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Aedui

Averni

Getai

Carthage

Koinon Hellenon

Epeiros

Ptolemaioi

Pontos

[Delta Foxtrot]

I've been wanting to start a new campaign in EB for a while now and what better way to do it than with community participation? A relevant link for those unfamiliar with Europa Barbarorum. Basically it's Rome Total War: Bigger and Better. We would be playing with hard campaign/medium battle difficulty settings. Latest version of EB (v1.2) with Rome: Alexander expansion. Playing with Alexander gives us better AI and few other little tweaks.

There are 20 factions available but to make it a bit easier I'm going to cut it down a bit (no way you're going to get me play as Saka Rauka).

Factions:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

-Aedui and Averni
Two Gallic factions that fight each other for supremacy. The Gaul fight with fierce barbarian armies. After the unification, Gauls have many avenues of expansion. The Aedui are supported by the Gallic legal assembly, affording them a special druid unit. The Averni, due to their more ready access to Mediterranean wealth are able to field an additional heavy spear unit. The factions are otherwise identical.


-Getai
The Getai are a fractured people with fairly light armies, relying on high numbers of skirmishers. Might be a bit tricky to play.


-Carthage
Carthage starts with lots of money and a few well developed cities in their heartlands, with some money making provinces here and there around the Mediterranean. Do we conquer Iberia? Italy? North Africa? With piles of money, high troop production capabilities and plenty of viable expansion directions, Carthage is destined for fame and glory.


-Koinon Hellenon
An alliance of the cities of Sparta, Athens and Rhodes formed to resist Macedonian military incursions into their territories. Their armies are made up of durable heavy hoplites, though their cavalry and skirmisher units tend to be worse than their foreign counterparts.


-Epeiros
Known best for their famous king Pyrrhus, the Epeirotes fight like other successor states. Their phalanxes pin the enemy down while their heavy cavalry flank and rout their foes. Their territories are in the western Balkans with a doomed province in the Italian peninsula right next to Romans. Are at war with Romans and Macedon at game start.


-Ptolemaic Egypt
Much like Carthage, the Ptolemai start the game with a vast treasury and strong heartlands. Unlike Carthage, however, Egypt is at war with the massive Seleucid Kingdom. This robs Ptolemai from the freedom of expansion that the Carthaginians have, for Ptolemai can't ignore the Seleucid behemoth marching over their borders. As a successor state, the core of Ptolemaic armies is made up of heavy phalanxes to pin the enemy while other units circle and destroy the enemy.


-Pontos
Kingdom of Pontos starts as a minor subject kingdom of the Seleucid Empire deep in the mountains of modern day Turkey. If able to free themselves from the Seleucid yoke, the multicultural Pontos, drawing from a mixed Hellenic and Persian ancestry can gather up an eclectic army able to counter most threats.

World map at game start

So pick your vote and we'll see what kind of a campaign we can get rolling.

Spoiler: Update Index (click to show/hide)

Update #1 - First blood - 272 BC
Update #2 - Keeping up the momentum - 272-269 BC
Update #3 - Pontos 1, Seleucids 0 - 269-268 BC
Update #4 - Let's build! Also combat - 267-265 BC
Update #5 - Momentum builds up and Celts get whacked - 264-263 BC
Update #6 - Setback, and those damn Macedonians - 262-261 BC
Update #7 - Steamrolling Anatolia - 260-257 BC
Update #8 - Consolidating gains - 256-251 BC
Update #9 - Masters of Asia Minor - 251-250 BC
Update #10 - Sailing the Black Sea - 249-248 BC
Update #11 - Foothold in Crimea - 248-246 BC
Update #12 - Warmachine's a rollin' - 246-243 BC
Update #13 - And it keeps on rolling - 243-242 BC
Update #14 - Factionicide - 241-238 BC
Update #15 - Fall of Pella - 237-232 BC

[Zrk2]

I think it's obvious; Epirous.

[Stworca]

It's quite easy to turn the tide around as Epirous though, which leads to knocking out the meanest faction early on.

(no way you're going to get me play as Saka Rauka)

Then the obvious choice of faction is Saka Rauka 

But since that option is unavailable.. I went with Pontus.

[Xeron]

Koinon Hellenon THIS IS SPARTAAAAAAAA !

[Iituem]

Pontus.  Let's throw off the yoke and fight to glory!

[mainiac]

Epeiros!  Let people in ages forth compare great triumphs to Pyrrhic victories!

[Svarte Troner]

Nooo, Greeks are overused! Play the Getai! Or maybe Pontos!

[Delta Foxtrot]

Seems like Pontos won. Can't complain, great faction. Here's a little update to get us started. Ask if there's anything you don't get about total war/EB and want it explained.

The Illustrated Histories of the Kingdom of Pontos circa. 272 BC.

Spoiler: Chapter 1 (click to show/hide)

A little picture comparison before we start off:
   

Principal Actors:

King


Prince








In early 272, Kingdom of Pontos was only a small, poor subject kingdom of the Seleucids situated deep in the mountains of Asia Minor. The coastlines of Asia Minor were littered with independent Greek colonies. The neighbouring province of Galatia was populated by Celtic settlers. To the east were the mountains of Caucasus, the kingdom of Hayasdan and various independent localities.

To the south, the Seleucid oppressors.





For years King Mithridates I of Pontus had been plotting. Now, amidst the Syrian War between great Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires, he would break his people free. The Anatolian holdings of the Seleucid Empire were drained due to the war, it was to be now or never.





Capturing all of Seleucid's holdings along the old Persian Royal Road while their armies were away should work. Assuming the Pontic armies could capture the cities fast enough and with few casualties, they should be able to withstand an inevitable Seleucid counter-attack.

Infiltrated by Pontic spies, the crown prince stormed the city of Mazaka. An important border fortress between Asia Minor and the rest of Aseatic Seleucid holdings. It guarded a long mountain pass leading east. He who controls Mazaka, controls the Royal Road.

While his son went to war, King Mithridates stayed in the capital to oversee some civic construction.

Spoiler: Battle of Mazaka (click to show/hide)

Prince Ariobarzanes had his men attack the city from all sides.



Prince himself charged the peltasts guarding the east gate.



Phalangites attacking the north gate faced enemy spearmen.



Having driven back the peltasts, Prince Ariobarzanes moved to support the northern phalanx.



Meanwhile the western phalanx had reached the city centre and was engaged by the Seleucid governor.





The inflexible phalanx went too far ahead and got surrounded by the defending peltasts and spearmen.



The western phalanx killed off the governor while the survivors from the other phalanx stood their ground with prince Ariobarzanes and slayed the defenders.

As always, feedback and comments are appreciated.

[Zrk2]

Looks good so far. How long until the doomstacks arrive?

[Tarran]

Ah, EB. I only played you a little before RSII ate me up and got me high on it.

Anyway, I'm not very experienced in the mod as a result. So a question: Is Sinope owned by a greek faction, or is it independent?

If it's independent, Delta Foxtrot, do you have any plans for when you're going to take it?

[Delta Foxtrot]

The Illustrated Histories of the Kingdom of Pontos

Chapter 2

Spoiler: 272 BC (click to show/hide)

At the same time, Herakleotes was moving towards the mining town of Ipsos with his army.



While it was Mazaka that would protect Pontos from Seleucid wrath, Ipsos and Sardis further west with their mines would fill kingdom's coffers and enable further expansion.

Subjugating the celts of Galatia would provide Pontic rulers with fierce barbarian warriors to fill their ranks. Unfortunately that is a quest for the future as Pontos has not the armies nor the time to go after Ankyra while Seleucids still hold land in Asia Minor.



Ptolemaioi hold a few provinces in the southern coastline of Asia Minor. They refused our envoys of peace.



Lightly defended Ipsos falls to Herakleote's forces.





In the winter of the same year, Herakleotes attacks the city of Sardis, the last Seleucid held province in Asia Minor. Pontic spies have (as with Ipsos and Mazaka) succeeded in opening the gates for advancing Pontic troops.



Rushing his phalangites inside, Herakleotes is able to decimate the defender's phalanx.



After that's it's a matter of having the defenders throw themselves at our pikes while our second phalanx circles around to flank the central plaza.







Fall of Sardis marks the end of the year 272 BC. In only a year, the rising Kingdom of Pontos has driven Seleucids away from Asia Minor. But who knows what future holds.

Spoiler: 271 BC (click to show/hide)

Year 271 BC and our esteemed King Mithridates I dies. Long live King Ariobarzanes I!



Same year the late King's youngest son, Arsames, came of age.



Our spy confirms that so far the Seleucids have not sent troops marching towards Mazaka.



In the other end of Asia Minor, our spies report of Pergamon having a decent garrison and an experienced body of soldiers in the field patrolling. This will push back the plans to take Pergamon until we can muster enough men to both defend against Seleucids and launch offensives.

Spoiler: 2nd Battle of Mazaka (click to show/hide)

The year passes unventful, until in 270 BC, an army of Armenian rebels besiege Mazaka.



Arsames sallies forth to meet the attackers.



Enemy commander flanks our phalanx and promptly gets countercharged by Arsames.



Meanwhile our numerically superior skirmishers rush and attack the Persian archers.



Enemy General tries to break away, freeing our phalanxes to face against enemy spearmen.



Arsames's bodyguards kill the enemy general, sending the entire remaining force fleeing.

Spoiler: 3rd Battle of Mazaka (click to show/hide)

Through marriage, a new addition to the royal family is made. Helianax Kolchikos is of Kappadokian origin, meaning he is from a long line of landed Persian nobility.



Quickly following the wedding, a small force of Ptolemaioi besiege Mazaka. The combined forces of city garrison and nearby army led by Captain Ochos fight back the trespassers with little difficulty.



Ptolemaioi pose a serious threat to our security if they ever decide to properly invade us. We can only take comfort in the knowledge that they can't make a move without us knowing it.

Spoiler: 4th Battle of Mazaka (click to show/hide)

The next year we face a first attack by the Seleucids. Luckily the attack is small, only three good quality well armoured phalanx units and a single good quality medium spear infantry capable of skirmishing.

Opposing this force Helianax Kolchikos has a single unit of levy phalanx, five units of light skirmishers and two units of Gallic mercenaries.







Phalanx is deployed in the centre while Gallic mercenaries man the flanks. Half of the skirmishers man one flank while the rest engage enemy spearmen.





Having expended half of their javelins without making a dent on the superiorly armoured enemy spearmen, our skirmishers fall back.

The spearmen/skirmishers move to harass our phalanx.



Little time passes and enemy phalanxes split up and start moving towards our spread out units in the flanks. In our centre our shortsword mercenaries attack the enemy spearmen supported by our heavy cavalry.





In our left flank an enemy unit is pinned between Gallic swordsmen and our levy phalanx.



Little later in our right side, General and shortswordsmen engage another enemy phalanx.



The heavily armoured and well trained enemy makes us pay dearly for every one of them we slay. As time goes on our Gallic mercenaries are whittled down to nothing and flee and we're forced to use our many skirmishers in close combat. Vastly outnumbered, the enemy eventually breaks and routs.









A royal marriage follows the victorious battle.

Fingers crossed Selucids are too busy and give me time to get some real armies up and running before they come crashing down on me.

----

Looks good so far. How long until the doomstacks arrive?

Depends quite a bit on how Seleucids handle their many fronts. First attack usually comes within a few years but really big stacks take a little while longer. I don't really mind it, Pontos starts with abysmal barracks levels and economy. Getting the money and waiting for the time it takes for the buildings actually get done you savour every extra season you get. Right now our only worthwhile troops are the levy phalanxes we had from the start. It's going to take one or two expensive barracks levels before we can (re)train those guys.

Ah, EB. I only played you a little before RSII ate me up and got me high on it.

Anyway, I'm not very experienced in the mod as a result. So a question: Is Sinope owned by a greek faction, or is it independent?

If it's independent, Delta Foxtrot, do you have any plans for when you're going to take it?

They're independent, but Koinon Hellenon (the resident 'Greek Cities' faction) is scripted to declare a war on anyone who attacks Sinope. They're usually too far and too weak to do anything about it and will accept ceasefire + traderights if asked. Right now my immediate plans are:
1. Beat Selucids in Asia Minor
2. Beat Ptolemaioi and/or Eat up independents in Asia Minor (in which case Sinope would probably be the first to fall due to convenient location and comparatively light garrison)

How is Sinope handled in RSII?

[Tarran]

How is Sinope handled in RSII?

Just a part of the Greek City-States itself. Nothing special. It doesn't even have a wall.

Anyway, man is Mazaka getting bloody.

[Zrk2]

Do you need the expansions to install this mod?

[Tarran]

No, just RTW 1.5.

[Stworca]

EB, unlike RS, features long, but not ridiculously-OHMYGODWHYISITTAKINGSOLONG-I'll take a nap, wake me when it's over-long battles. Kudos for that.

RS is just for people that wish to waste.. INVEST 40-60-2400 minutes into every battle