[Migrated Faction/Epeiros] Where should I begin my migration campaign?
As I've already mentioned, for my first game of the beta, I'll be trying a migration campaign. I figure I'm more likely to cause problems that might flag bugs that way, and given people will be testing the game to its limits, I don't want to get too attached to a game this early on.
Since I've done it before in EB1 and it was lots of fun, I'm going to migrate Epeiros again. Historically, they ceased to be a meaningful Mediterranean power after 270BC, so I don't feel any conflict about removing them from their native location to start again somewhere else. From a roleplaying perspective, it's going to be the collapse of the house of Aiakides and their attempt to survive somewhere else.
The question then is just where to go. I can't use either of my original first picks, Pergamon and the Bosporan Kingdom, because they are now factions in their own right. So that leaves me to find somewhere new. It must be somewhere with a Greek heritage, so that I still have the Hellenic roster to draw upon. This is one of the primary things that makes this migration viable, not being left with a narrow roster of regionals and whatever mercenaries are around. In none of the instances am I planning to go mad with great expansion, they'll stay relatively small regional powers, likely having no more than five provinces at their height. I'll restrict my influence beyond my small heartland to agents and expeditionary forces to tip the balance of the wider region in my favour. This is how I like to play; carve out a small, but economically viable little fief, one easily defended, then meddle in the affairs of the other local factions.
Options I've tried before:
Kyrene - in EB this was fun, but there were very limited prospects for expansion without hitting either Qart-Hadast or the Ptolemies, both of whom never left me alone. The only place I could really go and remain unassailed was Krete and Kypros. The latter of course would mean war with the Ptolemies, but that's fairly inevitable anyway. At least with the trade and mines from that island I'd have the money to keep fighting. It's also Eastern Greek, rather than Western Greek, which might limit some of my development and recruitment prospects.
Massalia - I loved this in EB, though without Keltohellenikoi I'll be missing a crucial element of my line. It has some obvious and immediate acquisition goals: Aleria on Korsim (which once had a sister colony founded by the Phokaians) and Emporiton in Lacetania (again founded by Phokaians). This allows a nice three-way trading dynamic founded on naval power, which is appropriate. It's a shame the maritime economy is completely passive in TW games, this would make a great pirate empire. Given I'm casting myself right into the Karthadastim's zone of interest, it'll be war with them. I did have to cheat to keep the Romans bottled up in Italia, forever boosting the garrisons of the three northern Italiote provinces to stop them expanding into Gallia 200 years early, hopefully in EBII they'll be more concerned with southern Italia and Sikelia at first.
Syrakousai - I tried this, it wasn't fun. Little scope for expansion beyond taking all of Sikelia, and perhaps Shardin and Korsim before having to face the Romani juggernaught over and again. Uniting Megale Hellas is a possibility, though going more ahistorical than I usually like to, and possibly forcing the Romani to go north early (which annoyed me no end in EB1).
New options I haven't tried:
Olbia - I'd be right up against the Getai who I can guarantee wouldn't leave me alone. In the region of Hellenic-Skythian fusion which could be interesting, though if I go east that means entering the sphere of both the Bosporans and Sauromatae. If armour still counts against arrows, and foot archers can be an effective counter to horse-archers, then this could still be entertaining. Histria, Skythiapolis, Byzantion and Chersonesos are possible targets.
Byzantion - this would be for an "inverse Pergamon", where I try to rebuild the European part of the Thraikian Kingdom (Odrysai, Thrakikia Hypertera, Mikra Skythia), then perhaps try to take Asia Minor afterwards. Immediate threat from Makedonia, and I'd need to keep both Pontos and Pergamon at bay since both have designs on Bithynia.
Sinope - historically a significant independent polis for a long time, though being Eastern Greek might limit development/recruitment. It's right in the shadow of Pontos and holding the city they'd want as their capital in a greater Pontic state, and with only Trapezous as a relatively safe early target. Still, Pontos would effectively be a shield against the other three factions in Asia Minor.
Singidunon - this feels like a bit of a soft option, since it's not that far from Ambrakia, but is perhaps the most realistic of them. The surviving Aiakides become mercenary captains in the lands of the Skordiskoi, seizing control of the kingdom. However, it would turn into a regular Epeiros game, unless I made myself play them as having a mission to ge the Thraikioi lands, rather than Illyria and Hellas.
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Originally Posted by Titus Marcellus Scato
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