The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR

[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.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks, I'm only doing it because I enjoy it. When I don't feel like writing or playing, there's a long delay between updates.

I'm going to try not to leak anything more abot upcoming events outside of the chapters.

[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??

[Tyrfingr]

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??

The arabian desert is controlled by that little town in the absolute south-west corner of the EB map, which is unreachable without cheating. Thus, the arabian desert is impossible to take...which is quite realistic since there was no civilisation during the EB time span to "control" the desert, as it was just sand and nothing of value.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I've conquered Tanais, but I haven't gotten to that point in the AAR yet. In a few chapters I'll get there.

It is impossible to conquer the center Arabia, which is part of the same province as the Sahara, but I have editted a couple of my pictures so that it looks like one faction or another is in control of the center of Arabia.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 89 : Desert Wars
Nubia

After almost two years of waiting, Alypios Antigonos, heir to the throne of Makedonia, received word that the third and final army of Nubia was marching on his position at Ptolemais-Theron. Alypios had taken pretty considerable losses in his previous battles and did not seek another field battle with the Ptolemaic Nubians. Hoping to halt the enemy army and force them to negotiate, Alypios siezes the bridges over a small river and waits for the enemy. Even though their position is very bad, the Nubians immediately attack Alypios and his men upon their arrival:


Seeking to immediately take the enemy elephants out of the battle, Alypios orders his archers to light their arrows on fire and target the great beasts:


Undaunted by the huge number of Thorakitai on the far side of the river, the Ptolemaic army charges across:


A good amount of Nubians cross the bridge before Alypios gives the word and the Thorakitai charge in:


The Nubians on the eastern bank are all killed or pushed back into the bridge and Alypios orders his men to move back. The Thorakitai fall back a ways and reform the crescent around the bridge landing. As another group of Nubians charge off the bridge, the Thorakitai throw their javelin:


The throwing of the javelin is the last injury needed for the Nubians to break. The broken enemy flees back arcoss the bridge and back into the desert with Alypios' army close behind:


Alypios destroys or routs what is left of the Nubian forces and destroys the last army available to Ptolemais VIII:


With Ptolemaic agression under control, Alypios Antigonos makes sure to garrison Ptolemais-Theron and heads north. Stopping in Alexandreia, Alypios reorganizes his army. Rather than have his men fight with only sword, Alypios raises men that fight with spear, sword, and javelin from amoungst the Hellenic and Makedonian populations of the region. With his army to follow him later, Alypios then moves to Syria. There, he meets with his uncle, Sotades, and discusses the Median problem.

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Arabia

In Arabia, during this time, the village of Gerrha rebels against the Median Empire and casts out the Median garrison. The Kingdom of Sab'yn sends support and mistakenly start a war with the Median Empire:


The war does not last long. Soon the Medes negotiate a peace, giving the eastern coast of Arabia to the Kingdom of Sab'yn. The people of the region, who had been unhappy under Media soon find the oppression of the Sab'yn no better.

The eastern and south-eastern regions of Arabia had been conquered by the Kingdom of Sab'yn many years but had long resented the domination by the Sab'yn. Knowing the only thing that keep these lands loyal to the Kingdom of Sab'yn were Sab'yn garrisons stationed in various towns around the regions, Basileus Philippos had ordered the reinforcement army of Aigyptoi, and the Hellenic envoys that lead them, to travel to these regions and negotiate alliances.

At first, the journey had been difficult, but when word began to spread that an army from Aigyptos was coming to cast out the Sab'yn garrisons, the people of the region started to welcome the Hellenes and Aigyptoi. Guided by nomadic traders, housed in small villages, and supplied by peasants, the latter part of the journey was much easier. Finally, the Aigyptoi came upon the town of Ubar and the first Sab'yn garrisoned region. After failed negotiations to get the city to surrender, the only option left was to crush the garrison and free the city by force:


Captain Agis, one of the Makedones from Aigyptos who came to lead the army, takes command of the expedition from the envoys and diplomats and prepares the army for war. Dividing his force into two groups, Agis attacks the city from two sides.

As soon as they see the Aigyptoi force approaching the city, the Sab'yn garrison comes out to meet them. However, when the Aigyptoi begin to throw their javelin, the Sab'yn retreat back to the city:


As the Aigyptoi approach the city, the Sab'yn have no choice but to fight and are easily outmatched:


When a second wave of Sab'yn troops come out of the city, Agis orders his men to form a line and throw in their remaining javelin and then charge down the city streets:


Meanwhile, the second Aigyptoi force makes it almost to the city center before they are even apposed:


After crushing the second wave, the Aigyptoi charge on the city center from two sides and take the town:


The envoys, diplomats, and scholars with the army immediately reassure the people of Ubar that they are not there as conquerors but to expel the Sab'yn and obtain alliances. To prove this, they immediately allow the people of Ubar to choose a king and raise their own army. Although the region exists as a client-state for the Arche Makedonia, there is no direct power that can be exerted on such a distant region by the distant Basileus. The army and envoys set up camp outside the city and begin gathering supplies to move on, across the desert. It is not until the Aigyptoi army is out of sight that the people of Ubar actually start believing what the Makedones said about independance.

So far, Philippos' plan for breaking off territories from the Kingdom of Sab'yn is successful. As for the Basileus, himself, Philippos moves into Katabria and once again challenges the Iberian Confederacy, weakened though it is:


The Kingdom of Sab'yn offers not resistance to the Aigyptoi army or the newly formed Kingdom of Ubar but does send another army agains the city of Carna and the client-king therein:


Having left only a handful of advisors---both military and political---in Ubar, the Aigyptoi army had continued northward under the command of Captain Herakleides into the land of Maka. Unlike the rest of Arabia, these lands had had repeated influence by Persia and Babylonia. Until recently, the area had even been ruled directly by the new Median Empire. These small differences were enough to cause discontentment against "foreign" rule from the Kingdom of Sab'yn. Seeing what had been done in Ubar, the people readily welcomed the Aigyptoi and their mission of expelling the Sab'yn garrison. While the Aigyptoi take control of the countryside, the regional garrison hides itself behind the walls of the city of Homna. Captain Herakleides ordered the city besieged but does not wait long before reinforcements from the newly regained northern territories come in to assist the garrison of Maka:


Captain Herakleides, well aware of the coming attack, has time to set up his men on the top of a ridge and await the enemy's approach. The Nubian archers fire down on the approaching army from above, who try to return arrow volleys from the bottom of the hill:


When the Sab'yn reinforcement infantry finally come up the hill, they do not even make it to the Aigyptoi line before breaking and fleeing back down the hill:


By the time the garrison from Homna approaches the battlefield, the Sab'yn reinforcements are in full retreat. Rather than return to their city and hide behind its wall, the Sab'yn garrison chooses to fight. Captain Herakleides orders his men down from the hill to engage the Sab'yn before they change their mind. This time, the battle becomes and infantry battle:


While the infantry of both armies is tied down, the two cavalry detachments, off the right flank of the Aigytpoi, charge in at eachother:


The cavalry charge turns out to be the turning point in the battle. As the Sab'yn cavalry break, so does the entire line of infantry. The Aigyptoi chase their enemy back to the walls of Homna and those who survive surrender the city to Captain Herakleides:


Once again, the envoys of the Arche Makedonia go about reassuring the people of the region that they are not there are conquerors. A local king is selected and put in charge of all of Maka. Not only is a local army raised to defend the region, but the envoys also manage to convince the king to raise an additional army to help augment the Aigyptoi losses. Seeking to retain the peace in the region and reassure the people they are not under occupation, the Aigyptoi move out and to the north. even before the reinforcements are ready.

While the Aigyptoi continue to move on the far side of the desert, the army of the Kingdom of Sab'yn under the command of General Hutar Il Watar Yuhan'em decides to try and take the city of Carna by force. Once again the king of Carna is forced to lead his small garrison of mostly Aithiopioi in defence of his city:


The towers and ladders reach the walls without any equipment being destroyed but many lightly armored Sab'yn troops fall dead to the rain of arrows:


As for the ram, it is easily set on fire outside the walls of the city:


With the ram destroyed, the only option left to the Sab'yn was to take the walls. Using ladders and towers, the enemy soldiers pour over the walls to the south...


...and to the north:


The Sab'yn keep coming and the the city defenders keep slaying them upon the walls of the city of Carna:


Hoping to force the enemy into retreat by killing or routing their commander, the king of Carna personally leads a charge against the king and his elite bodyguard:


The charge is a success, but when the king pulls his cavalry back to make a second charge, the Sab'yn general and his men start running. Although the king of Carna expected the enemy general to run he did not expect the direction he end up goes. The Sab'yn general runs up to the walls of the city of Carna, with the king of Carna's cavalry giving chase, and enters one of the towers. Moving onto the walls of Carna, the enemy general and his bodyguard fight to the death against the Aithiopioi spearmen:


The suicide charge of the Sab'yn general seems odd, but only if you are unaware of what happens to failed generals that return to the king of Sab'yn without their armies. Either by success of the king of Carna or by failure of the Sab'yn forces, the city of Carna remains independant and loyal to Makedonia:


Over two years, the Kingdom of Sab'yn takes many losses. Destroyed armies and garrisons can be replace and land reconquered but two things hit the Sab'yn hard. First is the kindling of the independ spirit amoungst the eastern regions, and the second is the support gained for Makedonia by providing that independence. Everyone knows that these "alliances" are the first step towards client-states and eventual annexation into the Arche Makedonia, but it does not change the fact that the yoke of Sab'yn has been thrown off from these regions.

The known world in 145BC:

Next: Chapter 90 : The Median War (Part V)

[Kuningaz]

Nice chapter, almost finished with re-reading the Antigonids btw

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks, Kuningaz.

That was a rather boring chapter. Arabia was conquered by nothing really exciting happened. I think I'm going to speed up my AAR and skip a bunch of the boring stuff, such as the easily won siege battles. I want to get to some of the more interesting events that are coming up but they're still half a decade away.

Ironically, I get more written when I'm busy and now that winter break is here, I'm not working on my AAR or playing the campaign as much...

[Reverend Joe]

I'm going to speed up my AAR and skip a bunch of the boring stuff, such as the easily won siege battles. I want to get to some of the more interesting events that are coming up but they're still half a decade away.

You should do that from now on, actually. Now that your empire is enormous, every siege is no longerr important like it was when Makedonia was a regular kingdom, and every siege could be make-or-break.

Think of it in history text terms, since that's what this AAR basically is. In other words, every time you post, start thinking: what really matters?

[Aemilius Paulus]

You should do that from now on, actually. Now that your empire is enormous, every siege is no longerr important like it was when Makedonia was a regular kingdom, and every siege could be make-or-break.

Think of it in history text terms, since that's what this AAR basically is. In other words, every time you post, start thinking: what really matters?

I tend to disagree. I love MAA's AAR as it is.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Yeah, when I first started this AAR I showed every battle fought. Later I restricted it to just wars that were relevant to the story. I think I'm going to now just show battles that have relevence in themselves. I'll mention any battle in a relevent war but only show pictures of battles that I play out and have are at least somewhat interesting. This should increase the year-per-chapter rate and help prevent some of those chapters that really change nothing.

The next chapter starts a series of events that lead to something interesting down the way.

[Kuningaz]

Well, I guess you're right about restricting yourself to only the most important battles Ah and I finally re-read the whole AAR from the very beginning Since I'm on a student's exchange in Mexico I don't really have to do anything to do the whole day and reading your AAR saved me from boring myself to death for some time (especially as I don't have a pc to play EB on here) Just wanted to say thank you

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks, Kuningaz. Too bad you can't play.

The next chapter is almost finished (I wrote it in the middle of the night lastnight). I'll probably post it tommorrow. It has a different format and level of content. Expect the content level to be the same from now on but the format is a one time only thing.

[General Appo]

Either way you go with your AAR, it´s bound to be great.

It´ll be tough actually keeping those Sab´yn allies in an even client-state like relation, at least until you´ve taken Charax and established some sort of regular contact with them.
Hope to see Phillipos finish of those pesky Iberians soon.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 90 : The Median War (Continued)

While the Basileus moves into Katabria and an Aigyptoi army wanders the shifting sands, the main concern of almost all within the Arche Makedonia is the war with Media to the east. For years, battles had been fought and every time the Medes had been pushed back, but the garrisons of Babylonia, Assyria, and Armenia had been depleted and the soldiers had been pushed to the breaking point. In Armenia, the garrison of Armavir had been almost completely wiped out and had to be reinforced from Iberia. In Babylonia, the aging King Isidoros Oresteus of Babylon had crushed every army sent against him but had slowly been loosing the elite veteran core that made up his army.

The years that made up the end of the beginning of the Median War were much like the years that made up the beginning of the beginning. Median armies continue to invade Makedonian territory and the Makedones continue to fight a defensive war. A "war" of personalities between King Isidoros and Sotades in Demetreia had tied up any forces that might be used to make a Makedonian offensive in Assyria or Babylonia.

Spring 146BC: The depleted garrison of Armavir is reinforced by fresh troops from Iberia. The unified forces fight and rout an army of Media in northern Armenia.

Summer 146BC: By the summer, the lands of Babylonia and Assyria are overrun by enemy troops. The king of Media personally commands an army besieging the city of Seleukeia. With the garrisons and governments of the Makedonian satrapies trapped by Median armies behind walled cities, bandits and rebels roam the lands causing a whole new set of problems:


During this same time, Zaikedenthes Echinaieus leads the garrison of Hippone to victory against an army of Numidia. The rift between the Numidians and the Mauretanians continues to grow.

Autumn 146BC: The Median royal army and Median king besieging King Isidoros within Seleukeia complete their siege equipment and try to take the city by force:


The towers and rams are all quickly destroyed, but King Isidoros wishes to destroy the Median army before it can withdrawl, or even kill the Median king:


Leaving the bulk of his forces on the walls to distract the regrouping Medes, King Isidoros takes his entire cavalry force out one of the distant city gates with plans to strike at the Median flanks:


Perhaps aware of Isidoros' movements or by chance, the first enemy the Babylonian cavarly confronts are the personal kataphraktoi of the Median king. Sending the light cavalry to attack the enemy infantry, King Isidoros leads the heavier cavalry against the Median king. Seeking to be the one who charges and not the one who is charged, Isidoros orders his cavalry in:


At first things are hopeful, as the Babylonian cavarly cuts through the kataphraktoi armor with their axes:


Things go well for the Babylonians for only a short time. As the Median kataphraktoi regain their composure, they quickly regain the upper hand and start killing the Babylonians in great numbers. With his men falling dead all around him, King Isidoros soon finds himself unprotected. The king of Babylonia fights like a hero of old, but soon an eastern mace finds its mark and hits the old king. Isidoros drops his sword and slumps over on his horse.

By this point, his bodyguard had managed to fight their way back to him and quickly lead the king's horse away from the battle, with a man on each side holding their king in his place. The cavalry force tries to withdraw back to the city, hoping the Median kataphraktoi would disengage and go after the Babylonian skirmisher cavalry cutting through the Median infantry ranks, but the heavy kataphraktoi smell blood and pursue the injured king:


Even though they are heavier, the kataphraktoi slowly gain on the injured king and his bodyguard. Realizing they are about to be overtaken and their king killed, a group of Babylonian cavalry halt and turn around. Buying the extra seconds necessary for their king to get back into the city walls, this small group charges headlong into the heavy cavalry:


The Babylonians are cut to pieces, none survive, but Isidoros and his bodyguard get back to the city. However, the Medes decide to withdraw, unable to take the city without equipment and too short on supplies to stay in Babylonia any longer:


King Isidoros recovers. Although, his right arm is never the same again, and he continues to have pain in his right side. Isidoros manages to gather the survivors and those dismounted in the initial confrontation and recover a few horsemen, but other than the light cavalry---who took their own losses as well---there is almost nothing left of the cavalry of Babylonia.

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While the Arche watches events in the east, normal events continue in all areas of life, economy, contruction, and nature.

Laandros, youngest brother of Basileus Philippos, administrator of Hellas, continues his studies of the ways of war. Though he has never commanded an army, he has some of the best skills in warfare available to the Basileus... on paper:


A massive earthquake hits Sikilia and does huge amounts of damage to the city of Syrakousai. Although no government or religious structures are significantly damaged, residential sections of the city suffer from collapse and fire. Thousands die:


In western Pontos, the city of Heraklea completes construction of an expanded port and opens to trade in greater amounts than ever before:


Far off, in Bostra, the aged Chrysoloras Delphikos starts to enjoy his work as governor and gets even better at it. The old soldier official retires from the ways of war:


Chrysoloras even manages to set up an advanced system of irrigation for his parched territory and increase the production of his klerouchoi farmers:


The islands of Krete and Lesbos both complete their own harbor expansions:


But the most impressive harbor built from the funds of a reunited Arche is at the city of Salonika. Here, the port that supplies the capital with all its goods is dredged out and expanded to accommodate even larger amounts of commercial traffic:


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Spring 145BC: The city of Arbela is attacked by a Median army but by the use of arrows soaked in oil and set on fire, the enemy is scattered and the city saved.

Summer 145BC: The reinforced garrison of Armavir fights a battle against a large Median army. Both sides take heavy casualties but the Medians retreat.

To the south, the king of Media gathers his army and once again crosses over the mountains to attack the city of Seleukeia.

Autumn 145BC: Zaikedenthes Echinaieus once again must defend the city of Hippone from Numidian invaders. Although the Numidian army is commanded by the Numidian king, he is accompanied by two prominent exiles from Karchedon:


Towers reach the walls and miners knock down a section of it, but the defenders are not swayed:


Facing the Numidians, both elite and levy troops garther to push them back through the breach:


Confident in the skill of his men to defend the breach---as they have done countless times before---Zaikedenthes leaves the walls and leads his cavalry out through a side gate of the city. Circling around the sides of the city, Zaikedenthes manages to catch one of the exiles, Aderbal Lambaesis, and his men, far from the rest of the Numidian army. With a charge from the Numidian cavalry a great many Phoenicians fall dead:


Before long, a second group of Phoenicians comes charging in at the conflict, this time lead by the exile Admetos Urso, new head of the famous Urso family. While the garrison of Hippone pushes back everyone that enters the city, the cavalry forces fight off to the side of the city:


Before long, Aderbal Lambaesis falls dead and Admetos Urso and the remaining cavalry turn to retreat. The quick Numidian cavalry chase down the exiles and kill every last one of them. Just as he thinks he is away, even Admetos Urso falls dead:

[I had to show that picture. How unlucky of him.]

King Bomilkar retreats back into Numidia, his army destroyed and his advisors killed. Hopefully, the last of the Urso line lies dead this day:


Winter 145BC: The Median king once again tries to get King Isidoros to fight by attacking the wall of the city of Seleukeia. This time, Isidoros and what is left of his cavalry remain safely behind the walls. Enemy equipment makes it to the walls of the city of Selekeia but are caught on fire at the last minute, forcing the Medes to retreat from Babylonia once again.

Spring 144BC: Euktimenos Demetrios Idomeneus attacks a rebel army under the command of Neolaus Samosaton Kommagenikon. Seeking to use the Median war as an excuse to break away from the Arche Makedonia, this small force and their claim of territory between Assyria and Babylonia are faced with a massive army:


Using Thorakitai...


...and kataphraktoi...


...the rebel force is not even a challenge for Euktimenos:


As word spread that Euktimenos has defeated a rebel army, the immediate question amoungst all in the royal family is, "With what army?" Right under his nose, Sotades has allowed a man who was once the leader of a rival faction to raise an army of high quality. Sotades sends word to Philippos and suggest giving the order to have Euktimenos killed as sson as possible.

Summer 144BC: The Kantabrians surrender to Basileus Philippos and the entire region of Kantabria falls under the jurisdiction of the Arche Makedonia:


With a force of coastal Iberians waiting to garrison the region, Philippos quickly moves his army north and into the lands of the Aquitani. These lands still remain loyal to the collapsing Iberian Confederacy and make an easy target for the Arche:


At this same time, a huge army from Media arrives in northern Armenia and besieges the city of Armavir. The garrison is vastly outnumbered and have no more reinforcements to call upon.

A large Median force also crosses over the mountains of Media and into eastern Assyria. Unlike previous forces, this one is large and well organized. It would seem that something has changed in Media or in the Median plan.

Autumn 144BC: The Aigyptoi army finally comes upon the last garrison in eastern Arabia. Surprising the city by attacking from out of the desert, the Aigyptoi descend upon the town:


This first Sab'yn force is easily defeated and the Aigyptoi position themselves at the top of a hill to await the garrison from out of the city:


The Aigyptoi wait patiently for the Sab'yn soldiers to tire themselves marching and climbing up the hill. When the time is right, the entire Aigyptoi line charges down from the hill an onto the enemy:


The Sab'yn garrison is crushed and those who survive surrender and disband. With this, the last of the distant Sab'yn territories is broken from them. The envoys send word to the king of Maka and the Makedonian advisors left behind in Maka. They are informed that Gerrha is taken and that the region will be integrated into Maka. The lands are given to the king of Maka, but the Aigyptoi remain in the town of Gerrha to garrison it against any possible Median agression.


Winter 144BC: King Isidoros Oresteus, king and ruler of Babylon, dies in his sleep. Succumbing to the winter cold and his old wounds, the old king dies relatively peacefully in his sleep:


The crown of Babylon falls to Isidoros' son-in-law, Keraton Apolloniates, the only option for an heir. Keraton is crowned, but a huge number of the elite Babylonians stationed in Seleukeia see the death of King Isidoros as a sign and disband or flee to other regions. Keraton is forced to take the bulk of the garrison from Babylonia to hold the city of Seleukeia. Keraton's advisors tell him that it is time to send word to Demetreia and request Makedonian reinforcements, but Keraton refuses. King Keraton Apolloniates has a plan, and if it fails then he will request assistance.

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The known world in the winter of 144BC:

Next: Chapter 91 : The Neo-Persian Empire

[Hax]

Another great update, MAA! Looking forward to the next chapter!

[julius_caesar_the_first]

Great update as always MAA. Looks like big things are about to happen in the Arche.

Also I think I figured out what one of the "challenges" you spoke about will be. Only time will tell if I'm right.

Keep up the good work. I eagerly await the next update.

[Dutchhoplite]

What would Keraton's plan be :)

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Great update! LOVE the bodyguards saving the king and the Babylonian Light Horse sacrificing themselves for him!

I noticed Late Libyan Spearmen UI-cards. I thought you can't use them because they share the model with Thorakitai??

[General Appo]

Looking forward to hearing about Keraton's plan, but slightly worried wether he'll really have time to send for reinforcements if it fails.

Phillipos should do like any smart manipulative ruler would do, and send Euktimenos and his army to fight the Medians. That way he and his army will be doing good for the Arche while hopefully not be in a position to challenge Phillipos rightful rule.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

I smell another civil war.

Also great chapter as usual MAA.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks.

Keraton's plan isn't anything grand. It's just a simple military plan. It will be in a couple chapters.

I actually thought I could beat the Median (Late Haikakan) bodyguard with my cavalry. They just tore through my cavalry and I killed about five. I thought it would be a good roleplaying oppertunity and to show the loyalty that the Babylonians had for Isidoros.

I'm using the late Carthaginian guys to represent my Lybian Thorakitai, though with the stats toned down a bit. They share the same model as the Hellenistic Thorakitai but through the "merc trick" you can get two units with the same model for the same faction. I had to kill an Iberian mercenary unit to do it, though.

Hopefully, civil war will be averted. Syria is loyal to Sotades and he is loyal to Philippos, so there isn't really a base of power that Euktimenos could exploit were he to rebel. I might end up sending Euktimenos and his army against the Medes. (I have a huge shortage of capible commanders in the east.) The only thing worse than loosing the whole army in combat would be if he is heroically successful.

I haven't played this campaign in about two weeks and I'm catching up to where I am in the AAR. So in about three or four chapters, I don't even know what is going to happen, and some events I just roleplay as I go.

[NickTheGreek]

Nice chapter MAA, i love how different your game is to the standard version of EB (if you could ever call EB standard), it really adds an extra level of personality. The Neo-Persian empire sounds interesting, i eagerly await the next chapter.

[General Appo]

Hopefully, civil war will be averted. Syria is loyal to Sotades and he is loyal to Philippos, so there isn't really a base of power that Euktimenos could exploit were he to rebel. I might end up sending Euktimenos and his army against the Medes. (I have a huge shortage of capible commanders in the east.) The only thing worse than loosing the whole army in combat would be if he is heroically successful.

Meh, just send some unimportant uncharismatic but loyal FM with Euktimenos and claim that he's the one that's been winning all the battles. And if thing's turn to the worst' have him put a knife in the traitor's back and get the hell out of camp.

A good Basileus must be a ruthless bastard.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Euktimenos. Philippos probably should have had him executed at the end of the war. I have three or so other threads of story going right now and have been putting off the Euktimenos events. Maybe I'll roleplay that. If you ignore a small problem for a long time, you'll find that it has grown much larger than you remember.

The next chapter should be at least somewhat interesting, if not too long. I've run into a bit of trouble writting the next chapter. I got stuck on part of the story. So far it is the history of my campaign from the the Hai and Medes point of view (though I ended up writing too much). I then got stuck on part of the story.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

The Neo-Persian Empire

Since the fall of the Persian Empire, the story in the east is that of client-states replacing their protector. Rule by Makedones becomes the way of life, but small isolated groups of nobles dream of the days when Persia ruled the world. Myths and exagerations replace facts from the era of the Achaemenid Empire and people of all classes look back on the glory of the past as though it was paradise. From within and from without of the Arche Seleukeia, those who dream of what once was plot the downfall of the Seleukid dynasty.

The Hayasdan Era

When the man named Alexandros destroyed the glory of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, the lands of Armenia remained relatively unconquered. Here, the ally of Persia continued to exist, independant of the kingdoms created by Alexandros. When the newly created Makedonian kingdoms took to fighting amoungst themselves, the kings of Hayasdan in Armenia began a campaign of conquest, with the dream of creating an empire like that of Kurus (Cyrus) the Great.

Around 250BC, Hayasdan negotiated and alliance with the Ptolemaic dynasty of Aigyptos, who had been winning a war against the Seleukid dynasty, which they called the Syrian Wars. The Seleukids were begin defeated and pushed back into Media and Persia and there was no longer any need to fear them. The kings of the Hai took this time to go about conquering all of Armenia, Iberia, Albania, and Astrophene. After decades of warfare, the entire region was unified under the Haikakan King and the dream of recreating the glory of Persian Empire was directly ahead of them.

The Kingdom of Hayasdan at its greatest extent in 227BC:

Just as the success of the Ptolemaioi had allowed for the creation of this Armenian Kingdom, the failures of the Ptolemaioi would be its undoing. By 230BC, the Antigonid dynasty had pushed the Ptolemaioi out of Anatolia and the Seleukids had pushed them out of Babylonia. Things only got worse for the Armenians when another ally, the Kingdom of Pontos, decided to invade territory belonging to the Antigonids. The Kingdom of Pontos dealt a heavy blow against the Antigonids but in the end was completely conquered.

Soon after the Pontos-Antigonid War, the city of Trapezous rebelled from the Kingdom of Hayasdan and was promptly annexed by the Antigonids. To the Antigonids, this was liberating a Hellenic city. To the Armenians, this was foreign conquest of their territory. When the armies of Hayasdan marched against the city of Trapezous to put down the rebellion, they were countered by the armies of Makedonia. What followed was the First Hai-Antigonid War, in which the kings of Hai lost territory near Kappadokia and all coastal territories on the Pontos Euxinos.

Peace came and went. The Second Hai-Antigonid War was fought when the all but broken Ptolemaioi broke their treaty and declared war on the Antigonids. Hayasdan renewed their old treaty and the two fought against the Antigonid dyansty in Syria and Kappadokia. The Ptolemaioi were quickly conquered in Assyria. For the Hai, the war became a defensive war over Iberia and the Van region. Eventually peace was negotiated with only a slight loss of territory in western Iberia for Hayasdan.

Soon after the Second Hai-Antigonid War the attention of Hayasdan turned eastward. The Antigonids were busy with two large wars on their west and the Arche Seleukeia was being invaded by armies of India. This was the oppertunity that the Armenians had been waiting for to spread into Media and Persia. While the armies of Armenia invaded Hykania, their agents encouraged rebellion and uprisings in Media.

The fatal blow for the Kingdom of Hayasdan came during this war. While the King of Hayasdan and the bulk of the army was away in Hykania and Media, a Seleukid army from Assyria marched around Media and conquered Armavir, capital of the Kingdom of Hayasdan. The later loss of Phraaspa then cut the king off from his homeland. Albania took this oppertunity to rebel and declare independence. The Iberia and the Van regions were invaded by the Antigonids. A year later, Armavir rebelled and expelled the Seleukid garrison, only to be invaded by the Antigonids. The Kingdom of Hayasdan was destroyed.

The Media Era

The Armenians had fallen, but the rebels that they had supported in Media had managed to create a kingdom of their own. With assistance from the exiled Haikakan King and his army, the Medes manage to set up a powerful kingdom within Seleukid lands. Soon after the fall of Armenia, the Antigonids send an offering of peace to the lands of Media. It would soon be seen that the new leader of the Antigonid dynasty was hoping to invade Babylonia and Persia and hoped to make the young Median Kingdom an ally. Peace between the Medes and the Antigonids lasted almost through the Antigonid-Seleukid War that was to follow. But in the end it became clear that the Antigonids sought to annex Media along with Babylonia and Persia and the Median King declared war on the Antigonid dynasty. After the death of the Antigonid ruler, his son went to the task of conquering Media and destroying the young kingdom.

By 177BC, all that was left of the young Median kingdom was a small strip of territory in Hykania:

Once again it was fate that saved the dream of Persia. A power struggle broke out amoungst the Antigonids for royal succession and the old ruler's son and his army left Media, headed west. The Median Empire was born from this act. Not only had all lost territory been regained but the Elymais was added to the lands ruled by the Median king.

Over the next several decades, the Antigonids fought a civil war and the Seleukids regained their lost power by expelling the Indians from Persia. While peace was maintained with the Seleukids, border territories that had belonged to the Antigonids were slowly annexed into the Median Empire. During the Antigonid civil war, the Median Empire had supported the western faction, which enabled them to annex eastern Antigonid territory but the civil war came to an end with the western faction triumphant.

Median attention now shifted eastward once again. The Seleukids had expanded northward into the steppes but had stretched themselves too thin. The Seleukid steppe territories were on the verge of rioting and the Medes made sure to push them over the edge. When the cities of Khiva and Nisa rebelled against the Seleukids, the Medes sent in as much aid and money they could spare. This new power, born from the steppes, made a strong alliance with the Median Empire, and together they went about putting and end to the Seleukid dynasty:

Over the next decade, the Medes and steppe faction---who ended up settling in Parthia---went on a campaign of conquest. By 147BC, the city of Persepolis had fallen and the dream of a new Persian Empire was in sight.

To the east, Baktria had been invaded and conquered by a group know as the Saka Rauka but they too were to fall to the Iranian powers. In 145BC, the Parthians started expanding northward and conquering neighbors other than the Seleukids. A Parthian army lead by an ex-Seleukid general marched against the Saka and conquered the city of Baktra, where he was set up as puppet king:


The Neo-Persian Era

The next drastic change came in 145BC, with the death of the Parthian king. Suddenly there was a real threat that the Parthian Empire would collapse and that the Seleukids may even recover some of their lost power and territory. Many claimed rule of the newly conquered lands and sub-division or civil war drew near. The king of Media found himself in a unique position. The Medes had funded the Parthian expansion and been a loyal ally in the war against the Seleukid kings. Support from the king of Media could ensure the success of a potential king in the north, but this new king would then owe his position to the king of Media.

Moving quickly, before it was too late, King Koyroun of Media put all of his support behind his choice, promising both political and military support. With Median support behind an already strong Parthian prince, the civil war was over before it started.

King Koyroun used the event to gain all he could from it. In a ceremony in the city of Persepolis, the king of Media personally crowned the new king of Parthia. This was more than a symbolic event, though. The two kings announced that there would be a political and economic union between the two peoples and the lands of Media, Elymais, Persia, Iran, and the steppe territories would be unified under one empire. For the peoples of the unified territories, trade and transportation would be free and unimpeeded between all regions, encouraging trade and trade profit. Politically, the Median kings would rule in the west and the south, while the Parthian kings rule in the north and the east. To show their interconnection, the two royal families would intermarry and be unitied in blood and intent. Militarily, each king would command the armies in his given region and all major military matters would be discussed before being acted on by a single king. Each king kept their own sub-capital but Persepolis would be the capital of the unified lands.

Most who knew anything about the new empire knew that the Median king was dominating the new "shared" empire and that perfect unity may be something that last but a short time, but even those who were aware wanted to believe such a unification was possible that they just ignored the warning signs of discontentment.

With a capital in Persis, the new unified empire would be known to others as the Persian Empire reborn. After nearly two hundred years, the peoples of the east were free from foreign rule and once again powerful. The soldiers and common people now had the goal ahead of them of "liberating" the peoples of Armenia and Babylonia from Makedonian rule. While the king of Parthia waged war against the Saka Rauka in Baktria and the Seleukids in Gedrosia, the king of Media renews his war with the Antigonids to his west.

(King of the Seleukids:)


With new forces and an unprecedented zeal behind them, King Koyroun marched into the lands of Armenia, Assyria, and Babylonia in the year 144BC. After a couple months of besieging the city of Armavir in Armenia, General Aram was ready to take the city by force:


An archer-heavy garrison deals heavy casualties in the Median approach. The ram is destroyed, but towers reach the walls in the north, and a section of the wall is destroyed to the south. Men from the steppes defend the walls, and the Medes face great opposition:


The breach in the wall, however, allows General Aram to exploit his heavy cavarly:


Within the city, a wall of native spearmen stop the Median cavalry but are pushed back:


After a long fight, the spearmen begin to break and the routing men are cut to pieces. Unsure whether the battle is over or not, the Medes march on the center of the town. Near the city's eastern gate, the garrison axemen from the walls confront the Median cavlary:


With nowhere to run and surrounded, the remanants of the garrison are killed, but at great cost to the Median cavalry:


With the death of the defending general, the garrison surrenders and the city falls to the army of Media. For the Antigonids, it is a close battle, though:


To the south, another Median army under the command of another General Aram---though this Aram is son of the king---attacks the lightly defended city of Arbela:


Towers reach the walls, rams reach the gates, and walls come falling to the ground:


On the walls, Median elites face only poorly equiped levy spearmen:


As the light spearmen try to hold the defenses, the Thraikio-Armenian abandon their place by the gates. As the walls come down and the gate breaks open, the defending commander fears for his position and falls back toward the center of the city:


On the walls, victory is certain for the Medes as every greater numbers climb up onto the city walls:


When the last defender on the wall surrenders, the Medes once again assume the city is theirs and march on the center. However, knowing they will most likely be executed if they surrender, the Thraikio-Armenians hold their ground in a city street. As the massive Median force fills the streets, the Makedone General and his men fight all that come at them:


The battle lasts longer that any in the Median army would have predicted but is still a short battle. Each Thraikio-Armenian soldier kills dozens of horses, and men fall dead in the city street to their blades. Finally, surrounded and demoralized, the defenders surrender:


This is a clear defeat for the Antigonids, even though their tiny garrison almost manages to take half the Median army with them:


The fall of the city of Arbela and Armavir moves the borders of the new Persian Empire to the edge of the Tigris and well into Armenia. When news reaches Media of the death of the king of Babylon, King Koyroun of Media prepares another expedition to take Babylonia. The fall of Babylonia and Armenia could mean the breaking of the Antigonid line and a possible push all the way into Syria.

The dream of renewed glory is finally realized, but will it grow or be shattered?

The Persian Empire in 143BC:

[julius_caesar_the_first]

WOW!!! So THIS is the challenge. Good luck with the war. I get the feeling you're going to need it.

As always great chapter and I await the next one eagerly.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

This is great! A shift of perspective, I love that.

[Subotan]

Awesome. I'm loving the maps, you should include them more often.