State of the Game

**Sp4** · 08-04-2014, 16:55

Does the player get that too? I never ran out of regions.

And why don't people start injecting me with ridiculous amount of money when I do lose any region? I assume people live there and wealthy people would want to see it return to me? =p

**Slaists** · 08-04-2014, 18:51

You get your base 3000 (or 2,500 as a player) income the same as the AI factions. This is independent of whether you own any territory or not. So, when your territory count goes to zero, you still get that base income as long as you have troops remaining.

I personally have not been in that situation, but someone who got wiped off the map by the AI reported this; getting the base income after losing the last territory. Once his remaining troops starved to death, he lost the game.

**Sp4** · 08-05-2014, 22:19

I had my first siege battle that was worth playing today. For some reason a sudden slave rebellion in Sardinia (on Sardinia?) spawned a stack of pretty elite Carthagenian troops but whatever. I was just happy to see the siege in effect for the first time. The AI managed to make it to my walls, this time with all 4 ladders and not using torches to burn down the gates, which was interesting.

They also managed to put pike infantry in pike formation on a ladder, which killed 2 Hastati before I managed to dogpile enough things on them for them to die:

Once my defenders had killed all melee infantry, the rest of their army didn't dismount and start using torches... instead they did what ones army does automatically in TW games of old. It automatically retreats

So yeah, this was a positive experience :D (Game is vanilla, all mods are visual)

**Myth** · 08-06-2014, 08:58

I have a positive experience too. I daresay i'm getting creamed by the AI if I do even a signle missplay as Macedon. I'm restrating yet again. It's hard to get a steamroll-y stack with only major settlements. I hate upgrading the barracks in a major city when I have to tear it down later, but it just might be necessary. The Thracians have good units. In fact, their skirmishers are so beastly they shred companion cav so long as they can send a volley or two. Charge and retreat with one unit of cav won't work versus 4 units of thracian spearchuckers.

Even when I take out Tylis and occupy Anthea, unless I did so with overwhelming odds (meaning, i take out t heir navy separately AND bait out some armies outside the city) then the Odryssians will just come down and ram me hard.

If I go by way of peace with Tylis and agresson with Epirus (which makes much more sense strategically) I get down to untrustworthy rep. Life is hard, so restoring Alexander's empire will be that much sweeter.

**Slaists** · 08-06-2014, 14:38

Have you tried letting Odryssians go to war with Triballi (they tend to do that on turn 2-3) and then grab Odryssian capital as soon as their armies leave? Also, I'd try getting everyone and their mothers in law to join my wars with Tylis and later Odryssia. Helps to secure borders later (as you get green all around you).

Molossian dogs work nicely to take care of spear-chuckers; then again, as early Macedon, you hardly have cash to maintain mercenaries.

But yes, Odryssians (and even Tylis) seem to be bad news for any Greek-type armies. I'm playing as Junia now, allied with Sparta and Athens. Odryssians and Tylis managed to take out Macedon and are putting pressure on Athens and Sparta now.

**Myth** · 08-06-2014, 18:20

Originally Posted by Slaists

Have you tried letting Odryssians go to war with Triballi (they tend to do that on turn 2-3) and then grab Odryssian capital as soon as their armies leave? Also, I'd try getting everyone and their mothers in law to join my wars with Tylis and later Odryssia. Helps to secure borders later (as you get green all around you).

Molossian dogs work nicely to take care of spear-chuckers; then again, as early Macedon, you hardly have cash to maintain mercenaries.

But yes, Odryssians (and even Tylis) seem to be bad news for any Greek-type armies. I'm playing as Junia now, allied with Sparta and Athens. Odryssians and Tylis managed to take out Macedon and are putting pressure on Athens and Sparta now.

I did that on my first playthrough. They went and took Appolonia and then the almighty Adriaei came down and crushed them for their insolence. While facing their second stack rebels spawned Tylis again and I conceded. Rebel stacks are very high chevroned units now, can't be shrugged off by garrisons.

**Slaists** · 08-06-2014, 20:57

Originally Posted by Myth

I did that on my first playthrough. They went and took Appolonia and then the almighty Adriaei came down and crushed them for their insolence. While facing their second stack rebels spawned Tylis again and I conceded. Rebel stacks are very high chevroned units now, can't be shrugged off by garrisons.

The rebels usually spawn with 3-4 units and then recruit more as the turns go by. If you get rid of them at the start, not too much of a problem even with high xp chevrons.

As to rebellions in general, could it be that you're favoring the military side of the research tree? With a few extra points in cultural conversion, public order and pop growth (the latter for temple slots), rebellions dont seem much of an issue even on legendary; unless, pesky AI spies cause unrest, of course.

Originally Posted by Sp4

Good sword infantry not so much. It's the throwing spears they throw on their charge. Pike infantry, no matter the quality, are really really vulnerable to anything that flies around.

Will have to pay closer attention to that. I just know whenever I have a stationary line of pikes facing strong AI sword infantry, those buggers somehow manage to get between the pikes causing the pike unit to switch to swords.

**al Roumi** · 08-06-2014, 17:00

Encouraging news! Also, anything that undermines a phalanx is good, I'm getting a bit sick of pikes (ok, Sarissae?) again (after recovering since R1).

Originally Posted by Sp4

They also managed to put pike infantry in pike formation on a ladder, which killed 2 Hastati before I managed to dogpile enough things on them for them to die:

Um, is this right? A Phalanx UP A LADDER? Sounds bonkers. Or a bug....

**Slaists** · 08-06-2014, 18:08

Pikes and their phalanxes are close to useless since a few patches ago. Just aim your javelins at them and they're gone in seconds. Don't even need javeliners, or flanking for that matter, though, in many cases, even (good) sword infantry can beat pikes head on.

**Sp4** · 08-06-2014, 18:35

Originally Posted by Slaists

Pikes and their phalanxes are close to useless since a few patches ago. Just aim your javelins at them and they're gone in seconds. Don't even need javeliners, or flanking for that matter, though, in many cases, even (good) sword infantry can beat pikes head on.

Good sword infantry not so much. It's the throwing spears they throw on their charge. Pike infantry, no matter the quality, are really really vulnerable to anything that flies around.