My thoughts as Saba [Archive]

Ice

08-22-2007, 04:02

Anyone who likes desert fighting and heavy missile use should try Saba. They are probably my favorite faction yet.

Their units aren't very strong (besides their nobles, which requires the highest barracks and are expensive, so aren't fielded in large numbers), so you have to use strategy to win the day against the superpower AS.

It was funny, I had spies in two AS cities, one in northeastern Arabia and one in Northwestern Arabia. Both cities revolted to my side and pretty much had control of the entire Arabian peninsula to my delighted surprised. I now control the entire thing and will probably expand into Ethiopia and fight the Egyptians.

My point is, play Saba. It's a great faction for those looking for something different than the usual Greek, European, or Roman style.

Xehh II

08-22-2007, 04:26

Yep, totally agree, Saba is one of my favorite factions from the start.

Wolfman

08-22-2007, 05:02

Seconded :2thumbsup:

sass

08-22-2007, 05:08

Sabe is an experince on its own..tho i've made them a bit more powerful by adding a unit, Ive noted sence useing the script the AI for Saba has fully used the heavey babylonian spearmen to its atvantage and has repulsed no fewer then 5 full stack attacks by AS..I clicked and looked..oneof the AS stacks had elite guarde units that was pretty funny when i looked at the army when it retreated thy where missing:laugh4: , The only down side to Sabe is there not finished there temples dont go high enough to support the populatian with out riots and i'm not sure if its a bug but citys stop growing offten before peeking out its reall annoying for not more then a few factians..and thy lack good law bonus and there slingers are rubbish..if you take hit points away you should incress range..there needs to be a fair trade off..

But over all i had a good campaian with them..and ill be playing a new one shortly..:beam:

Azazel

08-22-2007, 05:11

sass

08-22-2007, 05:22

I haven't tried them yet, but they're the next faction I'm going to try out once I finish my first-but-late Romani campaign, I just had to try out Makedonia first. And oh what fun, har har.

So, any tips for a soon to be Saba player? :book:

yeah be prepaird for the riots and slow popluatian growth and and and and the heat and sand, chaps the skin and lips and the sand gets into inappropriate places..oh and the swarms of pirates pesky egyptians and herds of silver zombies from the north:laugh4: Good luck

Ice

08-22-2007, 05:47

I haven't tried them yet, but they're the next faction I'm going to try out once I finish my first-but-late Romani campaign, I just had to try out Makedonia first. And oh what fun, har har.

So, any tips for a soon to be Saba player? :book:

Yes, use Redmeth's minmod. It makes the game more bearable.

Capture the two cities by your capital and build up. You must build mines. I then sent spies to the northern cities in Arabia and caused them to rebel over to my side.

Remember, don't give map info to anyone. Assassinate any diplomats coming near you. You don't want the superpowers to know where you are.

Morte66

08-22-2007, 08:39

You don't want the superpowers to know where you are.

I always wondered whether that would work, but it's not so practical for a lot of factions who are close to their enemies. I guess Saba is one place you could do it.

Kham

08-22-2007, 13:36

Their units aren't very strong (besides their nobles, which requires the highest barracks and are expensive, so aren't fielded in large numbers),

With the necessary upgrades (factional MIC 4 in homelands I think) you get the Medium Sabean Cavalry. These guys are awesome. They have good stamina, they are FAST and have AP weapons. And they perform much better than their stats suggest. Excellent killers for Hetairoi and Phalanxes. Or anything else.

The Sabean Infantry is also ok, but rather expensive.

Go for the regionals. The Agema-Axe guys from Egypt are excellent flankers. And with the Judaioi Taxeis from Syria you will finally be able to build your own anvil-troops.

And Mercs: the Babylonian Spearmen won me countless battles by holding the bulk of the enemy while my missiles rained death on them. And then clubbed the countless phalanxes and Hetairoi units (AS and Ptolemies) to death with their secondary AP-attack.

The Errant

08-22-2007, 13:52

I haven't tried them yet, but they're the next faction I'm going to try out once I finish my first-but-late Romani campaign, I just had to try out Makedonia first. And oh what fun, har har.

So, any tips for a soon to be Saba player? :book:

You could try out the Sabaean gameplay guide:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=79417

I also strongly recommend using one of the A.I. Balancing: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=87649 scripts by Redmeth and mlp071

KuKulzA

08-22-2007, 19:47

conquering Axum and Moere were the best things I had done after the mines...
Ethiopian axemen and elephants... it added a much appreciated shock-troop element to my Saba army... but still you need to be a lot more flexible and strategic witht he Saba than with say Romani, since legionaries can semi-take care of themselves in a sense

Ice

08-22-2007, 20:42

KuKulzA

08-22-2007, 23:11

I'm trying a new strategy

I'm going to loot some of the AS cities in the north to hamper their troops producing abilities and to distract them for a bit. I've already looted, exterminated, and sacked Charax. I'm now heading to Seleukeia.
interesting direction... in my game the Ptolemaioi seem to be the greater of the two evil right now, but I have been allied with both at some point and betrayed by both
I keep trying to instigate Hayasdan, Pontos, and Baktria to war with Seleukeia, I hope it works out, so I can turn around to beat a battered Seleukeia... if not then hopefully I can get a ceasefire with the Ptolemaioi