[Epeiros/Pergamon AAR] Philetairos' Gift

[General Appo]

But... why? Just use Irfanview or something instead, saves you all the trouble of Alt+Tabing.

[QuintusSertorius]

But... why? Just use Irfanview or something instead, saves you all the trouble of Alt+Tabing.

Does it automatically convert the BMPs to JPEGs and clear my cache? Or am I going to have huge files taking up valuable memory while I'm playing?

[General Appo]

Well... at first it becomes huge files, but you can then easily convert them into JPEGs and delete the huge files.

[QuintusSertorius]

Well... at first it becomes huge files, but you can then easily convert them into JPEGs and delete the huge files.

Hmm, if I have to manually convert the BMPs after the fact (and they hang around in the meantime) then it's not really saving me any time or hassle.

Each screenshot is twenty seconds of time out; about two to switch out of the game, three or four to paste the image, convert it to an appropriately named JPEG and clear the cache (each image is about 2.5MB in BMP which isn't trivial), then about ten seconds to switch back to the game.

Then the only work I have to do after the fact is upload them into photobucket.

[Swordmaster]

EDIT: Heh, I should really check whether there are new pages in a thread before posting.

[QuintusSertorius]

223BC:



Not much change with me, but the Romans have started rolling down the Illyrian coast, though they'll have to fight the Aedui for Dalminion. They did try for Noricum, but then Satres respawned and kicked their arses. Worryingly they recently allied with Makedonia and AS.

Qarthdast took Arse and now I'm trying to get the Romans to take Emporion to put the two of them in conflict again.

[General Appo]

Once again, I´ve never seen the Romans go for Emporion without taking Tolosa first, and I doubt moving armies to Emporion will change that.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Second Seleukid War, 222BC

A fragile peace with the Seleukid empire had lasted for more than six years, but a more lasting settlement was never a realistic possibility. The Syrians resented the encroachment in their traditional sphere of influence of this upstart young nation, born from the ashes of an older Successor state, and acting with unseemly boldness. The loss of much of Mikra Asia was never something they were going to take lightly. The ceasefire had merely been time to recoup their losses and gather their strength.

In the spring of 222, Ptolemaios was still barking orders in Pergamon and generally showing every sign of living forever, and Epimenes Amantieus was the man on the scene, until recently acting as governor of Phrygia from Ipsos. He'd proven an even more adept administrator and ruler than he was a general, which eased the transition in government in the region. As his subordinate he'd taken the now-maturing Byllideus.

The second was a simple man, he knew his limitations which was a rare piece of self-knowledge among so many arrogant noblemen. He would never be a great scholar or charismatic orator - both traits which Amantieus had in spaces - but he was a capable fighter. So he focused on developing his one talent and trying to put himself in situations where he could leverage it to best effect. His prowess had earned him the undying respect of many of the barbarian horsemen who rode under the Pergamene banner.

Hearing reports of a Seleukid army roving through the Phrygian countryside, Amantieus hastened out to the mountain pass. Here he could hold them, no matter what numbers they brought to bear. His camp was attacked in the summer.



He waited his troops at the bottom of a hill, and let the enemy come to him.



Now veterans who had seen their share of combat, the appearance of the enemy did little to impress the Pergamenes.



They marched on, and the Pergamenes rested themselves, officers allowing the men to lean on their shields while the enemy were outside missile range.



When battle began, the first move was the Seleukids. Their cataphract cavalry, something the Pergamenes had never seen before, charged. Heavy horses crashed into the Thrakian mercenaries covering the left flank, and Byllideus saw a chance. Another chance to add credit to his name doing something he was good at.



The lines closed, and it was readily apparent how badly outnumbered the Seleukid force was.



Moving around the cataphracts, Byllideus led the Gallic horse into their rear, sowing carnage among the ranks of the heavily-armoured horsemen. The Seleukid commander was with them, and Byllideus took his head.



The cataphracts dealt with, he led the cavalry in shattering charges to the rear of the Seleukid ranks.



Amantieus had to deal with heavy spearmen on the right.



As Byllideus routed the sole phalanx, some Parthian spearmen ran away without even coming into contact with his cavalry.



The light cavalry with Amantieus routed another group of veteran spearmen.



And soon the whole Seleukid army was in disarray.



Amantieus had won a cheap victory, his casualties were light.



But he was under no illusions that this would be the last he'd see from the Seleukid empire.

Editorial Note



Once again I was really disappointed with the AI for this one. Not only was it blatantly telegraphed from several turns away what they were going to do (I have watchtowers, after all), but they've got the forces to have put together a proper army, rather than attack me with this half-arsed effort. One which didn't even have any main phalanxes in it, just the one native unit.

My second FM, Byllides got a lot of casualties that battle. He was a champion. Especially in holding the cataphracts in melee while the Gauls pulled out to charge home again.

[Swordmaster]

Your campaign is really an inspiration to mine, if you know what I mean. (If you don't, you'll know soon enough .)

Oh, and those were some of the coolest screens you've taken so far. Keep it up.

[Gurkhan]

Great AAR man, although all the FD makes it seem like you are trying to play all factions at once. This is not how I play the game, but it makes for interesting reading! A word to the wise, you cannot move anything to cape Horn as South America is not on the map. Keep a postin'"!!

[Swordmaster]

Great AAR man, although all the FD makes it seem like you are trying to play all factions at once. This is not how I play the game, but it makes for interesting reading! A word to the wise, you cannot move anything to cape Horn as South America is not on the map. Keep a postin'"!!

You're right, we're confusing it with the Horn of Africa.

[QuintusSertorius]

Dark Clouds on the Horizon



There was perhaps something portentous in the arrival of two messengers to Amantieus' camp at almost the same time, from opposite directions. From the east came word from his scouts that two Seleukid armies had been spotted. From the west came a messenger from the capital - the Basilieu Ptolemaios had died in his sleep a few nights before. He was now king, but if he couldn't defend the kingdom titles would mean nothing.

Spies in the Pontic court told him their ruler was looking covetously at Bithynia and had even mobilised an army to take advantage of Pergamon's occupation with the Seleukids. Indeed the two powers had only recently concluded a peace treaty ending their own war, and who knew what secret accords had been agreed there. Carving up Pergamon between themselves, perhaps?

His first act as king was to pardon both Messaneos in the Bosphorous and Atintan in Mikra Skythia. He requested that Antintan board ship with the northern army to defend Bithynia against possible Pontic invasion, while he would deal with the Seleukids.

He had a horrible feeling he had many years in the saddle ahead of him.

222BC:



Again saved by the watchtowers, and a spy I had lingering in Pontos, looks like I'm about to be double-teamed by two factions. I can only hope the Aedui won't take too kindly to that stack trying to pass through Galatia, given they've got the numbers to destroy it. Pontos is more of a worry, that's a proper full stack, although there's a lot of levy hoplites and native spearmen in there. Not great cavalry either, but Atintan's cavalry is being raised/retrained in Byzantion. Just him and an FM from Pergamon if he's attacked at the river crossing. I'll send the navy up to blockade their capital if they do attack.

Equally worrying the Ptolemies (no longer my allies...) just signed a ceasefire with the Seleukids. I'm hoping the Getai or Makedonians don't use the shifting of my forces out of Europe as an excuse to attack. Tylis has a strong garrison and good commander, but Kallatis and Byzantion aren't so strong.

The Romans are spreading out along the coast, Pahlava are bigger thanks to some FD action from me. They were getting on with expanding far too slowly for my liking. And not just because I want the Seleukids weaker.

I've got Pantikapaion under siege, I was able to move almost all of the mercenary army out of Chersonesos. Might be a slow one because it's got a full stack and stone walls.

Your campaign is really an inspiration to mine, if you know what I mean. (If you don't, you'll know soon enough .)

Oh, and those were some of the coolest screens you've taken so far. Keep it up.

I do think I'm getting better at taking interesting ones that show both at the high level, and up close what's going on.

Great AAR man, although all the FD makes it seem like you are trying to play all factions at once. This is not how I play the game, but it makes for interesting reading! A word to the wise, you cannot move anything to cape Horn as South America is not on the map. Keep a postin'"!!

If you think that's a lot of FD, you should have seen my Roman campaign. I'm doing relatively little of it in this one by comparison. My most recent bit of it was giving Zadrakata and Hekatompylos to Pahlava to kickstart their expansion into Seleukid territory.

Oh, failure of basic geography.

You're right, we're confusing it with the Horn of Africa.

Aye, that's what I meant.

[Tyrfingr]

I see that "Galatia" was created after all, nice :)

[QuintusSertorius]

I see that "Galatia" was created after all, nice :)

Not entirely my doing, either. Pontos or the Seleukids (can't remember which it was, now) took it, but then it rebelled almost immediately to the Aedui. Since then I've been spawning them troops there to keep it safe, thus the full stacks hanging around.

[QuintusSertorius]

Haven't played for a few days because I simply haven't had the time between work and family stuff, but the game is not dead.

I've been doing some thinking about some more house-rules to make things more challenging. I've already stopped retraining; what I do is have a "reinforcement unit" to merge into losses, then if there's any of that left I retrain it - but of course it never retains higher experience than I can recruit.

Now I'm thinking I need to stop targeting enemy generals, and even actively avoid killing them if I can. In my battles with the Seleukids, I've killed nine of their FMs, including their Faction Heir at one point (though he died during a siege blockade). While they can afford to soak up the losses, it does make battles easy once the general is dead, where even elites break.

Thoughts?

[Poulp']

unless said FM charge home into your phalanxes.

at least, don't target him with your shooters, and maybe tweak the files so that AI FMs get more hp...

[QuintusSertorius]

unless said FM charge home into your phalanxes.

at least, don't target him with your shooters, and maybe tweak the files so that AI FMs get more hp...

I don't have any phalanxes.

Not about to tweak the files - one of the reasons they reduced the bodyguard hit points in the first place was to curtail the AI's suicide charges. More hit points makes it worse, not better.

[Timoleon]

Now I'm thinking I need to stop targeting enemy generals, and even actively avoid killing them if I can.

But this is contradictory with the Hellenistic tradition. Remember Alexander battle plans where focused on neutralizing the enemy commander. If you need a house rule to make battles more challenging, then try always fighting outnumbered. After all, your kingdom, historically, was the minor player among three great empires.

[Poulp']

I don't have any phalanxes.

Not about to tweak the files - one of the reasons they reduced the bodyguard hit points in the first place was to curtail the AI's suicide charges. More hit points makes it worse, not better.

I thought there was a way to give pore hp to the FM only, and leaving his bodyguards at one hp.
too bad.

[Swordmaster]

I've never tried to target the enemy general in battles, nor do I make special efforts to avoid killing him. In the end it makes for a good balance where at times he dies relatively early, at other times quite late.

[QuintusSertorius]

But this is contradictory with the Hellenistic tradition. Remember Alexander battle plans where focused on neutralizing the enemy commander. If you need a house rule to make battles more challenging, then try always fighting outnumbered. After all, your kingdom, historically, was the minor player among three great empires.

Perhaps, but there's all kinds of issues with the AI that prevent just looking at it through a historical lens. I often bump up their stacks to give them both more numbers and balance, so I should continue doing that. They're particularly bad for not recruiting any cavalry, or using crappy archers who can't hurt my some of my skirmishers, never mind threatening the line.

I'm thinking perhaps as an exception to the "avoid killing the general", I'll let my FMs target them, since they we've both got a leader at risk.

I thought there was a way to give pore hp to the FM only, and leaving his bodyguards at one hp.
too bad.

He and his officer models will have more hitpoints than the bodyguard anyway - that's hardcoded. His being based on his traits. But it doesn't really matte in a lot of respects, once his bodyguard is dead, he's a sitting duck and it's just a matter of time before he's either killed or makes a break for it (and may be killed on the run if you've got fast light cavalry).

I've never tried to target the enemy general in battles, nor do I make special efforts to avoid killing him. In the end it makes for a good balance where at times he dies relatively early, at other times quite late.

Perhaps, and there are those which really do turn on killing the general. As in I'm struggling through while he's alive, and his death is what makes victory possible, rather than heading for defeat. But sometimes he does die far too early which almost makes the result a foregone conclusion.

[QuintusSertorius]

Second Seleukid War, 222BC

King Amantieus remained in the high passes of the Tauros mountains even as autumn turned to winter and the snow began to set in. The threat from the Seleukids had not passed with one battle, there were other armies moving around the Pergamene border. He only hoped Atintan knew what he was doing in the north.

While blocking the pass he fended off two Seleukid armies. The first was led by Neolaus Aigon Aiolikon, a very young general. Perhaps the losses in the officer cadre from the last war had not yet been made good with new aristocratic soldiers. They were evenly matched, though the Pergamenes had the more balanced force.



Amantieus was keen to get some high ground.



Both armies advanced to meet each other.



A skirmisher's eye view.



The Syrians had an imposing wall of pikes in their centre.



Aiolikon charged the left flank.



Patron Byllideus watched for a time, then spurred his cavalry away from the melee to circle around. Aiolikon, seeing his move turned around and charged.



Byllideus kicked his horse into the fray, seeking out Aiolikon in personal combat. The rest of his cavalry he dispatched to drive off the Seleukid horse.



The was contact all along the line.



Amantieus led some Karians to outflank on the right.



Meanwhile in the combat of bodyguard-against-bodyguard, Aiolikon fell.



At first the battle carried on regardless.



But then units began to flee.



As the cavalry began to charge to the rear, more units joined the flight.



The elites in the centre fought on.



But soon it was a general rout.



With relatively few men killed or wounded, Amantieus had won. But now he had to prepare for the arrival of another army.



The second force came on much as the first did, and was not as well-led. They were fewer in number and had even less cavalry.



They were beaten as well, their commander dying in the rout.



Editorial note

I did actually try not to kill the enemy general in the first battle, I only had Byllideus fight with him. The Curepos struggled a little on their own against the Lonchophoroi Hippeis, but eventually their greater stamina and ability to run away while throwing javelins, along with experience told.

The second battle was almost like a re-run of the first, which is why I didn't go into detailed captures. They had more missile troops, but a pathetic main line. Without even killing their general a lot of it was routed.

Byllideus is proving to be a lethal leader of horse. As an FM he's hopeless, Dull/Uncharismatic/Vigorous, with no Command, Management or Influence levels at all. But he's tough and can fight.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Second Pontic War



Taking advantage of Pergamon's pre-occupation with the Seleukids, a cynical Pontos attacked Nikaia. Fortunately for Pergamon, their spies and agents had forewarned them against the invasion, and thus Sosistratos Atintan had brought the northern army across the Hellespont to defend the homeland. He didn't arrive in time to prevent the Pontic army reaching Nikaia and laying siege, though.



Theirs was a large army, but a force padded out with lots of levies and other poorly armoured troops. But Atintan had problems of his own, lacking and slingers and being saddled with Nikias Sybotios, a lacklustre incompetent for a subordinate. He'd rushed out to join Atintan and was eager to get to the grips with the enemy. If enthusiasm were enough to win a battle, then Sybotios was their ace in the hole.

But experience told Atintan hard fighting was ahead. Not least potentially forcing a crossing to meet the Pontic army, something they'd be sure to contest.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Relief of Nikaia, 222BC

Atintan and Sybotios arrived before the Pontic commander had any time to build siege engines. They couldn't have arrived too soon for Lykomedes Kastideus, the governor of Nikaia.



At first Atintan lined up ready to form into columns and cross the bridge. He put Sybotios as far out of the way as he could, with all the cavalry at a ford downstream from the bridge. Hopefully he'd stay out of the way.



To Atintan's surprise, the Pontic commander came to him, and charged across the bridge to force the crossing.



The Thrakian elites charged in, prepared to hold the entire Pontic army at bay if need be.



For a time, that's exactly what they did, causing grievous harm to the Pontic commander's bodyguard.



Sybotios began the crossing. He was going to contribute to this battle no matter what.



Atintan was never far from the fighting, but chose to stay behind he fighting line. This was not a fight his cavalry could influence a great deal. It was a day for the infantryman.



One of the Pontic officers was separated from his bodyguard.



The cavalry made good progress across the river.



Another Pontic officer was stranded alone.



Now across the river, Sybotios and the cavalry made for the bridge, harrassing Pontic stragglers as they went. Now the subordinate could see the fate of Kastideus' garrison, who were suffering badly at the hands of the remainder of the Pontic army.



One of the Pontic officers was slain in the melee.



Then their general was caught by the Thrakian skirmishers.



He was bisected at the waist by their wicked blades. At the same time, Sybotios charged across the bridge into their rear.



The Pontic army collapsed.



The scene at the bridgehead was one of total carnage.



Nikaia had been saved. Now Atintan could take the war to Pontos and regain the initiative.



But first there was a grave matter to attend to, the funeral of Kastideus. He had fought bravely and died trying to hold the line when his levy troops broke and ran.



Editorial Note



I was expecting a battle to cross the bridge here, but instead got a more regular AI trying and failing to cross. As the stats show, the AI-controlled reinforcements did a piss-poor job of achieving anything, besides getting their general killed. It was actually an accident on my part, I thought I'd unchecked the box to let the AI control them.

The only positive there was that I didn't get them suddenly appearing and potentially messing with my formation if I tried to move everyone. The battle was actually pretty chaotic, moreso than might appear from the screenshots.

[QuintusSertorius]

Second Seleukid War, 220BC

Amantieus continued to patrol the pass through the Tauros mountains, and was attacked by another Seleukid attempt to invade Phrygia.



They came on in the usual manner.



They were clearly the smaller force.



Byllideus broke through the Seleukid right.



The left collapsed just as quickly.



The final charge that broke the centre was delivered by Amantieus in person.



Thus they'd been beaten in the usual manner as well.



Editorial Note



I'm getting a little bored with fighting Seleukid phalanxes which always try to do the same things. Especially these half-baked stacks with no balance and loads of mostly-destroyed units in them. I may have to take a Seleukid FM, then build him an army from scratch, rather than waiting for the AI to fail to combine their stacks effectively before attacking me.

[QuintusSertorius]

Capture of Pantikapaion

Messaneos was now in the process of completing the very last phase of his grand plan, establishing an independent state in the Crimea. He had received the envoys from the new Basilieu, but gave cool replies to the reconciliatory overtures from Amantieus. He wasn't about to give up his newfound autonomy so easily.

He had started the siege of Pantikapaion back in 221, and kept to a methodical timetable of starving out the defenders and exposing all their traps and tricks. In 220 he ordered the final assault.



It was taken with few casualties, the defenders weakened by months of privation.



And now Messaneos set about the business of pacifying the outlying regions.

Editorial Note

I really wasn't in the mood to play out a siege, so I autocalced it. I didn't however, use any cheats.

[QuintusSertorius]

Pontic War, 220BC

Marching through the season to reach the Pontic coast, Atintan happened upon the Pontic king.



Seeing an opportunity to end this war quickly, but cutting off the head of the Pontic snake, he sent his cavalry to find and kill the enemy general.



That done, mopping up his retainers was a straightforward matter.



Shocked at the loss of their leader, Pontos signed a peace treaty and agreed to indemnify Pergamon for the cost of the war.



Editorial Note

Had to use Force Diplomacy to secure that ceasefire, even though Pontos had little it could respond with, and I had a port blockaded and Sinope at my mercy, they wouldn't agree to it.

[QuintusSertorius]

Second Seleukid War, 220BC

Amantieus was attacked in the Tauros mountains again, this time by a much smaller Seleukid force. They must have been getting desparate not to prepare a proper army to attack, knowing that Amantieus and his army were up here.



The enemy general was slain by Byllideus during the fighting.



His death caused the shattering of morale and flight of his army.



A war-weary Seleukid empire agreed to peace.



Editorial Note

Once again some FD, I was getting sick of fighting them.

[QuintusSertorius]

214BC:



I managed to go quite a while before the Seleukids attacked me again - they've besieged a fort I used to block the pass and once that happened I figured it was time to call it a night. Maybe I need to take Mazaka off them and give it to Hayasdan. They're an Eastern faction after all, and more importantly not Pontos. I'd like them to be stronger, but not having two provinces on my border.

What I've been entertaining myself with during the years of peace is fomenting the Second Punic War. Rome lost Cisalpine Gaul and Liguria to their allies the Arverni, and I gave Capua to Qarthadast and moved a super-stack there. They then took Arpi all on their own, though the general got his stupid self killed in the siege.

Qarthadast have also been doing well in the war in Spain, and after a false start where Emporion and Syrakousai rebelled to KH, now Rome are making inroads in Spain too. They also finally completed the conquest of the Illyria coast.

Pahlava look to be trying to join up that province that rebelled to them with their other stuff.

[Swordmaster]

I was expecting a battle to cross the bridge here, but instead got a more regular AI trying and failing to cross. As the stats show, the AI-controlled reinforcements did a piss-poor job of achieving anything, besides getting their general killed. It was actually an accident on my part, I thought I'd unchecked the box to let the AI control them.

I always re-check and uncheck to make sure the box is definitely unchecked. Sometimes it's unchecked but the engine still thinks it's checked (e.g. if you clicked away to view enemy troops and return).