Dear forum,
I adore the Greek city states, but have grown bored with playing them individually. Lately I've been using a mod to force a 'Hellenic League' on turn one, and have edited the game-files to combine their rosters. The core of the League is EB's Koinon Hellenon (Athens, Sparta, and Rhodes) though I sometimes include Crete. I usually have Athens as the lead power, but Sparta and Rhodes are viable alternatives.
This has been a lot of fun. The League is now a strong starting power with a versatile roster. It still has weaknesses--small population, hoplite tactics, surrounded by major powers--but it feels much more satisfying to play.
I wanted to ask: when making the perfect Greek army, which units from each faction should I take? (Assuming you don't want to role play by combining a little of everything). Here's what I'm seeing:
- Hoplites: Athens has the best pop 2 hoplites with 10 additional armor. Pop 1 is interesting: you either have the "picked" hoplites of Athens and Crete with a staggering 80 armor, or the Spartan Hoplites with good endurance.
- Pike: All meh; Athens is least bad.
- Swords: Sparta overall, but Athens has some good pop 3 units.
- Melee and Tarantine Cavalry: Athens
- Shock Cavalry: Rhodian lancers are the best at pop 2. Athenian Lancers are pop 3 and are a good alternative.
- Skirmishers: Don't think any faction has a superior peltast.
- Archers: Crete
- Slingers: Rhodes
- Navy: Athenian marines are the best, but Rhodes has access to the biggest ship. Debatable.
Am I missing anything? A Hellenic Army may look like this:
- 4 Pikes
- 4 Hoplites
- 2 Skirmish Cav
- 2 Lancers
- 1 Melee Cav
- 2 Peltasts / Javs
- 2 Archers / Slingers
- 2 Swords
- 1 Spears
Also, what would be the grand strategy of the League? What I'm thinking:
- Control Hellas and Macadonia
- Control Thrace
- (Naval) Control of Corfu, Rhodes, and Crete
- Control Mare Aegaeum (meaning control of Nicomedia and the Bosphorus)
- Control Cyprus and Sicaly
- Control Magna Graecia, Aegyptus, Italia, Africa
- Control 140 settlements total
Numbers 1-4 are the early game and shouldn't be too difficult. 5 is rough. You directly challenge Charthage, Rome, and the Seleucids. It may be wiser to go around the map achieving 7 before engaging the major powers, but the longer the game goes, the more the major powers expand themselves. Knocking them out early may be preferable.
One strategy I enjoy is using the offical 'All Occupation Options' mod to conquer settlements and "liberate" them (read: install friendly governments). This is a 'divide & conquer' strategy well befitting the Greeks. By creating many small allied factions, it forces us to balance all the moving players while opposing the major powers.
All insight and input is appreciated.