An "Africanization" strategy with the Ptolies?

[Calypze]

I've been thinking about starting a Ptolemaioi campaign. However, usually when I do that, I end up in an endless quagmire in the Middle East, fighting the Seleukids. So I wonder if it would be a viable strategy to abandon the struggle there, giving all the cities away or something. Then to use a city close to Africa, for example in the Sinai, as an easily defendable "door" to Africa. Think how Denmark was a "door" to Scandinavia in MTW1.

I'd just keep the African province ("Africanization") and Cyprus, and capture somore more provinces in Africa, and then maybe take som Meditarreaneain islands. In other words, forgetting about the Middle East for a (long) while.

Is this feasible? Has anybody tried?

[LordCurlyton]

As long as you don't mind the endless stacks of AS phalanxes which will eventually be naught but Klerouch and Agryaspides then sure. Any chocke point area is defendable. If you're using BI or later, beware, as the AI AS will target Cyprus a LOT. I'm sure if you're the human it will also be with ever-increasing potency as well. Plus the Punic side of Africa is not exactly overflowing with recruitment possibilities as the Ptolies. But its definitely doable if you want to try a new direction.

[General Appo]

Sounds like a nice idea, but as Curlyton said, beware of endless AS attacks and limited recruitment. Carthage should actually be pretty easy to take out, they're African territories are usually pretty poorly defended in the early game.

[General Appo]

I got curious and checked the RW. Looks like you can actually get the Hellenic Medium Phalanx along the entire northwestern African coast, and at just a level 3 Native barracks at that.
A strong phalanx core with the excellent Numidian support units could make for a very interesting army.
Just picture this:

1 FM
5 Medium Phalanx
3 Numidian Skirmishers
3 Numidian Cavalry
2 Numidian Nobles
3 Numidian Slingers
3 Numidian Archers

Mix in some African Elephants, Maure and Garamantine Infantry and a Libyan general or two, and you´ve a incredible army right there.

*drools*

If you don´t do this, I might have to.

[LordCurlyton]

Remember the RV is 1.1 so I have no idea if it holds true for 1.2.
Though if it does then basically the AS and Ptolies are the only two nations outside of the Romans who can take a very core unit and basically go anywhere and be able to recruit it. Of course, that recruitment was originally when Klerouchs were L4 pre-1.0 so maybe its just never been an issue.
Also, I like the Ethiopian units better.

[mikil100]

I was looking at the RV and you could recruit the Hellenic Medium phalanx all the way up to Gaul... baffled me.