1.1 Saka Rauka Gameplay Guide: How to Get Out of Debt Fast and Other Assorted Things

I know I am necroing but this is stickied.
I went to attack the settlement with the family leader as you said, and the stack with saka nobles in it that is Eleutheroi attacked me. My family leader got decimated in a matter of seconds and the rest of my arms was pulverised. It was on flat ground, and M/M. They really arn't that good as you said... and when besieging that first settlement, I lost 100 horse-archers. I never played with horse-archers before, people say they are good but they are a bit crap to me.

Thanks, great guide by the way, I am going to start a Saka campaign, would you mind doing a guide for the Sweboz or Hayasadan?:2thumbsup:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...quot&p=2455137

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...ayasdan-Advice

If you look further you'll find more advice threads about the two factions, they might be pretty old, though.

It is great to be playing again, despite limited time in returing to college. The discovery of setting my processor to one core for RTW.exe means that in 2012 I was able to complete a campaign for the first time, making this mod far more enjoyable.

I started a Saka campaign this month, and had to restart three times due to difficulties fighting Baktria in Marakanda/ Eschate. Now in deciding to eliminate Baktria by taking Baktra and Kophen, I have caught the attention of AS. So far it's a lot of fun, giving me fond memories of playing as Scythia in vanilla RTW.

My question has to do with setting up governments and getting the troop selection I want. In all the other factions I've played as, I destroy the government buildings of the previous owner and establish my own. For example, as Carthage I would tend to build Gov 3s until I started getting into Germany or AS territory and Gov 4s became necessary.

With the Saka it is not so clear what I am supposed to do to get the soldiers I want. (Note that I have the Reforms)

My understanding so far has been that after I destroy the gov building, I then "migrate" instead of the usual 1-turn military occupation "building" I am used to. Then I can choose Nomadism for easier cavalry recruitment, or pastoralism for foot archers and markets.

1) I have seen it hinted that there are ways of establishing an allied government but am not sure exactly how that is done. So far in experimenting, all I have discovered is that if do not demo the previous government buildings, I then have an option of building a barracks. That for me now means recruting persian archers usually, and that is fine for establishing a garrsion and allowing my armies to move on. It's not very good for order though, early on, with the culture penalty. I am wondering if leaving the previous gov buildings alone like I found out here is the "allied government" and if all that means is getting the local conscription barracks.

2) Now that I am fully at war with the AS, I am greatly concerned about obtaining my Indo-Iranian reform units. I assume I will be able to recruit the spearmen almost everywhere. The only help I found in the game as far as how to recruit spearmen is by making the "small nomadic settlement" and then the "large nomadic settlement" and I see in the north that is letting me build Saka light spearmen. I assume in the Indian territories I will be able to produce the Indo-Hellenic spearmen, skirmishers, and elephants, but am not sure if that is by building a pastoral gov't, then the small and large nomadic settlements, or if by leaving the gov't alone and then building the native barracks. I normally prefer to experiment, but these buildings take many seasons to build, and the AS are starting to bring stacks of kleurouchoi and argyraspides at me, and I would like some spearmen to help pin them and take city walls now and then. And also sometimes what the buildings and the recruitment viewer say you will be able to do isn't necessarily so, therefore I am trying to plan smart and ask people who have played Saka before. Thak you for your time.

Edit: I loaded up the game today and remembered something else I was missing: Saka Hellenic Hoplites. The recruit viewer shows them in Baktra and Taksashila as far as places that are near me, but they aren't recruitable. Hrmmmm.