Syrian Wars 4
Seleucids against Ptolemies
Sparing Tyre
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....Ptolemaic relief force breaks through to Tyre... City falls to treachery before the supplies and gold can bribe the local puppet government...Phalanx gutted in Pyrrhic victory.... |
Ptolemais:
General Snopus returned to Ptolemais with the remants of the once proud border army. His brilliant plan to relieve Tyre and strike a blow for freedom was a huge success, only to taste the bitterness of treachery as the city fell to Seleucid agents!!
The army fought for a breakthrough in the southern fringe of the Seleucid besieging forces, broke through with the phalanx and the relief supplies broke through, only to be welcomed into the city by Seleucid soldiers, acting as our own freedom fighters.
The phalanx suffered over 60%
casualties breaking in, where will Ptolemy find replacements? Luckily the Syrian scourge
are also licking their wounds and will be hard pressed to carry forward any gains.
General Snopus is regrouping at Ptolemais and deciding on his options....
The campaign thus far:
General Snopus' main force attempts to break through the outer cordon near the ruined Temple of Artemis along the coastline. Here we see the sketch of the action area:
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General Snopus' dispatch: "What can I say? Our plan went flawlessly. The enemy phalanx was turned, the Guard cavalry overran all their opposition. The phalanx did not run away... all good things except we were too late, our city was gone."
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The army lines up as a Seleucid blocking force rushes south to defend the causeway:
Supplies are readied to dash toward the beleageured fortress:
The Guard cavalry, on loan from the Royal army lay in wait behind the hills, as the Tarentines ride out to delay the enemy phalanx:
Local garrison troops are pressed into service and take the heights along with the slingers from Rhodes:
The Seleucid Arab cavalry closes on our right flank with infantry support:
Our gallant thureophoroi take heavy casualties as they run the missile gauntlet of the enemy horsmen and war machines.
The Seleucid right flank is covered by their menacing armored beast:
Undaunted by the risks, the Companion Guards charge the enemy Thracians, who are cut down to the last man:
On the right flank the thureophoroi rout all their enemies with a bold charge on the enemy war machines:
The Ptolemaic phalanx charges, but a tumultuous see-saw battle is the result, as our heroes struggle, outnumbered to push back the Seleucids:
Finally the Seleucid flank is turned! :
The enemy elephant take it's revenge on the local garrison troops, but they fall back:
The Seleucid phalanxes give way, as our terribly whittled down phalanx holds the center!!
The Guard cavalry is prevented from running down the enemy as
they flee, by their last phalanx which rallies in the way:
The end result was a bitter fought game. The Ptolemaic phalanx held it's ground but lost over a third of its models. The Seleucid general shifted to his left flank and defeated the Cretans, but this pulled his stalwart leadership away from his katoikoi phalanx at their critical moment. The gap then allowed the Ptolemiac kleruchoi to roll up the battleline saving our center from impending collapse.
The supply column broke through off the table, escorted by the Tarentine cavalry, but it was too late, the fierce battle was for naught, Tyre had fallen to a coup a day before! The Ptolemaic phalanx, even in victory was crushed by their losses. Mercenaries can be hired, skirmishers can be levied, but where can Ptolemy get more citizens and mercenary Macedonians???
The army elated by victory, but lamenting the sorry turn with such great cost retreated to Ptolemais, under cover of a soggy mist, waiting for reinforcements. But where will they come from??
Thanks to Paul Rigby and his ever growing Seleucid army for another bang up game of pike pushing!
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Sidebar: Paul brought over his just arrived in the mail 1st
Corps resin war elephant. I had just recieved the Aventine Sassanid elephant the day
before. The Sassanid model is superb.
I took this photo to give a comparison between the Newline beast I just finished, and the
1st Corps model:
"Victory is the only remedy" Ptolemy, Lord/Dude
Follow the Seleucid side of the campaign on Paul Rigby's Blog:
http://paulwargamespot.blogspot.com/
Wise Ptolemy speaks:
"A Ptolemy in time saves nine."
The exalted one, Ptolemy IIII guarantees the veracy of
the Memphis Gazetteer's press.
One hundred years of honest, totally truthful, unbiased, state run media excellence
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(What are we fighting for?)
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05/21/11
