Pontus(RTR)

This is a guide for the faction THE KINGDOM OF PONTUS in the modification Rome: Total Realism.

Pontus starts horribly poor yet you are in a perfect spot. Right over yonder is Sinope. Muster your forces and lay siege to it. Capturing should not be horribly difficult. I do not recommend exterminating Sinope unless the need is dire. Leave behind minor garrison forces and move back east. I know how tempting Galatia is but you'll have to do without it for now.

RIght here you have a chocie. Taking Trapezus will inevitably bring you into an Armenian war. Taking Eusebia will provoke a Seleucid war. I honestly recommend Eusebia as the more appealing option. Besiege it, defeat its garrison, and exterminate. Now your treasury should begin to icnrease so you have two options. You can go over to Galatia and hire the extremely tough mercs there or keep a pure army. I reocmmend a mix of the two. Now, take some of your forces and move into Galatia. Hire Galatian Swordsmen mercs; they're the best merc infantry in the game. Attack the wall-less Ancyra.

The battle should go simply. Ancyra is a major region you'll wnat to develop; it and Pessinus will eventually supply your best troops. Build up defences around Pharnacia; you never know when those Armenians might attack. Keep picking off other cities around you; Heraclea, Pessinus, Nicomedia. Do not, no matter how tempting!, take Byzantion. It'll only force you into a war you can't afford to fight.

Assemble another great army and march it towards the coast. Go on a camapign to besiege and assault places like Smyrna, Pergamon, Halicarnassus. Yet Hali is owned by the Ptoelemics. Before taking it be sure to get Side at the same time. Notice what prize that leaves open?

Rhodes.

Get some boats and ferry a force across to Rhodes. Besiege it. Take it. You will quickly grow rich -er.With most of Asia Minor on your control, you can swoop into Seleucia. Take Tarsus as its the vital passageway into Asia Minor. Eventually you cna campaign in Syria, getting Cilician Mercenary troops as reinforcements from Tarsus. Antioch, Damascus, Nicopolis; All very rich. Sack them and then take a break.

You finally have Syria and Asia Minor. Mesopotamia awaits you. Rest for some years but when the time comes, take Palymyra if you haven't already. Move on Soura Europus. And finally, blitzkrieg the Fertile Crescent, Good Ol' Mesopotamia. Without those cities the once mighty Seleucids cease to be a threat.

The game shouldn't be hard form here on out with such a rich power base. You should smash the Ptolemics hard and eventually invade Greece. Form there, Italy. And:2thumbsup: mighty Pontus shall control Earth.

Good Luck