The Akkadian Struggle- AAR by Xanadu 04-2003

[anguille]

The Akkadian Struggle...by Xanadu

As I view my empire I see that there is much to gain from the defeat of my neighbors. My lands are able to produce great quantities of food, and builing materials. Unfortunately if I am to see my empire grow I will need to be able to produce more food, and also produce resources that I currently cannot make myself. The local tradesman has the stores if I nned it, but he asks of great amounts of money for the resources, of which I do not have. I will need to gear up for battle, there is no other way. Expansion is limitless in terms of direction. I find myself in the middle of neighbors that would like to see my empire fall. The Mari the the northwest, the Yamhadi to the west, the Babylonians to the south, the Eshunna to the east, and the Assyrians to the north.

There is a long road ahead of me which the first step is to insure that I have enough food to put my armies to the field. In my large encampment of Kazallu to the north I upgrade my reed bed so I may produce more building materials. In my small villages of Kutha to the east, and Agade to the west I expand my homesteads to increase my food production. I also recuit two regiments of peasants just in case my neighbors get any ideas.

In the spring I send a diplomat to the Mari to the northwest of me, and a diplomat to the Yamhadi to the west. I need my diplomats to keep tabs on their armies so I can see when they are heading my way.

in early summer my homesteads have been upgraded and then immdeiately upgrade them again. The following month, June, my reed bed was finished being upgraded. I then immediately begin the upgrade construction on it. My peasant regiments have since been recruited and they await my orders in Kazallu.

in September my farms are finshed being upgraded, and in Agade I decide to build a Skirmishers Barracks so I may advance my armies diversity, and strength. By building material stocks are completely used up. I must build more reed beds so I may build more buildings quicker.
In December my one and only reed brick maker (building material) is now complete. I begin construction of a new reed bed in Kazallu, and also begin construction of a new reed beed in Kutha. Now my main problem is finding the men to work the reed beds.
The following month I decide to build a farm in Agade. Food is the most essential resource I can have, and I will not allow myself or my people starve becuase of my ill-planning.
In March my new homestead (food) and the new reed bed in Kutha are complete. I man them with the new workers that arrived the month before. Now I need to start working on my army, and defences. In the same month I decide to build an Infantry Barracks in Kutha. I also recruit four regimets of Hupshu Skirmishers in Agade to bolster my army.
The following month has my second new reed bed finishing completion. I man the site, and also decide to send two of the new skirmisers to my northern city to help defend it in case of an attack.

It is now June, and I fear of attack soon by the Babylonians. They have a large army near my border and quite close to my small village of Agade. I will recruit more skirmishers to defend my village.


During the summer months I upgrade my food and building material buildings. In September I begin construction to upgrade Kazallu to a small village. I need the space so I can build a fort.

In December the stillness of my serene plains have ceased. My diplomat sends word that the Yamhadi are sending two armies my way, one small, one large. To add to my misery I see the Babylonians are moving more troops closer to our border, but this time placing them close to my village of Kutha. I dispatch a regiment of shirmishers to Kutha to bolster their defences. I shall send more as I recruit them. In Kutha I recruit 3 regiments of Khepetj Auxiallia. I only hope that enough troops are recruited fast enough in case the Babylonians decide to attack.

in January the small army from the Yamhadi make it to the gates of Agade. Though I feel I won't have any problems with this army, it's the larger one that will show up next month that cuase me to grit my teeth. The Babylonians have stopped thier armies at the border.....for now. The city upgrade in Kazallu is complete, and I immediately begin construction of a fort.

In Febuary the Yamhadi decide to attack with their small army. I am not sure what they are trying to accomplish, but quite possibly a test to see what our defences are for when their large army makes it to my village. The larger army will not attack me this month due to their idiot general choosing a bad route to support their smaller army.

My defences are strong. 7 Hupshu Skirmisher units, one peasant levy unit, and one spearmen unit. Iset my shirmishers on the front lines I may attack first with my ranged weapons. My levy, and spearmen unit with walk through the skirmisher ranks to meet the enemy before they can reach my shirmishers....well...that's the plan any how.

The enemy only teased us with 2 skirmisher units and they were quickly tossed aside. My levy or spearmen units never got to touch the enemy. they broke too soon. I am sure however that they will get their chance next month as the enemy will be able to strike then.....

Part II
The following month I expected the Yamhadi to attack, but apparently their general has absolutley no direction sense. Scouts report that he is literally wandering in my general direction. I begin to wonder if he actually knows where he is....


He finally arrives at my gates. I find myself actually wishing him to hurry up and attack....I've got important things to do. As his army approaches I see a great many regiments in his army. Fortunately for me they consist of a lot of Peasant Levy troops (4 regiments that I can see). My Hupshu Skirmishers should be able to cut a lot of them down before we engage them hand to hand, but they also have 2 hupshu skirmesher untis to provide a ranged attack. I feel this battle should be over with soon....with help of their stupid general.

i form two solid blocks of skirmishers. One block to the right has 5 skirmisher units placed closely together with my spearman unit in the middle. My block to the left has 2 skirmisher units with a peasant levy unit in the middle. The enemy has made a wall of peasant levy running the width of the field with their skirmishers behind them...this should be a slaughter....

One enemy peasant unit breaks and runs away from my right block due to the massive ranged attack before they even made it to my units. Shortly after that my left block makes quick work of the only peasant unit to meet them in battle. After a very short time my right block sends 2 more enemy peasant units running after engaging them in battle for a very short time. After my spearmen manage to march through the ranks of my right block skirmishers they immediately engage an enemy peasany levy unit. THis enemy unit was already severely beaten before my spearmen even meet them, so when they did they were cut down in seconds.

Now all that is left on the field is the enemy's 2 skirmisher units. They have been throwing their weapons, but this is not enough to save them. All my units beging to advance on them.

I will give credit to the enemy, they are very resilient. They managed to cause 3 of my skirmisher units, my spearmen unit, and my peasant unit turn and run if fear before my more brave soldiers engaged them hand to hand.

The battle continued on for a lot longer than it should have. The enemy was tough, and very brave. However, my sheer numbers overwhelmed them and the enemy was defeated.

Luckily for me my routed units ran, and hid well. I managed to find all my cowardly units and put them on rest so they can recover their injuries, and give me time to fill in their ranks. The experiance these men gained is invaluable...I can only hope that they learned from their mistakes.

Although I managed to stop the attack of the Yamhadi, I see that the Mari have been quite busy recruiting troops to the north. This can't be good. The Babylonians to the south still have two armies on my border. This does not make me comfortable at all. To top that off I see that the Eshunna have been moving troops near my border to the east.


Why do I feel so paranoid all of a sudden???

Part III
After the failed attept by the Yamhado I decided to upgrade my small village of Agade (which is where the Yamhadi attacked) to a large village. I will use the extra space gained to build a small fort.

In August I also decided to upgrade my small village of Kutha to a large village. I need the space to build a fort becasue I see that the Babylonians are incresing their numbers on our border. I have started recuiting more shirmishers and auxilia for my two southern villages of Kutha and Agade to prepare for thid invasion. I will also be recruiting troops for Kazallu in case the Mari decide to invade me while my attention is elsewhere.

In January of the following year I decide to upgrade my small village of Kaulla to a large village. Since Kazulla already has a fort I will probably build some kind of barracks for a specialized unit. I don't know it will be yet....I haven't decided. Also at this time I have an army outside my large village of Agade to help defend against an attack by the Babylonians. They are still there, but I fear that the bubble will burst soon.

In March I see that the Eshunna have begun moving troops into my empire. Next month they will be able to attack my village of Kutha. I begin movent of my army towards Kutha, but I fear they will not be able to make it there for two months. My army in the village of Kutha is large, but the Eshunna are sending in one small army, and one large army right after. The larger army may not be able to attack me next month, but definitely the next. I hope my spare army can attack them first to infilct enough casualties so they will not be able to take my village. I begin immediate construction of a small fort in Kutha. It will not be complete in time for this invasion, but I can only hope my troops hold out until it is.

The follwing month the Eshunna attacked.....