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Thread: Hellenization NOW!

  1. #1

    Default Hellenization NOW!

    Hellenization NOW! – A Greek Cities AAR

    So, first AAR for a while. This mod is pretty hard and I do not want to get my ass kicked like in the last 3, so I go for medium. Gonna be tough enough with this faction surely. Like the title indicates, I try to smuggle in as many movie references as possible. I’ll try to RP and spread the “Civilization” everywhere!
    ---------------------------------------

    Hello. I am Stavros, elected director of the unified Greek cities. Formally I am not in charge but in reality, I pull the strings and lead this alliance. These are the cities who form the alliance.



    Now, I do not know whose idea it was to put Spartans in charge, but that’s how it is and I have to reside in here. Spartans are… interesting. They have a habit to yell and they never, ever smile.
    I am from Thebes. Not part of the alliance, but I guess somewhere under Macedonian rule atm.



    Byzantium and Nicomedia are quite nice places, at least when comparing them to Sparta. They are constantly afraid of barbarians and keep asking for more troops.



    Italian cities… well… Syracusans do not talk to anyone and Crotonians have some troubling ties with Northern Families of Rome. And Pyrrhos of Epirus. Everybody likes Italians, maybe because of the rumours that those who do not, find themselves “Sleeping with the fishes” at the bottom of Gulf of Tarantine.



    Areus is the de facto leader of our alliance. He is Spartan. He makes it completely clear to everyone. He can be persuaded but it takes considerable amounts of my time to get anything cleared by him.

    Stavros: My king, we are surrounded by potential enemies. Sparta needs to build walls to protect itself.
    Areus: THIS IS SPARTA!
    Stavros: I know, my king, but…
    Areus: SPARTANS ARE THE WALLS OF THIS CITY!
    Stavros: No, my king, we don’t have that kind of population.
    Areus: 300 OF US HOLDS A MILLION OF THEM!
    Stavros: *facepalm*

    I was forced to build the walls in secret. It was difficult but using cheap migrant workers from Dacia, our new allies (they also gave me nice tourist maps), possible. After all, Areus didn’t even notice the change. I wonder if he is completely sane.



    Acrotatus is his son and heir. He is Spartan too, but usually a lot more reasonable and sometimes even agrees with me. However, he has a bad habit of kicking foreign ambassadors to the well.

    We are going to build up forces at Sparta, because if Sparta falls this alliance is finished. We need to expand to create room to breathe and hope that powerful Makedon won’t betray us. Also, I can’t leave to do my job elsewhere as long as Sparta stands alone at Greece. I can’t trust important decisions to Areus.

    Aeson “Big Al” of Croton has found a horse’s head from his bed with a message from Northern Families to “Become their protectorate” The offer is refused.



    Attalids and Gauls are moving a bit too close to Nicomedia… they are not attacking yet but situation is worrying.

    Areus: SON, ARMY IS LARGE ENOUGH TO KILL THOSE SICYIONITES!
    Acrotatus: Dad, they are part of the Achaean league.
    Areus: WHAT DID I JUST SAY? GO THERE. AND TAKE THAT YOUNG WORTHLESS RHODESIAN WITH YOU.



    Acrotatus: Alright, Dad.
    Areus: TONIGHT WE DINE IN SICYON!



    Ameinocles of Rhodes: Sicyon … ; I'm still only in a camp outside Sicyon… Every time I think I'm gonna wake up back in the battle. When I was home after my first tour, it was worse. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back into the fight. I'm here a year now … waiting for a battle … getting softer; every minute I stay in this tent, I get weaker, and every minute a Thessalian squats under the olive tree, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around, the walls moved in a little tighter. And this Spartan fella ain’t helping… I think he wants me dead…



    Acrotatus: Nice buildings…THERE IS THE ENEMY! GET READY TO FIGHT!
    Narration: The Achaean army consists mostly of militia-grade phalanxes, with some heavy thorakitai-units and powerful and large force of cavalry. Spartan army is tough infantry, Iphikratean and militia phalanxes and two units of Spartans. They are supported by peltasts and one unit of Greek Cavalry. Both armies advance…



    Narration: Enemy army charges towards the tight line of Phanlangites. Most of their cavalry, including feared Thessalians charge at the Spartan right flank, lead by Acrotatus himself with his guard of hoplites. Many Achaean soldiers die at the javelins thrown by Spartan peltasts, but many get through and engage in close combat.



    Acrotatus: SPARTANS, WE’LL HOLD THEM BACK!



    Narration: Acrotatus is an inspirational leader, a true Spartan. He is a significant presence at the battlefield. He and his unit were alone holding off many Ekdromoi and 200 elite horsemen, the best men of the Sicyon.



    Narration: On the other flank, Ameinokles of Rhodes was not so lucky. He died fighting off enemy general. Acrotatus managed to encourage his forces to new vigour despite the loss of important figure.
    Acrotatus: HE WAS NO SPARTAN! HE WAS JUST A RHODESIAN, A MERCHANT. SPARTANS! WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION?



    Narration: In bloodlust the Spartan militia charged enemy king, killing him and routing his guard. Some enemy units ran, some still hold their ground…



    Narration: They were cut down one by one… bodies were everywhere. This was not a battle of great tactics or maneuvers. It was an ugly fight. Men fighting each other like dogs.




    Areus: WELL DONE SON! A REAL SPARTAN STYLE TO WIN! MANEUVERS AND TACTICS ARE FOR WOMEN, YOU FOUGHT LIKE A MAN. WELL DONE. *pats back, laughs*
    Stavros: *Shakes head* A costly victory… terribly costly… most of the army is destroyed. We must regain our strength before we can finish the League.




    Acrotatus: *piling up dead Achaeans to a wall in the north side of the city of Sicyon* HURRY UP MEN! WE MUST PREPARE SHOULD THEY ATTACK IN THE NIGHT LIKE WOLVES!

    Stavros: *Sigh* Madness. Areus would just say that this is not madness but Sparta but any sane person would say this is madness. There is still hope for Acrotatus, there is promise in him but this was not a good victory. We must hope Makedonians will stay as allies and do not attack us, for we are weak.




    Stavros: In Italy, the Northern Families came to negotiate. It did not go very well…

    Big Al: Who are you?
    Sextus: Got a message for ya. You better listen if you know what’s good for you.
    Big Al: *laughs and looks at his crew* Oh really? Funny guy.
    Sextus: You’d be better off with us… leave those Spartans and come over us.
    Big Al: I don’t think so. But this fighting ain’t good for either of us. Call it quits?
    Sextus: End of fighting? Nuh-uh… you’ll have to whack us or join us.
    Big Al: Whack you? Alright… *snaps fingers*
    Censored


    Stavros: Diplomacy has failed again and Romans are still hostile. Carthaginians are moving around in Sicily, unable to take Messana. Hopefully the won’t turn their eyes at Syracuse.
    Last edited by RedFox; May 27, 2009 at 09:13 AM.


  2. #2

    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    Tell me now if you don't like the style...

    Also that battle was I don't know what went wrong...


  3. #3
    Primicerius
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    That was awesome, and great that its a DTW AAR.



  4. #4
    Athenogoras's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    Very good and interesting choice of faction.

    The battle outside Sicyon(the buildings you saw was a "wonder") was brutal.

  5. #5
    Hopit's Avatar Praepositus
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    nice battle...

    Quote Originally Posted by SgtScooter View Post
    If you went to the Skyrim forums you'll see a lot posts about how it's somehow been watered down and hampered by money men making the decisions. Fact is, it's a great game and people still complain. It's the same thing as the TW franchise.

  6. #6
    RedFox's Avatar When it's done.™
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    The dialogues could use a lot more work, but otherwise it seems fine. A few more battle screenshots would be nice too. We didn't really see why you lost so many troops, would have been good if you had some screenshots.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    @Scutarii - Thanks!
    @Athenogoras - Yea it was the statue of Zeus.
    @RedFox - Oh well, everybody's comedian in his own mind. Its hard to write funny dialog but I'll do my best. I try to smuggle in more screenshots.

    That battle was something I have not really seen before... Not even militia would flee. I basically won because I had superior numbers.

    ------------------------------------

    Part 2 - A new offensive

    Stavros: Hello again. Achaemians decided not to invade Acrotatos' newly gained city, but they still had considerable influence in north, including the city of Thermon. Areus kept pushing his son to invade the city and soon after his army received reinforcements, Acrotatus moved to siege Thermon. Areus was proud of his son, in his one peculiar way.
    Areus: THATS MY BOY! You see once he is the king he will take the armies of SPARTA and take all of Greece!

    Stavros: After we gained Sicyon, we have been doing very well financially. New city brings more tax payers and trading goods so building roads and ports was logical to boost the effect of trade.
    I send my best diplomat, Anaximenes, to make contact with Northern Barbarians.


    Anaximenes: Greetings, uncivilized barbarians! I bring you a message from Sparta.
    Barbarian: Uncivilized? Thats all Greek propaganda. In fact we view you as uncivilized.
    Anaximenes: Lies! We are the center of civilization! But we are willing to trade with barbarians.
    Barbarian:Yes we will trade with you. But we won't give you any tourist maps, after we gave some to the Makedonias they send their hordes of soldiers to rape and pillage our peaceful villages.
    Anaximenes: Ah! The brave Makedonians! By the way, why are you so green?
    Barbarian: Because when this world was made, the great Fox made us lime green. Like the way he made you brown, rather ugly color might I add.
    Anaximenes: Interesting belief. Well I'll be on my way now.
    Barbarian: Live long and prosper.*makes a strange greeting with his hand*

    Stavros: Those barbarians have some strange beliefs. Brown... baah. Acrotatus is being attacked by Achaemeans, more precisely their best general Keteus.

    The battle looks quite even. I am a bit worried about Acrotatus, he refuses to remove his helmet. When asked about it, he says he feels like he is at the battle all the time and that he enjoys it. Areus says this means he is going to be a great general.


    Acrotatus: There is the enemy! Set pigs on fire and send them against them, GIVE ME SOME ROOM TO BREATHE! Have I told how I love the smell of burning pigs in the morning? They smell like... bacon.
    Lieutenant: I am sorry, Strategos, but we have no burning pigs.
    Acrotatus: Damn son. I miss the old times when we had them in our arsenal...
    Narrator: Spartan army is under command of skillful general Acrotatus and consists of heavy hoplites, two iphikratean phalanxes and one unit of mercenary Pezhetairoi from Makedonia. Supporting troops consist of peltasts and some cavalry. Enemy has two armies, mostly hoplites and one thorakitai and thorakitai phalanx. They have a cavalry superiority.

    Closing enemy hoplites' ranks are thinned by constant shower of Javelins. Acrotatus has chosen to deal with closer army first and he moves his phalanx towards them.



    Battle is joined by Achaemid cavalry, finest in Greece. Spartan line holds.

    Acrotatus moves his peltasts to engage enemy hoplites from behind. This causes the enemy horrible losses.


    Acrotatus leads his guard personally to fight enemy general. Achaemian general is defeated and runs. Hoplites are defeated. Only small unit of elite Thorakitai holds against Spartans.

    From the hills comes the second enemy army. Acrotatus quickly moves units to counter the new enemy.

    Enemy are quickly surrounded and broke after their captain is killed by Spartan elite.

    Thorakitai fight to the bitter end.


    Stavros: Now this is what I call a victory! Acrotatus' flanking maneuvers with peltasts and hoplites clearly worked better than bitter man versus man combat in battle of Sicyon! Areus is not too happy, but will accept this result because now we control the city of Thermon and the lands he rules are significantly expanded.



    Achaean league is no more!


    Sad news. Dear and beloved wife of Areus, a good Spartan woman, Clymene has passed away while sleeping. This is the first time I see Areus silent. He is getting old. After a couple of weeks he will surely return to his normal self... with good luck, not.
    Last edited by HansDuet; May 27, 2009 at 11:58 AM.


  8. #8

    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    pffft medium/medium . Some nice battles there and good job wiping Achaeans out so fast :}

  9. #9
    Primicerius
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    That battle went a lot smoother, by the looks of it. Now to take on the Maks.



  10. #10
    Hopit's Avatar Praepositus
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    iäm playing on n/n to against acean leage, i have never lost so many men

    Quote Originally Posted by SgtScooter View Post
    If you went to the Skyrim forums you'll see a lot posts about how it's somehow been watered down and hampered by money men making the decisions. Fact is, it's a great game and people still complain. It's the same thing as the TW franchise.

  11. #11
    Athenogoras's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    Great chapter and good screenshots(although I like the non-filtered ones since you have a good enough computer to show non-filtered ones). That Acrotatus seems a little loony. Drillsergeant-material. I almost heard the ride of the valkyries as he ordered forth his flaming pigs

  12. #12

    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    Very fun! I will be following this AAR with interest.

    By the way, some of the units look great. Good job, DTW team.

  13. #13

    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    Thanks for the kind words.

    Alright, so there was a problem. The game kept crashing after finishing summer 272 (IIRC) and I could not continue. I guess the reason was that I was running it from BI. Its pretty unfortunate, because I already played a long campaing as Maks and it was stable.

    So I decided to install Alexander, run DTW from it and strat-hax my way to roughly similar situation I had before problems. So its not exactly same but… I try to explain why some things are not like they were before. Like Acrotatus not wearing a helmet.
    -------------------------------------------------

    Part 3 – The Empire(s) strike back.


    Stavros: Hello. Big Al’s decision to “Whack” Roman diplomat was a mistake.


    Roman army is approaching from the North. Big Al is recruiting some additional henchmen from native population, but Roman forces are superior in quality.
    Crotonians try to hold them back but it is all for nothing. Romans get their revenge and Croton is lost.


    Big Al’s last words were reportedly multiple crude insults about his enemy’s mother and declaration how “South would rise again”.



    Romans are also beating our allies, the Epirotes. Areus is not happy at all about the situation, but I managed to persuade him to give up his plans to go personally fight the Romans. The Romans offer ceasefire and I feel it is for the best that we accept. We don’t have resources to fight wars on multiple fronts.
    Furthermore…
    Messenger: Sir! Sir! I have urgent news from Nicomedia. The barbarians are at the gates!


    Stavros: What? NO! We have almost no forces there! Don’t they have better things to do, like fighting Seleucids? Aagh. I am sending Acrotatus with his army there… I am sure he appreciates a fresh enemy.


    Messenger: I bring good news from Nicomedia! The city has heroically defended itself from the barbarians! (I admit, I was desperate and I hit the autoresolve… who would’ve guessed)
    Stavros: Excellent news! Acrotatus should be there soon. He’ll teach those barbarians a bloody lesson!




    Acrotatus: SOLDIER! Where is my helmet?
    Hoplite: I do not know, Strategos.
    Acrotatus: Soldier. Heads are going to drop if my helmet is not found until the end of this battle. ATTENTION! There comes the unwashed wave of barbarian meat! Defend thyself, brave Spartains! … I loved that helmet… *tear*


    Narrator: Barbarian army was mostly light infantry and heavy cavalry. Spartan army consists of heavy hoplites and peltasts, with addition of 2 units of Galatian mercenaries. Barbarian strategy is an all-out charge against Spartan battleline.


    Hoplites hold their tight formation against barbarian charge. They are easily repelled by javelins and hoplite spears.


    Acrotatus: GUARD! Keep them away while I am looking for my helmet… I am sure its somewhere under here…


    Narrator: Both barbarian armies efforts are in vain and solid wall of Greece’s finest bravely stood their ground, killing many and driving the rest away.


    Acrotatus marches to the barbarian city, victorius but still without his helmet. Inhabitants of the city are extremely unhappy and throw junk at Acrotatus parading his hoplites through the streets. Acrotatus then proceeds to murder several civilians-


    Stavros: *ahem* Populace of Ancyra are exceptionally unhappy. Acrotatus marches out with most of his army to deal with some rebels on the countryside. They are rebellious so Acrotatus returns. People respond by throwing feces at the returning troops.


    Despite the large garrison and skilful military leader, small barbarian city revolts and produces a barbarian army larger than city’s manpower. Acrotatus was delighted about sudden appear of “fresh meat” and wanted to attack them and “slaughter them like pigs” but since the region seems to be completely, utterly uncontrollable, I persuaded Areus to call him back. Let them rebel and cause problems to someone else…
    Messenger: Sir, sir! I bring dire news from Syracuse…
    Stavros: Oh please don’t tell me that….


    This moment was caught by a skillful sculptor.
    Last edited by HansDuet; May 28, 2009 at 05:18 PM.


  14. #14
    Primicerius
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    That stature at the end is hilarious! And replaying the game actually gave you even more stuff to work with (Acrotatus' helmet).



  15. #15
    RedFox's Avatar When it's done.™
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    Things don't look very good for you. If you must know, I completed the same campaign on VH/VH settings and it was extremely fun. It seems to be an epic failure in strategy for you though..

    And yes, for some reason DTW crashes on BI, but works on ALX. I guess we have to drop BI compatibility, since it really isn't compatible..

  16. #16
    Primicerius
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    I'm running it on BI fine, 30 years into an Attalid campaign and not a single crash. Although I might just buy Alex since the exe seems to work better with everything...



  17. #17

    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    Hah, yea I've been having bad luck since the crash and my efforts so keep hold on Italian and Asia minor cities are perhaps not so sensible in grand scale.
    Yea like I said I played a long Makedonian campaing on BI, taking over Greece and Thrace and most of asia minor... stable. But this crashed quickly.


  18. #18
    Hopit's Avatar Praepositus
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    bretty funny AAR very good. (but your diplomacy...)

    Quote Originally Posted by SgtScooter View Post
    If you went to the Skyrim forums you'll see a lot posts about how it's somehow been watered down and hampered by money men making the decisions. Fact is, it's a great game and people still complain. It's the same thing as the TW franchise.

  19. #19
    EmperorBatman999's Avatar I say, what, what?
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    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    Quote Originally Posted by Saxton Hale View Post
    @Scutarii - Thanks!


    Battle is joined by Achaemid cavalry, finest in Greece. Spartan line holds.

    Acrotatus moves his peltasts to engage enemy hoplites from behind. This causes the enemy horrible losses.


    Acrotatus leads his guard personally to fight enemy general. Achaemian general is defeated and runs. Hoplites are defeated. Only small unit of elite Thorakitai holds against Spartans.

    From the hills comes the second enemy army. Acrotatus quickly moves units to counter the new enemy.

    Enemy are quickly surrounded and broke after their captain is killed by Spartan elite.

    Thorakitai fight to the bitter end.
    Nice commic renderings
    Maybe I'll play TLGC now...

    Crazed Spartan:SPARTAAAA!
    Athenian:Ummm..no
    Random stuff



  20. #20

    Default Re: Hellenization NOW!

    ATTEN-HUN, Maggots!

    Stavros is having a mental breakdown due to recent, rather delightful events. So I am delivering this report. I am not much of a writer so I keep it simple.


    I do not understand why he considers this bad news, its rather fine with me. I have a large army here and we will soon kick their pathetic army back and follow it!


    There are skirmishes everywhere, Asia minor, Greece, Sicily. We are holding our own, even against Carthaginian elephants and surprisingly capable Poeni-Libyan infantry. Pontic armies are struck back and followed.


    Our war against Athens is going well and Corinth is captured.

    At the moment we are deep in the Pontic territory... Cappadocian hides in the bushes... we never know when enemy with home-turf and numerical advantage is going to jump at us... And my helmet is still missing...

    AT EASE!

    Acrotatus out.


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