From Peloponnesos to Persis: A Pontus AAR

[Fondor_Yards]

Notes: I haven't done one of these in ages, but felt the itch to do one for a while, so here it is. Huge unit size, Hard Campaign difficulty with Medium Battle. No mods or changes but the FD minimod so there's some sort off diplomacy and my personally minor touches. This starts off in 229 BC, and after a 40 year span of bloodshed and conquest the blooming Pontic Kingdom is about to enter a second stage. And so we begin...

Prologue:

Dorylaus Kianos marched through the grand royal palace in Amaseia. He was able to call another war meeting with his father and several other high nobles that made up his war council. Maybe this time he could convince the old fool to finish what he started 40 years ago. He wasn't in a hurry to get there, it was still some time away, he was just being impatience. Eventually, he wandered back to his own luxuriant quarters, and went inside. Moving out onto his balcony, he gazed up at the tombs of his forefathers built into the very hills.

With you as my witness, I will reclaim what is rightfully ours and drive these foolish Hellenes back into their much beloved sea. If the cowards would flee, I will chase them even onto the ends of the earth.

Then something distracted him from his thoughts, a small company of men rode up on horses, and made their way inside of the palace. Turning sharply, he fled back inside of his chambers. It was time.

"I don't understand why I must repeat myself father, but I will if I must. The Seleucids are and always will be a threat to our people. To leave them alone would be foolishness bordering on madness. They nearly took all of Megas Alexandros's conquests, starting with much less then what they have now. Artabazos Byzeres reports from Karkathiokerta that they send many assaults upon his satrap every year, lead by their Prince and several of his cousins. Hermaeus Amaseios reports that their old western capital at Antiocehia sees attacks that are sperateed by many years, but the fury and force of them when they come is equal to when we took it ourselves. Only the great skill of our archers and fury of our native hill men is able to hold them off. You are the last person I should have to say this to, how many attacks on this very city did you fight off? How many of their legions did you crush in uniting our homeland?"

Mithridates Kianos, called by some already Mithridates Soter, simply gave a small, weary smile. It was something he had many times during his reign. So many had questioned why after driving the Arche out of Anatolia, he had stopped. "And then what my son? Once they are gone, we will face their problems. A vast land with vast borders that need protecting. The southern Ptolemaics would not sit so idly as we scoop up the lands they deem theirs. And in the East, the Seleucids free Satrap of Baktria is wealthy and powerful."

"They are nothing but a joke, a group of ruthless, immoral old Kings who do not see the problems their squabbles cause. They said the same of our old allies in Hellas the Epeirots and the Koinon Hellenon. Yet despite all their promises and smiles, what did they do, send armies to our lands! What happened to their much vaunted strength when our armies marched on their lands as their onces tried to do. The wantabe Diadochoi were quickly brought to heel, and now serve as our servants keeping the Illyrian and Italian tribes away from Greece. The noble Greeks fought to the last to defend their freedom, as we expected and would have them do nothing more, but they too fell and now form part of our Great Nation. Why would these be any different I say. The Hai and the Pahlava tribes have ever our loyal allies, and will aid us in our conflicts. Alone, the Pahlava hold off the Seleucids and Baktrians, but may not be able to do so forever. What kind of men would we be, if we sit here save in our homes as our friends die fighting in theirs, die because we chose not to send aid. We should fight and help them I say!" Dorylaus noticed that his words were being well recieved by the newly added Thraikos, Kappadokos, and Galatikos members, as he expected. Support was leaning towards him and from his father.

"And the Ptolemaio do not even sit idly now." Spoke up Artaxerxes, son of Intaphrenes Herakleotes, Satrap of Phrgia. "I do not know why you permitted them to keep their hold on the city of Side, or why you refuse to do anything about them. I have personally seen their forces marching through our lands, taking and doing whatever they please. I do not know why you have ignored or refused my father's demands to let him return the favor and drive them into the sea. That is why he has sent me here to see you, and will not let me return without an answer."

Dorylaus smiled now and leaded back into his chair. This sealed the deal. There was no way his war could be stopped now. He would push west to Pasargadai and beyond, south to Aigyptos and beyond. He would recreate the Achaemenid Persian Empire, only this time superior to the old. With the old Persian magesticy, and new Hellenic culture creeping throughout, he would leave his children to inherit a perfect empire in control of all the world.

[Atraphoenix]

good luck I also just started my Pahlava AAR. Plz do not forget to add screenies.
my loyal ally I wish you good luck to crush A.S.

[Maion Maroneios]

Ah, finally a Pontos AAR! Good luck, hope it turns as epic as many Pontos fans expect it!

Maion

[Fondor_Yards]

Heh thanks guys. Your guys need the help a lot more Atraphoenix, recently they are getting trashed by the Baktrians, hopefully they can turn things around before it's too late. Also yes I know no battle screenies, didn't have the time to fully grab/edit them all and still get this out before I fell asleep.

Chapter 1: Waking the Beast



Looking at the massive army gathered before him, there was nothing that Dorylaus could do but smile. In this mighty force, the true strength of the Pontic Kingdom was shown. It has elements from each segement of the Kingdom, as the Kingdom itself took something from each nation and people in it, using it to unite all under one banner.



Fierce Galatians that served under his father and the more recent campaign in Hellas against the Greek City-States. None could match their skill with a blade for determination in battle. Loyal Persian noblemen from Kappadokia formed a skilled, elite medium cavalry force that none east, save the mighty steppe riders of the north can equal. Other nobles, from the further east made the heavy cavalry wing, modeled after the Hûvakâ of Darius. Not as heavy as the newer kataphraktoi used by our enemies and allies alike, not enough for our purposes. Archers sent from Syria, who skill is nigh unmatched by any others, rain death down on our enemies from afar. From the heart of our new empire are our Thorakitai, a sturdy fighting force that truly represented the best of us.



The general serving alongside him in this conflict would be the famed Arsiochos Daximonites, a mighty Thraikos warrior. The army that serves him, an unusual one considering his barbaroi background. Made in style of our Diadochoi enemies, in it's core in a group heavy phalangitai. Trained in the grounds and barracks stolen from our enemy, they have served us better then them. Galatians and hellenized locals keep their flanks clear, as skilled Rhodians whittle away at enemy ranks. Celts armoured in heavy chain and with fine spears serve alongside our own men to form an unbreakable cavalry wing. None can doubt the effectiveness of this grouping, certainly not the nations of the west. The whole of Peloponnesos, Makedonia, and Aitolia fell before this force. The Eperios were so scared of this man they would rather pay us off then suffer anymore of his wrath. He looks to bring the eastern successors under the Pontic banner as well, and add more fame and wealth to his name.



229 BC/69th year of the Pontic Dynasteia


Both armies set out of their respective starting cities. Arsiochos's army left it's quarters outside of Ankyra and headed south, towards the Ptolemaic city of Side. He take the city in the name of the King, finally after decades of conflict bring all of Anatolia into peace. Dorylaus set out from the capital of Amaseia, heading southeast. His first target was Assyria, the launching point of all of recent assaults into Pontic soil. He would end those attacks, and send the dogs scurrying back to their masters in Mesopotamia that Pontus was coming for them.

But Seleucid spies in the royal court had proved their worth now. The Seleucids had began a massive military build up in Edessa, sending the first of their armies north to Karkathiokerta. It was by far the biggest attempt to retake the city. The Seleucid force far out sized that of Artabazos's garrison, but he rode out to meet them anyways.


As his Syrian and Caucasian style archers rain death on the enemy from his high walls, Artabazos personally commanded the meele outside the city. His axemen engaged in a brutal meele with the enemy pikemen. As their formations were broken by the rough landscape and the pikes of used missiles, his men gained the advange over their much better armed and trained foes. They were used to fighting like this, while their nobles were not they bravely fought on. Only when a charge by Artabazos's own unit of picked noblemen slew the enemy commander did they fold. Still, almost all of his infantry fell with the enemy, a price they were more then willing to pay in order to defend their homeland.




228 BC/70th year of the Pontic Dynasteia




Arsiochos reached Ptolemaic soil, and heads for the main Ptolemaic stronghold of Side. Main smaller Ptolemaic forces, the small raiding party sent so often into Pontic soil, scattered before his army's approach. They fled for the "safety" of the city walls, nothing more then thin barrier of only wood. They would not hold him off for long. They did not have the biggest army, but their core of Hellenes on foot with spears and mounted with blades would not be the easiest to overcome.


Further to the east, Dorylaus would finally get what he had so long planned for and desired, combat. The second of the Assyrian forces, a very large but relatively untrained group, headed towards Antiocheia. Lead by a young man named Molon, they would soon find Dorylaus ahead of schedule and in their path.


He formed his heaver armed and better trained Galatians as his front line. Behind them he placed his faster, more mobile Pontic troops so they could both watch the masters at work and watch their flanks. He palced his archers at the forefront, but within javelin range of the infantry behind them so they could be covered during their retreat. The cavalry was formed into a deep column behind the last infantry, in order to react to a threat on either flank.



The enemy sent their veteran locally trained pikemen and mercenaries hired from far off Hellas in the center. These were the only true foe worth fighting, and would fight to the bitter end on this day. Dorylaus quickly spilt his cavalry force in two, leading his heavy Khûveshâvagân to crush the enemy's right flank. Seeing both this incoming force and the fierceness of the celtic foe they were already facing, they fled even before they were hit by a charge. This sealed the fate of the whole army. With his now free infantry and cavalry wings from the left, the enemy's left and center were soon surrounded. Hit by charges from the lighter but faster Katpatuka Asabara, the enemy's left flank soon fled as well. Now cut off from escape, the enemy's pikes had option but to fight on, and fight on their. Despite the cowardice of their countrymen that cost them their lives, they fought in the name of their King to the bitter end.




Advancing into enemy terrtory for the first time, Dorylaus quickly picked the fastest road to Edessa, the heart of Seleucid power and resistance in the region. Despite the last two defeats of Seleucid forces from here, a mighty force sat inside her walls. Spying a smaller force outside of the city, he decided to engage it before setting down to what would be a very bloody seige. But to his surpise, the garrison came forward to aid the smaller force.




Keeping the same formation as before, Dorylaus decided to try the same strategy as before, letting the enemy come to him again. After an extended archer duel between the two forces, his Syrians bested their foes but ran out of arrows, and retreated behind the infantry lines. As the weaken Seleucid army began their approach in earnest now. But they found well rested and ready foemen waiting for them. From behind their large shields, the Galatians and Thorakitai weather the missile storm much better, and charged their enemy. Not even a charge into them by the General's elite cavlary could turn the tide. They soon began bogged down by the Galatians, who gave no quarter even in the face of them. Dorylaus ordered his Khûveshâvagân to join the fray, and surrounding the foolhardy Syrian leader. Despite a last ditch attempt to break free, he died their surrounded by his foemen. Then it was only a matter of time before the rest of his men broke rank and fled back to the town. Only a handfull was able to escape the battle and bar the city gates behind them.




Mean while in the west, Arsiochos was meeting similar success. His forces quickly began to break down the small walls protecting Side from him.


His galatians and thorakitai lead the charge into the city streets. In face of barrages from his slingers, only the Hellenic pikemen remained to hold them off. The rest fled toward the city center, and whatever courage they could gain from having nowhere else to run. While skilled, the enemy was far outnumbered, and once surrounded they stood little chance. Still, brave Hellenes they were, fought to the end where they stood, buying what little time they could. But it would not matter in the enemy. His forces ran through the city, killing whatever enemy troops they found hiding and driving many Ptolemaic loyalist out of home. Those that were lucky enough to be spared the blade that is.



Before the year was up, a Ptolemaic diplomat came to the capital. Thinking he came with an offer of peace and profit, he instead came with insult. He offered peace, but in return demanded that they pay his King a sum of over 50,000 mnai in return for the damages and lives lost in this recent attack. He was throw out of the city, sent to return to his masters to tell of his failure.


227 BC/71th year of the Pontic Dynasteia


Admiral Pharnapates reports victories from the high seas, sending the whole of the Ptolemaic fleet, lead by Admiral Omilos, to the bottom of the seas, as well as the pirate lord Harmon. Omilos's goal had been to sneak past his rival and rescue a number of trapped Ptolemaic forces in Anatolia. They were now forced to do their worse choice, march through miles of hostile Pontic and Selecuid soil in order to reach safety. It was doubtful they would finish such a trip. With the sea lands now clear of all threats, Arsiochos's force was transported over to Syria, in prepreation of an invasion of Pheonicia.

A good sized Seleucid force approach Edessa, sent from Damakos. Dorylaus quickly intercepted them at the edge of Assyria, before they could enter and gain support from any remaining Seleucid forces and loyalist. In doing so, he was forced to leave the garrison dangerously low, but he had few other options. Luckily, seeing such a force before them, the enemy retreat before him and he was able to return before any trouble was caused in his abstinence.

[Warmaster Horus]

Nice stuff! Maybe a picture of the map?

I haven't seen a Pontic AAR in some time either, and I was considering doing one myself. Now that this is up, I'll definitely do it. It'll be interesting to see how our campaigns differ. Or not...

[Fondor_Yards]

Thanks, I'll make sure to have one in the next update. The Seleucids are putting up far more resistance then I expected, there's been a few brutal fights. Have fun in your own, the early years are hell.

[Maion Maroneios]

Great update, FY! I see you have been quite busy in Anatolia, that's why I try to keep away from that ruthless battleground ;)
Hope your campaign faires well and forget, never give up!

Maion

[Fondor_Yards]

Chapter 2: Re-Awaking the Beast



226 BC/72th year of the Pontic Dynasteia


Traveling south, Arsiochos Daximonites enters Ptolemaic soil once again. There was little they could do to stop him, with their navy sitting at the bottom of the sea there was no way reinforcements from Egypt could get there in time. All the local Satrap could do was gather what forces he could in his best fortress city, the old Phoenician town of Sidon. But it appaears his calls for aid were not all intercepted, for the large force from nearby Judea come to her aid. The coward Satrap refused to fight, and let some minor noble lead his forces and he hid in his palace.



Together, both forces were evenly matched in total numbers. But the high experience of Arsiochos's men, mixed with the highly varied quality of the enemy and that their force was spilt in half, gave the aging general an almost unstoppable advantage. Unfortunately his personal historian got drunk and lost the battle report papers was meant to send to the King.

In the east, Dorylaus laid seige to the Seleucid city of Arbela. It was only defended by a modest garrison, and he expected that it would soon fall to his superior troops. However, just as the siege was being set, another Seleucid force came from further East to aid their brother. Dorylaus retreated back from the city for a mile, and set up his battle formations.



As his enemy advanced, they were met by a merciless hail of arrows from his Syrian Archers, that inflicted heavy loses on his rival's own archers. With them such taken care of, their infantry was forced to charge forward to die where they stood.



The enemy tried to work their way around his flanks, but he was more then prepared for such an attempt. His galatians were more then able to hold their foes in place, as a devasting cavalry charge was launched on their own flanks. Even their best men, picked spearmen from Babylon, where unable to withstand such force and ran for home.



As the city forces reached the battlefield, and came within sight of the Pontic Force, they were in for a shock. Before their foe stood mounds of their friends. They knew if they turned tail now, they would only be killed from behind, so like true Hellens they marched forward. Despite their courage they were soon surrounded and cut to pieces were they stood, not even given the chance to run.




225 BC/73th year of the Pontic Dynasteia


It seems that this time however, the Seleucids were not going down without a real fight. Their almost passive resistance to our past campaigns in Anatolia was a farcry to what the generals were now seeing. Massive armies had been sent out from Mesopotamia, one heading to Damaskos to reinforce the alright large forces guarding their west most province. The others went north to hammer nearby Arbela. However, one last messenger from the west was able to sneak past the Seleucid seige. He carried with him a message from Home. His father, Mithridates Soter, the man who turned Pontus into a world power, the man who showed all the oppressed people of the east that their time was coming again, was felled by time. Dorylaus Kianos, at age 34, was the new King of his people. And he promised to lead them to greatness, starting by crushing the enemy that laid outside his walls.



While it was not by far the biggest army ever seen, this force had something that all the others Dorylaus had faced lacked, elites. Argyraspides, the best of the whole army were now on the battlefield, Even worse, Thorakitai Agematos Basilikou, the best of the best of the best, were joining them. Without question, they were the most heavily armed, armoured, and trained unit in the world.



However, it seems the talk of these legendary "silver shields of the east" was just that, talk. He had no trouble making them run for the hills like little boys when faced by his heavy cavalry.



Even the Thorakitai Agematos Basilikou turned and ran when they saw their brothers doing the same. Truely, if nothing else, this had shown Dorylaus how far the mighty had fallen. They no longer deserved either respect or their titles. He would take both from his foolish first, with fire and steel.





Leaving Sidon in the hands of mercenaries and a large levy force sent from Antiocheia, Arsiochos headed east. Before him laid the old city of Damaskos, but between him and his target where many armies. Only his savvy and the skill of his soldiers would see him through them.



He formed up within eyesight of the city itself. That is, if you could see farther then 3 feet in front of you. As he held the high ground, the enemy had to climb the hill in front of them to reach him. But neither force knew of the other, as a mighty sand storm was whipped up by the gods to blind both sides. Knowing the dangers of trying to move his force in such conditions, he had his men hold their ground here and wait it out. Then without warning, the storm dissipated. There was the enemy, right in front of them! He quickly order his slingers to open fire on the disorganized foe. They had clearly not expected him to be waiting for him on top of that hill, and where not in proper battle formations. They scrambled together as a rain of bullets fell upon them. Disorganized, they stood little a match for Arsiochos's legions. Truly the gods were on his side today.




224 BC/74th year of the Pontic Dynasteia


Again, a large Seleucid army laid siege to Arbela. This time it was lead by their Prince. It evenly matched the King's own men, and was a good mix of high quality troops, a very powerful and dangerous army to fight. Confindent from his previous victories, he sallied forth to meet him in the field.



Both sides slamming into each other, their infantry engaging in a massive meele. His cavalry rammed into the enemy time after time, but their resolute pikemen refused to move.



That is, untill a member of his royal guard struck down the Seleucid Prince. Panic began to spread throughout the enemy's ranks. Without him to hold them together, they began to fall apart. Before long, it turned into a full out rout.




Back west, the Ptolemaics were eager to take advanage of both armies being distracted by their respective armies, and sent a good sized force to return Sidon to the Ptolemaic fold after years of Seleucid and now Pontic rule. However, they were not expecting the garrison to be so large.



Greek and locally trained pikemen provided the core of the garrsion, which was filled out with large number of galatian and thrakian mercenaries. The barbarian mercenaries grinded down the enemy with pure numbers as the pikes matched the enemy in equal combat. But seeing the massive numbers of their enemy surrounding them, they soon fled. Only the lack of cavalry in the garrison saved many of them as they outran the footmen, tired from already slaughtering so many.



A tad more to the east, Arsiochos tangled with another army. This time it was lead by none other then the Seleucid King himself! An extremely skilled and loved general, Arsiochos would be in for a hell of a fight.



But he still had a few things going for him. First it was on the same battlefield has his last battle, so he knew the lay of the land. Second, this was by far the smallest army sent to fight him, even with the garrison coming to help. They hardly have the strength to keep to front busy and/or engage his flanks. He was easily able to surround his enemy and cut them to pieces.





With the garrison completely destroyed during the course of the battle, he was able to walk into the city unopposed without ever needing to lay siege to the town.

[Fondor_Yards]

Chapter 3: Into the Fire





221 BC/77th year of the Pontic Dynasteia

Dorylaus took in a deep breath as the left the city of Mazaka behind. After 3 long years of waiting for the replacements to be trained and gathered, both of his invincible armies were ready to continue his conquest of the East. Disapointed by his galatian warriors, he has replaced them with new, Persian troops. Armed and trained in a greek manner, they should prove good enough in their job. The ability to quickly raise men armed as such from many different lands would also be a boost. Dorylaus headed east to pick up half of his army.

While Arsiochos's forces left their summer quarters near Ankyra and headed south to coast. The Pontic Southern Fleet was waiting for them there. Their mission was to push the Ptolemaics all the way back into Egypt. The Ptolemaics had been seiging Sidon and Damaskos nearly constantly since he departed, as the Seleucids did the same at Arbela. Only the twin founding military strengths of the Pontic Kingdom, eastern archer and hellenic discipline had keep those cities in their hands. One large Seleucid force had even bypassed those cities and struck deeper at Antiocheia herself before being repulsed.

After hooking up with the rest of his army, Dorylaus headed south to the desert city of Palmyra. It laid at the very edge of Pontic claimed soil, and scouts reported that no Seleucid forces stoop on his side of the border. However, the Seleucid Ling had sent many men to stop him, and gathered near the city, taking much of the little local forage. If a siege was set up, suppling his army would become a problem.

The city of Hierosolyma was by far the biggest source of trouble on the southern border. The largest center of Ptolemaic power on this side of the Nile. If Arsiochos could take her, the surrounding countryside would fall as well. With their navy crushed and their land route thus cutoff, Ptolemaic power in the region would be nil. If Dorylaus could keep enough men near the river crossings, they could concentrate on just the Seleucid threat in the East. But before he could take that city, there was another he had to take first, Bostra.


220 BC/78th year of the Pontic Dynasteia


As he approached Palmyra, the Seleucids tried in vain to stop his approach.


The enemy infantry force was made mostly of levies, wild hillmen, or both. They charged madly into the Pontic ranks, who stood firm. They quickly lost faith in their commander, turned and ran.






Despite his crushing of the last army in his way, yet another tried to stop him. But this time they had reinforcements. A glorious army formed from the might remnants of the last army.


Admittedly this army did fare better then the last he had faced. But once he was able to eliminate Noumenios Syriakos, his army's morale fell with him.




Then before him stood the city of Palmyra itself. He laughed when he saw it, it's citizen did not even have the most basic of defensive measures. Even the Spartans would be shocked at such a reckless move. The remains of both previous armies moved to reinforce the garrison as he moved in.


He decided to let them enter the city. His archers pelted the starting garrison, forcing them to abandon the other edges of the town and hide deeper inside. There, the buildings would offer some protecting from their storms of arrows.

Once all the enemy forces were inside the town, Dorylaus made his move. Seperating his infantry into three different divisions, he sent two sweeping around the town down the other streets, to avoid letting them hold up his whole army as it tried to go down a single road. But doing so left his remaining line of infantry very weak with no others to aid them. Seeing this, the enemy General ordered all his men to charge forward in a desperate attempt to break the besieger's forces.


Clouds of sand were stirred up by the massive meele that came to be. Despite the fierceness of the enemy cavalry and infantry, Dorylaus's new persian infantry held the line. Thus letting his flanking forces cut through the weak resistance offered to them on the side streets.


Getting word of the success of his flanking units, Dorylaus ordered all his cavalry forward into the enemy. In face of this, and hearing himself of the Pontic men about to close in behind him, Epikrates Anaias Mysiakes order his force to turn and head back deeper into the city.


Despite falling back before they could be completely surrounded, once back in the city's main plaza there was nowhere else to go. Now they were truly surrounded with all modes of escape removed. Many of the Seleucids tried to run, bribe their way out, or just beg for mercy, none was given. A unit of the Thorakitai Agematos Basilikou was present as a gift from the King to help defend these lands. Even their fierceness was not enough. Even outnumbered by a far margin, and being pushed back from their original battleground half way down a side street to the plaza, they formed a circle and fought to the very last man. With them they took many brave sons of Pontus.





With all Seleucid forces remaining in the area, Arsiochos was free to move in on Bostra. Like it's sister city to the north, the King had given a gift to help defend the town, a small contingent from the Argyraspides were present in the city. However, they could not compensate for the rest of the garrison, Arabic style levies. He seiged the city in the very start of the year. By midsummer, it was ripe for the plucking.


However, his historian was again drunk on duty, and no records of the battle would reach King Dorylaus in Palmyra other then that the city had fallen.

[Maion Maroneios]

Wow man, you must really have a fun time destroying all these elite AS stacks I did, for one!
Great update, btw!

Maion

[Fondor_Yards]

Thanks, always glad to hear from my fan ;). The Seleucids are pulling armies out of nowhere, I didn't think I be fighting so many of them. Especially like at Palymra just now, they had so many armies to defend that stupid little poor town of 2000 people. Ever since I first kicked them out of Asia Minor, they made peace with everyone, even the Ptolemaics. And since they were only really sending 1 medium sized army to seige Kark, they have just been building up epic armies waiting for the next round between us to start.