From the Ionian to the Indos: A Seleukid AAR

[QuintusSertorius]

I think you should push Baktria into their historical position in the far south-east of the map.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I get a feeling of unsupportable heat by just looking at these canned guys...

This battle must have been a nightmare. I hate it when it gets into such chaos.

[Swordmaster]

I get a feeling of unsupportable heat by just looking at these canned guys...

This battle must have been a nightmare. I hate it when it gets into such chaos.

I played it twice. The first time, I killed Leontiskos early on, which made the whole thing rather ludicrous to continue. The second time, these elephants did really smart things to my line, forcing me to spend way too much attention to that part of the battle instead of trying to do something with those canned guys. Their heavy armour wasn't very handy when they had to run from the elephants. But in the end, the atmosphere was pretty much like I'd wanted it, successor battles in the desert. Sort of an exercise for later on.

[Swordmaster]

I think you should push Baktria into their historical position in the far south-east of the map.

I've been considering retaking the lands I've lost to them (some rebelled, some gifted) and restoring them to being a single-province satrapy, more so because Theodoros is in the vicinity with his army. But in the end I didn't feel like weakening them too much in this stage of the game. I'll wait until they decide to attack me, which should have happened a long time ago but hasn't for some reason.

[QuintusSertorius]

I've been considering retaking the lands I've lost to them (some rebelled, some gifted) and restoring them to being a single-province satrapy, more so because Theodoros is in the vicinity with his army. But in the end I didn't feel like weakening them too much in this stage of the game. I'll wait until they decide to attack me, which should have happened a long time ago but hasn't for some reason.

Retake them, give them to Pahlava. Then we get a more historical expanding Parthia, and you conveniently put someone in between you and Baktria, so they become someone else's problem. Don't a fair few of those provinces have Pahlava as their "faction creator" anyway?

I played it twice. The first time, I killed Leontiskos early on, which made the whole thing rather ludicrous to continue. The second time, these elephants did really smart things to my line, forcing me to spend way too much attention to that part of the battle instead of trying to do something with those canned guys. Their heavy armour wasn't very handy when they had to run from the elephants. But in the end, the atmosphere was pretty much like I'd wanted it, successor battles in the desert. Sort of an exercise for later on.

Hmmm, now you've got me thinking about having my own houserule for battles that not only won't I target enemy generals, but I'll make an effort not to kill them even when they suicide-charge my line.

[Swordmaster]

Retake them, give them to Pahlava. Then we get a more historical expanding Parthia, and you conveniently put someone in between you and Baktria, so they become someone else's problem. Don't a fair few of those provinces have Pahlava as their "faction creator" anyway?

That wouldn't make sense. Game-wise, I gave Aria and Margiana to Baktria to prevent them from being taken by the Parthians (Parthia and Baktria are still allies). I want to bring Parthia to its knees, not make them stronger. My aim is to protect the Greeks in the east from the nomads, if that means allowing Baktria to gain a significant level of independence and power, so be it. They will be dealt with later on.

Remember also that we're not going the historical way. The Arche Seleukeia shall not perish, least of all by the hands of Roman diplomats and generals!

Hmmm, now you've got me thinking about having my own houserule for battles that not only won't I target enemy generals, but I'll make an effort not to kill them even when they suicide-charge my line.

There's only so much you can do. If he decides to attack my phalanx head-on, he'll die.

[Maion Maroneios]

Excellent AAR so far Swordmaster! Finally an epic AS one! I realy hope you will come to kick some Romaios @$$ later on:)

[Swordmaster]

Excellent AAR so far Swordmaster! Finally an epic AS one! I realy hope you will come to kick some Romaios @$$ later on:)

Thanks! I'm sure those pesky legions will start showing up somewhere around 190 BC.

[Swordmaster]

11. Parthia's fortunes reversed

A few months after his first victory over the Parthians, Theodoros was attacked anew, this time by the army which had defeated Alexandros earlier on. Its forces had weakened, however, and apparently the leadership had changed, too, now in the hands of one Shapourvaraz. The basileus heard that there had been internal problems all over the Parthian realm ever since the death of King Arsakes' son and heir.


Theodoros tried to gain a height advantage before the forces finally met.


His line-up was compact and mobile, ready to counter whatever the Parthians had in store. The spearmen and peltastai were concentrated on the left, where the basileus expected the fiercest fighting.


Theodoros was not impressed by their cavalry, however.


He ordered his slingers forward; only a king could demand such loyalty from his men that they did not break under the rain of arrows.


A unit of Parthians felt like having a good charge. Which flank?


Hear, hear - left flank.


The Syrians' compact formation, however, made that they would soon be surrounded by spearmen and decimated.


Theodoros sent part of his cavalry after the other Parthian horses, also on the left flank.


All the while the Syrian archers firing their bolts of death from behind the sturdy phalanx.


Sandwich tactics. The charging party here is that of Strouthion Syriakos, only son of Theodoros' brother Sarpedon.


Most of the cavalry fighting continued on the left, while the Parthian infantry had almost caught up to join the battle. Theodoros now personally joined the fight.


The thorakitai proved to be very reliable men.


The royal bodyguards in action.


By the time the infantry arrived, most of the Parthian cavalry had already been dispersed.


The Syrian cavalry had free rein in mopping up light infantry.


The Parthian phalanx thought it was being quite smart sandwiching one of the Seleukid units.


Not!


The whole affair was over. Brave men had turned to routing rabbits.


Theodoros didn't join the chase but followed the scene from afar.


Victory in Khoarene - at last, after so many humiliating defeats for the Arche Seleukeia.

The Seleukids spent winter not far from Apameia, and when they approached the city in early spring the following year, the Parthian garrison made haste and took to their heels. Theodoros entered the Greek city with pomp and glory in 241 BC, his twentieth year of reign.

===

Next will be another update from the Parthian Wars.

[Gaivs]

Awesome stuff! About time we see a victorious Seleukid in an AAR. Well done :)

[Swordmaster]

12. Parthia forced to its knees


Map of Theodoros' eastern campaign.

Theodoros remained in Apameia for the rest of the year, allowing his troops some rest and himself to gather more information about the Parthian defenses further up north. He would go back the way he came, into Hyrkania and thence invade Parthia proper from the north, avoiding the large stretch of desert that separated Apameia and Hekatompylos. The overall campaign would take longer than he had hoped, though, and he already started out with a delay, late in the summer of 240 BC.

Almost exactly one year later, the Hyrkanian capital fell before his forces, the Parthians again fleeing without offering any real chance of confrontation. Theodoros continued north and on the border of Astauene, he met one of the last Parthian forces willing to withstand him, even though that didn't mean much. He scored victory after victory, and in late 238 BC, broke through the gates of the Parthian capital Hekatompylos and conclusively terminated their imperial dreams. Parthia was on its knees, its foremost nobles had been slain, its armies wrecked and dispersed. Theodoros, not wanting to continue hunting nomads on the steppes, agreed to a peace treaty by which Astauene was returned to the Arche Seleukeia, and Alexandros Syriakos returned from captivity.

Upon entering Hekatompylos, Theodoros adopted the name of Antiochos, in honour of his father, setting a tradition in the Seleukid dynasty.

Some shots from the campaign:


Khoarene, 241 BC


Hyrkania, 240 BC


Hyrkania, 239 BC


Parthia, 238 BC


Parthia, 238 BC


Parthia, 238 BC


Peace treaty, 238 BC





Last of the Parthians. All other FMs slain.


Credit to the Lonchophoroi Hippeis.


The world in 237 BC. Never mind Roman expansion, I may interfere later on.

===

Next: Theodoros/Antiochos goes east.

[Chaotix]

Nice job smashing the Parthians there. What's up with Alexandros? How'd you role play him being captured?

Are you going to subdue the Baktrian traitors next?

[Swordmaster]

Nice job smashing the Parthians there. What's up with Alexandros? How'd you role play him being captured?

Are you going to subdue the Baktrian traitors next?

I had Alexandros captured because as the only capable general other than the king himself, he could have led a second army to make the whole affair even more quickly over and done with, and give me more overkill towards Parthia. I tried to keep it a little challenging and have my best general removed, but in that last battle of him he just wouldn't die, whatever I tried, so I had him "captured".

Baktria... almost. See next update, probably.

[IndianPrince]

AMAZING AAR SM !!! Itz really quiite epic !!!

Oh btw plz do hurry to the Indos bit ... eagerly awaiting u confronting Indians ^_^

Prince

[Swordmaster]

AMAZING AAR SM !!! Itz really quiite epic !!!

Oh btw plz do hurry to the Indos bit ... eagerly awaiting u confronting Indians ^_^

Prince

Thanks! Coming soon...

[Maion Maroneios]

Another excellent update, Swordmaster! I'm really enjoying this one! I hope you quickly solidify your eastern front and turn your Imperial eyes towards the west. Ah, how nice it is to interfere with smaller factions when you are the ''big'' guy