Which faction provides the biggest test?

[williamsiddell]

From the outside looking in it seems everybody (including Egypt) attacks the Seleucids. They have several tasty cities ready for picking. So already I have been thinking of heading North at the start as Parthia and leave/take Seleucia depending for me on how things are panning out. What you say explains why I've seen Phraaspa in the hands of both Parthia and Armenia - It'll be Parthia in my game :)

you can always leave the steppes to the brigands

That would suit. If I can't afford to bribe I tend to leave them til I have an army passing on other business. A brigand killer posse sounds interesting.

Carthage can be a handful

That explains why I always find it easy to get a ceasefire with Carthage - they're already under heavy pressure.

[ReluctantSamurai]

So already I have been thinking of heading North at the start as Parthia

What in the blazes for There's nothing up there but long stretches of open steppe, brigands, and really poor cities...

You should abandon Sakae immediately (put them into the single bireme that you own and will ever need) and head them South. If you want to play a waiting game with Seleucia, take out the Armenians. Pontus will either attack Seleucia or you, in that case. Both are good things...your horse archers will run circles around eastern infantry, and they won't have enough Pontic Heavy Cav at this point to matter much. You'll have to get into it sooner or later with the Seleucids...better to make it sooner when they are weaker Susa takes a looong time to reach the point where you can train Persian Cavalry and then Cats & Ellies. Seleucia (the city) gets you there much, much sooner.

[williamsiddell]

What in the blazes

I did say I was looking for a test. High level: take Armenia, Pontus and Asia Minor. Then attack in three different directions - Scythia, Greece and Egypt. I don't know if this is practical but that is the plan (flexible of course). Then south through the little cities to Memphis and the pyramids.

Susa takes a looong time to reach the point where you can train Persian Cavalry

I wouldn't know that, would I? I'm not keen on attracting attention early by taking Seleucia unless I have no option.

[ReluctantSamurai]

I did say I was looking for a test.

Aye, you did. And tested you will be Jedi....

I wouldn't know that, would I?

I would've thought with your attention to detail that you'd have looked to see at what city level you get to build which barracks......

I'm not keen on attracting attention early by taking Seleucia unless I have no option.

I have seen Seleucia target Susa while in the midst of getting pounded by the Golden Horde, so keep an eye out for a backstab.....they are Greeks afterall

[williamsiddell]

Ha ha.

They don't know what's coming their way. And I'm trying to play Parthia as an innocent.

they are Greeks afterall

You just don't understand them.

I'm gonna start Parthia tonight. The GC VH/VH is too familiar. This might surprise you - it's playing easier. The AI seems to be eh, absent. I'm well ahead of where I would expect to be - mind you I've had to change strategy.

[ReluctantSamurai]

You just don't understand them

Oh I understand them, alright...scheming, dishonest, backstabbing S.O.B.'s Never, ever, trust a Greek faction. People like to comment that the Romans are never to be trusted...and that's true. But....

....the Greeks have backstabbing down to an art. I had a Carthage campaign awhile back where it seemed convenient to keep them around. I figured to use them as a temporary buffer against the Romans until I had completed my campaigning elsewhere. I gave them a couple of cities, some cash, and granted movement rights through my provinces so they could get from one to another of their split holdings without having to stop next to one of my cities. All well and good. They behaved themselves quite remarkably for perhaps a decade, and were actually doing what I had set them up to do....keep the Romans occupied for awhile.

When the backstab came, I guess I wasn't too surprised but what pissed me off even more was the way it was done. Not in a warrior act of courage by besieging a city, but a little chicken$%#@ port blockade by a single bireme that ran away the following turn. Needless to say, you can guess what happened next

[williamsiddell]

Oh I understand them, alright

Naw, naw. You just don't understand them - cos they speak Greek :)

Those dirty, sneaky, underhand, thick Greek gits!

Played the first five turns of Parthia VH/VH. Avert your eyes if you're finding this too radical :)

Spotted right away I was short of cash and lumbered with poor units. I'll explain my setup and then not bore again unless summat interesting happens.

Turn one. Largest costs associated with the army being too big. Disbanded all cavalry and slinger in Sakae and built a peasant. Left the general there for public order and 90 admin. Similarly in Susa. Formed my main army at Arsakia and headed for Phraaspa. Sent the spy north and the diplomat south. Emphasis on cash buildings and sold unneeded military buildings.

Turn end: Got rebels outside Susa so reloaded.

Turn two: Took Phraaspa. Concentrated one roads, ports, traders and markets. Built other peasants for Sakae and Phraaspa.

Turn end: Both Armenia and Scythia offered trade and maps for nowt.

Turn three: As above. Cash improving. Disbanded the boat. Kept my army in Phraaspa. Trade rights and alliance with Seleucids.

End Turn: Leader died so reloaded, but have to live with a rebel outside Susa that appeared. New general in Phraaspa. Built diplomat in Arsakia.

Turn four: Moved toward Artaxerta. Spy showed barracks no better than mine. Moved diplomat toward Armenia.

End turn: Armenia moved an army to block access by my troops.

Turn five: Bribed Armenan army and got two units then assaulted Artaxerta - gates open and taken. They had built a better barracks so now I can build hillmen. Oh joy. Enslaved and boosted Phraaspa, Sakae and Susa. Will now move my generals out and start building watchtowers. Heading for Kotais soon.