SPARTANS DO NOT SUCK! you just blow at using them. You need to adopt hitsquad tactics. Accept the fact that your shorter spears mean casualties on the initial engagement. until you adopt better hoplites, you will need to outmanouver the makedonnes to acheive victory. Avoid large confrontations.

when engaging in a field use your skirmishers as a screening force, archers behind your line (get your hands on kretans. they kick ass) your Hoplites are your mainforce. Weaker hoplites in teh centre. Your FM's should be on the flanks. either use your best (usually a smaller hoplite unit with experience) hoplites ,or if your best are on the flanks - use your 2nd best- in a square formation about 10-20m behind your flanks. when the lines engage, doublequick march them around then spread em out so that they are about 3 men deep and envelop the phalanx. use guard mode for your main battle line. Your hitsquads should have it off. Later on you might want to send a force to massalia. Massalia is a crucial greek town. Only because of its incredible unit - Massalian Hoplites. These men are essential for your hitsquad tactics. Samnite's with the swords and shields will also do. but Massalians are much more versatile.
S S S S S

FM---------------------FM
|=| |=|
SL A A A A SL

Legend
S = Skirmishers
FM = FM
|=| = Hit squad
A = Archers
SL = Slingers



About Cavalry..... Hippies are cannon fodder. They are absolute rubbish! use them as a delaying force, or as a scouting force. they have no real use in combat. except when you have the upper hand and you wish to push forth a crumbling line. if you are losing the battle, throw em in as a last ditch effort and.... you'll lose more men.... basically they are outclassed by all other forms of light-medium cavalry and most forms of infantry. I've had units of them devastated by skirmishers in melee... they have little charging capability. and they fail at being a fast hit squad. use them to delay a charge, swarm an engaged enemy, or act as a rear guard as your army retreats. You will want to just avoid recruiting cavalry till you can get a proper cavalry force. Most of your army is heavy infantry with dirty spears in close formation. Your only real worry is Macedonian family members... and well.. Hippies are so bad they usually run like Frenchmen before engaging them.

Later on....

Now that you've got proper infantry you want to use Classical Hoplites and Spartans. These are your main force. I divide my army into two. Athenian empire and Spartans. My all spartan armies are unstoppable. With 2 makedonian Phalangites as a core, 2-4 Spartans on each side, massalian hoplite hitsquads, and slingers and cretan archers supporting, nothing can defeat you. flanking cavalry as still dangerous, and may take careful and devious manouvering in the thick of the fight to save the rear. I suggest you find a suitable answer to your lack of medium cavalry. Mercs are way too expensive to use on a regular basis. the Greek noble cavalry is good. But is no match for the Macedonians. Destroy Macedon at all costs! Do not get sentimental and stop. as soon as you can field a proper professional army, disband your levies and attack Pella! either push them out of the hellas or destroy them if they have nothing north of pella. Rome can be a powerful ally against the Epirotes and Carthage. Securing all of Greece and Yugoslavia is paramount. the money you will get from this will fund expeditions. This is my favourite part of the KH.


Expeditions:
There are many Greek polis scattered around the med. Massalia and Syracuse shall be your first targets.

Syracuse can easily be taken by 4 Spartan Hoplites and a competent spartan leader (whether he has a spartan body guard or not.) Massalia might be tougher, especailly if you are allied with Rome. Massalia is all important though. They have invaluable troops and are poised to have lots and lots of trade via sea routes. Once these 2 are secure you should make sure you keep a strong and powerful garrison. I suggest 1-2 spartan hoplites to lead the garrison. you can stop any attack in the streets with these things (as long as they arent elephants... i haven't fought elephants as the KH yet.) Expeditions are costly sometimes, but depending on your target (antioch, Alexandria, ROME, CARTHAGE) you stand to make a prettttty penny back. I personally liked not sacking antioch and using it as a base to attack the selukids on their hometurf. Expansion from the north of the Hella's I do not recommend. the KH seem to excell at Amphibious assaults. Their position dictates that you can expand west or east or south easily. Shipping troops to one side of the med is not such a large deal. Securing Italy should be a main priority. But for a challenge i recommend leaving the romans for a bit. Especially if you forged an alliance. the Romans can be a good ally... Keep them at a distance though and keep them occupied with an enemy. Carthage is a good common foe, they also put a good fight at sea and land.


What you chose to do from there is ultimately up to you. There are a few things to keep in mind that are a must however.


1- Secure Crete immediately.
2- Disband the Navy
3- Ship your army back to the mainland
4- Secure Corinith
5- Reinforce Athens
6- Push the Makedonnes back through Thermoplaye.( Chalkis must fall!)
7- Hold Thermoplyae till you are out of debt.
8- Get Romano-friendly (for the time being... Gift them extra money sometimes, buy their map info for a grand, and keep your diplomat at rome's gate! They will return in due kindness, and reward your faith in them)
9- Avoid conflict with Pyhrus till you've dealt with the Makedonnes.
10-Leave Thermon!!!!!!!!!! If you attack them while they are independent your belligerence in the eyes of the other Hellenes will go up, you will find it hard to talk diplomacy and you will have both the Epirots and the Makedons coming down on you. Do not enter Pyhrus's war with Rome till Makedon is either destroyed, or suppressed.
11- Always defend, even on the attack! goad the fools into attacking you! their Phalanx will fall apart on the move, and yours will hold! Allowing you swift and chaotic victory!
12- While playing think like a Spartan, and you will win like a Spartan. or die like a Spartan.
12a) My Spartan Army Composition:

General must be Spartan and a Lieutenant of whomever he'd like
5-8 Spartan Hoplites.
2-3 Phalangites
2 Slingers
2 Cretan Archers
1-2 Peltasts or anyhting that hucks large point-ed sticks lol
2-4 Hitsquads (Massalian Hoplites, Celtic Mercs, Dacian Falxmen[BLOODY AMAZING!] anything with long sharpened bits of steel with a handle really.)

12b)Athenian Army Composition
General can be anyone who'd be voted by Athen's to lead their army. Lieutenant of his choice.
5 Classical Hoplites
4 Phalangites
2 Slingers
2 Archers
2 Hitsquads
2-4 Cavalry units (I suggest the heaviest thing you can find)
1-2 Point-ed stick throwers.





I hoped this helped...