Hi everyone, I'm back. Been awhile since I last ran an AAR. A few days ago I was thinking about starting a new campaign and the idea to make it an AAR crept in. Now seems like the right time and Pontus seems like the right faction. I do love the mixed culture factions.
Here's all the details:
XGM Version: 5.9.7
Difficulty: H/M
AI bonuses: Off
Land Bridges: On
Movement Speeds: Fast
Fatigue: On
Loyalty: Off
1hp mode
Alexander.exe
Also the victory condtions are to destroy or outlast Armenia and the Seleucid Empire.
Dominant culture is barbarian, I'll have to work on that.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
My political stance.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Story
We live in a world still haunted by the ghost of Alexander. Our lands are rich and our people strong. Yet we are but a shadow of our Persian grandfathers. Only puppets in the games between the empires of the Diadochi. My father, great Mithridates carved out these lands and has kept us safe and strong. Now our Satrap, our Basileus, our King grows old and our futures uncertain.
We are besieged. Greeks to our west, Gauls to our south, and our treacherous Armenian brothers in the east. Our backs are to the sea.
Like a trapped animal we have no choice but to strike. We will forge a new empire born of the greatness of Persia and of Greece. Or we will be destroyed.
(Speech given by prince Pharnaces outside the walls of Mazaka)
With Mithridates health failing, his son Pharnaces has taken the reins and responsibility of the empire. To the south lays the independent town of Mazaka. They have long been a thorn in the Pontic side and today Pharnaces will remove it. He marches south as the defacto king of Pontus, to place his young brother Spartikles in charge of the town. By force of words or force of arms, this town will bow to Pontic will.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Here's the armies involved. I have a huge advantage.
I start by moving my rams up with my archers covering.
They have a unit of Sparabara guarding the gate but my archers quickly whittle them down.
With their spearmen hiding I ran may skirmishers in and brushed the battered unit aside.
Next I ran my generals around and brought them in the back. l left my heavy cav outside. No sense in wasting those as I can't retrain them yet.
When their captain fell it was all over.
Victory.
Etc
A good start and a good place to end for the night. See you next time.
Pharnaces marches his now veteran army west to the town of Sesamus. The plan is simple. Sesamus is another town, ripe for the taking, and Pharnaces plans to do just that. Reading his scouts reports though Pharnaces learns that he is not alone in this plan. A force has marched east from Nicomedia and is currently laying siege to the town. Pharnaces orders his army to halt and stay hidden. He will wait and let his enemies fight amongst themselves. If the guard at Sesamus should win they will be weakened and Pharnaces will crush them all the more easily. Should the Nicomedians succeed, it's their bad luck standing between Pontus and it's prize.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The battle is over and the Nicomedians own the city. Before Pharnaces can react though a Nicomedia cavalry unit spots his army and the battle is on.
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Got caught a little of guard here. Never expected them to attack me. Especially with their inferior numbers.
I start off in a great spot and rush my army to a convenient slope. Still keeping my heavy cav for a rainy day I order them to withdraw.
Their swordsmen are a real threat but walking up a slope with arrows and javelins raining on them softens them up nicely.
Their swords clash with my spears but I still have the high ground.
Meanwhile my general and a skirmisher unit were handling their reinforcements.
Once their reinforcements ran off I encircled their swords with my general and skirmishers.
Their general slipped away but his men weren't so lucky.
Victory.
After that battle it was just their general left in town. I won't bore you with that quick fight.
The Nicomedians are routed and the town is won. Still it is not enough for Pharnaces. The loss of so many will weaken Nicomedia. Parnaces waits for reinforcements and then is off, seeking another prize.
Etc
Ok I lied. Now I'm off to bed.
Last edited by Fouch; August 18, 2010 at 12:30 AM.
Arriving at Nicomedia Pharnaces finds it prepared for a siege. The farms surrounding the city are empty, the people having fled behind the cities walls. His men settle into the abandoned homes and begin preparations for attack.
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I cranked out two towers and assigned them to my new axemen.
Once on the wall my axemen were able to my short work of the enemy spearmen, take a gate, and let in my army.
Their generals were holding the courtyard so I moved my skirmishers up first. They traded javelins until the enemies ran off.
All that was left was the courtyard. I moved my spearmen and general up one side.
And my skirmishers and archers up the other.
After some fighting I was able to make a rush up both sides and get an engulfment.
A little shoving later and victory.
A lot more bloody than I'd planned but a win none the less.
Pharnaces faces one of the hardest days of his life. Riders have brought him two messages. The first is of the death of his father. He is now king and those duties must come before even his grief. Far to the east a war has begun and Pontus must choose one ally to stand with and one to shun.
The obvious choice would be to stand with the Seleucids. They share a border with Pontus and pose and immediate threat. But a wise king examines more that just the obvious. War with these Greeks is inevitable. If it leads to war, so be it.
Pharnaces writes a simple reply to his Parthian allies, a show of support in their war. His Seleucid neighbors will receive none and that will be answer enough.
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Pharnaces is awoken by the sound of shouting. An army has been spotted marching on Nicomedia and the city guard is scrambling to prepare for the attack. Pharnaces rushes to the courtyard and starts calling out commands to his lieutenants. He has no intention of being trapped behind a wall. He orders the army into the field. They will meet this threat head on.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Quite a few turns have passed in the interim and my army is grown a bit.
So many in fact that the Greeks took one look at it and got the hell out of there.
Yah victory..... At least I got a war out of the it.
Pharnaces watches his enemies flee and orders his army back to town. Those treacherous Greeks were hoping to seize a lightly guarded town. This will not go unanswered and as soon proper supplies can be packed the Pontic army will be out on campaign to repay this insult.
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The Pontic army was only two days march behind their attacks and slowly gaining ground. Then their tracks vanished, mixed with the trade traffic around Cyzicus. Pharnaces is not amused. If these Greek fools wish to use their allies as a shield he knows just how to flush them out. Pharnaces orders his men to Cyzicus. He will surround the town. If his aggressors values their friends at all they will be force to fight to defend them.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
I have a numbers advantage but I also have only militia infantry.
I setup my missile troops on the flanks. My generals and heavy cav on the left.
And my skirmishers on the right.
In the initial clash I kept my skirmishers back and launching javelins at their heavy troops. While my axemen held the center.
With their line engaged I rushed my cavalry and skirmishers around their sides and closed the kill box.
With their reinforcements growing close I pulled my cavalry around to harass them. After peppering them with javs they rushed me and I was happy to meet their charge.
They didn't have a chance against my horses and quickly routed.
I was careful to run down as many of them as I could. Giving my a victory with the town as a bonus.
Etc
Just though I'd point out that the Ptolemies have managed to seize Antioch. That's a very bad sign for the Seleucids
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Last edited by Fouch; August 20, 2010 at 01:39 AM.
Pharnaces drives his army onwards. They have come this far and now the greatest prize of this campaign stands before them; Pergamon. With their allies in Cyzius destroyed the great city now stands alone and vulnerable. His army is tired but with promises of plunder Pharnaces drives them on.
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Missed the opener on this one. It's two enemy forces, both fairly small. Still my army hasn't been retrained and has several half strength units.
Once again I started with my cavalry on one flank.
And my skirmishers on the other.
My infantry is pretty cut up from previous fights so I rode my cavalry around behind their army and engaged them. Which got them to turn their backs to my skirmishers and archers. Which landed me a quick route.
Their reinforcements were already disheartened by the deaths of their buddies and when I started hitting them with javs they turned and fled.
I was quick to run them down with my cavalry for an easy win.
Summer 266 BC:
The kings has done wonders. Pairisades has been left to safeguard Nicomedia and the all important crossing at the Hellespont. Now his scouts report several Greek armies making a hard march north. Not towards his city but fleeing towards the crossing and safety. These men may have escaped king Pharnaces but Pairisades isn't about to let them by without a fight. Much less give them the opportunity to regroup.
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Poor guys are really just trying to get out of my way but I'm not about to let them regroup.
I started off facing a single of unit of Thureophoroi, which I was quick to run over with my cavalry.
Next to arrive was their general and his small force. After killing off their thracians I snagged their general with one of my flanking units of spearmen. When I swarmed his thureophoroi he ran for it.
The last reinforcements took one look at the carnage and ran for it.
Victory.
The last of these greeks have fled, seeking shelter with their countrymen in Byzantium. These lands now truly belong to Pontus.
Decades of conquest have lead to this. With the conquest of Pergamon, Pontus is finally strong enough to face the heirs of Alexanders directly. Constant wars have left the Selucids weak, while Pontus has grown strong. Now is the time to strip away all false niceties. Now is the time to strike.
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Pharnaces rallies his army. Veterans of many battles these men have followed him through out his campaigns. Now is their time again. To his south lay Selucid lands, now isolated by their war with the Ptolemies. These lands crave strength. They call out for security. Both of which Pontus will happily provide. All that is needed is the will to act and the requisite blood letting.
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I have a big numbers advantage. The Selucids are looking like a truly soft target in Asia Minor.
It's a pretty standard start. Three rams advancing with archers for cover.
My archers do their job well.
First in are my axemen.
I don't move them up though, instead sending them wide around in a flanking move.
If I'm going to take casualties it will be on my hoplites. I send them up the middle with my archers in tow and quickly draw blood in this little courtyard.
Their whole army piles on, trying to beat me back. But facing hoplites and with arrows raining on them they route before my axemen even get around behind them.
Win.
A good first step, but only a first step. Will Pontus ever be an enviable empire like Persia before it? Pharnaces does not know.
He has done much in his life, enough that when he dies he will stand proudly next to his father in the afterlife. Now though age creeps in. Joints ache, and bones creak. Pharnaces knows that this has been his last campaign. He will manage the empire. Let younger men see to it's growth.
Last edited by Fouch; August 22, 2010 at 11:45 PM.
Dionysiphes has spent years riding with the king, his uncle. Now command of the army has fallen to him. This is a major responsibility but he knows it is also a test. The king has lived his life in the field, fighting for the empire. He wouldn't leave his army unless he had no choice. The man is in his last years and soon a new king will be named. Dionysiphes is an obvious candidate. He knows he is the best general in the empire; now he simply has to prove it.
His first task is to seize Halicarnassus, the last independant greek city in Anatolia. It's capture will further isolate the Seleucids, making it the perfect place to start a new campaign.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Another battle where I'm a bully. The guard is painfully outnumbered.
I left my main army out from and gave my towers to my merc Thereophoroi around the side of the city.
Once on the walls I ran my troops in opposite directions and squeezed their defends.
All that was left was their hoplites and phalangites in the courtyard.
With control of the walls I was able to move in my entire army and hit the courtyard from three sides. Axemen on their spears, skirmishers and cavalry on their sides.
The javelin fire into their backs was devastating.
The charge was worse.
And victory.
Dionysiphes has his victory. It isn't enough to promise him the crown, but it is a good start.
Arriving at Sardis Dionysiphes is pleased to find the town lightly guarded. The surprise of his attack against Ephesus has faded but the Seleucids are still scrambling to mount a resistance.
His men were reluctant to leave Ephesus and its spoils behind but now they see the wisdom of their commanders haste. Rams are assembled, men advance and an attack begins.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
I started by getting my rams moving under cover of my archers.
Meanwhile I sent out my general and cavalry to intercept their Doryphoroi reinforcements.
When they ran I gave chase and followed them right through their gate.
At the same time my archers were driving the last of their defenders away from the front gate.
With the enemies all back in the courtyard I was able to move in unopposed.
And pull what's starting to feel like a signature move; the three sided engulfment.
Axemen and hoplites from the front. Skirmishers and cavalry from the back.
A quick engulfment.
And a quicker victory.
The day is won and Dionysiphes has hewed off another piece of Seleucid territory. Now only a sliver remains, its defender surely terrified at the prospect of facing their Pontic foes.
Conquered, we conquer.
Re: Conquered, we conquer.
Originally Posted by Diomede
