Tips on pahlava

[ZhaZ]

Got it. Barely surviving for now :).

[Ower]

Jup the first few turns are quit chalenging, but as you take 2-3 AS setllements and use diplomacy for aditonal funds, it only gets better.

[temenid]

I love the Parthian early game. To fix the economy, I disbanded all the foot troops and mercenary raiders, then sold all my trade improvements*. This left me with 15000 mnai, which was easily replenished (despite building a constant stream of new shivatir) by exterminating cities and selling their trade improvements as well.

Militarily, I developed five main armies:

Arsaces took Marakanda before dying of old age.
Bagabigna took Antiocheia-Margiane, Baktria, Alexandria-Ariane, Prophthasia, Alexandropolis (for the elephants), Karamanda.
Ardumanish took Asaak, Hekatompylos, Apameia, Susa.
Phraotes (who moves fast) took Zadrakata, Ekbatana, Seleukeia and Arbela.
Achaemenes took Gabai, Persepolis and Charax.

Surprisingly, this was the easy bit. The Seleukids tend to field slow-moving, lightly armoured troops east of the Zagros (horse archer fodder), although the Baktrians are more difficult. I got lucky and wiped out the Baktrian family members in three battles.

Once you're fighting in the west against allied Seleukid/Makedonian/Ptolemaic forces, battles become more challenging. But you can't make an omelette without burning Pella to the ground**.

* Take a look at the settlement details. You can sell some trade improvements for 1066 mnai, but their existence only adds 10 mnai per turn to your coffers. In the east, your ROI will be much higher if you invest in troops rather than trade, so I see this as a no-brainer.

** Didn't actually burn Pella to the ground, although that was my aim. My EB install got corrupted shortly after Byzantion fell. Starting again now with a modded 0 turn recruitment campaign, to see what that's like.