"GREED" my TFT AAR

[Octavius Vatco]

AAR TFT title: GREED
Characters:
Marcus Licinius Crassus (the Richest man in Rome)
Publius Licinius Crassus (a veteran cavalry commander and son of Marcus.)
Gaius Cassius Longinus (a legatus of Crassus)
Quintus Hirtius, Gaius Veius and Marcus Ancona (three soldiers of
Crassus’ Legio V of his army on the war against Spartacus)
Spahbod Suren( Parthian General of the Suren clan)
Shahanshah Orodes( Great King of Parthia)
Pacorus(Elder son of Orodes)
Phraotes(younger son of Orodes)

This AAR will be divided into episodes.
Feel free to comment it.

This AAR is about my replaying of the infamous historical Parthian campaign of Marcus Crassus the Triumvir. It will cover narratives and dialogs from both the Roman side and the Parthians.
Basic rules are that Im going to play both Campaigns( Crassus and Parthians at the same time) with the one on M\H and the other H\H.
Note: this is still my first AAR so it is probably not on the category of the very best and also English is my secondary language.

I hope you’ll find it to your liking..

Special thanks to: the FRRE team. For TFT
And to the RG team for permiting me to use their model for horse cataphract.

[Kozak]

That is AAR?

[Whiskeyjack]

No its a prologue to an AAR, pretty obvious if you read the OP.

[DaVinci]

Good to see that TFT is still living

[Octavius Vatco]

Episode I: Treacherous Desert


It is the Year 53 bc. Marcus Licinius Crassus the richest man in Rome, mounts his campaign to conquer the Parthian Empire. Believing that the Parthians will not fight him, force marches his army under scorching sun. entering the heart of the unknown.
The IX day of the month of Maius…. morning.....

Arabian Horsemen approaches near the Parthian cavalry.



The Arab chief: The foolish Romans have taken the bait! They’re own their way.

Spahbod Suren: Well done! Now send several of your men back to the Romans. Order your men to deceive the romans and tell them that you have sighted us and that you had an unsuccessful engagement.

The Arab Chief: Certainly! You there! Take 80 of the men and ride back to the Romans.

Arab captain: Yes most noble Shiek.

80 Arab horsemen departs.

Spahbod Suren: When all of this is over, I will make sure that you will be handsomely rewarded.

The Arab Chief: I am Truly grateful my lord! Those Romans have no idea what there up against.

Spahbod Suren: Let us not keep them waiting. Come my brothers, We ride to battle! Hah!


A few hours passed a roman scout arrives……


Publius: What is it?

Roman scout: a handful of the Arab cavalry approaches sir!

The Arab cavalry arrives…..

Arab captain: The Parthians have come in full force!

Crassus: How many?

Arab captain: I don’t know. We were caught off guard. The rest of us have been killed, only these handful of men and myself have manage to escaped.

Cassius: What forces do they…what the??
The Arabs flees………..


Crassus: I thought they were retreating? They're coming in full force?..............

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Publius: We should meet them Father!

Cassius: We should make camp for the night. The men are tired and needs to rest and we must survey what kind of enemy we are up against..


Crassus: No! Double the pace of the march! we will meet them immediately....

Cassius: but sir?

Crassus: that's an order!

Cornicen Blows….
Crassus at the head of the Column..




Publius leading the cavalry........

Gaius Veius the legionary: He doubles the pace? Cant he see that we are already dying of thirst here?!
Marcus Ancona the Aquilifer: I understand discipline but, what’s he is doing is slavery!

Gaius Veius: I came here for the promise of riches but it seems I am now regretting it. Those boys in Gaul must’ve been a far more better condition than us, despite facing those barbarians.

Quintus Hirtius the Primus Pilus: Enough with the small talk and move! Double time!!

Gaius Veius: Juno!

Quintus Hirtius: Quiet!! If I ever heard someone I’ll certainly have him whipped!

Gaius Veius: Easy for him to say. He’s the one who got immediately promoted.

Marcus Ancona: Better for us to stay quiet now. We would not want to get into any more trouble. Marching under this heat on this desert forsaken by the gods is already enough punishment.

Gaius Veius: easy for you too! Atleast you got some privileges as the Aquilifer. Despite Im the one who threw most of our comrades during training, im the one who gets left as a legionary…

Quintus Hirtius: Do I hear someone talk?



The Romans marching with such a great speed towards the town of Carrhae…….
Meanwhile, in the north….
[/



Parthian Captain: the enemy is routing great king.

Shahanshah Orodes: Very good captain. Prepare the Men! We….

A messenger arrives…

Messenger: Great King. Prince Pacorus and reinforcements have arrived from Ecbatana and has layed siege to the town of Phraaspa.

Shahanshah Orodes: Very well. Go to Pacorus and tell him to come to me when he’s finish with Phraaspa.

Messenger: Yes great King!

Shahanshah Orodes: Now Captain. We march to Artaxarta!

[Antiochos VII Sidetes]

Pretty good!

[Octavius Vatco]

Episode II: Carrhae

Near the town of Carrhae 53 bc
The legions are lining up for battle when….

Publius: Father! Scouts report that the Parthian Army is made up mostly of light Cavalry.

Cassius: How many Publius?

Publius: About Ten thousand strong. This battle would not take long.

Crassus: Reform the battle line into defensive hollow squares.

Cassius: But that formation will lessen our positions mobility general?

Crassus: It will protect us from being outflanked by the light cavalry!

Cassius: I must urge you Crassus. It should be better if we make camp until the next morning. We must survey and make the right preparations first befo…..

Publius: Non-sense, Be quiet Cassius! Can’t you understand that we are just facing mere light cavalry? I tell you I could even beat them even with just my cavalry alone!

Cassius: That kind of arrogance Publius, is the same arrogance which cause the defeat in Cannae long ago!

Crassus: Be quiet both of you! Your just making squabbles…
Both of you go and reform the line! Cassius, you go and command the left wing and you Publius the right!

Cassius: Sir. The men have not even eaten their lunch?

Crassus: Then have them eat while marching! Now get going!




Across the plain………..

Spahbod Suren: Have the noble cavalry cover themselves and their horse with hides and pelts.

Cataphract Captain: Ay my lord!

Spahbod Suren: Reveal your standards to the sun!

The bearers prepare their Dragon standards with silk tails……

Cataphract Captain: The Romans are beyond that mound my Lord.

Spahbod Suren: Good. Let us line up. The noble cavalry behind the light cavalry. Go!

Cataphract Captain: Right away my Lord!

Shouting orders…..

Cataphract captain: Battle positions!!

War drums being beaten……….



Meanwhile, at the Romans’ side…………

Gaius Veius’ food gets spilled…….

Gaius Veius: In the name of Vesta, I didn’t get to eat anything!

Marcus Ancona: Because of your clumsiness? Lol…….

Gaius Veius: Shut up man!

Ancona and others laugh until…..

Quintus Hirtius: Up front at the Horizon!!


Parthians sighted at the horizon……..

Publius: so that’s them? Doesn’t look that much…

Cassius: look at their standards? Gleaming…. Never seen anything like it before….

Publius: sigh…. So what? There still just standards….

Crassus: Halt the march and hold the Position!
Cornicen blows…….

Quintus Hirtius: Legion!! Halt!

Quintus Hirtius: Hold your positions!

Gaius Veius: Can you see them clearly Marcus?

Marcus Ancona: Light cavalry. Nothing else..

Gaius Veius: what? How can they expect to beet us with that?

Marcus Ancona: Wait! What in the nema of Apollo……

Parthians side……..

Spahbod Suren: Remove your coverings!



Cataphracts removing their cover…….
Their armour gleams in the early noon’s sun……….

Spahbod Suren: Prepare to charge….



Gaius Veius: shining monsters?

Spahbod Suren: Noble cavalry. Charge!!

The Battle commences. The initial charge on the way…..

Marcus Ancona: They’re coming!?

Quintus Hirtius: Stand firm!

Cataphracts charged the Roman front line…………



The Romans stood their ground……….



Spahbod Suren: We cant break them yet! Disengage! Disengage!

The Romans repelled the charge…..

Spahbod Suren: Light cavalry. Engage!

The horse archers attack……

Pouring thousands and thousands of arrows on the Romans….
Hundreds fell.
Arms were pinned to the shields and feet to the ground…..
The Romans were astonished to see the horsemens ability to fire turning back.

Gaius Veius: what kind of monsters are these guys. Fire when turing back..

Quintus Hirtius: We would still hold out.. They’ll run out of arrows soon enough…


The bulk of the Romans were still untouched..


Sheltering behind and beneath their large oval shields…..

Publius: When are we going to counter?

Crassus: We will outweigh their missiles. Certainly they will run out of arrows soon enough. Then you can charge Publius.

Almost two hours later.

Marcus Ancona: When is this going to end?

Publius: I thought their arrows should’ve run out by now. They are still raining thousands of it!?

Crassus: They’ve got to run out some time!

Cassius: so much for outweighing them. Scouts report that the Parthians baggage train
Consist of a thousand camels with almost unlimited supply of both water and arrows.
They have no plan to stop raining their missiles at us nor to fight hand to hand with us.

Publius: Father?

Cassius: the hollow squares are not working! We must reform back to the standard line!?
It would stop them from surrounding us!

Crassus: We cant reform while we are being harassed!

Cassius: Well we must general! If we continue like this, we are surely going to lose like this! They are wearing us down. The men are getting exhausted!

Crassus: Publius! Take you’re the Cavalry and eight cohorts and charge the enemy!

Publius: Yes Father! Yuh……

Publius: Equites and eight cohorts, On me!

Publius charge for the enemy but the Parthians ran off…………..

[Antiochos VII Sidetes]

Looks like Publius is off to meet his date with destiny...
I feel sorry for Crassus, the man has to watch Publius have his head put up on a stake...

[Salvor Hardin]

So far a great historical recreation of the battle. Keep it going, Oct!

[bucellarii]

Yes, good work buddy

[Empedocles]

great work!

[Octavius Vatco]

Thanks everyone. I try to make Episode III a bit better.

[Octavius Vatco]

Episode III: The Fatal Blow

Thousands of Galloping Horses………
The year 53 bc, the battle of Carrhae is underway.
To stop the Parthian cavalry from raining down arrows on the Romans,
Publius chases off the Parthians……….

Publius’ staff captain: We are too far from the body!?

The Parthians continue to run with Romans pursuing just behind them. But when they got to within a fair distance, they suddenly halted and now releases thousands arrows again on the eight cohorts which was with Publius’ charge. Many legionaries fell so a Centurion decided to stop the charge and defend themselves from the arrows.

Centurion: Halt! Stand your Ground!

As the Romans stood, the weight of the arrows penetrated their already damage shields and thus nailed their arms to their shields and also their feet to the ground and they are now very exhausted.

Publius: My country men why are you stopping? The enemy has halted from running from us! Now is the time to destroy them with our Roman steel, Charge!

Centurion: Forgive us general!? We would follow you even to hades and we are dismayed that we could not for our arms and our feet have been nailed to our shields and to the ground. It is impossible for us to fight effectively.

Publius restrains his anger and points it towards the Parthians.
Publius decides to leave the infantry and charges with the cavalry.

Publius: Equites! Charge so we can live!

The cavalrymen cheered and then charges.

Publius: For Rome!

As Publius nears the hores archers, the cataphracts suddenly appears from all sides surrounding Publius and his men and charges them.



A hard melee battle commences. The Gallic cavalry despite being unfamiliar to the environment,


fought valiantly and some even dismounted their horses to fight on foot and stab the cataphract horse from under or grabbing the armoured mens lances and pulled them down from their mounts.

Publius also fought Valiantly. Some time later Publius got hit by an arrow on his left arm in the middle of the melee.

The Roman Cavalry looses the melee.

Publius: Disengage! Disengage! Fall Back!

As Publius retreats.

Only a few of them escapes.
Publius and A few followers retreat to a nearby hill. The Parthians followed and trapped them.

Publius’ armor bearer: We are surrounded. What do we do?

Publius: better to die by our hands than to taken alive.

Armor bearer: The last Gaul Warrior has been shot dead!

Publius: What do you mean the last? You’re the last one and your still standing!
Publius laughs…. He draws out his sword and points it towards himself.

Armor bearer: Sir?

Publius: Damn! I don’t have the strength to trust. You do it then.

Armor Bearer: But Sir?

Publius: Shut up! Come hear and trust the sword! Better this than be a prisoner here in the desert.

Armor Bearer: They will still mutilate your body Sir?

Publius: I don’t give a damn what they will do. Now quickly! Before they catch us.

Armor Bearer: Alright then. Good bye Sir……….
The Armor bearer stabs Publius…. The Parthians are approaching and with Publius’ sword.

Armor Bearer: Die Barbarians! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

He valiantly charges but is immediately struck by a Parthian arrow.
Spahbod Suren and the Parthians arrives and finds Publius dead.


Spahbod Suren: Who is this?

Parthian captain: They say this is the son of Crassus the commander of the Roman army.

Spahbod Suren: Is he? Hmm, Cut off the head and impale it to one of your pikes.

Parthian captain: Yes my Lord. You! Sever the head.

Spahbod Suren: Alright! Let’s finish off the Romans. Ride!





Meanwhile, back at Crassus’ main body, most of the Parthians were believed to have been chased away by Publius’ charge except for a handful of horse archers maintaining frontal assault on the Romans. Since Crassus was not anymore surrounded, He orders the army to form up into the conventional battle line of the Romans and moved to a sloping position.
Crassus: All is set. Publius still has not returned? Perhaps he’s routed the Parthians now.

Cassius: I doubt that. Look! A bloodied cavalryman is approaching.
Must be bad news?
The Roman cavalryman arrives and eagerly reports.

Crassus: Well? Where’s Publius now?

Cavalryman: Publius and his forces are being cut to pieces and slaughtered ahead general.

Crassus: what? Prepare the advance!

Cassius: Advance!

The Romans slowly advance..

Crassus: We must get to Publius Before…….

Drums pounding… The Parthians have returned…….
At the Parthian side.

Spahbod Suren: Show them the Head.

One of Suren’s guard rides to the front and starts to wave Publius’ head.

Cassius: That cavalryman is brandishing something!

Crassus: What is it?
The legionaries watch at the ranks.

Gaius Veius: He’s brandishing a head!

Marcus Ancona: Isn’t that…….?

Quintus Hirtius: General Publius Crassus! It’s the head of Publius Crassus!

Cassius: the head of….

Crassus: Publius? No! No! No! No! No!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crassus: My fellow countrymen, This particular lost of the best of sons and the sorrows are mine alone.Rome is still uncounquered in you who are still alive and safe here. But if you wish to bare with me and avenge my son, Let your wrath against the enemy exploit it. Do not be dismayed by their cruelty and treachery. Fight on!

Spahbod Suren: Let loose. Shoot at will!

The horse archers began to harrased to Romans with missiles. Shooting while turning back at full gallop. Their running around the Romans left a constant trail which became a very thick cloud of sand and dust resembling a sandstorm which renders the Romans unable to see throughout their surroundings. Parthians releases a constant barrage of thousands of arrows. The Romans were getting very exhausted.

Crassus: Testudo!
At the ranks…

Quintus Hirtius: Testudo!
[/url]
The Romans forming the Testudo.
Surena seing what the Romans are doing, was inspired to charge.

Spahbod Suren: Noble cavalry? Charge!!

The Cataphracts charge.. causing the ground to shake and thunder..

Cassius: Their charging! Break the Testudo! Strengthen the Line!

Quintus Hirtius: Break up! Tight formation! Stand together!

Gaius Veius: Bring it on! Come on!

Marcus Ancona: Here they come!!

Moment of Impact…..

The two men Ancona and Veius fought hard killing many.

Then they saw their centurion Quintus Hirtius, fighting astray from the ranks for his life.

Marcus Ancona: We must help him!

Gaius Veius: Let him be! Why should we? His so hard on us!

Marcus Ancona: Despite of that, he’s our fellow citizen! Come on!

They assisted him and killed two of the cavalrymen.
Some legionaries are beginning to flee.

The two hesitates to go back to the frey.

Ancona: Veius! You take him to safety I’ll go back!

Veius: Why? What for? We are loosing cant you see?!

Ancona:The legion is still in there! The eagle can not abandoned it! Go now!

Veius: Fortuna be with you. Mercurius protect you!

Ancona: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Suren notices the arrival of dusk…

Spahbod Suren: Night is falling! Disengage! Fall back! Everyone fall back!

The Parthians Retreated for the night. Fortunately for the Romans, dusk saved them from annihilation. Half of Crassus' army lay dead on the sand.

[bucellarii]

Quite epic

[Lou337]

hehehehehehehe +rep for this aar and the cataphract carrying that guy's head off as his trophy.

[Octavius Vatco]

Episode IV will have new characters to better give meaning to the dialogue.
Legati: Octavius, Petronius, the two Roscius brothers, Coponius, Egnatius and Vargunteius
Spies: Andromachus
Suren’sGuard: Exathres
Suren’s officer: Silaces

Episode IV: The Death March

On the cold Mesopotamian night of the IX of the month Maius, the Romans rest at the place where they stood during the battle early in the day. Tending to the wounded and feeling the shock of the defeat. Crassus is lying on the ground, mourning his son.
Enter Cassius, Octavius, Petronius, Vargunteius and the other officers.

Cassius: Crassus, we must convene and discuss the appropriate actions needed concerning our retreat?

Crassus: Can’t you see that I’m mourning?
Octavius: We’re all grieving here sir, for we have been defeated in battle and a great number of our fellow Romans have fallen including Publius. But we must discuss the manner of our retreat?

Crassus: There’s no other place we can go than Carrhae so, we retreat to Carrhae!
Now let finish what I’m doing.

The officers discuss on their own.

Octavius: We must leave now in order to reach Carrhae before day break or we would be completely annihilated by the enemy here.

Cassius: To insure that, we must leave the seriously wounded behind. There’s no other choice.

Petronius: Leave the wounded behind? Are you saying we leave them to slaughter?

Cassius: We have no other choice. The burden will delay us and we must get the town before first light. They have to be sacrifice for the majority of our men to get to safety.

One of the Roscius: I cant help but agree. We will all die if we don’t move right away.

Octavius: Very well then, let’s tell the men to prepare to march out within a few minutes.

Meanwhile, at the other side, the Parthians are celebrating and watching the Romans below..
[/
Silaces: you have won a great victory today Spahbod.

Spahbod Suren: We have won the battle but not yet the war.

Silaces: Then why did you stop the battle? We could’ve slaughtered all of them and won the war by now.

Spahbod Suren: We can’t risk to fight the Romans in the dark.

Silaces: Why not? There center was already routing before you called us off?

Spahbod Suren: The darkness would take away the advantage of our arrows, then we have to continue fighting the Romans in hand to hand which is very dangerous for us since they still outnumber us. Besides, Let’s give their a commander one night to mourn his lost because after that, we are going to drag him back to Seleukia regardless if he wishes or not.

A scout reports.

Scout: My lord. The Romans are retreating.
Silaces: We should stop them!

Spahbod Suren: No. Let them go. They will not get far. Let us rest, for tomorrow we will resume our bloody business.

Back at the Roman camp.

Cassius: Men? Prepare to march, we head to Carrhae. For those who are unable to walk?
May the gods protect you. Move out!

Marcus Ancona: Hirtius? Come sir. We must go, we cant astray from the rest.

Quintus Hirtius: It might be better if you’ll just leave me hear. Don’t add me to your burden.

Gaius Veius: ah come on. You can walk. That sratch on your left shoulder is not the much.

Quintus Hirtius: I’m very grateful for your help.

As the majority of the remaining army marched, the wounded knowing that they are being left behind for dead, filled the night air with their groans and their cries for mercy turning into an alarm. Those who were marching were succumb to panic and went into disorder therefore delayed themselves.

Petronius: Has anybody seen Egnatius?

Several paces ahead, Egnatius and what’s left of the auxiliary cavalry,

have reached Carrhae and reports to the guards on the walls.
The guards listen as Egnatius shouts.

Guard Captain: you! Go get general Coponius. Now!

Egnatius: Tell your commander that Crassus had fought a glorious battle against the Parthians.

Egnatius and his followers then gallop towards the horizon and disappears.

Coponius: Where is he?

Guard Captain: They have ride on I think to Zeugma general.

Coponius: What did he say?

Guard Captain: He said that Crassus had fought a glorious battle against the Parthians sir.

Coponius: Why is he riding away? He’s fleeing! Fetch my horse! Captain, muster your men, we are going to find Crassus and the army and escort them back here.

Guard Captain: Yes Sir!

Throughout the night the exhausted Romans march hoplessly without knowing they were going the right way or was becoming too far astray. Some of the wounded who have manage to join the march, fell dead on the way by their untreated wounds which were mostly severe. About an hour later, Coponius arrives.

Octavius: Something’s approaching!

Cassius: Is it the Parthians?

Octavius: Not sure. Who goes there?

Coponius: My fellow countrymen! Its Coponius!

Coponius: Praise the gods I have found you. What happened? Where’s the Crassus?

Petronius: Coponius! Are we glad to see you.

Octavius: He’s there at the back, mourning. Publius is and some others are dead along with haf of the army but will talk later. We must hurry back to Carrhae for daybreaks.

Coponius: do not worry yourselves. I’ve come here with my men to escort you back.

The army successfully arrives at the safety of the town just before the first light came.

Crassus: From whom did you get the news about the battle Coponius, that you were able to organize a search for us?

Copunius: One of my men said that remnants of the cavalry came to the town, brought the news and then left in a hurry for what assume as towards Zeugma.

Crassus: We will know from telling qho’s missing. Egnatius and Vargunteius?

Petronius: It must be Egnatius. Vargunteius was still among us at the march towards here.

Octavius: I agree. Egnatius was an officer of the cavalry under Publius. And I also notice Vargunteius with us during the march.

Crassus: Then where is he now? He must have now fled as well.

Petronius: That can not be. He knew what would happen if he went astray from us for he was present when we convened.

Octavius: He must have got lost in the desert along with the 2000 men he was in charge.

Petronius: Then we must search for him?

Crassus: We must not bother anymore. By this time, the Parthians have found them and will certainly slaughter them to the last man. I regretfully conclude that because he got lost, he and his men will now become a diversion in which the Parthians themselves will be lost in searching for us and dispatching a search for Vargunteius now would risk our position being compromise by the Parthians. May the gods protect them.

The others reluctantly agree. Meanwhile, the Parthians watch from near by those who were left behind.

Silaces: The Roman wounded my lord. They are asking for our mercy?

Spahbod Suren: We have no use for the wounded. Dispatch them from their misery.

Silaces: Yes my lord.

Silaces raises his arm and swings it. Then the horse archers moves toward the Roman wounded. The slaughter begins. A great cry fills the morning air.


Then a scout reports to Suren.

Scout: My lord! It appears that the bulk of the Romans did not proceed to Carrhae.

Spahbod Suren: Then where do you suggest?

Scout: we’ve spotted straggler just ahead on the way to the north. The main body might by just a few yards ahead of them.

Spahbod Suren: Are you sure?

Scout: Yes my lord.

Spahbod Suren: Very well. Let’s follow the stragglers. And then we will dispatch them as well.

The Parthians picked off groups of Roman straggler one by one.


Until they’ve catch up to what they thought as the main body.
Vargunteius’ and his men.

Vargunteius: We are lost! The darkness lead us astray from Crassus. We alone must now find our way to safety.

Quintus Hirtius the centurion, Marcus Ancona the Aquilifer and Gaius Veius the legionary are among Vargunteius’ contingent which have straggled far from Carrhae.

Gaius Veius: We’re now lost in the middle of the desert. Is their anything worse?!
We are going to die anyway.

Marcus Ancona: Do not despair my friend. Who knows? Fortuna might suddenly turn on our side.

Gaius Veius: Like when?

A legionary catches from behind.

Legionary: The Parthians are here!

Gaius Veius: You mean that? Fortuna it is.

A centurion: We can’t outrun them sir?

Vargunteius: We must atleast try to go over that mound where we can set a small ambush.

A centurion: Yes Sir!

Vargunteius: Double time men!

The Parthians did catch up and spots them just nearly at the top of the mound.
The Parthians now gallop towards them and the Romans have just went over the mound.

Silaces: Spahbod. The noble cavalry request that they would be given charge of the last fleeing Romans?

Spahbod Suren: Very well. Since there are fleeing in panic. Send them over that hill. No. I’ll lead them. Charge!!

The Parthians thought the Vargunteius was fleeing but they’ll be surprised when they get over the hill.

Vargunteius: Fellow countrymen! We have no where to go and we can run no more! So we will fight and that before we die, we will give thses barbarians a taste of True Roman Courage!

Hirtius, Ancona, Veius and the other men cheers.
Vargunteius: Steady. Steady..

The Parthians arrive.

Vargunteius: Now!

Everyone cried their hearts out. The melee turned into an pitch battle favoring neither sides.

Spahbod Suren: Where’s the light horsemen? We are loosing, Call them!

The Parthian light horsemen arrives and joins the battle. Many Romans now fell including Vargunteius. Their numbers now decrease to only 20 legionaries. Among these are the Three men mentioned above. They fought valiantly along with their fellows for their lives. For this Suren got impressed of their Bravery and then stops the battle.

Spahbod Suren: Stop the Battle! Everyone disengage!

Silaces: Disengage!

The Parthians move away to a fair distance from the remaning Romans who are still sheltering behind their shields confused.

Silecas: Why are we stoping?

Spahbod Suren:These 20 have fought bravely and in my opinion, have earned their worth. Let them go!

Silecas: My lord?

Spahbod Suren: Provide them with enough provisions and then let them go!
Don’t worry. These are just a mere 20 men. What we really want is Crassus and it appears that he is not here. There is still more, you’ll have your revenge but let this one go.
Now do it!

Silaces: Yes My lord.

The Parthians gave them provisions and then they are told to go!

Veius: What did they say?

Hirtius: They said that they are letting us go and gives us provisions if we hand over the eagle.

Hirtius: Give them the egle Ancona.
Ancona: But?

Hirtius: Give it no or we’ll die!

After Ancona gave them the eagle The Parthians then rode off.


Ancona: There’re gone.

Hirtius: it seems there were serious. They were letting us go.

Ancona: See my friend! I told you Fortuna could suddenly turn on our side!

Veius: We just got lucky.

Hirtius: We should be thankful to the gods for it is they who have delivered us from certain death.

Others: Where will go? Should we go to Carrhae?

Veius: We have enough provisions. We should go directly back to Syria.

Hirtius: But Crassus might be in Carrhae, we still cant desert them or we will be tainted when we get home?

Ancona: We are not really sure if Crassus and the others are at Carrhae. Maybe they have continued on to Syria? Judging that the Parthian came to us, maybe they lost Crassus’ whereabouts or maybe the Parthians have already even killed them and we are the last.

Hirtius: You might be right about that. We should better continue on to Syria. What say all of you?

Everyone: To Syria!

Hirtius: Alright then. We march to Syria!

The 20 then march on towards the west, following the sun to Syria.

Meanwhile. The Parthians.

Spahbod Suren: Crassus and the main Roman army was certainly not among those we caught up here.

Silaces: The scout must have fooled us? Do you wish to execute him my Lord?

Spahbod Suren: No! the scout only made a clear mistake. He was the first who thought that this were the main body. In Fact, they were all just stragglers.

Silaces: Crassus must be Carrhae?

Spahbod Suren: We are not sure. I will send a scout again to look for them.

Suren has now lost the certainty of the Whereabouts of Crassus and his army.
This will give Crassus the Advantage to probably turn the tides.

[DaVinci]

Congrats
One of the best AAR's i ever saw.

[Octavius Vatco]

Thanks DV. I appreciate it. Im now working on its finale.

[Gatto]

Very well done!
Like it could be in a book of Guido Cervo!

After the AAR is finished i've just two questions:
Didn't the cathaphracts charge only when the light cavalry had harassed the Roman line?
And who are the oplite-like infantry fighting alongside Parthian archers to the north?

[Salvor Hardin]

If I remember correctly, the battle started with a charge by the cataphracts, that retreated after being unable to break the Roman line. Then the Parthians started to harass with their arrows.

The hoplite like infantry that you mention was a thureophoroi unit, present in TFT for the Parthian faction, although -if I remember correctly again- they are not mentioned by the sources of the battle of Carrae. In fact, I doubted that there was any heavy infantry in Parthian armies, so I decided to remove them for their roster, both in 77BC and 58BC. But I have been reading a book about Trajan recently and I might be wrong, too.