My next game: Epeiros as Pergamon

[Swordmaster]

Thanks for that, I'll keep in mind your point about cavalry. I've discovered in the other game that while I'm an infantry guy, I love medium cavalry. Gallic Curepos/Leuce Epos, Asian Light cavalry, Thracian Prodromoi, Illyrian Hippeis, I've found them all to be really effective at killing enemy lights, harrassing the line, routing engaged and tired units, and chasing down the routers. Not been overly impressed with heavy cavalry though, the way I use my horse they tire out too fast. Two or three charges and they're spent. As you suggest, I'll use FMs for my heavies mostly, and unlike in my Roman game, I'll actually use all them as cavalry (not just the youngsters).

I used the Karians briefly as mercs a while ago, I'll give them another go. Especially since they're regionals once I take Halikarnassos.

On a different topic, what's the correct form of address for something belonging to the Kingdom of Pergamon? Is it Pergamene? That's what I was using conversationally in my other game, but if I'm going to change the name of my faction it should be right, really.

Yes, Pergamene is correct English. But I guess you should use a Greek name, no?

[QuintusSertorius]

Yes, Pergamene is correct English. But I guess you should use a Greek name, no?

That might conflict with my reputation as an upstanding exemplar of good old-fashioned Roman virtue!

What would the Greek be?

[QuintusSertorius]

I've been looking at the recruitment viewer for Tylis, and there's a lot of high-quality units available to Epeiros there. Agrianian assault infantry, Thracian assault infantry, Thracian medium cavalry, and many others. Glad I grabbed it when I did.

[Timoleon]

Yes, Pergamene is correct English. But I guess you should use a Greek name, no?

The resident of the city of Pergamos is Περγαμηνός (Pergamenos), plural Περγαμηνοί (Pergamenoi). If you want to refer to the army of Pergamos you should use the term περγαμηνός στρατός (pergamenos stratos).

[QuintusSertorius]

Got a strategy question to mull over, appreciate inputs.



In essense I've taken all the easy steals. For the moment I'm trying to avoid war with any other faction, at least til my economy is strong enough to support some armies. I need the trade for now.

If I go for Naissos, which was part of the historical Kingdom of Thrace, I put myself in the path of both the Getai and Makedonia. Neither have taken it, but they're both angling in that direction.

If I go for Mytilene, that throws the Makedonians at me. I could do it the subtle way - send spies to get it to revolt, then snap it up when it's rebel. I'm doing that already with Ipsos, which is flicking between revolt and some semblance of stability as a result of my spy.

Talking of which, Ipsos and Sardis are possibles, but I'd then be at war with the Seleukids. Until I've got a proper army in the region, I don't really want to risk that.

Ankyra is a possible, although I might then be over-extended and exposed to both Pontos and the Seleukids. I think for now it suits me that it's rebel, and has a massive stack there (courtesy of create_unit...).

And then there's Rhodos. In a way I think that might be a good steal, KH aren't brilliant at defending it, and it might weaken them enough to slow down their war against the Makedonians (which they're winning, again). Completes the island chain to Krete, and has that wonder that boosts sea trade.

So where do I go next?

[Swordmaster]

-If you take Rhodos, it might help the KH since they won't have useless stacks idling around there anymore, draining their treasury.
-Macedon might become a powerhouse if they manage to win from the KH, especially since they only have the Getai as opponents in the Balkan, so try to check their power.
-Pontos and the Seleucids may ally against you, so try stirring a war between them.
-Unless the Ptolemaioi are winning against the Seleucids, you could risk taking Cyprus from them, or even parts of southern Anatolia.

[QuintusSertorius]

In my games, both so far, it's surprisingly been KH who are the powerhouse who steamroller Makedonia. They've already taken Korinthos and have tried Demetrias several times. I don't think I helped by raiding Pella in the first turn and destroying all the military buildings there (including naval yards and blacksmiths). So Rhodos might be a no-brainer then. They won't defend it well, and as you say it'll refocus their attention on the Greek mainland. That might be enough to tip the balance back towards stalemate, plus Rhodos is rich.

Perhaps Mytilene would be a good target after Rhodos?

Ptolemies are winning against the Seleukids and are presently my allies. But perhaps as you say Cyprus is another island steal worth taking a risk over.

Pontos and the Seleukids aren't long off warring over Mazaka, though Pontos aren't very powerful right now.