Spear and Shield: A Saba AAR

[BerkeleyBoi]

They call us Hanatim Kushim, levy spearmen from the lands of Ethiopia. They gave me a helmet, a shield, and a spear. They told me that starting that day, I am no longer a tiller of the land. I am a soldier for the great King.

This is not a story of lords and noblemen. I had no desire for glory in battle nor did I expect to survive the battles that came. However, survive I did and glory I achieved. The empire of the Saba grew and I as a man grew with it. So this is my story, a story of a man with a spear and a shield.



A Few Notes: This is my first AAR, so please be kind. Also, English is not my first language, so there may be some errors. I am not good at taking screen shots so my apologies in advance. I also will be updating as I play, so things might come to an abrupt end.

Settings and rules: VH/M, huge setting, no banners or green arrows. Auto-win only used when odds are 2-1 or more in my favor.

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter One: Lucky to be Alive

My name is Dawit, son of Desta born in the spring of the year 286. I tilled the land with my father and brothers in the lands of Diamat. My mother passed away when I was born, perhaps that is why my father has been cold to me since I can remember. The light-skinned men came to our village a year ago. They told the village leader that men were needed to fight, as the great king will reclaim the land that was once his ancestors. I was sent by my father, alongside my elder brother Dahnay, to serve this man. His name was Yazil Il Watar, the great king of Saba.

When we arrived in Maryab, my brother and I were separated. He was much stronger and larger than I was, perhaps they had better use for him. Training began soon afterwards. The light-skinned men yelled at us, all Ethiopians, in a language we could not understand. But it was simple enough. We ran through the sand under the desert sun until we collapsed. We thrust sticks at each other until we were covered in bruises. After a few months, they gave us a helmet, a shield, and a spear.

In the spring of 272, the great king arrived and led us out of the shelter of the city and into the sand. I could understand some of their language now. For example: march, stop, turn, kill, eat, and sleep. That was pretty much all that was required. We marched through the sand day after day until a small city appeared out of nowhere. I heard the name Tamane and assumed it was its name. After a season, we attacked.



We were outnumbered, but the great king told us that the gods were smiling on us that day. The unit I was assigned to followed closely behind some skirmishers manning the ram. As we marched forward, some arrows flew in. The man to my left, I did not know his name, fell to the ground with an arrow through his neck. I panicked, but I was stuck in the middle and had nowhere to run. More arrows, a couple more fell, but I did not see them.



The rams hammered against the wall in front of us and soon, it fell. Our commander shouted something and charged forward, so we followed.



We entered the city and killed four Ethiopians who survived the stones from our slings and hurriedly gathered into our lines. I was in the second row and I saw a large number of the enemy march towards us. None of the skirmishes moved to help. The king and his son’s bodyguards stood apathetically in the distance. The enemy charged into us and four men in front of me died instantly so suddenly I was facing the enemy. It was like looking into the mirror, his eyes showing just as much fear as I’m sure my own did. I wanted to run, but instead I stabbed. I stabbed at anything that moved. We were inexperienced, we didn’t know how to fight, but we stabbed and stabbed and stabbed. Finally, the skirmishers leveled their spears and charged into the flank and rear of the enemy, relieving some attention from us.



We were bloodied and exhausted, but at last the enemy, surrounded on all sides, broke and tried to run. We followed them and killed them to the last man.



The king called it a heroic victory. We killed three for every one of us lost. He called us valiant heroes fit for legends. I call myself lucky to be alive.

[Poulp']

"they gave me a helmet, a spear and a shield and told me I was a soldier now..."
I like it

The war from a footman's point of view, an old trick in the book but it is still effective

keep it up

[Teleklos Archelaou]

I like it! I once tried a single unit AAR, but it didn't last long. The catch was that it was played (on the battlemap) by giving the other units AI control, and just controlling my one unit - following them, trying to keep up with the AI's plans. Sometimes it was awesome, sometimes the AI did things my unit (i.e., me) didn't understand. Still it's a great way to play a campaign and focusing like you do on this one guy is really cool - some good screenshots (edited with PS or something?) could make this a really awesome one. I look forward to seeing what else happens and I like the writing style already!

[schlappi]

Thanks for sharing. I'll keep checking this story.

[Xehh II]

Great AAR BerkeleyBoi, very good, keep it up.

[BerkeleyBoi]

I like it! I once tried a single unit AAR, but it didn't last long. The catch was that it was played (on the battlemap) by giving the other units AI control, and just controlling my one unit - following them, trying to keep up with the AI's plans. Sometimes it was awesome, sometimes the AI did things my unit (i.e., me) didn't understand. Still it's a great way to play a campaign and focusing like you do on this one guy is really cool - some good screenshots (edited with PS or something?) could make this a really awesome one. I look forward to seeing what else happens and I like the writing style already!

Thanks for the comments, I actually got the inspiration from your AAR with the mercenary greek hoplites, though I thought the AI control would be too difficult for me. And the screenshots are actually unedited, that's just how good EB looks naturally!

And thanks everyone else for the comments!

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter Two: A Reason to Live

The king wasted no time and led us to straight to Sabata. He did not try diplomacy and immediately laid siege to the city. I began to believe that this man was completely insane.



He led us into battle against a foe twice our numbers with experience, better arms, and dare I say, better general.



The enemy sallied forth and our great king ordered us to run, not for our lives, but for a hill. We barely made it to the top, our lines in complete chaos, but the enemy even more so. Our archers have killed their general and the enemy, completely confused, attacked us one by one only to be surrounded and slaughtered in droves. I was not scared this time and I stood my ground with my brothers.



We chased the enemy into the town square where they put up a last stand. None of them survived. The king once again called us heroes and how we were invincible, but I have my doubts. If that arrow did not slay their general… well, perhaps the gods really were on our side.



The king gave us a great feast the following night. It was the first time I had eaten meat since my eldest brother was married four years before and it was just as delicious as I had remembered. The light-skinned noblemen laughed at us as we licked every morsel off our fingers, but we didn’t care. Chances were good that this would be the last meat we would ever taste. The king entered the hall and we all cheered. The noblemen in the front raised their goblets of wine for him while we in the back just shouted and hooted. He began to talk, but I don’t remember about what. My attention was captured by a girl standing behind the great king.



She was completely covered in the finest fabrics with bracelets, anklets, and all manners of golden finery hanging from her head to toe. Her eyes were dark green. I have never seen such eyes before. I stared at her as long as I could, tattooing her beauty into my memory so that when the time comes that I am dying, I can conjure up her image and die in peace.



We were soon on the move again to capture a city named Ubar, a long march through the desert to the east. We arrived at the town exhausted and short on supplies, but this time the advantage in numbers was ours as two units of Guisum Aravim ‘im Garzenim boosted our numbers. They carried axes instead of spears. Maybe that’s why they looked down on us. The boasted about how many men they will slay, how many trophies they will take, and how they can cleave an elephant in half with a single swing. I remained silent, for they have not seen battle as I have. They will soon learn the horrors.



The king assigned us with two bands of light-skinned archers with a detachment of cavalry to make sure we don’t run. The king and his son, as well as two full units of slingers and axe men, stood ready at the western entrance to the city. The archers immediately began to fire into the enemy and tricked the enemy into charging straight into our spears while the archers swung around behind and shot them in the back.




They broke instantly and we left a trail of bodies into the city.



The axe men who boasted of their courage were apparently not lying, as when we entered the city square, we saw them locked in pitch battle with a seemingly endless number of spearmen while stones and arrows rained upon them. Almost half of them lay dead by the time we engaged the enemy slingers, but they still fought on. The general and his bodyguards were nowhere in sight.

With the axe men breaking through the blockade to the east, the enemy’s noblemen tried to plug the gap but instead ran right into our spears while arrows pierced through their armor from behind.



With the battle already won, the king and his son finally committed to the battle, slaughtering the exhausted and weakened foe with their swords while we moved out of their way and watched.



Once again, we were victorious. I was still alive, perhaps by the will of the gods or perhaps, it was because I now have the will to live. I have something to fight for, if only for just another chance to see those eyes.

[Treverer]

A great AAR. Both because of your choice of picking Sa'aba and your writing style. Keep it on, dear sir.

Yours,
Treverer

P.S. English/American is not my first language too.

[Hax]

I completely second Treverer.

This is incredible. You make it sound really awesome. Short lines of text, followed by awesome screenshots. You make it sound personal, great stuff!

Really keep going! ^^

[Justiciar]

This is by far the best AAR I've encountered in a long time. Keep it up, sah!

[Xehh II]

Great AAR.

[schlappi]

I really hope it doesnt end when your unit is worn out!

[BerkeleyBoi]

I really hope it doesnt end when your unit is worn out!

Hehe, well I guess I'll have to retrain my unit some time soon. As of right now, there are only 6 of them left with two gold chevrons...

And thanks to everyone for the kind comments! I will definitely try my best to meet your expectations!

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter Three: A New Leader

We spent several seasons within the city of Ubar while nearly five hundred men were conscripted and trained. Once deemed fit to fight, the king and his son gathered nearly 1500 strong and marched out into the desert heat for a town far north named Homna.



We suffered greatly during that two year march with sandstorms blasting us, scorpions crawling over our bodies as we slept, bandits raiding our supplies, starvation, and desertion. We were losing confidence in our king as while we had nothing to eat and only our sweat to drink, he and his son dined lavishly in his camp, fanned by slave women and entertained by dancers he hired by selling his own men as slaves.



Finally, we arrived. The town had no walls and we charged right in, not for the king or his son who urged us forward, but for the hope of food and water that we can wrest from the hands of these residents. My unit was greatly depleted with no reinforcements from my homeland, but we were ordered to stand guard while the light-skinned archers showered the enemy with arrows.



The cavalry took the bait and charged at us, impaling themselves on our spears.



We chased them as they fled into the city and with the freshly recruited spearmen charging in from the eastern entrance, we quickly surrounded and dispatched of the remainders.



The prince showed up in the end to throw a few javelins, most of which ended up hitting our own men.



I was not alone in my lack of confidence in the king and his son. While they have brought us many victories, it was our blood that was constantly being shed while the noblemen held back until their safety could be assured. With the northern province in the king’s control, we were sent with the prince back home. However, upon arrival in Ubar, the prince retired into the governors mansion and refused to come out, citing exhaustion as his reason. Instead, a young man by the name of Ab Karab Il Zarih led us the rest of the way.



He marched alongside his soldiers and talked to us as if we were his equals. He asked me my profession. I said I was a soldier. He laughed and asked me what I did before I became a killer of men. I told him I was a farmer. He showed me his hands with dirt deep in his fingernails. He said he was a farmer too. I liked him instantly.



I expected to return to Maryab and resume my duties there, but the farmer-general ordered us south and our army boarded a fleet of ships. He told us we were going to Axum for the glory of the gods and our king. I was returning home to conquer it.

[Poulp']

She was completely covered in the finest fabrics with bracelets, anklets, and all manners of golden finery hanging from her head to toe. Her eyes were dark green. I have never seen such eyes before. I stared at her as long as I could, tattooing her beauty into my memory so that when the time comes that I am dying, I can conjure up her image and die in peace.

Once again, we were victorious. I was still alive, perhaps by the will of the gods or perhaps, it was because I now have the will to live. I have something to fight for, if only for just another chance to see those eyes.

Finally, we arrived. The town had no walls and we charged right in, not for the king or his son who urged us forward, but for the hope of food and water that we can wrest from the hands of these residents. My unit was greatly depleted with no reinforcements from my homeland, but we were ordered to stand guard while the light-skinned archers showered the enemy with arrows.

He marched alongside his soldiers and talked to us as if we were his equals. He asked me my profession. I said I was a soldier. He laughed and asked me what I did before I became a killer of men. I told him I was a farmer. He showed me his hands with dirt deep in his fingernails. He said he was a farmer too. I liked him instantly.

Just nice.
Just a few simple lines and it evokes a whole lots of images.

I've bookmarked this AAR

[Jurdagat]

Another lovely AAR.

I'll be lurking around on this thread! :)

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter Four: Promotion

In the past, I have been to this city only once, as my father usually brought my brother to the market while I stayed at home. That day my brother was ill. My father, with no choice, took me along to help pull the cart of wheat to sell. I was very young at the time and I remember very little except that the crowds of people were so large, it was almost suffocating.



That day we laid siege to the city, all was quiet within except for the whistling of our stones, arrows, and javelins in the air.



Screams followed. Our battering rams soon breached their thin gates and my unit was the first inside. No enemy met us.



Huge elephants laid on the ground mortally wounded, blinking as we marched by.

When the projectiles finally stopped flying, the enemy slowly inched down the street to meet us in combat. They numbered at least two hundred while less than forty of us remained. We readied our spears and waited.

There were footsteps behind us, growing closer with each second. I thought the enemy had gotten around us and quickly turned to catch a glimpse of glittering bronze blow by.



The farmer-general and his bodyguards flowed through us and slammed into the enemy, flattening two lines of the levies in a single charge. Emboldened by the bravery of our leader, we screamed our native warcries and joined in the battle.



Peasant soldiers and noblemen fought side by side that day. United as one spirit, we slaughtered the enemy.

I returned to my village after the battle, a two day walk alone through the desert. I saw my father and greeted him. He acknowledged and welcomed me into his home. Over ten years have passed since I stepped foot in that room. Nothing had changed. The small mud hut had escaped the ravages of weather and war. The fields were starting to show sprouts of wheat. My father told me to sit and I did as I was told.



I learned that the light-skinned men came again yesterday, demanding women instead of men. My brother-in-law’s sister was taken away.

I stayed in my village for a year and used the wealth I accumulated to raise my family’s standing. My father found a pretty girl to be my wife and she was with child before a messenger arrived to call me back to service. I threw a feast and invited all the villagers to join. I smiled when I saw the boys savor meat for the first time.

We marched west, deep into the heart of Ethiopia. We laid siege to a towering city surrounded by stone walls.



I stared in awe at the towers and ramparts, but I have seen many battles now. I no longer feared death. The farmer-general was impatient and we assaulted the city with only ladders.

I stood far in the distance with my unit, now numbering only thirty, but we were hardened and experienced soldiers. One of us was equal to ten of the levies that reinforced us. The farmer-general manned the ladders himself, but my unit and the axe men were ordered to stand our ground until the gates were taken. We will be used to crush the defenders making their final stand.



The fighting was ferocious as the noblemen climbed onto the wall and the light-skinned archers shot down an entire band of spearmen who tried to engage them.



The gates were opened to us and we stormed the town center. The enemy soldiers were turned to dust.




The farmer-general approached my unit as we rested in the shade under a banana tree. There were only six of us left. He asked which of us was the strongest. My brothers pointed at me. He asked which of us was the smartest. My brothers nodded at me. He asked which of us should lead an army to strike fear into the Ptolemaioi to the north. My eyes widened as my brothers bowed to me.

Ab Karab Il Zarih left the next day, traveling back to the coast to relieve a besieged city. I later learned that the great king had died and passed the crown to our general.



Our general has become our king. I, a spearman and farmer, have become a general.




Below: Pictures of the Ab Karab Il Zarih relieving the city. (Since the spearmen unit was not involved, this battle would not have been posted, but some of the screenshots were just too nice to be wasted)

[Xehh II]

Awesome, keep it up.

[Meothar]

Best AAR since the legendary Parthians (we all know what I'm talking about).

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter 5: Untested Leader

I recruited the strongest, most capable men to refill the ranks of my unit, training them day and night for a year until their skill matched my own. Four bands each of Nubian spearmen and Ethiopian archers joined me before we marched up north to capture the Ptolemaioi city of Pselkis.



I knew nothing of leadership, but I have followed the great Ab Karab Il Zarih into battle. I would treat my men as equals. Their lives would be as valuable as my own. I marched alongside them and shared my water when no oasis could be found. I wore only the simplest of armors and my own elite spearmen were armed in the same fashion as I was as a levy. However, I could sense something displaced in the spirits of my men. They did not trust my abilities. I must prove them wrong. The great king had entrusted me on this mission. I must succeed.



Our first challenge took place in the desert a short march from Pselkis. They were Galatians, large light-skinned men from far north of here, recruited by the Ptolemaioi as mercenaries. From our spy’s report, I learned they were heavily armored shock troops able to smash our small shields with a single swipe. If we were to be victorious, we needed to win quickly.



I organized the Nubians in a long, jagged line as I had seen our great king do so in the past with bowmen at both ends. I gave the orders to each unit’s captain the night before. The Nubians will pin the Galatians while the archers will sweep around and fire into their backs. My elites will smash into the left flank of the Galatians and sweep the Galatians off the field.



Once the battle began, I was no longer in control, but my orders were followed exactly and the result was just as I had planned.



The Galatians, pinned, surrounded, and surprised by the effectiveness of my unit, panicked and ran. We gave chase but without a proper cavalry unit, many of them escaped. Still, it was a great victory.



However, when I spoke to congratulate them, there was still something wrong. From their eyes, I could tell. They did not look at me as I looked upon Ab Karab Il Zarih, the great farmer-general turned king.

[schlappi]

How nice to wake up in the morning and read a chapter of my favourite AAR before leaving to work!

[BerkeleyBoi]

I will be gone this weekend since I am playing at a teacher's football tournament in Guangzhou city, so I will post two chapters tonight. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter 6: The Long-Spears

I wasted no time. After looting the corpses, we marched straight for the city, but was once again intercepted by a Ptolemaioi army.



I gave the same orders to my captains and expected the same results. I thought there could be little they can throw at me more fearful than the Galatians, but I was wrong.

As the enemy marched towards us, I saw row upon row of long spears pointing straight up into the sky.



I have never seen such an army before. Arrows began to rain on us and my archers, disregarding my orders, rushed forward to reply. The Nubians engaged the light-skinned men with long spears, but they were decimated almost immediately without even touching the enemy. I panicked. I charged into the flanks of the enemy, but skirmishers protected the ranks of their long-spear men.



The archers were caught by Galatians. The Nubians were down to single digits. My brothers failed to penetrate the long-spears. They all ran. I chased after them. I tried to rally them, invoking the will of the gods as the old king once did. They did not hear me. Or they did not care.



The Ptolemaioi allowed me to escape. I vowed to make them regret that decision.



The march back to Meroe was a long one. We limped back, our army shattered. The wounded were left to feed the vultures. By the time we returned to the city, less than ten percent of my army remained.



In the barracks, news soon reached me that my wife gave birth to twins. A son and a daughter. The news also came that she, the one with the green eyes, had finally wed at the age of 39.



I had not seen her for twenty five years. I have not forgotten.

The great king did not speak to me. He regarded me with coldness that reminded me of my father. My unit was reinforced and we soon set sail back across the Red Sea. I was no longer a general, nor was I a captain. Once again, I was simply a man with a helmet, a spear, and a shield.

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter 7: Redemption

The city of Carna remained semi-independent for many years as they paid tribute to the old king each year in many taels of gold of silver. With Ab Karab Il Zarih campaigning in Africa, the king of Carna declared his allegiance to the Ptolemaioi. The former farmer-general has returned to exact punishment for his crimes.



We besieged the city as storm clouds rolled over us. A good omen, for rain is always a good omen. The gates were soon breached but no one moved. The king looked in my direction and pointed at the enemy. Redeem yourselves. That was his order.



We marched into the city alone and positioned ourselves in the narrow streets. Skirmishers attacked us, but we held our ground and pushed them back. Medium cavalry charged us but were impaled on our spears.



They came and we killed. They ran and we rested. Finally, they cowered in the city center, unwilling to move.



We were tired, but barely scratched. We marched into the town square and engaged their spearmen. Our axemen somehow circled around the enemy and smashed into their backs.



Those who tried to flee were caught by our levies and slaughtered without mercy. The king entered the square and surveyed the damage. On his face I saw a hint of a smile.



The king has had enough of the Ptolemaioi, especially after the meddling with our former allies. He ordered ships built and the training of a large army. It will be a raid into the heart of Egypt.



Our goal will be to burn and sack their largest cities, rendering them helpless and destroying their wealth. My unit will be the key to the operation for it is we who will be tasked with facing their famed heavy cavalry.



We will be the killer of generals. The killer of princes. The killer of kings.

[Folgore]

Great AAR!

I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

[Chirurgeon]

wow man your on a tear. Keep it up. I love that shot of the fired arrows falling on the troops in the middle of the square in the city. Good stuff. Defeat however only makes you stronger :)

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter 8: Extermination and Restless Sleep

We arrived in Egypt. The air was moist and the land dotted with beautiful palm trees. We met almost no resistance upon landing as we were able to defeat a small force with only one casualty. We marched straight for Memphis and laid siege to the massive city.



The garrison was tiny and the walls were quickly taken by the Greek mercenaries hired for that sole purpose. Our slingers were able to rain stones from the walls on the deadly long-spear men that slaughtered my forces before.



With their main force weakened, we stormed the city and attacked the long-spear men head on.



The great king charged his noblemen into the backs of the enemy and they fell in droves. Victory was soon ours.



Extermination was the order. I was in shock as I exited the city. Bodies were everywhere. Men, women, children… they were all piled in the streets like refuse waiting to be picked up. The city was burning. The stench was unbearable. I saw one of my brothers dragging a woman from her house. She was screaming for help, but no one moved. He turned and saw me staring at him. I turned and walked away.



The killing continued for five days. Screams could be heard day and night, moans came from the wounded and dying. Finally, we were ordered to dispose the bodies for fear the plague would arrive. A fire was built in a ditch dug in the town square and we threw in the bloated corpses. They burned for another five days.

[BerkeleyBoi]

Chapter 9: Reaching the Climax

I was given command again. The king looked tired when I was facing him. He said he could not sleep. He said he could still hear them screaming. He told me not to make the same mistake he did. Do not let greed overcome your humanity. No gold was worth that.

I was ordered to take half the army, reinforced with mercenaries, to capture the city of Alexandria, the heart of the Ptolemaioi. The king said that I must succeed, for once that city was taken, the enemy will be crippled and lose their will to fight. I swore that I would not fail him. I must not. Not again.

Alexandria. The walls of the city seem to reach into the heavens. How man could build such things, I would never know. We laid siege and immediately began to construct huge towers as no ladders could reach the top of those battlements.

A laughable force tried to relieve the city.



We laid in ambush in a palm forest and sprung out with arrows and javelins flying into their faces. They broke instantly and we chased them into the city. I led my veterans straight for the general. I saw the light-skinned man’s face. He seemed to be laughing. He charged his greatly ornamented soldiers into our ranks, hoping to break us, but we held.



They thought they were pushing us back, but in fact we were surrounding them. We pulled them from their horses and stabbed them where their armor did not cover. The general tried to flee, but he was caught. We drained blood from his neck as if we were slaughtering a pig.

The elite long-spear men posed a larger problem. We had no heavy infantry that could break them, no noblemen who could cut through their armor. But we did outnumber them.



Skirmishers surrounded the slow thorny tortoise of a unit. Javelins and stones battered them from all sides. Still they stood. Finally, we brought fire and ignited them from behind.



When they broke, we followed and cut them down as they ran. It was a great victory.



But I could not control my soldiers. Led by the example of the Greek mercenaries, my army ravaged the city. Men were lined up against the walls and put to the sword. Babies were taken from their mothers and buried alive. Women were raped repeated before being thrown off the walls. Temples were burned and looted. The tomb of Alexander was desecrated. The city was in total chaos.



My own men began to fight each other for women and gold. Finally, the king sent a young prince to relieve me of my governorship and I was sent with an army of mercenaries to capture Paraitonoin to the west.



It looked as if the empire of the Saba could grow forever. We seemed to be invincible. We crushed army after army and sacked the largest cities in the world. I was now a true general, honored by the king and feared by my enemies. But it is from this height that everything will fall.

[Chirurgeon]

Holy shit...you captured Alexandriea