Antigones:

"Hahaha, you, you, are bent on making achievements.

That's good. But don't forget the connection between offense and defense, and don't just focus on moving forward. Because there is always an intermittent accumulation of power before exerting force. ”

Aloyos:

"Yes, Your Majesty. I made a note of it.

Besides, I didn't take into account your feelings, so I might as well arrange for you to be escorted back to the palace immediately. ”

Antigone has been nervous since the beginning of the war, and these days he has suddenly relaxed, and he always feels a headache and drowsiness. He wanted to take a break.

"What about the front line?"

"Watched by Uncle Damasos and me."

"Hmm. It is enough for Damasos to look at the front line. Aloyos, you go back with me. ”

"Yes."

The garrison of the front line was placed under the management of Damasos, and Antigonus, accompanied by Aloyos, led some of the veterans who had returned home to visit their families.

Return to the capital, home of Thessaloniki.

The King is 59 years old, and he looks much older, having seen so much in his recent years of career.

Garras personally came with his guard to greet the king's triumph. He even set off as soon as he heard the good news.

On the way, Gueras and his party met the heroes returning from the front, and when Gueras saw the king, he dismounted from a distance to meet him, and he stepped forward to support Antigones and was speechless with excitement. The soldiers behind him also dismounted in unison:

"Greetings to the King's triumph!"

When the king returned to the capital, he was finally reunited with his family, which he had been thinking about all day and night.

When Alroyos saw his young and beautiful wife, Sylfin, he was so excited that he picked her up and spun her around three times.

Sylfin took the swaddling Podarre Rios from the wet nurse's arms and showed it to her husband. With tears in his eyes, Aloyos hugged his child and said to his wife affectionately:

"I have made you suffer alone, and I must compensate you well."

Sylphine shook his head mischievously and said:

"I don't want to listen to your empty words, next time you leave, I will follow you wherever you go."

After saying that, he rested his head in his arms.

The soldiers were envious of this scene when they saw it. When they think of their wives and the children of their families, they are all like arrows, and they can't wait to step into the house.

The victorious troops entered the city from the main gate with their heads held high, and Gueras arranged a triumphal ceremony, which was welcomed by the people of the capital.

The people of the hometown greeted the heroes with flowers and wine. It's like a big festival.

The veterans went home to rest, and they took their exploits to receive honor and respect.

The fighters who remained on the front line were still holding their posts, they looked at the coastline, they were on the western front.

Eastern Front

While the Macedonian soldiers on the Western Front were fighting bloodily, the armies on the Eastern Front were also fiercely fighting with the enemy. And they're making good progress as well.

As mentioned earlier, the Macedonian army on the Eastern Front - the Seventh Army thwarted the enemy's arrogance and eliminated an elite unit of the Scythians.

They then pursued Zeboitus, the leader of the enemy, to the city of Scythia and besieged it.

Despite the rudiments of Scythia, the city was built on a high ground, and most of the defenders in the city were archers. There were four teams of foot archers, as well as quite a few cavalry archers. In this way, as long as the Macedonian army approached, it would be stopped by the enemy's bows and arrows pouring down, and it would not be possible to approach the city gates.

Just as Oonos was frowning, troops from the Sarmatian tribes (Scythia) in the steppes of Eastern Europe came to reinforce Zeboitus.

This is a pure cavalry unit, and the Sarmatian iron cavalry that is fully armoured, including the war horses, is very strong. It is difficult for ordinary cavalry to outmaneuver them one-on-one. It was followed by a large number of Scythian archers, at least six squadrons.

In order to besiege the town without losing it, Oonos expanded the encirclement very widely, thus lengthening and thinning the forces on the battle line.

When the hussars reported an emergency with the arrival of enemy reinforcements.

Oonos immediately ordered the withdrawal of troops from this direction, and at the same time ordered the withdrawal of troops from other directions. In this way, the troops are gathered together, and the enemy situation is observed to calm the brakes.

Oonos's swift response preserved the strength of the Macedonian army. Otherwise, the Scythians will break through from inside the city and join forces with reinforcements from outside the city. Especially after breaking through the weak encirclement in the north of the city, it rolled up and hit all the defense lines by the way.

In that case, even if the Macedonian army is not destroyed, it will have to suffer heavy losses.

The cavalry of the Sarmatian tribes came from afar, rushing all the way to the rescue, especially the iron cavalry in heavy armor. So when they saw that the Macedonians were retreating on their own, they no longer pursued and entangled, and all entered the city through the north gate.

Oonos saw so many reinforcements from the enemy at once, and most of them were archers. How to break the city now? He was even more confused.

He gathered his troops and stationed them outside the south gate of the city of Scythia.

The Macedonian troops had built simple fortifications, wooden arrow towers, stake bunkers, etc., in front of the camp, and they were collecting more materials to find a way to break the city.

It was another gloomy afternoon, and the soldiers continued to repair their fortifications. Suddenly, the sound of rumbling horses' hooves could be heard in the distance.

The centurions of each regiment hurriedly greeted:

"Pick up your arms and assemble on the ground after the fortifications!"

The soldiers dropped their tools, laid the pickets with grass or wheat stalks, and ran to assemble.

I saw a large number of cavalry pouring out of the city gates, and no infantry went out to fight. Presumably, they came to harass and obstruct the construction work. They galloped on horseback and soon approached, drawing their bows and shooting arrows. The Macedonian bow troops, hiding behind the fortifications, began to shoot arrows in counterattack. The Scythian cavalry approached, stopped and fired accurately. Targets that don't move are more likely to be hit, and Scythian archers fall to the ground in response.

Although the Macedonians had few bows, they had the protection of their turrets and bunkers, and were not afraid to shoot at the Scythian archers.

Seeing that they could not take advantage of the situation but suffered a loss, the Scythians simply forced their attack.

The Sarmatian heavy cavalry charged, heavily armed and charged straight for the Macedonian light troops with iron spears in their horses.

The lightly armed troops did not take a step back, and continued to throw javelins, draw bows and shoot arrows, and when the Sarmatian cavalry rushed closer, it was too late to realize that there was something unusual in the haystack. The surging cavalry in the front row was loaded with horse-repellent stakes set up by the Macedonians.

These 30° to 45° inverted stakes plunge directly into the horse's belly, or trip over the horse. The cavalry behind them stopped, but they became excellent targets for the javelinmen. Even though they wore thick armor, they could not withstand the barrage of javelins and arrows, especially from Macedonian bows and arrows on their necks, faces, and legs.

The Sarmatians panicked, and if they turned and retreated, they would be more likely to be penetrated by bows and arrows, and they were in a dilemma.

Only some of them, who had taken the side and were lucky enough to avoid the stakes, rushed forward, but they were sent back when they were met by reinforcements of the Macedonian pikes.

At this time, the Macedonian cavalry troops launched a counter-charge, and the Scythian cavalry could not withstand it. The Scythian archers retreated while covering their teammates.

The Macedonian light cavalry rushed to the front and stabbed the enemy archers, and the Sarmatian heavy cavalry that had fallen behind were shot in the back and dismounted by the light cavalry.

The Scythians retreated and quickly retreated into the city. The Macedonians no longer pursued, because they were about to enter the range of the archers in the city.

The warriors cheered and once again retreated from the enemy's army, and Oonos was not too happy. This only weakened part of the enemy's cavalry strength, and he still felt helpless to capture the city in front of him. He was not willing to trade an ordinary town for a huge cost of casualties.

Moreover, the Seventh Legion is his elite unit, which can play a greater role, and is by no means here to feed these barbarian archers.

When the weather is cloudy for a long time, there will always be sunny days, and there will always be a time when difficulties will be solved.

Oonnos's pre-ordered equipment has finally arrived. Reinforcements from the capital, excellent infantry archers, and more light cavalry units from Tyris and Catalan. When Oonos received the report, he went out of his account and looked at them, and a lean half-formed Macedonian army drove towards them unhurriedly.

Lo and behold, there's some militia in the back, oh no, that's some artisan soldiers.

Haha, this team of reinforcements is so happy. Isn't it?

Oonos, who did not smile, shook the hands of the lieutenants around him and hugged each other, and they could have a good fight.