From the Ionian to the Indos: A Seleukid AAR

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Nice updates. I love the idea of the history-book-like campaign map. Did you guide the Roman expansion? Which factions occupies Pergamon? And now I want to see some detailed screenshots of Hellenes fighting Indian guild warriors.

[Swordmaster]

13. To India

King Antiochos Theos didn't spend much time in Hekatompylos. He installed some of his most capable governors in the recently reconquered regions, and dispatched messengers to Diodotos of Baktria demanding he send contingents of archers and spearmen to help strengthening the garrisons in the area. The satrap was quick to comply to any of Antiochos' requests, fully aware of his formal overlord's military presence.

The basileus left Parthia early in 237 BC, and travelled east through Aria, where he met Diodotos personally for the first and last time. He received vital supplies and a number of support troops from the Baktrians, but didn't linger any longer than necessary among the untrustworthy easterners. He travelled further east to the remotest regions of his realm and spent winter in Prophthasia, where most soldiers had expected their journey to end. But Antiochos was too ambitious for that, and wanted to cement his legacy by repeating the deeds of his grandfather Seleukos - marching straight onto the Indos.

The long column marched onwards as spring came and crossed the Helmand into Arachosia. Although not formally part of the Arche Seleukeia anymore, there was no resistance in the region, apart from the city of Alexandria which was held by a local lord. Antiochos' appearance, however, compelled the man to surrender without fight, and he was allowed to retain his status within the city as a client to the Seleukid king. He even displayed his generous hospitality as the army wintered nearby and Antiochos was guest at his court.

The next year, the Seleukids crossed the mountain passes as soon as weather permitted and advanced into India proper, where Antiochos would reaffirm the celebrated peace between the Mauryan and Seleukid empires that their ancestors had engineered. But the territories around the Indos were not firmly controlled by the Mauryan ruler, and a local rebel had taken power in Patala. Of course, Antiochos was a skilled politician, and turned this situation to his full favour. He sent an embassy to the emperor and struck a deal with him, agreeing to expel the rebels from Patala in exchange for definitely settling the border between both realms at the Indos, returning all lands west of it to Seleukid control.

Thus, Antiochos crossed the Indos late in 235 BC and enjoyed the mild winter in the region. He did a number of minor skirmishes until he came upon a force the Patalan ruler had sent.


The forces met in a dry region east of the Indos.


The Patalan forces maintained a loose formation, but had brought elephants as shock troops.


Antiochos' forces were hardened by years of campaigning, and not that easily upset, though.


The enemy's cavalry was not particularly heavy; Antiochos ordered his horsemen to disperse those.


The Greeks were surprised by the longbowmen's nasty knives, though.


The elephants charged and broke the Seleukid centre, destabilizing the whole battle formation. They made few casualties, though, as the phalangites were experienced and responded quickly to commands.


The phalanx commander knew that there was a thin line between retreating too early and retreating too late. There was a good deal of luck involved, too.


Thus the Indian warriors could gain little advantage out of the gaps in the line.


The hellenic peltastai skillfully cut down most elephants.


The phalangitai moved back into position.


The Babylonians helped repelling the infiltrating troops.


But when not faced with phalangitai, the Indians were superior in arms.


The enemy general had been able to bring the routing elephants back into battle, but again they did little more than plod amongst their own troops.


Their cavalry didn't make a big difference, either.


Seeing their elephants and general flee the battle, most Indians took to their heels.


Run to the hills, fellas.


Victory was ours.

Despite being fully capable of asserting his reign all along the Indos, Antiochos did little to claim his promised territory. He knew that his sovereignty in these parts could have been merely nominal, for how could he control the Indos if he had not even laid low the treacherous Baktrians?

The Mauryan emperor, however, had misunderstood Antiochos' position, and had expected him to further advance into India. As such it surprised the Seleukid king when an ambassador arrived, offering him a deal of continued peace in exchange for a contingent of 650 war elephants. Thus he had been even more successful than Seleukos Nikator had ever been, gaining both territory and access to weapons that were increasingly rare and valuable in hellenic warfare.

Thus it came to pass that Antiochos II consolidated his entire eastern border save for that of the Baktrian satrapy, and even gained armoured elephants in the process. He was at the top of his power, and his foes trembled before the idea that he might ship these mighty beasts to the west.


Which he did.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I demanded cool photos and here they are. Cool.

[Swordmaster]

I demanded cool photos and here they are. Cool.

I'm sure now you're going to demand pictures of Seleukid armies marching through Wales or Scandinavia or battling Lusitanians or whatever.

Forget it.

[Swordmaster]

And now I want to see some detailed screenshots of Hellenes fighting Indian guild warriors.

There you go.

Nice updates. I love the idea of the history-book-like campaign map. Did you guide the Roman expansion? Which factions occupies Pergamon?

Thanks. I restored some of the balance in Europe shortly after this battle, setting back the Romans and Sweboz and aiding the Aedui. The latter were pretty dead, I was just in time to save them. So no, on the maps you've seen so far, I haven't done anything except keep the Koinon Hellenon alive on the peninsula and keep Hayasdan out of the steppes.

Pergamon is Epeiros, of course, dedicated to QuintusSertorius. The main focus of the next half a dozen of updates, perhaps.

[QuintusSertorius]

Nifty, so you'll be facing some Epeiros-as-Pergamon soon? Makes sense in a lot of ways to take them out of that already fraught contest in Greece and add some western Greek to the eastern in Anatolia.

[Swordmaster]

Nifty, so you'll be facing some Epeiros-as-Pergamon soon? Makes sense in a lot of ways to take them out of that already fraught contest in Greece and add some western Greek to the eastern in Anatolia.

Actually, I'm just out to show you how to properly behave for a Pergamene king (read: Seleukid client ruler).

[Tyrfingr]

A most impressive AAR, I've spent the last hour reading it along with QuintusSertorius "Epeiros-as-Pergamon", this is the coolest AAR on the block.

[QuintusSertorius]

Actually, I'm just out to show you how to properly behave for a Pergamene king (read: Seleukid client ruler).

Did you use create_unit at all to give them more authentic looking armies? After all Pergamon weren't big on phalanxes or elephants. Used loads of mercs/regionals too.

[Swordmaster]

A most impressive AAR, I've spent the last hour reading it along with QuintusSertorius "Epeiros-as-Pergamon", this is the coolest AAR on the block.

Thanks!

Did you use create_unit at all to give them more authentic looking armies? After all Pergamon weren't big on phalanxes or elephants. Used loads of mercs/regionals too.

So far, they haven't given me a chance to do so. Showed up with full stacks of hoplites on my doorstep only a few turns after I installed them in Pergamon.

[QuintusSertorius]

So far, they haven't given me a chance to do so. Showed up with full stacks of hoplites on my doorstep only a few turns after I installed them in Pergamon.

Ha! Eager to show they won't be a pushover like your other client states. They're a proud Successor to Alexander after all!