Epirote aid for the Aedui

[Uticensis]

Having never played a Gallic faction before, this weekend I started an Aedui campaign (hey, its better than studying for finals). Anyway, after gaining a few cities in Gaul and skirmishing with the Romans over northern Italy, I got a message from the adviser saying that the Epirotes need someone to defend their northern frontier and are willing to give military aid if I take Vindobona and Ak-Ink.

I had no idea what this aid could be, but the prospect of some Epirote phalanxes marching into Gaul to fight the Averni sounded pretty awesome to me, so I immediately dispatched my northern Italian army through modern-day Austria and besieged Vindobona. Now it turned out that both Vindobona and Ak-Ink had been taken by the Getai and they were fully garrisoned so I decided to starve out Vindobona, thus I built no siege machinery. But at the start of the next turn an Epirote general with a nice army spawned right next to Vindobona. If I were to attack the city, he would have come as reinforcements, but since I had no siege weapons I couldn't attack. So I built rams expecting to attack on the next turn. However, on the next turn the general took off and headed toward Greece, never to be seen again.

Nonetheless, I took both Vindobona and Ak-Ink in heroic victories, but nothing really happened. Was that unenthusiastic Epirote army the extent of their military aid? I mean I gained two cities out of the deal, but they are out in the middle of nowhere, and all this gave the Romans to strengthen their hold of northern Italy. Also, did I screw up by not attacking Vindobona when that Epirote army was in position (i.e. would that have caused a script to make the Epirote general stick around and actually help me out)?

[Grade_A_Beef]

Blame the AI, it'll never do what you expect it to (except sending fullstacks whenever possible)

I did the same for my Aedui campaign, except I only sent the army nearly 25 years later. I made sure the Romans were nice a extinct before I made my move on those two cities, but by that time I guess the Epiroites mission expired....they never appeared for me.

[Ludens]

If you had attacked earlier, the Epeirote stack would have assisted you and then marched off. IIRC the only long-term consequence (apart from the conquest of Vindibonum and Ak-Ink) is that you now have an alliance with them, but the A.I. is not interested in helping out allies.