"Hegemony - Philip of Macedon" Game

[al Roumi]

I got the full game last Friday (as I mentioned above), I have enjoyed it more than just "more of the same" from the Demo.

I'm not sure which version of the game I'm playing, but it is quite challenging. At worst it feels like MTW2 on Very Hard where all the AI factions are out to get you.

Maybe I'm missing a large chunk of knowledge of Hellenic history but there doesn't seem to be much reason behind the AI raids other than "we are neighbours and don't get on". E.g. why is it that since the beginning of the game the Athenians have annualy landed a raiding fleet south of my capital?

Well, there is no diplomacy in the game but that should not deter from the main game-mechanic of the player managing resources to conquer lands -which is challenging and fun. I've not played a game where you have to consider logisitics so much (food!), but this is a refreshing burst of "realism" which affects how you go about conquering your enemies, e.g. sending scout parties to capture enemy farms and sheep while your main hoplite force moves (slower) into position. Without food and alone, your troops don't last long -and neither do enemy beseigers, so it's often wise to wait out a siege until the enmy morale wavers (unless they properly supply their troops).

[Longjohn4]

I'm loving this game, haven't been so adicted to a game for ages. The research and historical detail in this game are absolutely top class, and the map is beautiful. I'm a big fan of greek history, and it's great to see all small towns and mountain passes brought to life. This game has clearly had a lot of loving. There are great historical touches such as flocks of sheep you can capture, and the biographies of all the companions (generals).

The combat system isn't super realistic in that you have an infinite supply of troops, but the sense of progression is good. It took about a year to conquer the Chalkidike, and another for Thessaly. (1 yr = 1 hour game time = about 6 hours realtime as you have to pause a lot). It's also great to see supply depicted in the game so well, without it becoming at all dry or tedious.

It shows another way to do a realistic ancient historical computer game, and is well worth the rather modest price.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Hey Longjohn, I think I've seen you on the Longbow forums. :P I can't wait for further patches for Hegemony (got an annoyingly persistant crash up in the far eastern Danube area) and for future games from Longbow based on this engine and some of the gameplay concepts. The combat is quite abstracted (or contrived, if you're in a bad mood :P) but I don't think it's really much more abstract than TW games, really. The tactical fights are obviously much more simpler but there is a lot greater strategic depth to it.

I've really only been playing games recently to hold me over until I get more patches for this. I've fallen for it pretty bad. :P

[al Roumi]

I was able to apply the impulse patch which fixed the zerg AI shortly after my last post. It is a massive improvement in terms of preventing the whack-a-mole game play. Best of all, if you still want that kind of head ache, you can get it by playing on Hard, rather than Normal.

The fixed AI has not stopped AI raiding compeltely, and I'm glad it hasn't. More powerful or embittered enemies (Athenians, Illyrians, Phocians...) still raid your territory but I found the Bylazoran tribes (can't remember their name) much quieter. I think the enemy factios only attack if they have the numbers to do it -I certainly don't see so many single unit raids (if any).

Anyway, the change really unlocked me strategically and freed up troops which had otherwise been tied down on garrison/defensive duty to be more offensive. My personal strategy has been to try to keep a rolling frontier of consistent dimensions, creating a hard/fortified border with an un-fortified/ungarrissoned centre. This allows me to reallocate the forces from an "internal" city to the frontier. Sounds pretty simple really but force concentration is what it's all (and has always) been about.

Unfortunately this same dynamic which we've seen on TW games, where it can be fairly simple to pacify internal regions and focus troops on the borders, means that the game gets easier the larger you grow your empire (assuming you grow it appropriately, e.g. creating as much of an internal "safe" space as possible). As the game gets easier, the challenge decreases and so does the reward and enjoyment (unless you like winning easy fights).

The challenges faced in the mid/late game are when confronting rivals of similar size -factions who have also expanded or control similar concentrations of resources. I think/hope Longbow have written in enough of these large enemies to make my continued experience as fun as the beginning has been.

Or I could just start a new game on hard and go back to spitting teeth

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

I definitely think the early bits are some of the strongest, both due to your relative weakness and the scripted objectives and unique rewards for completing objectives. I want more quests to give me unique units or make my Hypaspists unit bigger, not more gold. I'm swimming in gold! It's not enough of a reward any more.

If you want a real fun fight though, conquer through to Thebes without dealing with the surrounding Athenians. They were pouring our of Euboea and the surrounding lands and I had my hands full for a straight half hour. Then my game crashed, and I had saved 30 minutes prior. :( But then I started the game over! :D

[al Roumi]

I've taken half the Epiric (is that how it's said?) lands, going to finish them off. Then it'll be Methone's turn. I'm not sure whether to open a second front with the Chalcideans at the same time... I may have the resources/units for it now, but I think the first few cities will take some fighting to claim as the Chalcideans will have a fair few troops.

I still don't have triremes although Bylazoran tribal cavalry are great!

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

In my current (on hold) playthrough I blitzed Methone, Pydna, and Dion immediately after securing a border with the Illyrians. It's saved me a lot of frustration with Athenian raids.