Page 4 of 12 FirstFirst 12345678 ... LastLast
Results 91 to 120 of 342

Thread: Scythia

  1. #91
    Patriot Member IliaDN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    772

    Default Re: Scythia

    Thanks, but this was I already known. Anyway thanks for the great link it's cool.By the way in campaign(up to 230 or so) I' ve conquered Italy except Ariminum and Segesta,Balkans,parthian's town near Alanni,Trace nearby dacians provinces(2 prov. what they had in the beginning and Vicus Venedae( I'm playing on VH/M)
    Why don't you use onagers they are cool against large roman stacks.Not long ago I've finished a battle and lost 50 men while enemy lost 1277(I was fighting roman army)

  2. #92
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Re: Scythia

    Quote Originally Posted by IliaDN
    Why don't you use onagers they are cool against large roman stacks.Not long ago I've finished a battle and lost 50 men while enemy lost 1277(I was fighting roman army)
    I know they are cool. Right now I do not have access to onagers - and I do not have infantry to protect them.

  3. #93
    Patriot Member IliaDN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    772

    Default Re: Scythia

    Quote Originally Posted by Franconicus
    I know they are cool. Right now I do not have access to onagers - and I do not have infantry to protect them.
    Then go and F##k macedonians it's easy enough with your HA
    And then make the same with greeks and exterminite population in towns you capture
    And make onagers in well-developed greek cities.
    And after it is done f##k those too proud romans, do not delay with or they will grow too powerful even in my 230 they have early cohorts esp Julii.
    So use your cav and smash' em all.

  4. #94
    Amanuensis Member pezhetairoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    South of Sabara
    Posts
    2,719

    Default Re: Scythia

    Hahaa IliaDN, your f##king is sure to produce lots of illegitimate family members xP

    Franconicus, it does not pay to invade VV and DDD, the only value of that is so Germania doesn't get to it first. Firstly, they are both villages (as I discovered to my great chagrin when I arrived) and they don't even have a warrior's hold there. The only value the rebel steppes have are strategic in nature--it's a perfect springboard for the invasion of Germania. But no, not worth a concentrated strike. I took both with just a new family member, 2 half-strength units of archers and 2 half-strength HA. Why halfstrength? Because I screwed up my VV assault thanks to skirmish mode.

    I would recommend you devote everything to thrace and greece. Even my alanni army is now moving to Scythii to play around with Greece while I build up VV and DDD in preparation for Germania. Chersonesos is quite useful too (high population, so ports can be built pretty early, even if it is out of the way in terms of strategic direction) so I recommend you get that over and done with. Thrace never had a chance to counterinvade my territory, they had to pour all they had (which wasn't much) into trying to relieve Getae, with disastrous results for them. My Tanais army is just 2 tiles away from Getae now, so the next turn, both armies will merge and make for Tylis and Byzantium to finish off those good-for-nothings. My diplomacy, I gladly admit, is crap. I haven't had Thrace begging for ceasefire, neither have I had any chances to demand money because no one ever approaches me. I'm like the guy who's always ignored in class :-(


    EB DEVOTEE SINCE 2004

  5. #95
    Patriot Member IliaDN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    772

    Default Re: Scythia

    Don't see any use of ceasefire with Thrace.In my opinion the best tactics is blitzckrieg (hope spelling is right).All this ceasefires are not worth troubling with!I think that in Skythia campaign money are essential so you need a quick (not prolonged with some kind of ceasefire) assult on Balkans, some kind of Crusade for MONEY.And then quckly in first 10 - 20 turns attack and conquer Rome.
    ALSO instead of sending troops to conquer northern rebel provinces better to send some more armies to reinforce your Balkan-invaiding army or capture Dacia(their provinces are closer to cap than rebel one's and more profitable). And of course you'll need one army in alanni and one in crimea!

  6. #96
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Re: Scythia

    Quote Originally Posted by IliaDN
    Don't see any use of ceasefire with Thrace.In my opinion the best tactics is blitzkrieg (hope spelling is right).All this ceasefires are not worth troubling with!I think that in Skythia campaign money are essential so you need a quick (not prolonged with some kind of ceasefire) assult on Balkans, some kind of Crusade for MONEY.And then quckly in first 10 - 20 turns attack and conquer Rome.
    I made ceasefire with Thracia after I had taken Getaen. They paid a lot of money for that. I used it to refill my HA and to build barbarian cav. So I had a unstopable army 4 turns later and started to raid Thracia again. I also built first harbors with that money. Money is an issue. Also the absence of anything else but archers.

    In the meantime Thracia is history and Byzantium is mine. I have 6 harbors and enough money to build a second army for the invasion of Greece.

    I wonder whom I should attack first - Macedonia or Dacia? I have an alliance with Macedonia and all Italian factions. Maybe I kill Dacia first and attack the Macedonia from several directions.

    What do you think?

    I will start this raid as soon as I have two cav armies and one small infantry division (maybe some foot archers axemen and peasants for besieging).

  7. #97
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Re: Scythia

    I have noticed two amazing things with the Parthians.

    1. When they besieged Campus Alanni they called on me to become protectorate. That never happened to me before. I refused. Would would happened if I had accepted?

    2. Finally they took Alanni (my own fault!). Then my eastern frontier was quiet. Nevertheless I was waiting for another bad news from them. How was I surprised when I received the news that Parthia and Scythia made ceasefire! I thought I should have known before

    Do you have any explanation for that?

  8. #98

    Default Re: Scythia

    Agree to be protectorate but with a counter claim of payment. You are effectively their ally and have given free passage, use the money to make a new army then drive them out.

    I had once this ceasefire message

  9. #99
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Re: Scythia

    Good news - bad news!
    My Massimo Leader received a new attidute - bulletproof!
    Two turns later he died in bed. That is not the way a Scythian noble man should die.

  10. #100
    Patriot Member IliaDN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    772

    Default Re: Scythia

    [QUOTE=Franconicus]I
    I wonder whom I should attack first - Macedonia or Dacia? I have an alliance with Macedonia and all Italian factions. Maybe I kill Dacia first and attack the Macedonia from several directions.
    QUOTE]
    I think it is better to attack macedonians first, because thier lands are richer.

  11. #101

    Default Re: Scythia

    Some nice posts lately!

    But honestly guys, Scythia is probably the easiest faction to play...I finished a long (50 provinces) vh/vh campaign with them in record time and I don't recall being actually threatened with total defeat even once. You guys want an ulcer you should try Spain, Dacia, or Numidia on vh/vh.

    The reason why Scythia is so easy is simple: they are probably the best overall Horse Archer faction in the game (Parthia and/or Armenia a close second) and Horse Archers are simply overpowered, unstoppable, and, more importantly, idiot-proof (I am a horrible general) in RTW. I can't understand how people who do well with infantry cannot succeed with Scythia. I never used infantry and I hardly even used my Chosen Archers (unless I was fighting off a seige). Essentially, all my armies in the field were 90% HA and about 10% melee cav (either Sarmatian cav or, better yet, Head Hunting maidens or both) - I know these one-dimensional armies are cheesy but they are literally unbeatable. Allow me to explain:

    1) Scythia's enemies are all infantry-heavy and infantry (no matter how good) is simply a joke to HA's. Once you take that eastern Parthian province (forget the name) - and I highly recommend you do so because you will never have to worry about your eastern front again - and make peace with Parthia (if you take the province and do nothing else the Parthians will request a ceasefire because they essentially lack a common overland border with you and for the AI that essentially means peace), you will never really have to fight a cavalry-heavy faction again, unless you seek to.

    2) Skirmish works effectively except, as some have pointed out, near the map edge. Even keeping that in mind, it ALWAYS works against infantry, map-edge or no. The only time it fails is against cavalry and unfortunately that is a problem because sometimes even if your HA's are technically faster than what is chasing them, slower cav can catch up to them at the edge because they often mill about confused for a few seconds...so...all this means is you have to micromanage a bit - watch the opposing cavalry like a hawk and then, when you see them start to charge and your unit start its retreat, order one, two or three of your nearby HA or melee cav to attack his attacking cav in the flank or rear and then wheel around your retreating unit to sandwich him in between - remember to use the ALT button to attack his cav with this maneuver if you are attacking with HA's. Timing has to be great because even Scythian Noble Archers will lose to heavy cav one-on-one. The good news is that the above is the ONLY micromanagement you will ever do - much better than trying to get an intact phalanx across the map trust me.

    Important Note: Scythian Noble Women are excellent skirmishers and usually never get caught even on the map edge - they might get outshot by heavier mounted bowmen (ie Persian Cav or Armenian Cat Archers) however. Furthermore, they take two turns to make and cannot fight melee at all in the unlikely event they do get caught. Scythian Noble Archers are good melee fighters and the best HA's in terms of firepower after the Armenian Cat Archers. They can beat any light cav in melee so don't run away from Roman Equites or Barbarian Cav - just heavy cav. If you are therefore fighting Armenia (you really don't have to but in case you do), just use your Head Hunters - they crush even the heaviest HA's and are extremely FAST.

    3) Archers would normally be a problem because they have better range than HA's and can use fire to demoralize but they actually are not that much of a problem because Cantambrian Circle actually works to keep your HA's protected from enemy missile fire. But let's say you don't want to risk it because the Circle is clumsy and your guys risk getting caught by his cavalry as a result (I hardly ever used CC with Scythia). Now you could just charge and trample his archers but I am assuming they are protected by a spearwall or something. Well then just exchange fire with them. Normally, in such a standing slugfest HA's would lose but don't forget you have more archers than he does. Why? Because 90% of your army is HA's and even an archer-heavy faction will not field such a high percentage of archers so you will have more firepower...even if the AI does field that many archers, well, that obviously means they are not protected by other troops and you can charge and trample them in any case. If he is using onagers remember: they are stationary. Simply use a couple melee units to flank past his troops and destroy them. That is why I never use them when I have an HA faction and that is why I even avoid using axemen or even chosen archers...all of them are simply targets for opposing infantry and your HA's can't protect them and skirmish at the same time.

    So...basically...

    Nothing in this game can beat horse archers. Scythia is the best HA faction in the game. Scythia is, therefore, ridiculously easy to play - even on vh/vh.


    Boulis

  12. #102
    Amanuensis Member pezhetairoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    South of Sabara
    Posts
    2,719

    Default Re: Scythia

    Boulis has a point. But I like to ground my centre with expendable archers both for support and for demoralisation effect so I can anchor my line for manoeuvre. Guess I can't fully leave off infantry tactics. HA cannot be beaten in a straight on fight. It takes manoeuvre to beat them (see my post in some other thread, about general tactics).


    EB DEVOTEE SINCE 2004

  13. #103
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Re: Scythia

    Ave Boulis, I pay tribute to you;

    I played the Julii, Carthage, Germania and Egypt before and I found each of them easier. Julii are simple without a doubt, Carthago can invade Italy almost immidiately, Germania has this incredible spearbands and good cavs and can easiliy conquer Gaul. Egypt is so rich that you canafford to loose troops and replace them.

    Maybe I passed the innitial hurdles now and can follow your example.

    By the way, I think that the posts about Scythia are very substantial. Thank to everyone!

  14. #104

    Default Re: Scythia

    With 55 regions and Rome surrounded I expect my enemies to rally and put up a fight, instead they make no attempt and deny my Leader his glory on the field.
    What to do now? I recommend this SPQR as a better alternative but not sure if it is now available or patched. I read that v3.0 will be ready soon but is MP balanced. The v1.0 is difficult because of shield bonus all together a very interesting enjoyable campaign. I chose to first invade the Balkan region and then to enter Germanic area. I set up my capitol in Pannonia and then moved on Rome.
    Maybe I wait now for Europa Barbarorum mod, it sounds wonderful.
    Good luck my Scythian friends, Rome can rest until the expansion brings maybe the Huns.

  15. #105
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Re: Scythia

    Looks like I am that last fighting the Scythian war. So farewell, comrades!

    While I was wondering whom to attack my Macedonian allies attacked me. Their surprise attack blew a half full army of HA only. I gathered the rests and send them to Campus Scythis for reinforcements. While they were still on the way two Dacian armies besieged C. Scythiisand Camp Gethae. I attacked both. One withdraw one was defeede. I followed their main army, erased them completly and killed three family members. Then I headed south for the Macedonians. In the meanwhile they besieged Tylis. Suddenly they offered protectorate. I accepted for a lot of money. I built some harbores and troops and sent my army back north to Dacia. The very next round the Macedonian broke their word and attacked a single unit of barb. cav with a 2400 men army. (I fear the Greek even when they send gifts!)
    So back south again. I now had a full cav only army. (2 generals, one Sarmatian lancers, 3 barb cav, rest HA). I attacked the Mac army in the woods. They managed to withdraw and left 400 men on the battle ground. Next round I stroke them again. This time I managed to encircle them and slaughtered them. They lost 2.000, I lost just a douzend.

    Then I attacked Thessalonica. I also sent an infantry based army (4 archers, 1 phalanx, 1 peasants, 1 general, 1 barb cav, 0.5 Samr. cav). In total I had 3,000 men and about 2,000 horses. The enemy had 2,400 men in garrison and 1,000 outside. They attacked immidiately. My HA slaughtered the sallying phalanxes. Their cav catched my flank. I had 2 HA one General and one barb cav to cover this wing. However, the Macedonian had some 700 riders. They broke my line and killed my general, but their king died first. My HA killed their cav. but I lost about 50% of my army due to close combat and fire from the walls. Their phanalxes died in the arrow rain.

    When i had almost finished their second army came. Only cav. Most of my HA had no arrows left. Their was a short but heavy fight. I killed their leader but then my line broke and I had to withdraw. Some units flew because they were just exhausted. Just then my second army arrived. My archers stopped the enemy and my cav. blew them away. Now Thessalonica is mine.
    I killed everybody. I refill my army and then will conquer the rest. After this battle my Roman allies declared war on Macs. (I do not trust Romans either).

  16. #106
    Amanuensis Member pezhetairoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    South of Sabara
    Posts
    2,719

    Default Re: Scythia

    Ah, I just had a running race with the Thracian Grand Army. 20 units of falxmen, generals' cavalry and militia cavalry were up in Bylazora evidently trying to antagonise Macedonia when my diplomat found them, at the same time my Army of Thrace (10 units, all HA) was marching for Byzantium. Whew, I beat them to Byzantium and quickly assaulted with a unit of Thracian mercs. They turned white with only 3 tiles between them and Byzantium. So near, yet so far. I've annihilated Thrace (they're just doormats, everyone walks over them) and now it's time for a two prong offensive with my Army of Getae and Army of Thrace, the former moving Bylazora-Porrolissum, and the latter Thessalonica-Larissa. Meanwhile, up north, the Army of the Steppes will strike north and west, DDD-Gothi. I'm building up my cities in the far east so I can earn more, then build an army to head south into Parthia. 'Twill be most heartening to see them fall to my arrows. I mean, hell, when I had 3 and they had 8 HA, I still managed to trash them at Sakae, for all their vaunted Parthian shots (overstated). How much more dangerous can they be now?


    EB DEVOTEE SINCE 2004

  17. #107
    Patriot Member IliaDN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    772

    Default Re: Scythia

    I grew rather tired with parthians - they didn't accept my offer of ceasefire (inthe beginning they attacked me, so I conquered their town near Campus Alanni) even after about 20-25 years past since we are at war, even when I offered money!
    So I sent an army in Asia and took one more of their town offered them it for ceasefire but they didn't accept it (so I gave that town tomy armenian allies, as a gift because it was ni use for me)
    Then I took their capital(gave it Armenia too)
    Now they have only one town left (nearby is selucid's province with hanging gardens)and my is besieging it
    I don;t think there is any use of ceasefire now!

  18. #108
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Pathia

    IliaDN,

    your a noble man, strict to your enemies and generous to your friends

    I have a complete different approach. I let Parthia conquer Campus Alannii. Since then my eastern frontier is quiet. My troops are all fighting Thracia Dacia and Macedonia. I think you can win more in the south than you loose in the east.

  19. #109
    Patriot Member IliaDN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    772

    Default Re: Pathia

    Quote Originally Posted by Franconicus
    IliaDN,

    your a noble man, strict to your enemies and generous to your friends

    I have a complete different approach. I let Parthia conquer Campus Alannii. Since then my eastern frontier is quiet. My troops are all fighting Thracia Dacia and Macedonia. I think you can win more in the south than you loose in the east.
    1 Thanks for such judgement.
    2 As for parthians I sent only one army to deal with and it was not much a trouble
    3 As for western front (now it is about 220) I don't have much trouble there because SPQR and Brutii are totaly crushed Julii have only several provinces,
    Scipii own Sicily and some african provinces,but they are too far to bother me(also I am not their only enemy)!So in the west I also fight with Dacians( they have only one province (but not one they began with) and Germans they have not bad number of troops, but usually I bribe them

  20. #110
    Senior member Senior Member Dutch_guy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Holland.
    Posts
    5,006

    Default Re: Scythia

    you could also just keep a unit of HA on the bridge near you're most eastern city, keep the unit on the bridge, make peace with parthia and they won't be tempted to attakc you're lone unit on the bridge .
    That's my experiance anyway.
    And they will accept peace and an alliance , just offer it to them immediatley.
    I'm an athiest. I get offended everytime I see a cold, empty room. - MRD


  21. #111
    Senior Member Senior Member katank's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    Posts
    3,739

    Default Re: Scythia

    A simple fort guarding a bridge or mountain pass is sufficient to deter attacks. Preferably, you do this on their side so when they declare war, their territory gets the devastation damage and you have time to build another fort on the other side of the bridge or pass to slow them further. A halfdead peasant is sufficient to garrison the fort for minimal cost.

    However, this is unnecessary as I find the Parthians at the beginning of the game on even VH quite amenable to an alliance. Furthermore, even if you stab, it is not going to be a terrible blow and you can gain bigger prizes by focusing entirely south.

  22. #112
    Amanuensis Member pezhetairoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    South of Sabara
    Posts
    2,719

    Default Re: Scythia

    Me, I just can't hold with losing any territory that I have not already made out beforehand to be dispensable. Ergo, Campus Alanni must stay--that huge expanse of orange on the map is therapeutic. Besides, for strategic reasons, Sakae has to go. I don't want to have a huge army sitting on my doorstep, even if it doesn't plan to attack. It might, one day. I just makes terrible military sense to leave a fortified location in your rear and waste upkeep to maintain a supervisory force or even spend on a fort when it isn't needed if you just take over the place.


    EB DEVOTEE SINCE 2004

  23. #113
    Senior Member Senior Member katank's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    Posts
    3,739

    Default Re: Scythia

    The fort is quite unnecessary and only for the paranoid. Besides, you shell out 500 denarii which isn't bad and upkeep on a smashed up peasant unit is often less than 50d. So insignificant.

    However, to send a full army after Sakae would mean a severe loss of tempo for a significant portion of your forces. These forces in a multipronged strike south through Thrace into Greece and Asia Mino is far more profitable.

    Psychological factors aside, little reason for going after Sakae anything before turn 20 or so. Besides, the Parthians are more than happy to leave you alone.

    Even if you lose Alanni, it's no big tragedy and can be thought of as a gambit. Wouldn't you rather have Athens, Corinth, and Sparta than Campus Alanni?

    Sakae is also a piss poor place that is in the middle of nowhere. Strategic would imply opportunities because of it. The corner position means only isolation and high penalty for distance from capital (you are going to move your capital south, aren't you?). You already have access to the Caspian in Alanni and the Parthians can be a decent trading partner.

  24. #114
    Patriot Member IliaDN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    772

    Default Re: Scythia

    1.I am about to wipe those parthians out of the map(and also have strong ally on the east),actually in didn;t cost me too much - one initial army + some mercs and some cheap units hired later helped me to deal parthians near campus alanni and capture campus sakae, then I sent 2 h/h maidens and 3 h/a maidens and one general (near and in parthian lands I also hired some mercs) to capture other parthians(by that time it was about 220 and already conquered Balkans, Italy, some dacian and rebel provinces,so I had enough money and troops to deal with those nasty parthians
    2.I just don't understand the purpose of surrendering any initial skythii provinces to enemies - I am playing VH/M campaign and didn't have much trouble with money or troops(my tactics is blitzcrieg to richest of nearby conquest this gives enough money to afford enough troops for fighting several opponents)
    Of course steppe provinces are not as profitable as greek ones, but surrendering motherlands is naot cool in my opinion.
    3. One question but what year do you usually end RTW campaigns?( - just to draw your attention to my question)

  25. #115
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Re: Scythia

    Ave IliaDN,

    Quote Originally Posted by IliaDN
    Of course steppe provinces are not as profitable as greek ones, but surrendering motherlands is naot cool in my opinion.
    Sorry, but this time you talk like a peasant, not like a Scythian noble man. Home is were my horses graze. Not some dirty camp in the middle of nowhere. Historically, the Scythians were highly mobile; some of them left 'home' to raid Egypt . I am a fan of katank's blitz strategy. This means focus on main targets.

    Quote Originally Posted by IliaDN
    One question but what year do you usually end RTW campaigns?( - just to draw your attention to my question
    I do not care. Although I try to katank the enemy, there is no need to hurry. The world is yours anyway. My main target is to wipe out all civilisations. (If I fail, my descendants will be as decadent as the Romans are today. Someday they might simulate war on computers )

    I wonder if I go to Egyt when Greece is done and leave the Romans alone. This would be more historically and I can fight the Romans after Marian.

  26. #116
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Beware of Mac's light lancers

    Beware of Macedonian light lancers. They are fast like hell and allways appear in big number. If you can seperate one of them and encircle with three to five horse archers you can kill them rapidly. Just be careful when they flee, they will run through your lines and you will get friendly fire. When they attack in closed formation 5, 6, 7 or more units they are really dangerous, even to general units. They attack from several sides and can delet heavy cav in minutes.

    Best tactics against them is to protect your HA with lots of barb cav. Foot archers are very effective ti fight them, too, but you have to protect them very good. This is a high mobile battle so always be allert.

    Their hoplite units are no problem. They are so slow that you can kill them without losses. They look like hedgehogs with arrows in their backs!

    Your only in trouble if you run out of arrows.

  27. #117
    Patriot Member IliaDN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    772

    Default Re: Scythia

    Quote Originally Posted by Franconicus
    I wonder if I go to Egyt when Greece is done and leave the Romans alone. This would be more historically and I can fight the Romans after Marian.
    This could be interesting, but in my opinion you will face lot's of revolts there, and are you sure you'll be able to handle some estern factions and four roman at the same time?
    P.S These were not peasant words they were patriotic,or my I just greedy abit, or may be it is a pleasure to see such a big ORANGE province (campus alanni) on a map.

  28. #118
    Humanist Senior Member Franconicus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Trying to get to Utopia
    Posts
    3,482

    Default Re: Scythia

    IliaDN,

    I do not expact riots there, because I do not want to conquer those towns. I want to burn them. Maybe I sell them later to another barbarian faction. My mission given by our Scythian Gods is not to built an empire but to destroy all civilised ones!

    P.S. Who cares about maps? Decadent stuff!

  29. #119
    Senior Member Senior Member katank's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    Posts
    3,739

    Default Re: Scythia

    The idea is not to sacrifice your homeland. You can think of it as a gambit like chess. Perhaps sacrifice a piece to gain position and maintain tempo.

    The fact that you are talking about 220 alreayd invalidates what I said. I meant ignoring Sakae for the first 20 turns or so as there are bigger fish to fry. I usually finish in 240 by the latest when going for 50 provinces without paticularlly rushing.

    I've captured the entire world in 248 with the Greeks.

  30. #120
    Amanuensis Member pezhetairoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    South of Sabara
    Posts
    2,719

    Default Re: Scythia

    I'm a cautious player, and I prefer creating a nice rounded-out base before attacking. Despite being a fan of Napoleon, I don't hold with his Grande Armee strategy where one army concentrates on one objective while ignoring all others. I have at least two-three theatres of war going on at any one time, with multiple armies. The Sakae campaign is only one of them, and in my game I attacked it not a moment too soon. They already had 12 units of troops, 8 of which were horsearchers, clearly intended for Alanni and so on, while I had nothing that could have countered them in the near future, considering all my HA added together would have been -just- enough to equal them. Alright, so I won the sally battle despite having only 6 units against 12, but that was because I tore them apart the instant they appeared at the gate. On the field that army would have been unstoppable because the bulk of my armies were concentrating on Greece, waaaaaaaay too far away.

    My point? Sakae has to go, because the danger is too great otherwise. Admittedly taking Sakae makes Partatua's army lose tempo in that he's out of sync with the rest, but as I said, I cannot hold with the idea of losing any of my starter lands, even if they don't earn much money. And besides, the Sakae army can just spend a few turns marching across the Scythian lands removing rebels on route west. There are benefits that brings to trade.

    To add, like IliaDN, I don't only work on money considerations, I also look at how big an area of the map is coloured my faction's colour, silly as it seems. But I guess I can afford it, seeing as I've only lost two battles in close defeats in six factions' worth of playing. Anyway, Sakae isn't causing much distance from capital problems since it's still pretty happy with only a one-peasant garrison and a capital at Tanais. So why not? Since every settlement you take brings you a little more income, why not take it since it's the closest settlement to Alanni when game starts, it gives you the strategic upper hand in the east, and it will almost never be attacked again so one can just leave off all military buuldings and turn it into a cash cow?

    Of course, Greece is still better, but Partatua ain't gonna see the walls of Thessalonica anytime soon, so you might as well use him for -something-. After all, seeing as he's stationed at Alanni, he's going to take six-seven turns to move west/south -anyway-.


    EB DEVOTEE SINCE 2004

Page 4 of 12 FirstFirst 12345678 ... LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO