If you ever want to attack a city, GET THOSE MIC THEUROPHOROI! They are basically the best infantry you can get in the area, except for mercenaries. Try to ally with Sauromatae, as they fight with Saka around Gava Aursa/Gava Yugra. Sauromatae tend to go for the western steppes, DO NOT let Saka own the east ones as this allows them to finance cataphracts.

With the new starting wars & alliances, Blitzing Baktria is no longer viable as they WILL ally with the Saka and build their kingdom in Kophen and Taxashila while the Saka keep you plenty busy. The Saka go west and south, you have a lot on your hands, as you're surrounded. You MUST attack in blitzes of 5+ units, otherwise the attack WILL either fail or they'll recapture the settlement. Seleukeia has a lot on its hands, but they are still a formidable foe if given time to build mines and fullstacks. Their fullstacks are not much of a problem for an army of 6-7 units and a family member, but this WILL either halt your blitzes or waste your treasury and population.

Tip 0: DO NOT PANIC!

Tip 1: Use those spies to cause disorder; the eastern settlements start out quite unhappy. If left undisturbed, they WILL stabilize, build mines, and develop fullstacks.

Tip 2: Always be prepared for the Saka to randomly show up with 10 guys. If they capture a settlement, no biggie, but invest quickly in mercs and troops to retake it and use any spares to either repopulate or hit the nearest enemy settlement.

Tip 3: A Saka settlement, though not worth much income, is every bit as dangerous as a walled, mined Seleukid city with a decent army inside. These are vulnerable targets that determine who wins the wars. As most tend to be lightly garrisoned, they are heavily fought over. Since the steppe towns are so poor (economically), every single one counts in the war for steppe supremacy, and one tends to make the difference. The old adage applies here: get there "the fustest with the mostest"