INTRO: LEADING THE THRACIANS INTO BATTLE
Whenever I fight online, I always pick my faction immediately. There are two reasons why I do this:
1) I almost always use Macedon anyway (hence my name). 2) Most players online (especially clanmembers) will not pick a faction until you have. So, by picking my faction first, I avoid all of the pre-battle drama of an online match. So for this particular battle, I decided to use the Thracians online.
Thrace is an interesting fusion of Hellenistic and Barbarian cultures. But because all of their units are rather sub-par, you have to resort to a high-quantity gameplan with them. This plan calls for the mass-deployment of crap-units with multiple upgrades. And in order to wield this cumbersome army online, you have to be much more organized and systematic than with other factions.
So anyway, my opponent (Achilles) opted for the Seleucids. The battle for Alexander's scraps was about to begin!
Online Battle #997: Thrace vs the Seleucids
(Leading the Thracians into battle)
The first thing I did was re-assess my army, and then cross-reference it with my opponent's. My army was composed of 5 Phalanx Pikemen, 6 Archers, 2 Falxmen and 3 Greek Cavalry. Again, I had lots of low-quality troops, but I had an organizational method for wielding this type of crap-army. Protecting my archers was absolutely essential so I tucked these missile-men away between my heavy infantry and cavalry.
After a quick look at my opponent's army, I saw the potential of his force.
(Achilles' Seleucid Rush Army)
He had 6 Cataphracts and 6 Silver Shield Legionaries. This was basically a rush army. If he could close the distance within sword-range of my troops, then my archer threat would become non-factors in the battle. He deployed half of his Cataphracts behind his Legionaries, and he positioned the rest of his cavalry force opposite my far right.
With that in mind, I quickly shifted my archers to my right with the intent of shooting some horses down (if they decided to proceed down that flank).
(Shifting my archers to the right)
Once my archers were re-deployed to the right, I started my advance. My opponent sat back for a minute as he was busy analyzing my threat. After a minute of pondering, my opponent finally made his move. He started with a general advance towards my army, and then shifted the 3 Cataphracts (near my right) even further to the right. With that bit of movement,I was expecting a far-reaching hook with those horses. You can never assume that everything will proceed as you predict, but you can always prepare.
I prepared by keeping my army in formation. The only thing I really had to fear was the quality of my troops. Were they as determined as their commander? We'd soon find out.
My opponent's cavalry and infantry came streaming down. As his infantry came within missile range, I showered them with arrows. But even the heaviest shower of arrows was negligible against the front side of a legionary soldier. It's possible that my archers might've scraped 5 or so kills.
Once Achilles got close enough with his army, he sent his rear Cataphracts charging into the tiny gaps that separate two different pike units. This experimental charge failed miserably on my right flank. But on my left, the wedge formation of the Cataphracts somehow broke through my pikes.
(Cataphracts break through my front)
The aggressive Cataphract thrust opened up a hole on my left flank, and the horses proceeded to deal some damage to my archers who were dumbstruck by this cavalry intrusion. Just behind the cavalry came a flow of imitation Legionaries. Half of his infantry force charged into my heavily-weakened left flank like a giant fist.
(Seleucid legionaries confront my phalangites)
The rest of his infantry were pinned by my sarissas. With the aid of Zeus, my Phalanx Pikemen (in conjunction with the archers) managed to repulse this Cataphract raid.
On the extreme right, Achilles' 3 squadrons of Cataphracts had disappeared from my camera view. When I rotated my camera, I saw those particular horses doing exactly what I predicted at the beginning: they came hooking in from my right. But even with that foresight, there was little I could do about it. My pikes were busy fighting legionaries when I heard those Cataphracts stomping.
(Achilles' Cataphract Wing gallops around for a rear charge on my right flank)
In one huge crash came 3 squadrons of Cataphracts at full-strength into the rear of my Phalanx Pikemen. And so began the real battle...
I tried to turn my pikemen in the direction of the incoming Cataphracts but this movement was difficult since my guys were already engaged with some legionaries. My right flank was in serious jeopardy.
Once Achilles had committed all of his horses to the attack, I decided that now was the time to deploy my own reserves.
While the Cataphracts were mowing down my Pikes from behind (on the right flank), I threw one band of Falxmen into the mix.
(I detached a Falxmen unit to slow down the Cataphract assault on the right)
The naked Falxmen came in screaming & waving their swords around like madmen. Whenever the Falxmen swung their blades, a Seleucid horsemen fell. It must've been a terrifying day to be a Seleucid horsemen!
At the same time of my Falxmen attack, I threw in my entire force Greek Cavalry against the Cataphracts. What started off as a promising attack on my right flank turned into a mouse trap for his Cataphracts. His armored horses were virtually ripped apart in less than a minute by the combination of Greek Cavalry and Falxmen.
Over on my left flank, the threat of the legionaries had yet to be answered. But I re-balanced the situation in that sector by throwing in a reserve of Falxmen into the flanks of the Legionaries who were previously winning against my Phalanx Pikemen.
(On the left flank, another detachment of Falxmen assault the legionaries from behind)
At the moment of their impact, the Falxmen did indeed reverse the situation back into my favor. But before the Falxmen could finish off the Legionaries, two hostile squadrons of Cataphracts (who had previously retreated) returned for a rear-charge into my barbarian unit.
(Achilles counters my Falxmen on the left flank with a Cataphract charge)
The situation had swung back in favor of the Seleucids on the left flank. The gods seemed to be changing favors at the drop of a hat.
Although the gods of battle might've been confused about which side to favor, I certainly had speed as my ally. As the threat on the right flank had evaporated, I used my victorious reserves of Greek Cavalry and Falxmen as my weapon of restoration.
(My Greek Cavalry counter-charge on the Left Flank)
Without hesitation, I shifted my combat power from the right all the way over to the left. The Cataphracts, who were menacing my left, now faced certain envelopment from my ad hoc pincer movement. The Cataphracts also had the option of running away. My opponent chose the last option.
Unfortunately, when a unit is as heavily armored as a Cataphract, they cannot hope to escape a force of Greek Cavalry who weren't encumbered by such luxuries.
My Greek Cavalry chased the Cataphracts down like fugitives.
(Every unit has a purpose. Even the Greek Cavalry)
When the battle was over, Achilles and I wished each other "GG." "GG" is the proper way to end every online battle.
The Eagle Standard Vol. VI Issue VIII
Originally Posted by Armatus
