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Thread: Ancient TW2 - IONIAN Faction

  1. #1
    Member Member dimitrios the samian's Avatar
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    Default Ancient TW2 - GREEK FACTIONS

    IONIA

    Ionia is the name given during ancient times to the central region of Anatolia’s Aegean shore in Asia Minor, present-day Turkey, one of the most important centres of the Greek world. Here the Greeks founded a dozen mini-states, two of them on the offshore islands of Chios and Samos, the rest of them stretching along the strip of mountainous coastland. During the 6th century BCE, Ionia became the focus of the intellectual life of Greece, a period known as the “Ionian awakening”, a name for the initial phase of classical Greek civilization.
    Using the sea as a highway, which was much cheaper, faster, and more efficient than transport by land, the Greeks expanded and developed in a such a way that conflict with a major power became inevitable. The Greco-Italian-Sicilian trading route that the Greeks controlled competed more and more with the Oriental Indo-Persian-Phoenician and this commercial rivalry set the stage for war. Ionia was the initial setting of the Greco-Persian wars.


    ORIGIN OF IONIA

    Ionia was colonized by Greeks from the Athens region around 1000 BCE. The commercial activity in Ionia was in competition with the Phoenicians, who were the leaders of sea-trade at that time. However, some important changes took place on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean during the 8th century BCE: Assyria renewed their strength like never before, and the Phoenician city-states were conquered. The Phoenician sea-trade withered, and the Greek city-states took advantage of the Phoenician subjection to Assyria and gradually turned into the leading sea-traders and navigators. Some Phoenician colonies in the west remained independent, and the only serious competition the Greeks came across was from the expanding power of Carthage.
    During the following centuries, Ionian cities underwent important changes. Political and economic power, which used to be concentrated in the hands of the landowning aristocracy, gradually moved to the merchant class. Ionian merchants established colonies as trading posts in Egypt, Italy, and along the Black Sea. Miletus alone, the southernmost Ionian city, had about 80 colonies and became the richest city in the Greek world. The wealth and luxury of the city was proverbial throughout Greece. Milesian merchants had such levels of profits that they lent money to a number of enterprises and even to the municipality itself.To the east of the Ionian city-states lay the Kingdom of Lydia. Ionians and Lydians remained on peaceful terms, with very tight cultural and commercial relations. The city of Sardis, Lydia’s capital, was an important centre for the traffic of goods and ideas between Mesopotamia and the Greek Ionian settlements. Beliefs, customs, and knowledge, in addition to commercial goods, were constantly circulating in Sardis.


    PERSIAN CONTROL & REVOLT

    The political map of this region started to change around 612 BCE. The Assyrian Empire came to an end as a result of the destruction of Nineveh, its capital, the most powerful city in the world at that time. An allied army of Persians, Medes, Chaldeans, and Babylonians besieged and sacked the centre of Assyrian power. This left Babylon as the imperial centre of Mesopotamia and Lydia was now free to turn its attention to the West. The Ionian cities were now dominated by Lydia, but Lydian rulers admired the Greeks and treated the Ionian cities leniently. Croesus, the last Lydian king, even paid for the construction of the Temple of Artemis, which became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Soon after, Persia became the dominant power of Mesopotamia, putting an end to the Babylonian supremacy. In 546 BCE, the Persian king Cyrus II defeated Croesus and Lydia, which along with the Ionian cities, became controlled by the Persians.
    About 500 BCE, the Ionian cities under Persian control dismissed the Persian authorities and declared their independence, triggering the Ionian revolt, the first of the many military conflicts between Greeks and Persians. Miletus was the leading state and Athens sent a fleet of 20 ships to support the revolt. Each Ionian rebel state raised its own troops but kept them under separate command. The army of Miletus marched upon Sardis and burned it to the ground.
    In 494 BCE, the Ionian cities organized a united fleet that engaged the Persian navy at Lade in one of the most important sea battles of history. Just before the battle began, about 50 ships belonging to the navy of the Ionian city of Samos sailed away due to a secret arrangment they had with the Persians. Many other contingents following their disloyal example. The Ionian defeat was complete and Ionian civilization never managed to fully recover from this disaster.
    The Persians captured Miletus, all the males were killed, the women and children enslaved, and from that day the city became a minor town. Persian control was re-established throughout Ionia until the decisive Greek victory at the Battle of Salamis (480 BCE), when the Ionian cities regained their independence and helped to form the Delian League with Athens.
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    Last edited by dimitrios the samian; 06-15-2016 at 11:49. Reason: edit font

  2. #2
    Second-hand chariot salesman Senior Member macsen rufus's Avatar
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    Default IONIAN Faction in ATW2: Rise of Persia scenario

    That's a useful overview, Dimitrios, thanks!

    In RoP, the Ionians are a Greek faction with access to Lydian units. The scenario begins in 560BC, so the Ionians are nominally independent, whilst Croesus rules the Lydians. The Ionians have a single province at the beginning (which is a bit approximate on the map, which was really set up with the Alexander campaign in mind - I try to be as accurate as possible, but when there is a conflict or necessary compromise, then gameplay trumps accuracy).

    The troop selection draws heavily on the precedent of HTW, of course. In the 'early' period (560-490BC) units are mostly from the HTW 'Greek Dark Age' roster and undergo Classical reforms as high era kicks in. The late period begins at 380BC.

    UNITS:

    - early
    • Enomotia hopliton (Royal)
    • Archaic archers
    • Polemiste
    • Akondiste
    • Rhodean slingers (cost bonus for the faction)
    • Cretan archers
    • Hippeis (no more HTW "Hippies" )
    • Lydian archers
    • Lydian infantry
    • Lydian heavy cavalry
    • Heavy slingers



    - high (changes)
    • Classical Enomotia hopliton - (royal)
    • Peltasts (replace akondiste)
    • Toxotes (replace Archaic archers)
    • Hippeis akontistes (replace Hippeis)
    • Enomotia ekdromon



    - late (changes)
    • Yficratian hoplites (royal)
    • Xistophoroi hippeis


    As their territory expands, more troop types become available. ATW2 uses a 'recruitment zone' system, so new provinces may provide 'exotic' auxilliary troops, or factional troops in the Greek recruiment zone. Explore for some variety.

    Rhodean slingers are now dismountable to heavy slingers (in sieges only).

    The faction isn't completed yet, so everything is subject to change at this stage, and I will be looking for historical characters for the 'heroes' list.
    Last edited by macsen rufus; 06-26-2016 at 01:50. Reason: UPDATED
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  3. #3
    Member Member dimitrios the samian's Avatar
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    Default Re: IONIAN Faction in ATW2: Rise of Persia scenario

    Good work Macsen !
    I think you got a nice balance for the Ionians ! ... though if there was the space , I feel 2 provinces would be even nicer
    I really like the "recruitment zone" system & I'm looking forward to seeing it all soon when ready .
    I can help with these names "Historical Characters" ........
    Do we need military peoples names from Ionia & those involved with Ionia ?
    Anyway , below is a list of interesting Greek Names .
    cheers

    Greek Names


    Paminondas
    Xenofondas
    Pafsifonias
    Amfioxilies
    Praximenes
    Nestoridis
    Manthoridis
    Petronelis
    Leandros
    Aristithiadis
    Chalkidiathis


    IONIAN of HISTORICAL NOTE

    Hecataeus of Miletus (549-468 C.E.) .... Referred to Kasmira a city in Gandahar
    Pythagoras of Samos ....
    Last edited by dimitrios the samian; 06-15-2016 at 08:20. Reason: added

  4. #4
    Second-hand chariot salesman Senior Member macsen rufus's Avatar
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    Default Re: IONIAN Faction in ATW2: Rise of Persia scenario

    Back from work...

    Do we need military peoples names from Ionia & those involved with Ionia ?
    I'm looking for any prominent Ionians* from the period of the game, ie 560BC-146BC. Military figures would make good hero-generals of course, but also consider statesmen, demagogues, philosophers etc (yes, I've checked the dates, and I intend to have a hero-emissary called Thales at the opening of the scenario - he makes the scenario because he lived until 546BC). Also for the Athenians, I will institute hero-assassins called Harmodius and Aristogiton (to appear from ca. 514BC onwards). The sort of people, in short, who would make good generals, governors, spies, assassins and emissaries to add a bit of historical colour to the factions. (Did anyone notice 'Archimedes the expert assault defender' for the Syracusans in the Punic Wars campaign in ATW3? )

    * the same applies to all other factions, of course

    I have a few more startpos ideas for the Ionians to help them out, including setting up trade goods, building a trader for them at the outset, and chucking a couple of ships in the water. Probably won't help the AI much, that will just send the ships off to the remotest sea-region it can find and still starve to death I might even fill their purse a bit more to reflect the wealth of the Twelve Cities by this period.

    And thanks for the extra names - could use a few more to individualise the Greek factions - each one will have its own name list eventually, to accomodate the different Royal names they will need, mostly. Seems like there's a Phillippos and an Alexandros round every street corner at the moment....
    Last edited by macsen rufus; 06-14-2016 at 03:03.
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  5. #5
    Member Member dimitrios the samian's Avatar
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    Default Re: IONIAN Faction in ATW2: Rise of Persia scenario

    Quote Originally Posted by macsen rufus View Post
    I'm looking for any prominent Ionians* from the period of the game, ie 560BC-146BC. Military figures would make good hero-generals of course, but also consider statesmen, demagogues, philosophers etc ......................The sort of people, in short, who would make good generals, governors, spies, assassins and emissaries to add a bit of historical colour to the factions. * the same applies to all other factions, of course....
    Shall do with interest ! .... a bit of history to go with our gaming , makes it so much better
    >> I also like the idea of each faction having different/unique names , even separating the Greeks Factions amongst themselves from Ionians , if we can .
    Anyway , I will update this thread with more names after the research is done .
    Last edited by dimitrios the samian; 06-14-2016 at 12:39.

  6. #6
    Second-hand chariot salesman Senior Member macsen rufus's Avatar
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    Default Re: IONIAN Faction in ATW2: Rise of Persia scenario

    A bit of start pos help for the Ionians, as discussed earler, to better reflect the nature of the faction as a wealthy naval trading power (and maybe help the AI to get up off its behind, too!)

    A very persuasive emissary:

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    Economic reforms

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    More powers and responsibilities for the governor

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    A necessary office for a leading naval power

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    Last edited by macsen rufus; 06-15-2016 at 03:35.
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  7. #7
    Member Member dimitrios the samian's Avatar
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    Default Re: IONIAN Faction in ATW2: Rise of Persia scenario

    ..looking good

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    Ephesus & Miletus
    Last edited by dimitrios the samian; 06-20-2016 at 08:16.

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