Another Baktria hard time...

[A Very Super Market]

The game tells me that Baktria is "challenging". Lies, I say! Perhaps it didn't account for the insane diplomacy, but regardless, I'm in a heap of trouble (As always).

So the FD mod has let me ceasefire with the Seleucids (A reasonable choice for them anyways, they're still fighting Ptolemaioi) but I don't want to cheat with Pahlava, since they are allied with Saka, who I have been kicking around like crazy. They can't take my cities at all, but GAAAAAH! They're annoying, with their super-ranged Mardians, super-ranged and Armoured horse calvary...

Meanwhile, my troops are absolutely pitiful. Even my bodyguards will lose half their ranks to a few AHSes (asses, as I call them). For every one Mardian my Persians kill, they will kill 10 of the Persians. And my men have more defense than them!! The Baktrian reforms seem so far away... and I think the Pahlavans have already gotten theirs...

Can anyone provide any strategies, tactics, lectures, even hugs? My empire is a wreck... :help:

[Hegix]

Build forts when advancing into their territory. Keep phalanxes as first line defenders to soak up the arrows. When they break through pray to your favorite god that you have enough troops to take the AHSses in close combat.

Thats all I can think of, sorry if it's nothing new.

[bobbin]

Baktrian reforms? If your talking about the new bodyguards you get them at the same time as the parthians so you should have them.

https://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/units/baktria/baktria_hetairoi_kataphraktoi.gif
nice horsey.

[Dayve]

Best tip - never fight Saka or Pahlava in open field. Deny them their favourite type of battlefield, an open one, and even pantodapoi will defeat their armored horsemen.

Fight them in cities. When you decide to go on the offensive, attack their cities as soon as you have siege equipment built, then defend that city with pantodapoi, which will defeat even the hardiest of armoured horses provided that they fight them in the city streets.

Those two cities, Alexandreia Eschate and Marakanda, i've held them for almost 15 years now in my Baktria game. They are attacked every single turn by Pahlava and Saka, but pantodapoi and parthian spearmen drive them back everytime.

If you have to fight either of these nations in the field, don't use expensive armies. The only expensive units you should field are cavalry good enough to at least match their best cavalry. The rest of your army should be light units and tons of slingers. As many units of slingers as you are comfortable using, take them all.

[theoldbelgian]

I use a combination of baktrian HA other available HA(manly dahae riders) and helenic cat's
I have a few succeses against the saka
but then again the pahlava stay of my back for now

[athanaric]

- Use a combination of Parthian Spearmen (their big shields absorb a lot of arrows) and some kind of axemen (ideally Hyrkanian Hillmen) to trap Pahlavân or Saka heavy cavalry. Axemen are really useful against armoured cavalry (be careful though not to expose them to arrow fire).
- Don't waste any missiles on Pahlavân Bodyguards unless you have too many sling bullets.
- Pantodapoi Phalangitai are also very effective fighting on city streets, both in assault and defense.
- Try to build stone walls everywhere.
- Prodromoi are very good agains light horse archers.
- Use Subeshi archers for field battles and Thanvare Payâhdag (sp?) for garrison duties.

One possible strategy might be to dig yourself in and just defend cities while slowly building up your economy and waiting for the bodyguard reforms. I always try to sneak an army into India in early game to conquer at least Taksashila. The battles there will be difficult and extremely brutal but the Indian provinces are very rich and out of the Saka grasp as long as you hold the Khyber Pass. Plus, you can recruit some very nice anti-cavalry units there.