flight.



Fighting on foot with his line infantry, Herakleios was not spared.



Some pockets of resistance fought on for a time, but were overcome.



Kestrinos had done great service for the kingdom. He smiled as he slumbered, dreaming of yet more future glories.



Editorial note

This is a "lost" battle from my corrupted save. It had originally been a pitifully small rebel stack, so given that it had a rebel FM with it, I boosted it up to a nearly-full one by mimicking what was already there. Basically a load of levy hoplites, akontistai, some toxotai and a few hippeis. Not a stellar army in terms of quality, but big numbers. Made for a more interesting battle than it would have done, and I was desparate to do something.

I thought given I'd gone to the effort of capturing it, it was a story worth telling.