[EB AAR] Pontos Rising

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

Ktistes Mithridates, commanding a field army at age 70? Daring - and risky. When I played Pontos, I left the old man at home in Amaseia to die peacefully in his sleep. He was a good governor.

Surprised to see you going after the Galatians so soon too. I didn't fancy fighting both them AND the Seleucids with my starting army and empty treasury....this should be interesting!

[FriendlyFire]

Yeah, it's always a gamble to see how long Ktistes will last - but I figured that since he's optimistic and vigorous, he'll lead this campaign until he dies in the saddle.

And the Galatian thing is a little bit of a misdirection. Notice that I only said my army was marching near Ankyra... :)

[FriendlyFire]

Chapter 2: Gaining a Foothold

In the summer of 272 BC, as Ktistes Mithridates Kianos marched his army westward along the old Royal Persian Road, a herald came from the nearby Seleukid town of Mazaka. Although Pontos and the Arche Seleukeia were still notionally allies, ties were strained, with the Seleukids clearly eager to reabsorb Pontos into their empire. Nevertheless, the herald begged to inform the Pontic king that far to the east, the upstart kingdom of Pahlava had declared war on Arche Seleukia, and that as a result all allies of the Seleukids were now required to break ties with Pahlava.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The herald found it curious that the king smiled at this news. What he did not know was that Ktistes Mithridates had brought a diplomat along with his army, for the very purpose of breaking his alliance with the Seleukids. Now he would not even have to use a proxy - he told the herald to his face that Pahlava was the home of his forefathers, and that since he was being forced to make a choice in the matter, the alliance with Arche Seleukeia was therefore, sadly, at an end.

Ktistes Mithridates was not surprised when later messengers brought news that the small kingdoms of Hayasdan and Baktria had also broken away from their alliances with Arche Seleukeia. Other leaders had seen which way the wind was blowing, and taken their chances. Individually they were small, but maybe together they could topple a mighty empire…

In the same season, Ktistes Mithridates accepted a new member into the royal family. Smerdis Phabdaios was a rare Galatian who still remained true to Pontos, unlike the majority of his countrymen in nearby Ankyra. And although his barbarian habits brought him into disfavor with many refined Hellenic and Persian members of the royal court, his natural aggressiveness would serve Pontos well in the wars to come.

Ktistes Mithridates immediately sent Smerdis Phabdaios to join the army of his son and heir Ariobarzanes Kianos, and together they laid siege to the Seleukid town of Mazaka, beginning an open war with the Arche Seleukeia. For Mazaka was of crucial importance: a small town on the Royal Road, it was dangerously close to Amaseia. Were it to remain in Seleukid hands, Mazaka would undoubtedly serve as their base for repeated attacks into the Pontic heartlands. The town also controlled access to the high mountain passes to the east and south - a small garrison here could block incoming armies from spilling out into the unguarded plains below. If Pontos were to have any hope of survival, it must occupy Mazaka.

A Pontic spy within Mazaka reported that the garrison was weak, composed mainly of levy spearmen raised from the townspeople, and commanded by a Seleukid general who was barely out of boyhood. Ariobarzanes therefore waited just a season before attacking, long enough for additional skirmishers to join his army from Amaseia, and to construct a single ram.

The small Pontic force was not a very impressive sight as it stood before the walls of Mazaka, with a core of approximately 5000 levy phalangites bolstered by 7500 light skirmishers. Nonetheless, the besiegers possessed almost a two-to-one advantage in numbers over the defenders. The Pontic skirmishers were unarmored and carried only a handful of javelins, and would be of little help in a fight in city streets. There the phalangites would have to hold their own, but they were irreplaceable, for Amaseia did not yet have the ability to train and equip new phalangites of her own.

The battle opened with the skirmishers rushing forward to hurl their javelins over the low wooden palisade, and into the mass of Seleukid troops marching into position. The hail of missiles caused many casualties and much confusion within the enemy ranks.

Still this was not enough, for when the phalangites brought the battering ram to bear on the main gate and broke it down, they found the defenders still standing firm behind the breach, despite the bodies of their comrades lying at their feet. The levy spearmen were in the front ranks, while behind them were heavy skirmishers, professional peltastai who stiffened the resolve of the townspeople.

Ariobarzanes therefore ordered the phalangites to move the ram along the wall and make a second breach. As the Seleukid forces dithered about which unit should defend this new threat, half of the Pontic phalangites had time to rush the breach, come into a rough formation, and set their sarissas just as the Seleukid peltastai charged them. The contest was an unequal one, with the peltastai desperately struggling to get past the sarissas and engage the phalangites with their swords. Unable to break the pike wall, and having already taken heavy losses from the skirmisher javelins, the peltastai eventually broke and ran.

The other half of the phalangites now faced off against the Seleukid levy spearmen. This matchup was even more lopsided, since the spearmen were unarmored and equipped with just a simple shield and short spear. Despite the urgings of their commander, who bore a silver shield to denote his rank, the spearmen soon joined the peltastai in running for the square.

With the remaining enemy now refusing to leave the center of town, Ariobarzanes and Smerdis each took half of the phalangites and slowly approached the town square from opposite directions. The young Seleukid general, Sarpedon Syriakos, could eventually stand it no longer and charged forth with his bodyguards, slamming into Ariobarzanes' phalangites on a narrow side-street.

This was the moment that Ariobarzanes and Smerdis had planned for: the phalangites dropped their sarissas and switched to axes for close combat, and while Ariobarzanes attacked Sarpedon's bodyguards from the front, Smerdis led his bodyguard in a charge around the main square and attacked Sarpedon from the rear. The Pontic bodyguards swung their vicious forward-curved swords, competing eagerly for valor. Finally Sarpedon was trapped against a wall, and there he fell.

The death of Sarpedon Syriakos was truly the end of the battle, for there was now no real hope left for the defenders. The remaining levy spearmen did not immediately realize this as they stood firm on the square, shouting insults at the phalangites who marched in and took up position around the edges of the square. It was only when the sarissas were lowered and began their slow remorseless grind forward that the spearmen suddenly understood the true horror of their situation.

And thus was Mazaka captured. Pontic losses were gratifying light, amounting to less than one-twentieth of the original numbers, and sparing the precious phalangites from any great damage. Ariobarzanes had proved his worth as a general.

The remaining townspeople were spared, and little looting was done - not that there was much to loot in the first place. For although Mazaka had much potential mineral wealth in the surrounding province of Kappadokia, at this time it was still little more than a minor trading town that had the (mis)fortune to be in a strategic location. The silver it now sent to the Pontic king was never going to be enough to halt his campaign, for Pontos was now in debt to moneylenders, and with every season that debt would grow.

Ariobarzanes Kianos therefore took his bodyguard and marched to catch up to his father, leaving the phalangites with Smerdis Phabdaios to guard the critical mountain passes around Mazaka. The war would continue in the west.

[CCadaver]

I have been lurking on the forums for a while, and I have to say that this is one of the better written AARs. Good job, and I hope that you keep it up. I will definitely be watching this thread.

[FriendlyFire]

Glad you like it :) Starting an AAR is always the easiest part, but this time around I've tried to really cut down my workflow for writing each chapter, and I have a few in hand now.

[FriendlyFire]

Chapter 3: Along the Royal Road

In the same season that Mazaka fell, Ariarathes Herakleotes the Hellene arrived with his army at the Seleukid town of Ipsos. They had marched through wild countryside past the hostile town of Ankyra, but had been untroubled by the Galatians there. A more immediate threat lay with the independent general Alkibiades, who commanded a sizable mercenary force to the west. Ariarathes quickly sent forth a herald, conveying a solemn assurance that the Pontic army would not cross the border, and the herald shortly returned with word from Alkibiades that in return he would not intervene in the quarrel between Pontos and Arche Seleukeia. With winter coming on, and some hopes that his flanks were thus secure, Ariarathes ordered the town to be laid under siege.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Once again a town was important more for its location than its current resources. Like Mazaka, Ipsos lay on the old Persian Royal Road, and in the mostly untracked lands of Asia Minor the paved surface of this road was by far the fastest route between east and west. With control of the road, Pontic armies could swiftly march wherever they wanted, and therefore Ipsos must be taken. Fortunately it was defended by even fewer troops than Mazaka, and did not have a general in command - the speed and direction of Ariarathes's advance had clearly taken the Seleukids by surprise, denying them time to reinforce the town garrison, levy more local troops, or even send a relief force. As a result, the Seleukid defenders were once again greatly outnumbered by their Pontic attackers.

On a bright winter's day, Ariarathes's troops attacked the gate using a single ram, but found the streets eerily quiet. Perhaps having heard recent rumors of the disaster at Mazaka, the Seleukid defenders chose to remain near the center of the town. And despite his numerical advantage, Ariarathes had a hard time pushing the attack home - his slingers could not easily operate in the narrow town streets, and his skirmishers found themselves facing a wall of Seleukid sarissas. In the end the Pontic and Seleukid troops locked sarissas on the approach to the square, and Ariarathes and his bodyguard had to charge into the enemy's rear to break them.

The final grind to rid the square of levy spearmen was equally brutal, with the combat devolving into a hand-to-hand affair as the phalangites broke formation and used their axes against the spearmen. As the last spearmen fell, the tired phalangites celebrated a victory of their own, blooding another Pontic army.

The capture of Ipsos was never really in doubt, but despite Ariarathes's best efforts his army had suffered 10% casualties, many of which were the irreplaceable phalangites.

The town was spared from major looting, although all trace of Seleukid life was obliterated: the military colony headquarters, armory, state shrine, and even the homes for military settlers. The presence of these settlers had been resented by the original inhabitants, and removing them went a long way towards ensuring the loyalty of Ipsos to its new rulers.

With two sections of the Royal Road now secured, the way lay open for the final drive to its western end, and the ultimate goal of this first campaign.

[An annoying battle - I really didn't use my missile troops very well, but then I realized I could roleplay that as Ariarathes being a better manager than general :) And we shall meet Alkibiades again later on, for he plays a surprising role in the history of Pontos]

[FriendlyFire]

Chapter 4: The Temple at Ephesos

In the spring of 271 BC, the youngest son of the king of Pontos came of age. Arsames Kianos had been born late in his father's life, and despite his royal blood he did not make a good first impression on the court. Although he was always well-spoken and cheerful, the young prince could came across as abrupt and self-centered. There were also rumors that he was perhaps a little too free with the royal treasury, and (much more damagingly) that he avoided sparring with anything heavier than wooden weapons.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Well aware of these rumors, the king arrived to take personal control of the town of Ipsos, and instructed Arsames to accompany the army of Ariarathes Herakleotes as it marched towards the next Seleukid town of Sardis. If anything could toughen the young man up, it would be combat. And there would be combat aplenty at Sardis, the town which marked the western end of the old Royal Road. As the Pontic army marched, they were closed shadowed from across the border by general Alkibiades of Pergamon, still suspicious of their intentions.

Once again the Seleukids were outnumbered almost two-to-one by their besiegers, who prepared battering rams to assault the wooden walls. Ariarathes had not waited for many reinforcements, and his army was much the same as the one that had taken Ipsos.

The rams were to prove unnecessary, for a Pontic spy succeeded in spreading dissension within the town. Having heard of the fall of Mazaka and Ipsos, some townspeople of Sardis were persuaded that opening the gates to the Pontic invaders was their best option. This stratagem succeeded beyond Ariarathes' wildest dreams, for as his skirmishers kept the defenders pinned in place at the open side gates, he realized that the Seleukids had left the front gate completely unmanned.

Seizing the opportunity, Ariarathes ordered the main body of his troops to rush the front gate. Too late the garrison realized their mistake, and a Seleukid phalanx began to move from a side gate. This allowed the Pontic skirmishers outside to run up and hurl javelins over the low wooden wall into the backs of the phalangites, inflicting many casualties.

When it finally reached the main gate the small Seleukid phalanx found the Pontic army ready and waiting, and although it fought hard it was ultimately broken by two charges led by the young prince Arsames. Seeing the loss of his best troops, the Seleukid general Attalos Pergamou Mysiakes now despaired. After urging his bodyguards to hack at the pikes of the Pontic phalangites, he was himself cut down as Ariarathes led a counter-charge.

Soon only the peltastai were left on the square. Their flags flew defiantly, but were of no more use against Pontic sarissas than were their short swords. The older Ariarathes and younger Arsames then combined their bodyguards for a final charge into the rear of the peltastai, sealing the victory.

Ariarathes Herakleotes had won another somewhat bloody victory, losing men who might have been saved by a more experienced general. And although Arsames's bodyguard had fought bravely and well, rumors still persisted that he himself had not been in the forefront of the action.

[Another battle that I could have done a little better at: when the peltastai first moved off the square to challenge my oncoming phalanx, I raced in some skirmishers behind them to try to throw javelins into their backs. The peltastai promptly turned and began slaughtering the skirmishers before I could pull them out]

The town itself was not harmed. In this way it was hoped that word of the fate of Sardis would spread, and that other towns might also be persuaded to open their gates to Pontic armies. However, outside the town lay the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, and this was stripped of all its finery. For the temple had been the true target of the campaign all along: the gold and silver within it amounted to some 20,000 Mnai, and this was immediately transported back to the capital Amaseia.

Within a season, the money-men and scribes came to Ktistes Mithridates with great news: the temple wealth had repaid all of his kingdom's debts, his military was once again being paid regular wages, and Amaseia was now constructing facilities for the training and equipping of new phalangites. Additionally, the small mines around Sardis and Ipsos now generated enough silver to allow for a minimal amount of construction every season.

And from across the sea came more good news: a Pontic diplomat had traversed the land of the Hellenes, meeting with the warring generals Kalos Argeades of Makedonia, Pyrrhos Aiakides of Epeiros, and Chremonides Aithalidos Attikos of the Koinon Hellenon, and had negotiated trade rights with all three. No preferential rights had been given to any of the three, as Pontos maintained a policy of strict neutrality towards the west.

Meanwhile the newly conquered towns of Mazaka, Ipsos, and Sardis were integrated into the Pontic empire as Philhellenic Satrapies, giving them some degree of self-government, and boosting the loyalty of the population in their respective provinces.

In a year and a half, Ktistes Mithridates had expanded his tiny kingdom to the point where it could stand alone against the world. Now he just had to hold onto it.

[Going for Mazaka, Ipsos, and Sardis is a standard Pontic blitz tactic, kicking the Seleukids out of Asia Minor and getting the economy back to a slight profit. Looting the temple is optional, but saves a year or two of waiting around to get out of debt!]

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

Nice work!

I wouldn't have looted the Temple of Artemis though. It is a wonder of the world, after all - and I'm not sure that the citizens of Pontos who are of Hellenic extraction would appreciate a king that sanctioned such a blasphemous atrocity against a goddess of the Greek pantheon. So although it might garner a lot of wealth, it might also make your Hellenic citizens more rebellious and maybe even an Hellenic family member less loyal. (You might want to roleplay this.......) ;)