[Epeiros/Pergamon AAR] Heirs to Lysimachos

[QuintusSertorius]

241BC:



Rather ironically, Rome and Qarthadast have just declared a ceasefire, almost exactly at the right time. They did have peace, but then the idiotic Roman AI pulled the garrison out of Lilibeo and it revolted. They've still not taken Syrakousai, so I've still got that avenue open to me to grab it.

I wonder if the Roman AI will get it's Polybian reform now?

In Anatolia the Seleukids were gathering forces, I hoped for an invasion of Pergamene territory, but it turned out they had their sights on Galatia. So of course I have to march to the relief of my "allies" there. I like it rebel, gives me a nice buffer between everyone else and me.

I was rather amazed to see the Seleukids and Ptolemies sign a ceasefire; maybe they want to focus on me. Not doing a very good job of it in any case, the Ptolemies haven't attacked Kyrene, or even moved some forces to mount an attack there.

I'm on the move in the Bosphorous again, after a few years settling Chersonesos, Panta-whatsit is under siege. Not sure where I'll go once that's been taken, but again it'll take some time to pacify.

I think I might start helping the Hai militarily against the Seleukids.

That's not a bad idea. This is one of my favorite AAR's at the moment; I especially like how you just let it evolve organically rather than trying to artificially impose the history of Pergamon onto the situation. I mean, I can understand the interest in recreating historical events, but after a while it gets really boring for the reader, because it degenerates into an FD-fest and it just feels really artificial.

I have had to intervene in a few places, just not often. The Arverni were almost wiped out recently, down to just one province so I teleported a diplomat over to rescue them. Looks like the Romans have stopped trying to conquer Gaul for the moment, though given they've got few places to go but Syrakousai and Patavium (latter of which I keep boosting the garrison of to stop them going that way for a while) I don't think it'll last long.

And I have been nerfing Baktria who keep annoying me by trying to conquer the steppe. I recently took some settlements from them in favour of Pahlava and Saka. They've got all that rebel territory to themselves, they should conquer it.

Also, if/when you (re)conquer Epeiros, will you take advantage of the Elites, or just treat it as another regular colony?

I don't plan to retake it at all. To be honest I'm not that impressed with Eperios' roster anyway, I chose them because they could be removed and not really change a lot.

[QuintusSertorius]

Diplomatic maneuvering

Alarming news came in 241 when it was heard that the two remaining Diadochi superpowers, Ptolemaic Egypt and the Arche Seleukeia had not only ended their incessant warfare, but had combined their strength. It could only be a temporary move to deal with the "upstart" in their midst, the resurgent Pergamon.



While the Basilieu was interested in this development, it did nothing to deter him from the course of raising Pergamon. He had the armies and the commanders to defeat anything they threw at him, and should they come, the Pergamenes were ready.

However, being a canny ruler, he also made moves of his own. To strengthen position of Pergamon in the region, he made overtures towards the smaller powers. Pontos were non-commital in an offer of co-operation, but the newly-united tribes of Galatia were welcoming to the Pergemene embassage.

Mutual defense and co-operation were agreed, hostages exchanged and bonds made.



239BC:



Some interesting developments with Galatia, which the Seleukids conquered, only to have it rebel right out from under them. Courtesy of one of my spies, of course. The new owners were amenable to me and one diplomat later I have an ally in the region.

The Seleukids have finally responded, sending something like an army. I think I need to add three units to that stack to fill it out before attacking. Some phalanxes? Never a good thing when the (only) two powers you're at war with not only declare a ceasefire, but ally. Maybe I'll have some serious hurt coming my way?

Sweboz have suddenly exploded, either that or I wasn't paying attention. Rome has made the Aedui their protectorate, so hopefully they won't be steamrollering them any time soon. There's been a Seleukid fightback in Parthia. Baktria lost one of their provinces to rebels. Still a stalemate in Greece.

[Tyrfingr]

You are using FD, right? Couldn't you give all the arverni settlements in Gaul to the Aedui and rename the Arverni to "Galatia"? Just for the fun of it?

[Aaldaemon]

241BC:
I don't plan to retake it at all. To be honest I'm not that impressed with Eperios' roster anyway, I chose them because they could be removed and not really change a lot.

I would say that the Chaonion Agema are quite good... and quite beautiful to behold. Pity you're not going to use them. Other than that I pretty much agree... both the hypaspystai and the macedonian peltasts (their other elite units) perform quite badly - you can kill those with principes.

[QuintusSertorius]

You are using FD, right? Couldn't you give all the arverni settlements in Gaul to the Aedui and rename the Arverni to "Galatia"? Just for the fun of it?

Perhaps, but I don't think they'd do very well as a one-province faction. Plus where would they go? Mazaka is a possibility, I think the Galatians raided Kappodokia a fair bit, but it's going to be more competition for Pontos who are already struggling to get off the starting block. Plus the Aedui would have no competition and might rampage across Spain and Germany.

I would say that the Chaonion Agema are quite good... and quite beautiful to behold. Pity you're not going to use them. Other than that I pretty much agree... both the hypaspystai and the macedonian peltasts (their other elite units) perform quite badly - you can kill those with principes.

They phalangites, though, aren't they? And I won't by choice use a phalanx. Plus Pergamon didn't anyway. I have no plans to take my faction back to the Greek mainland, we're staying put. Not sure I've got much interest in further expansion, besides perhaps Syrakousai, for a while either.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Seleukid War

In 239 a Seleukid army invaded Phrygia. Horreonios was no longer in command of the Pergamene army, having been called to act as governor of Byzantion after the death of the ruler there. The Greek Dexamenos Drytes was left with the reformed army. Reformed because there had been calls from the various Greek communites to lessen the burden they carried in serving in the army. Thus Galatians trained in a Greek manner, and more modern-styled units were drafted in to replace the hoplites of old.

The two forces were about evenly matched in numbers, although Noumenios Gazarinos' force was heavy in light Arabian skirmishers.



The two armies met in a hilly area of the Phrygian countryside. There was an initial race to get into a good position on the crest of a hill.



The Pergamenes, with their lighter line troops, got there first. Archers and slingers began to harrass the Arabians.



Gazarinos tried to break the skirmishing deadlock with a charge from his cavalry.



They were driven off with some casualties.



They charged again, and this time were badly handled.



With them dealt with, Drytes ordered the advance of the main line.



The Seleukids phalanxes presented a formiddable obstacle as the Pergamene centre closed.



But then the pike blocks withdrew ten paces. The Pergamenes followed, beginning flanking movements.



As the phalangites tried to withdraw again, the Galatian hoplites charged and the battle proper began.



On the left flank, Drytes and some thureophoroi charged Gazarinos and his bodyguard.



On the right, Parthian spearmen and Scythian axemen halted the flanking movement. They proved doughty fighters.



Gazarinos fought on.



The Galatian centre was suffering at the hands of the phalangites. They struggled to infiltrate their way past the long pikes.



On the right, some of the Galatian hoplites broke, leaving the Pergamene line open to being enveloped.



But rather than take advantage of this opportunity, the phalangites turned around and marched away, perhaps trying to escape the battle in good order. They were harrassed as they withdrew by fire from the Kretan archers.



His bodyguard slain, Gazarinos tried to flee the battle.



But his horse was tired and one of Drytes' men killed the enemy general.



The collapse of his army quickly followed.



And despite some nervous moments, Drytes had prevented the Seleukid invasion.





Editorial note

I added a couple of regular phalanx units and some cavalry to the army you could see pictured in the update for 239, made a much better fight than it might otherwise have been. Until the enemy general died, the result was actually in doubt, even though I killed swathes of those Arabian skirmishers. My new army composition is certainly less durable than the old one with all those Classical Hoplites able to hold the centre til the end of time.

The kill/casualty stats, which I don't usually show, make some interesting reading. The Kretans killed silly numbers of the enemy, mostly because they lacked much by way of armour. The Keltohellenikoi, even though they were fighting phalanxes, and even though one of them broke, still managed to get in a lot of kills. Most of course when they broke after the general died, but they endured.

Asian light cavalry as always killed a lot of routers.

[QuintusSertorius]

238BC:



The Ptolemies might finally be getting their act together. They're attacking my outpost in Kyrene, had to hire some mercs to fill out what was left of that force. As in the previous battle, I think I'll have to round out that stack with some more troops to make more of a battle of it. I think it needs skirmishers/missile troops and some more cavarly.

Lusotanii are on the move, Pahlava have recovered that province from the Seleukids.