Hi everyone,

I hope you don't mind an 'ole boy piping up on this subject, but I just wanted to share my condolences to anyone who comes in contact with this faction. I fought them in my Greek campaign, and it felt that I had grabbed unto the tail of a tiger at times....whatever you do, don't let go!

It is essential to carry out good reconnisance when taking this faction on. Send out plenty of spies into any provinces that you will engage them in and also into their backfield as well. I also created several detachments of Cavalry forces to delay their main armies and was able to draw them into battlegrounds of my choosing at times when these forces retreated from them. If there are any Pharoah's Archers units in their stacks never engage them from lower ground if possible. They will clean your plow! Always have plenty of Archer yourself, and make the PAs a priority target during any routs.
It's the best way to avoid having to fight them again.

If you can, try to entice them into attacking your main, family member led army with your reinforcements coming from a captain led force. You'll be able to let the computer run this force while you personally direct the other. I was able to crush an elite Egyptian army and its reinforcements by luring it into such a predicament. It was a sweet moment to savor as I also killed off two of their good generals during the fight.

I cannot overstress the gathering of intelligence. I always suffered anytime I blundered into the Ptolemaic hordes by not doing this. Remember, Cleopatra herself was a Macedonian descendant; perhaps this is why the AI makes them so tough. After all, Ptolemy wasn't exactly a slouch. He was a companion of Alexander. Would his children be any different?

Hope I didn't go on too much. I just like talking tactics.