I've been playing the XGM mod for the past week or so. It has the feel of Vanilla, but the factions are changed a bit. It also has night battles, and more Generals are able to start them. I have actually been attacked at night which never happened in BI. I prefer to sally out on night battles. Using arrows at night with no flames seems to be more terrifying to enemies than if they see the flaming arrows coming.

A drawback to it is that there is a heavy AI economic bonus which gives them tons of money to train tons of full stacks to throw at you. I would recommend disabling that part during installation. The only way that I was surviving the times I played against the AI economic bonus I had to "add_money 40000" so often that by the time I won, I was adding 40,000 up to 5 or 6 times every turn just to maintain. In order to build and repair, it was substantially more. That's why I prefer not to add money with the cheat code.

I presently have a Ptolemaic campaign going on, with a settlement up in Side (just East of Halicarnassus) which is taking most of my money and attention as my former ally, Pontus, has betrayed me and besieged the city every turn for over 30 turns. It's just a minor city needing 12,000 to get to the next level, but backfilling the garrison every turn has reduced it to 400. I actually bring over 240 nubian spearmen from Salamis every turn, which I discharge in Side, and train up Phalangists and backfill other units. I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth the effort, and should I simply evacuate and destroy everything inside the walls. It's certainly drain in people and money.

Pontus is also at war with my primary enemy as well though, the Selucids. After I win the short campaign, (if I win it) Pontus will be the victim of Punic wars.

I do enjoy the XGM mod however, and find myself in it far more than BI or basic RTW.

I shall be looking for the ATW though, it looks interesting.

Strength and Honor

Celt Centurion