Lives: Alkyoneus Argeades (A Makedonian AAR)

[Africanvs]

Introduction

My
name is Alkyoneus Argeades. My father, Antigonos Argeades was a King the like of Phillip of Makedonia. How will history remember him? Will he be remebered as the great unifier, the man who united the Greeks, or will he be remembered as the great tyrant who ruled with the sword and the iron fist, enslaving the Greeks. I am the eldest son of Antigonus, and while I am an able soldier, I think my true gift to the world will be these memoirs. Here, I will tell the tale of Antigonos, and of Alkyoneus, and of the Argeades. Read this, and judge us fairly, for here I record the fates, the defeats, and the victories of this new Antigonid dynasty.

After
crushing a Gallic host, which had invaded Makedonia and Greece, Antigonus made himself rightful ruler of Makedonia. The following years were rife with bitter war between Makedonia and Epeiros, and our lands were raided continuously, and the tombs of our ancestors were looted by Gallic mercenaries. Makedonia was but a shell of her former self. No longer was she the Makedonia who's armies, under Phillip and Megos Alexandros, united Greeks under Makedonian rule and brought the Persians to their knees. No, at the time of the war with Pyrrhos, Makedonia was wounded; bled of both coin and men. It was at this time that my father was King. He knew we could not press our interests in Greece without losing Pella and the lands around it which we had held for many generations. He chose to abandon Greece, and march upon Pyrrhos in Makedonia. A descisive battle was fought in which Pyrrhos used elephants and elite heavy infantry against my father, as well as Gallic mecenaries. The men of Makedonia, fighting for their homes, could not be defeated, and my father was victorious. Pyrrhos' army was routed and driven into the mountains. My father wasted no time and followed up his victory with the siege of Ambrakia which fell to him in 270. Shortly after, my father completed his conquest of Epeiros, and met Pyrrhos one more time at the head of a large force near the border of Epeiros and Illyrica Hellenike. Pyrrhos' army was mostly fresh levies, and after a hard Thessalonian charge to Pyrrhos left, his line rolled up and his army was swept away. I arrived in time to see Pyrrhos struck down and decapitated by a Makedonian soldier. I carried his head to my father happily and I was rebuked. I hated my father that day, but I understand why he did it now. A King must show respect to a King.

My
father followed up his conquest of Epeiros by subdueing Dalmatia, and Pannonia Illyrica. I wondered why my father bled Makedonian manpower in Illyrica while our southern cities fell one by one to the Hellenic league of Sparta, Rhodos, and Athenai. First Korinthos, then Mytilene. My father was right however. Gold and silver from the mines in Illyrica and Dalmatia would fund ten years of Makedonian armies. With Illyrica and Dalmatia under control, my father moved south to regain Makedonian holdings in Greece. Korinthos fell back into Makedonian hands, then Mytilene was liberated. Following that he won a decsisive victory in the field and then layed Athenai under siege. Athenai fell, then Sparta, then Rhodos, and Kydonia. In five years my father had, against all odds, brought Greece, Makedonia, Epeiros, and Illyria under the rule of one King. My father did not allow the Greek city states to maintain their own governments, loyal to him as Hegemon as Phillip had. Instead he set them up as Makedonian Satrapies with Makedonian Satraps, and Makedonian garrisons. The next few years were peaceful. The city of Thermon joined my father's Kingdom as an allied state, and we fought some small skirmishes with barbarian tribes and roudy Illyrian rebels. My father built roads, ports, and sowed new fields. He tried to repair the damage done to the land from 10 years of warfare. He did something else during this time which was altogether unexpected. As a tribute to Greek society, my father praised Greek education and military training. He made it law that upon coming of age, all Makedonian men of royal blood were to attend the Spartan Agoge and then upon completion of their training, they were to receive a formal education in Athenai. My father had created a stable Kingdom. He ruled vast lands and those under his rule enjoyed trade as far east as India, and as far west as the pillars of Heracles. It was what was to happen next, however, that would change the course of Makedonian destiny forever with the arrival of a single messenger from Antiochos, King of Arche Seleukideia.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

**I am currently enjoying a Makedonia campaign, which I have decided to make into an AAR. My original AAR, Lives: Pvblivs Cornelivs Scipio (A Romani AAR), continues to be a work in progress and I will be adding to it as I work on this one. (My old PC took a dive and I have only recently returned to EB and these forums) This introduction includes the first several turns of my Mak campaign, and I believe now is when things will truly start to get interesting. I hope you all enjoy what I have planned. This AAR will be image heavy and I will use lightly role-played scenarios for dramatic effect, however everything that happens in the AAR will be exactly what happens in the game. Instead of trying to re-create a figure's life, as I did and am doing with Scipio Africanvs, I am going to let Alkyoneus' life lead where EB takes him. I will also be using the following house rules and difficulty settings-

VH/M Huge

Military house rules:

• Troops must be retrained/disbanded in the province from which they were recruited.
• An army can be in the field for as many years as the general has command stars or influence, whichever is higher, before it must return to it's home province.
• Any army on a major campaign must be commanded by the faction leader. (For example, if I invade another faction. Eleutheroi may be attacked by any general. Another general may lead an army in an opposing faction's province only if the faction leader is present in the same province or region to give him orders.)
• The faction leader may disband troops in a far away province for the purpose of settling that province only if the troops disbanded are native to Makedonia. Regional troops may not be settled in far off provinces.
• One Makedonian Army will typically consist of 4 units of Phalangites, one of which may be elite, 2 units of hoplitai/thureophoroi/peltastai/etc. to guard the flanks of the phalanx, one of which may be elite, 2 units of archers/slingers/skirmishers, 1 unit of heavy cavalry, and 1 general for a total of 10 units. This is ~1600 foot and 200 horse on huge unit sizes. If two such armies are combined it will be referred to as a Royal Makedonian Army. Troop composition may change depending on the region it is operating in. (For example, when fighting in the east, some phalangites would be sacrificed for more missle or mounted troops.)
• If caught in the field in the winter, an army must build a fort and make no movement in the winter season.
• No troops may travel without a general; ever.

Diplomatic house rules:

• When away on campaign, the faction leader must appoint two men to govern homeland provinces. The first man will be the regent and must be the homeland governor with the highest influence. The second man will be the commander of the homeland armies and must command the army in any battle near the homeland. This man must possess the highest command rating of homeland governors.
• If either of these men die while the faction leader is away, he must return (no matter what he is doing) to the capital to appoint a replacement. This is to prevent a pretender from taking the throne while the king is away.
• The faction heir must always be the eldest son of the faction leader, or if the faction leader has no sons, the eldest blood relative of the faction leader. If the faction leader has no blood relatives, a man may be appointed.
• No city without a governor may be taxed higher than normal.
• All new generals must attend first training in Sparte, then schooling for two years in Athenai.
• To simulate communication problems caused by distance in ancient times, any communication between two characters which occupy the same province happens in the same season, but if the two characters are in a different province, the news does not reach the other character until the next season. (For example if a spy spots an enemy army coming toward the faction leader, the faction leader may act on this information, only if the spy is in the same province. If the spy is in a different province, the faction leader is roleplayed to not yet have this knowledge, until the following season. This is the same for any two characters communicating.

[Hax]

I like this style, I'm looking forward to this AAR

Good luck.

[Maion Maroneios]

Good going, I'll be following this one closely.

Maion

[satalexton]

o_o

ALL HAIL MAKEDONIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Nice start, but please limit your picture size to 800 pixels for readability's sake.

[Rilder]

Signed Centurio, 1000 would work too.

[Africanvs]

Chapter I: An Unexpected Guest

The
spring of 260 marked the 12th year of my father's rule, and since the end of the war with the Greeks in 267, the Kingdom had enjoyed relative peace and prosperity with the exception of some minor rebellions in Illyria, and the occasional raid from the north by restless barbarian tribes. It was during this time that my father received a messenger from Antiochus, King of Arche Seleukideia.

Messenger: Hail King Antigonus, I bring you a message from King Antiochus of Arche Seleukideia.

Antigonus: Welcome, what does our noble ally in the east say to us?

Messenger: Antiochus has asked me to inform you that the Seleukid Kingdom is beset on all sides by those who would ravage her like crows in order to pick from her this piece or that. Antiochus campaigns in the distant east and has recently learned that the upstarts of Pontos have begun to wage war against him, and are attempting to seize Seleukid holdings in the west. This new threat seems to have allied itself with Egypt, and my King Antiochus wishes to assist Makedonian military aid against this new allegiance. He goes on to say that he is aware of your conquests and understands that you have control of the once independent Greek Polises. He feels it would interest you that Pontos has taken Sinope, a Greek colony along the southern coast of the Black Sea. My King has asked me to inform you that he will not dispute any holdings Makedonia claims in her war with Pontos, and offers this chest of 20,000 Mnai to cover the expense of the war effort.

Antigonus: Makedonia does not make allies lightly. You may inform your King that Makedonia will make preparations for war during the winter season, and come spring, we shall sail with an army to take measure of Pontic courage. We shall bring the sword, the sarissa, and the xyston to Pontos, and we will see what metal is in the hearts of such men who would feast as vultures upon the holdings of an ally.

Messenger: On behalf of Arche Seleukideia, and King Antiochos, I thank you for your loyalty King Antigonus. May Poseidon guard you at see, and Zeus upon the earth.

Antigonus: I could do nothing else but. Seek you a bed here for the night, and come the morrow I will send you by the swiftest road back to your king.

And so it went, as far as I can remember it. The following day the messenger left for Syria, and my father began to plan the invasion of Pontos. It was decided to march first to Byzantion, and take the city by storm if necessary. My father planned to use the strategically positioned city as a base for future operations. He planned to used the narrow straits to keep the Pontic naval forces from entering the Aegean, and disrupting the trade of Makedonia, and her allies. Once Byzantion was established as a base, my father's plan was to sail on to Sinope, and take it by surprise before Pontos knew what hit them. My father raised 20,000 foot and 4,000 cavalry for the expedition along with a fleet of Pentekontoroi. It was time.

In
the spring of 259, the army was assembled and ready to depart. Concluding his affairs in Makedonia, my father appointed his younger brother Kalos Commander and Chief of the homeland army, and his elder brother Krateros Regent. After paying homage to the Gods, we left Pella at the head of 24,000 men, and a war-chest of 40,000 Mnai for bribes, provision, and the hiring of mercenaries if need be. My father understood that it was money that won wars. The troops were eager for battle and fortune, and the march to Byzantion was not a long one. We arrived upon the people of Byzantion so suddenly, they had not even time to close their gates and prepare a defense. The city fell quickly with only a hand-full of Makedonians killed in the assault. Most of the people of the town fled to the citadel, and agreed to hand the town over to my father, if he swore to spare their lives. My father had lost neither time, nor many men in the assault, and he was in a fine mood. He agreed to the terms, and even allowed the former Governor of the city to rule as Satrap of the new Satrapy. Before departing Byzantion, my father sent word to Krateros, to build an expedient road from Pella to Byzantion. He knew he may need to get fresh levies quickly to Byzantion, in order to send them forth to the east. Finalizing our affairs in Byzantion, we set sail for Sinope, careful to keep land just out of sight, effectively hiding just beyond the horizon. It was the first time I had ever been at sea with such a fleet. The prows of the ships glistened in the sun, and the innumerable sails were full of wind. It was as if the Gods themselves had blessed our voyage.


Late
in the Summer of 259, we landed three days march west of Sinope. It took several days to unload all of our men, material, and horses from the ships. My father gave orders to the Admiral to take the fleet on to Sinope, and lay a blockade around the port. We began our three-day march to Sinope, setting a fortified camp each night. My father deployed scouts and agents throughout Pontos and the surrounding region and by the time we began to get close to Sinope, my father had learned that it was scarcely defended, yet Pontos had 40,000 men near Amaseia, and another 40,000 in Galatia, near Ankyra, which they had just taken. My father had no desire to have a Pontic army arrive behind him while he had Sinope under siege, therefore he decided to take the city by assault, and be safe within the walls before the Pontic armies could arrive. He knew that he could use his fleet to keep him supplied if he had to, this being the only port city Pontos possessed, and he also knew Winter was fast approaching.

The Siege of Sinope






As our army approached the gates, we could hear the cheers of Greeks within the walls, calling for liberation. The Makedonian battle standards were brilliant in the coastal breeze, and the soldiers, with the exception of the Gauls, maintained their disciplined composure.



The honor of the ram was given to the Gallic mercenaries, and true to their warrior culture, they bashed down the wooden gates and rushed inside, and my father ordered the hoplitai in behind them.



The Gauls encountered a group of levy spearmen and attacked them savagely.



The levies were no match for the Gallic warriors and fled toward the town center, the Gauls peppering them from behind with missiles.



Covering the advance of the hoplitai, the slingers slung over the walls blindly, causing a shower of
stones to fall upon the enemy troops, doing little damage, but causing discomfort.



The Gauls, having won the gate, retired to guard one of the approaching streets as the hoplitai flooded in.



Once inside, the hoplitai faced serious resistance in the form of a sarissa phalanx. Determined to break each other, the phalanxes locked together and began to push with shield and stab with spear. The phalangites had the more reach, but with every broken sarissa, the hoplitai came closer to victory.



The fighting went on brutally in the narrow streets, and while the phalangites fought bravely, they began to waver under the onslaught of the hoplitai.



The phalangites routed, the hoplitai stood aside, their part in the battle finished, and cheered the pezhetairoi as they marched into the city.



The city lost, and rather than face his fate at the hands of his master, the Pontic general charged to his death and was skewered upon Makedonian sarissas.



The last of the defenders fought courageously to hold the square, but they could do little against our phalangites.

The
battle was won and Greek citizens emerged from their homes by the thousands to cheer our army. My father and I entered the gates with our companions as Greeks showered us with flowers and grasped the hands of our Hetairoi as they rode by. My father met with the former governor of Sinope, a man named Leonidos, and named him Satrap of his new province. Due to the fact that Makedonia was Sinope's liberator, and the fact that Sinope needed the protection that the Makedonian Kingdom could offer, he was happy to agree and thanks my father for the honor to rule his people once more. It had been a good start to our campaign, and we had lost few men thus far, but with winter fast approaching it was time to make winter quarters. Little did we know at the time, that we would be fighting a great battle soon, in the newly fallen snow.

The known world, 259 B.C.

To be continued with Chapter II: The Death of a King......

[Africanvs]

One of my favorite parts of making AARs is preparing the pictures, but I compromised and all pictures (except for the very first one) will be less than 1000 pixels wide as requested.

[SwissBarbar]

GREAT!!!!!!! Where did you get this Mak_Ships pic from, did you paint it yourself or what ^^ awesome AAR$


Question: What about the pixels? In my AAR i always have 1024 pixels wide, which exactly fits into the EB-page...

[Dutchhoplite]

Looks like those ships are from "Troy".

[Africanvs]

GREAT!!!!!!! Where did you get this Mak_Ships pic from, did you paint it yourself or what ^^ awesome AAR$


Question: What about the pixels? In my AAR i always have 1024 pixels wide, which exactly fits into the EB-page...

Hey glad you like it. :) The picture of the ships is, I believe, from an old movie. Maybe the original Troy if there was one. It sort of reminded me of Achilles ship way out in front of the pack, but it can't be from the new movie because the ship in that one had a black sail. I doctored the picture up in photoshop to look like a painting. As far as the pixel size, I don't know, there was a request to keep the pictures under 1000 pixels for readability. I'm sure it depends on the size of your monitor though, I have a 17" laptop so I can fit a lot on the screen width wise.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Interesting. Very nice pictures.

[Maion Maroneios]

Beautiful! Keep this up, for if you don't, I'll unleash the wrath of my pink bunnies upon you!

Maion

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Yeah, it's nice. I have a 19" monitor with 1024 resolution. If the pictures would be bigger than 1024, I'd had to scroll from left to right every single line, that's why I restrain from reading then.

P.S. Of course my monitor could handle greater resolution, but I like the text the size it is (also it saves speed in EB).

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Dude what kind of graphics card u got? If i tried to make mine do that it would commit suicide!!!!!!!

[Africanvs]

Chapter II: The Death of a King

Autumn
passed quickly and before we knew it the chill north wind from across the sea was upon us. The city of Sinope was located upon an isthmus between the mainland and a peninsula, and acted as a buffer between the sea and the quiet harbor. This kept our fleet well protected from the weather, but in order to avoid disease from over-crowding and to defend the southern approaches to the town, my father built a well fortified camp south of Sinope between the base of part of the Anatolian mountains, and the river Halys, site of the famous Battle of the Eclipse. My father kept reconnaissance parties out daily both to keep him informed of enemy movements, and to protect the foraging parties out gathering food and wood for the fires. I awoke one morning and after preparing myself, I emerged from my tent to see the ground blanketed in fresh snow. The air was bitter cold and as I looked out over the white landscape I saw a single rider coming as if the wrath of Ares was on his heels.

Rider: My prince, my prince- I have dire news!

Alkyoneus: Slow down man and speak plain; keep your voice down before you set the whole camp in a panic.

Rider: Yes my Lord, we have spotted the advance guard of a Pontic host. The column went on as far as we could see, we think 40,000 foot at least. They make for the bridge over the river Halys!

Alkyoneus: Very well, return to your unit and continue to observe the enemy. Send riders to speed any word.

Rider: Yes my Lord Alkyoneus. Hyah!

With
that, the rider sped from camp toward the approaching Pontic army and I went first to my father's tent to inform him of the reports. My father commanded his generals Athenagoras, Aristarchos, and Laandros to be sure the army was well fed, and to make whatever preparations to protect them against the cold. In one hour's time he wanted them in column and ready to march. My father's plan was to move quickly with hopes of cutting off the enemy advance at the bridge, and thus deny them the crossing. All preparations made, the march began. A small force was left behind to defend the camp and the rest of the army marched in column along the bank of the river toward the bridge crossing. The wind from the north mingled with the icy chill coming off the river to create a painfully slow march. Many men, unaccustomed to the cold weather, fell back and part of the army became separated from the van. Several times my father had to slow or stop the march altogether in order to keep his army intact. My father knew after several reports of the enemy's advance, that he would never manage to reach the bridge in time to stop them. Therefore, he picked a field with level ground, perfect for his phalanx and cavalry. We were about to fight our own battle of Halys.

The Battle of Halys Plain






Having formed his army into battle formation, my father sat upon his mount behind the Makedonian center, watching as the vast Pontic host crested a low hill and began its advance. The phalanx was commanded by Athenagoras on the left, Aristarchos in the center, and Laandros on the right. I was placed in command of my father's cavalry, among them my own loyal Hetairoi, and 1000 Thessalonians.



The army was bewildered by the sheer size of the Pontic force, more than twice the size of our own, yet, the commanders of the phalanx motivated their men with words of encouragement. "They have brought more men to the fight it seems, but the quality is on our side! Cover with your shield, and strike hard with your Sarissa! Soon we will be sitting beside warm fires in camp telling stories of our great victory this day! Hold your ground Makedonians! Bend but do not break! It is our turn to make history!"



As the enemy drew closer, we could see that they were mostly light infantry armed with short spears and wicker shields. They charged as a mass of men haphazardly against our lines.



Attempting to overwhelm our right, the enemy General Oxathres personally led a fierce charge of both infantry and cavalry against it. Laandros did well to hold back the enormous mass of men and beasts, struggling to protect the vulnerable flank of the phalanx.



Meanwhile, on the other flank, another large force of cavalry and men smashed into our left. Much as on the right, Athenagoras used his hoplites to push and counter the light armed Pontic troops. Hundreds fell before Makedonian spears and others were trampled.



The mass of Pontic men and horses was so thick, it was impossible for our peltastai to miss their marks as they let their javelins fly into the enemy flanks and rear.



Seeing my opportunity to turn the tide on the left, I rallied the cavalry and wheeled around the exposed flank and rear of the enemy. The Pontic right was shattered as our charge hit home, killing many with our xystons and trampling hundreds more under hoof.



The hoplites gave chase, driving the enemy from the field and butchering many from behind as they ran. Meanwhile, I led the cavalry across the field toward the Makedonian right, rolling up the enemy line as we went.



It wasn't know when or where Oxathes' body fell, but it was never found. The number of Pontic dead was so great that they completely covered the ground underfoot, and men and horses had difficulty traversing the plain. Nevertheless, we rode down the enemy as they fled. The men of Thessaly once again proving their great worth.



What few pockets of resistance remained were quickly driven to flight as my father ordered the advance of the phalanx.



What enemy were left on the field threw down their weapons and shields and fled as fast as they could toward the trees, hoping to escape their deaths.



The battle was a total success. The Pontic dead numbered over 30,000 with another 10,000 captured. In the entire battle, we lost only 1000 men, most of them from the ranks of the hoplites who took the brunt of the attack. After the battle my father called an assembly and saluted his army for their victory.

After
the battle, we returned to winter quarters and the rest of the winter passed uneventfully. With the spring and the start of a new campaigning season, my father decided to march on Ankyra to deny Pontos access to Gallic mercenaries. Near the border of Galatia, we destroyed another Pontic army led by Nothos which had come from Amaseia and cut off our advance. Like before, Makedonian casualties were insignificant. It was fast becoming apparent that the soldiers Pontos was sending against us were simply no match for our heavy infantry. The destruction of these two Pontic armies left the road to the Pontic capital of Amaseia wide open where my father planned to force the Pontic King to terms, effectively ending the war. Before we crossed into Pontika however, my father received word from Makedonia. His brother and Regent Krateros was dead. Krateros was an old man of 68 when he died peacefully in Athens, but his death had caused political instability in Makedonia and Antigonus had no choice but to halt his campaign and return to Pella with Pontos in his grasp. We marched back to Sinope and after making due sacrifice to the Gods and vowing to return and finish his campaign, my father placed the army in my command with orders to defend Paphlagonia, but make no move into Pontic territory, and left immediately by ship for Pella.

During
this time, several other things were happening. A large rebellion in Illyria was crushed by Arathusos, my son Perseus came of age and entered the Agoge, and the road from Pella to Byzantion was completed. While my father was away I kept Pontos busy in Galatia by bribing various Gallic tribes to rebel against their new masters. I had agents reporting from within the Pontic capital, and even managed to buy a few high-ranking officials in the Pontic army. In spring of 257 I destroyed a small Pontic host which was attempting to devastate some fields in Paphlagonia and it was a long time before I saw any sign of Pontic troops afterwords. In the summer of 257, my father arrived in Pella and appointed Aristarchos Oloossos Regent. My father raised fresh levies and hired mercenaries archers and slingers from Kretikoi and Rhodos to bolster our forces in Paphlagonia. In the Autumn, he marched at the head of 22,000 men down the new road to Byzantion. The Autumn was bitter cold and my father fell ill on the march. He died in his tent within sight of the walls of Byzantion and would never complete his conquest of Pontos. He was 66.

The
new Regent declared me rightful King and heir of Antigonus, and sent my father's army under the command of Alexandros Argeades to winter in Byzantion, and ready to set sail for Sinope in the spring. During the winter a Pontic army broke through my defenses and due to the fact that most of my army was out foraging, I was forced to fall back into Sinope. Pontos put the city under siege and we could get no word from the outside. The seas were too rough to send a ship therefore we were effectively cut off. It would be spring before I knew the fate of my father, but although things had turned against Makedonia, the following year would see the new King of Makedonia fulfill his father's vow.

The known world, 257 B.C.

To be continued with Chapter III: The Broken Crescent......

[Africanvs]

Dude what kind of graphics card u got? If i tried to make mine do that it would commit suicide!!!!!!!

This laptop has 2x 8600m gt. It seems to handle EB well, but other games it has problems with. I think the real problem is usually vista compatibility though.

Thanks everyone for the compliments, I hope you enjoy chapter 2. I thought it would be cool to add another little touch to the AAR. The first time I mention certain new places, important events, or people in the AAR, it will be in the form of a link to the associated wiki page where you can read more about them. Yeah it's wiki so don't trust everything you read there, but I think it will help us live up to the EB EULA.

[I of the Storm]

That is really great! Your screens are amazing, the narrative is very good and the wiki links are very convenient. Keep it up!

[Africanvs]

Chapter III: The Broken Crescent

The
winter was a hard one. Besieged within Sinope, we could not go out for wood for the hearth fires. Many fell ill and died and as tempers flared, several of my soldiers began to brawl with the people of Sinope. Citizens of the city were badly beaten and at times killed in these brawls. I was forced to make an example of the worst of the offenders by having them publicly executed. This did little for the army's morale but had the desired effect. We had little want of food and water due to the large stores of grain within the city, and the ability to send out fishing boats when the seas were fair. For heat we burned furniture and when there was no more, I pulled into dry-dock and dismantled three of my ships. All was going well considering the circumstances until disease struck the city. I do not know to this day where the foul pestilence came from, but the over-crowding within the city was likely the major cause. The plague took one quarter of my soldiers and one third of the people of the city. Not even I was safe from its effects. I fell ill but did not die. As the winter neared its end, the siege became more endurable. In the spring, Alexandros arrived at the head of 22,000 men and unable to maintain the siege and fight Alexandros, the besiegers were compelled to withdraw west down the coast. The siege was broken and as Alexandros approached the gates with his bodyguard I knew something was amiss. Where was my father? I embraced my cousin and thanked him for delivering me from the siege. At that time he told me of the death of my father, and hailed me as King. We set immediately to work resupplying the city and after combining our forces, made a fortified camp to the west of Sinope to separate the army and the populace. That evening I summoned my officers to my tent.

Alkyoneus: It has been a long hard siege men, but it is over. Alexandros has come not only with fresh troops but with tidings. My father is dead and I am King. No one grieves more than I but there will be time to lament his passing. My father conducted warfare the Makedonian way, discussing in council with his officers as equals. I shall do the same. All of you have fought beside me and all know my quality. Aristarchos, I would hear from you first.

Aristarchos: I grieve with you my King, Antigonus was as a father to me. I know what I have to say will not be popular but I feel I must. The morale of the army is low after being besieged these long and miserable months, and the fresh troops that Alexandros has brought were meant to reinforce our current army. They are mostly archers and slingers with few heavy infantry and cavalry. Perhaps it would be best if we were to return to Makedonia, gather a fresh army and return next year.

Athenagoras: Have you run mad? You would return with your tail between your legs, bested by a Pontos that has yet to defeat us in battle? Even now at this turn of the tide when we stand at the head of 40,000 Makedonians in arms, 22,000 of them fresh off the boat from Pella? Why they might be Makedonian boys with sticks! I would sooner lead them against these Pontic swine and die fighting before returning home twice dishonored, a failure and a coward! I say we sharpen our swords before we set our sails my King.

Laandros: I for one, my King, am with Athenagoras on this one. If I return home now, things as they are, my wife would surely set to nagging me. There would be no end to it. I vote to return home victorious, or not at all.

Alkyoneus: What say you cousin?

Alexandros: I say I didn't sail all of this way for no purpose my King.

Alkyoneus: Indeed, we cannot go home yet. How many Pontic armies have we destroyed, even when eclipsed by her numbers? We have behind us a strong army, and come morning we shall assemble them where I will address them as their King. Following that, we shall march on Amaseia, cut the heart from Pontos, and then turn west and destroy her army in the field. By Autumn, the Gods willing, we will be in Ankyra and this campaign will be at an end. Only then, will we sail home.

The
following morning I spoke to the army for the first time as their King. I told them of the death of my father and reminded them of his sacred vow. My father was a great man, loved and respected by all, and the men, although they had heard the rumor, did not believe it until it fell from my lips. They were eager to begin the campaign anew, and those who had suffered in Sinope, through the long and difficult siege, were ready to seek vengeance for their misery. Leaving a garrison of 10,000 men in Sinope to protect our supply line, we crossed the Halys and the Pontic mountains. This move was obviously not expected by our enemy, for we met no resistance on our march and after two weeks we arrived at Amaseia and the siege began.

The Pontic Mountains


The Siege of Amaseia






Having constructed two large towers, my men approached the walls of the city.



The Gallic mercenaries were the first over the walls.



Meeting little resistance on the walls, the men quickly opened the gates and I ordered more troops forward.



The men rushed through the city streets. All was dead quiet.



Leading the men around a corner, Athenagoras ran straight into enemy cavalry.



The sounds of dying men and horses rang through the narrow streets as the enemy general rallied his men.



Proving their bravery once again, Athenagoras, Aristarchos, and Laandros inspired the men as they hacked at the enemy from the forefront of the battle.



Having dispatched the enemy cavalry, the men pushed into the square where they met the Pontic heavy infantry. These men were well-equipped and disciplined.



The enemy general, brave though he was, was struck down in the fray.



The enemy was wavering, and with the arrival of myself and my hetairoi, the battle was over.

The
siege was a success but I had lost near 4,000 men in the fighting, most of them hoplitai. The city was mostly deserted, the refugees having fled to surrounding towns and villages. The army had been long in a hard school and so for three days, I put the city to the sack allowing the soldiers to take spoils in the form of slaves and loot. The Pontic treasury was seized along with several hostages and members of the royal family. Having received reports of an enemy army approaching from the west, I left Alexandros with 5,000 men to govern and secure the city, and with the rest of the army I marched to meet the enemy in the field. As we neared the enemy army, my scouts reported that it was led by the Pontic King, Ariobarzanes Kianos, and that he was accompanied by two sons of the Pontic royal family. This was my chance to bring Pontos to her knees.

The Battle of Soldier's Hill








At the beginning of the battle, I hid my cavalry in the trees on my flanks.



From the center, I watched as the enemy army crested the hill.



The enemy force was composed of Gallic mercenaries, medium infantry in the form of levy hoplitai, and a large force of cavalry, many of the the heavy bodyguard of the Pontic King and princes.



The battle began as my cavalry met the enemy in the thick woods.



The enemy prince Mithradates led the charge hard against my left flank and almost shattered it with the force of his cavalry and infantry. It was everything Aristarchos could do to simply keep his men from routing.



The same was happening on the right, this charge led by the Pontic King himself. Rallying my hetairoi, I charged the enemy King, determined to kill him.



The battle raged on and while we struck down many of the enemy King's guard, he was able to turn and flee for his life, abandoning his men on the field of battle. Coward.



My men fought hard all over the field, no longer having any semblance of a line.



As the fragmented enemy routed, my cavalry, including Sarmatian mercenaries, rode down many of the fleeing enemy and killed them.



This battle was the bloodiest we had yet fought in this campaign and left 9,000 Makedonians dead and Aristarchos severely wounded. Of the enemy, 15,000 were killed along with both princes. Their father, lacking their courage, managed to escape.

My
army was severely crippled in the last battle and I knew I could not fight another like it. I had to catch Ariobarzanes before he mustered another force. Placing Laandros in command of the army, I ordered him to march for Ankyra, hiring all the mercenaries he could along the way. I took the majority of the cavalry and followed in pursuit of the Pontic King. After three days and night's pursuit, we caught him at the head of a small force he had assembled at the top of a plateau overlooking a river valley. Wasting no time, I ordered the attack.

The Chase Ends






My hetairoi charged into Ariobarzanes bodyguard. The fighting was violent but brief.



Soon the enemy King was fleeing again for his life, but he would not escape this time. Encircling him, we relieved him of his mount and took him as prisoner.





Crushing the small band of mercenaries Ariobarzanes had assembled proved easy. The Sarmatians chased the rest of the men down and dispatched them.



Having captured the King and killed his pitiful band, we took a moment to enjoy the view of our new land from the plateau.

The
capture of Ariobarzanes was a great relief, and all of my scouts reported that the last pocket of Pontic resistance lay in Ankyra. Three days ride brought me to Laandros who had already begun the siege of Ankyra. As ordered he had bolstered the force of the army with Gallic mercenaries. The Gauls were happy to fight for me, hoping to exact revenge upon Pontos for their conquest of Galatia. In the Autumn of 255, we assaulted the city.

Assault on Ankyra

With
the fall of Ankyra, Pontos was broken as my father had vowed. Makedonian arms had proved superior, I had added two new Satrapies to the kingdom, and turning over the Pontic King to Arche Seleukideia, I solidified my alliance with King Antiochus. I gave the city of Ankyra to the King of the strongest Galatian tribe under the condition that he would provide annual tribute and soldiers to me at need and in that way established them as an allied state. Every Makedonian had earned the right to return home a hero, and I set to work organizing the army for the return trip. All was well but soon events would turn again and present me with an impossible dilemma.

The known world, 255 B.C.

To be continued with Chapter IV: Unwelcome Alliance......

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Africanus, it's simply amazing what you can do with pictures. Their motif is often powerful, and together with your stunning light effects they become almost a piece of art. The only critique would be that you should turn off your banners. Also, why is your general often shown as captain?

[Africanvs]

Africanus, it's simply amazing what you can do with pictures. Their motif is often powerful, and together with your stunning light effects they become almost a piece of art. The only critique would be that you should turn off your banners. Also, why is your general often shown as captain?

Thanks Centurio. :) I have thought about turning off the banners several times, and I think I might just do that. The reason the general is a captain in some of the earlier pictures is because the screen capture program I was using took 80 pictures of my desktop for the first bits of the campaign and I had to replay them using custom battles. Unless you're talking about the officers on foot. Those represent Alkyoneus' officers Athenagoras, Aristarchos, and Laandros who are not actual family members, but role-played characters. Thanks for the comments! I'm enjoying your AAR as well.

[SwissBarbar]

Awesome AAR! Have you coloured the Hay in Pontos-Colour?

[Africanvs]

Awesome AAR! Have you coloured the Hay in Pontos-Colour?

Thanks, and yeah I played a campaign as Pontos and didn't like their color so I changed it and just never changed it back.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Unless you're talking about the officers on foot. Those represent Alkyoneus' officers Athenagoras, Aristarchos, and Laandros who are not actual family members, but role-played characters. Thanks for the comments! I'm enjoying your AAR as well.

No, I already figured that these three were your three trusted officers. This is particularly one of the most powerful shots.

[Africanvs]

Chapter IV: Unwelcome Alliance

In
251 there was peace in my lands with the exception of a small rebellion in Galatia. Alexandros, whom I left to govern the new eastern Satrapies, allowed a minor Gallic King named Zeuxis to put down the rebellion and then appointed him as Satrap of Galatia. I enjoyed my time in Makedonia as much as I could but I was not idle. I formed my veteran pezhetaroi who had distinguished themselves in the Pontic wars into an elite unit of Argyraspidai, commanded by my bravest officer and friend, Athenagoras. My distinguished veterans who were also sons of nobles, I formed into a unit known as the Hypaspistai, commanded by my trusted officer Laandros which had the honor of protecting the right flank of the phalanx. As a reward to the third of my most trusted officers, Aristarchos, I gave the command of my personal bodyguard of Hetairoi. In my absence during the Pontic wars, my Regent Oloosos had done well. Many building projects had been completed and combined with the loot brought back from Pontos, the treasury was growing respectable. I decided that it was time I had a professional army in the field at all times to react to any threats or attacks on my lands. I thus raised 7,200 pezhetairoi, 2,000 cavalry (many of them veterans), and another 8,000 foot (including archers, and other infantry) and combined all of this with my elite corp of 4,000 Argyraspidai and Hypaspistai, to form a standing army of around 21,200 men. This army would form the core of my force and could be bolstered by auxiliary forces raised from my allies or subject kingdoms if need be.


The
year 250 was not a good year for Makedonia for two reasons. Firstly, a poor harvest coupled with pirates in the Aegean preying on grain ships out of the Bosphorous caused a general famine in my lands. In order to combat this, I sent delegations to Carthage, Syracuse, and Alexandria to purchase grain. Carthage and Syracuse were helpful but the Ptolemies refused to aid an ally of their Seleukid enemy. This I would not forget. Additionally, I built a navy and sent my son Perseus after the pirates. When he returned at the end of the summer, he reported the destruction of many pirates, and for the moment, the matter was under control. I appointed two admirals, each with a fleet to patrol the Aegean and the Adriatic in order to keep the pirates at bay as much as possible. Secondly, our ally Antiochus was dead, killed in battle in the east against the Parthians. His son Seleucus never agreed with his father's decision to allow my father to keep all lands taken in the Pontic wars, and faithless as he was, made alliance with the Getai barbarians of the north and laid siege to my eastern city of Amaseia, trapping Alexandros inside the walls. I immediately appointed Oloossos Regent, and Kalos Strategos and bade him raise an army to protect the homeland from a possible assault by the Getai. With my army, I prepared to sail for Asia Minor and in the Spring of 249 I landed with 22,000 men at the port of my new ally Pergamon where I was met by a messenger from Alexandros bringing tidings of the defense of Amaseia.

The Defense of Amaseia






The Seleukids approached the walls with well prepared siege equipment such as a ram, a tower, and ladders. Alexandros was prepared however, and had garrisoned a sizable force within the city before the siege came. He had thousands of infantry and a sizable detachment of archers from Kretikoi. Putting their arrows to flame, they showered the approaching ram with fiery darts.



Soon it caught fire and burned to the ground, leaving behind a useless pile of ash and debris.



The enemy infantry approached the walls but their ladders provided no cover, leaving them prey for arrows and missiles from the walls.



Even under the onslaught of missile fire, they managed to reach the walls and began to climb, but they would only face hoplitai spears once they reached the top.



Seeing the assault wavering, Alexandros had the gates opened and led a sally of cavalry and infantry from within the city. The enemy general was unprepared for this and fled in terror from Alexandros.



The Makedonian infantry swarmed around the base of the enemy ladders taking the Seleukids completely by surprise. They butchered the enemy from below while the hoplitai on the walls butchered them from above. They had nowhere to go and were annihilated.



The enemy soldiers who yet lived were pursued and killed by Alexandros. No quarter for traitors.



The siege was over and Alexandros had lost only a few men. The scattered remnants of the Seleukid effort laid in pieces across the field.



The city yet stood as Alexandros' eastern-most stronghold.

The
successful defense of Amaseia allowed me to campaign in Western Asia Minor, and I began by marching on Ipsos. Not long after I crossed the border of Pergamon and entered Seleukid territory, I was met in the field by a Seleukid army 14,000 strong led by Byttakos Eukairos. The rocky terrain was unfit for my cavalry so I maneuvered for seven days and finding ground fit for a confrontation, I built a fortified camp and sent out a portion of my cavalry to scout the enemy army. There was a small cavalry engagement, but my forces caused the enemy to withdraw and the next evening, I could see that Byttakos had constructed a camp within sight of my own. My officers reported that my army was eager to fight. I roused the men early and allowed them to eat and sharpen their weapons. After giving sacrifice to the gods, I assembled the army in battle array between my own and the enemy camp and offered battle.

The Battle of Ipsos






I formed my line with Athenagoras and his Argyraspidai on the left, the pezhetairoi on the right and in the center. Protecting the right were the Thureophoroi, and the left, my Mercenary Hoplitai. I held the Hypaspistai and Agrianians in reserve and commanded from the center. Behind my battle line were my archers.



My son Perseus commanded the cavalry on the right. With him were the veteran corp of Thessalonians and Makedonians, along with his own Hetairoi.



As the Seleukids drew near, I could see that their center was composed of medium phalangites, and they had elite phalangites on both flanks. They had no cavalry but Byttakos' own companions. I ordered my men forward to meet them.



On the right, my men held their ground well and as my Thureophoroi harassed the enemy's elite phalanx, they caused them to begin to lose cohesion.



Attempting to flank my Argyraspidai on the left, Byttakos led his cavalry around my flank, but my Hoplitai recognized the immanent charge and met them with spears.



Byttakos was compelled to withdraw and seeing the danger to his left he led his cavalry to the other side of my line where he was met by Perseus' superior force and killed along with all of his bodyguard.



Having driven off the enemy cavalry, the Hoplitai found themselves behind the Seleukid right. Wasting no time, they fell upon the rear of the elite phalangites and broke them between their phalanx and the sarrissas of Athenagoras' Argyraspidai.



After the death of their General and tired of the deadly javelins attacking their flanks, the elite phalangites on the Seleukid left lifted their sarrissas and fled the field. Instead of chasing the fleeing phalangites, they fell upon the rear of the Seleukid center and destroyed them.



Satisfied that the battle was won, I ordered my men forward to break any remaining resistance and set the remaining enemy to flight.

The
battle went extremely well and all but 700 of the enemy were killed or captured. Even still, the fighting on the flanks and center was bloody and I lost nearly 5,000 men. I sent envoys on ahead to Ipsos to inform them that I was victorious, and to offer friendly terms to the city if they would be willing to surrender the city peacefully. Of the six men I sent, only three returned with the tale that they had been chased from the city by the people and struck with sticks, stones, and all manner of things by the populace. Three of the men had been caught and murdered, and their bodies hung from the city walls. Those men were noble and learned citizens of Makedonia and I felt a fury in me which I had not felt before. To murder an envoy was a sign of barbarism, and a slap in the face of the gods. In the Autumn of 249 I took Ipsos by assault and demanded the heads of those responsible for the death and misuse of my men. When none came forward, I ordered the death of every male citizen and the women and children I enslaved. For each dead envoy I gave the men one day to put the town to the sack. To each infantryman I gave 300 pieces of silver, and to each cavalryman, 500. Some may call my actions cruel, but I had sent a message to all who would defy Makedonia and seek to remain allied to Arche Seleukeia. I left 5,000 men to garrison the city and appointed Perseus governor. I marched immediately south to subdue Sardis in order to gain a port from which I could receive resupply from Makedonia.

In
the Spring of 248 I prepared to break winter camp and besiege Sardis. Before I could do so, I received two messengers in the same day. The first was a messenger from Perseus, informing me of a Seleukid army 16,000 strong six day's march from Ipsos. The second was a diplomat from Arche Seleukeia.

Messenger: Hail to you King Alkyoneus of Makedonia, I bring word from the mighty Seleucus, King of Arche Seleukeia.

Alkyoneus: Speak then.

Messenger: Seleucus has commanded me to express his sorrow over the death of your noble father, and to ask that in the interests of friendship between your two kingdoms, that you quit this war and cede the cities of Ipsos, and Amaseia to Seleukid rule. Ankyra and Sinope, Seleucus allows Makedonia to keep in the interests of peace. If this arrangement can not be made, Seleucus will bring the full might of his great empire against you.

Alkyoneus: I thank your King for his sorrow, yet it comes late indeed. My father has been dead for years now. I too lament the death of Antiochus, for he was a great man. I am happy however, that he died before he could see his son Seleucus become the faithless worm that he is. It is known to me that his empire is not the power that it once was. From all sides, his neighbors are laying claim to lands once part of his domain, and his cities in the west shall fall like so many leaves before I am finished. Had your King remained true to our lasting alliance, he would have had a friend in Makedonia against the Ptolemies or whoever, yet he chose to thrust the dagger into my back. You tell your King that I refuse his terms, and tell him to bring whatever power he has left against me. It shall not be enough to save him, or his crumbling empire.

Messenger: [The messenger bows low] I shall tell him King Alkyoneus. Zeus be with you.

Alkyoneus: Hermes guide you on your way.

Once
the messenger was out of sight, I assembled the army and marched immediately toward Ipsos. My plan was to march well south of the city and come up from behind them. I sent scouts forward to make contact and feed me reports of the enemy movements. Late in the Spring of 248, as I was crossing a rocky defile, I was surprised to see the enemy in battle array before me. I had been outmaneuvered by Tlepolemos, the Seleukid commander. I had no choice but to draw up my line in the rocky terrain and hold my ground.

The Battle of Ipsos Valley






On my left I hid my cavalry in the trees. Seeing Tlepolemos attempting to make his way around a hill on my rear in order to surprise me, my cavalry fell upon him in ambush and destroyed him and his bodyguard.



In the center, my men met the approaching phalanx.



On the right, my Mercenaries sprung from the grass and drove off the flanking enemy.



The medium phalanx, unsupported by the Seleukid cavalry soon broke and fled in the face of my veteran Argyraspidai.



My hoplitai protected the approach from the rocky valley on the left, from which no attack ever came.



The enemy tried one last attack upon my left flank, but were easily driven off by the Gallic mercenaries and slaughtered.



I ordered my Hetairoi forward and drove the rest of the Seleukid army from the field.



The battle was won, and the field was scattered with the bodies of men and horses.

The
enemy had a fine army, but the strategy was ill-conceived, and although I had been outmaneuvered, Tlepolemos proved no match for my army. Having dispatched the enemy, I sent word to Alexandros to raid the lands around Mazaka from Amaseia in order to keep the Seleukids occupied in the east, while I completed the conquest of the west. My army had been successful thus far, but the battles had chipped away at my forces and I knew that soon, I would need to return to Makedonia to reinforce the army. It was imperative that I take Sardis before the end of the year, to secure a port and so in the Summer of 248, I laid siege to the city after hiring new mercenaries.

The Siege of Sardis






The garrison of Sardis was small, but it was commanded by Sarpedon Syriakos, an able commander and member o the Seleukid royal family.



Eager to avoid unnecessary casualties to my army, I sent my mercenary Hoplitai, Karians, and Gauls in first.



A detachment of Hoplitai manned the ram.



The barbarian troops formed up outside the walls, awaiting the destruction of the gate, made an imposing sight.



As the gates came down, my mercenaries rushed fearlessly through the gates, hungry for blood.



Sarpedon fought furiously for a while at the forefront of the battle but he was quickly overwhelmed and struck down for all of his men to see.



The immense number of men proved too much for the small but elite garrison, and they soon broke and fled, only to be cut down from behind.



The mercenaries pushed on into the town center and quickly surrounded and slaughtered the remaining garrison.



After the garrison was dead, the mercenaries turned on the populace and murdered everyone they could find until I was able to enter the city and order them to stop. I was horrified by what I saw, and would never forget the streets piled high with the corpses of men, women, children, and horses.

The
battle for Sardis was a brutal one, and having paid the mercenaries, I released them. Nevertheless, I had succeeded in reducing Seleukid holding in Asia Minor to only four cities, many of them along the coast. Before I could secure the rest however, I needed to return to Makedonia for fresh troops. My men had served me well, but many of them were ready to see their homes. I left a garrison of volunteers in Sardis, and with others, I bolstered the garrison of Ipsos, and leaving Perseus in command of Western Asia Minor, sailed for Demetrias. The campaign had gone well thus far, and next year I would return to continue my war against Seleucus.

The known world, 247 B.C.

To be continued with Chapter V: The Dawn of a New Empire......

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Its been just over a week, but it seems longer since you updated. Nice update!

Quite a hard thread to load. More comments are needed so that the next chapter gets pushed to the next page.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Its hard to load cuz he got a holy graphics card.
I mean seriously, if ANY of US tried to do that our comps would kill themselves.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

MAA is going to rename your AAR into "EB in Cinemascope".

It's always the mercenaries that defy Makedonian martial honour by barbarous deeds.

[Africanvs]

In the interest of pushing the next chapter to page 3, I'll take some time to reply to everyone who has commented and give a little insight as to why I like pics so much! Furthermore I want to thank everyone for commenting. I do this for my own ejoyment, but I also do it to give a little something back to the people who make the EB community so great. I work hard to try to make my AARs look good, and enjoyable to read. I appreciate any constructive criticism that will make the AAR better and your compliments really make all the hard work pay off, and keep me interested in writing more. My thanks.

Its been just over a week, but it seems longer since you updated. Nice update!

Quite a hard thread to load. More comments are needed so that the next chapter gets pushed to the next page.

Thanks MAA! Do you think it would be easier to load if I placed each battle in spoil tags? My AARs do tend to be a little mage heavy. The visuals in EB are so amazing I can't resist.

Its hard to load cuz he got a holy graphics card.
I mean seriously, if ANY of US tried to do that our comps would kill themselves.

Oh the game doesn't look THAT good on my screen. I play with huge units and high graphics, but those pictures go through a pretty intense work-over in photoshop to get them coming out like that. Editing the pics takes longer than writing and posting the chapter. Each one has it's color, contrast, lighting, and sharpness tweaked, then light effects are added through a diffused glow effect. This is often light, but sometimes very heavy to create the desired look. After that, some of them are given even more effects, (like a fade from black and white to color, or a spotlight effect to highlight a small piece of the pic I want to draw attention to.) I have to say EB is hands down the most beautiful mod out there when you take into account the units, the terrain features, and let us not forget those amazing skies. Sometimes I will take a landscape, more or less devoid of units, and give it the look of an oil painting. Simply awesome.

MAA is going to rename your AAR into "EB in Cinemascope".

It's always the mercenaries that defy Makedonian martial honour by barbarous deeds.

I think you and I are going at close to the same pace on our AARs. We've both just completed chapter four. I really like your style and I only updated hoping you would if I did! :)

Always nice to blame those rowdy gauls when things get out of hand eh? Although, Alkyoneus was rather peevish when his envoys were killed. Angry enough to murder every man, and enslave every woman and child in Ipsos. I always like a little barbarity in my characters, no matter how honorable they are. Of course, there always has to be a reason. Senseless slaughter is the true barbarity.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I'm pretty sure that images under spoilers load when you open a thread even if you don't look under the spoiler. Don't worry too much about the pictures. They're great looking and a little extra load time is worth it.