The Seleukid monster

**Danest** · 03-06-2007, 00:10

HAs anyone had the Seleukids NOT become a juggernaut of death since .81 (that is, without the player wiping them out of course). And, that aside, historically, what happened to the Seleukids, and how fast? As I understand it they collapsed? Did the Ptolemies, historically, wage huge wars against Carthage and Seleukids, or is that just the EB AI? (it seems to happen almost every time from what I can tell)

**O'ETAIPOS** · 03-06-2007, 00:26

Seleukids were waging wars against Ptolemies very often.

The biggest problem for Seleukids was the east - those provinces were so far, that full controll was almost impossible, and during every period of weakness some portions of "far east" were lost.

In the begining of II century bc it seemed they are winning - in Panion battle they crushed Ptolemies and were in the best position to became most powerful hellenic state.

But loss of Magnesia battle to the romans and loss of all asia minor that followed was deadly wound. From this time Romans were keeping status quo between Sel and Ptol while Sel were being destroyed by coups in court and Partians.

**Boyar Son** · 03-06-2007, 00:29

Im pretty sure the seluekids were attacked from all sides but Parthia ultimately took over all their territory west of mesopotamia

Dammit o' etaipos beat me to it!

**antisocialmunky** · 03-06-2007, 00:39

They seem to be able to scare other factions - those in the east - into peace by sheer grey square yardage.

**Elminster12** · 03-06-2007, 01:41

I have a post in the faction progression thread where they're just getting ripped to shreds by EVERYONE around them. Quite amusing....and even Pontos is starting to cash in...

**Danest** · 03-06-2007, 01:48

I'm fighting them as the Epirotes, and they would have defeated me by sheer overwhelming numbers if not for my flanking elephants. Truly they are to be feared, if the AI can do that do me.

**Dayve** · 03-06-2007, 04:00

Yeah... Take a look at my last screenshot in the AI expansion thread... They have only 1 province left... Ptolemies seem to have become an absolute monstrosity, just like the old days of vanilla!

**Omanes Alexandrapolites** · 03-06-2007, 09:21

Hi Danest,
I have noticed that reading the faction heir's, at the start of the game's, biography explain quite alot about the collapse of the Seleucid empire under his rule. Also, as you play through as any faction, you receive messages as traits in your faction leader which contains lots of great historical information about events that were happening around that time, including about the great Seleucid Empire's collapse. Good luck with finding out your history, cheers!

**Subedei** · 03-06-2007, 09:48

I loved to fight the Seleucids with the steppe peoples in the East and to take a hold of one territory by the other and push back their stacks all the way to Mesopotmia. It is kinda hard, but it works [esp. with HA & slingers]

In my current campaign as Getai, which is located -for a change- west of ol´Seleucid geezers, I am still stuck with K.H., but soon somebody will knock on the doors of Asia Minor.
Interesting fact: The K.H. controls all of Greece now & the Macs [pushed over the Hellespont & my allies] start to expand in Asia Minor already....my spies report heavy fighting over there...Campaigns are very thrilling in EB....Thank you guys again.....

**CaesarAugustus** · 03-07-2007, 00:49

The Seleukids and Ptolemies are still pretty evenly matched in my campaign, with Ptolemy getting a slight advantage in Asia Minor due to my generous contributions of money and map information. They do seem to be beating the crap out of the Baktrians and indians in the east, though.

**Intranetusa** · 03-07-2007, 01:31

a half stack of seleucid medium heavy phalangites + several elite phalangites numbering around 800 nearly completely annihilated my entire army of 1600+. (composed almost entirely of merc hoplites, reserve skirmishers, with a couple cama-hastati/princpes thrown in)

I won in the end but suffered around 85% casualties. Bronze chevroned mercenaries just can't stand up to silver chevroned phalangites.

damn, this was my first major battle in EB against another superpower...intense :D

EB rocks!!!

**antisocialmunky** · 03-07-2007, 05:21

Yeah... And the realization that they can pretty much replace those armies within the year is very comforting. The only way you can defeat them is to take and hold land whilst not dying which isn't too terribly hard in Asia minor atleast.