[EB AAR] Pontos Rising

[CCadaver]

Interesting. I am curious to see what the captain is talking about, with the signs the king is showing. Btw, I found out what you were talking about earlier, starting an AAR, and such. I don't know if I'll continue mine, I find that it interferes with my enjoyment of the game. I can't play without documenting the events, even if I simply don't want to today!

[FriendlyFire]

Yeah, it's no fun when writing an AAR feels like a chore. You can always skip battles (or years, or even decades) and just come back to the AAR when you want to write about a good bit. And take lots of screenshots for yourself - I find that they act as good memory-joggers when I see them later, so I don't have to write as many notes during the game itself.

[IrishHitman]

It would be nice if the game had some sort of event log that you plug in, and then you could just create the AARs off of those.

[FriendlyFire]

Chapter 6: A Restless Peace

After the fall of Ipsos in 270 BC, Ariobarzanes Kianos did not allow his small army any rest, but instead marched them eastward along the coast and besieged the Ptolemaioi town of Tarsos:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Just like that of Ipsos, the garrison of Tarsos was large but lightly armed. With no general to lead them, the Ptolemaioi troops were unable to withstand the Pontic phalangites, and the town fell easily:

And thus by the end of the campaign in 269 BC, Ariobarzanes Kianos had raised Pontos to be the sole great power in Asia Minor. The only imminent danger was from the Seleukids in the east, but they could be held at bay in the mountain passes near Mazaka, and the bridges of Tarsos. As word spread of Pontos's expansion, other peoples asked for help. Across the Bosporos, the city of Byzantion requested aid in their defense against Epeiros:

Beyond Byzantion lay the lands of the Getai. Feeling threatened by the growing power of Epeiros, their king quickly agreed to an alliance with Pontos:

And from far across the Pontos Euxinos, the Hellenic peoples of Chersonesos offered the use of an army, if Pontos would only send a good general to rid them of the raiding parties of the Sauromatae:

Finally and most importantly, the Ptolemaioi agreed to an end to hostilities and a restoration of trade rights. Both Pontos and the Ptolemaioi had a far larger enemy in Arche Seleukeia: for now their old enmity could wait.

However, all requests for aid would also have to wait. Ariobarzanes still had barely enough troops to garrison his newly-conquered towns, let alone send them off on expeditions overseas. Besides, the new members of the royal family hardly inspired great confidence in their potential abilities as generals. His first-born son was a particular disappointment, for although Mithridates Kianos was the namesake of his grandfather, he showed none of the same qualities, and took no action without first asking his chief advisor what he should do:

And thus after three years of relative peace, when the first Seleukid army appeared in the mountains near Mazaka it fell to Smerdis Phabdaios the Galatian to repel it:

In truth this was little more than a skirmish, with the Seleukid army testing the response when they besieged a Pontic border fort. Shocked at being confronted by a Pontic army twice the size of his own, the Seleukid captain sacrificed 1/3 of his men to cover his retreat. But Ariobarzanes was to use this small incursion as an excuse for bloody retribution against the Seleukids, even as he readied a new army to expand his holdings in Asia Minor.

[vollorix]

You´ve reminded me how much fun a Pontus game is, especially in the beginning, when you struggle with your finances, beeing pressed from multiple sides by far superior enemies. So, i´ve started a new game couple of days ago, and though i´ve attacked and took Mazaka on the first turn ( spy opened the gates, as usual.. lol ), i´ve taken a bit different way this time, and didn´t wipe out the Seleucids from Asia Minor too soon. When the time came, i did what i had too, but meanwhile i´ve managed to let Karkioherta (sp?) rebell ( twice^^ ), and got "cease fire" offer from the greyish faction right the turn after, without any force diplomacy. Now, i´m free to slowly grab Asia Minor, avoiding a too long common boarder with Seleucids, who became too busy fighting Ptoleys ( and the rest of their neighbours. Just some info, for the case... Keep writing, i´m curious to compare your advancements with my own ( H/M, like yours ), and good luck. Looking forward for more :)

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

Suggestion:

Send Mithridates Kianos, the worthless firstborn son, to answer the call of Chersonesos for aid against the Sarmatians. Don't give him any troops, just give him enough gold to hire several units of mercenaries once he gets there. Then he will be forced to fight for his life against a superior enemy! He will either return a new man, reforged and tempered in the fiery furnace of combat - or he will not return at all. Either way, the problem he poses to the succession will be resolved.

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

Suggestion:

Send Mithridates Kianos, the worthless firstborn son, to answer the call of Chersonesos for aid against the Sarmatians. Don't give him any troops, just give him enough gold to hire several units of mercenaries once he gets there. Then he will be forced to fight for his life against a superior enemy! He will either return a new man, reforged and tempered in the fiery furnace of combat - or he will not return at all. Either way, the problem he poses to the succession will be resolved.

[G. Septimus]

ah, Pontos. Magnificent work Friendly Fire I will keep in touch in this AAR. many screenies