QuintusSertorius
07-01-2008, 00:38
I've hit a bit of indecision in my Epeiros-as-Pergamon game (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=105168), as to where I go next. It's 229BC, and the world looks thus:
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/229.jpg
I've got the tip of Asia Minor, along with a foothold across the Hellespont, and the islands of Krete and Rhodos.
What I'm not about to do in this game is steamroller or blitz anyone or anywhere. If you've seen my progression in the AI progress thread (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=101742), it's been slow. Roughly a province or two every five years, 40-odd years into the game and I've now got nine.
I'm at war with the Seleukids, allied to the Ptolemies, potentially about to go to war with the Getai.
By way of broad aims, I'm only taking Greek colonies, and I don't want to be involved in the Greek mainland. Re-taking my Epirote starting provinces isn't what I'm interested in. As a rough upper limit, I'm trying not to go much further than the bounds of the Thracian Kingdom, which like my empire covered both a bit of Europe and a bit of Anatolia.
So potential targets that are Greek include:
Salamis - Egypt holds it, but I'm not playing with BI so they'd never retake it. But that would tip the balance in the Syrian war between them and the Seleukids in the latter's favour unless I went on a major rampage. Crazy rich, with both good port and mines.
Chersonesos/Pantikapaion - easy steals since they're rebel, might perhaps open some new war fronts with the Sauromatae and some very different fights. Plus Bosporan Heavy Archers. They're quite rich too, at least as far as ports go.
Kyrene - also easy because it's rebel, but puts me in the path of both the Ptolemies and Qarthadast. I've been sharing a land border with the former for a very long time without incident, but whether that would remain the same is questionable.
Syrakousai - rebel, but bordering with the hyper-aggressive Romans. I doubt our neutrality would last long with my in their back yard. I'd like to ally with them later on against the Seleukids if possible.
Massalia - currently held by the Romans, so dangerous indeed to try for it, even if I try to make it rebel.
Sinope - held by Pontos who are already a bit weak. Not sure I want to weaken them any more.
Trapezous - currently rebel, though Pontos are besieging it. Again taking it would weaken them, and might put me at war with both them and Hayasdan.
Kallatis - held by the Getai. I'm already considering a war with them, just to liven things up. A few raids, then take and hold it. Plus it's on the coast, so more trade.
Side - currently held by the Ptolemies, again taking it would end what's been a peaceful alliance.
Ipsos - Seleukid, which I may take after a nice big battle because I'm a bit bored of fighting useless armies, or spawning extra troops in their stacks to make proper, balanced armies for decent battles.
Chalkis - an outside option given it breaks with my "don't go back to Greece" rule, but I'm trying to stalemate Greece, but Makedonia aren't playing ball. As in they're proving incapable of beating KH, and are being slowly rolled back. That might give me a foothold to launch the occasional raid to humble KH.
That's kind of it, really. So broadly push further east, get some stuff in the west or go north. Preferably just one, rather than all at once. I need some new battles that aren't against yet more Seleukid phalanxes.
So, thoughts?
Incidentally, if anyone wants a copy of my save, it's here (http://www.2shared.com/file/3525197/49b75386/pergamon21.html) (if anyone wants a much earlier save, I've got them too). I've got all the permanent fixes in, but none of the temporary. My changes are largely cosmetic to change colours (my descr_sm_factions.txt (http://www.2shared.com/file/3525213/8445a3ce/descr_sm_factions.html)) and faction names (my expanded_bi.txt (http://www.2shared.com/file/3525216/f42f5741/expanded_bi.html)), and I altered the script (here (http://www.2shared.com/file/3525224/310c65ae/EBBS_SCRIPT.html)) to remove client rulers for added stability. I've not had any cloned Family Members that I can see, and by now all the original client rulers should be dead.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/EB%20screenshots/Pergamon%20Game%20II/229.jpg
I've got the tip of Asia Minor, along with a foothold across the Hellespont, and the islands of Krete and Rhodos.
What I'm not about to do in this game is steamroller or blitz anyone or anywhere. If you've seen my progression in the AI progress thread (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=101742), it's been slow. Roughly a province or two every five years, 40-odd years into the game and I've now got nine.
I'm at war with the Seleukids, allied to the Ptolemies, potentially about to go to war with the Getai.
By way of broad aims, I'm only taking Greek colonies, and I don't want to be involved in the Greek mainland. Re-taking my Epirote starting provinces isn't what I'm interested in. As a rough upper limit, I'm trying not to go much further than the bounds of the Thracian Kingdom, which like my empire covered both a bit of Europe and a bit of Anatolia.
So potential targets that are Greek include:
Salamis - Egypt holds it, but I'm not playing with BI so they'd never retake it. But that would tip the balance in the Syrian war between them and the Seleukids in the latter's favour unless I went on a major rampage. Crazy rich, with both good port and mines.
Chersonesos/Pantikapaion - easy steals since they're rebel, might perhaps open some new war fronts with the Sauromatae and some very different fights. Plus Bosporan Heavy Archers. They're quite rich too, at least as far as ports go.
Kyrene - also easy because it's rebel, but puts me in the path of both the Ptolemies and Qarthadast. I've been sharing a land border with the former for a very long time without incident, but whether that would remain the same is questionable.
Syrakousai - rebel, but bordering with the hyper-aggressive Romans. I doubt our neutrality would last long with my in their back yard. I'd like to ally with them later on against the Seleukids if possible.
Massalia - currently held by the Romans, so dangerous indeed to try for it, even if I try to make it rebel.
Sinope - held by Pontos who are already a bit weak. Not sure I want to weaken them any more.
Trapezous - currently rebel, though Pontos are besieging it. Again taking it would weaken them, and might put me at war with both them and Hayasdan.
Kallatis - held by the Getai. I'm already considering a war with them, just to liven things up. A few raids, then take and hold it. Plus it's on the coast, so more trade.
Side - currently held by the Ptolemies, again taking it would end what's been a peaceful alliance.
Ipsos - Seleukid, which I may take after a nice big battle because I'm a bit bored of fighting useless armies, or spawning extra troops in their stacks to make proper, balanced armies for decent battles.
Chalkis - an outside option given it breaks with my "don't go back to Greece" rule, but I'm trying to stalemate Greece, but Makedonia aren't playing ball. As in they're proving incapable of beating KH, and are being slowly rolled back. That might give me a foothold to launch the occasional raid to humble KH.
That's kind of it, really. So broadly push further east, get some stuff in the west or go north. Preferably just one, rather than all at once. I need some new battles that aren't against yet more Seleukid phalanxes.
So, thoughts?
Incidentally, if anyone wants a copy of my save, it's here (http://www.2shared.com/file/3525197/49b75386/pergamon21.html) (if anyone wants a much earlier save, I've got them too). I've got all the permanent fixes in, but none of the temporary. My changes are largely cosmetic to change colours (my descr_sm_factions.txt (http://www.2shared.com/file/3525213/8445a3ce/descr_sm_factions.html)) and faction names (my expanded_bi.txt (http://www.2shared.com/file/3525216/f42f5741/expanded_bi.html)), and I altered the script (here (http://www.2shared.com/file/3525224/310c65ae/EBBS_SCRIPT.html)) to remove client rulers for added stability. I've not had any cloned Family Members that I can see, and by now all the original client rulers should be dead.