Some Pahlava strategy thoughts.

**antisocialmunky** · 12-16-2008, 20:21

Usually if you immediately ally up with the Saka, they stayed allied with you. This has been my experience. However the Baktrians and Seleucids usually will decide to kill you horribly after a while. You won't be able to take their fortresses until they strip most of the east bare sending hopeless stacks against your 1337 HA and FMs.

**MerlinusCDXX** · 12-16-2008, 22:25

I pretty much play Pahlava the same way LordCurlyton does, with a few exceptions. I start with a quick strike into the heartlands of the AS, leaving the Baktrians alone, instead, I take those nomad FMs (with the exception of the King, and his 2 Ashkani sons) and whatever units I can afford into Gava-Mazsakata after getting some marriages/adoptions. I set up a watchtower system and watch the Baktrians and Saka fight it out, turning on Baktria when they gain ground- after getting a cease-fire with the AS. I take all Batrian territory except Marakanda (which they will usually get by now, it helps to use a spy to force a rebellion off the AS) and get a cease-fire. I take India with what remains of the Eastern Army group and then recruit a much improved army (I've been working up the reforms ceaselessly until now), finish off Baktria, and get ready for the Saka onslaught, recruiting supporting armies from Mazsakata, Khiva, and Nisa while getting a cheap stack of regionals for defense from Baktra. After that you can pick your next opponent, usually the AS, Armenia, or the Ptolemaioi. I usually go for Armenia, then Asia Minor, and then finish the AS in the Levant and take the few Ptolemaiaoi cities in the Levant for the VCs. By then I'm sporting fully reformed armies with Infantry and Elephants from India going to the Royal Army. Pahlava can be a very rich faction in a short amount of time if played smart, since the reformed gov't requirements have the side effect of making you filthy stinking rich.

**Tristuskhan** · 12-16-2008, 22:44

Originally Posted by MerlinusCDXX

I pretty much play Pahlava the same way LordCurlyton does, with a few exceptions. I start with a quick strike into the heartlands of the AS, leaving the Baktrians alone, instead, I take those nomad FMs (with the exception of the King, and his 2 Ashkani sons) and whatever units I can afford into Gava-Mazsakata after getting some marriages/adoptions. I set up a watchtower system and watch the Baktrians and Saka fight it out, turning on Baktria when they gain ground- after getting a cease-fire with the AS. I take all Batrian territory except Marakanda (which they will usually get by now, it helps to use a spy to force a rebellion off the AS) and get a cease-fire. I take India with what remains of the Eastern Army group and then recruit a much improved army (I've been working up the reforms ceaselessly until now), finish off Baktria, and get ready for the Saka onslaught, recruiting supporting armies from Mazsakata, Khiva, and Nisa while getting a cheap stack of regionals for defense from Baktra. After that you can pick your next opponent, usually the AS, Armenia, or the Ptolemaioi. I usually go for Armenia, then Asia Minor, and then finish the AS in the Levant and take the few Ptolemaiaoi cities in the Levant for the VCs. By then I'm sporting fully reformed armies with Infantry and Elephants from India going to the Royal Army. Pahlava can be a very rich faction in a short amount of time if played smart, since the reformed gov't requirements have the side effect of making you filthy stinking rich.

Rich enough to buy a protectorate on the Saka may them betray you sometimes (400000 denari + one or two provinces + 1000 tribute for 1000 turns + map info)

**Atraphoenix** · 01-09-2009, 12:32

I use baktria as a buffer zone between me and Sakae, I mostly blitz AS lands after I got enough money from my settlements I just leave one city for sakae and baktria also I leave AS in asia minor as a buffer zone state then my egypt campaign starts.

For AS quickly to divide then conquer my best tactic.

**HayGuy** · 01-15-2009, 06:11

I took the closest AS territory that had a port, on the southern shores of the Caspian, good income. I leave the city directly south seperated by mountains) of my capital for my spies to make rebel. Then I take the territory (I think it the city is called Hekatolympos) as a staging area into the territory south of the first territory taken (which has mines). AS sure loves to try to take Hekato and that third territory. Sometimes though they just pass through on their way to Bactria so I leave them be. I build Nomadism where I can and Pastoralism elsewhere followed sanitation and other growth buildings (cos I enslave all the captured cities).

I think I am hanging on by the skin of my teef but I love playing these guys! I think having my spies cause unhappiness may have slowed down the AS military response but I am not sure.

As far as troops...my armies outside the cities are composed of two horse archers and a FM while my cities have a token garrison of Hellenic Spearmen and Mardian archers, usually a 2 to 1 ratio.

**iamphet** · 01-15-2009, 09:04

I believe that AS are simply too busy in Asia Minor and Ioudaia to fight you yet. I didn't rush and built Pastoralism almost everywhere (and now building Reformed Government). AS started to send decent phalanxes only when I captured Babylon and Seleukeia.

**HayGuy** · 01-15-2009, 22:04

Yeah it's pretty funny, the Pahlavi position improves almost immediately, you just spend a lot of time building. I have only just started to build a reform myself.

Also...aren't HA and FMs great for assassinating generals? killed a grip of AS generals with my archers. Sure it took a while but once he is by himself I just charge him with my horses.