My next game: Epeiros as Pergamon

[delra]

You won't be able to get any decent phalanxes as Epeiros in Pergamon (AOR)...

The sanest army I can think of is a solid line of classical hoplites along with thracian units as flankers (they are recruitable in Asia Minor as Epeiros). You have thracian pelstats there with their insane swords, also good medium cavalry. Should be enough for flanking power. Especially after you get some chevrons. Some galatians might be priceless too.

Add to that some heavy mercenary cavalry (Thessalians?) and you're fine for most of the game. Classical hoplites + thracian peltasts can take any heavy phalanx out there without even getting tired. And phalanxes is what you will be fighting against most of the time.

Resign from archers, they are hardly ever useful against all the heavy stuff you're going to fight against and you can't really retrain them. I'd stay with thracian pelstats for most of the game as missile support for they are deadly.

On second thought, you could make a trip and create a colony in Crimea where you can train those awesome armoured archers. It's short way shipping them from there...

On strategic level, I advise using units you can retrain, you will be tight with cash for most of the game so housing depleted units might help a lot. Also, you could consider leaving your historic house rules for a while and really consider taking some places that might be very useful for you but weren't actually Pergamon's subjects back then. Like Rhodos (for slingers), Crete (for archers), Lesbos (to get rid of Makedonia), Crimea (for archers), Nikaia and Byzantion (to seal your lands from Greek incursions)...

[Swordmaster]

Quintus won't be leaving his house rules.

I think it's gonna be hard, especially if the Seleukids are faring well. I'd advise on making peace with them before you take Pergamon, so that you may have some time building it up. You can take Pergamon with your starting army, though. But... are you gonna let yourself being conquered by Rome in the end?

[QuintusSertorius]

I don't use Kretans to attack the enemy line, they're brilliant for wiping out their skirmishers and anyone unarmoured (like annoying skirmisher cavalry). Especially for getting rid of their skirmishers before the lines close. Same goes the slingers.

Not fussed about lacking native phalanxes, I don't like them anyway. I've found a centre of one or two merc phalangites with lots of classical hoplites more than does the job. I'll be modelling those armies on the ones I've been using while roleplaying as Pergamon in my Roman game. Which usually means a phalanx in the centre, two classical hoplites either side, one Celto-hellenic Hoplites either side of them and Peltasts on the outside. Then archers behind the line, akontistai and slingers out front and whatever cavalry and other troops I can manage to fill it out.

Quintus won't be leaving his house rules.

I think it's gonna be hard, especially if the Seleukids are faring well. I'd advise on making peace with them before you take Pergamon, so that you may have some time building it up. You can take Pergamon with your starting army, though. But... are you gonna let yourself being conquered by Rome in the end?

I'll be using FD as usual, and possibly a lot of moving armies around at the start. I'll give Epirus away in the 160s, and I do plan to end the scenario in 133BC. That's more than long enough to play anyway.

[Irishmafia2020]

Hhmmmm.... I didn't think you had it in you to play a non-Roman faction. I hope that you will enjoy the scenario that yo have planned!

[QuintusSertorius]

Hhmmmm.... I didn't think you had it in you to play a non-Roman faction. I hope that you will enjoy the scenario that yo have planned!

It's because I've had a lot of fun using Greek armies while roleplaying as Pergamon in my Roman game. Classical hoplites are brilliant at the centre of a line, and will fight forever, it seems. And I like a lot of the regional Greek lineup, lots of useful units there. I chose Epeiros as the most disposable Hellenic faction, them not being in Greece doesn't matter historically.

Course this scenario could come about much sooner than planned if I can't find a way around the CTD in my Roman game.

[QuintusSertorius]

Looks a lot like I'll be starting this game after a clean uninstall-reinstall tomorrow, since my Roman game is bugged.

I'm tempted to alter the descr_strat in the new game to give myself Pergamon to start with, but then it won't be all that hard to grab by moving a stack there. I think I'll abandon Italy as soon as I've got Pergamon, maybe hiring out all the Samnites I can get, then using Cape Tainon to get more later. Samnite heavies make great flankers to come in once the lines are engaged. Better than peltasti by a long way.

My planned army will be thus (and it's the pattern for all of them):

1 General
1 Phalanx unit to hold the very centre
4 Classical Hoplites, to cover them in the centre
2 Celto-Hellenic Hoplites on the flanks (much better than theurophoroi)
2 Peltasti on the wings
2 Kretan archers
1 Akontistai
1 Toxotai
1 Celtic slingers
1 Thracian peltasts
1 Asian Light cavalry
1 Curepos or Illyrian Light
1 Thracian Podromoi or Thessalian heavies

Then one more unit to play with, usually some heavy infantry for flanking or some more cavalry.

I also need to start thinking about my house rules. I'm going to still try to keep the AI factions to roughly historical expansion through the console and many other devices. As always I'll avoid using cheats simply to benefit me, but that's fine when it helps the smaller factions.

For a territorial guide, I'm thinking my limit should be no more than that of Lysimachus' Kingdom of Thrace (the orange):



However, since I don't plan to wipe out Pontos, I might rein my borders in a bit. I'd like Byzantion, though to stop people trying it on from Greece.

[Swordmaster]

Looks a lot like I'll be starting this game after a clean uninstall-reinstall tomorrow, since my Roman game is bugged.

I'm tempted to alter the descr_strat in the new game to give myself Pergamon to start with, but then it won't be all that hard to grab by moving a stack there. I think I'll abandon Italy as soon as I've got Pergamon, maybe hiring out all the Samnites I can get, then using Cape Tainon to get more later. Samnite heavies make great flankers to come in once the lines are engaged. Better than peltasti by a long way.

My planned army will be thus (and it's the pattern for all of them):

1 General
1 Phalanx unit to hold the very centre
4 Classical Hoplites, to cover them in the centre
2 Celto-Hellenic Hoplites on the flanks (much better than theurophoroi)
2 Peltasti on the wings
2 Kretan archers
1 Akontistai
1 Toxotai
1 Celtic slingers
1 Thracian peltasts
1 Asian Light cavalry
1 Curepos or Illyrian Light
1 Thracian Podromoi or Thessalian heavies

Then one more unit to play with, usually some heavy infantry for flanking or some more cavalry.

I also need to start thinking about my house rules. I'm going to still try to keep the AI factions to roughly historical expansion through the console and many other devices. As always I'll avoid using cheats simply to benefit me, but that's fine when it helps the smaller factions.

For a territorial guide, I'm thinking my limit should be no more than that of Lysimachus' Kingdom of Thrace (the orange):

However, since I don't plan to wipe out Pontos, I might rein my borders in a bit. I'd like Byzantion, though to stop people trying it on from Greece.

I'd say use two FMs. You'll have the great Hetairoi, so I'd do that.

[QuintusSertorius]

I guess no more generals-as-observers, since that wasn't the Hellenic style. I guess one leading each wing of cavalry.

Looking at units on the RV, basically the cavalry with the best stamina available to me are Asian Light Cavalry and Prodromoi as far as easily-recruited ones, and Curepos and Thracian Prodromoi for mercs. I've found that's the most important attribute for how I like my cavalry, fast and tireless. Another reason to grab Byzantion is the Thracian cavalry.

I might have to take Galatia since it's got both Leuce Epos and Celto-Hellenic Infantry as regionals. I've found Celto-Hellenics much better than Theurophoroi, who are just weak. Which makes no sense given the latter have two points better of armour, but for some reason they always perform badly.