Strategy for pontus?

**Mongoose** · 08-17-2005, 04:47

Hi all.

what would you recommend for pontus? Which way do you like to expand? who to go to war with? etc.

Playing with RTR by BTW.

Thanks

Note to mods: I assumed that as this thread was about the GAMEPLAY in the mod it would be OK. Sorry if this needs to be moved.

**pezhetairoi** · 08-17-2005, 04:53

You could read up in the Pontus thread in the RTW guides, I guess, or ask it there, we sometimes talk about RTR there too... I'm not in my usual position to comment I'm afraid, cos I'm not familiar with RTR.

**sapi** · 08-17-2005, 07:31

Expand aroudn the black sea, but leave the armenians and selecueds (sp?) alone until they attack or an advantage comes, instead preying on rebel territories. I pounced on teh gauls early to take their land, and as you will then share no boarders, peace is realitively easy to get.

The armenians will probably attack you, it's important to stop them getting more than their starting two provinces if at all possible, so you can strike to the head before their field army arrives. Avoid a war with scythia's horse archers at all costs - you have an infantry army.

The selecueds are too spread out to cause any harm in asia minior, but out to the east they're a real challenge, especially if the egyptians attack you too. (they broke an allience with me just to blocade one port

, now they've lost 3 cities, and for some reason think that means i shoudl be a protectorate!?).

Sea trade will keep your economy alive (get trading rights asap) and allow you to get armies of mercs, which is good. The only trouble is if you leave them in cities, they'll be bribed (i just lost 3 cities this way, ah well, a 20 stack army is besieging them

)

Basically, keep a single war theatre going at a time, dominate the seas (oh how i love the straigh of dardinneles (sp?) and win!

sapi

**Wishazu** · 08-17-2005, 10:18

For starters you should try to suck up to either the Seleucids or Ptolemaics(Egypt), Ive never managed to get both allied to me at the same time. My clan is currrently running a pbm as pontus on rtr 6, we started off, pretty much like Sapi said, taking the nearby rebel provinces, beefing up the garrisons and churning out troops from our two main cities, next we picked on the isolted Gaul provinces and a couple of Greek ones too. We have most of what is now Turkey but i think the current player of our campaign is at war with the seleucids. Anyways, you start as a small kingdom so alliances are crucial, if you cant get alliances then get trade rights. Have fun

**sapi** · 08-17-2005, 11:36

As i mentioned, the bulk of your army will come from mercs, and you need cash through trade, so as wishazu says, don't go to war with everyone at once

**PseRamesses** · 08-17-2005, 12:00

Playing RTR 5.4:1
Wage war in this order Rebels, Ptolemy and don´t stop until you´ve secured Asia Minor making your eastern border Trapezus and Tarsus. Make shure you take Crete (cretan archers), Rhodos (colossus) and Cyprus from the Ptolemies before making peace. Ally with Armenia, Parthia and Seleucids which will secure your eastern border and provide some help against the Ptolemies. Ally with the Greeks which will leave you with an option to take Mytilene and Chalcis from the Macedonians early. With Asia Minor secured, wealthy from trade boosted by the Colossus you´re free to expand in any direction and your eastern passes are easily defendable. Use your missile cavs wisely. They can swing any battle if used properly. Around Pontus and Trapezus you may pick up a Sarmatian horse archer every 10 turn or soo which are unvaluable.

Playing RTR 6.0
Same as above except the precense of the Galatian Gauls and Seleucids across Asia Minor. Take out Rebels, Gauls, Seleucids and Ptolemies to secure Asia Minor.

In my latest 6.0 game I secured A.M and picked up many of the former Greek colonies and the Bosphorus around the Black Sea. I allied with the Greeks and helped them in squeezing the Macedonians from the east. This tipped the balance in favour of the Greeks who grew really strong and eventually took over all of Sicily and maked the Romans their protectorate, he he! Now, I´m just waiting for the Greeks to backstab me and take over all of Greece, muahaha!

**Uesugi Kenshin** · 08-17-2005, 16:26

I like taking all of Anatolia (in 5.4.1) and then snagging Egypt's islands and using them as a gathering point for a massive invasion of the Ptolemaic Empire at Alexandria. It stops the Egyptians from becoming the juggernaught that they usually becomes, frees the Seluecids to expand and if you keep one rebel town between you and the Selucids and ally them they are unlikely to start a war with you, especially through the Armenian mountain passes, which they seem to avoid.

**pezhetairoi** · 08-18-2005, 08:50

I'd say take Chersonesos, Campus Scythii, Tanais (really awesome growth rate, you'll have huge city in no time), Byzantium, Nicomedia, Ancyra, and then plan from there. Logically if you follow that strat and the Seleucs and the Armens don't bother you, then Thrace is the next logical target, since you're set to pounce on them from north and south. Then an expansion into Greece. By now you should be strong enough to push the Seleucids into ruin, as at war with Egypt as they are. Armenia is a low priority; they always aim for Hatra. But keep a watchtower near Kotais along the coast, just in case. Strong navy needed.

**Mongoose** · 08-18-2005, 23:50

Originally Posted by sapi

Expand aroudn the black sea, but leave the armenians and selecueds (sp?) alone until they attack or an advantage comes, instead preying on rebel territories. I pounced on teh gauls early to take their land, and as you will then share no boarders, peace is realitively easy to get.

The armenians will probably attack you, it's important to stop them getting more than their starting two provinces if at all possible, so you can strike to the head before their field army arrives. Avoid a war with scythia's horse archers at all costs - you have an infantry army.

The selecueds are too spread out to cause any harm in asia minior, but out to the east they're a real challenge, especially if the egyptians attack you too. (they broke an allience with me just to blocade one port

, now they've lost 3 cities, and for some reason think that means i shoudl be a protectorate!?).

Sea trade will keep your economy alive (get trading rights asap) and allow you to get armies of mercs, which is good. The only trouble is if you leave them in cities, they'll be bribed (i just lost 3 cities this way, ah well, a 20 stack army is besieging them

)

Basically, keep a single war theatre going at a time, te the seas (oh how i love the straigh of dardinneles (sp?) and win!

sapi

hmm...sounds interesting. Normaly i just expand around asia minor, expanding around the black sea might be fun.

Let the conquest begin!

**sapi** · 08-19-2005, 08:17

Yes, i thought that too, and i was about to go on a reign of conquest when the selecueds attacked me and i had to fight them instead of taking rebel towns and the thracians/greeks