fomalhaut - well the option is there in case you feel boredom :-D
I had my faction leader getting the Spymaster trait so I spammed spies all over minor asia, the east coast and even to Alexandria.The Ptolemaioi have all these territories under their control - that is a lot of cities.Most have one two units max as a garison.I mean the Egyptian diadochos bringing all that much army isn't cheating at all - yet aggresive recruiting plus using mercs.And that is a good feature for the AI.

monnburn- I am on 223BC and now Crimea has guests :-P I managed taking the historical Chersonesos with an expendition army led by one of the Lakedaiomonios family members.I had a script event and the strategos took a Chersonesos trait.I also saw those archers you spoke right away being recruitable.20 defense!! lol.Plus the cheap scythai horse archers will be a BIG help in the ptolemaioi front.

Small update - Just pacified Side and established a Klerouchoi government.We are reaching our limits and may now think of interfering more with the locals even setting alliances.I deal with massive armies of the Ptolemaioi, and now he has good mixes too.Most usually their strong armies are like this:

Bodyguard--Strategos--Galatai Klerouchoi----Phalangitai (Mahimoi, MANY Klerouchoi, and some Agema)---Thorakitai--Galatai Klerouchoi

I had this army besieging Ipsos (around 3500 men in total) and hit them having my garison attack from behind.The $@%* reinforcements were DELAYED :-( I had to do tricks but it wasn't enough.IIRC the engine unless you start melee fighting it keeps the reinforcements out of the battle.It was a DISASTER.But an EPIC one lol.
Their phalanx slowly but systematically pushed us to the edge where no manoevres were possible.I tried spamming his right flank to kill his strategoi.Quite cleverly on the right time he withdrew him and I was getting massacred by the damned Galatai Barbarians :-P BTW these guys are very strong and hard to break.

Nevermind I had reinforcements on the way and next round I pushed them out.Still it was a blow to put me into thoughts.
I have a "Viking party" on board to Cyprus.I will counter the Ptolemaioi scam by raiding his capital.Maybe keep it :-P

I am low on money again.Too many generals!

PS - too many CTDs now.