Saka troubles

[Tyfus]

So I tried to do the whole nomadic thing with the saka rauka. I started a campaign on vh/m with large units and was totally destroyed. Starting off you have very few units because they are all horse units and that alone makes them very expensive. I think starting cash flow is something like -3500 or something around there.

Anyway despite this I captured two cities with my starting armies thinking that nomadic tech tree would not be advanced enough to overcome that kind of deficit. I took the nomadic town where your main army starts in the south near baktria and then I took the town to the west of my capital. Because of this my troops were very depleted and I was getting towards -10,000 in debt, so I couldn't retrain or build or anything. Chigu the capital was still -2,000 income or something which negated any profit from my other provinces.

Then I disbanded most of my horse units to try and get some positive cash flow, but because we are now running on 1.5 and the A.I. is a little smarter the eleutheroi started attacking my defensless towns and I was completely destroyed.

So with all that said, I obviously did something really wrong. How does anybody get a successful campaign going with these guys? I feel like their starting conditions are a little too crappy to overcome. So suggestions and/or examples would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

[Tuuvi]

I lasted pretty long as them, but I think I might have used the add money cheat at the start of the game, can't remember though. I did disband my troops, I must have gotten lucky by not getting attacked. It might be better to wait until a patch to play as them, because you can't get any cheap HA's, only the more expensive early nobles and Light Cavalry.

[keravnos]

Well, if there is one thing I can assure you, is that we plan pretty cool stuff for the Saka. 0.81 will improve their status quite a bit.

Also, I have to mention that 0.81 will NOT be savegame compatible. Bear this in mind as you manage your campaigns.

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Well, if there is one thing I can assure you, is that we plan pretty cool stuff for the Saka. 0.81 will improve their status quite a bit.

In what way?

[keravnos]

Hmm. Let me be clear on this. Initial placement wil be eased a bit but Saka will be hard. Post 0.81 a lot of good stuff is planned. Any other impression given, is my fault. I repeat, POST 0.81

[Tuuvi]

So would it be a good idea to start a saka campaign when .81 comes out, or to wait until the version after .81? I'm a little confused now

[keravnos]

In 0.81 playing them will be a bit easier, as some changes were done to their initial province, troops they can recruit and such.

Right now, Saka are a blast to play once you have made a good start. They are hard, as they were meant to be. It is starting out that is next to impossible in 0.80

Post 0.81 a lot of new stuff is planned. I hope I cleared this up a bit.