Most boring faction to play as

**Apázlinemjó** · 06-25-2009, 09:07

Originally Posted by Ibrahim

you can build a good native one actually.

the way to do it is to rely on archers and slingers, with a core of infantry and cavalry for support of the archers. re sea axemen, and medium cavalry are very good for that. give them a few chevrons, and things will go well. and as most of your enemies will field light units, at least till later, the archers should do heavy damage.

archer spearmen come to mind, but sabaeans can do well in melee (for archers).

Because the AI is...the AI, but against a heavily armored army, controlled by a player doesn't really work, sadly.

**Celtic_Punk** · 06-25-2009, 09:15

This much is true. Even a light armoured celtic army could overwhelm the Saba.

**Moosemanmoo** · 06-25-2009, 19:39

Poor little saba

**Ibrahim** · 06-27-2009, 08:02

Originally Posted by Apázlinemjó

Because the AI is...the AI, but against a heavily armored army, controlled by a player doesn't really work, sadly.

yeah, but I'm assuming this is sp, not mp

but yeah, playing them in mp renders you screwed. hardly anyone uses them there

I'm telling ye, they are underpowered, especially the nomads. also can't get over them nomads having metal speartips that are 6ft in length, instead of the correct cowhorn speartip at 8-9f in length

**ARCHIPPOS** · 06-27-2009, 08:20

It's all in the head though... i imagine some people might be inspired by leading the underdog underpowered Saba to world domination... i am kind of inspired by the prospect of a desert-middle- east , low-tech army of hardened veterans pushing against the Ptolemies and the Seleukid giants... makes the Saba cause a very noble one right???

**Ibrahim** · 06-27-2009, 08:23

Originally Posted by ARCHIPPOS

It's all in the head though... i imagine some people might be inspired by leading the underdog underpowered Saba to world domination... i am kind of inspired by the prospect of a desert-middle- east , low-tech army of hardened veterans pushing against the Ptolemies and the Seleukid giants... makes the Saba cause a very noble one right???

yep, it is and does.

I just won a battle vs. a stack of ptolemaians- 1600 of them, vs 1300 of us. I managed to win a heroic victory, using cannae style tactics (double envelopement using a smaller army). it was tough though, my general died, and 40% of my men with him. they had 1 unit Klerouch agema, 4-6 of the klerouch normal, 2 celtic ones, and the rest assorted troops. I had some ethiopeians swordsmen, archers, and cavalry,some celtic mercenaries, and a few mercenary gee-I mean, greeks. thessalikoi were a real help

the irony? It was next to the Pyramids-I fought the battle of the Pyramids 2000 years in advance

EDIT: is it me, or is it always a semetic speaking person who pulls this feat off? Hannibal, Khalid ibn al-walid, now me? double envelopement with a smaller army seems rare.

**ARCHIPPOS** · 06-27-2009, 08:27

oops sorry read your message wrong... i thought you meant Semetic people coming back with apayback or sth...

i suppose if your troops are lighter and less armoured enveloping the enemy becomes even more of a necessity...

**ARCHIPPOS** · 06-27-2009, 08:38

there was a thread abt making EB more rewarding... weeeeeell i find fighting your battles with low tech armies as a turn-on... i mean sure i like cool-ass elite infantry units, heavy cavalry, elephants etc to feed the megalomaniac in me but during the begining and middle game you can hardly afford many (if any ) of that stuff... fighting with decent "mediocre" troops makes you become all the more resourceful and carefull ... and the victories taste sooooooo sweet

**Ibrahim** · 06-27-2009, 09:03

Originally Posted by ARCHIPPOS

there was a thread abt making EB more rewarding... weeeeeell i find fighting your battles with low tech armies as a turn-on... i mean sure i like cool-ass elite infantry units, heavy cavalry, elephants etc to feed the megalomaniac in me but during the begining and middle game you can hardly afford many (if any ) of that stuff... fighting with decent "mediocre" troops makes you become all the more resourceful and carefull ... and the victories taste sooooooo sweet

well, it was more bitter than sweet. the casualties were so high, and I was so far from any retraining center, that I had to disband the thrid army's core units, and start all over (I have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd; 1st is on its way to petra, fresh from taking Oman; 2nd is in Memphis and to the west (its overstreched), and 3rd is a series of little garrisons from Alexandria to Diospolis-megale, now that its been shattered

at least I took all of egypt-the question is now: can I hold it against the ptolemaian hordes?