Pontic Campaign

[Sygrod]

So I had a chance to run almost 3 seasons. The battle to repulse the ptolemaic siege on Edessa went well. Very well, in fact.

THey were lined up outside the west gate. I placed 4 slinger units and a unit of Caucasian archers to the right of the gate, inside the wooden walls. My two phalanxes, the Galatian heavy spearmen, the general and the Eastern skirmishers were lined up inside the gate and the Scythian horse archers and the Skirmish cavalry were placed behind the northern gate. As expected, the ptolemaic army drew off to the northeast, receiving a thorough pelting from the missile units. The cavalry was sent out and headed for a place behind the final ptolemaic line. The all units except the missile trops were sent out after the ptolemies. The two phalanxes were drawn up in a line 5 men deep with the skirmishers behind. The general went to the far left. The galatians came up and took position behind the phalanxes. Then my main effort arrived: my missile troops. They showered the enemy line where it would do most damage.

The ptolemies tried to counter charge, but as they got closer, my missile units were drawn back, causing the enemies to return to their lines, at which point they received concentrated missiles and suffered heavily. When the enemy line finaly broke, I sent eveything forward. the cavalry massacred the borken units. The general charged and caused more units to route. The last unit to be destroyed was the phalanx, whichgtried to escape to the Northeast.
Of my initial 1647 men, only 34 were killed. of the initial 1754 ptolemies, only 178 got away and scattered after the battle. HEROIC VICTORY.
The following season, I finally decided to advance on Antiocheia. I had enough units to keep Tarsos and Side under control. A strong detachment of seleukids arrived south of Edessa and I was unable to guess its intentions, so I dared not send a large army from Edessa. On top of that, the seleukids had sent a strong army into Antiocheia. It was not going to be a walkover.
After my turn, the seleukids decided to lay siege to my small fort east of Edessa. Not a good idea. When it was my turn again, I sent a small detachment from karkathiokerta and with 165+199 men, I sallied against the 420 strong enemy. They were cut down to the last man, thanks in due to the 30 chariots. This gave me the confidence to send forth a strong force to the bridge SW of Edessa to be forwarded to Antiocheia, which I finally laid siege to, building 2 sap points and two towers.