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Dawn... that most precious of moments between a sound nights sleep and the din of a waking camp when one hovers between bliss and the rigors of life in the army. All night my mind had been replaying the life I'd come to know and cherish, the new scythe charioteer's I'd forged into an effective fighting unit. It was a new sight to my nation, and our hope... for we were hard pressed from all sides.
Parthia most of late... their feared horsemen had rained death on our proud nation without warning. They would get their due, but it took time for new ideas to take shape, this was only the first fruits of our great greek minds.
As I slowly turned over I realized there was a slight hush, almost the calm before the storm across the city. Some messengers were running frantically here and there, and then the horns... not ours though. I grabbed my sword and rushed to the wall, for in the night an army of a more then a thousand hated Parthians had gathered before our wooden wall. The rising sun blinded me but also briefly outlined their numbers... pushing three great battering rams were mercenaries... pahftt... the dogs. I hate sell-swords. It did not take one wiser then me to realize this day would be bloody... I sent off a prayer, for I knew the body count would be highest on our side and only hoped our steel would prove enough.
Rushing down to my men I gathered them close... giving words of encouragement as we donned our armor and checked over the harness and blades of our fine chariots. I quickly penned a request and had a runner send it to the general, and formed up both units under my command. There was little we could do in the walls and the Prince knew that... our main army was days away from reinforcing our position. So be it... and the order came back, I was to make for the north gate.
The streets were strangely quiet... such is war and we made good time. I could hear the thrum of the archers from the towers and the muted thunder of hundreds of hooves and men marching forward. Cries for order and our lord's speech carried faintly through the morning din. The gatekeeper clasped my hand in farewell, and tried to look brave for he knew what I had requested was a death sentence.
We made good time once outside the wall, chariots are not made for city streets. By the time we had rounded the wall, nearly a league away the battle was already hard pressed. The gates had been breached, along with two other spots in the wall. Our lightly armored hoplites were hard pressed but our peltasts and militia horsemen were keeping them back with volley after volley of javelins. I grimaced and my heart hardened at what came next. The sky seemed to darken, so many were the arrows that took flight... for what nation truly cares about its mercenaries, so long as the enemy dies. Our men began to fall by the dozens, with only the prince's thundering voice keeping them at their spot for to lose the walls was to lose the town.
I drew the reins back and raised my hand in the signal... our lines spread out in formation. I glanced up and down, these were my brothers, many of whom if at all we'd see again. My arm fell... and the charge began.
What happened next I can't really say, nothing had prepared us for the intensity of what followed. The archers had closed behind their infantry eager to press into the city for spoil, for our ranks had finally broken and fallen back and could not hear our thunderous charge. Our chariots slammed into men and steeds alike... blood sprayed into the mist and dust of battle like so many fountains as our blades cut a wide swath. Our leftmost flank swung in behind them raking their flanks as those closest to the wall's headlong charge was finally broken by the sheer numbers of men in front of us.Pulling my sword out I hacked for freedom as our men turned the chariots north east away from our foe.
I took an arrow in the shoulderblade shattering my armor and bone alike... the rage was upon me and I didn't notice that I'd dropped my sword, wheeling around I saw a few empty chariots thunder past and then we charged again, and again though they were now ready for us... on that third charge men in the city charged hitting the now halted enemy in the side.
The enemy ranks broke... a few at first, then more, then in full. I could not believe my eyes. We weren't about to let them go, our horses were tired... we were exhausted but this was our Duty! I could not count the notches in my blades this day, but this I know... only the fastest of their horsemen escaped.
I am now a wealthy man... with the royal families thanks for our duty. And that was all it was, what does wealth mean in the face of this. What does anything... I will never forget what mere mortal men accomplished this day. The 'arrow storm' of our foe was silenced... perhaps for good.
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This is an actual re-telling of a game battle fought on the most difficult settings as Seleucid. I believe I was outnumbered 2:1 with their units being much superior. I still don't know how I won but the chariots had over half the enemy death toll. Hoped you enjoyed the read.