Pontus

[Quintus.JC]

Always found Armenia and Egypt to be evil and backstabing, especially Egypt, apart from playing as Egypt i hated them every time when playing as someone else. They were even troublesome on my very first campaign-The Julii.

[Paradox]

Always found Armenia and Egypt to be evil and backstabing, especially Egypt, apart from playing as Egypt i hated them every time when playing as someone else. They were even troublesome on my very first campaign-The Julii.

Yes, I hate it that they often become your final opposing power in the Julii campaign, I don't know how they manage against Parthia and Armenia.

[Quintus.JC]

don't know how Egypt do it, when not interfeared by humans Egypt always end up as the strongest faction in the game.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Lots of elite units and CHARIOTS!

Chariots are mega-killers in auto-calc battles and while the Pontics have some, the Eggies have them in almost every half-stack+ force.

Scythe Chariots get a high score in auto-calc and a multiplier against cavalry -- hence problems for Parthia and Armenia. Neither gets a lot of good infantry, so they have trouble taking Eggie cities once they're dealing with stone walls.

Egypt also gets bonuses on auto calc for both Pharoah guards (morale) and bowmen (morale AND long range). Whereas no Pontic, Parthian, or Armenian foot troops get auto calc bonuses and they rarely hire the few Cretans they come across. So the AI eggies get to shoot at the Pontics with impunity for a while or shoot and fade away (Ch-archer) and then de-leg all the cataphracts in the scrum.

The only computer opponent who can reliably attack egypt is the Selkies. Unfortunately, since the others gang up on them, an AI selkie faction rarely survives long enough (at least with any big cities) to field a force that can face off against a developed and well-funded Egypt. A roman AI faction will hold its own against Egypt -- pila are a good counter to chariots -- but with lots of casualties. Rarely can they advance far or well against them.

[Quintus.JC]

on my current Julii campaign the Scipii had taken all of Anatolia and is fighting Egypt right now, as usual Egypt is the strongest in the East but the Scipii seems to be doing pretty well. I myself is expanding interest in the Iberian region. This is an expremental campaign which i wish to see what the Senate would do if an other Roman faction apart from the player itself became strong enough to challenge the Senate.

[mrdun]

Would it order the Roman Families to attack you? How many are left, just Scipii?

[Quintus.JC]

205BC.
The Brutii got just about all of Eastern Europe, They destroyed Dacia, Macedon and even Scythia (with the help of Parthia). must of their troop is currently stationed in modern Ukraine. The Scipii is currently the strongest Roman Faction, They have Sicly, Sparta, Corinth, Anthens plus all of the Asian Minor. They are currently in a long term war with Egypt, and they're winning. The Seleucid are destroyed. The Parthian have been pushed north of the Caspian sea. While Carthage remains. Germania is destroyed by Briton, who is now the dominate power in northern Europe. While my faction the Julii have all of Gaul and Northern Italy. I am into a lenghy conflict with Spain. I'm by far the richest faction in the game and is waiting for either the Brutii or the Scipii to turn on the Senate.

[ReluctantSamurai]

I never had much respect for Pontus when playing as another faction.......except those damn Pontic HC. Spear-chucking S.O.B.'s always took some chasing to take down........but eventually.........................

Sooooooo........I figured I'd try them out myself..........

At the beginning I nearly restarted the camp several times but I'd always give it one or two turns more.......ehhhhhh let's give it a couple more turns.........and then it finally turned into the full 50+ Rome version....

But jeeez, what a shaky start. The S got completely wiped out in less than 15 yrs. Never seen them go down that fast before. Damascus, Antioch, and Tarsus were in Egyptian hands in less than ten years, and it's only a short hop over the mts. to Pontus, so I knew I was in trouble

Armenia had come sniffing around Sinope by turn three with a near-full stack, but couldn't decide whether to challenge me on the bridge. After reversing course several times, they finally drank enough of whatever Armenians drink to get their courage up and attacked. War was on.

Next turn came a dbl-whammy with Parthia & Armenia calling an alliance, as well as Egypt and Parthia, and all three ganging up on Selucia. With only three cities to my name, Sinope, Mazaka, and Ancyra (the Greeks got to Nicomedia before I could get there) and all just getting underway, I figured I was toast.

And sure enough, one turn after Tarsus fell, the first big stack of came over the mountain pass headed for Mazaka. Of course they have to force a bridge, as well, and for several turns one big stack after another was repelled and two faction heirs were sent to see Osiris. But there was no way I could afford a war of attrition against the riches of the Nile and in fact, my coffers were under 1000 denari several times (which was what brought me close to restarting).

So........I decided to hold Egypt at the "Two Bridges" as long as I could, and knock out Armenia before they recovered from their trouncing (after that initial onslaught, they had sent several small scouting parties, but nothing resembling an invasion force). I went to direct assault on turn two for both Armenian cities, as I needed the income quickly, and was being relentless as usual. Finis for Armenia.

Then the Greeks decided to come calling with a near full stack of mixed Hoplites-Armored Hoplites, but they just wandered around near Ancyra and decided Sinope looked easier. Rather than wait for the inevitable, I pre-empted them and attacked before they could siege. Hit-and-run tactics with Pontic HC (gotta love 'em!) a half dozen archers, and the balance of E. Inf. finally took them out. My spies had showed me that Greece had less than a dozen units in all of Anatolia, and seeing as how the coffers were getting low again ( Egyptians), I decided to take the rest.

Nicomedia fell to direct assault, and Pergamum & Sardis (which the Greeeks had taken from Selucia) were besieged. After the fall of both, Halicarnassus was taken and things started to look up.

But decided on an all out offensive and sent stacks against both bridges near Mazaka and one was headed towards Ancyra with the faction leader. Three heroic victories later, Egypt's offensive was broken, although the cost was high (at least proportionately). Once again, Pontic cavalry both light and heavy, saved the day. Rather than wait for to regroup and send it's endless stacks, I took the offensive with what I could muster and headed for Tarsus.

Then, a full-stack of Selucian hoplites led by a faction member appeared out of nowhere, so I garnered an alliance with them, and granted them military access as they seemed reluctant to move anywhere. That prompted them to head for Antioch and in one of the few useful alliance battles I've had, several stacks got decimated (including yet another faction heir ) before Parthia captured Selucia (the Selucids last) and what was left of them went rebel.

The distraction was enough, however, to allow me to take a lightly held Antioch and Damascus, and my clandestine war against the remainder of Middle East holdings was taking effect.......Jerusalem, Sidon, AND Petra went rebel, but by the time had taken the time to raise armies to recapture them, they were too late. All three fell to the Pontus blue and now the Ptolemics were on the defensive. I kept the pressure on and had enough money coming in to launch an offensive against the Parthians before they did so against me.

Once the Parthians were eliminated, I could devout full attention to Egypt, and before long, the Pontic flag was flying over all three Nile Delta cities as well as Cyprus.

With all of the Middle East and Asia Minor as Pontic Blue, it was now time to consider taking on the Romans.....and lo-and-behold, just at that moment a Scipii army ventured out of Siwa and headed for Memphis. I figured they weren't coming for a social call so it was time to teach the Romans a thing or two about desert warfare (interesting how a large influx of denari can make one a tad bit cocky ).

With a large contingent of Arab Cav (one of my favorite units....no fuss, no cutesy tactics of trying to circle behind a unit before a cav charge, just like STW Yari........head straight and true and "wipe them out!"), a merc elephant unit, Cappadocians, and "Creshan Arshers", one 'famous battle' marker after another was left in the sands from Siwa to Cyrenicia....and this against post-Marius units

Roman cav are no match for Cappadocians, Archer Auxilla no match for gold chevron "Creshan Arshers" and Pontic HC run circles around cohorts, while Scythed Chariots dart in and tear them apart.

It didn't take long to set sights on the Brutii who were over-running Greece and Macedon. Once a large Temple of Artemis was secured, my elite Pontic HC started to achieve god-like proportions, and my "Creshans" appreciated a quick visit as well.

Currently, the Brutii have been evicted from all of Greece and Macedon, and Pontic Blue rules the waves from the Black Sea to Sicily and is pressing into the Western Med. Once the sea-lanes are cleared of Roman 'scum', the invasion of Italy will commence...........


.......and to think I almost reloaded waaaaaay back when

[Quintus.JC]

When I was playing as the Seleucids Pontus was my only friend whist everyone else ganged up on me. so i liked them naturally, they also have a well balanced army. In my exprience Armenia will have to be destroyed first before taking Asia Minors. once Pontus holds Asian minors and Armenia they'd probaly be in a battle for supremacy against Egypt. after Egypt is the later stage of the campaign which shouldn't be much of a problem.

[Quirinus]

Lots of elite units and CHARIOTS!

Not to mention a bunch of starting cities with insane population growth, incredible trade, and grain exports! With all the advantages Egypt gets, it's almost unfair. Egypt is tough to fight in the early-game as a neighbour, but an absolute b*tch to unseat once they've consolidated their hold on the East.

Stack after unending stack full of skirmishers and cheap hoplites backed up by chariots! It's a nightmare.

[Good Ship Chuckle]

It's those type of nightmares that keep me addicted to RTW.

[ReluctantSamurai]

When I play as the Selucids, Pontus has always been hostile

Anyway....game-set-match.......Rome was squashed beneath the hooves of my cavalry and stomped by my elephants

I'd have to say that the Pontics match up vs. cohorts as well or better than any faction I've played including the Selucids. The Pontic HC seem to have a slightly longer range to their javelins than the cohorts so I could keep on their fringe peppering them and wearing them down. The instant I saw the "tired" condition, cohorts got a taste of scythed chariots followed quickly by Cappadocians, or sometimes the reverse....Cappadocians to break the line followed by chariots for the rout.

I didn't use the Bronze Shields for my phalanx as I couldn't really see any benefit for the added expense and time to train them. The regular phalanx with armour upgrades held their own quite well. Didn't go for the Chariot Archers, either, even though they are such a pain-in-the-arse when fighting Egypt. Just doesn't fit my style of fighting.

Made liberal use of Thracian mercs for the first time, though. I paired them with scythed chariots (man those Thracians can run without getting tired ) and had them crash a line right after the chariots tore through them. Never seen cohorts run so fast in my life

All-in-all, probably the most fun I've had playing a campaign....very touch -and-go at the start but it was all over but the cryin' once Greece and Thessaly were conquered (and Rome did most of the crying ).

Maybe Thrace next........didn't someone mention a mod to Thracian cavalry a while back, in addition to several other historical changes?

[Punicus]

Currently playing as Pontus and really enjoying and getting to use more javelin cavalry. Pontic Light Cavalry can even fare pretty well in hand-to-hand as well.

I've got all of Asia Minor, looking to get Rhodes, have an alliance with the Seleucids who are afraid of me (I went to war with them to capture their settlement in Asia Minor - Sardis is it? Anyway, they immediately asked for a ceasefire after I took it from them and I sucked Hatra out of them too!) so I doubt they will attack me. I currently have a large stack coming down on Egyptian lands. I have caught them in a state of only moderate expansion; they've gone up to Sidon which is where I met them for war.

It's funny, everyone seems afraid of me. I had like five factions come up and ask for an alliance, trade rights, and offering map information. No one has attacked me yet, I've always been the aggressor. The difficulty is H/VH, so I'm pretty surprised. From here I hope to take over Egypt and with a great financial situation, I'll make my journey to Greece with Scythed Chariots, Cappadocians (if I can get them), Pontic Heavy Cavalry, and Phalanx Pikemen.

[ReluctantSamurai]

"Pontic Light Cavalry can even fare pretty well in hand-to-hand as well."

Yes, with +2 armour upgrade from a foundry, these guys can hold their own against just about anybody after they run out of javelins. When you get to Thessaly and can capture a Macedonian Large Temple of Artemis, then you've really got it made Just check that missile attack stat

"It's funny, everyone seems afraid of me. I had like five factions come up and ask for an alliance, trade rights, and offering map information. No one has attacked me yet, I've always been the aggressor."

Hehehe....you must have the favor of the gods (or else the AI just plain likes you ) 'cuz my camp was exactly the opposite.....fighting the Armenians, Egyptians, and Greeks at the same time, and then Parthia, and NOBODY wanted an alliance (except Selucia when it was on the ropes).

I found tha a great combo, once you get to Greece and the Romans, is Thracian mercs following the scythed chariots (I never used the archer type). The chariots don't really kill a lot of troops (except cav, which they tear apart), but they are excellent line-busters that set the stage for a full-tilt-boogie Thracian charge which I've had rout Urban cohorts on occasion Chariots followed by Cappadocians is also an almost guaranteed line-buster. Nothing more satisfying than seeing all those ordered cohort formations all broken up and fleeing for the border......"run for the hills!!!" "Too late, boys."

I had 3, three gold chevron Cappadocians. Yikes.....what steamrollers! With a total defense of over 30 (including foundry upgrade) cohorts could barely scratch them, and they laughed off archer-fire....I even left one in range of archer auxilla during a bridge defense just to see how much damage the Cappadocians would get........for about two minutes of constant shooting, an archer auxilla knocked off exactly.........two horsemen

Again, certainly the most fun I've had playing a camp..........mostly because the match-up vs. the infantry-heavy Romans is sooooo in your favor, and their cavalry (even Praetorian cavalry) just can't match yours.

[The Wandering Scholar]

How do you get Cappadocian Cav?

[Punicus]

The highest tier stable for Pontus has Cappadocians, I believe.

Thanks ReluctantSamurai, I'm going to try that Scythed Chariot + Cappadocian tactic you used. Good advice man. Glad to hear you had fun with this campaign, looks like I'm in for a good one.

[The Wandering Scholar]

The highest tier stable for Pontus has Cappadocians, I believe.

Thanks, in all settlements or just Cappadocia?

like I'm in for a good one.

yes, pontus is fun.

[Punicus]

All settlements. And no problem.

[ReluctantSamurai]

Two things about chariots that I've noticed:

1. To reduce the chances of them "running amok" (nothing worse than having them, or elephants, running your own troops over ) train your chariots at a city where you have a Temple of Hercules (preferably an Awesome version which gets your chariots +3 exp.).

2. Don't order them to attack a unit directly, but choose a point on the other side of the enemy you want to attack. Then have them charge to that point. Otherwise they'll wheel around the first unit when you really want them to tear through as many units as possible. This preps the cavalry charge that follows....you want all those infantry units out of tight formation.

(BTW, get in close with the camera view when the Cappadocians hit It's pretty cool to see bodies flying ten feet in the air )

My std. tactic was to have a screen of Pontic HC out front to harass an oncoming army (and if challenged by a general or Roman HC, suck them in towards your Cappadocians and then countercharge.......bye-bye Roman cavalry ) and fall back towards your main army (chucking javelins the whole time, of course ).

I kept 4-5 Phalanx Pikemen, backed by "Creshan's", to hold the center, and the Cappadocians (and Sarmatian Cavalry mercs.....great charge bonus!) with a single scythed chariot behind them out to each flank. It's a pretty flexible formation, IMHO, because the AI generally deploys its' cav to the flanks, as well, and your chariots will tear them up if they charge. If they don't, then wait until your "Creshans" have eliminated the opposing archers....(I had four 3gold-chevron Creshans with a missle attk. of 22 after a visit to a Large Temple of Artemis + foundry upgrade) and worked over the cohorts a bit.

Then......call off the archers (you will do serious damage to your own if you don't) and charge your chariots in from the flanks (I would usually pick an intersecting point just to the rear of the enemy formations...often just behind the opposing general if he hasn't gotten involved in combat yet) and then "loose the dogs" after them.

I added icing on the cake when it came to combat in Italy because I moved my two elephant mercs from Africa there, and they had full armour upgrades and were 3silver chevron each. I doubt you will find anything but an all Urban-X army that can withstand such an onslaught, and even then I would make sure by having several merc Bastarnae ready to charge wavering units. On med/med, there wasn't much left standing that wasn't "running for the hills"

Yep......isn't anything more satisfying than methodically picking apart a cohort army at your leisure, after playing factions that can't wield such firepower.

[Punicus]

Well said. With the Pontics great mix of mounted troops and chariots, as well as phalanxes, fighting the Romans should never be a problem using the tactics you've mentioned. For added annoying-ness for the Egyptians, I like to hire mounted archer mercenaries when possible, so I don't even have to use my javelins on their chariots!

[Quirinus]

Can Pontus build paved roads? What about the Pantheon/Temple City or whatever it's called?

[ReluctantSamurai]

Can Pontus build paved roads?

No.

What about the Pantheon/Temple City or whatever it's called?

My mistake, earlier. Pontus can only achieve lvl 4 temples. But the largest Temple of Hercules they can build nets you the +3 exp.

Playing as Thrace right now, and their temples have to be THE most useless temples I've seen for any faction yet..........

Build the Dionysis temple and you end up with a bunch of drunks and womanizers......build the Ares temple and all that gets you is +4 morale. Someone really dropped the ball on that one, AFAIAC..........

[Kekvit Irae]

Questions and answers not pertaining to the guides at hand are best left elsewhere. Specifically, here: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=32

[Zasz1234]

In the midst of a Pontus campaign. Really eveything said here is good. I am currently in the slugfest with Egypt. I have them holed up in Sidon with Tarsus and Antioch finally being able to produce their own reinforcements.

In the mean time I built up an army from Sinope and Mazaka and put them on a ship with a bunch of spies and assassins. They are heading out for a nice Egyptian vacation. The plan is to pillage the countryside of the delta and exterminate the cities and all the buildings in them and let them rebel. Even if the Egyptian recapture them the cities will be useless for a while. This should ease pressure in the Levant and let finish up taking their cities there. Next would be a stop at Crete on the way home, then maybe take Rhodes.

I have all of Asia Minor. Oddly it seems, the Armenians have been faithful allies. They and the Parthians. Seleucids are on the ropes with only two or three provinces left. I am currently building up the Western cities to build up another army to use against the Egyptians, or if that stabalizes then head off to the Greek mainland and take on the Macedonians. It seems the Romans are silent. I haven't done much intel though since I have had my hands full wiht S, E, and the Greeks.

[Ajax]

My advice: First off, don't get into too many squabbles with different factions right away. It's quite simple to do thanks to the mix of factions in the Middle East area (Armenia, Selucids, Egypt, Greeks, Parthia). Take the rebel cities first, then pick which faction to wage war on. Greece's one city is easy picking since they won't usually attempt to retake it. Armenia sends in (mostly) rag-tag forces through the mountain passages so watch your back. Maybe concentrate on taking all of Asia Minor first. The Selucid Empire isn't too hard to take on, especially if you can build up a few units of pikemen...which will massacre the militia hoplites. Egypt gets to be a pretty big boy if it isn't held in check, so they can put up a better fight than the other factions around you. I like to sail down to their three big cities in the South and decimate them from there. They usually leave it fairly unprotected! Once you have the Middle East, have fun, because you are well on your way. Just watch out for the Romans, who will have gotten quite strong by the time you start to really expand. Also beware of Scythians coming down from the North with their mobs upon mobs of HA's. Have fun!

[Khan]

Armenia are very interested in Hatra, use this to your advantage. When Armenia send off nearly a full stack of units to take Hatra and declare war on the Seleucids pounce for the Armenian lands. Once you are at war with Armenia you may be able to get an alliance with the Seleucids who are generally reliable, they will be pleased for the friends. Ancyra should be easy to take, and also mop up any Rebel settlements in Asia Minor. This should bring you lots of trade and money. As said earlier take out Pergamum and send over a diplomat to try obtain a ceasefire, the Greeks should pay for it though.

This leaves you with a strong foundation, from here you can attack the Parthians if they have not attacked you already and solidify your alliance with the Seleucids. A periodic raid on Egypt should weaken them if you target their core cities and also enrich your coffers. Either way in the east the power balance should be held by you then Egypt and Seleucids engaged in a bitter war. Of course, this being RTW the alliance will not last forever with the Seleucids but by this time you should be in a position to take them on.

Elsewhere the greeks, Macedonians and the Romans should be having their own power struggle for the med with the Romans normally coming out on top. Enter Pontus vs Rome, let battle commence! :fight: