- Four Horsemen of the Presence
Chapter 4
The battle started with the archers atop the walls killing as many of the enemy as possible before the
Somatophylakes Strategou prepare to engage the enemy.
After many hours the rest of the nobles and I formed up our Somatophylakes Strategou and readied
for the charge.
Basileus, seeing I was eager to prove myself, gave the order for me to charge down some of the
Pahlavan forces best riders.
I took down many enemy horsemen, but being so numerous, we had no chance of winning,
I was about to order a retreat when the Basileus himself rode to my aid.
The Basileus and myself, fighting side-by-side to save the kingdom from these foul nomads, this was
the proudest moment of my life.
Diodotos then rode off to do battle with the enemy general,
The death of their general was enough to break the spirit of the enemy. The rest of the battle was
simply a matter of killing as many enemy as possible before they fled into the bush.
My sword arm will ache in the morning.
- Four Horsemen of the Presence
Taking good screenshots can be tricky stuff, in this battle I was busy taking lots of good screenshots and didn't even realise my main character had lost over half his men
So lots of screenshots to come will now be missing chunks of the sky because I've now taken to pausing![]()
- Four Horsemen of the Presence
Hadou Hippeis - Horsemen of Hades
Chapter 5
My second battle in as many years. This time against the Hadou Hippeis, Saka nomads.
The battle started with the archers firing from the walls, they seemed to have a personal grudge
against these foes and took no shame in showing it.
This battle would be quite different to the last however, as the these horsemen had fine armour and
our arrows dealt little damage, this battle would ride solely upon the back of our fine Baktrian steeds.
Basileus gave the order for my brother to charge a group of Saka nobles who ventured too far from
the main army.
The noise of the two lines of heavily armoured horsemen clashing deafened all those nearby. The
small enemy group was soon overwhelmed and turned tail.
I was then ordered to charge some light horsemen on the flanks, the blood surged in my veins as I
charged into the enemy lines.
They did not stand long in the face of such well armoured foes and I started to give chase before
remembering the rest of battle. I reordered my men and prepared to charge the rear of the last
standing Saka nobles.
However they fled at the sight of us and the day was ours.
The battle may have been short, lasting little more than an hour, but the fighting was fierce and
many fine sons of Baktria had taken their last breaths that day.
- Four Horsemen of the Presence
Metalleutikon Kentron - Mining centre
Athanatoi Hippeis - Invincible Horsemen
Chapter 6
I am now twenty years of age and have completed my education. I spent the final year of my
education, following the battle with the Saka nomads, studying armour so that we might have an
advantage over them in future. After examining the armour captured in the battle,
consulting with my history teachers, and long discussions with the master smiths, we have developed
a new type of armour, far superior to any possessed by our foes to the north.
The armour consists of full iron lamellar barding for the horses, and a combination of plate, mail and
lamellar armour for the riders. The armour will be incredibly expensive, however I believe it will be the
finest in all the world, none will withstand the mighty charge of these Athanatoi Hippeis.
I am meeting formally with my uncle later today in his capacity as Basileus and I hope to convince
him to let me carry out my plans for an invasion of the lands beyond the Indus, with my bodyguard
outfitted in the new armour of course.
I was shown into the throne room and greeted my uncle, “Hail Basileus Diodotus Baktrios Persoletes.”
“Welcome Oxyartes. What did you wish to ask?”
“Basileus, I have plans for an invasion of the lands to the east.”
“The east?”
“Yes Basileus.”
“You know your grandfather died in the east young Oxyartes.”
“Yes Basileus, Thedotos Moros.”
“What makes you believe your plan can succeed where he failed?” asked Diodotos, none too pleasantly.
“I have studied the tale of that lone survivor closely and believe there is a way to succeed were your father failed.”
“Yes?” Inquired the Basileus sitting forwards in his throne.
“A large contingent of Dahae riders, skirmishers, and peltastai, should be sent along with our heavy
cavalry and phalangitai, they would bring down the Elephantes and kill many of those formidable
sword men from a distance.”
“Your plan has merit. However, I could not leave Baktra while the threat of nomad invasion exists,
and who knows what Patrokles would try if I were to leave the Basileion.”
I took a deep breath before continuing “I would propose that you let me lead the invasion Basileus.”
There was a long silence and the Basileus lowered his head to think. “We will discuss this plan later
with Agathokles and your brother Zoilos. Prehaps it is time to increase our power” he muttered under
his breath. “If that is all you, may go.”
I took another deep breath, “There is one other thing before I go Basileus.”
“Yes?”
“I, with some of your finest smithies, have developed a new type of armour, and if this invasion goes
ahead, I would wish to outfit the bodyguard in this new, manner.”
“Is there anything I should know about this new armour?”
“I believe it is the finest in the world Basileus.”
“And…?”
“The expense will be enormous.”
“I see.”
“However with the recently built Metalleutikon Kentron there should be no troubles in paying for them.”
“Yes, well we will discuss it later. If there is nothing else you may go.” It was not a question, I had
thrown a lot at him and I hoped he would not be angry later.
Last edited by miotas; 04-12-2009 at 11:07.
- Four Horsemen of the Presence
Hetairoi Kataphrakoi - generals bodyguards
Chapter 7
Phthinoporon the second year after the 134th Olympiad, I am now in my 25th year, and I have been
waiting out side the walls of Taksashila for almost 2 years. Despite my in depth instructions for the
supply train that I left with Patrokles, in recent months supplies have been short and the men are
now on short rations. I would leave to set things right however, I believe the enemy will be sallying
for soon. Prehaps they plan to do so in the coming cheimon, to catch us off guard. I will certainly
inform the Basileus of Patrokles incompetence after I have returned in triumph.
Antimachos, the makedonian son-in-law of the Basileus, has been getting irritable, lately and I don’t
blame him. The thought of facing those elephants has caused me many a restless night recently.
The Basileus convinced me to bring him along due to his formidable fighting skill and his ability to think
quickly in a tight spot, he should be a valuable commander in the upcoming battle
We left Baktra in late Theros of the third year of the 133rd Olympiad.
And arrived at Kophen just as Cheimon was starting, glad to be out of the harsh weather, but
dreading the thought of spending the entire cheimon with Lipodes.
I despised asking Lipodes for anything but I needed skirmishers, and Kophen was where the
skirmishers were. I almost turned back then and there, but I sucked up my pride and asked him
towards the end of cheimon, knowing he would be insufferable after I did.
I left with my skirmishers as soon as the weather permitted in the fourth year of the 133rd Olympiad
and set off east to the Indus.
I received word in Theros that my new armour had been tested in battle. All the royal family members
upon viewing my Athanatoi Hippeis had outfitted their bodyguards in the same manner, the resulting
units, Hetairoi Kataphrakoi, were frighteninly effective in battle.
They charged, over and over again,
Decimating the enemy forces many times over,
The enemy slingers tried to bring them down but even their lead bullets bounced harmlessly off.
The enemy general valiantly tried to stand his ground
But he stood no chance against these lion faced men.
I could almost feel sorry for those poor fools, that is if they weren’t trying to steal our freedom.
The enemy lost almost 25000 men while our forces took less than 300. It was more than I could have
ever hoped. I hope they perform as well against the Indian forces.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Last edited by miotas; 04-12-2009 at 14:37.
- Four Horsemen of the Presence
How the hell can you have more than 100k mnai with such huge armies and only 2 settlements? Are you cheating?
Anyway very good chapter, only one question, i thought it was the protagonists father who died in india, not his grandfather....![]()
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Italians do it better! Chi dice donna dice guai. Abbi donna di te minore, se vuoi essere signore. Donne e buoi dei paesi tuoi. Fiume, grondaia e donna parlatora mandano l'uomo di casa fuora.
And my personal favorite: "Non rimuovere il confine antico fissato dai tuoi padri". In english: "Do not remove the anchent border placed by your fathers". It looses something in the translation......
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