The Daughters of the Dragon: A Valkyrja AAR (ATW)

[SubRosa]

Thank you Monk. I am glad I gave the Valkyrja an entry level horse archer unit. There is no way I could have survived this long against the Scythians and Sarmatians with only Militia Cavalry.

[SubRosa]

Polemusa comes to the aid of besieged Vibantavarium.


Even though it was actually a rather poor performance by myself (check the losses I suffered) it goes down as a Heroic Victory and a famous battle marker.


Further north, Prince Hairyfellas of the Germans had crossed over into Valkyjra territory and needed to be taught a lesson in property rights.


Another Heroic Victory.


The westlands were now free of invaders. For now.


Now to the east. The siege of Tanais has been one headache after another. First I built a ram, not realizing it had stone walls. Then once I did notice I had to spend another turn building a siege tower. Then when I finally went to attack my tower was nowhere to be found. That ticked me off. I am not a big fan of reloading battles, but I am not going to assault a stone-walled city without the siege tower that I wasted a turn building. I reloaded and tried again, and still no siege tower. So in disgust I auto-resolved.


Tanais was taken, and I clapped the Scythian men into irons.


In the west, Captain Selifator of the Scythians desperately tried to defend their capital of Neapolis Scythica from Makanyane.


Makanyane attacks from two walls.


She makes her entry with no opposition.


Then she runs into fierce resistance half-way to the town square.


These Virgin Horse Archers really put up a good fight, better than you would expect for a horse archer unit in melee.


But finally Captain Selifator was laid low.


Resistance collapsed, and it was just a matter of letting the archers mop up the remnants in the square.


Victory.


If it were another city Makanyane would have enslaved it. But this was the capital of the enemy. A message had to be sent to other nations who thought to attack Amazons. Makanyane wrote it in the skulls of dead Scythians.


Neapolis Scythica can render up several goodies, including these beauties.


The same turn, Alkibia is dispatched south to lay siege to Chersonesos with a few cavalry units. I do not expect her to take the city by herself, but you never know when the AI will try a sally.

[SubRosa]

The Dacians are still buzzing around the westlands like flies.


Polemusa rides out to swat them.


No survivors.


Same turn, she takes on the second Dacian force.


Again, no survivors.


After using her to smite some Rebels, I noticed that Kardika has a +6 to Law thanks to being an upright person. I am wasting her in a tiny place like Vicus Vendedae. I am going to move her to Vicus Gepidae, where I am dealing with chronic unrest from the hairy barbarians.


In the east, Okypous marches from Tanais to deal with one of the Scythian armies roaming Maeotis.


It is all high ground in front of me. Not good at all.


I take my entire army up to the flank and onto a piece of higher ground than the Scythians have.


Then I turn 90 degrees and head straight into them.


Victory.


The second army that was in Maeotis marched south to the Crimea. Now I have several choices to make. Do I call off the siege of Chersonesos and reinforce Neapolis Scythica, assuming they are going to attack it? Do I leave my troops exactly as they are, and hope the Scythians go after Neapolis Scythica and do not attack Alkibia outside of Chersonesos instead? Do I attack Chersonesos right now, and hope that my divided forces can maintain order in both cities and stave off the coming attack?


I take a fourth option. I call off the siege and bring Alkibia and her troops back north, then march out with everything to meet the Scythian army in the open. With them destroyed, the entire peninsula will be mine for the taking.


This rough patch of ground on my left would give me problems in my advance.


However, Alkibia found the Scythian General on that flank and immediately charged him.


Her women sacrificed him upon Freja's altar (the battlefield).


I had pushed Makanyane forward on the right to deal with some Scythians who were threatening to turn my flank. Then she saw an opportunity and did exactly the same thing to them. At the same time Alkibia came over from the left to charge into their other flank, and my infantry advanced directly forward.


The Scythian center dissolved. The battle then became a series of isolated engagements on the flanks.


I just like this picture.


Victory. However, some of the Scythians would escape.


The economy is doing better. I am back to full build programs in all of my cities, and still maintaining the ever-growing military.


Looks like I will be at war with the Thracians soon... I begin moving troops to reinforce Olbia.


Next turn Makanyane chased more Scythians around a bit, then finally brought them to ground outside of Chersonesos, bringing the garrison into the fray as well.


It was very one-sided.


I did not realize it, but that was Scythia's Last general. Their faction is now a memory.


With that Chersonesos and Panticapaeum reverted to Rebel ownership, just as they were at the beginning of the game.

[SubRosa]

A smallish update for this afternoon.

I can now recruit Heavy Cavalry in Neo Themiskyra.


The Thracians have crossed over into Amazon territory.


In the east, Okypous sallies against a Sarmatian army that has laid siege to Tanais.


There sure are a lot of them out there.


Okypous gobbles up the stragglers in their line.


Then she smashes their extreme right flank.


My infantry come up on that flank, and Okypous comes back to lend a hand.


The Sarmatians throw everything they have into it, as do I.


Finally their General is cut down by my Horse Archers.


Heroic Victory. Freja's ravens will gorge themselves tonight.


Hmmm, the Royalists have allied themselves with my enemies.


No surprise here. The Thracians have lain siege to Olbia.


In the Crimea, First Equal Makanyane assaults Chersonesos.


She attacks from two directions.


There was little opposition at the walls. Not after my archers were through with them at least.


But their General came over to counter-attack my mercenaries as they marched into the city.


He fled when Makanyane herself appeared.


In the meantime my Spearwomen were marching upon the town square.


Then it was just a matter of letting the archers clean out the last of the Rebels.


No survivors.


The men of Chersonesos begin their new lives as Amazon slaves.


Vicus Venedae immediately grows to third tier.


As does Vicus Gepidae.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

While i love your mods i think you might need a new naming scheme for your settlements.
I mean Neo-Themysikira? While it does describe something, doesnt it just represent the Monarchists the the Valkyrjaians were fleeing from?
Just my 2cents.

[SubRosa]

Well, it is like Americans naming cities New York. But I have been thinking of renaming it anyhow, to be more distinct. I have just not decided exactly what to, but I am leaning toward Vanaheimr, Fólkvangr, or Sessrúmnir.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Id go with Vanahemir personally but its ur choice.