PseRamesses
02-06-2006, 16:24
Like all EB faction an economical oversight is needed before you start to play.
* Disband all ships but one. Might need it to finish the Koinon Hellenion at the Islands or sally Mytilene against rebels or the Seleukid.
* Disband ALL cavs. The upkeep is to high and you´ve enough troops initially to get by.
* Depending your playstyle and/ or goals que up your choice of buildings.
* Que up one more diplo hat you send east. The one you have from the start I send north and west. Get trade fast.
* Use you initial spy to remain in each newest conquerd settlement to twarth bribing.
Army combo:(my flavour of choice)
Intially: what I have from the start: base phalanx line with javs.
2nd stage: 2 missile cav (can be built in Tylis and Ancyra), base phalanx line and toxotes.
3rd stage: Heavier phalanxes, heavy cav (2), toxotes and two swordunits for flanking and wallfighting.
Strategy:
You start off at war with three factions: Ptolemies, Epirotes and K.Hellenion.
The Ptolemies are no threat to you and the second diplo you build will soon bring in a peacedeal, traderights and even a 5k peacetribute since the P´s are busy with the Seleukids. So back to mainland Greece. I´ve tried to settle for peace with both the E´s and the K.H´s and was only successful with K.H at about 75% of the cases. However leaving the K.H unattended and just dealing with the E´s leaves your southern borders open for incursions. Problematic? Not really.
1. Use your troops in Korinthos to besiege Athenai at the very first turn. The K.H army outsid Sparte can´t sally since it can´t reach it. Korinthos is blocking the path and the AI never seem to understand to use ships.
2. Play defensive around Pella. The E´s king, Pyrrhus, will come this way with his eles.
3. After taking Athenai move towards Sparte. Beware of the K.H army that lay in ambush amongst the hills just north of the city. Take Sparte. Then the K.H will easily accept either a protectorate deal or paying you some 5k. just for peace and trade. This leaves them with just Rhodes and their king stranded on Crete uable to take Kydonia.
4. In Makedonia Pyrrhus should be making an entrance. Move your troops, either with your single transport ship or by land. If you use the ships do "jump ports" for safety.
5. Sally Pella or join its army and walk on Ambrakia and Epimandus. After taking them E will also be prune on paying you tribute for peace and trade.
6. Moving on Thermon will activate the K.H back into a state of war with you, which is whatr you want ;) Take Thermon. Move army to Athenai, upgrade, maybee add some Toxotes.
7. Ship and take Kydonia.
8. Ship and take Rhodes. K.H eliminated.
By now your economy is really turning around and you should have some surplus troops gathering in Pella. Atleast I send the all there while my firts armygroup is busy in the Aegean.
Taking the northern (Sardika, Tylis and Byzantion) and eastern Nicomedia, Pergamon and Halicarnassos) rebel settlements is a walk in the part. Despite the scripted warnings that Pontos will not like you taking Nicomedia and Pergamon and the Ptolemies considering it an act of war if you take Halicarnassos I´ve never had any problems with this.
You should be close to 260bc now and should have atleast three armygroups: one in Makedonia, Bosphorus and Karia. Your economy should bring in a surplus of 15-20k/ turn and I settled for 5 trasportships spread out from west to east.
From now it´s just a flavour of choice: North or east. Personally I choose east every time. Massacring the Seleukid city of Sardis and pillaging will bring in some 20k. (the only time I massacred in this game). Taking Asia Minor and the Ptolemaic towns of Side and Salamis is just a jump away.
Theese are my experiences, do share yours!
* Disband all ships but one. Might need it to finish the Koinon Hellenion at the Islands or sally Mytilene against rebels or the Seleukid.
* Disband ALL cavs. The upkeep is to high and you´ve enough troops initially to get by.
* Depending your playstyle and/ or goals que up your choice of buildings.
* Que up one more diplo hat you send east. The one you have from the start I send north and west. Get trade fast.
* Use you initial spy to remain in each newest conquerd settlement to twarth bribing.
Army combo:(my flavour of choice)
Intially: what I have from the start: base phalanx line with javs.
2nd stage: 2 missile cav (can be built in Tylis and Ancyra), base phalanx line and toxotes.
3rd stage: Heavier phalanxes, heavy cav (2), toxotes and two swordunits for flanking and wallfighting.
Strategy:
You start off at war with three factions: Ptolemies, Epirotes and K.Hellenion.
The Ptolemies are no threat to you and the second diplo you build will soon bring in a peacedeal, traderights and even a 5k peacetribute since the P´s are busy with the Seleukids. So back to mainland Greece. I´ve tried to settle for peace with both the E´s and the K.H´s and was only successful with K.H at about 75% of the cases. However leaving the K.H unattended and just dealing with the E´s leaves your southern borders open for incursions. Problematic? Not really.
1. Use your troops in Korinthos to besiege Athenai at the very first turn. The K.H army outsid Sparte can´t sally since it can´t reach it. Korinthos is blocking the path and the AI never seem to understand to use ships.
2. Play defensive around Pella. The E´s king, Pyrrhus, will come this way with his eles.
3. After taking Athenai move towards Sparte. Beware of the K.H army that lay in ambush amongst the hills just north of the city. Take Sparte. Then the K.H will easily accept either a protectorate deal or paying you some 5k. just for peace and trade. This leaves them with just Rhodes and their king stranded on Crete uable to take Kydonia.
4. In Makedonia Pyrrhus should be making an entrance. Move your troops, either with your single transport ship or by land. If you use the ships do "jump ports" for safety.
5. Sally Pella or join its army and walk on Ambrakia and Epimandus. After taking them E will also be prune on paying you tribute for peace and trade.
6. Moving on Thermon will activate the K.H back into a state of war with you, which is whatr you want ;) Take Thermon. Move army to Athenai, upgrade, maybee add some Toxotes.
7. Ship and take Kydonia.
8. Ship and take Rhodes. K.H eliminated.
By now your economy is really turning around and you should have some surplus troops gathering in Pella. Atleast I send the all there while my firts armygroup is busy in the Aegean.
Taking the northern (Sardika, Tylis and Byzantion) and eastern Nicomedia, Pergamon and Halicarnassos) rebel settlements is a walk in the part. Despite the scripted warnings that Pontos will not like you taking Nicomedia and Pergamon and the Ptolemies considering it an act of war if you take Halicarnassos I´ve never had any problems with this.
You should be close to 260bc now and should have atleast three armygroups: one in Makedonia, Bosphorus and Karia. Your economy should bring in a surplus of 15-20k/ turn and I settled for 5 trasportships spread out from west to east.
From now it´s just a flavour of choice: North or east. Personally I choose east every time. Massacring the Seleukid city of Sardis and pillaging will bring in some 20k. (the only time I massacred in this game). Taking Asia Minor and the Ptolemaic towns of Side and Salamis is just a jump away.
Theese are my experiences, do share yours!