Mare Nostrum: Seleucis v. Mithradates

Having seen off Chris's Egyptians, Mark now has to fight Dale's Pontic army coming at him from the north.  Dale being in Switzerland, Chris commanded his army.

The battle was fought at Black Hill using PeterC's troops.  His basing system gives us rather smaller units than at Camp Cromwell, but Hail Caesar copes just fine. The Seleucids are on the left above & the far side below.  The Pontic army has a heavy infantry division on their right and two cavlry divisions on their left.  Seleucis has heavy his phalanx on his left, cavalry on his right and elephansts with supports in the centre.

 Both side advanced except for the Seleucid elephant force which blundered backwards.  The phalanxes made the first contact with one Seleucis unit broken and one Pontic unit pushed back

The Seleucid elephants have finally attacked in the centre to plug the hole in the Seleucid line.  The infantry fight has turned into a stalemate.  The cavalry fight on the left  is full on.

The elephants have held their own, but despite some local success, the Seleucid cavalry been broken.  Seleucis has decided the day is lost and has begun a retreat.

The elephant has delayed the Pontic cavalry pursuit and allowed the phalanx division to leave the field un-broken.  The elephant division also managed to break off and retreat without actually breaking.  So although defeated, the Seleucid army has withdrawn in pretty good order with oly 1 of 3 divisions broken & without failing an Army Break Test.

Seleucis retired to Susa without reinforcing the garrison at Antioch hoping it would hold out anyway.  But he lucked out and the Antochians gave up their city to the Ponts.