Battle of Deme (first "AAR" for EBII?)
This will be a single battle report to give all those who can't play EBII yet a taste. you poor bastards.
This is my first AAR, and I'm sorry for the horrible writing, pictures, grammar mistakes ect.
Battle of Deme 272 B.C.
Stratego Athenoikos eyes sweep over the fields of deme, when he is interrupted by a young officer.
"The Macedonians are forming battle lines sir!"
Athenoikos nods, "it is time then." as he looks to his left he can see men clad in armour armed with spears and holding stout shields.
These are his men, the epilektoi, picked from amongst the best of his soldiers. And further to his left he can see more soldiers stretching as far as his eyes can see,
Many have come, for it is a noble cause they fight for yet there are also those who came for glory and even more who came for gold...
The coffers of the league had been emptied to summon this host, for this campaign would decide the fate of the free Greeks.
After the successful siege of Corinthos the Macedonian army they were facing now was isolated, they had refused battle many times, but now due to lack of supplies would be forced to fight.
The two armies were equal in size, about 18000 men each. Athenoikos knew that this battle would be close, maybe too close. Some of his fellow officers had told him to wait till winter, so that the enemy might starve to death. But Athenoikos didn't want to give the Macedonian the time to gather a relieving force. So he prepared his men, gave his orders and marched forward.
His plan was simple, based on hundreds of years of Greek matial tradition. His skirmishers would harass the enemy, forcing them to attack, then his main line would pin the enemy down while the mercenary horseman would wreck havoc on his enemies unprotected rear. The right flank of his phalanx would take the brunt of the enemies attack and so there, according to tradition, he and his epilektoi would fight. The left flank and center of the phalanx composing of regular hoplitai from the many city states and mercenaries would be reinforced by levies. The far flanks consisted of light spearmen to counter any pincer movement the enemy might make. Athenoikos also had some archers at his disposal, they would stay behind the lmain line and fire upon the enemy.
Having closed the distance Athenoikos ordered the skirmishers to advance, they ran forward to throw their javelins.
But to Athenoikos surprise ran back after mere seconds. Not only had the numerically superior Macedonian skirmishers pelted them with missiles as they crossed the small hill,
they were also facing a frenzied charge of Macedonian troops! After the skirmishers passed through gaps in the phalanx, Athenoikos ordered the ranks to be closed and the men to brace themselves. The Macedonian's would have to push through 10 ranks of men if they wanted to continue their chase.
And they tried, by the gods they did.
The right flank was beset by ferocious karelian tribesman, even though they wore only light armour they were quite a match for Athenoikos and his epilektoi. Spears pierced bodies, swords hit shields and battle cries could be heard. The battle raged for a while and the sounds of dying men could be heard everywhere, the battle cries had turned into grunts as the soldiers on both side tired each other out.
As the battle started to look grim for Athenaikos' army a trumpet could be heard far away. Thundering hooves could be heard closing in, and then as the riders crossed the hill panic started to break out amongst the Macedonian troops.
"Nike! Nike!" Athenaikos' men shouted, but to everyone's surprise the Macedonians did not surrender, they did not rout. They knew that the would have to win if they wanted to survive. They fought like lions.
As the battle raged on, the lines of both sides began to fall apart, the battle turned into a slaughter as both sides broke ranks. Men falling to the ground not of wounds but of exhaustion, while the battle continued.
It was only after the rain stopped and nearly all macedonians had been slain that they routed. Athenaikos men were too tired to chase them, and darkness was falling.
Now there were no shouts of victory, the victors wept while there newly gained lands ran red with blood.
Wars, horrid wars.
Hope you enjoyed it, was a battle at the 3rd or 4th turn of my campaign as KH (M/M), both armies had +- 1800 men.
I lost 980-ish they fought to the last man.
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Re: Battle of Deme (first "AAR" for EBII?)
Originally Posted by Hermod
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