1.x AI Faction Progression Thread

[Zim]

VH/M Bi.exe

My "Syracuse" game. I migrated to Sicily right at the start and let my cities rebel/fall to Makedonia.

I think I learned the secret to having a tough game. First turtle, then stay up all night one night drinking and playing the campaign.

It's been a fun game. I came pretty close to losing a couple times. I spent years in on and off wars with Carthage, the Romans, Epirus, and just about every one else in the area who decided to invade Sicily. It was nice to see the AI send full stacks by sea. Now that things are stable I'm not quite sure which way I want to go, unite some of the Greek cities in the west (like Emporion and Massalia) or head east to Greece and beyond... Probably north and west, since Cute Wolf is kicking so much butt in the east right now.

I really like the Pahalava and Baktrian expansion, which started well before Macedonia rolled over the Seleucids and Ptolemy.

[anubis88]

Parthian Empire, 138 BC ( i think)

Still not blitzing... I attacked Baktria a year ago, since i really didn't want to continue my invasion of Syria just yet, and everything looks great. I raised 3 new armies, and i'm still in the green with my finances, however, Baktria still has some kick left, so it won't be easy to deplete their armies. I still haven't decided how many cities i will take from them.

As far as the other factions go (at least the more important ones)

the AS are damn hard to kill. I routed their entire Mesopotanian armies, they got attacked by the Saba, Hai, Pontos and Ptolemies, but got out of those wars stronger then ever, invading Hayasdan themselves, and Taking from the Ptolomies almost all of Egypt ( they had Memphis, Parantion and nothing alse for a while.)

Rome fights a huge war with Epeiros, which only had a city left, but they bounced back, and look better then with Pyrhos in charge.

Pontos- Incredible. Conquered almost everything you see in ten years and not stopping.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

You are NOT the Romans?? They did that on their own?? And why do you call yourself Parthia, when you have Saka colours?

[anubis88]

You are NOT the Romans?? They did that on their own?? And why do you call yourself Parthia, when you have Saka colours?

I just changed them, since i got tired of the purple colour.... I forgot that the Saka have similar colors, but the difference is still visible.... Baktria had that border with me when i changed them.


Well rome didn't do that by itself... I helped them... I always give them every spare cash i have, since i make 20k a turn,

I also gave them Carthago through FD.

They would never acomplish this on their own.... They had a huge army in Sardinia, so i just moved it to Africa, and they conquered a city or two.

[Macilrille]

When I try that, even if at war with Carthage, Rome still does nothing, the legion just starts wandering about or stands there looking dumb.

[Cute Wolf]

When I try that, even if at war with Carthage, Rome still does nothing, the legion just starts wandering about or stands there looking dumb.

Well, not in my usual case, even without any assistance, as long as someone allready take care about those super eleutheroi stacks at the central europe (or weaken them), the Romaioi usually grows fast, but when I attack them before they reach Massalia, they usually become mere sitting duck.

[anubis88]

Yes well in my campaigns Rome usually does everything in it's power to not become a superpower as well.

[Zim]

Nice Empire. I like how Pontos has expanded as well.

Parthian Empire, 138 BC ( i think)

[anubis88]

Nice Empire. I like how Pontos has expanded as well.

It looks that Parthia is quite succesful in your campaign as well. As for pontos, as i mentioned in a previus thread in the main forum, they have gone crazy. It's really a battle of titans in Macedonia and greece, and Epeiros has mingled in there as well, so it could end either way.

I'm just waiting for them to weaken each other, then i'll help the romans to destroy them all

[Zim]

They really surprised me. I spend the vast majority of that first century of my game turtling in Sicily, and when I finally checked how the factions elsewhere in the map were doing, the whole world had changed around me while I was distracted in my little corner of it. As enar as I can tell, Parthia and Baktria thrashed the Seleucids first, who wasted their armies stalemating with Ptolemy, then after sitting on Greece forever Macedonia just steamrolled the two former superpowers.

And just recently Macedonia and the Parthians broke their alliance, making me wonder if a confrontation is coming up. It's been such a fun game I'm thinking of starting an aar...

So you'll be pushing all the way to Greece to finish what earlier Persian Empiresh had started? I wish good luck to Pontos then, that they may have a brief time of hegemony in Greece before being crushed under the heel of Parthia.

[anubis88]

They really surprised me. I spend the vast majority of that first century of my game turtling in Sicily, and when I finally checked how the factions elsewhere in the map were doing, the whole world had changed around me while I was distracted in my little corner of it. As enar as I can tell, Parthia and Baktria thrashed the Seleucids first, who wasted their armies stalemating with Ptolemy, then after sitting on Greece forever Macedonia just steamrolled the two former superpowers.

And just recently Macedonia and the Parthians broke their alliance, making me wonder if a confrontation is coming up. It's been such a fun game I'm thinking of starting an aar...

So you'll be pushing all the way to Greece to finish what earlier Persian Empiresh had started? I wish good luck to Pontos then, that they may have a brief time of hegemony in Greece before being crushed under the heel of Parthia.

Wow, interesting. However, i have a feeling that Macedon will crush Parthia, since Baktria is probably at war with them as well, and they IMHO will not be able to compete against both of them.

Well my plan is to conquer as much as Parthia had IRL, and then wage a huge war with Rome.
First i want to make Armenia conquer some Seleucid land, and i help them since they are my allies with armies and money, since i want them to be strong once i'll fight them. Also i hope the Saka will win their huge everlasting war with Baktria on their own, and if they do, they will probably start attacking my empire, and i hope i will lose a battle finaly.

They have some pretty scary full stacks, full of HA, catas and FMs, which would make some extremly usefull battles.

as for my self, i will slowly conquer all the lands east of the Euphretes, and wait for Rome

[Unintended BM]

Makedonia, 216, M/M



Getai and Pontos are my protectorates, and stupid Rome keeps getting to like 23000 is Capua and then all of the sudden their population growth dips down to -2%. I guess I'll take Tarsos and start a war with the Ptolemies. I bought like half the land I have. Makedonia is a peaceful nation.

As for AI, I like what Baktria has done. They've gotten quite large since the last time I looked at them. The Getai rarely get such a large amount of land in my games, but I've been paying them off with huge amounts of money most of the time. Pontos had Ankyra, Sinope, and Trapezous, but I bought all of them because they're my protectorate and I didn't want to ruin that. The Romans and the Sweboz and sandwiching Gaul. The Ptolemies and I are splitting up Seleukid land.

[Hax]

Arche Seleukeia
231 BC
BI.exe
No cheats/force diplomacy (save toggle_fow)


Allies: Saba
Enemies: Ptolemaioi, Pontos, Pahlava (the three P's), Saka-Rauka, Makedonia
Dead: Arverni, Aedui

Arverni: Dead. Killed around 5 years ago by Romani
Aedui: Idem
Baktria: Not doing that much at the moment. Just...walking around my borders and taking some cities in the far east. Allied to the Pahlava though, scum.
Casse: *tumbleweed*
Epeiros: Was reduced to Taras by Makedonia, took Capua at one point, but now is reduced to Taras again.
Getai: Engaged in a fatal struggle to the death with Makedonia. Their death, I think. I might just help them out.
Hayasdan: ...
Kart-Hadast: Doing their own thingies in North Africa, I think
Koinon Hellenon: Well, they actually got Syrakousai and started expanding from their. They are the blue thingies in Sicily and Olbia.
Lusotannan: Taking Iberia, cool and easy
Makedonia: Betrayed me, sieged Pergamon. They learned they shouldn't do that when I have a fullstack nearby. So I killed that army and took Mytilene. I don't want to cross into Greece just yet, although it might be very handy to have more factional troops hanging around..hmm...
Pahlava: Betrayed me in the first turn! Vhat a tvist! Took Asaak, lost it again after twenty years. I then took Nisa as well. They are pretty much reduced to nothing right now.Pontos: Betrayed me around 235, I reduced them to just Sinope.
Ptolemaioi: I took all of their cities outside of Egypt by 250 BC. I moved into Egypt around 245/240 BC, and took most of their cities. They sometimes try to attack Diospolis Megale, but are kicked back to the south all the time
Romani: Went totally insane. They killed the Arverni and Aedui and controls the lower part of Gaul.
Saba: Pretty cool guys. Meroë rebelled to them and they took all of Arabia. I have this foreboding feeling that they'll betray me (soon) though.
Saka-Rauka: They're not really that spectacular, as they haven't managed to run over Marakanda yet. They took Eschateia at one point, but that city rebelled back to me.
Sauromatae: Do I need to mention the Tumbleweed again?
Sweboz: Assisted the Romans in killing the Gauls, and controls Germania as well as northern Gaul. Let's see what will happen...

[Zim]

I've always wondered, does the Black Sea area produce much income? I keep meaning to start a Getai game and taking all the ports along the Black Sea...

Makedonia, 216, M/M

[Unintended BM]

Well, the main reason I took most of those towns were these guys:



And horse archers.

Other than that, I think Kotais and Trapezous have mines. Coastal cities in general give you decent amounts of money. The two towns in the steppes, the ones east and west of the Crimean towns, they probably don't give you much money, but once you hold them for a while, let the population build up, etc., I bet they're pretty good trading cities.

[Cute Wolf]

Yeah, the best archer in the game..... save for Kretans that was better in melee anyway.

[Unintended BM]

Stupid Aedui is expanding too much. I was happily taking over Iberia at my own pace, when the Aedui became the most advanced faction. Then, I notice just how big they've gotten and a year or two later, they attacked. Annoying, but I can probably defend most of my Iberian holdings.

Other than that, it's surprising how intact the east is. It's 226, and both AS and Ptolemies are still powerful, although, Antioch has recently fallen to the Ptolemies, and that's usually the turning point. I'm not sure how that Indian city turned Parthian. Does it rebel to them?

Also, Ankyra went to the Aedui, which doesn't happen too often.

[gamegeek2]

I love it, Tiberius. Keep up the reports like that!

[Ludens]

Indian cities do rebel to Parthia, to make sure that they've got a non-Greek culture at the start. Not realistic, but the best compromise.

[Finn MacCumhail]

Sweboz VH/VH
on BI



Some cities changed their owners every few turns. For example on islands near Italy - Rome and Carthage. Pella - Epirr and Macedonia. Rhodos - KH and Makedonia. Kidonia was attacked by Carthage for several times but attack failed. KH by 240 BC started to conquer Asia minor. Saba besieged Antioch.

[SwissBarbar]

Romani 160 BC


The Arverni - Are Allies of Rome and at war with the Aedui

The Aedui - Are at war with the Arverni and the Sweboz. Officially they're also at war with Rome, but there were no military activities in the last 50 years.

The Sweboz - Are at war with the Aedui, but the borderlines do not move since many years. That's why the Sweboz concentrate on their campaigns against the Sauromatae and the other wild Steppe-Tribes in the east.

The Ptolemaioi - Their military juggernaut is more or less as strong as the one of the Romans. The Ptolemaic Empire is the largest faction in area and - after the Romans - the second largest faction in population. Currently they're in war with the Romani and the Carthaginians.

Quart-Hadastim - The Carthaginians once were the most powerful people in the world. They owed the western part of northern Africa, great parts of Iberia and the Islands of Sicily, Sardinia and Korsika. The have fought a war against the Ptolemaioi in which they managed to conquer some African territories from them. In 160 BC the Carthaginians still are in possession of Kyrene from that war. But in a great case of Hybris, they had attacked the Romans while still many Carthaginian forces were bound at the frontline of the Ptolemaic war. In the first war against Rome the Carthaginians forfeited all their possessions outside Africa and had to accept a hard peace. When the Ptolemaioi declared war on Rome, the Carthaginians - instead of cooperate with the Romans to defeat the Ptolemaioi - send a fleet and two fullstacks to Sardinia in order to conquer back that island. But their armies would never return. Instead 2 Roman legions (1 Legion = Halfstack. Roman Legion: 2 Generals, 2 Hastati, 2 Principes, 1 Triarii, 2 Velites, 1 Eqvites / Socii Legion: 1 General, 2 Skirmisher Inf., 2 Medium Inf., 1 Heavy Inf., 2 Archer Inf., 2 Cavalry) landed in Africa and conquered Quart-Hadast and Atiqa. Just now 6 more legions are embarking in Kalabria and will be sent with a strong fleet to Africa very soon.

The Koinon Hellenon - They used to be the masters over all of Greece and managed to reconquer Byzantion from the Ptolemaioi, but then tried to conquer the Illyrian possessions of Rome, which turned out to be a wrong decision and ended up in their doom. This day the Koine consists only of Rhodos and hellenic citystates in the Bosporus.

[Teucer]

Here's a teaser for my current AAR showing the growth of the Eumenid Alliance in the years following Alexander's death.

[SwissBarbar]

Sab'yn 217 BC




Since my Roman game fell to a CTD, I started a new Sab'yn campaign. I very much like the AI-Expansion here. Look at Baktria, look at Pontos, Carthage has forced the Romans to become their protectorate, look at the Hay and Epeiros. Love it

[gamegeek2]

Basileion tes Asias, 262 BC

With the annexation of Phoinike and Ioudaia, the foul Ptolemaioi have been driven back into Afrike. In Hellas, the Epeirotes have made a strong showing, seizing Pella and many Thraikian lands.

[jerjes78]

My campaign with Makedonia, 252 BC

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The situation on the field

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Besides Pella, Demetrias and Ambrakia, the rest of the cities are governed by Client Rulers

[gamegeek2]

Money, money, money...

[gamegeek2]

Once Antioch falls, it's all downhill from there.

[anubis88]

Once Antioch falls, it's all downhill from there.

I know, that's why i won't let it fall.... ( at least for more then a few turns, got a diplomat and FD ready in the area)

[jerjes78]

Makedonia campaign, 204BC

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

After conquering Alexandreia, 196BC

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

How do you spell "Mare Nostrum" in greek?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

While I was having fun in Syria and toward Mesopotamia, Lusos raped half of Europe, 175BC

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Job done! (at least in the East side), 164BC.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Btw, I gave Arbela to Romani before Portugal exterminates them.

Finally some random battles pics

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Victory is mine (Stewie mode on)




I lost this battle



I have to rebuild my army after the last battle, here the result

Hope you enjoy

[SwissBarbar]

Romani 104 BC