Post your EB empires!

[Fluvius Camillus]

AI Sweboz is overrated. I took them out with ease on one of my Roman games, and on an Aedui game. I've never tried it with a Hellenic faction, but common sense against the AI goes a long way, so I don't think it'd be that difficult. Plus, I have the giant tree fix where there aren't oversized trees anymore, so it makes it a bit easier.

Even with giant trees AI Sweboz are a pushover. Not everything there is wooded and even if you cant see the enemy, medium and elite phalanx will keep fighting and Hetairoi and Kataphractoi charges to the rear do the job, also in woods. Mass rout, mass chase, you win. I don't see Sloxonez routing Pedites, TAB's or those sorts, the Ai stays dumb forever.

~Fluvius

[Africanus]

My Romani world, VH/M, 185 BC.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Taking things very slowly, and I'm a bit surprised the AI hasn't been more aggressive. I've had a truce that's held up with the Aedui since the beginning of the game, and I've had a mutual border with the Luso's for quite some time with no war.

I allowed a KH full stack wander aimlessly around Italy for a time (you can barely make it out under the coins from Arpi) and they've finally decided to beseige Taras.

Just one faction dead so far (AS) with no FD, but Pontos and the Make's are in peril of being swallowed up by the Yellow tsunami. It also appears the Backtrians will be usurping Pahavla in short order.

[Kikaz]

236BC in my Bosphoran game:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Yes, in 12 years since the last one, I've taken one settlement. I was provoked, the Sauromatae attacked Olbia, so in retaliation I raided one of their other settlements and took Tanais off them. My army is in that fort next to the capital, ready to move if they should start things up again. Given the full stack garrison I can see in the nearest settlement, I don't think it's far off.

I'm also planning to take Trapezous, though Pontos are pretty weak right now so I've been staying my hand. What I'd like to do is recruit a new army and have a go at the Seleukids (taking Mazaka and giving it to Pontos, for example), but I'm not quite sure how I'd afford the upkeep.

The world is thus:



I just did some FD to roll back the Romans (who'd gone off into Gaul again) and take the Karthadastim desert provinces off them. It seems adding a lot of money to the Eleutheroi at regular intervals is having some effect on their durability, which is good.

Wow, I've never seen the Saba do that

[Fluvius Camillus]

Wow, I've never seen the Saba do that

If I am not mistaken, he did that for Saba.

~Fluvius

[QuintusSertorius]

Wow, I've never seen the Saba do that

On their own, they wouldn't. That's Force Diplomacy at work. :)

[Tanit]

BI.exe is proving to be much better. Pontus game is getting exciting. AS finally accepted peace after Pahlava attacked them, KH took corinth off of Macedon and then decided to land troops in an attemot to take Mytilene from me. I responded by taking Rhodos. A Ptolemaioi fleet is lurking around Rhodos, I'm worried they're thinking of landing the troops on board and breaking our alliance.

[QuintusSertorius]

227BC in my Bosphoran Kingdom game:



I finally took Trapezous in about 229, the war with Pontos was brief. They besieged it twice, I fought off the besiegers and they'd run out of fresh troops. I gave them Mazaka as consolation. They're sniffing around Nikaia again, but failed a few times to take it.

Makedon recently attacked Kallatis, mobilising the Bosphoran army to defend their ally in Mikra Skythia. You can see the remnants of the army on its way back home in the screenshot. During the war, I re-ordered the map over there. First I took Tylis off them and gave it to the Arverni (hoping they'll join up with Galatia via Nikaia and Byzantion). Then I took Serdike and gave it to the Getai. Lastly Dalminion which I gave to the Romans in the hope of pulling their attention east, rather than north. Killed four Makedonian FMs in the process. They now no longer share a land border with me, and I hope that will refocus their efforts into Hellas (and towards their new neighbours, the Romans).

The world:



Ptolemies are winning the superpower scrap, I'm no longer allied to them after an incident with an assassin who got caught, so I think it's time I altered the balance of power there. Not with my Bosphoran army, but with the Greek/Caucasian army I'm building on the southern shore of the Pontic Sea.

I noticed my "Belgae" Casse have strayed across the wrong side of the Rhine, the intent was for them to keep the Sweboz at bay, not conquer them. Been teleporting their wandering units back to Britain to weaken them in Germania, hopefully the Sweboz will kick them out.

Pahlava are having variable fortunes against the Seleukids. They'd swept up a load of territory and have been rolled back (witness the rebel territory there).

[Julianus]

My Romani world, VH/M, 185 BC.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Taking things very slowly, and I'm a bit surprised the AI hasn't been more aggressive. I've had a truce that's held up with the Aedui since the beginning of the game, and I've had a mutual border with the Luso's for quite some time with no war.

I allowed a KH full stack wander aimlessly around Italy for a time (you can barely make it out under the coins from Arpi) and they've finally decided to beseige Taras.

Just one faction dead so far (AS) with no FD, but Pontos and the Make's are in peril of being swallowed up by the Yellow tsunami. It also appears the Backtrians will be usurping Pahavla in short order.

Your screenshot looks a little distorted. Have you turned "widescreen" on?

[Africanus]

Your screenshot looks a little distorted. Have you turned "widescreen" on?

No, could just be I didn't have my mouse wheel scrolled all the way back. I'm also using the RS textures map.

[Africanus]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Sweboz have just broken the near 100 year alliance and laid seige to Segestica. They will now face the wrath of my Illyrian legion led by the Consul Decimvs Cornelivs Cinna.

The KH keep marching armies through my Illyrian holdings, past the Aedui in Transalpine Gaul, and down through Italy to lay seige to Taras. Got a nice fight vs two full stacks resulting in a heroic victory. Why they don't just build a ship and cross the strait (BI exe) like they did earlier in the game only the AI knows for sure.

meanwhile...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

LOL.

[Fluvius Camillus]

That last pic......!!!!

Man if you are planning to expand historically into the eastern mediterranean you are in for a rough time!

~Fluvius

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

227BC in my Bosphoran Kingdom game:



I finally took Trapezous in about 229, the war with Pontos was brief. They besieged it twice, I fought off the besiegers and they'd run out of fresh troops. I gave them Mazaka as consolation. They're sniffing around Nikaia again, but failed a few times to take it.

Makedon recently attacked Kallatis, mobilising the Bosphoran army to defend their ally in Mikra Skythia. You can see the remnants of the army on its way back home in the screenshot. During the war, I re-ordered the map over there. First I took Tylis off them and gave it to the Arverni (hoping they'll join up with Galatia via Nikaia and Byzantion). Then I took Serdike and gave it to the Getai. Lastly Dalminion which I gave to the Romans in the hope of pulling their attention east, rather than north. Killed four Makedonian FMs in the process. They now no longer share a land border with me, and I hope that will refocus their efforts into Hellas (and towards their new neighbours, the Romans).

The world:



Ptolemies are winning the superpower scrap, I'm no longer allied to them after an incident with an assassin who got caught, so I think it's time I altered the balance of power there. Not with my Bosphoran army, but with the Greek/Caucasian army I'm building on the southern shore of the Pontic Sea.

I noticed my "Belgae" Casse have strayed across the wrong side of the Rhine, the intent was for them to keep the Sweboz at bay, not conquer them. Been teleporting their wandering units back to Britain to weaken them in Germania, hopefully the Sweboz will kick them out.

Pahlava are having variable fortunes against the Seleukids. They'd swept up a load of territory and have been rolled back (witness the rebel territory there).

Quintus:

Very nice campaign! Brilliant idea to give Saba the Numidian provinces, gives both Saba and Carthage someone to fight besides Eleutheroi.

I strongly suggest teleporting a couple of Casse armies into Iberia to give the Lusotanns some competition. Then the Casse will be fighing a three-front war, at home in Britain, in Germania, and in Spain, which should slow them down a bit.

[QuintusSertorius]

Quintus:

Very nice campaign! Brilliant idea to give Saba the Numidian provinces, gives both Saba and Carthage someone to fight besides Eleutheroi. I wonder if Saba could also

I can't claim credit for the idea, though I forget now who it was who originally suggested it. They're Semitic like Qart-hadast too, which has a neatness about it. Does make things much more interesting for both factions though, I agree. Also gives the Sabaens something to do with their money when they've conquered the Arabian peninsular and start getting rebellions to them in the Levant and the Sahara.

I strongly suggest teleporting a couple of Casse armies into Iberia to give the Lusotanns some competition. Then the Casse will be fighing a three-front war, at home in Britain, in Germania, and in Spain, which should slow them down a bit.

That's not a bad idea, I might see if they'll take Vellika. There's a reciprocity if I put the Lusotannan in Ireland.

Otherwise Spain gets really boring with the Lusotannans snapping up all the rebels then eventually turning on the Karthadastim. I'll throw Rome into that mix with some FD eventually, once I've got them settled in the Adriatic.

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

I wonder if Saba could also be used in southern India to give the Bactrians a tougher time in that region.

[jirisys]

Well, I have something astounding (as far as Campaign AI goes), in my campaign, I decided to take a look at the factions and their progress, only to find myself AMAZED at the Romani AI...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

They have:
1. Repelled the Epirotes from Taras
2. Started a Punic war by besieging Messana (4 years earlier, though)
3. Currently siegeing Bononia

As far as Historicallity in AI goes, I give it a 6...

Here's the world map:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Anyway... more details about my campaign soon (as soon as you figure out the eternal and extremely difficult riddle of WHAT FACTION AM I?)

I mean it, figure it out

~Jirisys (C'mon fluvi, be the first)

[Celtic_Punk]

Koinon Hellenon

[FriendlyFire]

Koinon Hellenon

Agreed: there's no way the AI takes Krete, Chalkis, Mytilene, Korinthos, AND Thermon, all in four years :)

[jirisys]

Agreed: there's no way the AI takes Krete, Chalkis, Mytilene, Korinthos, AND Thermon, all in four years :)

Krete, Chalkis, Mytilene, Korinthos, Thermon, Sinope AND Trapezous (then, after the shot was taken: Pantikapaion and Demetrias)

Next stop! Byzantion, Emporion, Massilia, Syrakousai, Tanais AND (whatever city is in the Taurike Chersonesos region)



Besides, I don't think the KH faction symbol would appear as the Open faction scroll button in a Saba game

~Jirisys (Quite slow eh?)

[Lazy O]

Well wasnt really a guess after seeing the first screen ...:)

[william weedzor]

The Romani did nothing amazing,Taras,Rhegion and Segesta.They did as usual,happens in every second game and perhaps even faster:) Romani sending third huge army to conquer Sardinia....that was amazing.Lets face it,Romani have to conquer these cities.For example Taras start with Scipio Ante Portas ready for siege and Rhegion is next target and its the only possible next target.Same in north,Segesta or Bononia because they are again only possible targets:).As usual,perhaps slightly dissapointing but not impresive at all.They are on best way to get stuck with Carthies for decades of one turn peace/one turn war.

However check the Sauromate or Saka,much more impresive.Sauros with whole Krymea,Tanais,Olbia and three other provinces named Gava something..just amazing if we consider range betwen these cities and some of them are well defended.Actually if i know Krymea have some issues with two big Eleutheroi stacks when you come from north.And still they took 2 times more cities then Romani.AI did rarely awesome job in their case.Or AS moving south so soon,they rarely did it even with Egypt and whole east in their hand.Or Getai,as usual but faster then i ever seen before.
But most suprising is inactivity of Sweboz,they are jewel of my games and their full stacks promises lot of fun.

[jirisys]

The Romani did nothing amazing,Taras,Rhegion and Segesta.They did as usual,happens in every second game and perhaps even faster:) Romani sending third huge army to conquer Sardinia....that was amazing.Lets face it,Romani have to conquer these cities.For example Taras start with Scipio Ante Portas ready for siege and Rhegion is next target and its the only possible next target.Same in north,Segesta or Bononia because they are again only possible targets:).As usual,perhaps slightly dissapointing but not impresive at all.They are on best way to get stuck with Carthies for decades of one turn peace/one turn war.

However check the Sauromate or Saka,much more impresive.Sauros with whole Krymea,Tanais,Olbia and three other provinces named Gava something..just amazing if we consider range betwen these cities and some of them are well defended.Actually if i know Krymea have some issues with two big Eleutheroi stacks when you come from north.And still they took 2 times more cities then Romani.AI did rarely awesome job in their case.Or AS moving south so soon,they rarely did it even with Egypt and whole east in their hand.Or Getai,as usual but faster then i ever seen before.
But most suprising is inactivity of Sweboz,they are jewel of my games and their full stacks promises lot of fun.

In 80% of people's games, Romani doesn't conquer Taras and never goes to Sicilia; That's why I gave him a 6, not excellent; but at least better than the normal game when Epeiros starts to conquer Italia and romani never come out of their homeland.

Sauromaete always does that big of a conquering soon; I have the Realistic movement mod so they have a lot more movement points.

~Jirisys (Wait)

[Fluvius Camillus]

@Jirisys

You can't expect a European to be on this forum on 3 a.m.

But yes, your faction symbol next to the end turn symbol gave it away far too easy, apart from the other things said.

The first game ever where I did not blitz my immediate surroundings, it was kinda fun, fighting with Pontus, AS and Makedonia. Until my "friends" the Ptolemaioi backstabbed me. The only faction which really is friendly towards me are the Qarthadastei.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This is my colonial empire!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Going fine now, fighting a lot with a few forces. But I went back to my AS campaign anyway so don't expect much updates on this. This is my first ALX.exe game with Lz3, usually I play RTW.exe.



The rest of the world has nothing interesting going on.

~Fluvius

[jirisys]

A little unresty don't you think

Anyway... Update:

The romans took Sicily, Massilia, Cantabria and Emporion (Which they breached first as the dumb*** ********* lusotannan garrison decided to fortify themselves at my position (the Romani were the ones who attacked them)).

I waged war at them, and I'm thinking of raiding every single spanish territory and slaughtering them, stupid idiots....

Anyway; the spartans conquered the Bosphorous and the Pontus shorelines; the athenians will go for Syrakousai (yes... I hope they win this time) and other west european cities

~Jirisys (If I raze them will they have won the world cup?)

[FriendlyFire]

10 years into an Epeiros H/M campaign. Pyrrhos went back to Italy - and this time he finished the job :-) But since he's been gone for 10 years, and has had the temerity to declare Taras to be the new capital, his power in the Epeirote homelands has been usurped. i.e., I made Ambrakia and Epidamnos rebel.

Not surprisingly, Pyrrhos has become a restless warmonger, so after finishing off the Romans and conquering down to Sicily he's now on his way north to pacify some Gauls. The Indian elephants are still going strong, but I've left them in Messana. Although I'm currently at peace with Carthage, they have African forest elephants in Lilybeo and are gradually building up a full stack to support them, so I'm hoping we can eventually have some epic elephant-vs-elephant battles on Sicily. And at some point I'll obviously have to conquer my way through Illyria and retake my homelands from either Makedonia or Koinon Hellenon.

With no Romans anymore, there'll be no March of Time. Not sure how that will change the balance of the game: no Eastern uber-bodyguards sounds good, but Carthage won't get its late infantry. I'm also playing with the city mod for the first time, to restrict most city sizes, and I have no idea what that will do to AI expansion.

[Biowulf]

With no Romans anymore, there'll be no March of Time. Not sure how that will change the balance of the game: no Eastern uber-bodyguards sounds good, but Carthage won't get its late infantry. I'm also playing with the city mod for the first time, to restrict most city sizes, and I have no idea what that will do to AI expansion.

They should get their new infantry since it's linked to MIC level or until 200 BC I believe.

[FriendlyFire]

They should get their new infantry since it's linked to MIC level or until 200 BC I believe.

D'oh! Thanks for the correction :-) I'll go read up on what the exact unit changes are

(And I just had my elephant battle on Sicily. A Carthaginian diplomat had demanded cash the year before, and then a spy had been seen in Messana, so Pyrrhos had brought the army back from Gaul - just in time to meet Hamalcar's full stack advancing on Syrakousai. There was inconclusive battling on the flanks, but in the center my Epeirote phalanx wasn't prepared to advance on the Carthaginian elephant screen, and vice versa. Thankfully my peltastai's final javelin volley routed the elephants (my next step was going to be an elephant-on-elephant charge), and they ran amok back through the Libyans and Liby-Phoenicians behind them, causing many casualties and disrupting the line. At this point Hamalcar withdrew his remaining forces and they fled to Lilybeo, which Pyrrhos has now besieged. Death to Carthage!)

[Lazy O]

You say death to carthage and you have Punic Infantry as your avatar? Irony..

[Lysimachos]

You say death to carthage and you have Punic Infantry as your avatar? Irony..

Must be a deserter who recognized the epirote superiority.

[FriendlyFire]

Must be a deserter who recognized the epirote superiority.

Plus if I had to change my avatar every time I played a different faction, I'd need... hmm... an animated gif maybe, cycling through every possible factional avatar!

[Celtic_Punk]

Thats why I have my avatar (whom i share with Appo) I'll never betray my Gallic and Gaelic brethren. Britons be damned!