My next game: Epeiros as Pergamon

[QuintusSertorius]

Does anyone have any tips for fighting the Seleukids and Pontos, since they'll probably be my main enemies in Anatolia?

In my other game I fought Koinon Hellenon and Makedonia, but I suspect they're both much easier. At least the latter were until they got reformed phalanxes...

[MerlinusCDXX]

I like your proposed army composition, looks to be pretty varied but effective. If you end up having your "discretionary unit" in any of your armies be infantry, may I suggest using Thraikioi Romphaiaroi (sp?), you will be able to recruit them in Tylis and Naissos from the level 4 regional complex. They make good flankers that can also act on their own if necessary, and they just shred through armored infantry. From your last post it looks like you know how to deal with Seleukid phalangitai (about the same as you would Makedonike phalangitai), but you are going to need someone to deal with the Agema Thorakitai that the AS will be bringing from Antiocheia, Romphaiaroi will shred through those armored foot tanks (they are spear armed so Prodromoi aren't gonna cut it for that one). It's also likely that you'll have to face off against the Ptolemaioi once or twice, and the Romphaiaroi will deal with those Galatian armored swordsmen the Ptollies get pretty nicely.

Good Luck on your new campaign.

[QuintusSertorius]

Indeed, I think armour might be my main problem, insofar as I won't have many well-armoured units. Not many swordsmen either.

[jhhowell]

Does anyone have any tips for fighting the Seleukids and Pontos, since they'll probably be my main enemies in Anatolia?

In my other game I fought Koinon Hellenon and Makedonia, but I suspect they're both much easier. At least the latter were until they got reformed phalanxes...

From AS, expect pretty weak armies locally - IIRC they can't recruit many (any?) phalanxes in Asia Minor. When they decide to make you target #1, expect 8-10 unit stacks of medium phalanxes, maybe with a thorakitai/thureophoroi or two mixed in. Full stacks like that plus a few elites, if you let them merge before fighting them. Should be no trouble at all for a balanced army to destroy. The AI rarely builds cavalry, and I've seen only 2-3 Hetairoi builds, ever. Ptolemies - same, but with the Galatian Kleruchoi swordsmen. I guess you probably won't see much of the yellow guys unless you let them beat AS in Syria.

Pontos - I clobbered them hard in the 250s in my Hayasdan game, and they've been happy to sit in Thrace, Bithynia, and Galatia for the next ~60 years. I found them most unimpressive, so I'm sure you'll handily crush everything they send against you. As I recall, their good units are Hellenic, but slightly weaker (Chalkaspides, Pontic Thorakitai). For a challenge, you could arrange for them to get Kotais and/or Chersonesus so they can get Scythian units to fight you with.

Regarding your planned army mix, I'd suggest a bit more cavalry. I know you're an infantry guy, but still... From what I remember of Pergamon's history, they had decent heavy cav just like the other Diadochoi. Even Hetairoi at Magnesia, so you could mod those to be recruitable. Or will you have the generals represent Hetairoi? Epeiros should be able to recruit Lonchophoroi Hippeis in Asia Minor, and those are fairly decent mediums, about the same as Prodromoi.

Also, keep in mind those Karian Warbands, they seem like an interesting alternative to Peltasts as heavy skirmishers/medium infantry. I haven't used them very much, but they've done reasonably well in the few battles I've seen.

It would be interesting if the EB2 guys had some new units specific to Pergamon for you to playtest...

[QuintusSertorius]

Thanks for that, I'll keep in mind your point about cavalry. I've discovered in the other game that while I'm an infantry guy, I love medium cavalry. Gallic Curepos/Leuce Epos, Asian Light cavalry, Thracian Prodromoi, Illyrian Hippeis, I've found them all to be really effective at killing enemy lights, harrassing the line, routing engaged and tired units, and chasing down the routers. Not been overly impressed with heavy cavalry though, the way I use my horse they tire out too fast. Two or three charges and they're spent. As you suggest, I'll use FMs for my heavies mostly, and unlike in my Roman game, I'll actually use all them as cavalry (not just the youngsters).

I used the Karians briefly as mercs a while ago, I'll give them another go. Especially since they're regionals once I take Halikarnassos.

On a different topic, what's the correct form of address for something belonging to the Kingdom of Pergamon? Is it Pergamene? That's what I was using conversationally in my other game, but if I'm going to change the name of my faction it should be right, really.

[Swordmaster]

Thanks for that, I'll keep in mind your point about cavalry. I've discovered in the other game that while I'm an infantry guy, I love medium cavalry. Gallic Curepos/Leuce Epos, Asian Light cavalry, Thracian Prodromoi, Illyrian Hippeis, I've found them all to be really effective at killing enemy lights, harrassing the line, routing engaged and tired units, and chasing down the routers. Not been overly impressed with heavy cavalry though, the way I use my horse they tire out too fast. Two or three charges and they're spent. As you suggest, I'll use FMs for my heavies mostly, and unlike in my Roman game, I'll actually use all them as cavalry (not just the youngsters).

I used the Karians briefly as mercs a while ago, I'll give them another go. Especially since they're regionals once I take Halikarnassos.

On a different topic, what's the correct form of address for something belonging to the Kingdom of Pergamon? Is it Pergamene? That's what I was using conversationally in my other game, but if I'm going to change the name of my faction it should be right, really.

Yes, Pergamene is correct English. But I guess you should use a Greek name, no?

[QuintusSertorius]

Yes, Pergamene is correct English. But I guess you should use a Greek name, no?

That might conflict with my reputation as an upstanding exemplar of good old-fashioned Roman virtue!

What would the Greek be?

[QuintusSertorius]

I've been looking at the recruitment viewer for Tylis, and there's a lot of high-quality units available to Epeiros there. Agrianian assault infantry, Thracian assault infantry, Thracian medium cavalry, and many others. Glad I grabbed it when I did.

[Timoleon]

Yes, Pergamene is correct English. But I guess you should use a Greek name, no?

The resident of the city of Pergamos is Περγαμηνός (Pergamenos), plural Περγαμηνοί (Pergamenoi). If you want to refer to the army of Pergamos you should use the term περγαμηνός στρατός (pergamenos stratos).