A few questions on AI

[Psyco]

Please tell me that the Egyptians are rich.They had a booming economy centered on Alexandria which had a population of 3 million as compared to 1 million in Rome.Antioch had 2 million people and was also an area of some considerable wealth.I'm getting the game on Friday with the rest of my Europeon brethren and if i find out that a lot of the advantages in relation to wealth that the eastern kingdoms had is not reflected in the game i will be one unhappy bunny.

Dont worry. Just look at their roads and your question will be answered (the amount of caravans = the amount of trade. Their roads are packed!)

The AI seems pretty good at advancing technically. I'm playing on normal, and the AI's army seems quite up to date.

[Morindin]

In my game on Hard/Hard I consider myself pretty good at these kinds of game, approaching 200BC and have steamrolled the Gauls, allied with the Spanish, and on a 3 front war against the British, Germans, and Macedonians.

The Macedonians are the richest (I want their port nations), and the Egyptians are the most advanced, populous, productive, and have the largest military. They are the "best" faction by quite a way. The AI is fairly good at managing its economy in my game and most cities ive taken over from the AI (Macedonian especially) have had higher tech buildings than my own.

Secondly, distance to Capitol makes a huge difference to happiness and because the map is massive that is reflected well. Its also quite realistic. My Macedonian cities are taking quite a -ve due to distance from capitol.

Punctious Pilot (sp?) was complaining about putting down rebellions every year for 11 years in Judea.

I might add the strategic AI is giving me a very hard time.