Some questions about pontos

[PenguinLobster]

1.what provinces can I recruit my faction's troops in?

2.where can I get steppe riders and scythian noble cavalry? Any other regional troops in the area I should know about? *preferably ones in seleucid territory since I seem to be at eternal war with them*

3.why do my galatian heavy speamen carry swords and why do they cost twice as much as hoplites with only slightly better stats and less men?

[Bootsiuv]

I must admit that, very rarely, I've noticed that unit prices seem set up a little strange. At least for the KH, some units which are higher up in the tech tree and cost more seem to have either lower stats, or not higher enough to make it worth it....Can't think of the exact units right now, and EB is on my other computer. Although I'm surely not the only one who has noticed this.

BTW, I didn't mean to hijack your thread, I just could relate to part of your last question. You'll have to wait for a Pontos expert for help with the other questions.

[Tellos Athenaios]

It's the Thureophoroi, Hoplitai, Ekdromoi, Thorakitai issue isn't it?

Those units are all relatively close to each other if you look at the raw stats only.

[Bootsiuv]

It's the Thureophoroi, Hoplitai, Ekdromoi, Thorakitai issue isn't it?

Those units are all relatively close to each other if you look at the raw stats only.

Yes, but I seem to recall that a cheaper one was better than a more expensive one, including things like moral and such. I'm not 100 percent on that though, so forgive me if I'm mistaken.

[Treverer]

1.what provinces can I recruit my faction's troops in?

2.where can I get steppe riders and scythian noble cavalry? Any other regional troops in the area I should know about? *preferably ones in seleucid territory since I seem to be at eternal war with them*

3.why do my galatian heavy speamen carry swords and why do they cost twice as much as hoplites with only slightly better stats and less men?

Greetings,

ad 1:
well, first let me say that Pontos' got not that many faction troops - at least thoses one can call "high-end". You have the "Cappadocian Medium Cavalry", the "Pontic Elite Phalanx", the "Galatian Heavy Spearmen", the "Galatian Heavy Cavalry" & the Chariot unit. All of those, you can recruit in your starting province ("Amaseia"), and some of them in your other "Homeland" provinces.
But beware, in "Trapezount", "Sinope", "Nikaia" and the eastern/southern shore provinces of Asia minor (& "Ipsos"), you get practically none of them (built regional MICs there & recruit Greek / Hellenic troops).
In Galatia ("Ankyra"), build just regional MICs and at level 5 you get the "Wild Men" (Tindanotae, spelling correct ?), expensive, but VERY useful. Therefor, build the "Pontic Allied State" government in that province.

As a rough rule: in greek territories, built regional MICs, in 'eastern' ones', built factional MICs. What to built in the (modern-day time) Balkans, I cannot tell ... yet. ;-)

ad 2:
both of them in "Chersonesos" & "Pantikapaion" (must have regional MIC 4 to built the Nobles). Of thoses I'm sure, but the neighbouring provinces should have them too.
You get Horse Archers in "Ani-Kmah" ("Steppe Riders") and "Kotais" ("Skythian Horse Archers"), as well as in Armenian territory.

ad 3:
I don't know. I use mainly the "Hellenic Native Phalanxes" and after I can afford them, the "Pontic Elite Phalanxes" (2 per army) as backbone. Much later, I recruit Tindanotaes (2 per army) as reserve / shock / assault infantry.
Actually, I'm less used to employ cavalry ... though from time to time I have a light or medium unit with this or that army.

Yours,
Treverer

being a big fan of Pontos & wishing for X-mas the missing Pontic units ...

[Slim_Ghost]

Speaking of missing Pontic units, I wished that there would be Sinopic nobles or chariot archers in the next release.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chariot archers aren't right for this timeframe.

[Treverer]

Chariot archers aren't right for this timeframe.

Sorry to be (too) curious, but what about some kinda "Kataphracts"? Did Pontos have them?

EDIT: question's a bit irrelevant though. Kataphracts can probably be recruited in the approprate provinces via the regional MICs. (ashes on my head)

[The Errant]

Sorry to be (too) curious, but what about some kinda "Kataphracts"? Did Pontos have them?

EDIT: question's a bit irrelevant though. Kataphracts can probably be recruited in the approprate provinces via the regional MICs. (ashes on my head)

Sorry. Pontos does not get Catas in the Parthian style. They will however get a heavy cavalry unit that will be most useful in the next build. It's quite powerful and with a wider recruitment zone than the Galatian Lavotuxri. Apart from that a few more interesting reagionals are coming for Pontos.

Treverer is right about the recruitment zones. Except for Trapezous. Pontic Homeland territory is most of Northern Asia Minor (modern Turkey) That's the settlements of Amaseia (your capital), Sinope, Trapezous, Ani-Kamah, Mazaka and Nikaia.

In the first five it's advisable to build factional MICs. The highest level will allow the recruitment of the Chalkaspidai (Pontic Elite Phalanx). In Ani-Kamah building a level 4 Reagional MIC will allow the recruitment of HA. HA are also available in the Armenian provinces to the East. And in the steppe provinces to the North. Remember this about Sinope and Trapezous. Only once your Factional MIC reaches a level 3 minimum will you be able to recruit any useful factional troops here. The higest level will give you access to the Chalkaspidai aswell as stone and arrow projectors in the Greek style. Building up to level 3 Reagional MICs in any Greek province is advisable. I found Classic Hoplites and Peltastai to be a very useful addition to my Pontic battle line.

Nikaia is another Homelands region. It's recruitment for factionals is a bit limited but you do get a number of Dacian reagionals. Including Drapanai shock infantry (falxmen). You also get access to Thracian Peltasts. Which double as shock infantry and Thrakikoi Prodromoi. The second best Medium Cavalry in the game. Nikaia also has two precious metal resources so mining there is very profitable.

Scythian Nobles can be recruited in the Crimea provinces. And some of the others North of the Black Sea. One of the most useful reagional units nearby are the Syrian Archers. They can be recruited in most provinces surrounding Syria. Armoured in scale mail they make a tough if somewhat slow archery unit that can double as decent melee fighters. As long as you keep in mind that there primary role is that of an archer. Not a swordsman. The second most useful reagional is a merc unit in Mesopotamia. The Babylonian Heavy Spearmen are a great and versatile unit. They can take on cavalry with their spears and they double as very effiecient shock infantry cause their secondary weapon is an AP mace.

You did realise that the secondary weapon of those Galatian Heavy Spearmen is the Celtic Longsword with a whopping .225 lethality. The spear is just for use against cavalry. If you're doing melee with them against any infantry use alt-click to change their weapons pronto.