Highly recommended: Baktria

**edyzmedieval** · 11-01-2007, 19:17

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**Caveira** · 11-01-2007, 20:15

I'm playing as Pahlava. By 250BC, I had destroyed both Baktria and Saka-Rauka. It's now 240BC and the Arche-Seleukeia is smaller than me. Ptolomies are about to attack me. Good fun!

**Urnamma** · 11-02-2007, 07:04

Originally Posted by edyzmedieval

...if you want to finish your campaign fast to go out with a girl.

Now, here's the deal. Baktria is my favourite faction (both gameplay and historically), and I wanted a great game with them. What did I do? I cheated, but in a good way. Every faction got 3 million denarii. Options activated are Manage All Settlements, Unit Size - Huge, video on max and difficulty VH/VH.

Now, I allied with a lot of people around, and I kept my alliance with the Seleukies till some time. I got the chance to get a good army for the start, composed of Pantodapoi Phalangitai and lots of Thanvabara, backed by Dahae Riders supplied from Marakanda. I teched up Baktria (the other cities I kept the economic part only; Baktria got economic, military and lots of cultural buildings), and got forts around it to defend it, in case some nice guys have intentions. I sent expeditions to take Kophen and Gava Haomavarga, and after that I took Chach, opening the war with the Saka Rauka. I sent a diplomat to the Seleukies asking for map information, but the alliance was cancelled, and in the next turn, they attacked me. Easily defeated a big stack of Pantodapoi with some mercenaries army, and I set on conquering their cities.

Guess what? I got Alexandreia-Ariana, Alexandropolis and Antiochia-Margiane just for a ceasefire and trade rights!!! ( I was sieging their cities; on the first ceasefire, got the first 2 cities ; second one got Alexandropolis). That's what I call intelligent diplomacy.

Now that I got these nice cities, I could continue on other cities. I sent massive expeditions to take the Indian cities (Pura, Taksashila, Opiana and Patala), which succeeded. Later on, after waging war with the Seleukids and Pahlava, I took Asaak, Khiva and Nisa, destroying the Pahlava.

You might think now that it's been so easy and everything's rolling.

WRONG.

You cant build a strong army without much money while playing Baktria. Upkeep costs are huge (The Indo-Iranian mercenary heavy cavalry has 1200 upkeep!!!), and even if you have mines, only Mine Centres (which need 32000 Mnai and 20 turns to make) are very useful to get some serious revenue. Second, agriculture is very bad in Baktria. Trade is good, especially if you have Sulek and other border cities, but forget about farming and stuff. Waste of money. Complete the rest of the work conquering the nearby cities and you get some nice income (momentarily it's 230 BC and I get like 65000 Mnai per turn). The problem is, you need to defend things. Rebels aren't a pain, but your powerful neighbour is. And you need a good army. And this means? 150.000 Mnai upkeep to heavily garrison my border cities and Baktria with good troops.

Seleukids. They are a pain in the buttocks. Stacks come from Gabai, Persepolis and Hekatompylos, and sometimes they even come with heavily armoured units like Elite Thorakitai and Pezhetairoi with 3 silver chevrons! I constantly lose with my old inexperienced units (basically throwing away the mercenaries I have and using low quality troops to erase some upkeep which hurts my economy). I found the solution, but it's very expensive and it's called - Baktrian Hippotoxotai. Perfect combination of something like Kataphraktoi and Parthian Horse Archers. Slowly I am starting to win, but reports indicate of serious stacks of Pezzy coming to anihilate my glorious cities, in front with Baktria, which is full of theatres, academies, and other great stuff.

Will update as I go on.

Nonetheless, GO BAKTRIA!!

Have you learned anything about history at all, specifically the history of that region?