What makes Hayasdan a hard faction to play as?

[Calypze]

Hayasdan is rated as one of the hardest factions in the game. As I've never played them (but I'm thinking about it), I would like to ask what makes them so hard compared to let's say Pahlava (which I've played as, and unlike the EB creators, I think they're probably easier than the Sab'yn)? The mere virtue of being a horse archer faction ought to help a lot, or am I wrong?

[Foot]

No money, one province, the Seleukids knocking at your door and often having the Sauromatae coming over the Caucasus. You'll be fighting a retreating battle for most of the time, and whilst you do get horsearchers, don't think you'll be getting the money for them.

Foot

[Sarkiss]

No money, one province, the Seleukids knocking at your door and often having the Sauromatae coming over the Caucasus. You'll be fighting a retreating battle for most of the time, and whilst you do get horsearchers, don't think you'll be getting the money for them.

Foot

and just when you think you're all set its time to rebuild your government structure from scratch
horse archers aint all that powerful imo. maybe giving them some extra arrows will help? also fixing their status as was proposed might make some difference in autoresolve and help not just Armenia, but to a much bigger extend Parthia and nomads to progress.
Foot, while you're here, the Hayastan's conquest map (faction scroll) doesnt correspond with new conquest requirements anymore. not sure if you're aware...

[Calypze]

Oh well, I might stay out of that faction, the descriptions kinda scares me away.

Though are the Sauromatae a huge problems for Hayasdan? I remember back in 8.1 playing as the Sauromatae, and when I attacked Hayasdan, their general's bodyguards were almost immune to my horse archers, and when they had run out of arrows and I attacked the general with them in melee, I suffered huge causalties.

[konny]

Though are the Sauromatae a huge problems for Hayasdan?

No they aren't.

They usually accept peace early in the game and only seldom cross the mountains in the first 25 years (have not played any Hay campaign longer, thanks to the Grey Death). So, as long as you keep out of the steppe there should be no problem. Only Aghvan is somewhat threatened by them because the settlement is north of the Caucasus.

[The Persian Cataphract]

As Hayasdan, you'll be commanding armies more suited towards highland combat, and for this task there is cavalry and infantry of high quality, including skirmishers to get the job done in carrying the battle to your favour. Taking advantage of the uneven terrain, and recognizing the weaknesses of the Seleucids, who often spam phalanxes, by bringing forth your heaviest nobles, and your archers to pelt them down as they attempt to march uphill, or upscale even. You will have to count on high casualty rates, but as long as you are able to replenish your troops (Hayasdan has the luxurious advantage of lavish natural defences, so the ways for the enemy to enter your territories are limited). The Suaromatae should not really be considered of any greater danger; The Caucasus shields you from them by large, and their siege capability is generally lacking.

Perhaps diplomacy will be one of the key factors to your survival; Ptolemaioi and AS struggle all the time, and further to the west there is Pontos. However your survival will not be easy; The AS, unless you take the initiative, will likely only be "replaced" as a threat, ranging between Baktria and Ptolemaioi (Who are not exactly that much softer than the AS, they are respectively Blue and Yellow Deaths), as Pahlava AI behaves somewhat strangely. However the defensive qualities of Hayasdan cannot be denied or overlooked. A skilled player will hold the enemy at bay, with honours. Their unit spectrum is equally diverse and provides a flexible selection of unit types, both in infantry and cavalry ranges.

[konny]

No trade, no population to tax, no money from farming, no big cities to loot; you'll have to live of the mines for which you'll don't have the money to build. Your army is first of all composed of unarmoured spearmen (only a little better than Pantodapoi) and foot archers. Both will suffer heavy casualties in each battle, but you neither have the money nor the population to replace them each time.

Once you are out of the worst poblems, AS will throw the first wave of heavy pikemen at you....

[Senatus Populusque Romanus]

If you play as Hayasdan, you are in "ATTACKING" mod.
(Assume you are playing as H/H)

Hayasdan has extremely no economy at the begining. You really have to conquer more settlement to make your economy at least rise from the bottom.

So, my point is to attack AS immediately since they are busy with other enemies. And make at least neutral with other enemies to your west, east and north.

[antisocialmunky]

Problem with trying to kill the AS at the first possibly opportunity is that you start at war with Sauramatae and the the AI will likely dog pile you since everyone in Asia minor is allied with the AS.