Buffer States

[PenguinLobster]

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]

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

[PenguinLobster]

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

[The Celt]

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.

[Bootsiuv]

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?).

[PenguinLobster]

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.

[konny]

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]

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.

[Poulp']

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

the pattern is usually:
- your allies betray you
- once you've crushed them good, they propose a cease fire
- time passes, they propose trade rights, it's time to raise a new army because they coming

[Vorian]

the pattern is usually:
- your allies betray you
- once you've crushed them good, they propose a cease fire
- time passes, they propose trade rights, it's time to raise a new army because they coming

In my campaign as KH the Maks didn't accept ceasefire even when I was with a full stack outside their last city and offered them money and Pella back...

[Sarkiss]

In my campaign as KH the Maks didn't accept ceasefire even when I was with a full stack outside their last city and offered them money and Pella back...

welcome to the world of RTW

[Vorian]

I haven't played Medieval 2 since I heard bad things about it. I preferred to continue playing EB. Is diplomacy as bad as in RTW?

[overweightninja]

I haven't played Medieval 2 since I heard bad things about it. I preferred to continue playing EB. Is diplomacy as bad as in RTW?

Yes...but at least force diplomacy is easily available

EDIT
Sorry we're you talking about MTW2? If so couldn't really comment (didn't play for long), but after the nightmare that is RTW diplomacy I would imagine CA at least tried to do something about it...

[Vorian]

Well I have heard of people being in the middle of a crusade (English), having the king in the crusade and then the French attack them, the pope excommunicates them and the king is left stranded in Hungary!!!!

I imagine he would be like

[johnhughthom]

I believe diplomacy is more easily modded in M2TW though, which would be great for EB2.

[antisocialmunky]

In M2TW and MTW, you could always make the Pope Shield where you give all lands between you and the enemy to the Pope.

[Xehh II]

Does a FD alliance last longer than a normal alliance?

[Bootsiuv]

In short, no. Plan on doing it every single turn for the rest of the game....

[alatar]

I find that after 6/7 turns of forcing allies, they have a new threat to deal with.
Also keep your borders with them garrisoned, so they don't just beseige your capial with one unit.

[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?

I would have loved to keep those cities except they where constantly rioting and without massive garrisons they would have just rebelled back to the seleucids anyway. Force diplomacy keeps the ptolemies from launching suicidal attacks on me. *I dont consider it cheating if it helps the AI*

[johhny-turbo]

welcome to the world of RTW

Let's not forget factions demanding tribute and for you to become a proctectorate when you've anninilhated their ability to fight and have them reduced to a single city

[Mouzafphaerre]

.

In M2TW and MTW, you could always make the Pope Shield where you give all lands between you and the enemy to the Pope.

In MTW too?! Never heard of it, are you certain? How do you do that at all?
.

[Vorian]

Let's not forget factions demanding tribute and for you to become a proctectorate when you've anninilhated their ability to fight and have them reduced to a single city

Rome tends to do that in my games.

"Become a protectorate"
"What? I have almost kicked you out of Italy."
"Don't bother with details. We are winning this war"


off topic: @ Mouzafphaerre, does your username mean guest in turkish??

[Digby Tatham Warter]

In my campaign as KH the Maks didn't accept ceasefire even when I was with a full stack outside their last city and offered them money and Pella back...

That's not defective AI, it's Macedonian pride.