Post your EB empires!

[huth]

^ It looks great, the problem is I don't know Turkish ahaha :D :P

[lonewolf209]

The year is 232BCE. All is going well. My allies, the Aedui, Sweboz, Casse, and Ptolemaioi, are all proving themselves to be trustworthy allies. Rome however, betrayed us early on and have been a constant thorn in our side, constantly assaulting Alalia, Numantia, and Messana. Their efforts however are weak and easily rebuffed. We will deal with them in time but for now, our concerns lie elsewhere.

Iberia has been mostly conquered with little resistance. We tried to spare the Lusitanians annihilation by allowing them the honor of becoming my protectorates. Despite our generosity they betrayed our trust twice and were put down.

Elsewhere in the world, the Arche Seleukeia has for the most part maintained its alliances in the North but is fighting a war on three fronts as Pahlava, Koinon Hellenon and the Ptolemaioi have all been attacking its borders, like wolves biting at the heals of an ox. Most of the fighting has been restrained to the island of Salamis. The ownership of which chances every couple of years.

In the greek homeland things have been rather active. The Getai, not but ten years ago had nearly the entire peninsula to itself, having pushed back the Makedonians to asia minor, and reducing Konion Hellenon and Epirus to just a territory or two apiece. But like a tide that waxes and wanes, the combined forces of the greek states have pushed them back considerably.

We must be sure too keep our eyes on these foreign affairs. As power comes and goes, we never know who our next enemy will be.

[Harkilaz]

Romani H/M
Another campaign I started last year then picked up again recently. 100% of my Romani campaigns have fatal ctd. this was no different. But I finally managed to get teh entire Mediterranean.

Any idea why there is a fatal ctd? Has me a little worried as I'm playing as the Romans at the moment and don't want that to happen.

[lonewolf209]

Year 228BCE

As soon as Iberia had been successfully taken the winds of fate began to change.

Rome continues it's relentless assault. Endlessly attacking Emporion, Alalia and Karali. They managed to take the city of Messana, despite a heroic effort by the garrison stationed there. Years of easy victories against halfhearted assaults lead our commanders to underestimate the strength of this new roman army. A force of whatever troops were available has been hastily thrown together to retake the city. If we can coax them into open battle the unbeatable force of our generals cavalry will surly crush them.

But the Roman scum is not our only threat at the moment. The Greek city of Syrakousai, long disgruntled with foreign rule has decided to revolt. This treachery has spread, as treachery often does and the city of Lixus on the opposite end of our glorious empire has also revolted. Though, unlike Syrakousai, whose dissatisfaction has been apparent for years, Lixus gave no warning and no significant force lay nearby to quell this uprising. Such treachery must be dealt with quickly before news spreads further emboldening other communities. Syrakousai and Lixus must be decimated. An example must be made to show that such ideas and actions will not be tolerated.

This however, will be easier said then done. The constant fighting has depleted our treasury and our glorious trading empire is now, for the first time ever slipping into debt. With the garrisons on our borders becoming dangerously small, our enemies on our doorstep, treachery from within, and no money, the future of Carthage is uncertain. But, the more difficult the endeavor, the more profitable. If we can manage to survive.

[huth]

World in 240 BC:

]

As Bactria I don't really care what's going on in some barbarian lands... but it's actually quite a playground:
(Lusitana just rolled through lands of Gauls...)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

In lands of our great ancestors, our brothers have yielded ground to some Persian-blood
(Epeiros is puppet state of the Purples, now it's time for the two others...)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Diplomats report that in barbarian lands people are born from the mountain's rocks in great numbers!
(No, seriously... WHAT IN THE NAME OF ZEUS IS THAT?)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

and for sentiment, Diodotos... He becomes closer to death very fast, such a great leader...
But the most important is that he made possible to build some mining centers! :P
Oddly enough he doesn't have many retinues... probably because he was to often in the field :)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Shokifer]

This is my Casse campaign after a fifty-year-long war with the Sweboz, and by the end it made me hate them so much that I never ever want to see them again.

Stupid Sweboz with your stupid fullstacks and your stupid pikemen and your stupid bodyguard that I have to completely surround to get rid of.

Nice mercenaries, though.

Also, Bactria took Babylon. Yaaaay.

[Blxz]

Huth, those rebel fullstacks are the result of people moving into eburonum and trying to take it. The script spawns a big army to represent resistance.

Think of the brightside, this won't happen in EB2 because there is a new faction there instead of eleutheroi.

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

Huth, those rebel fullstacks are the result of people moving into eburonum and trying to take it. The script spawns a big army to represent resistance.

Think of the brightside, this won't happen in EB2 because there is a new faction there instead of eleutheroi.

He's talking of the Sweboz, not the Boii.

[Shokifer]

Yeah, I'm not that bothered with the Boii. They mind their own business and keep largely to themselves. Seem like pretty cool dudes.

[huth]

Huth, those rebel fullstacks are the result of people moving into eburonum and trying to take it. The script spawns a big army to represent resistance.

Think of the brightside, this won't happen in EB2 because there is a new faction there instead of eleutheroi.

Well, fortunately I'm in the other side of the map, so it rather doesn't bother me, though I hope someone will conquer that in next 50 years... Hopefully it'll be Rome not Getai or Sweboz...

[Shokifer]

In all the games I've played I don't think I've ever seen an AI faction able to get both the manpower and the luck required to conquer the Boii.

The Sweboz tried that once in my game, and now one of the Boii territories is dotted with famous battle sites. All of which the Sweboz lost.

I suppose I should be thankful. If they'd expanded any further the war would have gone on a lot longer than fifty years, I feel.

[Shokifer]

Arrrgh! Stupid double post!

[Blxz]

He's talking of the Sweboz, not the Boii.

Except that he has a picture of a mountain with fullstacks and text above it saying that the mountain people are mobilising. The sweboz are forest people.

[Shokifer]

He wasn't talking to me, Robin.

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

Yep, that was my mistake. I got confused by the fact he was referring to an earlier post.

[Shokifer]

The Lusitanians just declared war on me.

Wonderful.

[I Am Herenow]

this won't happen in EB2 because there is a new faction there instead of eleutheroi.

... or is there?

[Blxz]

[mikepettyrtw]

I have a massive Parthian Empire I have formed like 4 times. I will post soon. It stretched from Alexandria to India IIRC. The Pahlavans become monsters once they get their late bodyguard and Indian elephants.

[huth]

Well, somehow I don't like to post here and on TWC, because I think that majority uses both forums, but... eh, here we go

An update after a decade...

World in 231 BC:
(that dark blue is me, after winning against the great Eburonum AI Script...)


note: PICTURE HEAVY

In Far West, Lusotanian horde devours everything.
(my spy caused a rebellion in Bagacos and because of my AI scripts "fighting" by console and killing some eleutheroi stacks, Sweboz finally is on the move...)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

In the lands of the ancestors... well, war is prosperous as always.
(I'm surprised that none of these nations have lost yet... well, Epeiros is protectorate to Pontos, but still exists)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Unfortunately my another hellen brothers are in grave danger!
(and because of Ptolemaioi weakness, AS has won in Koile-Syria... AI is so mean to me...)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Under the influence of mighty hellenic military, Saka savages become more civilised...
(hell yes, less horsemen is always good)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

By the will of gods, and powers of theirs, the evil barbarian horde hath been eradicated!
(I just had to do something with that Eburonum Boii script, they'd accumulate stacks over and over... move_character and auto_win did the job, I'm curios what it'll be now... But, why Casse spawned there?)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spy net works greatly to Bactrian Empire.
(I have spy in almost every neighbouring settlement, so useful in slowing down enemy progress, if it is any...)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The bravest, wisest and most honorable Bactrian man, a true hero, descandant of Herakles at least, how much time has left for him, before ferryman will take him for the last journey?
(I bet five years :P)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

That's for now, though I've taken Zadrakata next turn(sss in sss thread). War against AS goes well, with high income and "real" army of Thorakitai, Pezhetairoi, Kataphraktoi, etc(well.. elephant are a bit too expensive for me :P), in future 10 years I plan to take Susa, maybe Ektabana and of course lands of Babylonia :)

[mikepettyrtw]

Parthia as of the destruction of Alexandria

[huth]

Parthia as of the destruction of Alexandria

Lol, like a crusade :P

[mikepettyrtw]

Just the way I like it.

[Shokifer]

I have fully explored Italy and Spain, and now realised how screwed I truly am. Contrary to what I thought, the Lusitanians control ALL of Italy, while the Romans are stuck in Syracuse.

On the bright side, probably the worst they can do is oust me from Germania. I'll still have Britain at least. Although, given that I'm using BI.exe, I probably shouldn't rule out a naval invasion, especially after Macedon conquered central Italy before being kicked out by the Lusitanians.

Also, after this war, there'll only be one major superpower in western Europe.

[huth]

Also, after this war, there'll only be one major superpower in western Europe.

So it's gonna be epic war :D

[Saldunz]

So I think I've won this VH/VH campaign (without ever using the Force Diplomacy mod) and, thus, EB as a whole.



This was my Getai campaign that I started back in 2010. I've posted about it in the past twice, here and here.

These last 30 game years were spent at war with Baktria, the Carthaginians and the Greek Alliance - curiously named since they only held Italian settlements!

I could probably keep playing the campaign and go for a world conquest, but that seems to go against the spirit of the mod. I've sacked both Rome and Carthage within a year of each other (119 BC). I possess the only navy worth anything in the Mediterranean. My conquests spread from the North Sea to the Arabian Sea. And the Dacian-Thracian homeland is so secure and safe that no Daco-Thracian ever has to risk their life in war again. Why bother, when I have cities filled with Greeks, Arabs, Iranians and Celts all eager to die for their drunken Getic overlords?

And it was all done without having any of the benefits of having access to phalangites!

All in all, I'd say this a job well done!

[Jive]

So I think I've won this VH/VH campaign (without ever using the Force Diplomacy mod) and, thus, EB as a whole.

And it was all done without having any of the benefits of having access to phalangites!

All in all, I'd say this a job well done!

For sure Saldunz, definitely well done. But how in heck do you win battles on VH? You sure you're not cheating or anything :-)? Don't think I'd even consider it; most I've tried was H/H as Romans and that was done more or less on a wing and a prayer. Anyway yeah, congratulations!

[Saldunz]

For sure Saldunz, definitely well done. But how in heck do you win battles on VH? You sure you're not cheating or anything :-)? Don't think I'd even consider it; most I've tried was H/H as Romans and that was done more or less on a wing and a prayer. Anyway yeah, congratulations!

Cheating's not necessary - you just have to slightly modify your own approach to battles to survive VH battles. VH battle difficulty gives generous boosts to most of the AI's units' stats, but their morale remains unchanged. So in VH, almost every single battle is about causing a rout. Their stat bonuses don't count for much when they're running away.

There are many different ways to do this. The most common that I use, especially against stacks of phalangites, is setting up my infantry against theirs, and either using cavalry or javelineers to sweep around them from behind and break the AI army. Keeping that in mind, it's extremely important to keep your infantry on guard mode, otherwise your line may break and rout before you can get the cavalry/skirmishers in place.

There's also a lot of little notes that go with this, like if the AI army is lead by a FM, you need to focus your efforts on killing him. If you have too many weak units on your side, you can fake a rout and get the AI to split up its forces to chase you, while your main units engage and terrify the fractured army one piece at a time. The only near-impossibility of VH is fighting against horse-archers without phangites. But even then, all you have to do to tip things back to your advantage is fight them on steep hills and wear them down with your archers and slingers while they get exhausted trying to reach you.

You'll lose battles, or be forced to run away more than you're used to, but I guarantee you that the first Heroic Victory you get on VH/VH will make you feel very, very heroic!

[Jive]

The only near-impossibility of VH is fighting against horse-archers without phangites. But even then, all you have to do to tip things back to your advantage is fight them on steep hills and wear them down with your archers and slingers while they get exhausted trying to reach you.

Yeah, those armored HA's and Noble Heavy Cav are really awesome. I read somewhere their armor wasn't iron or steel, but overlaid pieces of horses' hooves attached to leather. Quite ingenious. And it isn't always easy to find a steep hill when they're in the vicinity!

Update: Now I'm playing the KH on VH/H (still not ready for VH/VH). Not all that difficult once you get the hang of it. What's made it easier is taking control of bridges, so the AI has to attack you at extreme disadvantage. Otherwise better look for any height advantage. Cheerio!

[Jive]

Hmmm. The cobwebs have gathered on this thread, gotta dust 'em off. So here's a couple thumbnails from my current Pahlava campaign, played on VH/H with BI exe and battle time limit ON. (BTW also posted at TWC, but with different commentary.)

There's a story behind the first shot. It was supposed to be a quick punitive raid on Alexandria, but nearly resulted in disaster when my troops refused to climb the siege towers. Turns out there's a bug specific to Alexandria, at least when assaulting from the eastern side. Fortunately a spy had opened the gates so it was possible to enter, although you'd expect heavy casualties from boiling oil poured on invaders passing through the gates plus wall towers firing frontwards and backwards.

Yet losses were relatively minor--15 or 20%--since the defending garrison acted lethargically (the two elite phalanxes just stumbled around without using their pikes at all), the tower guys seemed kinda sleepy, and the boiling oil fellas apparently didn't show up at all (no burn injuries far as I could tell). As I suggested at the TWC technical section in the thread "Siege towers not working" maybe it's not a bug, but a deliberate feature by the game designers to show the effects of that infamous Nile Delta parasite called schistosomiasis (bilharzia) on people who hang around that marshy, low-lying area.

Anyway after enslaving the populace I demolished just about anything trashable in Alexandria except for Alexander's Tomb (for obvious sentimental reasons) and the naval port (might need those transports later to invade the last Seleucid bastion on Cyprus), realizing about 65,000 mnai for my efforts. Plus most of the raiding force got away clean after leaving a token garrison behind to slow pursuit. Not too bad, eh?

Thanks for your kind attention and Happy Thanksgiving to Stateside EB fans!