From robbers to royalty, a Pahlav AAR.

[gamegeek2]

AARs are always good. Glad to see how your campaign's going. This thing compliments nicely with my Saka AAR, offering the perspectives of the nomads for once in a while. They never have enough money, but this makes for a unique playstyle, emphasizing battle skill especially, and less of the fullstacks.

[johnhughthom]

They never have enough money

You know, I started this campaign expecting to have to scrimp and save every penny I had, but strangely I have been spending loads on mercs which I never do in any campaign. Nice to know you are reading, I enjoy your AAR and was delighted to see it return.

[General Appo]

Well, that´s what happens when you advance fast and loot a lot (which I assume you have to). With Pahlava it´s pretty much either blitz or complete disbandment. Just try to prepare for that day when you won´t be able to conquer a settlement every second turn anymore, and have to rely on your own economy.
I did that mistake in my first Saka campaign, thought everything was going great until I decided to settle down and start taking advantage of all those Indo-Sakan units I´d unlocked. With no warbooty, I went bankrupt in 7 turns and had to build my economy while using mini-garrisons to defend against heavy Seleukids counter-attacks. Not best imaginable position.

[johnhughthom]

Chapter 6:Scraps and fragments

The chapters dealing with years 6, 7 and 8 didn't stand up well to the test of time. We can only glean some information from these years, which is disappointing as it saw the crowning of a new king and some territorial gains in the east.



The new King was Arshak, the Kings only son. He seems to have come to the throne without any opposition. His son Arshak the younger may well have been a potential claimant, from previous chapters it is obvious he is held in high regard by many, but he was a loyal son and subject and made no attempt to usurp his fathers birthright. Of course Arshak the younger was still a young man and would have realised he had many years ahead of him to become king. The other obvious claimant was Harasp, and there must surely have been many who would have favoured the restless nomad. However, Harasp was far from Hekatompylos when Pharasp died and would have been unable to stake a claim.

Arshak seems to have followed his fathers vision of a settled Parthian Empire. The mercenaries who pledged allegiance to Pharasp finally arrived in Hekatompylos during the new kings coronation and he made them his personal army. More archer spearmen and even some Babylonian spearmen were hired and the king suddenly had an army which could stand up to a Seleukid army without having to use the old hit and run tactics.

Arshak the youngers army was sent south east to join up with Harasps army in an attack on the Seleukid town of Karmana, this is the only battle we have any information on from this period.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Like the battle for Alexandreia-Ariane the Seleukid army here had some professional mid level troops so it wasn't the walk over battles in the early years had been.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Still it was a convincing victory and again Persian mercenary archer-spearmen were hired to garrison the town. Harasp's son came of age in this period and helped with the adminstration of this region, Propthasia was also taken in this period(we don't know who took the city it seems likely to have been Harasp), he seems to have been akin to his father in being keen to hold on to the old nomadic traditions though we are told little more about him.

Arshaks decision to abandon the steppe holdings seem to have been a wise one, Keyarash mentions the Saka and Baktria at war over these regions with some going back and forth. Being able to concentrate on the Seleukids without worrying about an attack from the north was a huge advantage for the blossoming Parthian Empire, though they never forgot their potential enemies-an emissary sent to the Saka managed to smooth over the misunderstanding over Khiva.

[General Appo]

Niiiiice. I see the birth of a real Persian empire.