Location: Fortress City of Carrhae, Mesopotamia, Parthian Kingdom.
Date: May 9, 53 BC.

Objectives:
- Defend yourself.
- + Meet with Crassus at Edessa.
- - + Marcus Licinius Crassus must survive.
- + Meet with Publius at Charax.
- - + Bring Cassius and Crassus to the boats.
- - - + Destroy the catapults blocking the port.
- Gaius Cassius Longinus must survive.

Unit Control Points: 317/500.
Troop Control Points: 16/50.
Starting units: 2x Auxiliary Archers, 4x Auxiliary Infantry, Centurion (level 0), 3x Equites, Gaius Cassius Longinus (Centurion, level 0), Hawk Scout, 2x Legionaries, Spearmen.
Available units: Archer Cavalry, Auxiliary Archers, Auxiliary Infantry, Balearic Slingers, Equites, Hawk Scout, Legionaries, Physician, Spearmen, Wolf Scout.
Available construction: Ballista, Battering Ram, Catapult, Defensive Tower, repair.

                                  .-'-.
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               '-.  ~ ~ ~   . .   .  .  .        . |3| .    .          .-'
                  '-.     ~ ~   .        .      .  .   .  .         .-'
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                              '-.       .  ~ ~     6 ~ ~.-'
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                                    '-.    7     ~.-'
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 _
| | = Village/barracks (may include various defenses).
. . = Path (minor pathways not shown).
~ ~ = River, sea or lake.
] [ = Bridge or location for bridge.
                                                                          

1 = Carrhae. Population 170.
2 = Edessa. Population 300.
3 = Parthian Village.
4 = Parthian Village.
5 = Charax. Population 300.
6 = Boats.
7 = Enemy Catapults.

The key to winning this mission is speed. Forget about time consuming details like careful unit organisation or detailed advanced scouting. You cannot expect to hold out against the enemy for long. At the very start of the mission your village (1 on the map above) comes under attack. Do not try and defend it. Random suggests: "Use the double-click to select everyone on screen and get out quick." Try to also gather the odd unit not visible on the screen at the start. Head towards Edessa (2 on the map above), engaging only those enemy units that physically block your path. I think the path to the north-east is slightly easier travelled than the path to the east, but either is viable. Run where possible. While you are retreating the mission objectives will change to order you to do what you are already doing. See? You were already one step ahead of the computer. But don't stop just yet.

When you arrive at Edessa (2 on the map above) its forces will come under your control. Gather together all the new troops and again, do not try and defend the village. Random writes: "Take good care of your Praetorians, since they're your most precious resource toward the end of the mission. Don't worry about protecting your legions, because they're useless at the end (they can't cross the river), so feel free to sacrifice them. Keep your archers in the trees to take out the Parthian Cavalry, and protect them with legions. Don't let your troops chase the Parthians, because they'll get stuck full of arrows." Praetorians have exceptional melee combat abilities and can take a lot of damage. You will not be able to recruit any replacement Praetorians during this mission. Immediately run for Charax (5 on the map above). Yes, this means marching straight past one or other of the enemy villages. Since one cannot hope to avoid all combat, consider sacrificing a few less useful units (such as Auxiliary Infantry) to keep the enemy busy while the main body of your force rushes past to the friendly village.

On arrival at Charax additional troops come under you control. At this point you can attempt to 'dig in' - from Mark OHearn: "Build up a minimal defence (maybe put some archers in towers - there's already one there to use). Put a generic general [Centurion] in village and build a force that can cross the water and go in the trees. Set your rally point to the boat dock [6 on the map above], and run all your troops to the boat, keeping them along the southern edge of the map." However, LordJohnDrinksalot comments: "I have the feeling (after playing this mission two or three times in a conventional manner - you know, recruiting troops, building towers, etc) that the longer you delay the more Parthians you have to deal with." The one unit your should train is a Physician - the ability to heal will make all the difference in the final stages of the mission.

Fight your way to the boats (6 on the map). Leave some troops by the boats with your (mission critical) characters. A couple of units of Legionaries or Equites should be sufficient unless you plan to spend a long time dealing with the final objective. Then gather together units capable of both crossing water and entering forests (primarily archers and Praetorians) and destroy the Catapults on the opposite side of the river (7 on the map above). LordJohnDrinksalot writes: "Keep moving - the Praetorians and archers are most important now because you'll need them to cross the river and destroy the enemy siege units. Stick to the forests and you'll be setting enemy Catapults on flame before they know what's what." From Mark OHearn: "You can take out their horse units by staying in the forest, since they can't engage your archers there." Avoid using cavalry when attacking the Catapults: They cannot enter woodland and so take a far more circuitous route, engaging more enemies in the process. Once the Catapults have been destroyed, the mission finishes - don't worry about the final death, there is nothing you can do to avoid it.

Written by timski