1.3 First Game

I loaded patch 1.3. Then I proceeded to wipe out all the saved games so as to have a fresh start. Playing M/M to see what the unadjusted baseline plays like.

I then decided to play a faction opposite to my preferred infantry supported by cavalry style. So I chose the Parthians, who along with being dressed in the latest hot pink silk of the East have Horse Archers, lots of Horse Archers. In fact so many Horse Archers one would be forgiven to think that hot pink and horse archers are in fact somehow are historically linked. Along with the Horse Archers, two units of Cataphracts to start the game which fighting wise are the polar opposite to Horse Archers. They also wear less pink.

Play wise on the strategy map the Parthians appear to have it difficult. However most of their neighbours have other concerns so they tend to keep their promises. City wise these guys benefit from trade routes, really only need to upgrade stables and only have a single temple choice so it is not that long a selection process. Still managing to get poor farmer, but hey I want the trade up.

They do have a flaw and that is in public health, these guys really don't have the public works or temples to deal with the plague. So one of the first buildings I go for when the opportunity arises is the Academy... this at least allows some learned fellows that *might* help in the event of a plague... or at least can dissect the bodies afterwards and tell me why we are all going to die.

In battles I’m having to learn to use all my arrows. I tend to bait and then hit with my basic Horse Archers when I should pepper the enemy into submission from all angles. Because of my focus on trade I have only just managed to upgrade my military infrastructure to the point that I can field a couple of units of Persian Horse Archers... should be useful with my play style.

It is still early days, I have only taken one rebel city to the Southwest. As not only am I playing a different army composition I am going for a more merchant prince strategy.
For the first time since I got RTW I saw a faction destroyed message that I had not killed off myself. I play in half hour stints, sometimes a little longer but not often. So until after I loaded 1.3 I have never ever seen a faction wiped out that wasn’t by my hand.

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Last battle for this morning I hit end turn, was besieged by the Eygptians and before it was even my turn the Seleculid faction leader by himself decided to lift the seige by hitting the Pharoah from the rear.
The Eygptian Pharoah, son amd another chariot unit, Axemen, 4 units of spears, bowmen and slingers total of about 550 men. esieging my faction heir along with my best general in the city. Our armies were of approximately the same size with mine having some Hillmen and Eastern Infantry for their speed hump effect, and my two starting units of Cataphracts to add quality to a line up which included some very nice Arabic mercenaries. Oh and of course lots of in the pink horse archers.

While the brave Seleculid who started this battle had 20 men. On the other side of the Egyptians. While I started in reserves. With a large forest in the middle of the desert where the Egyptians hid… yes a large forest so my horse archers had a hard time seeing him and watching out for the very fast desert horse. In essence the Seleculid had a death wish and wanted me to come to the party.

By the time I was on the map half the Egyptians had forgotten the pink devils and where introducing Mr Death Wish to the sharp ends of many sticks. The cunning plan worked on the part of Mr Death Wish in distracting the Pharaoh long enough for my pink bits to assemble into a fighting force. However by this point the Seleculid leader had remembered that he had left his lamp on and was leaving the field.

The Pharaoh decided to take a tea break and his forces sat in the shade of the trees. Leaving my hot pink forces under the blazing sun of the rest of the desert. Now I was in the situation of being under siege but rescued by my ally leaving me as the attacker… with alliances like these no wonder I’m Mr Pink. So I sent forth a pair of my horse archer units to harass the Pharaohs flanks, and then another set. Until finally he finished lunch and game out to play. Luckly he separated out his 3 chariot units. In the end of all this swirling mass by general almost died, lost a chevron but with support from the faction heir and the 40 cataphracts the Pharaoh and his son where killed.

The Egyptians where wiped out. I lost 60% of my forces and Mr Death Wish lived along with half of his forces. All in all Mr Death Wish actually did the best out of it.

Note all the generals where 6 to 8 stars.