Questions on Sauromatae gameplay

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

I never went more than 10K in debt with the Sauromatae.

Perhaps I should add some detailed notes to my 'Guide to EB Blitzing' for them. You have to blitz very quickly to avoid getting very heavily in debt, it means attacking Eleutheroi cities with smaller armies than those of the enemy. Small enough to for you to put the city under seige, and the AI sallys out to attack you immediately when you end the turn. This helps a lot, because it's easier to defend with horse archers than it is to attack with them, and with a AI sally you are fighting a defensive battle which also gets you the city when you've won.

[xzGAB]

Historically Sarmatians fought with horse archers, but having a few heavy lancers. Later they changed to heavy cavalry only (afaik). If I am right, why don't they get the reforms to get something like the super-mega-heavy-killer armoured knights of the Parthian (20 of armor... o.O)??

[athanaric]

Historically Sarmatians fought with horse archers, but having a few heavy lancers. Later they changed to heavy cavalry only (afaik). If I am right, why don't they get the reforms to get something like the super-mega-heavy-killer armoured knights of the Parthian (20 of armor... o.O)??

The Sauromatae bodyguard unit has 22 armour (equal to Hellenic Cataphracts, plus better skill and morale) and is superior to most cavalry in the game. In EB, they appear more often than historically (well, in the early campaign years at least) . This kinda makes up for the lack of reform units.


The things about Sauromatae gameplay I really would like to see changed in EB II (and in AtB as well, if possible) are:

- The recruitment of auxiliaries. Right now it is impossible to recruit Greek, Germanic, or Thraikian units in the Bosphoran region without resorting to exploits.
- The availability of small ports. Right now only the Sauromatae AI can build proper ports (up to level 3, the second biggest kind), whereas the player can't. This is a discrepancy which can't be explaind from the position of historical accuracy.