1.x AI Faction Progression Thread

[Tux]

Very nice!!
Sweboz empire rules!

edit: when did you capture eburonum??

Yeah they do.

Well during 251BC-247BC with quite big battles: one in the summer of 251BC with 3815(Sweboz) vs 3351 on the march towards the city, one in winter of 251BC to conquer the city with 3007 men of mine against 2619 of theirs and the last one in 247BC with the Diazenis spawn of 3405(Sweboz) against 3351.

Wow, just watching that Empire makes me shiver...

Maion

Yeah, that's it's purpose. But I did slow things down since where would be the fun in conquering everything.

Anyway pretty big and very chaotic battle against the Casse with 4919 men at their side and 3600 of mine and this after a couple of seasons of siege, pictures:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Yeah I know I should be working on EB2 but hey I can do both at the same time.

[Zim]

Carthage VH/M, started on rtw.exe, played last couple of decades on BI.exe

271

Carthage lost almost all of its starting settlements to rebellion. Even Corsica and Sardinia would end up being given up to the Romans a few short years later.



265

The slow work of conquering Africa begins.



240

WIth Africa reconquered Carthage can turn its attention east to the Ptolemies who have been invading Carthage's home territories. Raiding parties are sent to weaken first them, and then the Seleucids when it appears they are getting too strong.

[img=https://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2566/240x.jpg]

225

The reconquest of Iberia's coastal settlements. While Carthage had been forced to abandon them a tribe of Iberians calling themselves the Lusatanni had taken the coast. The war against them would be Carthage's most difficult conflict to date.



201

Iberia's mines would become a great source of wealth for Carthage, while the peninsula's people would supply many of Carthage's soldiers in the upcoming war with Rome.



With Rome having apparently decided to compose their armies almost entirely of poorly armed troops called "vigiles" backed by one or two units of real soldiers, the conquest of Italy went much faster than anticipated.



171

Finally Greece would be made to pay for sinking every fleet Carthage had tried to raise during the war with Rome.

[Maion Maroneios]

Here is another shot of my campaign. The year is 231BC, and Basileus Alkyoneus still sits on the throne of the Basileion at the age of 61.


Basileion Makedonias (Makedonia): As you can see, the Makedones have made some progress here. After banishing the Karchedoi from Sikelia and establishing puppet rulers all over, Demetrios "Romaioktonos" shifted his attention towards the Romaioi. After beating them several times, he managed to captured Barbaropolis (aka Roma). Enslaved half the population and sent them to the corners of the Basileion. Now he's planning what to do next. In the East, Perseus kicked some Pontic arse and is besieging the Pontic capital (after their former one was sacked and burned by a Makedonian-driven Skythian army) of Ankyra. With a budget close to 30,000 mnai per turn, things are looking good for the Basileion.

Lusotana: Those barbaroi have managed to unite even more tribes under their banner. Seems like they are going to deliver the Karchedoi a serious headache. And good they will do too.

Casse: Let's not get through this again

Vergalla (Aedui): Renamed to Vergalla, or Megale Gallia if you prefer in proper Hellenic, the various tribes united under the Aidouoi have declared themsleves an "Empire". Hah! An Empire, of all people! Anyway, I've heard Basileus Alkyoneus is thinking of sending an ebassy with a gift to them, probably to make sure the remnants of the Romaioi remain occupied at least to the north and don't suddenly decide to take back their precious former capital en masse.

Belgae (Arverni): Renamed them to Belgae (or Belgai of you prefer), after the main regions of the Aidouoi got swallowed up by Vergalla. The Belgae, once part of the Arbernoi, declared their independence and are now fighting a fierce war agains the rest of the unified Gallic tribes in defiance after refusing to join the "Alliance" and become part of Vergalla. I got to admit though, those guys have spirit.

Sweboz: Nothing too impressive there. Slow, steady expansion. They are currently looming over the lands of the Belgae, sandwitching the latter along with the armies of Vergalla. After the Belgae are wiped off the map, I believe a fierce war is going to break out between the two barbaroi powers. Not that we care, though. Let them beat the shit out of each other. We might even take up sides if we get in a good position and watch!

Romani (SPQR): Renamed those lads to plain "Romani" after their lost Barbaropolis. OK, OK Roma. Sheesh. Oh, nobody knows how happy I was when I heard that Barbaropolis was finally captured! The jewel of the Romaioi, in Makedonian hands at last! Though I was very surprised by the action of Demetrios; instead of butchering them like the filthy swines they are, he instead just enslaved half the population and left their "wonders" intact. Oh well, you know what they say: "The human's soul is an abyss..." What? You've never heard of that? Goddamn barbaroi...

Italiotai Apeirotai (Epeiros): After sending envoys to Demetrios promising help, the Italiotai decided to just sit around and watch the Romaioi getting killed. If that is not enough, they even attacked Apoulia recently and went as far as besieging the capital of the region, Kapoua! Bah, I'm sure Demetrios won't let them get away with this so easily.

Safot Softim biQarthadast: The baby-killers have managed to actually open a war-front against the Arche Ptolemaion lately by capturing Kyrene. I mean, how stupid can you be? Abandoning your holdings in Sikelia to open a front against the biggest and most powerful (in theory, at least) Empire in the world? Oh well, they did try to take back Lylibaion once. Failed miserably too.

Thrakike Symmachia (Getai): This pretty much sums everything up.

Skythai (aka Sauromatae): Those damn filthy barbaroi sent some "Chosen Horse Archers" or something and ravaged out holdings in the Crimean! Petty little only-once-every-8-frikin'-months-washing got a nice beating a-la Hoplitai in the end though.

Basileion Pontou (Pontos): Guess what? Those animals got what they deserved. Punishment, and harsh once too. Perseus made sure of that. Even persuaded his father, Basileus Alkyoneus to give him a 4,800 men strong Argyraspides unit. Hehe, someone has knows who he is going to give his throne to... Anyway, as I said the Pontioi are slowly loosing the war against the Makdones under Perseus. They even shifted their capital to Ankyra of all people, after a Skythian army under the services of Perseus sacked their former capital.

Arche Ptolemaion (Ptolemaioi): Not much progress here. Attempted to push further into Seleukid territory, but they got beaten badly. And the Seleukeis are stupid enough not to take advantage of the confusion within the Arche as well, seeing that there is much talk about a major Civil War amongst the Ptolemaioi. Oh, and did I mention they actually lost Kyrenaike to the Karchedoi? I did? OK, take it easy. Sheesh...

Seleukeis (Arche Seleukeia): Not much change here either. Those guys, after getting a huge smack to the face by loosing Mesopotamia, managed to fiercely hold on to their present holdings by stoping the advancing Ptolemaioi armies cold in their tracks.

Hayasdan: The Armenioi actually managed to grab some lands and become masters of the lands under the Kaukasos.

Saba: Guess what? Not interesting. What? You want to hear more? OK, now you're making fun of me? *points fist in the air and rotates it*

Askanian (Pahlava): Renamed them after being inspired by Atraphoenix. Those dudes actually lost some of their conquered lands from the Seleukeis. Sheesh, can nobody do something right nowdays?

Saka Rauka: Just mentioning their names pains me. Well, not really but still. They actually captured the mighty polis of far-away Baktra. Many Hellenes fled from the wrath of those damn barbaroi of the unruly steppes, but the Basileion Baktries still lives on. They are just confined further south now, and more vulrenable than ever before.

Basileion Baktries (Baktria): The "mighty" Baktrioi managed to actually loose their capital polis to some bow-wielding, horse-loving nomad barbaroi. I mean, how much of an idion can you be? Even if they just sat behind their massive walls and waited for the barbaroi to leave peacefully would they have managed to hold out. But nooo, go play hero and gace them head-on. Anyway, I don't really care to be honest. Brothers or not, they got what they desreved for being so cocky.

So, this is another description by your philos Strategos Maroneios. And for those of you that know Petroula Kostidou and some Greek: Ειμαι ο Μαιον και μολις τελειωσα

Maion

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Nice overview Maion. I slaughtered a dove just now and from its innards, I can tell you that your Basileus Alkyoneus will die in 230 BC.

In my experience the Germanoi don't even want to harm a fly that isn't Eleutheroi... but perhaps you can pay them to attack the smelly, filthy, incompetent you-know-who? It is painful to see their smelly arses in my homeland.

So, this is another description by your philos Strategos Maroneios. And for those of you that know Petroula Kostidou and some Greek: Ειμαι ο Μαιον και μολις τελειωσα

I guess it has something to do with yourself and the boobish blonde in the video? Anyway, why did she say "democracia" (that's how it sounded) like five times?

[Constantius III]

Baktria 1.2, H/M

272 BC


262 BC


252 BC


242 BC


Casse: Unimpressive so far. They've been besieging Caern-Brigantae on and off for about the past decade with a miniscule stack, while a halfstack and a fullstack sit around Ratae and twiddle their thumbs.

Sweboz: Apparently it's quite idyllic out in the forests. They haven't moved at all. Probably drinking themselves into a stupor and choking on pretzels. Seriously, I've never seen them do absolutely nothing before.

Lusotannan: Respectable performance. They're a little weak but last time I checked up closely they were contending with both the Qarthadastim and some sick Eleutheroi fullstacks.

Aedui: Not terrible. At least they're doing better than the Arverni, and they haven't lost any ground. Constantly failing at besieging Bratosporios, and some pretty large engagements in the Padus Eridanos Po Valley against the Romani.

Arverni: I hate this shade of green. Ankyra revolted to them early because AS took it ridiculously early, and they've been spending most of their mnai on that ever since. Galatia is home to more Arverni troops than their two other remaining possessions combined. It's a wonder they haven't rolled over Pontos yet.

Senatvs Popvlvsqve Romanvs: 'Path of Least Resistance', hmm? They suck at holding onto southern Italy, and even their Gallic possessions revolt periodically. The Aedui are mauling them in the perennial Mediolanum battles too. Even now that their Iberian peninsula possessions abut Qarthadast (so you'd think they'd go to war more often and maybe contest Sicily), zip. Disappointing.

Safot Softim biQarthadast: Slow, but not as slow as Casse at least. Color me underwhelmed.

Getai: Periodic clashes against the Maks around the Haemus mountains are leading nowhere, despite the presence of large stacks on both sides. Feh.

Epeiros: Choked, hard. They had Pella and at one point Byzantion and were driving on Demetrias with three stacks, two of them fullstacks, led by some dude named Hymenos, which in retrospect was a bad omen. Somehow, the Maks pulled off a huge upset and got Pella back, probably having to do with the simultaneous revolt of Byzantion over to the eviscerated KH. Now they're just sitting with only one fullstack in Ambrakia, fighting a short war with the Romani whenever Taras revolts and then returning to oblivion just as fast.

Makedonia: Lost Pella early and looked to be taking the first bus home, but then decided they would give better clutch performances than Ray Allen. Grabbed the Fetters, then kicked the KH out of Sparte, and so were good and ready to beat Hymenos when he marched into Thessalia. Then they went on to delay the scary-as-crap Ptolemaioi from expanding in Asia Mikra for about five years.

Koinon Hellenon: Has been surviving off of revolting poleis for the past twenty years. Apparently they haven't even moved their Kretan army, and they have a fullstack sitting on Rhodos going nowhere - the wonders of rtw.exe, bringing you naval AI that's almost as good as ETW's! Anyway, they had Byzantion, lost it, had Emporion, lost that too, had Sinope, and - surprise surprise - lost it. At least they kept Pantikapaion, which is now home to a terrifying assortment of soldiers that have not made so much as a move towards Chersonesos, just across the peninsula. Yeah, great job, ephebophiliac failures. Take a page out of the Mak book or something.

Pontos: Also unimpressive. Took Sinope, got their starting stacks mauled by the Galatian Arverni and by Trapezous, then did absolutely nothing for the rest of the game.

Arche Seleukeia: Was doing a decent job of holding it together for a long time. Held it together against the Ptolemaioi for about a decade and a half while simultaneously fighting a retarded war with Hayasdan for Phraaspa (they won, but both of them lost), grabbing about half of Asia Mikra and promptly losing it again, and fighting repetitive wars with Saba over Palmyra. Then they decided that it'd be a grand idea to send two fullstacks over to kill me, their loyal ally, who had saved Alexandreia-Eschate from the evil Saka and who was even sending them periodic monies. [/whine] That was what screwed them over, because once they lost a substantial portion of their army against me, the door was open wide for the Ptolemaioi to charge in. Finally decided it'd be grand to get peace with me while they could in 249 or so, surprisingly, because usually they fight like hell once they do something dumb. Are now in the process of expanding into dumb places like Trapezous and Bithynia, recently lost a decently armed fullstack charging into the teeth of the Ptolemaioi at Edessa.

Ptolemaioi: Ohmygodwhatisthisidonteven.

Saurometai: Boring. Got Pantikapaion, lost it to KH. Got Olbia, kept it, but didn't go any further and aren't even fighting the Getai apart from four-unit stack raids. Recently got done fighting Hayasdan over Kabalaka, lost, haven't shown any inclination to do anything else.

Saba: Spent most of the first three decades wasting resources on territories that revolted from the Ptolies and AS that they couldn't hold. Now that they don't have to worry about that janx anymore, they've been expanding respectably in Arabia.

Hayasdan: Has wasted its energy on a series of practically useless wars: against the AS over Phraaspa (they lost) and against the Saurometai over Kabalaka (they "won"). Managed to get Mtskheta, but AS beat them to the punch over Ani-Kamah and it looks like they aren't shuffling off to Kotais anytime soon either.

Pahlava: Not a particularly good performance. Took Marakanda off the rebels at the same time I was bleeding out against the Saka in Dayuan. Failed to assault Asaak at all, instead concentrating on building sick early cataphracts for me to impale myself on when I finally got enough money to kill something that didn't have an anchor on it. Then they finally grabbed Hyrkania while I was busy in their homeland. Currently on my hitlist for being so annoying.

Baktria: Ohaiguiz. I don't attack India before about 185 BC because I'm an RPer idiot. After about 260 BC, the real reason was that I didn't have enough money because the AS were going to kill me. Currently am fighting a losing battle against CTDs.

Saka Rauka: Not enough of and too much of and . Am sick and tired of losing large quantities of semiexpendable peons that still cost way too much money against ysaninu aysiramja. At least I can console myself with their lack of Indo-Saka units.

[Constantius III]

Baktria 1.2, H/M

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

272 BC


262 BC


252 BC


242 BC

232 BC


219 BC - forgot to turn on Fraps for a few turns, sorry


212 BC


Casse: Almost done with the British Isles so far, underwent a bit of an explosion in the 220s. Not absolutely terrible, but they coulda at least used that fullstack they've got sitting at Ratae.

Swêbōz: Still did absolutely nothing - didn't move an inch - until Gáwjám-Hêruskōz revolted to them from Roman control and kicked off their war. It just started, no major developments there yet. Still kinda unhappy about them freezing for six decades of game time.

Lusotannan: Control basically all of Iberia now, as usual. Briefly wrested Burdigala from the Aedui, but lost it in a revolt. Lost Mastia to a revolt too. Currently they're besieging Tolosa, probably going to take it.

Aedui: Clear hegemons of Gaul France. The Arverni are irrelevant now, they've been staying put around their two cities for decades while the Aedui adeptly beat the Romani off from repeated sieges of Viennos. They also managed to halt the Lusotannan, which is respectable all on its own, because from what I see the Lusos tend to be scary in mid- to late-game, assuming they survive. Plus, Dalminion revolted to them, which is pretty neat. I thought they only got Scorcouw and Thraikia Hypertera in that part of the world, guess I was wrong.

Arverni: They still suck. Turtling up, big time. Have fought off Roman armies a few times, nothing major outside of that.

Senatvs Popvlvsqve Romanvs: Hit a brick wall in Iberia after capturing Numantia and the Hellenic northeastern coast, now are pushed out. Got Messana and are keeping it against Qarthadastim onslaughts. Territories are repeatedly revolting from their control, Dalminion and Massilia being the ones that have managed to get it to stick so far. Went in a retarded northerly direction as usual, revolting cities forced them to enter a war with the Swêbōz and Aedui. All in all, fail, but slightly qualified fail.

Safot Softim biQarthadast: It's actually been exciting for these guys, at least as exciting as it ever tends to get. Outside of their long, bloody war with the Lusos for south Iberia - a war that was renewed when Mastia revolted in about 221 - they decided to capture Syrakousai and, for good measure, to declare war on the Ptolemaioi during the Ptolies' "Time of Troubles" in the 220s. Had Paraitonion, Kyrene, and Augila for awhile before they failed to reinforce and were pushed out.

Getai: Slight expansion beyond what they've already done. Currently a Mak protectorate, like Epeiros below. Are currently hemorrhaging against the Boii and Lugii. Underwhelming. They looked like they'd take Dalminion for awhile in the 230s, too...

Epeiros: Boring. Protectorate of the Maks, and the only time they've so much as moved since they lost the war was when Taras revolted in 213. Otherwise, nothin'.

Makedonia: Fighting a looooong war with the Ptolies for Asia Minor over the last few decades. Looked to be winning for awhile during the Ptolies' "Time of Troubles", they got Pergamon, Sardis, and Halikarnassos, but tyche screwed them over and they've been totally driven out, though two fullstacks are in the vicinity still and will probably cause more havoc.

Koinon Hellenon: Created a Bosporan kingdom when they finally stirred from Pantikapaion. Massilia also revolted to them, but it was less exciting than their only successful offensive in this game, which captured Chersonesos.

Pontos: Just died actually, after holding onto Trapezous for awhile. During the 230s and 220s they grabbed about half of Asia Minor all of a sudden and started that "Time of Troubles" for the Ptolemaioi that I mentioned - they lost territory on all fronts, and for awhile looked screwed. The Ptolies fought their way back from the brink, though, and Pontos steadily lost ground during the late 220s.

Arche Seleukeia: Has been slowly ground down by yours truly, until they practically cease to exist. During the 220s they had a brief resurgence, got back Mesopotamia, but I kept pushing from the east and by 219 they'd lost it again and were in full retreat. Now they've only got Bithynia and Adurbadagan, which I'm roleplaying as the allied Seleukid eparchies of Bithynia and Atropatene.

Ptolemaioi: Their brief back-footed time has already been explained, and I'm not entirely sure of the cause - though if I had to lay money to it, it probably was losing Meroe and Aksum to a revolt at the same time, right after two fullstacks evaporated fighting the Maks and Pontos in Asia Minor. Saba have been a nuisance, Qarthadast has been a major threat, Maks have been semidangerous, and Pontos looked pretty bad for awhile. Now they're back to expanding, and are in a cold war with me that looks about ready to end.

Saurometai: After getting mauled by KH and Hayasdan when those two went north, they've slowly started to take back all the stuff they lost, though the Hai still are "allied" to the Roxolani (and have two fullstacks and a multitude of crummier units floating around the steppes, rather annoyingly). Also were quick to take Gava-Alanna after I made it spy-rebel from the dying Saka.

Saba: Series of loooong indecisive wars around Meroe, Aksum, and Bostra with the Ptolies, which they've been managing to fight pretty well. Other than that, nothing too special.

Hayasdan: Got powerful after uniting most of the Caucasus and then became that annoying steppe-Hayasdan empire that's always so weird. At least they're losing now. I'm trying to keep Seleukid "Atropatene" between the two of us so I can actually ally with the Hai against the Ptolies.

Pahlava: Killed them in 238 BC. One faction of scary cataphract warriors down, one to go...

Baktria:

Saka Rauka: Starting with the conquest of Chach in 224 I've been slowly, over the course of a decade, grinding these extremely annoying dudes into dust. Slightly hampered at the end by the MoT, which hit around 216 and gave both of us late bodyguards. Still, Atlanta Chighu is ours, and fairly won. Now I can justify an invasion of India.

[Zim]

VH/M 248

A Sauromatae migration campaign I've been working on. Ransacked my way to western Africa, then started after a few more settlements after my generals started getting the "restless warmonger" trait.

It's been pretty interesting. I've been replacing my starting horse archers with Numidian cavalry (only other cav I can recruit right now) to form the base of my army, with a couple elites from my pastoral settlements added in. I'm getting used to the Numidian Cavalry, but man are they expensive compared to nomad standard horse archers.

Not quite sure where I'll take this campaign. I was expecting a hard war with Carthage but after the settlements I took from them rebelled back (my having abandoned them) they haven't built any government buildings, and so haven't been able to rebuild their barracks.

[/QUOTE]

[Maion Maroneios]

Nice overview Maion. I slaughtered a dove just now and from its innards, I can tell you that your Basileus Alkyoneus will die in 230 BC.

Hehehe, I'm thinking he's going to kick the bucket soon as well. The thing is, there are 2 individuals who have great power and might even settle this out with a fight for the throne. And I'm talking about none others than Perseus and Demetrios, of course.

In my experience the Germanoi don't even want to harm a fly that isn't Eleutheroi... but perhaps you can pay them to attack the smelly, filthy, incompetent you-know-who? It is painful to see their smelly arses in my homeland.

Yeah, the Romaioi Barbaroi seem to be focusing to the north. I might send some embassies in the vicinity to keep things in check.

I guess it has something to do with yourself and the boobish blonde in the video? Anyway, why did she say "democracia" (that's how it sounded) like five times?

Indeed. She has become famous here in Greece, for saying her name followed by the phrase "Molis teleiosa", which can be translated as "I just came" though really meaning "I just finished". So everyone kind of says "My name is X and I just came/finished" imitating Petroula's voice

And that would be Thermokrasia (θερμοκρασια), which means "temperature". She is saying the weather, after all.

Maion

[Reality=Chaos]

@ Constantius III: Some nice expansion there... You noted you were a RPer.... Does that mean that you have some decent sources on Baktria? I really like the facyion and it's roster (though tough starting position) but I know virtually nothing of it's background..... If you have some decent sources could you PM me with the titles (or better yet links) ? Thank you

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Hehehe, I'm thinking he's going to kick the bucket soon as well. The thing is, there are 2 individuals who have great power and might even settle this out with a fight for the throne. And I'm talking about none others than Perseus and Demetrios, of course.

In that stage, when you do have real enemies left, a civil war could brake your neck. Perseus must be around 44 years old if I'm not mistaken, and Demetrios? A bit older, right? Whom of the two has a son?

Yeah, the Romaioi Barbaroi seem to be focusing to the north. I might send some embassies in the vicinity to keep things in check.

Please.

Indeed. She has become famous here in Greece, for saying her name followed by the phrase "Molis teleiosa", which can be translated as "I just came" though really meaning "I just finished". So everyone kind of says "My name is X and I just came/finished" imitating Petroula's voice

And that would be Thermokrasia (θερμοκρασια), which means "temperature". She is saying the weather, after all.

Maion

I guess "I just came" in the sense of coming home, no? :p:

[Skullheadhq]

Ειμαι ο Μαιον και μολις τελειωσα

Ik ben Maion en nét klaar.
I am Maion and just finished?


With that whore of a weather forecast?

[Maion Maroneios]

Ik ben Maion en nét klaar.
I am Maion and just finished?


With that whore of a weather forecast?

Yes. A more accurate translation would be "I just came" though.

Maion

[Skullheadhq]

That's what the dutch translation says, the english one is wrong.\

[Reality=Chaos]

That's what the dutch translation says, the english one is wrong.\

looking at the dutch translation compared to the english one (I don't know greek) it could just as easily be

ik ben net gekomen