Sons of Seleukos - A Seleucid AAR (Yes, another one)

[Maion Maroneios]

nice! why do the basileus' brothers have to be drunkard

I cant wait to see the new feature

Well, it is well known that most hellenistic aristocrtats had a certain love for alcohol and women
Anyway, I'll start working on this new feature sometime soon so be patient!

[Lysimachos]

Anyway, I'll start working on this new feature sometime soon so be patient!

Wha? Not ready yet?

[Socy]

Chapter 1, part 1 – The fall of Side

The man scratches his long beard. His chest is bare, and he feels the gentle breeze caressing his torso. His name is Tasgetios.
”Well then, Galatian, what say you?”. The man in front of him is a long, thin man. If it wasn’t for his fine armour and the other armed men behind him Tasgetios would probably never had taken the man seriously.
”Tell me, what was your name again…”
”Attalos”. The Hellen replied.
”Yes, Attalos. Tell me, you want me and my soldiers to fight with you.. Against your own kind?”. Tasgetios hadn’t fully understood the Hellenic man yet.
”They are Hellens, yes, but they’re not my kind, as you express it.. We serve different kings”.
”Ah, I see! Now you’re starting to make sense. So you want to conquer this town, Side, in the name of your own king?
”That is correct”. The Hellenic man was growing impatient, evident from his way of speaking.
”What’s in it for me and my men?”.
”A large sum of money”, the man in front of Tasgetos said, a dry assertion.
”While my men and I do enjoy money, I’m afraid it wont be enough…”.
”And…Loot”. Tasgetios had been cut off mid-scentence.
”Loot? You’re going to pillage the town?”. Tasgetios was used to the hardness of life, but a Hellen looting a town consisting of Hellens? Times sure had changed.
”That is correct, Side will be looted once we’ve conquered it”.
”You’re a strange man, Attalos. Not only do you speak of looting a town that will become a future part of your kings possesions, but you also speak about victory with certainty in your voice”.
”By Hades, just give me an answer. Will you, or will you not join us in the fight?”. Attalos had lost his patience with this Barbarian. Tasgetios rubbed his chin for a while, pondering the offer.
”We will join you, Hellen. But we better be the first ones to pillage the town”.
”You will… You will”. The contempt in Attalos voice was clear, yet Tasgetios was content.
”Congratulations, Attalos, you’ve just recieved command of 2000 Galatians”. Tasgetios reached out his hand towards Attalos. He shaked hand with the Hellenic man. The deal was done, both buyer and supplier was content.

7 months later

”Strategos, Side is just behind that hill!”. The voice comes from one of the Galatians. With their lack of armour they are swifter than most of Attalos troops, and thus perfect scouts.
”The fools doesn’t even have a proper wall around the town! It’s ripe for the taking”, the young Galatian speaks with excitement in his voice. Clearly he knows what awaits him once Side has fallen. Attalos and his Somatophylakes rides to the top of the hill where they get a better view of the city. The town, clearly aware of their presence is almost completely silent. The only thing that can be even remotely heard is the barking of commands to the troops that are taking up defensive positions along the perimeters of the town. Attalos smiles. The only resistance he is going to face is poorly armed peasants. He looks back towards his own force. Nearly 4900 Phalangites, 1600 Peltastai and the 2000 Galatian mercenaries that he hired in northern Pamphylia. A small cavalry wing of some 450 Somatophylakes was also present, whom Attalos himself would lead into battle. He rides back towards his army and join their march towards the town. Its midday and before nightfall fortifications around the town must have been made.

2 weeks later

The citizens of Side are awakned by a loud trumpet-roar. Outside the city the troops that have been besieging their town are forming up into ranks. Obviously, the day when they will assault the city has come. The men that make up the defence of the city rallies at the town square. Their faces show feelings such as fear, anger and sadness. But most of all, it shows a broken spirit. They are facing troops with far better weapons and armour than themself. It is a grim situation.

Attalos rides behind the line of Phalangites. In front of them, the Peltastai are marching, and on the right flank, the Galatian mercenaries are keeping even steps with the rest of the battle-line. The defenders of Side are barricaded inside the town. Attalos doesn’t wish this to become a drawn out fight, nor does he wish to loose too many of his own men. The order to block of the exits to the town are made, and the forces split up. The Phalangites break off into two groups, one for each exit. The Galatians follow one of the groups, while the other one recieves the support of the Peltastai. Attalos joins the group with the Galatians, still unsure if he shall trust them fully. Everything is silent as the Seleukid army marches toward their positions. Then, suddenly, silence is broken. Movement is spurred inside the town of Side. The defenders, realizing the doom of being captured inside the city and fighting Phalangites in the city streets try to break out. The Phalangites are surprised and battle ensues. On Attalos side, the Phalangites haven’t been able to position themself in the streets yet, and have to fight out in the open.

The enemy, being poorly equipped, are unable to inflict any heavy casualties upon the Seleucid Phalangites. Attalos circles round the flank of the Phalangites and end up on their left side, where he smashes into the Ptolemaic forces. Meanwhile, the Galatians have charged the Ptolemaic right flank.

Seeing themself surrounded the Ptolemaic forces begin to rout, realizing defeat. On the other side of the town, the Phalangites have been able to place themself in the streets and have formed an impregnable wall of Sarrisas. Even here, the Ptolemaic forces tries to break out, but meet no success. Like animals they throw themself on the Phalangites Sarrisas.

But the Phalangite holds, killing all that assaults them.

The battle is going in Attalos favour, but the majority of Ptolemaic forces are still holed up inside the town-square. In an act of both bravery and foolishness, Attalos and his men ride towards the city-center, bent on getting the attention of Menelaos Salaminios. The plan works, and Menelaos pursues Attalos as he rides from one entrance to the city-square to another. Meanwhile, the Galatians have been circling the town, ending up near the exit towards where Attalos is heading.

Menelaos, unable to spot the trap that has been laid, pursues Attalos out from the town. Being greeted by a hail of javelins, Menelaos and his Somatophylakes are dumbstruck, unable to understand what just happened. Many of them are lying dead or wounded upon the ground. Utilizing the confusion caused amongst Menelaos Somatophylakes the Galatians charge against them, screaming.

Attalos and his Somatophylakes, having spun around in the open ground, turn around and charge the now static Somatophylakes of Menelaos. With their lances lowered, Menelaos Somatophylakes feels the full effect of their charge.

It doesn’t take long before they rout. Attalos swears, Menelaos made it out alive, but none of his bodyguards survived the slaughter. Runners are sent to the Phalangitai to move towards the town-square.

They encounter no resistance on the city streets. Having reached the town-square, some of the Ptolemaic forces makes a last desperate attempt to charge against the Phalangites once again. Standing firm, the Phalangites are able to repel the attackers.

Menelaos himself, and whats left of his personal cavalry, makes one last charge. It is their last, as all of them are killed by the Phalangites, pulled of their horses and slaughtered by the savage axes of the Phalangites.


With Menelaos dead, and most of the resistance severly weakened, Attalos orders one final charge. Fighting ensues in the town-square, with the Seleukid forces emerging as victors with few casualties.


While the more civilized troops under Attalos starts cheering, the Galatians rush of to plunder the city. The day is won, and the Galatians have honoured their part of the bargain. Attalos is pleased. Dismounting his horse, he removes his helm and brushes the sweat of his forehead. He notices that only one Galatian haven’t started looting the town. Tasgetios. With his arms crossed, he inspects the Seleucid troops, clearly making them nervous. Attalos aproaches him.
”The battle is won, plunder what you may as long as you can”. Attalos voice is firm.
”My men plunder for me, seeing as I’m there leader. I enjoy standing here watching this.. Magnificent host of yours. They fought bravely, you know, for being farmers”. The last scentence is filled both with sarcasm and admiration.
”Indeed. Know that this is but a fracture of the might of my kings empire”.
”Oh, it is? Say, would you care to tell me more about this, empire, of yours, Attalos?”. The large man suddenly gets a warmth in his voice. Attalos figures that having fought and emerged victorious he has gained the trust of this man, and with it, his men. Attalos shrugs.
”Another day, Tasgetios, another day”, Attalos says, not in the mood to engage in conversation with the barbarian. He starts walking towards the former house of Menelaos. Besides, he have other duties, such as to restore order to the town, and get it up and running again. As the adrenaline rush starts wearing off, he starts to feel pain in his body. He looks down upon his left arm and notices a large gash. He will have it seen to by a doctor later. The things I do for the Arche, he thinks, as he head towards the governors house.

[Socy]

The AAR isn't dead, but real life has taken over a bit, I'll update as often as I can, but seeing as my studies are resumed in the upcomming week, it might not be so often. Anyway, please comment about how you like the AAR. Not to sound whiny, but if nobody likes it, there's no point in continuing it (The story itself is played out in my head, writing an AAR is simply sharing it, in my opinion). Also, please comment on the screenshots, since I fear that to be my achilles-heel when it comes to AAR's.

[Maion Maroneios]

I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who are reading this and enjoying it, they just don't have the time to write. Good update anyway, I haven't had any time to cntact you personaly. The screenies are also very good, indeed practise makes perfect!

Maion

P.S.: The extra feature will be ready shortly, got some RL issues going on right now