Pontus. A kingdom of culture, great wealth, wisdom and a strong flexible army. A kingdom which will bring peace to the world. (Dead)

[TM Is Back]

Faction: Pontus
Difficulty: Hard/Hard
Land Bridges: On
Reduced AI bonussus: Off
Loyalty: On
Fatigue: On
Movement Speeds: The slow XGM speed
Modification: XGM 5.7.x
Sub Mods: XGM Command 5.7.x
RTW Version: 1.5
Battle Time Limit? No


AAR is in the spoilers. Don’t be stunned beacuse of the loading time, which sometimes might be a bit long because my AAR contains many screenshots.

I will place the AAR in spoilers to lower the loading time.

The AAR is not only fighting, it is an all telling AAR, which means that I will tell many more things then just the battles. For example, economy and politics also have their place in the AAR.

Well there we go then.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The year is 280 BC and the small kingdom of Pontus is ready to face the world. They want to bring eternal peace to the world, but to bring peace, they must first conquer the world.

In the south, the Empires of the Ptolomaics and the Seleucids are fighting each other.


Armenia, Parthia and Saba all break their Alliance with The Seleucid Empire. Bactria even declares war on them. War and betrayal, where are the civilized people that once lived here?





It seems they now live in the west as Rome and the Independent Gauls are allies.


The known world, once Eastern Civilized, once Westen Civilized, now suffers under the Barbarians.


Pontus. Small but full of potention. Only two cities now form the kingdom under the rule of Mithradates.


The financial site of the kingdom is bad. The army has been expended much the last years and now with war almost everywhere, finding good trading partners is difficult.


But the Pontians are still allied to the strongest and largest of all Empires that exists today: The Seleucid Empire.


Mithradates, the noble Pontic king.


The path to world peace is clear and we start our noble undertaking. Pontic spies have inviltrated the town of Mazaka and in a report they’ve sent they said that the town is ill defended.


So the Prince, Pharnakles marches to Mazaka with his army and starts the siege.


Winter set in and Pontic spies reached the town of Sesamus, which was ill defended too.


The Pontic treasery is emptying.. a bad sign.


Poor Greeks. They are in war with Macedon. The Kingdom of fPontus will bring peace to them, once they have conquered their lands.


The Kingdom of Pontus offered the Eastern Kingdoms the right to trade. Which they gladly accepted.


Pharnakles is ready to assault the town of Mazaka.


So he attacks.


Pharnakles himself:


The Rebel army under command of Captain Pharsanikles.


Pharnakles has two rams to use.


The army marches towards the walls.


The gate is broken and the Pontic Sparabara enter the town. However they hit on some resistence from Rebel Archers.


The walls are broken as well and more Pontians enter the town.


Pharnakles orders his troops to attack the Archers from behind.


He himself enters the city as well.


The gateway is captured, which means the Archers are doomded.


They already rout and will soon be killed.


Now Pharnakles orders his army to march to the town’s main square where the last rebel soldiers stand.


Pharnakles and his bodyguards start trowing their javalins at the rebels.


Who then charge the Pontic Sparabara line.


Who manage to repell the rebels.


The captain died. A brave men indeed as he managed to kill at least 30 of the Pontic Sparabara.


Then the rebel army callapses. Victory is for Pharnakles and the Kingdom of Pontus.


Battle Stats.


The first town is free.


The Greeks understand that war is a bad thing. So they made peace with each other.


Hillman are ready to fight for the Kingdom of Pontus.


Buildings ready for use.


Spartikles just turned 16, and is ready.



The Pontic Economy is finnaly good.


Mithridates, the beloved Pontic King dies. A blow to the Pontic Kingdom indeed. His noble goal has not been achived yet, but atleast he saw the beginning of it.


Pontic Economy suffers under the death of Mithridates.


Pharnakles, having showed he understands the wish of Mithridates is crowned as the new Pontic King.


World diplomacy.


Saurosades, having reseved word from Pharnakles, offerd an alliance between the Kingdom of Pontus and the Kingdom of Macedon to Ikaros of Amphipolis, which he accepted.


The wise Tracians offerd the Kingdom of Pontus an alliance which they accepted.



A new shrine to honour the gods.


The Pontic economy is going good again.


A marriage.



Pontic economy.


Herakles, the Pontic faction heir, was going to capture Sesamus for the empire. However the Eastern Kingdoms did that before he could lay siege, so now, having reseved word from Pharnakles that it is ok, he declares war on the Eastern Kingdoms and start the siege of Sesamus.



The Seleucid Empire has made a wise decision.


Because the Pontic spies inviltrated the town of Sesamus and broke the gates, Herakles and his army attack.


Herakles:


Trdat’s army:


Trdat:


Herakles and his army march to the gate.


Having arrived their, he orders his Hillman and Skirmishers to trow their javalins at the Galatian Barbarians.


Killing many.


Killing them all.


The Pontic army marches into the city.


Trdat marched his bodyguard to close to the Pontic Sparabara and now faces death.


Trdat is killed.



Herakles marches his troops towards the main square, and orders his Heavy Cavalry to march to the other acces point of the main square.


Herakles opens fire on the last remaning enemy’s.


Which are strong wariors.


Pharnakles then quickly orders his Heavy Cavalry to enter the main square and start trowing their javalins at the enemy from behind.


A clear victory indeed.


Battle stats.


Sesamus is occupied.


Nicromedia, Herakles next target.


Alliances everywhere.


Sesamus has trained some new soldiers.


And the walls are repared.


Pontic economy.


Herakles marches towards Nicromedia and starts the siege of the city.


The wise Romans offered the Kingdom of Pontus an alliance, which they accepted.


That guy is way to old for a 12 year old girl.


Pontic economy.

Maybe a bit abrupt to stop, but well… I have not played any further yet. So it is as much a surprise for me as for you guys what will happen in the next update.

[Dog Fart]

It's kinda hard to tell with the map zoomed out, but you started with two provices and ended with four right? All those pics made me lose track.

[TM Is Back]

Indeed i have four provinces.

You will get used to it. I did not take map screenies because i stopped the update a bit abrupt. Normaly I take pictures of the map.

[Dog Fart]

OK. What are your plans for expanding? Or are you going to suprise us?

[TM Is Back]

I have no plans yet. I think the Indie Greeks and TSE will attack me, and maybe Armenia too, so it will probably be: Taking Asia-Minor and Antioch, and then take Armenia.

[Hopit]

Nice Here is reader.

[Scutarii]

My plan with Pontus is usually to head west initially, Armenia has there own problems, they shouldn't attack you until later. Take Sesamus, but leave Ancyra. This is important, if you take it, TSE will start spamming stacks at you. If you advance along the north and west coasts (which are far richer anyway) they shouldn't attack you all at once. Take Nicomedia next, then Cyzicus and Pergamon. Once that is done, its time for an offensive against TSE, seize Ipsus, Sardis and Ephesus, and the rest of Anatolia. Good start BTW.

[kasrkin]

Hey this AAR has inspired me to start a campaign with Pontus, probably a migration one, Pontics in Brtain maybe?

[TM Is Back]

@ Scutarii. Aobut Ancyra if i leave that one, TSE will still declare war on me non the less, because i already have some borders with them.

[Scutarii]

Yes, but Ancyra will only provoke them to attack sooner before you're built up, and is a long border to defend. You'll find your only army that you can afford will be bogged down in a defensive war in Ancyra.

[Dog Fart]

Hey TM, just thought of something that might make things interesting for you. When you are capable, build a stack that is made of about 50 to 60% phalangite, and try to conquor the Greek world with it. Become the Eastern Alexander.

[TM Is Back]

@Scutarii

I doubt if they will attack sooner, for already stacks are walking in my lands. And defensive war? You don't know my way of defending yet^^

@Dirty_M

No

[Stilgar CG]

I agree with Scutarii about Ancyra. Attack it, burn it to the ground, put taxes on very high, and leave it be. In my game Ancyra revolted and small stack appeared, which TSE had to fight, whareas I retreated and kept my distance .
There is an Indi Greek city on Black sea shore, more to the East, on boarder with Armenia. I took that one in first turn as well. If you do not do that, Armenia will.

Good to see TM is back in AAR business .

[Zorn]

You could expand across the sea, and invade the Crimea.
Puts you in conflict with the scythes, but it`s fun (though in my first attempt I bit more off than I could swallow when Macedon and Seleucia declared on me at the same time and full stacks started pouring into anatolia while my good armies were somewhere in the steppes.)
You might have more luck than I had.

[TM Is Back]

@ME, well i will take Ancyra. Why? TSE is already with stacks in my lands, so it does not matter. Second, i like to fight TSE.

[Stilgar CG]

Well, if TSE is in your backyard, then I guess it's all right. Btw, TM, you put quite a lot in that title . Good luck with proving the statement.

[TM Is Back]

I had to put something there^^ And the Kingdom wants to bring eternal peace to the world so they need all these things.

Next update in an hour or so.

[TM Is Back]

New update:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I will start with the last screenie from th efirst update which is the economy (beginning of the turn)

Pontic economy.


Herakles’ army is ready, the siege machines ready. Time to assault Nicomedia.


So he attacks.


Herakles:


Nikomedes’army.


Nikomedes.


Some Sparabara bring the ladders to the walls.


The towers are captured and the main army marches towards the gate. The Tracian Peltasts march on the walls to the next gateway.


Where they start trowing their javalins at some Galatian Swordsmen.


Who’ll die.


The army enters the city.


Where they meet the Nicomedians.


Some Eastern Spearmen don’t wanne fight so they try to run trough the Pontic army. But they are quickly killed. The main army marches towards the main square.


Hillmen walk to far and meet the enemy soldiers.


The Hillmen rout.


Nikomedes pursues them, but then finds himself in a fight to the death with Pontic Sparabara.


More Hillmen marche to the main square and attack some Barbarian Cavalry.


Herakles charges Nikomedes.


Nikomedes is slain.



He then charges at the last enemy soldiers.


A clear victory indeed.


Battle stats.


Nicomedia is captured.


The Kingdom of Pontus.


More buildings finished.


Pontic economy.


Herakles and some soldiers march towards the main army for the invasion of Ancyra.


Summer 275 and Trace and The Ptolomaic Empire declared that they are allies.


Economy:


Herakles desides, now TSE is already in our lands, to besiege Ancyra.


So war is declared.


And Rome breaks their alliance with Indie Gauls. (That is btw a reason why I attack Ancyra. I want Rome to get out of the Peninsulla and it seems that as long as they are allied to the Indie Gauls they don’t do that.)


TSE also broke the alliance.. strange as they already have plans to attack the Pontic Kingdom.


Some Mercenry’s are always welcome.


A small Gallic army attacks Herakles in the hope to break the siege.


Herakles:


Captain Meraidoc’s army.


Calporus’ army.


Calporus.


Herakles lines his main army up.


Some Light Cavalry are further away from the army.


They charge a Spear Warband, which routs.


The first Gallic wave is near Herakles.


The Hillmen start trowing javalins.


Galatian Swordsmen hit the Sparabara line.


But the first wave soon routs.


The two groups of Light Cavalry charge a group of Gallic Cavalry.


But the cowards rout.


So they charge again some time later. This time the Gallic Cavalry is killed.


Herakles reforms the lines.


Javalin time.


Calporus attacks the Hillmen.


But his bodyguards are quickly slain. At that time, the Gallic army already started to rout.


Calporus manages to flee from the Pontic main army.


The Pontic infantry attacks the last Gallic unit not routing.


The Pontic Light Cavalry attacks Calporus, who in his dead, took a Pontian with him.



A clear victory.


Battle stats.


The population of Ancyra is enslaved.


Winter 275BC
The first TSE spie has been executed.


Economy.


Herakles is a confident commander.


Trace and Rome are allies now.


The city of Pergamum.


Pontic Kingdom.


As suspected. The Seleucid Empire betrayes the Pontic Kingdom.


And they besiege Nicomedia.


Pontic Economy.


Dionysisphes has turned 16.



In Amasia the first City Barracks is finished. Now the Pontic Kingdom can train tuffer soldiers.


The Indie Gauls and Trace have declared a ceasefire.


The Seleucid town of Ipsus.


Herakles sally’s forth.


The TSE army.


Herakles:


The Pontic line. Peltats in front, Sparabara behind, Cavalry at the flanks.


The peltasts start trowing their javalins.


Some Seleucids charge at the Pontians.


But are quickly surrounded.


Herakles charges in them from behind adnt hey rout.


The Pontic army advances.


Some Levy Phalangites try to stop the Pontians. They manage to do that. Meantime the rest of the Seleucid army already flees.


So Herakles charges in the Levy Phalangites from behind.


All the bodyguards charge at the Seleucid captain.


Only a few Seleucids still fight the Pontic army.


To the death.


The Seleucid captain is killed.


A clear victory.


Battle stats.


Herakles is a good commander.


And more men want to follow him.


Kotys of Nymphanion kills the Seleucid spie Aristoboulos of Marathas.

End of the update. We see a TSE stack aproaching Ancyra and many Indie Greek soldiers there too. I hope those soldiers are gone quickly, otherwise they are forced to helpTSE, when TSE attacks Ancyra, and that would mean that they have t declare war on me.

[Balikedes]

Awesome update, the TSE is going DOWN!

[Legio]

Nice AAR and nice update TM.
I especially like the title.