1.x AI Faction Progression Thread

[Ravenfeeder]

I've considered it. If I ever get the March of Time I might do it, but I'm also curious to see what happens when the Romani have been out of the game so long. Can they really see off the Lusotannan and Makedon? Also if Kart-Hadast and the Ptolemaioi ever go to war it could get interesting, especially as the latter haven't been able to see of their only enemies for the last 50 years - Saba. Should have another update this weekend.

[Ravenfeeder]

Continuing Baktria game. 200bc



Makedon now allied with AS (who are also still allied to Ptolemaioi)! Multiple stacks of troops in black uniforms are swarming around Ekbatana, as are several black clad assassins, although we're not yet formally at war. I'm really not looking forward to this.

Saka are crushed. Saba are holding out. There are 4 major battle markers around Carmana - all Ptolemaioi victories.

Kart Hadast are happy to let their european possessions fall away. Lusotannan starting to get going. Arvernii had a brief moment of glory, but are losing ground again.

[Tellos Athenaios]

I presume the Maks crushed the Hayasdan and then had those settlements revolt on them afterwards?

[Ravenfeeder]

That's correct. The combination of distance from capital and cultural differences with the Eastern/Nomad populations must be hard to keep under control.

[Hax]

Epeiros, 242 - 232




Pahlava!

[Ower]

Epeiros, 242 - 232




Pahlava!

ĺook at Pontus it the first one awesom, what exe what if any modifications?

[Hax]

BI, without any modifications.

Pontos almost lost the fgiht against Makedonia, but they've come back and are pressing the Makedonians to the Aegean.

[gamegeek2]

Carthage seems to never go beyond Africa, except to take Iberian provinces, Syracuse, and maybe Rhegion.

[Cbvani]

Carthage seems to never go beyond Africa, except to take Iberian provinces, Syracuse, and maybe Rhegion.

I've noticed the same thing. I've never seen an emergent Carthage, and the Roman-Carthaginian wars were fought, basically, to determine which major power would rule the western med. sea, if I remember my world history analogy correctly, so shouldn't they DO more? I wish Carthage would rampage a bit more, cause some havoc.

[Ower]

I've noticed the same thing. I've never seen an emergent Carthage, and the Roman-Carthaginian wars were fought, basically, to determine which major power would rule the western med. sea, if I remember my world history analogy correctly, so shouldn't they DO more? I wish Carthage would rampage a bit more, cause some havoc.

Cant agree with you theere, I haveseen campains where the carties steam rooled Itay, and had a Epiros campain, where they took Iberia, which a did not really bother with and than started crawling from the Pyrneys with full stack and loots of elites.

[Cbvani]

Cant agree with you theere, I haveseen campains where the carties steam rooled Itay, and had a Epiros campain, where they took Iberia, which a did not really bother with and than started crawling from the Pyrneys with full stack and loots of elites.

Well I'm certainly glad it CAN happen. Hope I see it, eventually. Maybe I shouldn't play a faction that has to crush Carthage every time....

[Chris1959]

I've seen Carthage really push into Iberia, in my current campaign they almost killed the Luso until Rome (me) stepped in, it was almost a re-play of Hannibal and Saguntum.

[Voice]

AI Carthies...using bi.exe
Also the strongest Hayasdan Ive experienced
Yuezhi invaded, lost 2 armies to them with 3 of theirs remaining

[Hax]

AI Carthies...using bi.exe
Also the strongest Hayasdan Ive experienced
Yuezhi invaded, lost 2 armies to them with 3 of theirs remaining

Can't see your picture,

[Tellos Athenaios]

I can. Bandwidth trouble?

[Hax]

Ah, now it's here.

*sigh* Ziggo...

[Voice]

Ah, now it's here.

*sigh* Ziggo...

Yeh, I think imageshack's been having problems lately, Ive had missing images on account (shows 10 of a listed 13) and images not appearing (like above) thoughout the last couple weeks.

[Pinkkiller]

hmm any1 ever seen saka conquer middle east and anatolia? in other words..beat baktria,phalava and seleucid empire

[General Appo]

Seeing as this wonderful thread has been a little low on action lately, I´m gonna kick it right back with a megapost. You have no one but yourselves to blame.

Pontos M/M RTW.exe until 230ish, then BI.exe
No cheats, to my or my opponenest advantage (except toggle_fow), no console manipulating and no file alterting (except one special noted case).
Fanatics Phalanx Mod used. FD installed but not so far used. Perfect Spy used.

My only real house rule for this game is to expand as little as possible and affect my neighbours as little as possible. Basically I´m just sitting around buildings roads and stuff.
And yes, this is the same campaign as in my "Guess my faction" thread. Glad you noticed.



261 BC

Not a lot going on in the world really.
The Sele´s and Ptolies are at peace since 270, though a short war flared up when the Ptolies took Kyrene and then lost it to revolt, but a ceasefire was quickly arranged. The Sele´s have taken Aghvan and Galatia, though the later is close to revolt. Lost Sogdiane to Pahlava, but are holding firm otherwise.
Baktria has started of alright, taking Kophen and Haomovarga. Usual swift conquest of the steppes by Saka-Rauka, made it to Mazsakata just before the Pahlava.

Hayasdan are doing good, securing most of the Caucasus, already fighting some minor battles against boring Sauro´s.
Ptolies havn´t really done anything since taking Libye and losing Kyrenaia. Sab´yn... well, you´ve got eyes don´t you?
Makedonia doing decent except for one little thing, defeated Pergamon and Ionia, as well as Sparte. Athenai is still KH property.
Oh right, the one little thing. Pyrrhos didn´t go on with some crazy scheme that ended in Argos, but actually took advantage of the situation and took Pella. He himself then lead his troops to conquer Dardanoia, where after his son Ptolemaois secured Dalmatia. Then he died. I think of old age, but you know, maybe some lose rooftile did it. They´ve never really liked Pyrrhos.

Getai are doing their usual stuff, uniting the tribes of the Thrakioi. Northwest of them Sweboz are doing same thing with the Germans, just a bit slower at the moment.
Casse have conquered Corieltauvae in search of more tea, and now for some reason they´ve set their windy eyes on the rolling hills of Cambriae.
Down in Gaul, Aedui subdued some Belgians and got Sequallra over to their side, while the filthy Arverni upset the whole world by taking Massalia and according to rumour forcing the honorable Massaliotai to engage in such barbarian customs as completely shaving their beards and washing with what the barbaroi call "soap". Barbarians.

Romans are doing okay, secured Magna Graecia as well as Liguria and Aemilia.
Karchedo... Karthadastim are boooooooooring. As in boring. Luso´s aren´t any better.



249 BC

A bit more exciting all of a sudden.

Saka´s took Dayuan after it revolted from Sele rule. Aria too revolted, and Baktria moved in to remove their newfound freedom. The Seleukids launched an unsuccessful attack, and now the two are at war.
Pahlava might look dead, but for some really strange reason they´ve been marching miles through Saka land just to get to the Sauro´s. And not just the closest Sauro towns either, they´re heading straight for Uspe. Right now they´re besieging it, but it´ll only make it an easier target for the Hai, who are probing the Sauro defenses.

Getai got some coast, and I got a new trade partner. Galtia revolted to Arverni, whom are defending their new territory with great resolve. Me myself I´ve gotten my economy into the + regions, and can finally start really working on the infrastructure.
No change in Hellas, though lots and lots of fighting, Maks vs Pyrrhos´s sons and Athenai.

Ptolies took Augila and Kush, lost the latter to revolt. Sab´yn also got Tadmor from Sele´s and Hadramut by for once actually doing something on their own, not just waiting for their enemies to screw up.
Carthies are still boring, some limited African advance. Same goes for Luso´s, though they do seem to be preparing for something special...
Romans are kicking Keltoi butt. The red flood rushed down from the hills of Italia, struck against the Alps and parted, spreading west and east, swallowing all in its way. Seriously kickass.

Somewhat united Germans are uniting themselves some more, now at an alarming speed. Also kicked Keltoi butt by taking northeast Belgae.
Apart from getting their butts kicked, the Gauls aren´t doing much.
The Casse took the rolling hills of Cambriae, and are now looking with greedy eyes at the Cornovae beaches.



238 BC

Yeah yeah, I know what you´re all looking at, but lets just do this the traditional way.

Pahlava gave up trying to take Uspe, didn´t lead to anything anyway. They´re now sitting around being depressed about being such weak and uncivilized bitches. Technically the Saka too are just sitting around, but they´re doing it because... they like doing the unexpected. Yeah, they´re real rebels against society.

Baktria continues its advance into Sele land by taking Gabiene, though the whole thing sure looks ridiculously flankable.
Ptolies still loving their Seleukid brothers, and fighting Eleutheroi and Sab´yn "up the Nile" as the fashionable Alexandrian brats say. For some reason occupied some worthless town and claimed a lot of desert as their own, no one has bothered to defy the claim.
Hayasdan took that province that always makes me hungry when I think about it. Gosh I could use some good pork. Damn that stupid province.

Sele´s took both Bithynia and Karia, but both keep revolting to Getai and KH respectively.
Maks kicked KH out of Hellas, but the dream of a free capitalist Greece still lives in the capital center of the world, Rhodos, and its occasional ally, Karia.
The sons of Pyrrhos have come back from fighting barbaroi to once again haunt the Maks, taking Ionia of them and launching attacks from Aitolia. Byzantion was forced into line as well.
Getai slowly advancing south, just got into a war with the Epeirotes.

And now, at last, the Senate and People of Rome. Well, the Red Flood has flooded some more, and breached the Pyreenes. Utterly pwned the Gauls. Are at war since attacking Numantia, triggering the Luso-Arevaci alliance and the appearance of Moskon. Poor fella that.
The Luso blitzed the Iberian coast before the Carthies could do anything but shout Unfair! and complain about the massive loses in trade.
Now alost entirely united Germans did some more uniting and Keltoi butt-kicking while the Casse are stuck.



231 BC

Only 6 years have passed, and some might think I should have waited a couple of years. But I say neigh, for this year, 231 BC, is any very important one. This year, is when the tide turns. It´s the silence before the storm. After tihs year, the world will never be the same again.

Enough shitting around, and lets get to the point.

Baktria took the very heart of the old Persian empire, Persepolis. But, things were much more dire for the Seleukids than they might appear. For this very year, a full stack of elite Baktrian troops were marching into the mountains of Elymais, on the road to Susa, where the Seleukid court resided.
The city was weakly garrisoned, as was the Seleukid heartland of Babylonia that lies beyond it. Had the Baktrians taken the city, the whole of Arche Seleukeia would surely have been at risk.
But, faith would not have it so. On a cold winter morning, a few miles east of Susa, the Seleukid army under Antiochos Theodotos Syriakos utterly crushed the Baktrians, in an epic battle. While just as many cities and towns still remained under Baktrian control, with this one battle, the tide had turned. The Baktrians had lost the initiative, now it was time for the Seleukids to show their power.
And so they did.

In other news, the Saka-Rauka suddenly emerged as the richest faction in the game. Jawdrop indeed.
I guess all those years doing nothing and keeping nearly no garrisons except FM´s finally payed off. Good for them.
Pahlava are still doing jack shit. But, they´re about to pay for that grave mistake.

Might not look like it, but the Ptolies are still mainly occupied fighting Sab´yn and Eleutheroi up the Nile and over that huge strip of desert the Ptolies claimed for themselves.
The Hai finally attacked and took Dayhu Siraca, but two attacks in less than 5 years against Maeotis were utterly crushed by the great (and immensely old) Sauromatae warlord Eunones.
I got annoyed at having Eleutheroi as my neighbours, every saturday they´d play really loud techno until 3 o´clock. So I invaded them, and I´m now busy civilizing them. First step, throw all techno into the Pontus Euxine.

Maks took back Ionia, but back in Hellas things are really getting interesting. 233 BC an Epeirote army won a crushing victory outside the very walls of Athenai, and the Antigonids looked pretty screwed. But for some reason the Epeirotes failed to take advantage of this golden opportunity, instead retreating back to Aitolia. This was to prove their undoing. Two years later, 231 BC, the same army bolstered with Illyrian reinforcements, crossed from Aitolia onto the Peloponnesos. But here they faced a Antigonid army, which utterly crushed the Epeirotes.
The Antigonids are just about to take advantage of this great victory.

Oh right, the Eps took Odrysai and are fighting the Getai.

The Red Flood finally breached the Alpic dam, with a vengeance. But in the west the Luso´s are pushing them back, in short order taking Lacetania, Volcallra and Massilia, but somehow forgetting Celtiberia.
After the Luso´s pushed the Red Flood back some Roman towns revolted back to the grateful Aedui, who surely needed them.
Sweboz and Casse are stuck.



222 BC

The Seleukids got their act togheter and overran the overextended Baktrians, even taking their capital. While at it, they also took Gedrosia and Arachosia, though the later revolted to Pahlava.
Further west they´ve now seriously started attacking me, but I´ve been able to survive so far.
Ptolies still (will it never end?) fightin Sab´yn. Marched so many men up the Nile that they completely missed it when Side went over to the KH.

The Maks xploded and seriously massacred the Epeirotes. The green fellas got pretty much no armies left what so ever. Poor sods.
The saddest of all is that 225 the Getai were trying to invade Makedonia through Dardanoia, but the last Epeirote army defeated them in the mountain pass north of Pella (Famous Battle marker and everything). Two turns later the weakened Epeirote army is defeated by the Maks and Pella falls after another 2 turns. I´d like to think that the last coherent act of the Epeirotes before they fell apart to nothing but scattered armies despereatly trying to survive, was to save Makedonia and indeed all of Hellas from a terrible Thrakioi invasion to match that of Brennus so many years ago.
It´s a beautiful thought.

Apart from their attempted southward expansion, the Getai also advanced north, taking both Skythia and subjugating the Bastarnae. For a while at least.
While so occupied with other matters, they managed to lose Mikra Skythia to the Commercialist Powers of Rhodos © and Greater Capitalist Asia © (CPR-GRA).

The Luso´s and Romans are caught in a bit of a stalemate, cities going back and forth, and the Massaliotai one week using soap, next not, one week growing huge bushy beards, next walking around clean-shaven. It was a very confusing time for everyone.
The Aedui took advantage of all confusion and took some towns, as well as finally defeating the Arverni Confederation, but the old tradition of the God-King lives on in Galatia, for the moment at least.

The Carthies finally after hundreds of years of conflict managed to conquer Syrakousai in 223 BC, poor old Hieron was killed in the fighting togheter with his relative Archimedes, who was unfortunately hit by a stray arrow while carrying a supposedly golden crown on the way to his afternoon bath.

The Sweboz finally managed to unite all but the eastmost Germanic tribes, and can now focus on the Gauls. The Casse finally took the sunny beaches of Cornovae.



211 BC

Did someone say blitzkrieg?

The Sele´s took Kophen, but in return the Baktrians got back their capital, if only for a while.
In a 3 year campaign the Seleukids totally annihilate the Pahlava.
The swift and unexpected Seleukid conquests have led to a series of unorganised rebellions from their rule, but in Arachosia a noble family of local rulers have risen to power and they seem determined to stay free from Seleukid rule (yeah, I mixed with the files to change Pahlava´s name and colour).

The Seleukids finally defeated the Galatian tribes, forever destroying the tradition of the God-King.
Under Megas Antiochus III, they had also conquered the westmost of India, but a pact of friendship had been negotiated with the Mauryan emperor Salisuka, and no invasion was to be expected from there.
They´ve also intensified their attacks against the prospering and peaceful kingdom of Pontos, but its valiant citizens hold firm under the noble leadership of the great descendants of Mithridates Ktistes.

The Ptolies still cannot secure the Upmost Nile nor the Huge Strip of Worthless Sand (HSWS) and were it not for their immense riches they would be the laughing stock of the entire ancient... I mean present, world.

The Maks XPLODED (as in contrast to the less dramatic xploded and even less dramatic exploded) and not only forever destroyed the Epeirotes, but pretty much defeated the Getai as well and forced them into a protectorate. The Bastarne who have broken free from the Getai are still opposing them though.
Bithynia revolted from the Seleukids to Getai, but that didn´t last long.

The Carthies however, XPLODED!!!!!! (as opposed to the less dramatic XPLODED, xploded or exploded)
Seriously. Whoever is controlling the Carthies, Hannibal could stand to learn a thing or two from him.
The Romans got überpwned but survive as some sort of Alpic-Pannonian Confederation of Romans (APCR).
Lost Pannonia Illyrica to revolt.

With the Romans gone the Luso´s gathered up the pieces and consolidated, but it was not to last. With the Romans still holding on in Venetia and with Consular armies just a few weeks arch from Italia, the Carthies decided to start a new war. Or actually, two new wars. First they took Liguria from the Luso, and then Insubramrog from the Aedui, but lost it to Luso´s.
In all the excitment Bastetania revolted to the Carthies, opening up a second front in the great Second Carthie-Luso war.

The Sweboz are finally really pushing into Gaul, and are looking strong. The Casse exploded (as opposed to all other forms of the word) and kicked the Scottish and Irish´s butts.
I think the Casse Invasion script failed though, since I never spotted an army, and they continued to be at peace with both Sweboz and Aedui. Might have to move a Casse army over the channel.



The descendants of Theodotos were finally defeated and all the eastern satrapies subjugated. Sogdiane fell to the Saka confederation, but given how rebellious the Sogdians were and the good relations between the Seleukids and Saka´s, Antiochos could live with it.
Saka´s just attacked and destroyed a small Sauro army on Sauro territory, and seeing how weak the Sauro´s are up there in the northeast, the Saka´s could very well overrun those territories.

Gandhara was conquered, and Arachosia almost subdued, but the locals just managed to save their capital Alexandropolis from conquest and drive the Seleukids from their land, their famous light cavalry greatly aiding in the battles.

The Maks had a short war with the Romans and took Scorcouw from them, they´re a peace now however. Sadly the Maks seem determined to take Pontos for their themselves, and I´ve had to fight of several large Makedonian attacks. A pity, as I hate having to stop the AI´s expansion like that, but I can´t very well let myself be destroyed.
Further south in Mikra Asia the Seleukids finally defeated Greater Capitalist Asia ©, leaving the Commercialist Powers of Rhodos with just the Cimmerian Bosporus Corporation © as ally (CPR-CBC). Rumours abound claim that any partner of the CPR is doomed to bankrupcy, as shown by the collapse of the GCA, Mainland Hellas © and the Mikra Skythia Investment Group © (MSIG)
Claims such as these and that CPR has been trading inside information with the Arche Seleukeia © are fiercely denied by CPR spokesmen and lobbyists.

The Carthies are giving proof to the value of a strong navy. Seeing as they can barely train even the weakest levies in their conquered territories, their forced to ship their armies from Africa, Lilibeo and Sardin. The fact that despite this they´ve managed to push back the Luso´s and almost annihilate the Aedui does them great credit. They even surprise landed a stack in Turdetania and took that region. Now most of the Luso armies heading for the Gallic frontier are redirected to the newly opened front. With two fronts to fight one, this makes sure that they Luso´s are neither strong enough to really drive the Carthies from the Iberian coast, nor strong enough to take advantage of the Carthies northern adventures in upper Gaul.
Who ever is leading the Carthies almost deserves the I in AI.

Sweboz pushed their way into Gaul with the help of the Carthies. They´re still at peace with each other, but seeing as the Sweboz are allied to the remnants of Roma, Carthaginian Gaul would be the most logical next step of expansion for them.
Unless of course they continue on their recently started campaign against the Slavs that so successfully yielded them Neurije.

Well, that´s as far as I´ve played so far, I´ll be sure to get back once I´ve advanced further into history.

[APX]

In my recent Casse campaign I have been trying to help Carthage along by giving them shit loads of mnai, but they still won't do anything.

[General Appo]

Sometimes, you´ve just gotta wait for them go get ready on their own. Money is seldom a problem for the Carthies anyway.

[Olaf The Great]

Sometimes, you´ve just gotta wait for them go get ready on their own. Money is seldom a problem for the Carthies anyway.

If and when the Carthies get Italia, and get into a war with some Gaul Power, it's pretty inevitable what happens. Same with Lusotannan.

Also, I always found it odd about the Mainland Greece situation.

First the epeirotes take Pella and some Northern Greek settlements.
The Maks may or may not take some Anatolian possesions.
And if the Maks don't the KH does.

Then around the 230's one of the Greek powers takes the entire Peninsula. Sometimes the Epeirotes use their power to crush the Getai, KH, and Mak. Sometimes the Maks reemerge and take Sparta and Athens and finally all of Epeiros and Pella. And rarely KH takes advantage of the situation and takes all of Greece and Western Anatolia(Which is what happened in my game, which I can't show because my computer went insane.

[^RaGe^]

Playing as Romani (BI.exe, M/VH)

245BC


Saka and Ptolemaio are doing well, Hayasdan has not conquered any settlements.

236BC


Makedonians have only one settlement left, Hayasdan seems to be very peaceful nation.

228BC


Hayasdan finally took a settlement, Makedonia is now my protectorate.

218BC


The mighty Carthaginians have been destroyed, Lusotannan became my protectorate. Seleukid empire will soon crumble to dust.

[Hax]

Nice Baktrian and Sakae expansion there.

[Onehandstan]

My Casse campaign has resulted in carthage taking most of the italian peninsula (up to arretium!) and lusotana have kicked the carthaginians out of iberia and then proceeded to conquer all of gaul. The romans should be renamed the Alpine-Italics because they are just left with the alps and northern Italy... also, ptlomies only have 2 provinces and makedon killed eperotes and kicked koinon out of greece a long time ago (currently at 210 BC)

[WonkoTheSane]

Romani, 217 BC



Aedui: At war with me, only have three provinces left

Averni: My allies against the Aedui, but they haven't made an attempt to expand yet

Arche Seleukeia: Almost destroyed by Pahlava and Ptolemaioi, only have one province in India left

Baktria: Expanding northwards, destroying the Saka

Casse: Conquered the British Isles, but no Naval Script yet

Epeiros: Crushed by Makedonia

Getai: Protectorate of Makedonia, fighting the Sauromatae

Hayasdan: Holding out against the Yellow Death

Qarthadastim: Expanding in Iberia, fighting against Ptolemaioi

KH: Only have Rhodos and Krete left

Luso: Being crushed by the Qarthadastim

Makedonia: Destroyed Epeiros and are now attacking me

Pahlava: Doing well, have almost completely wiped out the AS

Pontos: Dead

Ptolemaioi: Yellow Death

Saba: Fighting against Ptolemaioi

Saka: Being destroyed by Baktria

Sauromatae: Nothing special, fighting against Getai

Sweboz: Expanding eastwards

[gamegeek2]

Parthia is now much stronger

Sweboz go mainly east, not south (a bad thing, though I've seen healthy expansion in Epeiros campaign)

"Main Rival" always seems to be doing better than usual (AS sucks unless you're fighting it), and there's a reason for this

Nice Ptollies colour

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Playing Makedon M/M
Year 256

Playing with some house rules (rewarding myself with money after victories, using Force diplomacy and some others)



Not much to see but I'm looking forward to see what happens with the Sauromatae.
They are currently winning war against Hayasdan. Having destroyed Hai Armies Sauromatae can easely take over their cities also since they have still two full stacks in Armenia. They lost Kotais due to rebellion but will conquer it back soon.

Also I like the size of Sweboz!

[Onehandstan]

I'm playing as Casse,
Things to look at:
Makedonia
Lsotana!
Rome?(north-east italic kingdom)
Carthage
AS
Ptolemaioi
Hayasdan

This is actually out of date. Pontos are wiped out now.

[penguinking]

Nice lusotannan and carthaginian expansion. What year is that?