Buffer States

**PenguinLobster** · 10-09-2007, 00:19

In my pontic campaign my best general spent a decade fighting from Antioch to Jerusaleaum and back up to edessa conquering all in his path. He lost hundreds of soldiers and had his grand army slowly reduced to to tatters but never lost a battle as he wiped out thousands of seleucids. After this glorious conquest he promptly surrendered the entire territory to the ptolemies in exchange for salamis and side. He is currently leading a new army to take the last seleucid city still bordering my empire and give that away to. Why surrender the possesions so many died for? A shield. This last city has a maxed out MIC, which combined with Edessas should give my allies the ptolemies the military strength to hold back the silver beast while I busy myself with more important things then a pointless struggle against a superpower. Will this strategy actually work? Or will the seleucids simply march past the ptolemies to attack me?

**Bootsiuv** · 10-09-2007, 00:26

It might buy you some time....but don't be surprised when your 'buffer state' turns on you...

**PenguinLobster** · 10-09-2007, 00:30

I'd rather have constant ptolemie attacks then seleucid ones. Marching to Ethiopia is also alot easier then marching to India.

**Bootsiuv** · 10-09-2007, 00:32

Originally Posted by PenguinLobster

I'd rather have constant ptolemie attacks then seleucid ones. Marching to Ethiopia is also alot easier then marching to India.

You obviously have never faced Kleruchikoi Galatia (sp?).

**konny** · 10-09-2007, 09:54

Originally Posted by Bootsiuv

You obviously have never faced Kleruchikoi Galatia (sp?).

Pontos has some decent Galatians in their own roster.

@ PenguinLobster

When you think the cities do you pass to your allies makes them strong enough to stand against AS, don't you think that those cities would also make YOU strong enough to fight AS? And if those cities makes your allies strong enough to fight AS, don't you think that the citites make them strong enough to fight YOU?

**Bootsiuv** · 10-09-2007, 10:01

Well put.

The AI in R:TW is very memory deficient. Just because you gifted them half of their empire and enough money to raise the men to defend it doesn't mean they'll love you for any extended period of time.

As a matter of fact, that money you've given them to fight the Seleukids will very likely be turned against you at some point.

This is why I think of every faction in R:TW as my enemies. Allies are just enemies who come with a smile.

**The Celt** · 10-09-2007, 00:30

The most likely thing to happen is after you and Egypt crush Seleukia, Egypt, whom you've given so much land to, will back stab you and you'll end up with another superpower to fight.
If I were you, I'd split the land between you and the Ptollies, instead of just handing it all over to them.(And be sure to exterminate the ones you hand over to them)
However, if Armenia is still around I'd recommend allying with them for a better buffer-buddy. They're not quite as rich as Egypt and they'll have more to lose should they betray you.

However, if the Hai have been wiped out, and AS is as large as your implying, then I'd go ahead and keep with your strategy.

**PenguinLobster** · 10-09-2007, 00:37

I'm not gonna crush seleukia. I'm gonna let the seleucids and the ptolemies fight each other and gain nothing while I expand my empire in the black sea and greece. I might take a silver city or two and give them to the Hai though, they just started expanding and will make a nice counterweight and later a formidable opponent. Kleruchikoi cant be any worse then those armored hellenic spearmen the seleucids pump out.