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Perhaps I should sue for peace and give them a lot longer to build up their infrastruture, then?
Originally Posted by QuintusSertorius:
Perhaps I should sue for peace and give them a lot longer to build up their infrastruture, then?
That would also work, of course. Especially if in the meanwhile they could get peace with their other enemies.Perhaps I should sue for peace and give them a lot longer to build up their infrastruture, then?
The Seleukid War, 240-239BC
Lydia
There had been a brief cessation of hostilities in the war between Pergamon and the Seleukid empire, but it was temporary. No sooner had they a chance to resupply their forces, the Syrians attacked once more, this time laying siege to Sardis. Messaneos and his army had taken to the ships for an invasion of Syria itself, and it was left down to others to defend the homeland.
Gathering a newly-recruited force of levies and mercenaries, Nikostratos Megarikos forced the enemy to abandon the siege, and then offered battle outside the city. To his surprise they opted to fight.
The battle took place on the road, giving the Seleukid phalanxes level ground on which to maneuver.
Megarikos ordered the advance.
The enemy sent their pikes forward.
Hesitant about facing superior numbers, they began to withdraw.
The Pergamenes advanced to follow.
Many of the Seleukids escaped.
Megarikos had carried the day, although many Seleukids survived to fight another day.
Lydia
There had been a brief cessation of hostilities in the war between Pergamon and the Seleukid empire, but it was temporary. No sooner had they a chance to resupply their forces, the Syrians attacked once more, this time laying siege to Sardis. Messaneos and his army had taken to the ships for an invasion of Syria itself, and it was left down to others to defend the homeland.
Gathering a newly-recruited force of levies and mercenaries, Nikostratos Megarikos forced the enemy to abandon the siege, and then offered battle outside the city. To his surprise they opted to fight.
The battle took place on the road, giving the Seleukid phalanxes level ground on which to maneuver.
Megarikos ordered the advance.
The enemy sent their pikes forward.
Hesitant about facing superior numbers, they began to withdraw.
The Pergamenes advanced to follow.
Many of the Seleukids escaped.
Megarikos had carried the day, although many Seleukids survived to fight another day.
Kilikia
Later in the season, Megarikos was instructed to assist Pergamon's allies, vassals of Ptolemaic Egypt in Pamphylia by invading Kilikia. His activities on the border attracted the attention of the Seleukids stationed there. They were led by Seron Kadysios, an experienced general.
The Pergamenes held a commanding position cresting a hilltop. The Seleukids were forced to march uphill to meet them.
They suffered horribly from missile fire.
As they engaged, the enemy general charged the Pergamene line.
As he withdrew to charge again, Megarikos spurred ahead of the line and called out a personal challenge.
Kadysios and his bodyguard accepted, and the two bodies of cavalry clashed.
Megarikos tried to cut his way through to face Kadysios in personal combat.
Meanwhile the weaker elements of Kadysios' army began to flee.
Some of Megarikos' men watched, but knew better than to interfere in matters of honour. Their general would either win or die trying.
In the centre, resistance was beginning to weaken.
The generals fought on. Megarikos' bodyguard, more rested, began to get the measure of their heavier Seleukid counterparts.
Kadysios' regular pikemen were surrounded, yet grimly held on.
Kadysios' bodyguard were slain one by one, until only the man himself remained. To his credit, he didn't run.
His regulars continued to stand their ground.
Succumbing to his wounds, Kadysios died with his sword in his hand.
Megarikos' men cheered their brave general, who gave thanks to Athena.
Seeing their gallant general slain, the last Seleukids capitulated.
Megarikos had won not just a victory, but great personal honour too. He could now dedicate a special ceremony in honour of his slain foe and the boost to his personal reputation that would carry.
Editorial note
I was rather surprised at how well my general's bodyguard, who are much lighter armoured than their Seleukid counterparts, managed to survive that fight. I put it entirely down to the fact that they were fresher, and used their swords rather than those slow-to-use lances which the Seleukids never switched from. Pretty telling that I lost about ten in that unit, and they lost all 40.
Later in the season, Megarikos was instructed to assist Pergamon's allies, vassals of Ptolemaic Egypt in Pamphylia by invading Kilikia. His activities on the border attracted the attention of the Seleukids stationed there. They were led by Seron Kadysios, an experienced general.
The Pergamenes held a commanding position cresting a hilltop. The Seleukids were forced to march uphill to meet them.
They suffered horribly from missile fire.
As they engaged, the enemy general charged the Pergamene line.
As he withdrew to charge again, Megarikos spurred ahead of the line and called out a personal challenge.
Kadysios and his bodyguard accepted, and the two bodies of cavalry clashed.
Megarikos tried to cut his way through to face Kadysios in personal combat.
Meanwhile the weaker elements of Kadysios' army began to flee.
Some of Megarikos' men watched, but knew better than to interfere in matters of honour. Their general would either win or die trying.
In the centre, resistance was beginning to weaken.
The generals fought on. Megarikos' bodyguard, more rested, began to get the measure of their heavier Seleukid counterparts.
Kadysios' regular pikemen were surrounded, yet grimly held on.
Kadysios' bodyguard were slain one by one, until only the man himself remained. To his credit, he didn't run.
His regulars continued to stand their ground.
Succumbing to his wounds, Kadysios died with his sword in his hand.
Megarikos' men cheered their brave general, who gave thanks to Athena.
Seeing their gallant general slain, the last Seleukids capitulated.
Megarikos had won not just a victory, but great personal honour too. He could now dedicate a special ceremony in honour of his slain foe and the boost to his personal reputation that would carry.
Editorial note
I was rather surprised at how well my general's bodyguard, who are much lighter armoured than their Seleukid counterparts, managed to survive that fight. I put it entirely down to the fact that they were fresher, and used their swords rather than those slow-to-use lances which the Seleukids never switched from. Pretty telling that I lost about ten in that unit, and they lost all 40.
Syria
Alexanor Messaneos, together with his lieutenant Oulamos Larruos had landed in Syria in the summer of 239, but had marched first to Phoinike to gather supplies promised by their allies. It was autumn when the invasion of Syria began, and he stopped to build winter quarters on the river, using it to narrow the Seleukid's opportunities of attack.
He was somewhat surprised when they tried to force a river crossing twice.
He waited his army where he thought they would cross.
But it turned out the wily Seleukid commander had found a ford further upstream, and so Messaneos was forced to think on his feet to face the new direction of attack.
He wheeled his right and centre to face the threat.
As Sittakenes charged, Larruos took the cavalry around the fighting line.
He got stuck into the fighting.
The outflanking maneuver continued.
On the left, Larruous circled wide.
Weary Seleukids climbed up the bank only to find themselves in danger.
Sittakenes was wounded, but fought on.
Larruous charged in from the left flank.
Much of Sittakenes' bodyguard lay dead and his army was in disarray as they tried to fight back.
He was slain trying to rally them.
His army began to fragment.
The panic was total.
The crossing was quiet, but it was a horrific scene of carnage where men had been cut down by missile fire or been drowned.
Messaneos had his victory.
Editorial note
The stats don't really tell the story that I cocked up my initial layout, assuming where the road appeared to cross the river was the crossing. So I was too far to the right, which meant they came across on my much weaker flank, rather than in my prepared centre. Still their general acted like an idiot, and made it easy for my mistake not to be fatal.
The two units who suffered big casualties were those holding the left wing while the rest of the army hot-footed it around to take the enemy column in the flank. Those Thureophoroi held off their general most of the battle. The Anatolians fought a motley collection of enemies, including some elite Agema spearmen.
Alexanor Messaneos, together with his lieutenant Oulamos Larruos had landed in Syria in the summer of 239, but had marched first to Phoinike to gather supplies promised by their allies. It was autumn when the invasion of Syria began, and he stopped to build winter quarters on the river, using it to narrow the Seleukid's opportunities of attack.
He was somewhat surprised when they tried to force a river crossing twice.
He waited his army where he thought they would cross.
But it turned out the wily Seleukid commander had found a ford further upstream, and so Messaneos was forced to think on his feet to face the new direction of attack.
He wheeled his right and centre to face the threat.
As Sittakenes charged, Larruos took the cavalry around the fighting line.
He got stuck into the fighting.
The outflanking maneuver continued.
On the left, Larruous circled wide.
Weary Seleukids climbed up the bank only to find themselves in danger.
Sittakenes was wounded, but fought on.
Larruous charged in from the left flank.
Much of Sittakenes' bodyguard lay dead and his army was in disarray as they tried to fight back.
He was slain trying to rally them.
His army began to fragment.
The panic was total.
The crossing was quiet, but it was a horrific scene of carnage where men had been cut down by missile fire or been drowned.
Messaneos had his victory.
Editorial note
The stats don't really tell the story that I cocked up my initial layout, assuming where the road appeared to cross the river was the crossing. So I was too far to the right, which meant they came across on my much weaker flank, rather than in my prepared centre. Still their general acted like an idiot, and made it easy for my mistake not to be fatal.
The two units who suffered big casualties were those holding the left wing while the rest of the army hot-footed it around to take the enemy column in the flank. Those Thureophoroi held off their general most of the battle. The Anatolians fought a motley collection of enemies, including some elite Agema spearmen.
Syria
Messaneos had to defend the crossing once more from another direction, the garrison of Antiocheia marching out to avenge the death of their commander.
This time Messaneos knew where they would cross.
While some elites spearheaded the crossing, it wasn't much of a battle.
238BC:
Still fighting to be done in Syria, and even in Anatolia this turn. Although the break didn't last long, I did move some of their stacks to where they might combine against me. Shame they've done a poor job of merging them so far, if they'd combined the armies they used in Syria, it might have been a real battle. I tried not to exploit the crossing, sitting quite a way from it, but I still had numerical superiority.
I did do my first round of serious FD on the world a few turns ago. Baktria were going in silly directions, Pahlava weren't doing anything and those damned Armenians were tring to conquer the steppe again. Rome had taken Tolosa, and wasn't moving against Carthage in Sicily, so I sorted that. Sweboz are starting their regular explosion.
Messaneos had to defend the crossing once more from another direction, the garrison of Antiocheia marching out to avenge the death of their commander.
This time Messaneos knew where they would cross.
While some elites spearheaded the crossing, it wasn't much of a battle.
238BC:
Still fighting to be done in Syria, and even in Anatolia this turn. Although the break didn't last long, I did move some of their stacks to where they might combine against me. Shame they've done a poor job of merging them so far, if they'd combined the armies they used in Syria, it might have been a real battle. I tried not to exploit the crossing, sitting quite a way from it, but I still had numerical superiority.
I did do my first round of serious FD on the world a few turns ago. Baktria were going in silly directions, Pahlava weren't doing anything and those damned Armenians were tring to conquer the steppe again. Rome had taken Tolosa, and wasn't moving against Carthage in Sicily, so I sorted that. Sweboz are starting their regular explosion.
Excellent stuff, and much of it, which is how we like it. Especially the personal challenge there, that was awesome.
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