Factions you are at war with are always doing better then factions which are on the other end of the map. And factions you are allied to are the worst in the campaign. I stoped allying to faction which I want to see alive during the game, otherwise they will be conquered quickly :D.
In my current Pontos campaign I am at war with the seleucids, but I am focusing on the area around the black see, so I just conquered the seleucid areas in anatolia. Despite sending army after army at Mazaka, The seleucids are pushing the ptolies back to egypt and the parthians have only 2 cities left.
Bookmarks