EBO July Team Tournament

[Arjos]

Eureka, Eureka!

What it is now Ktesibios? Also, mind you I don't pay you to steal your colleagues' catchphrases! asked Aristos Halkyon, self-styled Basileus of the pontic interior. Though rumor has it, he's a Galatikos, who worked his way through the chain of command and then married into nobility.

The schematics for the torsion engines are completed! The math shows they will work! answered Ktesibios.

Bah, what has happened to the world? Now we fight with machines even in land battles? My trusted companions are worth 10 of your wooden things! snapped back Halkyon, ever confident and borderline mad.

And so he marched out towards Bythinia, to try his new war machines; there he was joined by an oldtime friend LMT, a strategos in Baktria, who was born in Sinope. The two knew eachother since their very first battles against the dreaded Seleukoi. Now they were grown men and looking for glory and fame in Anatolia, but Basileus TCV had the same plan and he just disembarked, together with his Lusotannan mercenaries, under the leadership of Ulysses. Soon as the scouts reported the two armies, all soldiers marched out to battle, this is what transpired...

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

After the capture of Bithynia by the Basileus Aristos, word traveled far and wide of the brave deeds committed by both sides on the field of battle. Arjos turned his eye now towards the Greek interior, especially the lands of the now defeated Basileus TCV. However, TCV had quite the silver tongue and had brought about a wide array of allies to oppose Aristos and his men. His main allies were the Romans, an Italic people from across the Adriatic who were sometimes allies and sometimes enemies of the Epeirote people. They fought under the command of Consul Velho. In fact, it was Velho's first military engagement of his career; he was sometimes called derogatory remarks by his men behind his back but after his brave deeds on the battlefield this day, he would never have to hear such things again! Also allied to TCV were a nomadic group of peoples known as the Saka under command of the twin chieftains Vega and Gamegeek2, from far off in the East. Having migrated across the Scythian steppe, they were seeking new lands to the west of the Pontos Euxenis and had collected in force. TCV, with a bit of silver and promise of rich lands near to his kingdom, lured these men who were considered by many to be half man and half horse into the rank and file of his army.

On the opposing side, Aristos was able to call to his banner the Getai under the banner of LMT. LMT was also a strategos in Baktria, but sometimes liked to sell his sword to whomever could afford it. The Getai were in need of such a military mind with the migrating Saka so close to their borders and so called upon him as he spent time reclining in Sinope after his victory in Bythinia. Aristos also called upon Robin, a brave Celtic warrior who had been hired as a mercenary captain by the ruler of Seleukia and quite literally fought his way up the ranks in Basileus Yavana's court. Robin, now commanding Greeks instead of Gauls, marched out alongside his sovereign Yavana to seal a deal with the Pontic King.

Both armies were lumbering masses and adding to the weight of battle were some Indian Elephants brought to the field by TCV. When faced with such beasts, the combined armies of Aristos, Robin, Yavana, and LMT wavered yet they stood firm, remembering the brave deeds of Alexandros' men at Hydaspes. Donning their armor and taking up both spear and shield, they bravely made out towards the massive lines of TCV and his allies. What happened next was a battle which none who were present would ever forget.

[Vlixes]

Since I only have played with Lussos, I would like to have AS as second faction.

[The Celtic Viking]

Lying down on his horse and fighting just to stay up on top of it, Basileus TCV comes riding back to camp. As he's helped off his horse and carried to his tent, the delirious Basileus is heard mumbling about something.

"Where's... my... the... dead... all of them... Zeus! Why... did you forsake my walking battleships?!"

The men who heard him all looked at each other worrying that maybe their Basileus was going mad from his wounds. Some asked each other what "battleships" were, but no one knew the answer. As he's finally eased down in his bed, Basileus TCV quietly slips into unconsciousness.

After weeks of uncertainty and - except for the horrifying screams in the dark - complete silence from his tent, Basileus TCV has finally become strong enough again to disobey his doctor's orders. Every day he is seen walking to the western gate of his encampment, staring out into the distance, expecting something though no one is quite sure what. A few more days go by, and still he stays by the western gate - now nicknamed as "The King's Gate" - even in the heavy rain, cementing amongst many of his soldiers the belief that he truly has gone mad. One day, however, what he was waiting for finally became apparent to everyone: a noise was heard as of heavy feet stomping the ground, and many rushed up the walls to see what it was. The gates opened an in marched huge Indian elephants, followed by Thracians and more reinforcements. Immediately, Basileus TCV calls for his generals and walks as fast as his health permits him into his tent, where life is once again restored - in fact, from the sounds of it, they're now trying to make up for the lost time. Day and night people are walking in and out of his tent, messengers riding to and fro, and during this time the Basileus is never seen walking out of his tent again. Despite all this, nothing is passed along to the troops for a few more weeks until suddenly everyone was ordered to be ready, and they could see the slaves and the workers busy packing bags with various necessities. The following morning Basileus TCV walked out of his tent smiling as they had never seen him smile before as a trumpet was played, ordering everyone to line up in attention. The Basileus' horse, Firecutter, was brought to him, and after he had mounted it and ridden to what was closest to a center, he started speaking.

"Men! Not far from here, on the fields of Pripyat, marches the Pontics under some punk pretender calling himself Arjos, and that uppity dwarf Robin with his Seleukid slaves rides by his side. These two killed my elephants and are doubtlessly now marching on their fat. I want my revenge! I am going off to get it! I am going off to SLAY THEM ALL! Who's with me?!"

Confused, only a few - these being the most devoted ones - yelled "Huzzah!", but overall it was quite a weak reception.

"I said, WHO'S WITH ME?!", the Basileus yelled insistingly. This time the answering "Huzzah!" was much louder, and pleased with himself, the Basileus rode out of the gate. His elephants followed close to the rear.

Once he came close to the battlefield he met his loyal allies, the Sakae steppe warriors under their chief Vega, and together they marched once again onto the battlefield. This is how it unfurled...

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

Lying down on his horse and fighting just to stay up on top of it, Basileus TCV comes riding back to camp. As he's helped off his horse and carried to his tent, the delirious Basileus is heard mumbling about something.

"Where's... my... the... dead... all of them... Zeus! Why... did you forsake my walking battleships?!"

The men who heard him all looked at each other worrying that maybe their Basileus was going mad from his wounds. Some asked each other what "battleships" were, but no one knew the answer. As he's finally eased down in his bed, Basileus TCV quietly slips into unconsciousness.

After weeks of uncertainty and - except for the horrifying screams in the dark - complete silence from his tent, Basileus TCV has finally become strong enough again to disobey his doctor's orders. Every day he is seen walking to the western gate of his encampment, staring out into the distance, expecting something though no one is quite sure what. A few more days go by, and still he stays by the western gate - now nicknamed as "The King's Gate" - even in the heavy rain, cementing amongst many of his soldiers the belief that he truly has gone mad. One day, however, what he was waiting for finally became apparent to everyone: a noise was heard as of heavy feet stomping the ground, and many rushed up the walls to see what it was. The gates opened an in marched huge Indian elephants, followed by Thracians and more reinforcements. Immediately, Basileus TCV calls for his generals and walks as fast as his health permits him into his tent, where life is once again restored - in fact, from the sounds of it, they're now trying to make up for the lost time. Day and night people are walking in and out of his tent, messengers riding to and fro, and during this time the Basileus is never seen walking out of his tent again. Despite all this, nothing is passed along to the troops for a few more weeks until suddenly everyone was ordered to be ready, and they could see the slaves and the workers busy packing bags with various necessities. The following morning Basileus TCV walked out of his tent smiling as they had never seen him smile before as a trumpet was played, ordering everyone to line up in attention. The Basileus' horse, Firecutter, was brought to him, and after he had mounted it and ridden to what was closest to a center, he started speaking.

"Men! Not far from here, on the fields of Pripyat, marches the Pontics under some punk pretender calling himself Arjos, and that uppity dwarf Robin with his Seleukid slaves rides by his side. These two killed my elephants and are doubtlessly now marching on their fat. I want my revenge! I am going off to get it! I am going off to SLAY THEM ALL! Who's with me?!"

Confused, only a few - these being the most devoted ones - yelled "Huzzah!", but overall it was quite a weak reception.

"I said, WHO'S WITH ME?!", the Basileus yelled insistingly. This time the answering "Huzzah!" was much louder, and pleased with himself, the Basileus rode out of the gate. His elephants followed close to the rear.

Once he came close to the battlefield he met his loyal allies, the Sakae steppe warriors under their chief Vega, and together they marched once again onto the battlefield. This is how it unfurled...

Have i given you the point for this battle? There were two earlier ones without replays posted which I still assigned points to.

[The Celtic Viking]

Yes, though I've still one victory unregistered (the replay is not uploaded yet though).

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

Ok, I wasn't present for that one so I can't know who participated if you don't post it :p

[Vega]

Ok, I wasn't present for that one so I can't know who participated if you don't post it :p

Here is that replay it was Me, Yavana and TCV vs Ulysses, Arjos and LMT..... http://www.mediafire.com/?ia0csn60d2hp7aw