[EB AAR] The Legacy of Megas Alexandros

**ReD_OcToBeR** · March 05, 2009, 11:44 PM

Well, I just discovered this AAR, great writing. I'm english and can't write as good as you lol. Honestly what made me click was seeing something to do with Alexander, and then when I seen you had chosen one of my favorite factions in every mod, I began reading this great AAR. I love the Seleucids, it offers challange of managing a monster as frustrating as it gets sometimes lol. And with regards to screens who cares, with your AAR, the words are worth a 1000 images ! lol. That's coming from a guy who loves pictures a little too much lol. Even if they are just blocked images it doesnt matter to me, it shows formations and whatnot. + rep

**Sunbird Alkibijad** · March 06, 2009, 12:01 PM

HE'S BACK!!!!!
Woo-hoo!!
Damn man it's been a while! happy to see u again!
+rep for the lone wolf!

**Lysimachos** · March 06, 2009, 12:02 PM

Thank you very much for your kind words.

**Lysimachos** · March 13, 2009, 08:10 AM

Chapter 36: The Moment of Truth

The junior king yawns loudly. Recently he neither sleeps much nor restorative. Deep, dark circles around the bloodshot and only with effort half-opened eyes mark his face, the pale and greyish colour of which makes an unhealthy impression. The metal of his armour and the colour of his clothing are matted from a thin cover of dust. He looks weak and worn out, crookedly sitting on his mount.
He is accompanied by his staff, the leading officers of the army Seleukos Kallinikos has taken under command. The fewest of them seem to be in a much better condition than their Basileus, but at least they mostly strive to maintain a degree of dignity.

When Antiochos went to the west, to Aigyptos, his son travelled in the opposite direction, to the iranian possessions of the Arche. In recent times the incursions into the northern border regions of Hyrkania, Astauene and Margiana had increased to a dimension that could no longer be ignored. Raiding parties of the Dahae and related people were more and more roaming freely in the empire's lands, acting as lords by their own right. It was the father's wish for Seleukos to restore seleucid authority and give a sign that the Arche was capable to defend her subjects.
The largest of those parties, which was headed by Surenmehr, a powerful warlord of the house of Suren, had intruded far into Parthyaia. After some skirmishes Surenmehr decided to retreat, the seleucid army slowly following down to the Caspian Sea and further north. The steppe people, who were always outnumbered, evaded major confrontation time and time again and instead resorted to harass rear- or advance guard and supply troops, steadily drawing Kallinikos behind them.

"Those are too many to be Surenmehr's troops. Anyway, they are sitting on that hill like they want to give us a fight. We should take positions and show them the stock we're made of," barks Lasthenes Akkadikos. He dons his most baneful expression, although a meagre tuft of grass, which has somehow found a way to entangle itself in his beard, does its part in undoing the effect.
Seleukos examines the thin line of light infantry, screened by a larger number of riders, then looks along the columns of his own contingent. He nods. "Yes, form the phalanx. The cavalry stays back, close with the light troops."

Kallinikos' force, more than sixteen thousand souls, line up across from the hill, where the foe has positioned himself. A vibration flows through the ranks and with effort they start to move slowly. Most of the soldiers have little experience at marching in lockstep and need all the help the Auletai, the flautists, can give to follow the tact, the long and heavy Sarissas reaching into the sky. Officers with sticks run up and down the formation, forcing those back into line and rank, who fall behind. Close after the Phalanx, in the centre, where the overview is the best, follows their Strategos.

The enemy sits atop his hill and watches. Patiently he is waiting. Artabarzan, the warlord, has a good eye-sight and he is proficient with the bow. He knows how to use the wind to carry the arrow in its goal, he knows the strength of his men and their bows. He doesn't haste, for he is in no need to waste an arrow. When Artabarzan lifts his arm, he knows his men will hit the mark.

More than three thousand short dark lines rise from the hill, where the parthian footsoldiers stand, firm ground under their feet and strong bows in their hands. The arrows climb into the sky, higher and higher, before they start to fall, lowering down to the approaching army. Many arrows bounce against the lifted shafts of the Sarissas, lose their momentum and drop without effect, but many hit the barely armoured men, with unreduced velocity easily penetrating leather and lives.
The first cries of pain and death are heard, but the line of men only shivers shortly before continuing to crawl towards Artabarzan's humble hill.

With composed mind and calm heart, with deliberateness and steady hand the archers loosen another volley, and another, before Artabazan's mounted warriors join in the concert of snapping bowstrings. Now every single man under the warlord's command is contributing to devastating volleys, each composed of more than eight thousand deadly arrows, while their leader is waiting for his plan to unfold.

It is a terrifying sight, the dark clouds of thousands of simultaneously loosened arrows rapidly approaching, a sight that is able to inspire awe even in the most confident hearts, a sight that mutes all other senses and paralyses the mind, yet still is the phalanx rolling forward, so despondently slow. Quickstep could be in need, but with these untrained men, chaos would ensue, the line would rip apart, rendering the phalanx's strengths non-effective.
"Sire!" Kallinikos turns his head to the right, where Gorgias Dahaikos has stopped his mount and points to the east. There unobserved another band has come up and is now quickly riding over a slight slope, which runs some way to the right of the seleucid host, in full speed already shooting the first arrows into the back of the right flank.
The junior king is petrified, staring at the riders in the east, his horse nervously prancing, while the line is still advancing, unperturbed by the new threat.
His eyes meet Gorgias, who closes up to his king. The adjutant is on the verge to grab Seleukos by the shoulders and yells into his face: "Do something! Now!"

**Sunbird Alkibijad** · March 13, 2009, 04:17 PM

O.o Made me bite my lips there!!!

BTW, I have to ask, why didn't you go for larger unit sizes?

**Lysimachos** · March 13, 2009, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by Sunbird Alkibijad

O.o Made me bite my lips there!!!

BTW, I have to ask, why didn't you go for larger unit sizes?

Because of the lag. If you knew what I have at my disposal you would wonder how I'm able to play in the first place

Sometimes people complain that their loading times between turns take longer than a minute or similar. When I read that I only shake my head and smile for myself

**Sunbird Alkibijad** · March 13, 2009, 05:04 PM

LOL I see...You shoulda seen me playing Civilization III on a PC that had 128Mhz processor, dedicated 16mb of graphics and 32mb of ram...My friend was ripping his hair off at the sight of me managing to play.

**Lysimachos** · March 15, 2009, 09:01 AM

Chapter 37: Shattered Shield

When Seleukos Kallinikos awakes from the apathy, which the shock imposed on him, already twelve thousand bowmen guide their missiles against his army.
"Hold the advance!" the king shouts. "We have to fold in the right to form a crescent and then retreat!" - "Yes, Sire," replies Gorgias with a grim face, relieved that the king has found his balance again, and drives his heels into the flanks of his horse. He dashes along the line to the right, where Lasthenes Akkadikos waits at his wing.

The advancing Phalanx comes to a halt. Its right wing is split into the taxeis, which march backwards, describing a curve, to get to their new position. Very slowly the infantry swings around, still under the constant shower of arrows.
The enemy's horsemen now have reduced the distance to a few dozen feet, shooting from close range and more and more weak points in the phalangites' position result. Then, a horn loudly calls and Artabarzan descends from his hill, at the head of his bodyguard and another squadron of equally heavy armoured riders joins this force. They are clad in iron from tip to toe and their mounts wear strong barding. The horses can't move fast under all that weight, but it seems like once they are going nothing may stop their ride. Artabarzan's light horsemen quickly make way for the cataphracts, while the Dahae Nobles take position right behind.
The fearsome iron-clad men couch their lances and as one wall made of metal charge into the weakened Phalanx, simply shoving the pikes aside, cutting through the formation, which immediately breaks into pieces. The shield is shattered and now the Dahae pour into the gaps.

"Charge!" the general cries and his companions follow him into the fray, a last attempt, not to win the battle, but to gain time for the infantry to retreat. Chaos has already ensued, the soldiers desperately try to escape, the steppe riders chasing them down, only the Hetairoi remain on the field, unavailingly trying to prevent the inevitable, fighting the Kataphraktoi, who seem to be moulded in steel, until the horns call "Retreat!" and the finest soldiers of the empire are also hurrying to flee the battle, flee the plain that bears witness of the humiliating defeat of the junior seleucid Basileus by the hands of robbers and shepherds.

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The photo that I'm using here is actually from a different region, but still has a (slight) connection to the chapter. Who can guess what the picture shows (or is supposed to show, I couldn't check it) gets +rep

**Sunbird Alkibijad** · March 15, 2009, 05:08 PM

This is Mediterranean area, either Levant or Iran. Could be African area around Carthage(Tunis today). Desolation.

Btw, wooh, hard blow for young Basileos.

**Lysimachos** · March 16, 2009, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by Sunbird Alkibijad

This is Mediterranean area, either Levant or Iran. Could be African area around Carthage(Tunis today). Desolation.

I admit the task was not very specific, so I give a hint: Think of a (real) humiliating defeat of a great military power against a combination of horse archers and cataphracts

Originally Posted by Sunbird Alkibijad

Btw, wooh, hard blow for young Basileos.

Oh yes, he certainly will have to learn a lesson, if he is still alive...

**Sunbird Alkibijad** · March 16, 2009, 06:23 AM

Defeat of Crassus by Parthia?

**Lysimachos** · March 16, 2009, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by Sunbird Alkibijad

Defeat of Crassus by Parthia?

Yes, Carrhae

The picture is supposed to show a part of the battlefield (don't know if it does).

Edit: I must spread rep around before I can give some to you again, so just be patient, I won't forget your prize