Some questions about pontos

[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 ...