[Revolt Crushed] Unrest in Egypt

[Lord of Cats]

VS.
--------~ Ptolemaic Dynasty ~--------------~ Egyptian rebels ~

[cfmonkey45]

Unrest in Egypt

Taking advantage of the death of Alexander III in Babylon, key members of the Egyptian elite have positioned themselves to seize power from the new Macedonian administration. Several thousand Egyptian nobles have rallied around Nectanebo III, who claims descent from the Thirtieth Dynasty of Egypt. His father, Nectanebo II, waged an unsuccessful revolt against the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Artaxerxes. Another Egyptian named Khabash also attempted an unsuccessful revolt against the Persians in 335 BCE, but likewise failed. However, while Nectanebo III enjoys substantial support from the Egyptian nobility in Memphis, there are several rival factions that seek to assert their own authority.

The Hawk Party

Pharaoh Nectanebo III has moved to crown himself Pharaoh within the High Temple of Amun-Ra in Memphis. The small garrison left in Egypt by Alexander were either expelled or executed by the new Pharaoh. Nectanebo III has moved to levy substantial militia to seize control over much of Lower Egypt. While Upper Egypt remains at least nominally loyal to Ptolemy, the new Satrap, the province remains cut off from the Macedonian Empire. Currently, the bulk of the Egyptian army is stationed in Memphis as the new administration seeks to consolidate its hold on Lower Egypt. After this week, the army will march to Thebes to conquer Upper Egypt and secure the coastline from the Macedonians.

Nectanebo III will not negotiate with Ptolemy, as he believes that he is a foreign barbarian and a usurper.

The Reconciliation Party

Led by the High Priests of Amun-Ra at Karnak, the Reconciliation Party seeks to preserve the Ma'at, or Harmony, of both Upper and Lower Egypt. Currently, the Priesthood is apolitical, and will equally side with the Macedonians or the new Egyptian administration of Nectanebo III. Within Egyptian society, the High Priests hold considerable economic, political, and social influence, and are not willing to gamble this in warfare. Moreover, they also seek material benefits to refurbish the Great Egyptian temples at Karnak, outside of Thebes. The Reconciliation Party hopes to avert bloodshed by recognizing a new Pharaoh over Egypt, whether that be Alexander IV or Nectanebo III.

[Lord of Cats]

Karnak Temple Complex, Outside Thebes, Upper Egypt

An officer of the names Agamedes is dispatched by Ptolemy to negotiate with the Reconciliation Party of the Egyptian rebels. He makes all haste to Thebes, avoiding hostile rebel patrols and riding his horse to exhaustion. Outside the city, Agamedes dismounts and approaches the Great Temple of Karnak. Upon being introduced to the High Priests, he bows and addresses them.

“Greetings, High Priests of Amun-Ra. My Lord Ptolemy agrees with you and wishes no blood to be spilled along the shores of the sacred Nile. He has considered your demands and is amenable to them. He too, wishes to see your temples restored to their former glory. The Persians have treated the Egyptians with disrespect for too long! We Greeks and Macedonians promise to make Egypt great again. Lord Ptolemy is willing to pay a nine-hundred talents for this restoration project.

He is also willing to have Alexander IV be crowned in the holy city of Memphis as Pharaoh over Egypt. However, Lord Ptolemy must speak with his follow Diadochi about this arrangement, to see if they are willing to let Alexander IV travel here.

In exchange, Lord Ptolemy asks that you use your influence to dissuade the nobles and militia from supporting the usurper Nectanebo. War is a brutal and nasty affair. It is best that we cooperate and avoid it, yes?

Are these terms acceptable?” asks the Macedonian.

The High Priests respond that they are acceptable. However, they demand that the funds be paid within the year. Agamedes explains to them that Lord Ptolemy is currently in much debt and cannot afford the restoration this year.

“Next year my lord shall have the funds for your temples,” promises the Macedonian officer. The Egyptians are dismayed and unwilling to accept a delay in this matter. The negotiations soon break down.

The next day, a messenger arrives to inform Agamedes that he has been recalled. Spies have reported to Lord Ptolemy the composition of Nectanebo’s army, and Lord Ptolemy has decided his army is strong enough to crush the rebellion. Lord Ptolemy no longer seeks the assistance of the reconciliation party and now prepares for battle...

[Aetius]

ooc; since you said you disregard their offer the hawk party has easily won over the egyptians

Encounter upon the Nile

As Ptolemy's army of mercenaries and veterans finally reaches the Nile they see the huge Egyptian rebel forces lying across the river rallied around Nectanebo and his nobles. Ptolemy's lieutenants report that the only crossing to the south is Memphis (held by the rebels obviously) and to the north is soggy marshland that is not fit for armies. If he tries to march past Memphis looking for other crossing his supply lines will be cut. As such Ptolemy has not many choices, he can try to siege memphis or cross now and defeat the enemy army.


Ptolemy
Ptolemy Keraunos
3 ile of veteran Thessalian Cavalry
4 bands of mercenary Thracian Cavalry
5 syntagma of veteran Pezhetairoi
8 bands of mercenary Hoplites
8 bands of mercenary Rhodian Slingers
6 bands of mercenary Nubian Infantry

4750 Infantry
700 Cavalry

Nectanebo II

30 x Machimoi Infantry
30x Psiloi
100 War Chariots

15000 Infantry
100 chariots


Battlefield notes

• Egyptians have no need to attack, it must be up to the macedonians
• Infantry can cross on the center but with a -20% bp penalty against the enemy
• Al units can cross the shallows and islands on the left and its likely egyptians will deploy their best troops here
  The right is too deep to cross but if you want to build barges or inflate leatherskins or something, some troops may be able to cross here but its random chance they drown/too disorganized to do anything

ooc: pm me your plan LoC

[Aetius]

ooc: not much time but I can resolve your skirmish, will finish the rest of battle later today

Skirmish at the Nile

Ptolemy orders the Rhodian Slingers to quickly cross the southern ford (the easily traversable one) of the Nile and launch a fast attack on the Egyptians.

Obeying orders of their employer, the mercenary rhodians under their grizzled captain hector advance and begin hurling their lead pellets surprising distance and speed onto the opposing mass of egyptians. Being so densely packed they are very easy targets for the slingers. Screams punctuate the prebiously peaceful sound of the river as lead balls penetrate their weak shields.
ptolemy rolled average

The egyptians order their archers to begin firing back but their short bows are of low quality and the their training is extremely lacklustre, Thousands and thousands of arrows fly into the air but sometimes they fall at such low speeds the rhodians can dodge them, and their loose formation is easy to do so and their shields provide enough protection for most. Nevertheless there are some losses.
egyptian rolled poorly

Eventually its clear the egyptians cannot win despite their overwhelming numbers of projectiles, and some of thes less brave egyptians already begin to quit the field. At the end of the skirmish losses are as follows:



Skirmish Result Ptolemaic victory

Ptolemaic Losses
3 x mercenary rhodian slingers

~750 x rhodians slain or too wounded to keep fighting

Egyptian losses
6x Machimoi infantry
7 x psiloi

~3250 men slain, wounded or fled

[Aetius]

Battle of the Nile


Nectanebo stood upright atop his chariot looking anxiously across the river.
One of his nobles spoke up "Can't see hardly anything in this dust."

A wind had picked up blowing sand from the west into the eyes of the Macedonians, some egyptians thought it a good sign from Osiris.

"As ordered Great Pharoh, our archer ranks are deployed in the center to slay any Macedonians and our infantry will hold the southern crossing, as well as forces you sent to guard the deeper crossings in the north. (random chance roll)

"Today Egypt will be reborn on the Nile!" he raised his standard to some cheerings among the charioteers.
Nectanabo looked brave but who knew his heart?

Right
Near the deep part of the nile the egyptians had deployed a holding force but no Macedonians came so proved to be very useless.

Center

Across the bank no enemy was sighted, and so in a daring move the leader of this front ordered an attack 6 Machimoi infantry groups supported by 5 psiloi , nearly 3000 soldiers cross river safely to seek glory and victory for Egypt. Ptolemy's scouts find out too late but fortunately he was in the rear near the camp with his nubian guard in reserve, and is able to do a defense.

Left
Ptolemy's orders

Meanwhile, the rest of the army will march toward the southern ford. The pezhetairoi and then the hoplites will cross the river in phalanx formation. The slingers will provide them cover as they cross.

Once across, the pezhetairoi will be placed in the center with 4 bands of hoplites on each flank. The Nubians, along with both Ptolemies, shall remain in reserve. The main infantry line will engage the enemy and try to push them back so my cavalry can get across and deploy on my far left without issue. The slingers will run south to reinforce my left flank to prevent any Egyptians from attacking my cavalry.

With the short blast of horns the phalanx snapped into formation. To the egyptians peasants the sight was terrifying, to see troops so disciplined, so fearless, their reputation was enough to make some of the less brave run before the battle even begins. They cross the shallows in surprisingly good order and under minimal fire due to rhodians keeping them suppressed and the great fear they now had of these mercenaries. At the very last second Alexander's veterans charged, pikes piercing through the shaky front formation and mercenary hoplites in support. It was over in a minute, and the rout was complete. Clearing the shoreline involved some more butchery of stragglers. The cavalry then manage to cross and sweep around the flank and the thracians seemingly enjoyed killing the fleeing men. The egyptian position is now very severly compromised.

Nectanebo has ordered his left flank to move to help his now compromised center and his war chariots are preparing to charge.


GREEK LOSSES: 12 x Machimoi Infantry
PTOLEMY's LOSSES: Minimal
Crushing Victory !t

Notes

• Ptolemy is now allowed to wheel upon the center although his shock cavalry are spent in their charge, the phalanx and hoplites have already begun attacking the mass of archers there
• Ptolemy may move troops from his left to his center or vice versa.
• If Ptolemy's center falls the battle is lost especially since the camp will be raided and the veterans will abandon the battle to save it
• Some of the victorius ptolemaic troops can attempt to atttack the egyptian camp if they want too
• Be aware generals have a 5% chance dying in combat

https://rolz.org/dr?room=Diadochi

[Aetius]

Battle of Nile- Result


Ptolemy smiling

the Nubian infantry charge the Egyptians that have crossed the river. The two Ptolemies will only engage if the battle goes poorly for the Nubians. If the Egyptians flee, the Nubians will pursue them across that center ford and join the main battle.

The Egyptians who crossed the river were clearly not pleased to see 1500 nubians arrayed before them chanting in their barbaric tongue. The Nubians were feared among the egyptians for their savagery and long history of invading Egypt from the south. Ptolemy dropped his hand foward and ordered a charge. Screaming down the hill they tore into the enemy archers and kopesh wielding swordsmen. Ptolemy himself had considered engaging but felt this battle was not worth the risk, however small. The egyptians were soon driving to the river and killed to a man in a terrible, but necessary, butchery. Some crocodiles wandered over and began munching on the corpses.

Result: Victory

Lord Ptolemy orders the hoplites on the left to reinforce the center. Together, the pezhetairoi, hoplites, and slingers will crush the remaining rebel infantry and archers. Ptolemy also sends orders for the Thessalians and Thracians to charge the enemy chariots and slay Nectanebo.

Riding from the center ptolemy's couriers relay the orders to the cavalry, the Thessalonian captain swings right followed by the thracians and charges nectanebo. and as they neared the chariots were still organizing into place preparing for the charge (chariots rolled badly). They stood no chance, they were sitting targets for the swift horsemen to stab and slash. Many jumped off their chariots and fled. To his credit, Nectanebo did not flee and stood proudly as his guard fought to the death to protect him but the ptolemaic cavalrymen dismounted and hack off his head (rolled success, killed before he can escape)

Seeing their God being brought down is a disaster for the egyptian army and they rout completely, some fight on with a strange desperation but they are killed in due time.

The day belongs to Ptolemy, the new Pharaoh of Egypt, the Ptolemaic Dynasty begins this day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Ozv2glyaE



[/I]


Result: Clear Victory

Total Losses for entire battle:
1 x Mercenary Thracian Cavalry
3 x Mercenary Rhodian Slingers

~1000 slain or wounded



Egyptian Losses
All slain or surrendered

approx ~ 15000 slain or fled



Notes

• All of the former rebel territories revert to Ptolemaic control but their tax income has been lost[ -900 talents]