The Parthian Kings

[Karvon]

The first in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

1. Revolt Against the Seleucids.

Raising the flag of revolt against the foreign dogs, our governor led our nobles and retainers against the local military garrison, encountering them in a gentle valley.

We divided our army in half, placing one wing on each side of the valley. Our lights led the way, followed by our heavy horse archers and a small reserve of cataphracts.

The Seleucids deployed a massive phalanx in the center, with a few medium foot flankers and a light foot screen. Their lancers deployed to cover their left, and some assorted horse and camels covered their right.

We pushed aggressively forward along both flanks, swinging out wide to envelope the advancing enemy forces. Our light horse quickly outflanked the opposing horse and we skirmished them to death on both flanks.

The Seleucids, split their infantry, swinging out to the flanks to counter our threats. Again, our horse archers swarmed around their mediums and slowly shot them to pieces as they charged vainly after our fleet horse.

Some of the pikes got drawn away from the rest in attempting to drive off our horse and we surrounded and shot them up as well, before flanking and breaking them.

With nearly all of their supporters gone and a couple of pikes in rout, the remaining Seleucids gave up.

Final Score: Parthians 41 Seleucids 2.

[Karvon]

The 2nd in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

2. Battle along the Euphrates.

We shadowed the invading Seleucid forces out of the higher hills (rerolled) to the banks of the mighty Euphrates, which covered our right flank. A chain of gentle hills snaked across our front and looked down on a pair of large farming complexes on our right. A cluster of smaller fields and nearby villages lay on the far left end of the hills, sealing that flank.
A series of rough patches spread along the center left beyond the hills. A lone spire rose near the center right of the Seleucid side, looking down on connecting hills spreading across their center, a medium-sized date grove before it, with a farming hamlet and surrounding fields sealing off their right flank.

It wasn't the most appealing field, but it did offer more options than the encounter in the rugged hill country had.

We deployed 3 mixed horse archer divisions across the field, with a light foot command opposite the rough sector and a small cataphract command in reserve.

The Seleucids deployed their phalanx in the center with a small mounted command with an elephant covering their left and a couple of medium foot covering their right. A few lights were scattered across the front as a screen with their light horse holding down their far right.

We pushed forward pretty aggressively on both flanks while our light foot moved up through the rough. The Seleucids responded by pushing forward and shifting left to anchor on the river.

On the right, our horse archers drove in his lights and showered his mounted with a hail of arrows, which they unfortunately managed to shrug off. The pikes pushed forward in support, chasing off our horse archers and provided a shelter for his mounted to recover.

On the left, our mixed horse archers quickly saw off the opposing enemy lights and ranged around the hills and moved into the center to help our lights clear away a few enemy lights and mediums defending the rough areas. The Seleucids responded by detaching a couple of pikes to drive off our horse.

In the face of the advancing phalanx and elephant, we began a long retreat on the right, slowly attempting to shift as much as we could to our open left. The Seleucids pushed forward and shifted as fast as their foot could, in an attempt to trap as much as possible against back edge.

In the meantime, our troops pretty much obliterated the scattered Seleucid forces on the left and in the center. His two lone pikes were underfire from all sides and both were flanked before they could form square.

On our right, the Seleucids pressed us to the backedge, driving off a couple of our horse and destroying one of our cataphracts. Most of our horse did manage to get away and work their way around the left. The Seleucid foot turned about to face the wreckage to the rear. Some of our victorious light horse swept down and finished off the previously shot up lancers who'd been hiding behind the pikes.

On the left, one of the embattled pikes broke, and that was the final straw for the Seleucids and then fled the field.

Final Score Parthians - 46 Seleucids - 20

[Karvon]

The 3rd in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

3. The Mountain Pass

Following the successful revolt against the Selucids, our king directed his armies ride east against some troublesome Graeco-Bactrian neighbors. The enemy mobilized more quickly than we anticipated and marched to block our advance along the banks of a deep stream running through a mountainous pass. Mountains blocked off the right from about the center to the far edge. On our left, they ran from our far left to the center edge. The stream flowed through the mountains across the middle of the field, ending in a small marsh on our right. A plateau ran from the center towards far side of the field, divided by the stream, and scattered with a few rough areas and a tree or two. A couple of small farms and surrounding enclosures lay at the foot of the hills in our center area.

We massed our light foot on our right opposite the marsh and extended the line across the center with our light horse. Our heavier horse archers formed up in two divisions behind the lights and our cataphracts were massed in the rear towards our right as a reserve.

The Graeco-Bactrians massed their infantry, some pike supported by some mediums, in the more open plains opposite our left. They were supported by a pair of elephants and a couple of lancers and screened by some lights. On the plateau, the deployed the bulk of their horse, a mix of lancers and cataphracts, screened by some light horse.

Our plan was to swarm the horse wing with our lights and horse archers on our right, supported by our cataphracts, while delaying his infantry with a few of our lights, supported by some horse archers.

The Graeco-Bactrians pushed forward aggressively with his infantry on our left, while shifting his horse to reinforce his horse wing on our right.

On our right, our lights unleashed a barrage of missiles on his opposing horse, and we drove off his screening lights with our heavier horse archers. In response, the enemy lancers charged to drive off our skirmishers. This exposed them more to concentrated fire, and once disrupted, our cataphracts ran them over. Our light horse ran down and finished off the earlier disrupted screening light horse.

On our left, the enemy pushed his elephants forward to drive off our skirmishers as his infantry plodded forward. We surrounded and showered the elephants with arrows at a safe range, and the eventually lost heart and fled, disrupting the nearby phalanxes.

On our right, our victorious horse surrounded, shot up and flanked some of the enemy mediums and cataphracts. When these gave way, the Graeco-Bactrians had enough and the army fled the field.

Final Score: Parthians 40 Graeco-Bactrians 7

[Karvon]

The 4th in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

4. Battle of the Farms

Pushing on through the mountains, we came into a farming region and found the Graeco-Bactrians awaiting us beyond a farming settlement. A large farm and fields lay in our center sector, faced by a strip of rough. A large grove was on the left of the enclosures. A pair of hills ran from beside the grove to our left corner. They looked down on another farm and enclosures running along the left edge. An oasis sat in about the center, a little way past the main enclosures. A chain of medium-sized rough patches stretched from the left of the oasis off to the left edge. Two medium-sized rough patches were in the center, off to the right of the farm, running toward the far side, separating the center from the right sector. A large rough patch lay opposite those along the far right edge of the field. A large grove was along the back of the far right sector. A medium-sized farm lay along the back of the far center sector. A smaller grove and another farm were along the back of the far left sector.

We divided our force into four groups. We placed one mixed horse archer group on our far left in the gap between the two farming complexes. We deployed a similar group on our far right between the rough areas. We massed our light foot in a single group opposite the center rough areas on the left of our horse. Finally, our cataphracts were placed in reserve along the back edge in the center. This placed us in a position to quickly threaten on both wings with our horse and shift our lights in support as needed, with our cataphracts able to move to reinforce and support whichever wing proved more viable.

The Graeco-Bactrians deployed a mixed infantry force in the center, a pair of pikes supported by a few medium foot and screened by a few light foot. On their right, they deployed cataphracts screened by some light horse. On their left, were some lancers screened by a few light horse. I was pleasantly surprised to see no elephants along, as those often caused problems for my own horse.

We initially advanced on both wings with our horse as our foot moved up into the rough to harass the opposing foot and nearby horse. The enemy advanced to engage all along the front. After drawing them forward on our left, we suddenly shifted right, using the oasis to screen us from a quick pursuit by the opposing slower cataphracts. With our superior number of bow, on foot and mounted, we rather quickly shot up or drove back his screening lights and began to take a heavy toll on his lancers facing us on our right.

The Graeco-Bactrians pressed forward with his light horse against our smaller retreating screen on our left as his cataphracts struggled along behind. We lost a couple of our lights in the delaying action.

In the center, our horse rode up close and slowed the advance of his infantry. We lost one horse that pursued through the infantry and got surrounded by his supporting horse. Our light foot shredded up several of his mediums with fire and aided in shooting up his lancers. Invariably, a few of these got caught and killed while evading.

On our right, the enemy lancers surged forward, trying to catch the horse archers tormenting them. This led them to be scattered, and our horse archers converged on them, shooting them up and pinning them down. Our cataphracts rode up and finished this all off. Some of our horse flanked mediums venturing out of the central rough, and they got swept away by our cataphracts pretty quickly as well. With their left and most of their center gone, the pikes formed up in squares to save themselves from our horse swirling around them, as their army gave up and fled the field.

Final score: Parthians 41 - Graeco-Bactrians 13.

[Karvon]

The 5th in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

5. The Skythian Raiders

A Skythian horde swarmed over our northern frontier, and we gathered an army to repel them. The armies met near a central plateau. Large farms and field lay at the foot of this in our center and on our far left a long the edge. Large date palm groves filled much of our right sector below the plateau. A chain of rough areas, stretching from our left to a bit beyond the center, ran along the left side of the plateau. A couple of rough patches lay beyond the plateau on the right. A pair of farms were along the back edge, one in the far left, the other in the far center.

We decided to concentrate our forces to the left of the plateau initially, as that gave us the most open ground to redeploy or fallback on, if needed. We deployed our massed light foot supported by a pair of medium foot opposite the chain of rough ground. One mixed horse archer command formed up on the left of the rough and the other on the right, facing the plateau. Our cataphracts deployed to the left behind our horse archers.

The Skythians deployed a mass of light horse on their left and in the center facing the plateau, backed up by horse archers and cataphracts. They had a few medium foot and lights deployed facing the rough necklace. A smaller force of mixed horse archers were formed up on their far right.

We pushed hard on our left with our mixed command and light foot. Our second horse archer wing shifted left behind the rough to follow up, as did our cataphracts.

The Skythians pushed forward across the plateau with most of their forces, while redirecting their cataphract reserve to their right wing to block our advance. Their lights and mediums moved into the rough to oppose ours. Their mixed horse archers moved up to delay our advance.

With our superior numbers, we shot up and drove back the opposing horse on our left. Our lights and mediums, supported by our horse shooting, wore down or drove off most of his foot, but took heavy losses in the process, as his own horse archers crossed the plateau and swung around the rough areas in support.

His cataphracts shored up his right, driving off some of our horse archers, but then ours arrived to stabilize the line and flank his engaged horse. Our horse archers finished off his opposing horse archers on our left and then fell on the flanks and rear of the embattled cataphracts. They held up for a little while, but eventually enough of them gave way and the Skythians gave up and fled back to their home on the steppes.

Final Score: Parthians 61 Skythians 40

[Karvon]

The 6th in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

6. Battle along a Stream

Following the defeat of the Skythian raiders, our king's eyes turned westward towards the eastern provinces of the Seleucid empire. The royal army was dispatched to seize some of these lands from the Greeks. We found the enemy army waiting on the far side of a stream. Long bluffs looked down from both banks. Those along our left were steep and rough, and another steep hill rested atop them against our far right edge. Small patches of rough and trees were scattered across most of the bluffs. A small steep hill and medium-sized neighboring woods masked the far left corner, and a similarly sized woods dominated the far right one. A small marsh lay beyond the stream in the right-center sector. A couple of farming complexes sat at the foot of the bluffs in our center sector.

We deploy large division of medium foot screened by most of our light foot behind the bluffs on our left with a couple of light horse attached as scouts. We placed one division of horse archers in the center and the other on our right. A small division of cataphracts sat in reserve in the center. A few light foot were attached to the right wing to scout the marsh and far woods.

The Selucids deployed most of the forces in the center, with several elephants supporting a mixed mounted division on their left. A small, medium foot command supported by a few lights was placed on their right opposite the steep bluffs.

We pushed forward on our right with our mounted behind a screen of lights. We initially held back our infantry, hidden behind the bluffs on our left, hoping the Seleucids would shift to their left and expose their right flank a bit. The enemy responded very aggressively, sending his mounted troops and elephants to contest our crossing of the stream and marching the bulk of his infantry to follow up in support.

Our horse archers and lights rode up and unleashed a barrage of arrows on his horse, but our shooting was dismal, and a couple of our lead-footed skirmishers got caught and broken. We broke off the attack, sending a few units already across the stream, wider around the enemy left, and the other survivors retreated and shifted towards the center.

Meanwhile, on our left, we pushed our infantry over the bluffs and across the stream, fairly quickly flanking and destroying his opposing medium and light foot division. His neighboring pikes reversed direction to face the threat on their right. Our redeployed horse archers fell on the flanks and rear, pinning and harassing them with threatened charges. A couple of his worn-down horse were picked off by our skirmishing lights and horse hovering around his left flank. We gradually hunted and destroyed almost all his mounted and one of his elephants with our lights and horse archers, supported by a few of our medium foot,

Our cataphracts shifted around to avoid his elephants and pikes and were too slow to serve as anything but a distraction on this day. But, the rest of the army did their job, and the enemy finally broke,

Final Score: Parthians 53 Seleucids 22.

[Karvon]

The 7th in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

7. Fight on the Plains

Pressing deeper into the Seluecid provinces, we came upon the regrouped enemy forces on a fairly broad plain bounded by some woods in both the near and far left corner sectors. A long, gentle ridge ran across the center of the right sector. A small marsh with a neighboring village lay a little off to the left of our center sector. A small hill looked down on a village near the Seluecid's center sector with some woods behind it. A small woods lay across the fields from our marsh on the enemy right.

We deployed a division of mixed horse archers on each wing, each supported by a pair of cataphracts. A smaller mixed horse archer division formed up in the center. Our light foot we massed hidden in the marsh.

The Seleucids deployed a three-deep checkerboard of foot in their center, mostly pike with a few medium foot in the rear ranks. Interspersed in the rear ranks were some camels, cataphracts, and cavalry. A loose screen of light formed up in front.

Our plan was to send our wings wide and flank the enemy line, focusing on his supporting troops and avoiding the pikes.

The Seleucids cautiously advanced as our three divisions rode forward. We massed our horse archers and lights shooting and initially disrupted a fair number of his lights. A couple of our lights were disrupted in the exchange and fell back to be rallied by generals. We then charged, driving his lights back through their supporting foot. A couple got caught and seen off

He sortied forward with his mounted reserves. The camels got shot up and broke. The cataphracts chased after our horse archers and rode well out of range of this foot. The cavalry likewise charged out of range and got surrounded and shredded by fire. We flanked and shot up his last mounted, a lancer unit, covering his right flank, then ran it down with our horse archers.

His infantry valiantly attempted to drive our mounted off and only succeeded in spreading themselves out. Now threatened on several fronts, many of the pikes formed into squares. Leaving their neighbors to fend for themselves.

Leaving token units to pin the pikes, our mounted swept past them and fell on the scattered lights and mediums in the rear. Sensing the imminent destruction of his army, the Seleucid general surrendered.

[Karvon]

The 8th in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

8. Death by the Pond

Our victorious army marched further into Seleucid territory and came upon another provincial army. Battle was joined on a wide plain bounded by woods along the far right edge and a pond between the left and center sectors short of the center line on the enemy side. A gentle slope rose nearby in the enemy center.

We deployed two large mixed horse archer divisions on each wing and a smaller one in the center. Our light foot formed up screening our center with a small cataphract division lined up behind each wing.

The Seleucids placed a Thracian unit and some lancers in the center on the hill with pike blocks on each flank at the foot. A warband supported by a couple of mobs and camels covered their right wing behind the pond. A division of three cataphracts and a lancer covered their left. A very thin screen of lights spread across their front.

We sent our left wing horse archers wide around the pond, drawing his right wing from behind the pond in an attempt to block us. Our light foot and center horse archers trotted up to his opposing screen and unleashed a barrage of fire. Our right-wing horse archers chased off his screen and rode wide around the supporting cataphracts. Our own cataphracts shifted right behind our lines to face off against his.

On our left, the camels charged, attempting to engage our horse. We evaded and shredded them with fire, sending them off the field. Our light pommeled his supporting mobs, and they rather quickly evaporated. His surviving warband pushed on alone, and we surrounded and crushed it, though we sacrificed a horse archer in the process.

In the center, with the enemy screen gone, our lights moved up and sent a hail of arrows on the lancers and Thracians holding the hill, ignoring the neighboring pikes. The lancers charged down the hill, ran down a fleeing light, and then got shot up by the rest of our center. One of our light horse swept the survivors away. Another finished off the shaken Thracians, which left a rather large hole in the Seleucid center. The Pikes trudged forward on both sides, attempting to seal the gap.

On our right, a pike unit, the cataphracts and lancers charged our opposing horse archers and got a bit scattered. We surrounded and shot down the lancers, pinned, flanked, and broke the pikes, and tied up the cataphracts with our own. Our horse archers moved in on the flanks and rear of the engaged cataphracts.

At this point, the Seleucids had enough and fled the field.

Final score: Parthians 42 - Seleucids 15.

[Karvon]

The 9th in a semi-historical series of battles of the Parthians vs some of their historical enemies.

9. Into Armenia

After securing our Seleucid provinces, we turned our eyes to the lands of the Armenians to our northwest. Our army found our path blocked in the mountainous hills near the border.

We were not happy at all with the place the Armenians had chosen to face us. Mountains completely sealed off our right flank, descending into a hilly plateau covered with scattered rough and trees. Mountains, rough and farming complexes, lined the left edge, leaving a very narrow area of open ground suitable for our horse.

We deployed mixed horse archer commands supported by cataphracts on each wing, and placed a division of medium bow and spear in the center, screened by our light foot. We hoped to use our maneuverability to mass our firepower on one part of the Armenian force, then overwhelm them with our cataphracts.

Unfortunately, but perhaps unsurprisingly, given the terrain, the Armenians opted for an almost all infantry force, supported by a minimal number of their cataphracts and light horse. They naturally massed on the broken high ground of the plateau.

Attempting to make the best of the situation, we shifted left of the plateau with our foot while our lights and horse archers attempted to get a jump on his lights. That turned into a dismal disaster. Despite massing and getting off a well concentrated initially volley, we did virtually no damage; his lights grimly shrugged off our storm of arrows. On the otherhand, our troops, apparently disheartened by the spirit shown by the enemy, wilted under the return volley, many of them disrupted by a single shot. We pulled by the shaken units and pushed forward more of our horse archers for another round, only to get virtually the same results.

While this fiasco was unfolding, we pushed our left wing horse archers forward in an attempt to engage the enemy light horse covering the enemy right flank. Again, our shooting was indecisive, and the enemy lights retreated to the shelter of their foot, before we could press our advantage in numbers.

With many of our lights and right wing horse disrupted, we gave up any chance of success and began redeploying to our left with our mediums taking up position in some rough, and our horse covering the flanks as our generals tried to rally our shaken units.

The Armenians pressed after us, and their shooting continued to devastate us, even after they ran out of ammo. We sacrificed one of our cataphracts, chasing off some lights to buy more time to reorganize, to no real avail. Most of our shaken troops refused to rally, even with generals attached.

Our left-wing horse managed to chase a couple of his lights off the board, only for them to return shortly thereafter.

The Armenian foot closed in on our foot in the rough, supported by a lone cataphract. Our own cataphracts attempted to slow them down, but there were simply too many of them; they swarmed around and engaged our foot. Our general commanding our foot died, and, in keeping with the run of luck we were having, several neighboring units fragmented. While one of these did then fight heroically a turn or two longer, the rest of the infantry evaporated. Our horse, seeing the foot swept away, turned and rode for safety.

Final score: Parthians - 8 Armenians - 50