Post your EB empires!

[QuintusSertorius]

219BC



The war has gone badly, I've lost Sardis and now the capital itself is under siege. Though I do have an army immediately available to break it. Time to retake Sardis too, and slow the Seleukids recent good fortune (they retook Tarsos, and seem to be winning in the Levant).

They took Karia, but then it revolted to KH pretty much immediately (not my doing!).

As a result of losing Ipsos and Sardis, I'm bleeding funds badly. I'll go negative next turn, even after relieving the siege of the capital. Though I do have a massive building queue there, probably 70k in committed funds.

The world:



Been doing a bit of FD to liven things up, gave the Romans the islands and Emporion in the hopes of sparking off another war with Qart-hadast. Took Sala and Garama off them to stop their part of the world turning boring. They're doing really well in Spain, the Lusotannan are looking threatened.

Aitolia finally fell to one of the two warring factions. KH seem to be getting the upper hand.

[Africanus]

As a result of losing Ipsos and Sardis, I'm bleeding funds badly. I'll go negative next turn, even after relieving the siege of the capital. Though I do have a massive building queue there, probably 70k in committed funds.

You're a man of great patience Quintus. I can't let my armies lose on purpose (or not give my best effort anyway), even if it makes the game more of a challenge. I think my next campaign I'm going to go from VH/M to VH/H to make the battles more difficult.

[QuintusSertorius]

How far along are you? I was getting lots of naval invasions early in the campaign, and the KH even had remnants of two fleets fairly late, but they just sat parked outside of Antioch before I suppose pirates took them out. At least I should get a good battle when I get around to taking Crete!

With rtw.exe, the AI seems incapable of understanding islands. I've seen KH have ships, and not use them with any sort of consistency to move armies around, particularly off Rhodes and Krete. I gave them the latter in my game, but I constantly have to move their armies from there to the mainland for them via console. Same was true of Makedonia when they had Mytilene. Which besides securing a naval port was one of the other reasons I took it from them.

More frustrating is the Casse doing absolutely nothing the whole game, even after I gifted them some settlements in Gaul.

I gave them Bratosporios in my game, and they took the other Belgae settlement themselves. They've also built up a full garrison and full stack under an FM in Galatia, though they haven't done anything but patrol for the moment.

You're a man of great patience Quintus. I can't let my armies lose on purpose (or not give my best effort anyway), even if it makes the game more of a challenge. I think my next campaign I'm going to go from VH/M to VH/H to make the battles more difficult.

I can only lose on purpose by auto-calc'ing; it's quicker and I can't be tempted to win it. But this is a game that is going to run for a while, so I figure why not. If I'm trying to keep the AI factions within rough historical limits, then I should really apply the same rule to myself.

Statistical bonuses to the AI doesn't appeal to me (which is what you get with higher battle difficulties), same goes increased aggression (and bonus money to all - I prefer being able to give it via console to the factions I consider need it) with higher campaign difficulties. Especially when the increased aggression doesn't come with any improvement in intelligence.

[QuintusSertorius]

The battle to relieve Pergamon:



The enemy:



The result:



For a change the AI didn't throw away their general right at the start. I had to hunt him down with my cavalry, which is why they got mauled.

And retaking Sardis in retaliation:





Sardis' garrison was rubbish, about eight units of freed slaves making up the numbers. The other army, on the other hand, had two FMs (father and son) and some decent units in it. Needless to say, they're both food for crows. But Doesstos got his revenge on Medikes for the battle in Kappadokia five years earlier.

Not much has changed as a result, just Lydia rejoining the fold. Once I smack down that stack there, I'll declare for peace.

[QuintusSertorius]

216BC and all of a sudden stuff is happening.



Pergamon is at peace, but the rest of Asia Minor is all over the place. The Seleukids conquered Bithynia, only for a native revolt to unseat them (my spies and assassins helped). Sort of spoiled their recent ascendancy, look at how much they've pushed the Ptolemies in Syria. The Makedonians were more successful on the other side of the Hellespont.

As you can see, the Casse "Galatians" have laid siege to the Pontic capital. While a Pontic army makes for Ankyra. Double treachery, but the barbarians got there first! Pontus took Trapezous recently, finally getting off their arses.

The world:



Can't see it on here, but the Romans just landed a full stack at Emporion. Maybe they're about to start a war in Spain with the Karthadastim?

Saba took Tuat all by themselves. Looks like the Karthadastim might have some competition in their backyard for a change.

[QuintusSertorius]

I've got a new computer (one on which I can play M2:TW so ready for EBII), and started a new migration campaign. This time, Saba as Palmyra, though I'm keeping the Arabian provinces so I have something resembling an economy. There will be no support from the south, Palmyra stands alone.

In 268BC, this is my immediate vicinity:



The world (note I did a cheeky and evicted Epeiros from their regular holdings and made them into Pergamon):



And a recent defense of Palmyra against the Seleukids (note how crappy my army is!):



Unbelievably, the Ptolemies and Seleukids are now at peace. We'll see how long that lasts, I don't fancy being caught between the two of them.

[Lazy O]

Hmmm, wont the names be a bit innacurate?