Actually, the go further in on that.

You've got me started now.

I used my starting stacks to conquer Ankyra and Nikaia, then I lost Amaseia to the Arche Seleukeia. I was -15,000 in debt, had very little units, so I sieged Ipsos, they sallied (2 v 1 on balance), and I actually won the battle. So, I had conquered Ipsos, things started looking up.

The next turn, Amaseia revolted back. With a pretty stable economy (partially gained from selling the AS barracks (4,000 mnai, go figure), I was back on the track. I seized Mazaka shortly thereafter, offered them a ceasefire, they accepted, so good. I started building a decent Galato-Pontike army, and I took Side and Tarsos from the Ptolemaioi. Then I offered them a ceasefire and trade rights, they accepted, so awesome. I took Sinope, offered the KH a ceasefire, got trade rights with the Sauromatae (who controlled the Bosphoros), and cash started flowing in. With that cash, I managed to bribe Sardis.

Then the AS betrayed me, so I sent a spy to Trapezous (which they had conquered), which revolted to the KH, and then I took Ani-Kamah from the AS. Asia Minor almost secured, now I'm looking for stuff to conquer. Sieging Pergamon as well now.