189 –
Summer
The VI Army has been hard at work since moving onto the Italian peninsula. Kronos Elateios is quickly displaying an aptitude for leading men in battle. After his first victory Kronos dispatched the spy stationed with his army to Taras then moved towards Taras, layed siege to the city. After noticing the strength of the Samnites, in his first battle, Kronos decided to find some to add to his army, after asking around he found 2 units of Heavy Samnite Infantry more than willing to fight the Qarthadist invaders. As he had been given authorization to recruit local units to fill his army he immediately hired them.
As the enemy troops in the area were seen to be only 60% of his numbers the decision was made by Kronos to build rams so that his numbers would not be neutralized.
Rhegion is currently training a unit of levy hoplites in anticipation of dispatching a garrison force to Taras.
One week after laying siege to the city the Carthadist forces in the region moved in to aid their besieged comrades. Chaeremon’s army, still licking its wounds from the Appenine valley battle, rallied from Taras to fight for their life. The two generals met before the battle and Kronos attempted to persuade Chaeremon to defect with his army to the Koinon. Chaeremon responded by telling Kronos to go home while he still had a victorious record in battle. Kronos, still a bit immature, responded with something about a “servile cur” and rode off.
The Carthadists joined lines and began marching on Kronos' position situated near the Bay of Taras. He took notice of the lack of Qarthadist cavalry. The lines met and Chaeremon, attempting to motivate his troops, charged into the middle of the battle line only to become hopelessly stuck in the middle of our hoplites. Apparently he was not as courageous as he had hoped and left his troops, he was last seen riding into the city, bodyguards dead on the field.
After the rout of their leader the Qarthadist forces were unable to hold their flanks and were quickly surrounded. Only a handful of forces survived the battle to flee back into the temporary safety of Taras.
One unit of Prodromoi performed well enough to receive a commendation after the battle, causing almost 100 casualties while suffering only 1.
Fall
When the rams were completed Kronos commanded his army to move into the city. Kronos did not command this battle but made his top captain(auto-resolve) to do so. It was reported that Chaeremon fought to the end and was killed while trying to rally his then pitiful army. The Tarasian greeks, what were left of them, welcomed him with open arms as they had never lived as free men, the city having been under foreign rule for over 60 years.
The council took notice of Kronos' absence in the battle with a cautious eye as they were not sure whether this was done for training purposes or because he was beginning to get arrogant. They would need to be cautious, to make sure this young commander didn’t get carried away with himself, arrogance is not befitting the commander of an army, especially a Koinon army, as it has led to the downfall of many a great army.
188 –
Spring
After taking the city those who opposed the Koinon were enslaved and a Hellenic tyrant was installed in Taras. In the Spring, Kronos was sent north to Arpi leaving a garrison of 2 levy hoplites in Taras.
In the
Fall Kronos led his troops to the gates of Arpi so as not to be stuck outside the city for the winter.
Army Composition:
Battle:
As the 6 rams beat against the walls of the city, the Kretans, numbering around 240, began to thin out the numbers of the closest units to the walls, causing some of the units to break position and flee to the safety of the nearby buildings.
The walls came down and greeks came flooding through the breeches. Spartans in the middle 3 holes and other units through the outside 3. The enemy was quickly overtaken in the middle and our 100 or so phalanxmen blockaded the main street, cutting off reinforcements, while the outside units finished off the feeble defenders.
The phalanx' then began moving down the main road flanked by Spartans. Abascantus, wishing to die with honor, led one last attack into the phalanx. He was able to break through the phalanx, opening up room for his infantry to get in close with them, but was quickly cut down by the Spartans. After the death of their governer the soldiers continued, fighting to the death in the city center. In the end 106 of our men fell that day, 26 of whom were healed by Kronos' doctor making a total of 80 men dead or permanently crippled too far to fight.
The Fall of Taras and Arpi
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