The history of Baktria: an AAR

[Hooahguy]

Attention!-
i am now using TWFanatic’s First Cohort/Phalanx/Elephant/Chariot minimod, just to let everyone know.
(and to tell you the truth, im very happy with it!)

[Hooahguy]

Chapter 9- The battle of Paropamisadai- Summer 261

Our leader, Theodotos Baktrios, was getting older. In the spring of 261, he celebrated his 50th Birthday.


He was also gathering his army of ten units of Thureophoroi, a unit of Baktrian Medium Cavalry, four units of Persian Archer-Spearmen, two units of slingers, and two units of archers. He decided to not use the Pezhetairoi, because he realized it would take time to get them unto place and were very clumsy units to assault a town with, and replaced them with more Thureophoroi.


Meanwhile, our spies found a rebel army to the south of Kophen, full of archers and skirmishers, along with some light infantry.


So he sent his grandson, Zoilos Marakandaios, to destroy this army, with a large army of mercenaries, before it could do any serious harm.



The armies met in the summer of 261 in the hills of Paropamisadai.


The battle started on a bright, sunny day.

[I had no idea the modesty patch covered this too- honest!]

Due to the customs of many of our mercenaries with regard to modesty, and with the protest of the mothers of our great nation, when our generals went on parade, Theodotos Baktrios issued an order that all generals must cover their shields, in battle and on parade.

The battle started with Zoilos Marakandaios ordering all his mercenary horse archers to ride forward and engage the enemy with arrows and javelins.


When the arrows and javelins were depleted, the horse archers drew their swords and spears and charged. Soon, they ran into trouble as the enemy unexpectedly switched from their bows to their spears, to the dismay of the horse archers.

Seeing trouble, Zoilos Marakandaios charged to the scene and rallied his troops.


He was just in time.
The army was wavering, seeing that their horses couldn’t beat the enemy spears. But Zoilos Marakandaios charged all over the place, inflicting great casualties upon the enemy, and eventually winning the day for Baktria.

[Sorry for the lack of pictures- the battle went so fast, I didn't have much time to take many!]

In the end, great casualties were suffered on both sides.


But it was a day of victory nonetheless.


Unfortunately, a unit of the mercenaries were full of soldiers who knew the rebels, so they were somewhat reluctant to kill them. Thus, 325 rebels escaped that battle, and the unit who was responsible was punished accordingly.

The battle of Paropamisadai showed Zoilos Marakandaios, Theodotos Baktrios, and the other generals that you just can’t solely rely on mercenaries to do a Baktrians job.

[Chirurgeon]

So what does the minimod do that you downloaded? Are those Cataphracts? Im dealing with those in my AAR. Very nasty

[Hooahguy]

the minimod..... just check it out in the unofficial mod section- its there.
as for the cataphracts, i dont know which picture your talking about.

[Chirurgeon]

the minimod..... just check it out in the unofficial mod section- its there.
as for the cataphracts, i dont know which picture your talking about.

The one with the modesty patch over the shield

[Hooahguy]

oh- thats the early generals bodyguard.....
next update, coming right up!

[Hooahguy]

The battle for Kophen- Spring 260



In the spring of 260 BC, after a three- month siege our leader, Theodotos Baktrios, assaulted Kophen.


The battle began on a dark, overcast day.


He spoke to them, saying very encouraging words, in a speech that would be recorded for all history to know.

“My brave sons of Baktria! There lies the enemy, beyond those excuses for walls! You have drilled long for this battle, and know exactly what to do! Show no fear! Show no compassion for them! Fight hard! Fight with vigor and strength! Slay them with no pity! Between you and the enemy, there is but one flimsy wall! Now, go forwards! Go and meet the enemy! Go and fight for your families honor, and more important yet, fight for the honor of Baktria!”

The soldiers responded to these arousing words with much cheering.
And with a wave of his sword, Theodotos waved his men on.

The walls were breached in two places quite easily by our rams.


The Thureophoroi moved in, encountering little resistance.
But then Theodotos noticed an enemy phalanx moving to our left flank, and quickly ordered two units of Thureophoroi to counter them, and the battle on the left flank commenced.


During the entire battle, the archers and slingers gave our men support, and caused many casualties.
[i thought i took a picture of them shooting arrows?....]

Unfortunately, a unit of slingers was so eager to join the battle they went with the Thureophoroi to counter the enemy phalanx, and was, unfortunately, cut down, seeing that they had no armor and just a knife for a weapon. There were just twenty- four remaining when the battle ended.

The main body of the enemy proceeded down the main street, and four units of Thureophoroi moved in, ready for the engagement.


The battle went on the main street and on the left flank.



On the left flank, the battle was going well- we had finally surrounded the enemy.
But then, reinforcements came.


While all of this was happening, another two units of Thureophoroi moved along the right flank, and just as they reached the plaza, the enemy sent a unit to counter them.


Meanwhile, the battle on the main street raged on.


And so did the battle on the right flank.


Finally, the enemy forces on the main street were on the last handful of men.


Finally, both the enemy on the right flank and the main street broke, and they withdrew to the plaza, where our brave soldiers rushed to attack before they could organize.


And finally the last two enemy solders in the plaza made one last stand.


But they were cut down, and the plaza was ours!


But the battle was still going on the left flank, but we finally surrounded them, and the enemy general and his standard-bearer foolishly paused and started to pray to their gods for salvation while we surrounded them.


But the praying was to no avail-
The general was cut down, a spear through his heart killed him.


We finally were able to circle another unit of Thureophoroi to complete the circle.


Finally, the enemy broke, and we cut them down.


In the end, the battle was won, with much fewer casualties then we expected.


But the town gravediggers were going to be busy for a long time.



As soon as the town was taken, we built a homeland government, and we built mines, the source of our income for years to come.



All in all, it was a successful battle, and now Theodotos Baktrios is going to have to look elsewhere……



500th post!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Those are pretty good battle results for a siege battle.
Are you heading for India or Persia next?


(Congratz on 500.)

[Hooahguy]

i honestly dont know... ill decide in the next few days.....

[Subedei]

Hi hooahguy, very entertaining AAR. Baktria is one of the most fun factions to play!!!

The ressources waiting 4 you in India will be very very necessary, if you wanna fight the grey death to the West. Esp. Indian archers are of big use in a war against AS....U know, elephants don´t like them bowmen playing with their lighters!

In my campaign after conquering India, I sent an attachement along the Souther coast line and conquered the cities there and on the Arab peninsula. 2 front attack on AS possible then...

One idea: It would be great to see a pic of your campaign map....

Oh, back in the days when EB was runnin´...well, different story.... Bring on the glorious reports Baktrians!

[Hooahguy]

thanks for your comments everyone.

but now, presenting chapter 11........


Chapter 11: regrouping, retraining, and rethinking

After the successful conclusion of the Kophen campaign, our leader, Theodotos Baktrios sent the Thureophoroi up north back to the capitol of Baktra to retrain and regroup, while he went there himself for another business.

Gathering all his top generals together, he stated a clear fact: the Thureophoroi don’t perform very well against enemies with swords, but they perform very well against enemy cavalry units.
“We need a unit that has a spear but also has a sword, for it's easy to dodge or block a spear when you’re on foot, but it’s harder to block a sword. The Thureophoroi kill enemy infantry too slowly, which we can’t afford. What if an enemy relief army is on its way and shows up while our Thureophoroi are slowly killing the enemy inside? We need killing speed, and the Thureophoroi doesn’t have it!”

Patrokles Marakandaios made the case for keeping the Thureophoroi as the main unit in their besieging armies.
“Whether you like it or not, the Thureophoroi are very mobile, and are relatively cheap. While they don’t kill as fast as you would like, they are the backbone of our besieging armies, whether you like it or not.”

Theodotos Baktrios responded,
“Even though they are somewhat cheap, there are only three provinces which have the suitable means to recruit them in! Only the provinces of Baktria, Dayuan, and Aria can we enlist them, and we don’t even own Aria!

[much thanks to the people who made the recruitment veiwer that made these pictures possible!]

However, there are eight provinces in which we can recruit the Baktrion Agema, the type of unit I will introduce to you shortly. The provinces are Baktria, Dayuan, Aria, Margiana, Sogdiane, Paropamisadai, which we just captured, Gandhara, and Sattagdydia.


The unit which I propose to replace the Thureophoroi is the Baktrion Agema.


These soldiers carry with them two weapons: a spear and a sword. The spear is to obviously kill enemy cavalry, and the sword is to obviously kill enemy infantry.
They are the best of what they do, and there is little reason that there will be any disagreement for them becoming our backbone of our besieging armies in the future.”

Patrokles Marakandaios voiced his objection.
“They cost too much! We just got our main source of income! Shall we waste it all on this type of unit? For every unit of the Baktrion Agema we can train two units of Thureophoroi! Yes, I agree, the Agema may be more efficient, but it will drain our treasury as a hole drains a flask of water!”

Zoilos Marakandaios softly replied to his father,
“Father, there is no point in arguing. Even though the Agema cost more, the rate at which we’ll be able to conquer enemy cities will be much faster than with the Thureophoroi and that will make up for more than the amount it costs.”

“You spoke well son, and I see your point.” Patrokles Marakandaios responded. “With that, I concede. If need be, we will be forced to enforce a higher tax, and if that’s the case, so be it.”

“Very well, we will send the veteran Thureophoroi all over our nation, to help provide security, while we train the Agema for our next target: the town of Taksashila in the province of Gandhara, where there are also very rich mines there, as rich as the mines in Paropamisadai. Any objections? No? This meeting is dismissed.”

[Hooahguy]

btw, i installed MC's player formations mod. havent really tried it out yet, but it look promising!

[Hooahguy]

[man, im just churning these out, arent i? hope you enjoy! the updates wont be as often as they has been in the past few days.]

Chapter 12: A Disturbing Report

In the summer of 260, our spies reported a very distressing report. The city of Taksashila was full of Indian troops, which also numbered over 2,000.


It was led by the general Gudarz, who was little heard of but as dangerous as an infamous one.


But what was most disturbing was the two units of Sreni Pattya Yoddaha, or the Infantry Guild Warrior. These were the elite warriors of India. Fast, deadly, and much feared.


But what truly struck fear into the hearts of our generals was something large and grey. Any infantry or cavalry unit can be effectively countered with many different types of units, but the three units of Indian Elephants didn't.


Meanwhile, we spotted a large army in our northern borders a few years back. In the summer of 260, a large army under the grandson of Theodotos Baktrios, Agathokles Baktrios, reached the area to do battle, but lo and behold! Our Saka allies defeated the army for us! And they took heavy losses too. The only unit in the entire area was a very heavily depleted unit of Early Saka Nobles. In appreciation, we sent the 5,000 mnai, which they accepted graciously. That took care of the northern rebel problem.


So with Agathokles Baktrios returning to Baktra, Theodotos Baktrios assembled his top generals, including Agathokles Baktrios and Zoilos Marakandaios. They would make two armies to assault Taksashila. One under Zoilos Marakandaios


And one under Agathokles Baktrios.


There was going to be major risk in this operation. We would not risk assaulting the walls, since those Sreni Pattya Yoddaha would cut up our soldiers like a knife through hot butter. So we would make them come to us and defeat them in open battle, for even the best sword infantry can’t go up against a good phalanx. We would defeat their elephants and Infantry Guild Warriors in open battle, and either wipe out the entire garrison, or kill most of them, then assault with a different force specially trained for assaulting walls. That was how it was to be, and that is what was to be relied upon to gain us a victory.

[Hooahguy]

update: i uninstalled Darths mod but kept MC's player formations mod. tried Darths mod in custom battle and decided i didnt like it....

[Wolfman]

Good Update!

[Hooahguy]

teaser: there will be a little treat coming (if everything goes well) in an update or two (depends on how fast it ships), which im sure will enhance this AAR dramatically!

[IndianPrince]

Hey buddy,
Very interesting AAR. So u think u can take on the Indians eh ... i say bring it on u lousy bactrians !!!

Our elephants will take care of u !!!

[Hooahguy]

lol...... those elephants will be "a peice of elephant pie" after im done with them!
you have yet to find out how im going to deal with them.......

[IndianPrince]

Archers, Slingers & Skirmishers are my best friends against elephants !!!

Very handy if the archers torch their arrows :)

Hope ur technique is more "unique" ... anyways im sure Takshashila will not fall to Mlechas (in Hinduism any kind of "outsider" is called a mlecha) in this case a petty Yavana (greek) :P

Prince

Prince

[Hooahguy]

well, it will be along those lines.......

[IndianPrince]

Indeed ... eagerly awaiting the next chapter :)

Prince

[Hooahguy]

Chapter 13- The Diplomatic Crisis of 259

The year of 259 got off to a bad start. The wife of Theodotos Baktrios, Agathokleia, died at the age of 64, throwing Theodotos in to deep despair for some time, despite the comforting of his family and friends.


But more important things were happening……

The Arche Seleukia sent a diplomat over to us, but when we asked him what he came for, he said he still has to receive the orders from his superiors of what to offer, and he only came because the weather was nice. We found it very queer and we are anxious to hear what he has to say, praying it wasn’t going to be an ultimatum of some sort.

On the topic of diplomats, Patrokles hastily decided to send a diplomat of our own, Demetrios Chomoraios, to offer an alliance with our neighbors, the Sauromatae.


But when word got back to the capitol of what Patrokles had done, a rider made haste to Demetrios and told him the mission was cancelled. The reason was simple: they are the enemy of two of our allies, the Saka and the Hai.


It was imperative that we cancelled that diplomatic mission, for if the alliance between the Saka and us was to cease before the appropriate time, there would be a serious crisis, since our northern border was dangerously under-guarded. Soon after that, we discovered something that put our few northern border forces on guard: a Saka army was assembling near Chach, the closest Saka town to us.


The army was small, but was composed of the type of unit we dreaded most: horse archers and regular archers.


They were also led my some very competent commanders, who were guarded by something even worse than horse archers- armored horse archers.


All this would lead to a decision Theodotos Baktrios would make as soon as Taksashila was taken.

But there was good news in the year of 259. Our first army, under Agathokles Baktrios, was finished training, and the army under Zoilos Marakandaios will soon be finished as well.


As you can see, the army consists of many grizzled veterans, drawn from the ranks of other units and even some green ones, but brought up to the level of the veterans by a very good training regimen that was devised by Theodotos himself. So in a year of diplomatic blackness, a glimmer of light shone- a glimmer of light that would to have to prove itself in the future years of our great nation.

[IndianPrince]

WOAH ... Where did u get those veterans from ??? amazing dude ... wish u luck for ur Indian campaign

Prince

[Hooahguy]

to tell you the truth, i have no idea- i think its a bonus of some sort- all of my 3 starting provinces give me troops with 3 chevrons of experience.
but i cant complain!

as for the silver chevroned unit of agema, i used them to mop up a bunch of one unit armies of rebels......
i didnt bother reporting about it, it was so minute

[Hooahguy]

Chapter 14- The Diadochoi Convention of 257

In the year of 257, the principle Diadochoi, or the successor empires, the Arche Seleukia, the Ptolemaioi, and the Makedonians put aside their swords and met in Pella, the Makedonian capitol, to discuss what has happened in the past few decades, and who ranked higher in terms of the military, economy, and the most advanced. The Makedonians ranked highest in the economy, the Arche Seleukia ranked highest in the military, and we, surprisingly, ranked highest in the most advanced category! We are the most advanced of the Diadochoi!


We also drew up a map of the territories of the known world in 257. The black areas show unexplored territory.


But more important things happened in 257.

The second army, under Zoilos Marakandaios, that would besiege Taksashila, was finished training, and was almost exact to the first army.


And in the fall of 257, the two armies moved out, in the direction of Taksashila, with the entire Baktrian kingdom waiting anxiously for what was to come in the coming years, and in the upcoming battle.

ya, i know this was short, but i had to do something with all the time i kept getting on and off to test my new recruitment plans- expect the battle in next update!

[IndianPrince]

That convention idea was unique indeed ... lol

Good job

Those 2 armies shud easily take Takshashila's might & crush it
Good Luck !

Prince

[Hooahguy]

thanks- ill need the luck- even with the two armies. but of course, its going to take careful planning so when one army is reinforces the other in the battle, ill have them right there, and not on the other side of the map.
as for the convention part, i was bored..... lol!
EDIT: i also needed a way how to put the map in the AAR without making it seem too obvious- thus the black areas.

[Hooahguy]

ok, i lied again- next chapter after this one......

Chapter 15- winter of 256 and spring of 255- Final Preparations

The two armies reached the vicinity of Kophen in the fall of 256, and set up winter camp there. There was much nervous chatter there, and everyone was nervous of what was to come, as they did some final preparations before they besieged Taksashila.


They did three things: they got more supplies, briefed the officers of what the plan was, and they sent spies once more to check on the status of the garrison in Taksashila.

The plan was simple: we would meet the enemy on more favorable ground, outside their city, and slaughter them there. But in case one army was routed, the second army would be there to fill in the lines, but the armies had to be exactly alike, because both had to be able to stand up for their own since we did not know against which army the garrison would sally out to attack.
Both armies would be stationed on the same side of the wall, the western side, so when the reinforcements came, they wouldn’t have to travel around the city just to relieve the army which was under attack. The reinforcements would come immediately and fresh with the energy to continue the battle.
To deal with the elephants, the slingers would be positioned on the flanks to rain their stones on the elephant’s undersides, the most vulnerable part of the elephant, as they came out of the gates. The Persian Archer-Spearmen would rain fire arrows upon the elephants as to drive them crazy, in the hopes that the elephants that weren’t killed by the stones would run amok and kill their own men. All this would make them fall either at the gates or shortly afterwards.
The other infantry would take care of the Infantry Guild Warriors and the other enemy troops, and the cavalry would ride forth and cut the enemy down as they fled. Thus, we would triumph over the Taksashilans and their elephants.

(Z–M is Zoilos Marakandaios, and A–B is Agathokles Baktrios)

When the spies returned, what they found was shocking. Recently, there was a plague in Taksashila, which greatly reduced the garrison, much to our relief. But the spies reported that while we were training our own troops, they retrained some of theirs and recruited some more troops. So now their garrison numbered over 2,500 strong!

(and no, im not running EB with ALEX.EXE! i thought the AI didnt retrain its troops?.....)

However, both of our armies numbered over 2,900, and our two armies combined numbered over 5,800! Zoilos Marakandaios reassured out troops with a very fine speech.

“Fear not! We outnumber them by over 3,300 men! Those elephants may be scary, but just as David and Goliath of the times of the Israelites, the small will take down the large with just small stones!” Zoilos nodded towards the hundreds of slingers that were to take part of the operation as he said that. “And furthermore, you have me and another great general to lead you! Their general rests on those brown beasts like a coward! So as we journey on in a few short months to take on the enemy, show no fear!”

That seemed to do it, for the rest of the winter, very few men showed signs of nervousness for the coming battle.

Then finally, in the early spring of 255, the two great armies broke camp and marched to the river, poised to cross it and enter the province of Gandhara on the word of our leader. There was just a few rivers and lightly forested fields in-between them and the enemy. The road to Taksashila was wide open.

[Chirurgeon]

Wow you have been busy. I especially liked your after battle pics of all the dead in the streets...what a mess. Keep it up!

[The_Baron]

Wow-wee. A most engrossing read. I hope to hear more in the not-so-far future!