The Annals of the Yervanduni Dynasty: A Haikakan AAR

[Epimetheus]

Hi everyone! After a long hiatus, I've decided to continue this AAR. I've made some minor edits to the previous chapters, but nothing really major outside of the end of chapter five. Because it's been so long, and I've modded my EB so much since then, I intend to pick this up with the Siege of Armavir as a custom battle, then proceed with it forward in a new game. The Siege of Armavir shouldn't take me to long to get ready, but it may take me a while to get the new game up and running properly, and to get further new chapters ready.

[Karo]

Can't wait to read it. There aren't many Armenian AARs any more so make sure this doesn't die as well.

[vartan]

Can't wait to read it. There aren't many Armenian AARs any more so make sure this doesn't die as well.

I don't know Karo axper jan. Considering all those nomads descent upon Armavir herself...what chance do we have? May Mihr guide and protect us!

[Karo]

I don't know Karo axper jan. Considering all those nomads descent upon Armavir herself...what chance do we have? May Mihr guide and protect us!

He can call all of the archers of his kingdom to come and defend the city. The Nakharars are waiting for the command to come and defend the city and fight for their king.

[Epimetheus]

Chapter VI: The Iberian War

Äluton soon came, like a storm sweeping across the plain. Arriving at Armavir virtually unhindered, the Sarmatian king demanded that Samus and Saurmag surrender all the wealth of Armavir to him at once, a demand which was curtly refused. Äluton's horde was ragged and worn from their battles against Pharnavaz, but it was still a terrifying sight to behold. Samus knew that on the open field of battle, his small force would have stood no chance of victory. While facing Äluton in battle was out of the question, Samus felt secure in his position. The enhanced fortifications he had had constructed were solid, and he knew the Sarmatians had little experience in assaulting walled cities. When Äluton had taken the Greek cities of Tanais and Olbia on the Northern shore of the Pontos Euxienos, he had done so by starving out the inhabitants.

Samus knew that he would not be able to do the same at Armavir. Winter was fast approaching, and the harvests had already been brought in, along with everything else of value. The city could theoretically hold out for months, even years, all the while leaving Äluton's horde trapped in the frigid Caucasian winter with few supplies and little available to pillage. If the winter didn't finish them off, then the reinforcements that would arrive from Artavazd and Vahagn in the spring would surely be able to wipe them out.

Äluton, however, was well aware of the risks, and did not plan on simply waiting for Samus to surrender. He quickly began construct crude ladders and a ram, intending to storm the city. The morning after the first snows fell, he launched his assault.



The battering ram was quickly destroyed, set on fire by a barrage of flaming arrows. Though badly outnumbered, the archers on the city walls slaughtered the enemy troops as they tried to approach the walls with their ladders. The number of those Sarmatians who died attempting to storm the walls is unknown, but it must have been enormous, for it is said that they only managed to reach the walls once the Hai archers had run out of arrows.



Despite taking massive casualties, the Sarmatians still managed to scale the walls. Once they did, they were able to quickly take control of the wall, but had great difficulty in seizing the gatehouse. Some of Saurmag's Georgian swordsmen made a heroic stand there on the walls, holding out long after the rest of the men there had fallen. But eventually even they were overwhelmed, and the gatehouse was lost. The Sarmatians had managed to breach the city walls, but had lost nearly all of their footmen in the process.



The true strength of Äluton's army, however, was in his cavalry, which thundered toward the now open gates. It was a desperate, practically suicidal, charge, but terrifying to behold, like a vast wave crashing on a rocky shore.



Once inside the city, they were quickly met by a wall of spears, which soon enveloped them. Most of Äluton's horsemen were unarmored, and vast numbers of them were slaughtered. The horses, trapped between the narrow gateway and a horde of spearmen, panicked, trying desperately to find some way, any way out. Everything broke down into chaos. Those that didn't manage to escape were quickly massacred.



Samus' royal cavalry, along with the Nakharars, charge out of the city, chasing down the routers and slaughtering them, quickly followed by the rest of the garrison. Äluton, who had held back his elite cavalry, saw that the battle was lost. Nevertheless, in an act of bravery unbecoming of his nomad heritage, he rallied his men for one final, desperate charge at Samus' men. The two kings' cavalry smashed into each other with incredible force, sending some men flying from their horses. Äluton, the Sarmatian king,was among those who fell in the initial charge. The remaining horsemen fought a fierce, but brief melee.



The Sarmatian bodyguards, enraged by Äluton' death, fought to the bitter end. Samus himself fought valiantly in the melee, but was forced to withdraw after being severely wounded by one of Äluton' men. Nevertheless, it was only a matter of time before the Sarmatian royal cavalry fell and the battle was won.



The seemingly invincible Sarmatian army had been crushed in a single decisive battle. With their king dead, and the back of their army broken, most of the remaining Sarmatians fled back north across the Caucasus with their tails between their legs. However, this victory did not come without a heavy cost. As the winter began, Samus' wound refused to heal, and his condition worsened with each passing day. Healers were summoned from across the kingdom, but they could do nothing to aid him.

The nobles, who had once been so antagonistic towards him, now prayed desperately for his recovery. Samus' son, Arsham, had recently come of age, but he was still an untested youth, and few believed he was ready to take the up the crown. Samus believed that his son would one day become a great king, but accepted that the boy was not yet ready to bear such a burden. After consulting with his advisors, Samus decided that his cousin, Artavazd, the Marzpahak of Dsopk', would succeed him if he should not recover. Artavazd was a skilled governor and administrator, and was well educated, but he lacked his cousin's charisma or battle experience. He was a noble and honorable man, and well respected by the Nakharars for his religious faith and respect for tradition. At the same time, he was well versed in foreign culture, history, and science, making him well suited to continue Samus' vision of Metz Hayk'.

Samus finally succumbed to his injuries shortly after midwinter, at the age of 49 [258 BC]. He had reigned as Arkah for only three years, but he had been co-regent with his adopted father, Yervand for eleven years before that, and had effectively ruled since then. A brilliant general, a valiant warrior, and skilled and popular governor, he had managed to unite the disparate lands of the Hai under one banner, and would be remembered as one of the most beloved Yervanduni rulers.

[vartan]

Rest in peace oh mighty King.

[Unintended BM]

Good work, I like it.

[Hax]

This is excellent.


The AAR I mean, not your King's death.

[NickTheGreek]

An excellent way to recommence this, great chapter.

[Horatius Flaccus]

Great AAR!

[Epimetheus]

It'll probably be at least a couple weeks be for my next update. I have to finish my modifications to the eastern half of the map, and then mod that to be able to start where I left off in the AAR, which means a fair amount of script editing. It shouldn't take me too long, though.