Battle for the Silk Road - a Baktrian AAR

[Warmaster Horus]

Great AAR, Sheep! Can't wait for the next chapter!
About the auto win cheat, it works like this:
-press the tilde key (directly under "escape" and left of "1")
-type in auto_win
-add at the end: attacker(if you're attacking) OR defender (if you're defending). Generally you put in attacker during your turn, and defender when it's not.
-however for AMBUSHES, it's the reverse. If you're ambushed (your turn, logically), the enemy is attacking, and to win the battle the cheat is: auto_win defender
If you ambush(the AI's turn, supposedly), the enemy is defending, the cheat is: auto_win attacker.

Especially don't forget the "underline"(_).
Also, you can use it pretty much without cheating, for when navies clash (you're forced to auto calc it, which may give some rather absurd results) or when you've got a force of 10 units, and the other has 3, just use auto win, especially for EB (long loading times... GAH!)

Also, Sheep, the losses of your troops are those you would normally have when having a "clear victory" from the auto_calc (I think...)

[Pelopidas]

Thanks for the tip.
I wouldn't use this to win battle I can't win, only for the same problem that Sheep as, especially with the Seleukids and those stinking armies of three levies who came every year at your walls, that a human player could beat without a single loss but the AI get hundreds of casualties when auto-calculating...boring :]

[Warmaster Horus]

Of course, that's why I use it. I don't think it should be considered that much of a cheat. Neither is toggle_fow, unless you look all over the map.
Others though... create_unit, give_trait, add_money... that's purely cheating.

[Sheep]

I use toggle_fow to take screenshots of the map for this AAR, but you'll notice the red trapezoid is usually off in the ocean somewhere, so I can't see anyone's armies.

[Sheep]

Chapter 4 - Invasions in the East

(242 BC)

So, you've come to spend another winter in Baktra, have you? How long has it been? Seven years? Quite a while then. Sit, traveler, and break bread with me. I shall tell you what has happened in our kingdom since we last met.


Diodotos Baktrios, King of Baktria and the East

It has been a very trying seven years. When last we spoke, I told you of my vision for Baktria's future. Sadly, a lot of those plans have gone by the wayside. If anything, we have less territory than when I took the crown.

Oh yes, I am truly Basileios now. My father died the year after you last departed. But what a life he lived! And when he finally passed, it was as a free man, under the thumb of absolutely nobody.

I cannot say if it was a coincidence, but at around the time of my father's death, our kingdom began to come under increased pressure from the Arche Seleukeia. Whereas the previous three years had been a time of peace and building, all of a sudden Theodoros' armies were everywhere! Not a season went by without a minor skirmish, and my sons were kept very busy rushing from one end of the realm to the other. Our kingdom was a horse being tortured by uncountable little biting flies!

Our satrapies of Margiana, Aria, and Drangiana were in a constant state of hostilities. However, it was not long before a much greater threat emerged.


Menekrates Assou Troikou, Seleukid general

Menekrates Assou Troikou, as you know, is one of the greatest generals in the entire Empire. He led an army into Drangiana only a few months after my father's death. It was not a large army by the Empire's standards, but dangerous enough. My son Agathokles skirmished with this army, but did not kill too many of the enemy, although he did drive them from the field. His hetairoi fought briefly with Menekrates' men, but sadly did not finish the job. Menekrates escaped back to the west.


Baktrian (right) and Seleukid heavy bodyguards battle in Drangiana (248BC)

Two years later, he returned with an even larger army and headed into Aria this time. He attacked Agathokles' army in the field. Apparently a few volleys from my son's Dahae mounted archers convinced Menekrates to sound the retreat and sent his men running back to Persia once again. We heard that our Egyptian allies recaptured Memphis from the Empire around the same time, so perhaps he was called back into service in the west. In any case, we have not seen him since.

As an aside, I believe I neglected to mention the arrangement I have made with the Dahae tribes that live on the border of our lands and those of the Pahlavi. We have been recruiting them in Margiana for a number of years now. Their mounted bowmen are superb and have become an indispensible feature of our armies. And they have remained extremely loyal, unlike the steppe mercenaries we had been recruiting before! I truly cannot say enough about my Dahae archers. My hetaira here is no doubt getting quite tired of hearing about them. I'm sure you have noticed her. Exceedingly beautiful, is she not?


Dahae horse archers in the Baktrian army fire on Seleukid troops in Aria (246BC)

Although Theodoros was not successful in capturing any of our satrapies or defeating any of our armies, we saw the effect that his constant invasions were having on our kingdom. One winter evening my middle son Heliokles proposed a new strategy. Instead of using his army to swat Theodoros' flies, he proposed to bring the fight to the enemy and take his army into the Empire itself!

It was a radical plan but I saw its merit. By raiding the Empire's lands, we drew their forces out of our kingdom. And perhaps Heliokles could even sack one of their cities and bring the treasure home to Baktria! After a few days of consideration with my advisors, I agreed to my son's plan. With my youngest son Demetrios as his lieutenant, he left the following spring and headed west into the mountains of Astauene. His force was small, as he planned to move quickly and avoid major battles. He had only his hetairoi and those of his brother, a single troop of heavy hippeis, two companies of native phalangitai, about the same number of archers, and a sizable contigent of Dahae horsemen.


Heliokles Baktrios, Prince and Commander of the Second Army of Baktria

Again, it may have been a coincidence, but it was only a short time later that disaster struck. A horde of Saka barbarians appeared on our northern border, heading directly for Alexandreia Eschate. We were caught completely off guard! After my son's smashing victories against the barbarians thirteen years before, we had not seen so much as a single horseman on our lands, and the threat from the west seemed much greater. With Heliokles in Astauene and Agathokles far to the south, the barbarians moved unimpeded towards the city and made camp outside its walls.


Last stand of Pantaleon Peukalaios against the Saka horde in Alexandreia Eschate (244BC)

No doubt my sons would have wiped them off the map, but it was left to the husband of my niece, Pantaleon Peukelaios, and his garrison to defend the city. They held out until the snows began, when the barbarians decided they would rather winter inside the city than outside its walls. The Sakae, though unused to siege warfare, managed to construct a crude ram and break into the city. Pantaleon's men made their last stand before the shattered gates, but the barbarians' numbers were overwhelming. Though they fought to the last, Pantaleon and every single man in his garrison were slaughtered. The barbarians now controlled one of our cities!


Saka horde celebrating the capture of Alexandreia Eschate from the Baktrians (244BC)

When the news of the defeat reached the capital, I immediately sent for Agathokles, who was all the way south in Drangiana. He marched northwards as soon as the snows ended, leaving some of his men behind to guard the southern satrapies. Meanwhile, I was busy recruiting more men in our northern lands to augment his forces when he got here. By the summer, he had reached Alexandreia Ariana and hoped to be in Sogdiana by the end of the year. However, it was not to be.


Agathokles Baktrios, Crown Prince and Commander of the First Army of Baktria

As Agathokles moved through Aria, he received word of a huge army, this time from the west! It was the largest single army led into Aria since the time of Megas Alexandros himself, and was led by Theodoros' own son, Gennaios Syriakos! We had no choice but to delay our recapture of Alexandreia Eschate and fight them then and there. If my son kept moving, we might gain back Alexandreia Eschate, but we would lose Alexandreia Ariana! And from there it was only a short ride to Baktra itself. There was no time or money to raise another army, and no other experienced general nearby to lead it. No, there would have to be a battle if we wanted to keep our kingdom, that much was certain.

I sent my recruits south to join my son's army. With the reinforcements, my son's army was quite large, with a great many phalangitai. These men were approximately two-fifths Hellene, with the others being local landowners from around the kingdom. There were also about half that number of our versatile archer-spearmen to protect the flanks of the main battle line. About the same number of Persian archers and slingers provided missile support. Agathokles himself rode to battle at the front of a troop of hetairoi, as did his longtime lieutenant, Mithroaxos Argeion Baktron, and Kleander, a grandson of Patroklos Marakandaios. His cavalry also included a troop of heavy Baktrian hippeis and a great many Dahae.

Antialkidas Marakandaios, second son of Patroklos and garrison commander in Alexandreia Ariana, met my son with his garrison of archers and spearmen, but even with their numbers added to his, Agathokles' army was still outnumbered by Gennaios' forces. It was not the best situation, but my son knew that he was our only hope. If he lost this battle, he lost our kingdom!

But the story of the battle will have to wait until next time. My hetaira is getting bored and I must attend to her. You understand. Perhaps tomorrow we can talk again, traveler.

----

Next time: The Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana. Will Baktria prevail? Will Diodotos' exceedingly beautiful prostitute be able to sit through the whole story? Find out in Chapter Five!

[Wolfman]

May Athena Guide you in battle and Ares drive your enemies before you.
This AAR Is one of the best I've read. Keep it up Sheep.

[Sheep]

Chapter 5 - Savagery in the East

(242 BC)

Ah, welcome back, traveler. I apologize for the delay yesterday. Some things cannot be helped. I am free to talk now, if you have the time? Of course you do. If you remember, I had left off just before the battle had begun. Every battle is critical, of course, but this one was truly a turning point in our history. And it was only a year and a half ago...


Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

Agathokles attacked Gennaios Syriakos outside the city walls of Alexandreia Ariana, less than an hour south of where he had defeated Philetairon a decade earlier! It was a hot summer day, with gusty winds occasionally blowing clouds of dust across the battlefield.

The opening stage of the battle was marked by a race to gain the summit of the largest hill nearby. Gennaios' army moved as a group up the hill on the west side, while Agathokles' army ran up the east slope. Seeing Gennaios keep his army together and therefore moving slowly, my son sent his fast-moving archers and some cavalry up the hill to beat the enemy there and hold it until his infantry could arrive. This tactic worked well, as our men easily arrived at the top before the enemy and were able to start raining down arrows, forcing the enemy to retreat back into the plain. We were also helped by a timely dust storm that made it difficult for Gennaios to judge our numbers.


Baktrian archers defend a hill from the Seleukid army - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

With the hill secured, Agathokles took his time marching his infantry to the top, while ordering his archers to target Gennaios' own bowmen. However, the enemy general wisely hid his archers behind his phalanx, where they were largely protected from arrows by the sarissae of his men. Agathokles was forced to settle for attacking other enemy skirmishers, including Gennaios' Persian javelineers and his Hellenic mercenary peltastai and thureophoroi. My son also dispatched his slingers off to our left flank to target the unshielded sides of the enemy phalangitai, as the sling bullets would do a better job of penetrating armor than arrows. His orders to them were to strafe the entire enemy battle line, to cause casualties everywhere, but to linger on the kleruchoi as they were the most fearsome fighters. He sent Antialkidas and all of our heavy hippeis to guard the vulnerable slingers while they worked.


Baktrian heavy cavalry guards the slingers - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

Once our army was at the top of the hill, we were able to survey the enemy and judge his army, at least in between dust storms. Gennaios had vastly more infantry, but we actually had more cavalry and archers. It would take some careful strategy to take advantage of the imbalance.


Baktrian (right) and Seleukid forces face off in a dust storm - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

When most of Gennaios' skirmishers had either perished in the storm of arrows or retreated behind the battle line, Agathokles had his phalanx advance down the hill towards the enemy. It was at this time that Gennaios' phalangitai lowered their pikes, and the enemy archers began to fire, causing numerous casualties on our lines, especially among our unarmoured archer-spearmen guarding the flanks. Most of our arrows had already been spent, meaning that we could not adequately return fire to cover our troops. This was one of the few mistakes that my son has ever made in battle.

Seeing that we had very few arrows left in our quivers, Gennaios began to attempt flanking manuevers. He had a great many lightly armoured Persian spearmen in his army, which are sometimes called nizag gund. These he used to guard the flanks of his battle line. Leaving enough to prevent our cavalry from charging around the end, he sent some of these men around our right flank, and my son had some of his archer-spearmen intercept the flankers.


Baktrian archer-spearmen defend the right flank from Seleukid soldiers - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

Gennaios also sent a troop of Median cavalry around the right flank, but my son had wisely kept his Dahae archers in reserve, and these now began to fire on the Medes. The enemy cavalry quickly switched targets and began to chase the Dahae, who they had absolutely no hope of capturing. Our mounted archers led the Medes off the battlefield entirely, killing most of them and causing the rest to rout.

On our left flank, our archers had already killed off most of his spearmen, so Gennaios used some of his extra pantopadoi phalangitai as flankers on that side. Knowing that his spearmen could never defeat an organized phalanx, and unwilling to charge his cavalry into the forest of pikes, Agathokles was forced to commit some of his own native phalangitai to hold off these flankers.


Baktrian phalangites hold off an attack on the left flank - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

With the flankers occupied, my son's battle line marched right past them, with the heavy cavalry just behind.


Baktrian (right) and Seleukid phalanx lines just before impact - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

The battle lines met with a ferocious crash which was heard inside the city itself, or so I am told. The outside world disappeared as man struggled against man simply to protect himself and the man next to him.


Baktrian soldiers (right) battle Seleukid mercenary phalangites - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

Although the two armies were meeting on level ground, it was littered with the bodies of Gennaios' skirmishers, and in some places these proved to be obstacles making it difficult to keep the phalanx in good order. One of these places was just to the left of center, as our loyal pezhetairoi battled Gennaios' mercenary phalangitai. This section of the line degenerated from proper phalanx combat into chaotic hand-to-hand fighting as men from both sides dropped their sarissae and unsheathed their swords. It was this part of our line which would prove to suffer the most casualties at the end of the battle -- not surprising since they had been fighting in the barbaric style, not as true Hellenes.


Swordfighting between Baktrian soldiers (right) and Seleukid mercenaries - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

Although our men fought bravely, there were simply more of the enemy, and we began to suffer casualties. Agathokles needed to turn the tide, and quickly. Looking to his left, he saw that there was now a large gap on the left flank between the main battle line, which had moved downhill, and the side battle being fought to guard the flank. To guard this gap were only a small number of Gennaios' Persian spearmen. Although he normally would have kept them in reserve for defense, Agathokles instead sent some of his archer-spearmen to attack the enemy. When our greater numbers pushed the enemy back, my son saw his opportunity to get his cavalry involved. He charged almost all of his heavy cavalry through the gap!


Baktrian heavy cavalry charges through a gap in the line - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

With the enemy spearmen occupied, Agathokles led the charge around the corner and headed behind the enemy line!


Agathokles of Baktria leads heavy cavalry around the left flank - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

The cavalry now had a clear path towards Gennaios' archers, which saw the threat and began to run instead of firing. However, amongst the crowd of panicked archers appeared Gennaios himself, at the head of his hetairoi. All his other cavalry had already been destroyed or routed, but still he stood his ground. My son was impressed but nonetheless the numbers were in his favor and he brought the charge home.


Baktrian heavy cavalry charges behind the Seleukid lines - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

The cavalry smashed into Gennaios' men, including many of his archers which had stayed behind in a desperate attempt to hold off our cavalry. In support, Gennaios called all of his reserve spearmen, as well as the ones guarding the far flank, into the melee, which quickly began to turn against Agathokles.


Baktrian companion cavalry (right) faces off against Seleukid bodyguards - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

Fortunately, it was at this time that our veterans on the right side of our line proved their worth, gaining the upper hand and routing the enemy. Their captain faced a choice. He could send his men back into the line to help out his fellow pezhetairoi, or move behind the line to rescue his general and crown prince. He wisely chose the latter, bringing his men into the fray against the enemy spearmen. For this decision, I later gave the man -- whose name is Captain Teleas -- a large tract of land in Drangiana. A tremendous gift, to be sure, but completely deserved. There are not many whose actions can be credited with saving a kingdom!


Baktrian veterans rush in to save Agathokles - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

With the whole right side of the battle line blown open and all of the enemy cavalry occupied, many of our missile troops saw their chance to take vengeance on Gennaios' own archers for the many casualties they had inflicted. Our archer-spearmen were especially violent in this regard, wiping out entire companies of bowmen. One exception were Gennaios' Syrian archers. Syrians are not your typical cowardly archers. They come to battle armored in scale and armed with a short sword, and they do not fear to fight. Many of our men stepped up to battle with the Syrians that day and were later buried there on that plain.


Syrian archers fight amidst the corpses of their Baktrian foes - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

However, the Syrians were an exception. As more and more of our men flooded behind their lines and began to attack their flanks and even in the rear, Gennaios' men began to break and run. And of course, even when brave men see so many of their comrades running for their lives, it is hard not to follow. The Syrians took flight, and all of the enemy soldiers were shortly heading for the hills, our men right on their heels. The only real fighting left was with Gennaios and his bodyguard, who knew they were fighting to the death. His bodyguard was killed to a man as they defended their leader, yet somehow in their deaths they managed to open a hole for Gennaios to escape, and he urged his horse to a gallop as he fled the battlefield.


Baktrian cavalrymen pursue Gennaios Syriakos - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

His horse was faithful but simply not fast enough, and my son's Dahae warriors soon caught up to Gennaios. An arrow took him in the back, knocking him off his horse, which also tumbled to the ground. A Dahae archer whose name I do not know put another arrow in the man's throat and that was the end of Gennaios Syriakos.


Seleukid general Gennaios Syriakos lies dead next to his horse - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

With the enemy general killed, our men gave up pursuit of the few enemy survivors and filtered back onto the battleground, to clap each other on the back and tell tall tales of their bravery, as soldiers are known to do after a victory. Many others came to reflect on the day's violence, or simply to relax. By all accounts, Agathokles gave a rousing victory oration and then marched his men back to Alexandreia Ariana.


Baktrian soldiers survey a corpse-strewn battlefield - Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

The battle was yet another completely smashing victory for my son Agathokles. As usual, casualties during the actual clash were about even, and most of the enemy casualties came after the rout began. Cheering throngs greeted Agathokles and his men as they entered the city. He is very popular among the masses for his victories. Men in taverns throughout the kingdom debate which of his Arian victories was greater and have taken to calling them "First Ariana" and "Second Ariana". In my more cynical moments I almost worry that they may declare him king instead of me! After all, what do I do for them besides raise their taxes and send their sons off to war?


Final results of the Second Battle of Alexandreia Ariana (243BC)

Before reports of Agathokles' victory had even reached the palace, I received equally good news from my other son. Heliokles had crept through the mountains and the forests towards Asaak and captured it with only a minor skirmish! Not long after that, caravans began to arrive carrying plunder from the city. I sent word to Agathokles not to attempt to hold the city, but to move on. He had already considered this and in a stroke of diplomatic genius, handed the province over to our allies the Pahlavi!

This move both strengthened our alliance and hurt our enemies, as well as cutting off a major corridor that Theodoros had used to send raiders into our northern satrapies. A large Pahlav garrison took over the town, while Heliokles and his men moved back into hiding. The forests in this area of the Empire are particularly thick, and the people there bear little to no loyalty to Theodoros. A little coin in their pockets is enough to cause memories of our passing to slip from their minds.

Heliokles had considered returning to our kingdom to deal with the Sakae, but with Agathokles freed from pressure in the south, he decided to stay in enemy territory and raid further. The most obvious target was the city of Hekatompylos in Parthava to the south, and Heliokles originally meant to travel in that direction, but shortly after the fall of Astauene, the Parthavans also revolted from the Empire. My son's spies told him that much of the garrison of Zadrakata, a much larger and richer city in Hyrkania, had gone to take back Parthava, so he quickly changed course and headed west. Once again creeping through the forest with his small force, Heliokles soon arrived in Hyrkania, where he ambushed a small army heading into Astauene, possibly looking for him! This ambush was so successful and so deadly that Heliokles erected a monument to Ares on the site before heading on.

He arrived outside Zadrakata less than a year ago, managing to slip his spies in ahead of his army's arrival. They gave him some amazing news. Emperor Theodoros himself, lord of the entire Arche Seleukeia, was using the city as a base to oversee his operations in the east! And we had the city surrounded!

It was not an easy task, but our infiltrators managed to open the gates of the city, and our men laid waste to the garrison. All that was left was to kill or capture Theodoros himself! We knew that it would not be so easy, though. His bodyguards are the best in the entire Hellenic world and fought to the last man to protect their emperor. Many more of our men died than theirs, but in the end it was worth it. Theodoros, to his credit, died a warrior's death, struck down in battle by Heliokles himself.


Heliokles Baktrios (left) in combat with Theodoros, Seleukid emperor, in Zadrakata (242BC)

Once again, Heliokles looted the city, leaving the cooperative citizens with only their temples and their lives, as he had in Asaak. Those who resisted he took as slaves. His messengers have told me that he also turned this city over to the Pahlavi, and is even now returning to Baktria with mountains of treasure looted from the rich city, and driving thousands of slaves before him. Since he killed the emperor, the Empire has been in disarray and its armies have left us alone for the time being. However, the beast is already awoken under new leadership, and has taken Hyrkania back from the Pahlavi and recaptured Parthava as well. We steel ourselves for new hostilities.

Agathokles is wintering here in Baktra with his men, and will head north to recapture Alexandreia Eschate as soon as the snows melt. Have you had a chance to meet him? You should, he will be king in this land in the not-too-distant future. Although you are older than I am, so maybe you will not be around to see that? Hmmm... in any case, come, I will introduce you and your son to the crown prince. He is extremely suspicious around outsiders, but I have no doubt he will meet with you if I tell him to. Guards! Tell my son we are coming to meet him!


Map of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia (242BC)

----

Next time: Agathokles heads north to recapture Alexandreia Eschate. Will he be able to fend off the barbarian horde? Will Baktria have to fend off new waves of Seleukid armies? Find out in Chapter 6!