The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for the support.

I have been meaning to update, but it's exam season and I've been busy. My winter breaks starts tuesday, though.

As for what comes next, the Arche still has a tin shortage, the Medians are still rampaging, and Ptolemai VIII still has one army remaining. As hinted by the next chapter name, Basileus Philippos V has completed his goals in Numidia/Mauretania and takes a short break before his next task.

I haven't updated, but I've been playing the campaign some (after a decent break from playing) and been having trouble. I tried to create a challenge for myself and it backfired. The challenge turned out to be more than I expected and it occured right when other problems hit. It's been fun, though.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 88 : Between Tasks

With the fall of Lixos and the defeat of the Ptolemaic armies in Kush, both Basileus and heir of the Arche Makedonia find themselves in a time of rest and relative inactivity. The Numidian front had quieted down and the Nubian front would have a slight rest, but events occur elsewhere in the Arche and the Median War war continues in full force.

Basileus Philippos takes some time to manage events in the Arche and prepare his men for his next move. Most troubles and minor issues were dealt with by Sotades in Syria, the noble council in Pella, or by the relatives of Pyrrhos II in northern Italia, but Philippos makes sure to be up-to-date on all issues and give orders where royal intervention is necessary. Philippos is especially careful to remind the noble council of Pella that he is still in charge and aware of what is going on in Makedonia.

During this lull, a couple deaths became an issue. In Aigyptos, Philagros Grenideus dies in Memphis:


With the earlier death of his brother, this leaves but one member of the Grenideus family in Aigyptos, and he is tasked with holding the forts at Pselkis. Fearing what may happen in a leaderless Aigyptos, Philippos orders his two son-in-laws---who had been studing in Alexandreia---to take control of the Aigyptos satrapy.

Although not a Makedone, the death of the Hellenized Phoenician King of Ioudaia is a matter of even greater concern. After a long reign, Asphalion III dies in Hierosolyma:


With the death of their tyrant, the Ioudaioi grasp at the chance for independence and form a disorderly uprising. The uprising only manifests itself as disorderly riots in several cities. The revolts end up costing the lives of more Ioudaioi and causing the destruction of Ioudaioi property than doing much damage to the local garrisons or Makedonian leadership:


With concent from Philippos, Sotades quickly raises Asphalion's son to the position of King of Ioudaia and the rioting begin to quiet. Promising lowers taxes certain religious rights, Asphalion IV wins over the Ioudaioi and reestablishes order:


Just over the River Iordaine, Chrysoloras Delphikos finally settles down. After a lifetime of warfare, Chrysoloras and his klerouchoi finally return to their homes near Bostra and prepare for a lifetime of peace. However, fearing the fall of the client city-states along the west coast of Arabia and a renewed invasion attempt by the Kingdom of Sab'yn, Chrysoloras makes sure he has a great number of klerouchoi he can call to action at a moment's notice:


To the north, Sotades gathers an even greater wealth in his administration of Syria, though not through corruption as his brother Euphrantos does:


The issue of what is to be done with Euktimenos Demetrios and the army he is raising in Assyria remains on the mind of Sotades. Just to the east, Euktimenos continues to raise men and study the ways of warfare. Although Euktimenos is loyal in nature and sworn an oath to Philippos, in the mind of Sotades, it seems only natural that the last of the Demetrid line intends to restore his birthrite:


A significant plague hits Epidamnos during this time, but does not last very long or take too many lives:


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In Arabia, the Aigyptoi army and Hellenic envoys set out on a journey the east. The regions and tribes around the Sab'yn are quite loyal to the Kingdom of Sab'yn but the desert villages and towns to the east continue to suffer under the rule of the Sab'yn. Seeing the oppertunity of breaking these lands from the Kingdom of Sab'yn, the army sets out on a trek across the desert:


Soon after the Aigyptoi leave, the city of Carna is once again besieged by the armies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn. Not only does the jouney of the Aigyptoi drastically reduce the number of men guarding the city but also removes a great deal of supplies that are needed by the Aigyptoi on their desert journey:


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The Median War

In the east, the Median Empire had conquered Persis and had begun modelling itself as the reborn Persian Empire. Together with the expansionistic steppe tribes that had conquered eastern Iran, they had built themselves into a force that could challenge or even outshadow the greatness of the Arche Makedonia. An advantage the Medes have over the Makedones is also their unity. The Medes, Persians, and Iranians are all a similar people with similar culture (though not entirely identical or perfectly compatible). Even the steppe conquerers in the east are of a similar culture to the Medes. The Arche Makedonia, on the other hand is made of a many differing peoples, cultures, languages, and ideas, many of which wish for their independence and require Makedonike military garrisons to be kept in order.

In Babylonia is one such people wishing for their independence. Ruled by Persia, the Seleukids, the Antigonids, and finally suffering greatly under the taxation and conscription of the Demetrids during the Makedonian Civil War, the Babylonians wished for their own independence. Ironically, this independence was found in the Makedone Isidoros Oresteus, who conquered the city of Babylon from the Demetrids and declared himself king in the name of its people. As the Makedonian Civil War drew to a close, Isidoros swore an oath of loyalty to Philippos who left him as king, hoping the buffer state would avert a war with Media.

That war was not averted and the Medes had marched not only against the client kingdom of Babylonia but also against Makedonian Assyria and Armenia. With his slowly deminishing but elite force stationed in Seleukeia, King Isidoros Oresteus once again fights off an invastion from Media:


The Medes move their towers against the walls of Seleukeia and their Persian elites infantry face Isidoros' Babylonian elite infantry upon the walls of the great city:


The archers, however, soon set both enemy towers on fire and isolate the small Median force that is already on the walls:


The towers are not the only problem. By undermining the walls, the Medes bring them down. While the last of the Medes on the walls fight to the death, a new force charges through the holes in the walls:


A force of Babylonian elites is ready to greet their attackers and push them back to the breach:


Once again, Isidoros defeats a Median army and secures his Babylonian Kingdom. His losses, however, are difficult to replace:


To the far north, the Medes try to take Makedonian Albania but are confronted by an army of steppe cavalry mercenaries:


Upon seeing the great number of horsemen coming out from the city, the Medes break and flee. Although, many are caught by the horses and fall dead before they can get away:


In what is hardly even a battle, the land of Albania is saved from Median threat:


A while later, an army of cavalry and levies attacks the city of Arbela:


The enemy brings but one tower. When it reaches the walls the defenders think all is lost, but at the last minute, the archers' flaming arrow manage to set it on fire:


Another minor battle saves Assyria from Median invasion:


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To the south, the army of Sab'yn tries to take the allied city of Carna by force. Now only depending on Aithiopioi and Arab forces to defend it, the young king of Carna is put to his first true test:


The large number of Sab'yn troops march against the walls of the city. The archers and slingers upon the walls have easy targets in their unarmored enemy. The towers and ladders get to the walls, but by this time the Sab'yn have already taken great numbers of casualties:


The Aithiopioi spearmen fight off the Sab'yn troops, who are easily broken. Once again, the lack of sufficiently armoring their men, costs many Sab'yn soldiers their lives. The king of Carna, however, claims all the credit and gains the trust of his people:


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During this time, Basileus Philippos V does not simply sit in the city of Lixos. Most of the time is infact spent in Karchedon, where he had easy access to information about the rest of the Arche. After a while, he makes a trip to Syrakousai and arranges with the local government to raise an army in Sikilia. He then takes his fleet back to Mauretania and mets up with his army. They immediately sail north and land in southern Iberia.

It had been more than twenty years since Philippos had been in Iberia. He had left just after conquering the Lusotanni and the Arevaci and very little had changed since then. The central lands of the Iberian penninsula are garrisoned by Makedonian military but hardly governed in any sort of organized manner. The coastal regions and Turdulia had been converted to satrapies, but in the center of the penninsula there is little Makedonian control outside of the areas patrolled and garrisoned directly by Makedonian and her allies' troops. In some places, rebel armies even wander the lands.

Seeking to get the region under control, Philippos attacks and destroys two separate rebel armies. The second rebel army, south of Nomantia, is particularly important, for that region is rich with iron ore:


After defeating the rebels, Philippos put the local mines under direct Makedonian control and has the iron exported east to the sea. The iron helps with the metal shortage in the Arche but it is not nearly enough to make up for the past losses, besides it is tin that is truely needed. Philippos has plans to relieve this particular shortage and orders his army to prepare to march once again.

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The known world in 146BC:

Next: Chapter 89 : Desert Wars

[Kuningaz]

A real great chapter indeed I think I'll start reading this whole AAR again from the beginning to sort of remind me of what happened, its so much I just love this

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Very good chapter MAA. I myself have FDed the Sabyn to a peace treaty, and since then I am looking out for their armies of freed slaves, and if they seem to head to my borders, I beam them to Eremos or Somalia. I guess this is kind of cheating... But it just seems so unrealistic, I can't stand to see the Sabyn seeking for suicide with nothing but a bunch o rubbish after I have destroyed all the Sabyn core cities. Perhaps in 20 years I will allow them action again.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks.

If there are any questions no matter how esoteric, random, or old just ask.

I think I'm going to have to force the Sab'yn into a fake peace too. They are definately one of the factions that doesn't know when to quit.



This last chapter had a lot of foreshadowing in it about many different upcoming events. Many changes are coming...

[julius_caesar_the_first]

I tried to create a challenge for myself and it backfired. The challenge turned out to be more than I expected and it occured right when other problems hit. It's been fun, though.

I'm really curious what this challenge is. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary in this chapter but that's probably because it hasn't appeared yet.

I can barely wait for the next update and see what new things you did.

[HunGeneral]

I quess I lost the time.

Which year is your campaign in?

If I remember right then we could start talking of a "Century of War" (of course full with Macedonian Victories)

Reading so many EB AAR's I've come to realise that if I woldn't know it was a mod based on RTW i might easeli think it was a New part of the Total War series...

[Europe]

Thanks.

If there are any questions no matter how esoteric, random, or old just ask.

I think I'm going to have to force the Sab'yn into a fake peace too. They are definately one of the factions that doesn't know when to quit.



This last chapter had a lot of foreshadowing in it about many different upcoming events. Many changes are coming...

So what’s your favourite part of the AAR?

Who would win in a field battle, Philippos or Megas Demetrios?

Do you regret defeating the romani faction?

What’s the meaning of life?

[Aemilius Paulus]

besides it is tin that is truely needed.

Tin eh? I know where you could find some tin....

[Kuningaz]

Pah, trade is not the way of the Makedonians, he will conquer the island of tin!

[HunGeneral]

That would be astounding if he could take the Isles of Tin (macedonians in London - what a discovery) but there has to be a source of metal or tin somewhere closer. After all MMA sad it would be hard to keep thoose province under control (with Pella as the Capital).

Wit so much effort he could just as well take the rest if Iberia or Philipposes son could lead a naval expedition to conquer India (atleast they know about where that is).

In his place I wouldn't settle with just trade - it makes you dependent on those who give the tin

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for all the comments/questions/compliments.

I'm in 141BC currently in my campaign and the problems are just starting. So expect to see the "challenge" in the last third of the 140's. Since I'm getting around one chapter per year, it may be a couple chapters away. Though, I'm going to try and increase the speed of this AAR and include less info about all the stupid sieges I'm fighting. I'm really getting bogged down with the Median War. I'm going to try and just give an overview of that part and focus on things that Philippos, Alypios, and the Aigyptoi are doing.

I do enjoy writting this and would definately stop if I didn't. I'm not sure where the end of this will be, but I really don't see myself continuing much more after conquering all of Persia. Though, the conquest of Persia might not be completed for another hundred years.

I did finally get around to taking Tanais...

For an overview of the Antigonid Dynasty, see the first page. I'll see if I can't get an overview in a couple chapters or so of the evens of the Pyrrhid Dynasty thus far. As for the family tree, I'll give a short explaination: The family tree is devided into four branches, that of Alexandros (nephew of Antigonos) and the branches of the three sons of Antigonos: Alkyoneus, Demetrios, and Euboulides. (1) Alkyoneus had two sons who had no sons, so his line ended. (2) Demetrios' line was reduced to (Basileus) Neokles and Bykoli just before the civil war, with many in-laws. When Neokles died, all of the in-laws of the Demetrios line joined Bykoli. Because of this, I killed off that entire branch of the family. Only two descendants of Demetrios still live and neither are of direct male line. (3) Euboulides had one son. He was one of the ones who was trying to become Basileus at the beginning of the civil war but mysteriously died. Because of this, his two sons joined Pyrrhos. His two sons (Herakles and Anaxagoras) are two of the important family members that I'm following, both are in Bosphoria right now. (4) Finally, there is the Alexandros branch of the family. Originally, governors of Epeiros and Illyria, it was this branch of the family that fought the Romaioi War. The majority of this branch of the family governs Illyria, Italia, Gallia, and Iberia but none are really individually important, other than the family of Pyrrhos. Pyrrhos is from this branch and because of heroics in the Romaioi War and the Karchedon War, the noble council asked him to become Basileus. He had four sons (Sotades, Philippos, Euphrantos, and Laandros), who are all being followed in this AAR. Sotades is loyal and seeks no power, he governs Syria and the east. Philippos is the Basileus. Euphrantos is corrupt and has many vices, he governs Makedonia and is easily influenced by the noble council. Laandros is considerably younger than the other brothers, he governs Hellas and though seemed to be more like Euphrantos in his youth has developed into a great leader, he is friends with Anaxagoras.

I'm not quite sure what my favourite part of the AAR is, but I like making all the complex changes like the civil war or new units/reforms.

Demetrios and Philippos fought with different army types. Demetrios used mostly phalangitai and resisted the Thorakitai, it only joining the Makedonian roster after his death, whereas Philippos using armies heavy in Thorakitai and heavy infantry. A terrain that favors non-phalangitai warfare would be in Philippos' favor, other than that though, I would think Demetrios would win. I amagine Demetrios as the better commander on the field, where as Philippos' strengths lie in organization, though Demetrios was strong there as well.

The Romaioi would never have quieted down and accempted their lower status. They had to be defeated to bring peace to Italia. Though I am roleplaying that the Senate still exists and rules central Italia as a Makedonian client-state.

The meaning of life? To play EB?

Philippos is now in his 60's, so he doesn't have time on his side, especially considering that he has huge plans to change the the Arche from the inside out. I kind of illuded to some of the things that are up coming but they are subtle. As for Gallia and Britain, those would take a lifetime to conquer and subjugate.

...big post...

[General Appo]

I think I can guess what at least some of these troubles will be. Though I won´t say. Mainly not to spoil anyone´s fun, but...well, I just don´t wanna be proven wrong.

I must say I am a bit worried about Phillipos age. He could die at almost any time. Leaving Alypios to succeed him. And even though Alypios certainly appears to be at least a pretty okay general and decent guy, I´m not sure how much he knowns about empire governing.
My worries are doubled by the fact that Alypios is so far south with little to no ways to control much of the Arche Makedonia. The corrupted council of nobles might just choose to take advantage of this.
Worrying indeed.

Wait, did I just reveal what I believe to be one of the possible troubes? Oh no!
Well, I still don´t believe Phillipos will die for at the very least...5 chapters, probably more. MAA would have hinted mroe about it otherwise. Unless he´s playing us all for fools.

[Europe]

The meaning of life? To play EB?

Heheheh Good answer

That should be a EB loading screen quote

[johnhughthom]

I dread to think how many hours of your life this story has taken up MAA. I just spent over an hour putting up an update for my AAR which isn't half what your average update is. And that isn't even thinking about the time actually playing.

[Subotan]

Great, that's really helpful. All the different Greek names had me a little confused, and when the latest generation came along, I was totally confuzzled.

I did finally get around to taking Tanais...

Ah, but if you look, right next to the Bosophorous, just on and below the sea of Azov, you will see a tiny bit of Sauromatae cost. You can't really claim Thallasokratia until you've captured that beach (Or airbrushed it black...)

Btw, What's going on with all the other "Barbarian" territories in the north?

[HunGeneral]

One thing I never Understood is why people don't semm to take the province wich formes the center of Arabia - can't it be taken? Or is it not worth it? or is it defended by a land- block??