The cretan way - A GCS AAR

[Zarax]

Due to popular demand and the premature death of my previous AAR, I decided to start a new one on the same setting.
The initial steps will necessarily repeat the older one but later on it will diverge depending on what the headstrong noble refugees will decide.

Settings:
- M/M
- BI
- Senate on (the source of many twists)
- Loyalty on (and that is where the other twists will come from)
- XC 3.3.2 (meaning a few shiny new units to entice you)

Chapter 1 - An unlikely shelter

Our island has a glorious past and we can claim nothing less than the great Myceneans as our forefathers.
After the gods struck them, we became an humbled people, no more than one of the many poleis.

For long time now our island was seens as little more than a mercenary market and a pirate haven.
Our soldiers are admired for their archery skills yet we are despised as dishonest and troublesome, the cretan way as byword for mischievous actions.

Yet fate is not without irony.
Not long ago the time came for the proud poles of hellas to be humbled in turn.

With their spirit raised as the great alliance promoted by Chremonides they raised an army and prepared to march against the Makedonians.
Many things went wrong though.

Sparta and the great army assembled there were taken by threachery, soon followed by Athens, taken by an army many times their number.
The Patrasians alone tried to set a resistance but were also crushed by the royal army of Antigonos.

As their last action, the poleis sent their best sons to us, along with what whas left of their fleet and treasury.
At the time still children, they grew up biding their time for revenge and reinassance of their fortunes.

Now grown men, they decided to use their last possessions to raise whatever soldiers they could.

Their unlikely shelter is about to become a base for the last remnants for greek pride, fate will decide if they are fools or heroes.

[Zarax]

Chapter 2 - Preparations

Soon the sons of hellas gathered in assembly.

Agis of Sparta, eager to avenge is fatherly pride and restore the ways of Lycurgus:

The Athenians Glaukos and Lykophoron:

And finally, Periandros the corinthian exile:

Moved by their plea, Iolkos governor of Crete decided to use what was left of our small treasury to recruit a small army to accompany them.



Two units were all we could afford.
We chose to equip them as heavy peltasts of Iphicratean tradition, soldiers of modest upbringing but able to deal with skirmishers and light armed infantry.
With the help of the noble bodyguards, they will suffice for this first enterprise.

With preparations going on, it was now time to look for a first step.

[Scutarii]

Shiny new units, me likee.

[Zarax]

Chapter 3 - Rhodes

The nobles took the army and quickly embarked to Rhodes.
After an uneventful voyage, they soon set siege to the city.



The rhodians decided for a sally rather than wait trapped inside the walls, and the clash in front of the city was brutal.



The valour of the heavy hoplite bodyguards supported by the light infantry finally turned the battle giving us a victory at great cost.



Rhodes is now ours and the first step towards renaissance is done.

[Zarax]

Chapter 4 - setting new sights

Rhodos was a wealthy and developed Poleis, much like Athenai in some aspects.
This was a great advantage for us, allowing a quick recovery from our losses and new recruitment possibilities.



Using our newfound wealth, it was decided to enlarge the army while the nobles debated on our next step.
Our light infantry served us well, so we decided to double their numbers.

It was also decided to deploy a new troop type, called thureophoroi.
Those are yet another troop of iphicratean style, medium infantry capable to hold the line and armed with javelins and spears.
While not as capable in melee as our hoplitai, they are more mobile and able to harass heavier armed infantry.

[Zarax]

Chapter 5 - Cyzicus

Our nobles decided it was time to build a foothold in Anatolia.
After some debade, the small hellenic poleis of Cyzicus was chosen.



We left Lykophron in charge of Rhodian affairs and embarked our now larger army.



Cyzicus proved to be a more difficult target than expected.
We soon discovered that it was under the protection of Pergamom, which sent a relief army against us.
The lines met each other but it was soon clear that the enemy was outmatched both in numbers and quality.



Victory came shortly after with few losses.



After this, the settlement surrendered, giving us mastery of the area.

[Zarax]

Chapter 6 - A foothold in Anatolia

Unlike Rhodos, Cyzicus was a very different settlement to what we were used to.
Its population was mixed with an important portion of easterners which made the bulk of what we could recruit.



It was now clear that mercenary troops will have to become part of our army or attrition will fatally tear us down.

[Conqistador]

keep it up man!

[Lycurgus the Lawgiver]

Really like this as well!
Hopefully we will see the Cretans become a people with an almost divine legacy!

[Scutarii]

Planning on continuing this Zarax? Its a great showcase of XC.

[Zarax]

Yeah, I will continue it if possible, as usual my AARs are cut short by development, meaning short savegame life...

[CaesarVincens]

I'm not planning on XC 3.4 just yet, so this one still has life in it.