A Tale of the Hellenes: A KH ahistorical AAR
so after a corrupt save killed my Pergamon aar, i decided to begin a highly documented KH AAR, starting once i had established the diplomatic situations i wanted (roughly 270). So, it starts rather in the thick of things with little diplomatic reasoning, however, that will be supplemented. so here goes...again
House Rules: --unless it is a major military offensive, no city shall merge armies with another. Each city is independant and on its own, for the most part.
--Historically "greek" cities that were democrat recieve a type 2 government. type 1 and 3 go to historically oligarchial or tribal cities. Type 4 goes to conquered cities outside of the Hellenic world...these should be rare early on.
--Rarely will cities be "conquered" by military force. By that i mean no assaulting cities unless circumstances require it. force the enemy on the open fields, and if victorious, the city is captured not by military force, but the defeat of its garrison, forcing it to capitulate. Following a period of actions, if it comes to a stalemate, Force Diplomacy may be used to end the war, with the return of all cities to original owners (for example, in my short war with Makedonia, i captured Korinthos in a battle outside the city, captured it, and returned it to Makedonia in exchange for Thermon, the original cause of the war)
--Athenians lead Athenian army, Spartans lead spartans, etc etc. If no general exists, then no military action can take place, other than defense of a city. Since Greek Leadership has been added to this game, only characters of the rank of Lochogos may lead a small army, Polemarchos may lead a large army, and Strategos may lead a multi-city army. The home city of the Strategos determines the Capital city of the League.
--and last but not lease, gameplay is conducted in a roleplaying idea. decisions will be made based on what the characters would do, not what would lead to an easy completion of the game or the most beneficial conquests. Restraint is necessary.
EDIT: Sorrry for the large image sizes, i didnt realize they werent resized until i uploaded them
A Tale of the Hellenes
In the following pages, there is a story. What better story than the history of our people? The history of our race? We true Hellenes have a proud history. A history of democracy, of trade, of wafare, of knowledge…unlike those barbarians to the north..those Makedonians. While we are not of good relations with the Makedonians, war with them is not where our story begins. Our story begins with Athens, Sparta, and Rhodes..three old powers, wishing to regain their sovereignty against League of Corinth. While not openly hostile to Makedonia, they declared their sovereignty and began rebuilding their infrastructures. After the Athenian Cheremondias organized the Koinon Hellenon, or League of Hellenes, they appointed Areus Agiados strategos of the alliance. Athens also dispatched diplomats to the Thracians to the north, barbarian epirotes, and across the Illyrian mountains to meet with this new Italic people, the Romans, who had recently stunned the world with the withdrawal of Pyrrhus of Epieros. Our tale begins however with the ancient and glorious city of Artemis, Ephesos, one of the most prosperous cities in all of Anatolia. It was they who spurred on the wrath of Babylon. It was they who rebelled, and promptly joined the League of Hellenes, bringing the sons of Seleucus down upon them.
269 BC…Ephesos.
The city of Artemis had barely celebrated a year of independence before the Seleukid hordes came demanding its alliegiance be renewed to Babylon. But like the other Persian barbarians that came years before, the Ephesians would not submit. Aided by Areus Agiados, the Spartan strategos of the new Koinon Hellenon, the Ephesians prepared for battle.
{for freedom}
When the Seleukids attacked, it was mid morning. The city was quiet, the men restlessly awaiting the barbarian rams to reach their walls. The Ephesians had an edge in the bravery of the Spartan bodyguards, the skill of the famed Kretans who accompanied them, and the bravery of man defending his home. As the rams approached, the kretans, renowned for their archery, unleashed a barrage of arrows and flame into the oncoming horde.
Spartan and Ephesian stood shoulder to shoulder, waiting for the oncoming tide. As the rams battered the walls and the gate, the Spartan and Ephesians awaiting the main brunt prayed to the gods for a victory, and if not victory, glorious death.
The Ephesians, though only levies, were prepared to fight to the end, and would not go easily. They would prove to be savage warriors.
The gates soon gave way, and the battle of Ephesos had begun. The Seleucid army held its position until other contigents finished breaching two more holes in the walls. It was then that the Caucasian barbarians on the left flank charged into one of the breaches, smashing against Ephesian bronze. The held, fighting with a valour that was even inspiring to their Spartan allies.
Soon after, the Seleucid cavalry charged through the gates, and crashed into the Ephesian front, pushing deep into the defenders. Followed by numerous infantry..
The Seleucid General and his Companions, due to the sheer weight of their horses, broke through both Ephesian and Spartan formations, but were driven back into the fray by the Spartan rear-guard. The fighting was fierce and bloody
HORSEY!!!!
Against the scarlet Lamdas of the Spartan’s aspis, the Seleucid numbers quickly dwindled, with eventually the death of their General. Following his death, the remainder of the Seleucid army (mostly leveies at this point, as all elites had been killed or routed by the Spartan’s push) quickly routed and were cut down as they fled from the city.
Nike! Ephesos had held out against the Seleucid onslaught. However the Strategos, Areus, knew that Antioch would be sending more soldiers to reclaim the city, and that to neutralize this threat, the mines of Karia and Ipsos needed to be taken. Perhaps Miletos would deign to listen to a Rhodian envoy…perhaps this envoy could woo the city to the side of the Hellenic League. A Delian League, like that in the Pelopponsian war but with the addition of Sparta and her allies, would be a force unlike any other assembeled by free Greeks…rivaling that of the ancestors who repelled the great armies of Xerxes…
The Hellenic World, 264BC
After the defeat of the seleucid army at Ephesos, it was long before other city-states began contemplating independence. Early in 267, Delphi and Thermon was attacked by barbarian Makedonians. With this act came a brief war between the free Hellenes and the Makedonians. However, the war was minor, and lasted barely a year. Terms were agreed upon in that Delphi would be relinquished to become free, and part of the Koinon, and that Korinthos would be returned to Makedonian rule. By 264, the Koinon became very reminescent of an Aetolian league. Mytilene joined the Koinon shortly after the first Makedonian war in 265, peacefully with the aid of a few talents of gold.
Elsewhere, Koinon diplomats reached the Italian mainland, forming an alliance between themselves and the rising power of the Roman Republic. Epieros, in their endless war with Makedonia, had taken Demetrias shortly before 265. In the East, the war between the Ptolemies and the Seleukids continues to rage, with little progress made on either side. Perhaps this drain of resources is what has been keeping Ephesos safe from Seleukid retribution....
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donated by Brennus for attention to detail.
Originally Posted by Unintended BM
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