The Peloponnesos Issue

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I've noticed that the southern tip of the central peninsula of the Peloponnesos (Lakonia) has three single tiles of different provinces. Namely Aitolia, Krete and Pamphylia. That looks really ugly and I don't think the EB-team did it accidentaly, so I'd like to know your reasons. Do you want to make the KH go for Aitolia and Krete, and the Ptollies for Krete as well? Please enlighten me!

[Batahr]

This question has come up before, and the answer was that it represents cape Tainaron, apparently an area where you could find a lot of mercenaries.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Thanks. Sadly a further strengthening of the Koinon Greeks.

[bovi]

Bah, a further depiction of reality. The KH do not dominate on the AI progression reports. At least encounter a myriad of KH mercenaries before complaining.

[mighty_rome]

Well, quite a few factions have access to many more mercs now, not just the Greeks. I think it's a great thing, it really adds variety to the armies that can be created. It seems pretty realistic, too.

[bovi]

Actually the mercs are reduced enormously throughout, compared to 0.8x. It just seems there are more because you see the whole pool for a wide area in one go.

[tapanojum]

Actually the mercs are reduced enormously throughout, compared to 0.8x. It just seems there are more because you see the whole pool for a wide area in one go.

I'm doing VH/M as Hayasdan and AS always seems to buy out most of the mercs just before it reaches my towns.

Which is perfectly fine by me, because they take forever to become available again and after plowing through the AS army I don't got to worry about it for a while.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Bah, a further depiction of reality. The KH do not dominate on the AI progression reports. At least encounter a myriad of KH mercenaries before complaining.
I played Sweboz and a brief visit of my diplomat revealed the KH took Korinthos and Demetrias, and is now besieging Pella. At least the Maks took Ambrakia, which is a really rare occurence. The Romans have taken Taras, so the Epeirotes can focus on the Maks again. They'll be wiped out soon, or at least reduced to a kingdom of Lesbos. Oh and the KH almost always dominates on the AI-faction-progression reports.

[bovi]

Wonderland's game
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showpost.php?p=1709206&postcount=3
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showpost.php?p=1710240&postcount=7
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showpost.php?p=1713224&postcount=12
KH is laid back, until 240 BC when it starts to get the upper hand against Epeiros. Baktria and Ptolemaioi dominate.

Aranor's game
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showpost.php?p=1713320&postcount=13
KH is doing well enough. Getai (player) and Ptolemaioi dominate.

Numahr's game
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showpost.php?p=1713394&postcount=14
KH is slowly getting the upper hand in the struggle against the Maks. Noone dominates.

Bavarian Barbarian's game
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showpost.php?p=1713548&postcount=16
KH and Epeiros crushed by Maks. Rome+Carthie doing well. Noone dominates (well, the player does, obviously).

Curlyton's game
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showpost.php?p=1714637&postcount=24
KH, Rome, Ptolemaioi do well. Noone dominates.

Meh. I don't bother to go through the rest.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Don't exaggerate - show me one instance where the KH is using them and I'll eat my hat. You know why? AI factions will virtually never use tainaron's merc surplus because it takes a boat to get there. It's just about only for the human player, who would take a general there to get mercs.

[LordCurlyton]

Now if you just want to see the AI using mercs in their army period I can easily provide screenies of that, though we've all seen that. Though now that you mention it I can't recall the KH really using any, probably b/c they now have an entirely evil lineup of punishing infantry. BTW, I am Rome in the faction progression screenie.
EDIT: Strike that I can distinctly recall seeing several KH armies with merc Pez. I'll provide screenie fo that if you want.

[bovi]

I'm not disputing that they use mercenaries. I just don't think it's a fantastic advantage to have so many mercs available at Cape Tainaron, as all their opponents also can draw from a large pool of mercs, and that the AI won't land their troops on a peninsula that it can't understand why would have any consequence. The reports of AI progression certainly don't show a rampant KH.

[LordCurlyton]

Oh I totally agree there. In fact I think its a little more balanced as in mine its gone from Maks vs KH/Epeiros to KH vs Epeiros/Maks. Usually in my 0.8x games the KH would pile drive the other two, with the lone exception being once where Epeiros steamrolled. Incidentally that was my last Romani game too and it looks like Epeiros has a shot of doing so again as they just broke a big KH army and will probably move on Athens soon.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Sorry for delaying. I didn't observate KH dedicatedly in 1.0. So if you say it's ok, that's fine for me. It's just my *subjective* feeling that the KH seems to be too powerful for a faction of rebelling cities. We discussed that a lot of times. Personally I don't think there are too much mercs around in the game, especially in 1.0, and yes, I forgot the Maks have a bunchload of mercs at home as well.