Between A Rock and a Hard Place
Probably not the most original title, but it sure beats something like CyrenaicAAR
Greetings to you all. It has been some time but I felt it might be time for a new AAR. And I will be playing as the grand and mighty country of Cyrenaica. No mods. Starting in 490 AUC. Not with the latest beta patch but the one before it. So no cascading alliances nor CTDs everytime a councillor need to be replaced, but we do get everyone looking dead in events and such. Do I have any goals? Well survival and hopefully, some day, expansion.
Well, let us take a look at Cyrenaica. Mighty might have been overstating its power earlier. Three provinces. Decent ones admittedly, but my neighbours are slightly more powerful to say the least. To the east we have mighty Egypt, allied with Sparta (not the most impressive ally) and currently at war with Macedonia. To the west we have Carthage, currently fighting Rome. This does somewhat limit our ability to expand. The fact that we don't have any wood doesn't really help either, but that is what trade is for. We do have spices in our coastal provinces and iron in the inland, so at the very least we will have heavy infantry.
Our king is Magas, halfbrother to king Ptolemy of Egypt and married to Apama, daughter to king Antiochus of the Seleucid Empire. The Seleucids are our allies, which is good as Ptolemy isn't very fond of the fact we are independent. Egypt does in fact quickly get a mission to conquer us, truly great. The Seleucids quickly attacks Pergamon, and we have no reason to abandon our allies. It is a poorly fought war by the Seleucids, and since we have no navy there isn't really anything we can do about it.
As Magas only have a daughter (Berenice) the councillors can't really agree on who should be the heir, but that is sorted out by slowly replacing some of the less competent councillors, as well as the current heir as he is very much unsuited for the job and no one likes him anyway. Quickly the risk of civil war decrease as there is a decent candidate most are happy with. Egypt wins their war against Macedonia conquering Euboea (and then promptly guarantees our independence, too bad it won't affect their ability to attack us), while the Seleucids still struggle against Pergamon, although in the end they manage to turn things around and after almost four years of war Pergamon is conquered by the Seleucids. I am truly impressed by our allies.
I start to plan what buildings to construct first, walls or irrigation, while better defense is good, I decide that irrigation is probably a better choice. Can note that Magas decided (in an event) to build a temple in Barca which is nice. But before we have enough money, the Egyptians declare war.
The Seleucids decide to join the war on my side and for the duration of the war I put Damasias, the Royal Treasurer, in charge of the army as while he isn't particularly good at that job (though better than the alternatives) he is a very good general. The Egyptians send their vast armies against the Seleucids so I decide to invade Egypt with my brave 10,000 men (heavy infantry and archers). As my army marches into Marmarica there is word that the war between Rome and Carthage has ended with Carthage ceding Panormus. However they did earlier in the war annex Massilia so it didn't end too badly for them.
But let us focus on the war we fight in right? I occupy Marmarica and marches to Alexandria and start the siege of the Ptolemaic capitol. However as a vast Egyptian army approaches and there is no time to get away, I do sign peace with the Egyptians. I pay tribute.
While the Seleucids were doing reasonably well, the Egyptians still had the upper hand, and would probably have won in the end, so not too terrible, though I do wonder wether a better peace could have been achieved. Anyway Magas is put back in charge of the army (as his popularity has plummeted I do want the army to remain loyal if there is a civil war) and marches home. A son is born named Ephron helping a bit since the succession is now a bit clearer.
Irrigation is constructed and completed in Barca. However trouble is brewing and one Aesillas is proclaimed king in Cyrene by some disloyal councillors and we find ourselves in civil war.
However the weak rebel army (3,000 militia) stands no chance as Magas crushes it and lays siege to Cyrene. After a few months the rebels are defeated and peace is returned. Well after the first ten years, how does the known world look?
Well there is civil war in Macedonia. The Seleucids are growing stronger and there are a few other countries like Pontus and Armenia that has also expanded. The Romans and Carthaginians look like they may end up fighting each other again some time in the future, but who knows.
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