1.x AI Faction Progression Thread

[QuintusSertorius]

I manipulated almost everyone to suit what I was guessing was a historical projection of where they should be. I use every tool at my disposal; tinkering with treasuries, moving armies, spawning units and Force Diplomacy, as well as the occasional war.



In summary (At 149BC):

Casse: Gave them the Belgae provinces in northern Gaul once they'd united all of Britain, which also conveniently stopped Sweboz incursions across the Rhine. Seems they don't want to war with those crazy Britons. I took southern Ireland off them recently to mimic the Iberian migration.

Aedui: Now my allies, for a time I was doing all in my power to prevent them destroying the Arverni. About 40 years ago, when I was at war with both when re-taking Cisalpine Gaul (which I'd given away to them to simulate it's revolt with the coming of my "Hannibal") they actually declared a ceasefire with each other, and have been static ever since. I've been giving them former Getic lands to curtail the activities of the Dacians. I've also been repeatedly restoring them in Celtiberia, which the Lusotanii repeatedly try to take. Keep having to intervene to stop them kicking the Casse out of Gaul.

Arverni: Again they're at peace with the Aedui and ignoring the Casse. Their main focus is the Sweboz. Gave them Galatia early on in the game and they've kept hold of it. Not really doing much besides, seem to be consilidating the new lands I've given them.

Sweboz: Gone quiet now the Casse are barring their path across the Rhine, although there's low-level fighting with the Arverni in their shared border. I saw low-level, both have full stacks bashing each other. Plus the "central European defense" stops them harassing my northern border or expanding too far.

Sauromatae:Struggled in the early game, especially against the ever-northering Hai. Been receiving regular drafts of console-money and help to prevent the Hai getting a foothold in the steppes. Kicked the Greeks out of the Chersonesus all by themselves. Recently gone to war with the Saka.

Saka: Seemed to be steamrollering Baktria initially, then my aid tipped it too far in the other direction. I recently gave them two of the northern-most Parthian provinces to cut down the territory and finances of the latter. There was a brief war when they rebelled, but it's all calm now. They're even at peace with Baktria, though I think that's only temporary.

Getai: They were huge 50 years ago, until I got annoyed with them repeatedly trying to take Illyria off me, and I went on a gifting spree. I'd conquer their settlements and give them to other factions. Thus I've got a nice Aedui buffer between Illyria and them, and now they're being closed off from Makedonia as well. Although I recently gave them Bithynia when I took it off Makedonia. The rebellion of the Bastarnae lands stopped their war with the Sauromatae, and expansion into the steppe.

Lusotanii: I'm currently at war with them, though it's going to be a long, slow campaign. I'm nibbling away at them, though I did give them southern Ireland which prompted a blitz taking the north and Scotland before I FD'd them back to the Casse. Things are quiet there now. They keep going to war with the Aedui over Celtiberia, which I give back to the Aedui not long after they take it, or else boost up Numantia's garrison to stop them taking it at all.

Hayasdan: I've spent most of the game trying to stop them becoming rulers of the steppe, and I've now resorted to simply draining their treasury every turn to deprive them of the resources, along with putting their full stacks on Krete. I managed after a long process to make them go to war with the Seleukids, which has pulled some of their attention south, instead of north.

Pontos: Another one I've been restraining, they also have armies on Krete. Early in the game they started rolling across Thracia, which I put a stop to. Again I'm having to keep their treasury empty to contain them. When I warred with the Seleukids, their fortunes rebounded quite a bit, prompting a new round of control.

Baktria: After some initial support, I've spent most of the game slowing them down once they'd taken out all the rebel lands around them.

Pahlava: I initially slowed them down a lot when they seemed ready to wipe out the Seleukids in a matter of years, then recently, since about 200 I've been aiding their growth. Had to push them back when they've come too far, too fast, and they've been having financial difficulties to slow them down. They were too slow to grab Charax, the Saba got that all on their own. I've seen maps of Parthia in 200BC and later, so I'm roughly trying to match that.

Makedonia: I'm at war with them, they're heading somewhere rather final. Been helping them against a rampant Koinon Hellenon for a long time, after my war with the Seleukids gave them provinces in Asia Minor. They're presently losing those as I fight them on two fronts - Roman army in Thessaly and my "Asian" armies in Anatolia. They'll eventually be reduced to only holding Krete, which they'll become by default.

Koinon Hellenon: Been almost permanently acting to stop them steamrollering Makedonia, gave them provinces in Asia Minor where they'll become a generic "Asiatic Greek" faction for a time, before I create Asia province proper. Eventual plan is they'll just hold Rhodes.

Epeiros: At the opening of the game, they nearly destroyed Makedonia. I halted that right away, then they were inactive for the better part of 100 years. Literally did nothing at all. Then I decided to migrate them to Kyrenaia rather than destroy them in 167BC when I plundered Epirus after my Third Macedonian War (a kind of nature reserve!). Now having to do a little managing because they keep trying to take Lepki.

Seleukids: Been supporting through most of the game, because they folded like a house of cards under attack from just about everyone. Had to give them serious boosts to make them an actual contender when I fought them in 192-188. Then I've been presiding over a steady decline in their power and influence. They're down to a hub of seven provinces, but holding out. Largely because I've been hamstringing their numerous attackers.

Qarthadast: Have suffered at my hands both through wars (I've just started the war that will end them), and me giving Saba Mauretania and Gaetulia. Been at constant war with the Saba while trying to unite northern Africa. They're going to be the first faction I'll actually destroy (because I can't think of a sensible role for them acting as another faction).

Ptolemaic Egypt: Been getting the nerf from me since the beginning to prevent them rolling up the Seleukids. I neutered the Yellow Death rather effectively, especially through supporting the Saba in Ethiopia/Kush, and preventing them getting Kyrene. I've also provided a lot of support to the Seleukids to ensure they didn't lose the war in Syria. I still think they've got a while before they wind down their vast treasury and stop being so aggressive.

Saba: Been a major recipient of help from me since the beginning, especially when I decided to make them into Mauretania (it's them, not the Lusotanii in north Africa). They're my allies and have been consistently at war with the Ptolemies and Qarthadast. Recently added the Seleukids to the list.

Romani: Me. I've been keeping myself to largely historical expansion, and even major wars ("barbarian" wars aside) for the most part, with one exception. I took Massalia and Pergamon in 200, and they've had client rulers and entirely native armies since. Pergamon has two full stacks of Greek troops, with Greek mercenary generals,a long with a full garrison in the city itself. They've been fighting KH in Anatolia a fair amount. I'm not going to expand there until after it becomes a Roman province in 133BC. Then I'll use their armies to take a few settlements and fill in the vaccuum when Rhodes becomes the sole KH holding.