Why are the Ptolemaioi such a hated faction?

[Kevin]

I find them actually pretty fun especially since they are the only faction that actually makes money in the beginning. They're like easier than playing as the Romani
Plus, their elite phalanxes look pretty cool

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I find them actually pretty fun especially since they are the only faction that actually makes money in the beginning. They're like easier than playing as the Romani
Plus, their elite phalanxes look pretty cool

Because they regularly win against the AS and become the Yellow Fever, aka Yellow Plague or Yellow Death.

[Megas Methuselah]

Because they regularly win against the AS and become the Yellow Fever, aka Yellow Plague or Yellow Death.

Yes. They're fun to play as, but when put in the hands of the AI, they become the scum of the earth: elite spammers.

[gamegeek2]

Because they make me cheat the AS money every few turns

[satalexton]

come to think of it, why don't we just modify the script to give the AS a special 'anti yellow-plague' financial boost?

[Celtic_Punk]

cause the AS is supposed to collapse.

[The General]

I find them actually pretty fun especially since they are the only faction that actually makes money in the beginning. They're like easier than playing as the Romani
Plus, their elite phalanxes look pretty cool

It's not so much playing as them that people hate, but the playing against them, due to their tendency to conquer Syria and become an elite-stack spamming powerhouse.

it means jewish i think.

no one likes the ptolemaioi because their founder was a snivelling ratbag who stole alexanders corpse and brought it to egypt.
they live in a desert.
they mate with their sisters.
they were historically weak after the first few rulers.
they have bad units.
they are not interesting.
the egyptians werent conquerors or warriors, they were farmers.
the constant yellow colour is sickening to the eyes.
they shouldve been the second diadoch to have been conquered dammit, i hate it how they outlasted all others.
their name is confusing to prnounce.

Ptolemy just happened to be the one of the diadochi who was succesful, I'd think everyone wanted to claim Alexander's body as a justification of their reign and/or right to become the master of the hellenistic world.

They do not live in a desert, they live surrounded by a desert (the Nile valley is, after all, one of the most fertile patches of land on Earth).

Can't say I agree with their decision, but it was a part of their attempt to appear as Pharaohs of old to appease the native Egyptians. Think we all know how well that worked out...

All the Diadochi states waned in power after their initial rulers, usually due to a combination of constant warfare between themselves, increasing external pressure and internal instability.

They do not have bad units; they don't have as strong units as the other Diadochi do - however, they're not "bad" (Klerouchon Agema, Galatikoi Kleruchoi, Hetairoi, etc.).

They are not interesting to you. Personally I find them quite an interesting bunch of inbreds (think Habsburgs).

The Egyptians were primarily farmers, yes, and Ptolemaic warriors are primarily Makedonian, Greek and Galatian. However, even the ancient Egyptians conquered lands from Sudan to Iraq and Libya.

It's a tough world, sometimes the snake outlasts the lion.

Ptolemy is pronounced 'tɒləmi.



(I'm not even a fan of the Ptolemies, for the sake of record)

[Mister V]

I don't really hate them either. I don't find them too interesting to play, but they're always fun to crush (and I've never had to deal with the Yellow Death either). I also like yellow (not their sand yellow, more like Golden Yellow, but still).

Another irrational dislike fed by favourable circumstances for the AI.

[A_Dane]

i hate them and the seleucids equally much, coz in my camapaings they never fight, and instead go after me -.- (pontus or armenia mostly) even when they could gain a hell alot more and easier from the other part. never actually seen them expand that much, even when i'm not nearby..

[Subotan]

Personally I find them quite an interesting bunch of inbreds (think Habsburgs).

Yessssssssss.

Oh, and anyone who says that the Ptolemaioi suck, clearly underestimate how difficult it is to seize Egypt and Syria in what amounts to be a millitary coup. Also, considering they are responsible for allegedly one of the most beautiful women in history, I wouldn't say that's bad going.

[Mallios]

Subotan, I recommend you take a look at coins from the time before you say she is one of the most beautiful women in history, from the coins we can see she was actually quite ugly by modern standards.

It's just that the Romans liked that sort of thing... *shudders*

[Megas Methuselah]

Subotan, I recommend you take a look at coins from the time before you say she is one of the most beautiful women in history, from the coins we can see she was actually quite ugly by modern standards.

It's just that the Romans liked that sort of thing... *shudders*

She was a queen. That is enough for most men (or boys, in this case).

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Kleopatra was very beautiful, as this ancient painting proves. Also you can see here that inbreeding already started to spread within the Galatian Klerouchoi, severly hempering Egypt's ability to withstand the Roman threat:

[Blxz]

Also, considering they are responsible for allegedly one of the most beautiful women in history

I love sexy inbred people. I only watch the movie deliverance for the duelling banjo's and that sweet sexy inbred kid. (who sadly I might add is not inbred and actually looks that way natuarally. AND can't play the banjo, someone else is doing the old reach-around).

"Squeal like a piggy boy"
"Wheeeeeeee"

Ahh, I get off to this stuff.

EDIT: god damn it. I had this big nicely edited extra stuff that was very informative and interesting, then my browser froze. I redid it with a piece about how my current ptolemy campaign is going, then browser froze. instead now, you guys can just live with my inane crap about piggies and banjo's.

[ARCHIPPOS]

Supposedly Ptolemaic Egypt was THE sweetest diadoch kingdom to rule though...
Cohesive,wealthy and with secured borders from three sides ... not only that but the Ptolemaic rule was highly bureaucratical and well organised...

[Subotan]

judging a persons looks on a cartoon that is extremely inaccurate historically isnt very smart imo.

...And judging an entire dynasty by how they act (Mostly ahistorically I may add) in a computer game is even less smart.

and saying ptolemy deserved alexanders kingdom...if alexander was assassinated it was almost certainly ptolemy who had a part in it. he was head of security you see.

I didn't say that. I said that the fact that they were able to acquire and hold onto that amount of land for such a long time deserves respect and admiration.

i like to conquer alexandria not start with it. also, i dont like the starting positions. israel is so vulnerable at the begining and asia minor is even more so.

...Which makes them a challenge, and is essentially why a lot of people love to play as them.

EDIT: god damn it. I had this big nicely edited extra stuff that was very informative and interesting, then my browser froze. I redid it with a piece about how my current ptolemy campaign is going, then browser froze. instead now, you guys can just live with my inane crap about piggies and banjo's.

Way ahead of you. I spent an hour writing a post on some other forum, but my computer crashed when I was writing the second to last sentence.

[Blxz]

Tall poppy syndrome.

The ptolmies have a good chance of being strong and powerful. People like the underdog and hate people, countries or abstract ideas that become too strong or dominant.

Same reason I like the Hai, people hate Rome and america is the most disliked country globally.
Its not that I appreciate the impossible to pronounce names of units, that Rome is evil and that america is populated by generally annoying people who get worse when they are in groups of 2 or more. Its all about that little urge in us to hope that the underdog David will triumph over the giant goliath.

Tall poppy syndrome people. Thats what it equates to in the end.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

How can anybody really think that somebody was judged by the cartoon I posted?

[Duguntz]

oh, and another reason... That can apply to Sabba as well : The earth is made of 80 percent of water. They choose to live in the desert... O_0

-No more comment needed...-


P.s. As some people on the forum tend to get offended pretty fast, I feel the obligation to remind that this comment is intended to be a joke and give some smile and thus is not to be considered as a factor to start another debat with somebody who could be over proud of his favourite faction : Ptolemaioi

If somebody is offended and gives any reason to proove me that the Ptolemaioi are the worthiest nation, everything I answer him should and will be considered as IRONIC. (^_^)

(Hey, I could almost become lawyer with more warning like that! hahahahahahaha!)

Cheers to all!

[Moros]

oh, and another reason... That can apply to Sabba as well : The earth is made of 80 percent of water. They choose to live in the desert... O_0

The Saba' didn't live in the desert. And they had more than enough water thanks to a great dam they built themselves.

[Duguntz]

Ha, on this one I confess, i do not know the geographic situation of the region the sabba lived in and i spoke out of what I believed! I thus give my umble apologize... for the Sabba, the ptolemaioi aren't included in those excuses!

cheers!

[Andronikos]

The Saba' didn't live in the desert. And they had more than enough water thanks to a great dam they built themselves.

Thanks, I wanted to ask about it. (But even more info wouldn't do harm.)

And just for clarification Egyptians didn't live in desert, they lived near Nile which was one of the most fertile regions in that time. Neither did Makedonians and Greeks who lived mostly in the Alexandria region near Mediterranean Sea and their presence made Egypt a true Mediterranean nation.

And finally I like deserts. And desserts too.

[Moros]

Thanks, I wanted to ask about it. (But even more info wouldn't do harm.)

Well most of Yemen is a monsoon affected area, so one could hardly call it a desert. Especially in the days of ancient Arabia when the desert had not spread that much yet. It's spread had already started though. However this is not compelety true for the more northern parts, where Maryab used to be. But due to the ancient climate it was far from a desert. And great constructions, dams, irrigation systems,... helped at keeping it that way.

Same is also true for the Sahara IIRC, which was much less sandy and smaller in ancient times. The spreading of desert or desertification is btw something that is happening at scary rates these days as well. Ghana being an example.

Also imo, I think it's wrong to call egyptians desert people as well, as their life was focused on and around the nile. The true desert people would have been mostly nomads, as that is the only way of life on the steppes or in the desert. Berbers, and many other libyans could truely be called desert people. This was of course true for the scenitae/bedouins living in Arabia. Most famous desert tribes/people form EB's time would be the Qedar and the Nabataeans. The latter migrated north and settled in modern day Jordan, though because of the climate. And of course the Minaeans, a people famous for their trade caravans going from all the way south of Arabia to Egypt and Syria and back. Which they had been doing at least half a millenium before our game starts.

Now you got me rambling. Either way in EBII the deserts in Arabia will have some unique buildings and other things to represent the real desert people and their lives, influences,... For example the incense routes will be represented this time. But I'm not going to spill any more beans, I've been telling way to much lately. I'm getting soft. I guess it's the lack of an occultus sig or something. Gah!