Third Seleukid War, 214BC

Peace with the Seleukid empire was even shorter than the previous ceasefire; a mere five years before battle lines were drawn once more. Amantieus had a new policy of fortifying the pass through the Tauros mountains, with the men stationed there expected to hold long enough for the army to relieve them.

Patron Byllideus, left in command of the Pergamene army, responded to an attack on the fort. The Seleukid force outnumbered his own, but his veterans were confident of seeing the enemy off.



He set up on the edge of the forest, hiding some of his troops.



The skirmishers traded missiles for a time.



Then Byllides ordered the advance.



The right was attacked.



Looping around, Byllideus charged to the rear of the Seleukid left. Before his men got bogged down in melee, he pulled them out again.



The Seleukid line appeared to hesitate. Perhaps the trees were giving the pikemen trouble maneuvering.



Byllideus charged once more, shattering a group of Parthians.



He then routed the other flanking unit.



Working along the line, a native phalanx was next.



The enemy general, leading the cavalry, charged.



Some in the centre broke.



Soon a general rout was in progress.



Some regulars fought on for a time, the last remaining resistance.



But their stand was futile.



Editorial Note



That has to have been one of the most disappointing battles I've ever fought. It had all the makings of a decent fight, which was then ruined by the AI's total lack of anything resembling intelligence or even a basic grasp of tactics.

They started out alright, lining everyone up right. Then they broke up their phalanx line and marched individual units out to fight me peacemeal. What the hell? How hard is it to maintain a line, and march the whole thing as one?

Then to cap it all, their general suicide-charged my line about halfway through, getting routed and running away. Leaving their already poor morale because it was captain-led in the toilet.