Post your EB empires!

[QuintusSertorius]

The whole game is a histroical what-if.

It is, but some are more interesting (to me) than others. In any case, I'm more interested in historical simulation than alt-history projection.

[Fluvius Camillus]

It is, but some are more interesting (to me) than others. In any case, I'm more interested in historical simulation than alt-history projection.

I probably play exactly opposite to you.

I was just curious, how do you keep a campaign like Kyrene or Syrakousai fun if it's a historical simulation. I mean how can you keep it interesting if you sit around building up, maybe take some nearby towns and have to beat back fullstack after fullstack without progressing. I guess roleplaying around a bit, but that also stays limited to your fantasy. Don't you miss the royal armies? Great campaigns with epic battles against exotic foes or developing a character into an epic conqueror while managing a vast empire?

~Fluvius

[QuintusSertorius]

I probably play exactly opposite to you.

I was just curious, how do you keep a campaign like Kyrene or Syrakousai fun if it's a historical simulation. I mean how can you keep it interesting if you sit around building up, maybe take some nearby towns and have to beat back fullstack after fullstack without progressing. I guess roleplaying around a bit, but that also stays limited to your fantasy. Don't you miss the royal armies? Great campaigns with epic battles against exotic foes or developing a character into an epic conqueror while managing a vast empire?

~Fluvius

There aren't a lot of repeated full-stack battles, because I don't play on VH campaign difficulty, only M which moderates things some. But I find once you get beyond a half-dozen settlements or so, it starts to feel more like a game of managing town, and less one of fighting interesting battles. Not only that, if you allow the AI to consolidate into a handful of mega-factions (as in the survivors who've eaten up those who didn't make it), then it becomes a tedious affair of dealing with repeated attempts to swallow you up.

The fun for me comes with defending smaller factions and preserving a balance of power where things go according to where I choose to apply pressure. It comes from preventing Hayasdan becoming the ruler of the steppe, or Makedonia expanding all the way to Germany, or Rome conquering all of Gaul by 250BC. Of sheperding Parthia to become a great power a century after the start of the game, rather than being snuffed out 10 years in by the Seleukids and Baktria.

I keep it fun by intervening all over the place to suit my long-term goals for the game. Siding with the underdog in this war here. Using agents to make two factions fight each other, or slow expansion there. Giving money to a faction to aid their fight against their aggressor. A great campaign for me is one where I resist the ease of the blitzkrieg and move slowly, generally one settlement per war, acting either on the defensive or with justification for why I'm taking it. Often gifting any others I might have taken to other factions to sow the seeds of future conflict and keep things chaotic.

There's also a balance between good battles, and so many that fighting them becomes a chore. Three major battles in one turn, then peace for ten or so is cool. Three major battles every single turn, boring for me.

I don't shape single characters into epic conquerors; I rotate my generals to prevent any one becoming too powerful (and a threat to the Faction Leader who stays in the capital to govern). Partly because I don't like inactive FMs languishing around doing nothing, and partly because I find the Warmonger trait really annoying when there are long stretches of peace.

[Earl of Memory]

I agree that fighting about three major battles per turn is boring, specially when it's your most veteran army commanded by your best general fighting a bunch of levies lead by a mere captain. Things get interesting when the enemy sends his elite stacks and you only have a 'low/medium' quality army.

In my Seleukid campaign I just recently captured Kyrene and proceeded to take the southern province (all good and well) but then I saw a full stack of Karthadastim with two GOLDEN chevroned Elephants, three silver chevroned elite african phalanx a couple of liby phoenician elites, and a few numidians and garamantines marching towards Kyrene (which I left defended by only a peltastai and two units of akontistai). My poor fellows died like flies :( didn't even killed all of the elephants.

My best defense there were two spies who managed to make the province revolt twice, and debilitated that stack. However, I had no chance to take Kyrene back since two full stacks showed up and one besieged my province south of Kyrene. I held the province with heavy losses... I was fighting a fullstack of 6 Sacred Band+ 6Elite African phalanx and a couple of other lower units, using mainly peltastai and a few pantodapoi phalangitai, and an almost depleted chariot. Yet my chariots won the day, thank god I had them there!
Meanwhile the other fullstack went north to take Kyrene back though... such a relief for the moment.
I intend to unleash hell against those treacherous Khartadastim!!

[QuintusSertorius]

I don't know, I find all-elite armies just as tedious as all-levy ones. I'd just like even vaguely feasible armies recruited by the AI. Even more than that, I'd like them to just hold a line during a battle, none of the formation mods seem capable of that.

[Tanit]

Well, Eb2's recruitment system will fix that first problem.

[QuintusSertorius]

Well, Eb2's recruitment system will fix that first problem.

That is very welcome news indeed.

[blader1176]

Alright guys, I thought this thread was really cool and I just wanted to put up a little thing on my own campaign as Saba. I'm currently streaming it live on Justin.tv, and if you could please follow my channel (you have to make an account really quick first) it would be greatly appreciated.

[blader1176]

Here's the link, couldn't post it before because or post count requirements to post a link. Here it is: http://www.justin.tv/bloodthirstycatfish and my youtube channel is https://www.youtube.com/user/BloodthirstyCatfish

[Folgore]

Earlier:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Republic of Qart Hadasht, Spring 192 BCE

The Republic of Qart Hadasht, Spring 182 BCE

Commentarii de Bello Gallico

I mentioned earlier that Gigso in 193 sacked Gergovia in an attempt to stop to Gallic incursions into Carthaginian territory. Initially, this turned out to be very successful, with three peaceful years in which saw not a single Arverni on Carthaginian lands. Gisgo, Sophet and commander of the Second Army, stationed in southern Gaul, decides to use the relative peace to retire, being already 60 years of age. Abdeshmun Oea, son of Milkherem Oea [conquerer of Italy] and commander of the Old army in Iberia takes over command of the second army, while Gisgo returns to Carthage. The old army is shipped back to Carthage to retrain and recieve a new commander.

On the other side of the Alps, Milkherem Oea's first army, after having conquered Italy, is relieved by an Italian Garrison army, comprised mostly of Italian Hastati. The latter being sufficient for the defence of Italy, the first army is shipped to Carthage.

The Year of Death

In the spring of 190 starts the year of death. It starts with the death of the Carthaginian client king in Emporion, which city is thereafter immediately and mysteriously hit by an outbreak of the plague. Fortunately for Carthage, this plague helps cull any rebellious sentiments and the territory of Emporion is added to their vast empire. In the summer dies General Milkherem Oea [Hero of Messina, conquered of Italy, destroyer of Rome], followed swiftly by Sophet Gisgo [vanquisher of the Arverni]. Both die in Carthage, having recently retired from a life of war and conquest. The senate elects Milkherem's son, Adbeshmun Oea, as the new Sophet. Meanwhile, our Lusitana client king in Oxtraca also expires, sending the province into a brief period of anarchy. Peace is only restored when a new king, backed with Carthaginian money and an army of mercenary soldiers enters the city. In the winter of the same year, a transport fleet, carrying 600 Cretan archers for service in the second African army is sunk by an Egyptian fleet, there are no survivors.

Commentarii de Bello Gallico [2]

The year 190 also marks the end of the brief period of peace. Both the Arverni and the Romans attack the Carthaginian forces continuously in the following five years. Seemingly undeterred by the sacking of Gergovia, the Arverni now attack with armies comprised of nothing but levies. In 189, an army with 2500 slaves makes battle with the Carthaginian Second Army. Armed with nothing but sticks and stones and wearing nothing but a smelly blanket, these slaves are utterly crushed by Abdeshmun Oea and his forces. Only 7 Carthaginian soldiers lose their lives in this battle.

On the Roman side of the Alps the story is much the same. Being in control of only a small section of the Illyrian coast, the Romans can no longer raise the legions of Triarii that terrorised the Carthaginian advance into Italy. Instead, armies consisting of 3000 Illyrian levies are sent against the Italian garrison. Although the Illyrians are strong soldiers, they have the morale of infants and the second their Roman general is killed they run back to their mothers as fast as their legs can carry them. After sending four such armies, the Romans acknowledge the futility of trying to cross into Italy and stop sending armies.

In southern Gaul however, the Arverni continue to be a menace. In [yet another] attempt to stop the attacks, Adbeshmun Oea takes the Second Army deep into the center of Gaul in order to sack some of the cities there, straying into the territory of the Aedui. The Aedui however, are quite different from their Arverni brothers. While the Arverni have been exhausted by the many battles against the Carthaginians, the Aedui have [effectively] been at peace for the past 20 years. When Abdeshmun Oea approaches Bibracte in the autumn of 187 he is attacked by three Gallic armies in as many months. The level of organisation is uncharacteristic of Gauls, as more than 10 000 men, half of them Aedui and half of them Arverni, attack the second army. Although, against expectations, victorious in all engagements, Adbeshmun Oea suffers such heavy losses he is forced to abandon the Gallic expedition completely and return to Tolosa and Emporion to reinforce his army. The Gauls feast and drink to the memory of their fallen heroes, seeing the retreat of the Carthaginians as a great victory.

So much then, for the situation in Europa. Although the maps are no drop of ink different than those of 10 years ago, the past decade has seen great battles being fought, great heroes rise and fall and many, many good men being slain here.

On the War in Egypt

We saw earlier how the First African Army [under Xenophiles, brother of Bodmelqart [unjustly slain]] fought a difficult and inconclusive war in the desert south of Kyrene, culminating in the capture of the Oasis town of Augila. To relieve this army the Second African Army was raised and sent to africa [under Bisaltes] in 191. Meanwhile, the Old Army [from Iberia], had returned to Carthage and after having been reinforced to full strength, was also sent to Egypt [under Ahiram Arsinoe]. As these armies march through Egypt they meet remarkably little resistance. It seems most of the Egyptian armies are fighting the Makedonians in Syria. As the 2nd African Army and the Old Army take Paraitonion and Ammonion, the 1st African Army and the 1st Army are retrained. The 1st African Army is sent back to Egypt, while the 1st Army stays, as a reserve, near Carthage to see how the situation in Iberia develops [it is at this time some of the client kings die and the cities are sent into brief periods of anarchy]. As the situation in Iberia is diffused without help from the outside, the Senate decides to send the 1st Army into Egypt as well.

Thus, in 187, the Carthaginians have four armies marching and fighting their way though Egypt, while most of the Egyptian forces are in Syria. In 189 Paraitonion is taken, in 187 Ammonion and Memphis, in 186 Alexandria falls, followed in 185 by Diospolis Megale and Hibis. In 184 Pselkis is taken, after the largest battle against the Egyptian forces in which some 6000 Egyptians are killed or captured. In 5 short years, the Carthaginians managed to take the whole of Egypt. *

On the War at Sea

The Ptolemaic fleet has ever been a thorn in the side of the Carthaginians. From the very start of the war between the two nations, the Egyptians have been raiding the African coast and setting up blockades of Carthaginian harbours. At the start of the war, when Carthage was mainly interested in Iberia, the problem was small. Only some 10 000 mnai was lost in revenue per year, which the senate deemed an acceptable amount and consequently decided to ignore the problem altogether.

As the empire grew however, so grew the need to ship troops to Europe more and more frequently. When a fleet carrying the first army was scattered near the Silician coast by and Egyptian fleet [in 205 BCE], the Senate decided to build a strong fleet. Being mostly enterprising merchants however, they also decided it should not be too costly and limited the upkeep of the fleet at 10 000 mnai per year [2500 per turn]. Being equal in number, but far from equal in experience and ship-size, the Carthaginian fleet was utterly crushed when it engaged the Ptolemaic fleet in 202. Now confident that the previous battle had weakened the enemy fleet, the Senate commissioned a second fleet even smaller than the first one. It was scattered by the enemy fleet in 200, after which the ships that managed to flee the engagement were picked off by Illyrian pirates. Not a single ship made it back to Carthage.

Enraged by the financial cost of these battles, the senate finally created a real battle fleet, costing a very unprofitable sum of 20 000 mnai per year in upkeep alone, never mind the cost to build such a monster. In 193 the fleet was sent out to locate and destroy the enemy fleet, presumed weakened from the two previous battles. Little over a year later, the enemy fleet was discovered and battle was offered near the cost of Kreta. Outnumbering the Ptolemaic fleet two to one [and with battle odds 3 to 2 in my favour] it was a huge surprise when this fleet was also utterly crushed by the Egyptians.

[Three "crushing defeats" in a row, would you believe it!? Alright, I admit, the first two were largely my fault, but I really should have won that third battle...]

Having now concluded that destroying the Egyptian fleet was too expensive an undertaking, the Senate again decided to leave naval supremacy to the enemy, focusing instead on destroying the Egyptians on land. At about the same time however, it was noted by Carthaginian Generals that the archers of Kreta [long a part of their extensive empire] were archers of exceptional quality. A force of 600 of the [4 units] was raised to supplement the Second African Army, already on its way to Egypt. As Kreta is not too far from the African coast, an attempt was made in 190 to ferry the archers across only to be intercepted by an Egyptian fleet and utterly sunk. Not one to be deterred by minor setbacks, the governor of Kreta simply raised another force of 600 archers and sent them across in 189, after carefully checking that no Egyptian fleets were in range. But, Poseidon clearly favouring one side over another, the Egyptian fleet stormed across the mediterranean and again destroyed the archers and their transports.

As the African Armies were now left without missile troops altogether, the Senate of Carthage was again forced to intervene with a fleet. This time, no expenses would be spared, as the fate of the African invasion might rest on the safe arrival of the Cretan Archers. A fleet of 100 Quadriemes was raised, at the cost of 25 000 mnai per year. Finally, when the fleets of the two nations engaged for the fourth time in 187, the Carthaginian fleet was victorious.

But the Egyptians are a most cunning people at sea. As the Egyptian fleet retreated, the Carthaginians swiftly followed, along the African coast into the Red Sea canal. It was here that the Egyptians sprung their trap, while the Carthaginians pursued one fleet towards the Red Sea another fleet was sent into the canal from the other side. Attacked from both sides, the Carthaginian fleet managed to fight off the attack, but with heavy casualties, forcing them to retreat to the port of the recently captured province of the city of Memphis. Trapped here for more than a year, when the fleet tried to break through the Egyptian fleet into the mediterranean in 184 it was completely destroyed.

And so, after twenty years of fighting, after four battle-fleets, numerous transport fleets and 1200 Cretan soldiers dead, after hundreds of thousands of mnai, either lost through naval blockades or through the raising and keeping of fleets, the Egyptians still reign supreme at sea!

On the War in the East

Having already discussed the state of affairs in Europa and Africa, I feel it necessary to spend a few words on the developments in Asia. It would seem, from looking at the current map and that of 10 years ago, much has changed, but this is nothing more than an illusion.

The Makedonian advance into Syria is stagnating, Antioch having fallen in 190 and subsequently nothing having changed. Battles are still being fought here, but no one side can gain the upper hand. In the Caucasus the war is more dynamic. Constantly cities are changing hands and the Hayastan are holding on fanatically, much against the world's expectations.

In the far east, the Pahlava managed to destroy the Saka by killing the entire royal dynasty. It would seem they would quickly annex the north-eastern territories and turn their attention west, but in fact, they have been struggling continuously against revolts among the eastern populations. Their armies roam the mountainous land here all the time, moving from one village to the next. But when a settlement is conquered and the army moves on to the next settlement, it immediately revolts. There has not been a single time in the past 10 years where the Pahlavan empire had not some sort of rebellion on its hands.

Final Notes

The main contest in the next ten years will be the race between Makedonia and Carthage to see who can reach the Phoenician homeland. Although the Carthaginians have expanded rapidly in the past decade, they will have to secure their holdings in Egypt before they will be able to move on east. Makedonia might not have been able to move into Syria much in the past decade, but with the profitable nile no longer a part of the Egyptian empire, they will crumble sooner or later. Should Makedonia take control of Tyre before Carthage and should they be unwilling to give it up, a most destructive war will surely follow.

* In 182 BCE, I have the following armies in the field:
- First Army [Theodekles], Diospolis Megale, Egypt
- Second Army [Abdeshmun Oea], Souther Gaul
- Old Army [Ahiram Arsinoe], Pselkis, Egypt
- First African Army [Xenophiles],Alexandria, Egypt
- Second African Army [Bisaltes], Memphis. Egypt
- Italian Garrison Army [no commander], Northern Italy


Also, my apologies for this enormous post. I didn't think it would get this long...

[blader1176]

Wow Foglore, that's awesome. I didn't read the entire thing, but it's really cool.

[Walle]

Awesome Foglore! I read the whole thing and loved it! Keep it up!

[blader1176]

Also, I've realised that on campaign maps, nobody ever controls the center of the Arabian Peninsula or the Sahara. Is that just barren/not conquerable land?

[QuintusSertorius]

Also, I've realised that on campaign maps, nobody ever controls the center of the Arabian Peninsula or the Sahara. Is that just barren/not conquerable land?

There's no province there.

[Saldunz]

Well, this is a follow-up to my post from awhile back.



20 years have passed and though I did get the Saba to agree to a peace, it was short-lived. They waited right until I got bogged down in a war against Baktria, and then attacked my Arabian possessions. This may only be able to end with the conquest of the entire peninsula.

But good God, does it take a long time to get armies around Arabia. The last couple years against the Baktrians have been a stalemate just because half of my armies were marching their way down the Arabian desert.

The Ptolemies stuck to their peace, but unfortunately lost all their holdings to the hungry Baktrians who thought they could steamroll over my eastern possessions. The Carthaginians are being no kinder to them now that the Ptolemies are a strictly African faction. Libya and Upper Egypt are gone, so now all they have are Nubia and Ethiopia. I don't know how long it will be before the Carthaginians also decide I'm easy prey, but thankfully Alexandria and Memphis are two of my most well-populated well-armed fortresses. If they attack, I may be able to hold them off indefinitely.

I realize that since I've taken Anatolia from the Ptolemies all those years ago, Getic and Thracian troops have been rarities in my armies. My armies are vastly composed of Greeks, Persians and Caucasians with the occasional helping of Arabian cavalry and Celtic mercenaries.

Also it's weird how peaceful Western Europe and the Steppe have become.
Italy is still a mess. It's a three-way struggle between the Aedui, the Greeks and the Carthaginians.

If I can ever manage having more than a year or two of peace, I'll re-shift my focus on Eburonum and those other western objective I need to claim to win the game.

[Ludens]

Also, I've realised that on campaign maps, nobody ever controls the center of the Arabian Peninsula or the Sahara. Is that just barren/not conquerable land?

There's no province there.

In game terms they are both part of the Eremos ("wilderness") province. And yes, they represent worthless and unconquerable desert areas. The capital province (Terhazza) cannot be reached without cheating, nor are you supposed to try as it used to store script markers.

[Lazy O]

@Folgore; Have a

[The_Blacksmith]

Mighty Pahlava Blitz

Sadly i dont have any screenshots...

Its around summer 252 and Antichous Soter and Antichous Theos found out that some guy just conquered their empire all the way to Tarsos and Sidon... sadly they both died...

I have 2 Massive Mercenary Phalanx, Kaukasian Sparabara and Horse archer armies lead by Tiridates and a Dåhå called Damdamen with each 7-8 command stars

Sadly the troop building in Persia is taking forever eventhough it only took me a year capturing it...

The Ptomlys just found out that they would give it a shot. trying to drink the Arsacid Empire in large cups... and they have been soundly beaten 1 army vs 4-5 full stacks
Resulting
Parthia>Yellow death

Onwards to Jerusalem and fortify....

The Hasadyan are turtling
The Pontic Are braindead, so are The Baktrians
and The Saka has two settlements i REALLY want

[Fluvius Camillus]

Mighty Pahlava Blitz

Sadly i dont have any screenshots...

Its around summer 252 and Antichous Soter and Seleukos Theos found out that some guy just conquered their empire all the way to Tarsos and Sidon... sadly they both died...

I have 2 Massive Mercenary Phalanx, Kaukasian Sparabara and Horse archer armies lead by Tiridates and a Dåhå called Damdamen with each 7-8 command stars

Sadly the troop building in Persia is taking forever eventhough it only took me a year capturing it...

The Ptomlys just found out that they would give it a shot. trying to drink the Arsacid Empire in large cups... and they have been soundly beaten 1 army vs 4-5 full stacks
Resulting
Parthia>Yellow death

Onwards to Jerusalem and fortify....

The Hasadyan are turtling
The Pontic Are braindead, so are The Baktrians
and The Saka has two settlements i REALLY want

As a Seleukid fan I have to nitpick that it's Antiochos (II) Theos, not Seleukos.

What is Arsaces I up to (Arschak ê Arschkanig)?

Lol @ the reference.

What are the Baktrians and Saka? Allies? I guess the towns you really want are Marakanda and Alexandreia-Eschate?

~Fluvius

[The_Blacksmith]

@Fluvius

I have both of those settlemets... as i said... this went VERY fast im missing the one above the starting position and Choas, the one above Makanda
Arschak ê Arschkanig is resting in Seleukia after captuing about 12 settlements...
i've Managed to keep both Saka and Baktia my allies... i think ill might post a picture later

[Africanus]

113 B.C.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Currently at war with the yellow death and the Luso's. I vanquished the QH in 115 B.C. and as I expected, I was immediately set upon by the Luso full stacks at two different settlements in Iberia. But of course I've had years and years to prepare for them, and their six full stacks are now down to two.

I've booted the Ptoly's out of Africa without much trouble, gifting Augila to the Saba. I also took and gifted them Petra, but it quickly rebeled back to the Ptoly's, and they've been staunchly defending that area ever since, with wave after wave of stacks. I'm trying to keep a Roman core with a historical composition to my two legions there , so it's been constant ferrying reinforcements from Italy.

They've also been knocked back to Asia Minor, as I took Serdike and the KH took Byzantinum. I had something funny happen outside of Pella, when I marched my legion just shy of the gates and ran out of movement points. I was the attacked by a Ptoly relief army during the AI turn, and after wiping them out along with the Pella garrison, I thought I could just march right into my new settlement. But alas, the KH swooped in during their turn and took it without a drop of blood! Not wanting to go to war with my new allies just yet, I've let them have it.

I've still stayed out of northern Gaul, and after gifting two settlements to the Casse I was hoping they would do something, but they've done nothing but march their full stacks around Brittania (Do they ever build a ship and sail across the channel?) . The Sweboz finally got around to taking Viennos from the Casse, so I'm expecting to be attacked by them soon now that our common border has grown larger.

After rushing to get the Marion reforms as quick as possible in my previous Romani campaigns, I decided to try and time them in this one to 107 B.C.. Of course with so much money, most of family members are fat and lazy, and the ones that are S/C/V are almost all Optimas, so I've failed miserably in that department. I don't see them coming for quite a while, which is fine because I think I prefer the Polybians anyway.

In this screen from my last campaign (which I stopped at the same year I'm at now), I've already had the Augustan reforms. I must say, going slower has been much more enjoyable. Of course I've also gotten very lucky with AI passivity so I've pretty much been able to move at my own pace with few surprises.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[FriendlyFire]

I started a new H/M Hayasdan campaign using the cities mod, which limits the growth of most cities and removes roads from the steppes. Here's the situation in 201 BC:



Currently at war with:

• The Seleukids, who for a long time have sent armies from Syria seeking in vain to retake their heartlands: the river between the Seleukid city of Antiocheia and the Hai city of Edessa runs red most years. They recently switched strategy and started besieging Trapezous, so my faction heir came down out of the mountains to take the old Pontic lands from them. Now that he's started he'll probably keep pushing into Asia Minor.
• Pahlava, who attacked me as soon as we shared a border, and have sent a constant stream of armies to besiege Gabai. They're still allied with Baktria and have declared a ceasefire with the Seleukids, in order to give me their full and undivided attention. When my faction leader tried to move beyond Gabai, his royal army was utterly defeated by a stack of Pahlavan cataphracts. He therefore stopped eastward expansion until the first set of Persian reforms are done. Meanwhile my armies huddle behind stone walls and rely on slingshot and arrows for their defense.

Currently allied with:

• Epeiros, who couldn't quite finish off either Makedonia or the Koinon Hellenon and are still regretting it.
• The Romans, who are doing quite nicely and have Marian troops to play with. The Lusos have just started exploding, which will probably let the Romans grab some weakened Gallic towns before they too have to face the Iberian flood.
• The Ptolemaioi, who are stuck in desert wars with Saba and Carthage. I'm carefully avoiding a shared border, and will leave Antiocheia in Seleukid hands for as long as possible, just to reduce the chance of the Ptolemaioi war machine turning its attention to the north. My biggest worry is that one of the Seleukid border towns will rebel to the Saba and then be conquered by the Ptolemaioi, leaving me with a shared border.
• The Sauro, who are really hampered by the cities mod (small towns and no roads).

I'm also neutral with and bordering Pontos, who are concentrating on walking an army all the way round the Black Sea to the Bosphoros, and the Saba, who are busy trying to reinforce towns that rebel from the Seleukids and Ptolemaioi. Neither Pontos nor the Saba will ally with me because they're both at war with my Ptolemaioi allies, but I pay them regular tribute just in case it helps.

Having been dirt-poor for most of the game, I've taken most of these lands on the cheap. A typical early Hayasdan army had levy phalangites for the main line, Caucasian archers to thin down skirmishers, Scythian horse-archers to harass and chase routers, and whatever local troops I could find as flankers. Mercenary Babylonian heavy spearmen are my current favorite, since they can slaughter cavalry with their spears, and smash elite phalangites with their armor-piercing maces. They'll be first on my list to recruit when I complete the next set of Persian reforms in Babylon and Seleukia. And I'm just beginning to experiment with Armenian cataphracts and armored horse-archers, which I'll probably need to take the offensive to Pahlava.

[QuintusSertorius]

243BC in my Epeiros-as-Syrakousai game:



This one actually works fairly straight, since in reality Pyrrhos was the ruler of Syracuse for a bit before he got bored and went elsewhere. I reason this as him leaving his sons in charge, and they managed to hold on to power. I killed him off immediately on taking Syrakousai at the beginning, and also offed Helenos at the start.

I've just completed a little war with the Karthadastim, the first Punic War in which Rome did very little (they were also at war with them, but after a half-arsed attempt to take Messana seem to have given up on Sicily). They started it, having taken Messana in about 251, they came for me in 247. Four years of war (including three proper battles in the field and two sieges) and Sicily is now mine. Now things are consolidated, I plan to interfere in Hellas and Asia, sending armies by boat to enforce my vision of how things should look there. Building up my economy to support that army right now.

Rome are my allies, and I'm giving them 200 mnai a turn to hopefully leave me alone. Their garrisons in the south are pretty thin, and they've not sent anything my way in a long time. Bar agents - a diplomat and assassin arrive every other turn and I kill them all with my crack squad of cutthroats. I have been using the cheats to constrain their northward expansion; repeatedly adding troops to the garrisons of Segesta and Bononia. They're currently at peace with both Gallic factions, though once they eventually take Cisalpine Gaul that will all change.

I have a navy now, spent the better part of fifteen turns hunting down all the pirates (and there were a lot of them, they'd driven all the other navies out of the sea).

Map in focus:



Pahlava are a surprise, back in about 265 they were down to two provinces and facing extinction. Then I started feeding them money via the console, and they've turned it around. Baktria were in a similar place about 20 turns ago, I spawned a full stack in Baktra which was under siege to a tiny Saka army and now they've splurged.

Longer-term I'm going to take the Karthadastim islands, maybe Emporion and draw Rome into Hellas by fair means or foul.

A lot of the map is still rebel, but that's because I regularly give them several hundred thousand mnai via the console.

[The_Blacksmith]

Im sorry to break in to your lovely campaign Quintus, but i have to ask... who owns Ankyra?

and, just a little idear i got? how about taking some greek city states like Kyrene and Aetolia? (presuming they are not KH or Ptolymaric now)

[QuintusSertorius]

Im sorry to break in to your lovely campaign Quintus, but i have to ask... who owns Ankyra?

The Aedui have Galatia. I think that was some Force Diplomacy in the 260s after it kept hovering on rebellion but not quite tipping over.

and, just a little idear i got? how about taking some greek city states like Kyrene and Aetolia? (presuming they are not KH or Ptolymaric now)

I'm tempted by Kyrene, but I've taken it in so many migration campaigns (and played with it as my starting point) that it might seem too familiar. Both Kyrene and Thermon have massive garrisons, so are pretty safe for a while.

Aitolia might be an interesting break from the usual routine, I'd be holding the ring against both Makedonia and Koinon Hellenon. Perhaps I could reason an invitation of assistance? I do want to intervene in Hellas at some point, though I think I'll wait for someone to take it first, rather than displacing some rebels.

[Jebivjetar]

Jebs' Parthian empire, 153BC

My recent activities in this campaign:
-destroyed AS by taking their capital-city Maracanda
-invaded Asia Minor, captured Ancyra and gave it to my allies, Aedui
-sent two stacks onto Egypt for purpose of capturing Alexandreia and Memphis



My greatest general in this campaign:



Diplomatic relationships:

at war with Baktria, Makedonia, Ptolemaioi and Saba
allied to Aedui and Saka

[Lazy O]

You and wolf swapped avatars? Seriously people I cant recognize without the avatar....

Nice empire btw. Why are the sister lovers still alive?

[Jebivjetar]

Nice empire btw. Why are the sister lovers still alive?

Thanx, Lazy O :)

Against the sisterophiloi (^^) i fought for years now, but i haven't invade their homelands because i was very busy fighting AS, Pontos and Makedonia respectively. Now i finally have meet the requirements for a brand new major engagement and the Yellow Fellows suffer already. I've just beaten them around Alexandreia twice and the gates to Egypt stand open before my mighty Pahlavans. ^^

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

You and wolf swapped avatars? Seriously people I cant recognize without the avatar....

Nope, i am Cute Wolf. Can't you recognize me?

[QuintusSertorius]

Back to Pergamon, and it's good to be back. This is definitely the migration that works the best. 262BC and we've just surprised the Seleukids, after breaking off the alliance the previous year.



I have spies and assassins at work in Mytilene and Ipsos, but I doubt they'll come to much even though neither has a governor. Having taken Sardis, I'm done with expansion for a while. I'm avoiding the exploit of taking the islands (Krete, Rhodos, Kypros), at the very least until I can actually build a navy. That means taking Mytilene, since I think it's the only naval port nearby.

The world:



There's been actual movement in Gaul, both factions have taken stuff despite my pumping money into the rebels. I've found that giving Galatia to one of them tends to paralyse them, so this time around when the time comes I'm going to give it to the Casse, since they never do anything anyway. Might still give them the Belgae lands, especially if they'll do nothing once they have them.

The Lusotannan are more active than I've seen them, and the Romans are chomping at the bit to get into Gaul. Successfully dragging them into Sicily, right now they have an FM besieging Messana which should kick off a war with Qart-hadast.

[Valion]

I love all your empires!

specially love your role-play QuintusSertorius :)

I'm gonna post here too when my Spartan Led KH Campaign becomes big enough to be considered an empire.
Cheers!!