I must have downloaded this mod a couple of months ago but it's only this last week that I've finally got round to trying it out properly. And am I glad I did! What great fun! I'm only sorry I didn't knuckle down to it sooner.
To decide which faction to play first, I had a look at all of them (what great skins ) and was initially tempted to play as Athens or Sparta, but then I thought, they probably wouldn't be all that different to playing Greek factions in other mods.
Then I chanced upon Kemet (Egypt), and I knew that it had to be them. Long before I was playing the various mods I was enjoying Egyptian campaigns in vanilla, even if they were inaccurately portrayed. Having played Hellenised versions of Egypt in RTR and EB etc., I accepted the more accurate portrayal but kind of missed the antiquated feel of the originals.
When I saw Kemet's line up I just fell in love with them. This is what the vanilla Egyptians should have been like. A unique selection of units each with their own strengths and weaknesses. And I just love those sun shades on the chariots (I'm assuming they're historically accurate); what style and what practicality those Egyptian nobles had!
I found out though, not the easiest faction to play. I started as usual, fairly passively building up my infrastructure, but I was soon set upon by Kush. They didn't cause me too much concern as I despatched the guards to sort them out. But what I hadn't reckoned on was Kyrene! They took my western flank while the guards were well out of the picture down to the south, and I had nothing to counter their hoplites. They just knifed through my available infantry, giving me little chance to use my usual anvil and hammer tactics. None of my cities were advanced enough to produce my own hoplites, so I was well and truly stuffed.
Having lost my first campaign in years I sat back and took stock. I contemplated trying another faction instead, but I thought I was d*mned if I was going to be put off by this initial defeat. I started another Kemetan campaign and revised my strategy.
I decided that the first priority was to produce my own hoplites. So I chose the capital, Sais (Alexandria!?), as the most likely to get there the quickest. Lowering taxation and building appropriately to promote population growth, I just hoped I could get there quick enough before Kyrene decided to pounce once again.
When Kush attacked, instead of defending passively, I built an army around the guards and faction heir and sent them on a mission of conquest. After all, the best form of defence is attack. That campaign went well and, eventually, Kush was crushed.
Meanwhile, Kyrene mobilised on my western border just as Sais reached minor city status and I began building the barracks that would produce home grown hoplites. It was a close thing. I stonewalled and used delaying tactics, but eventually my hoplites started reinforcing my beleaguered forces.
Not a moment too soon, it was touch and go, and only being able to produce one unit of hoplites per turn barely held Kyrene. Battle after battle I suffered appalling casualties but eventually the tide was turned and now it was Kyrene that was on the defensive.
Sorted! Or so I thought - lol. Just as I was making headway and making plans for mighty pharoah's well deserved triumph, Babylon arrived on my eastern borders. OMG! It looked like I was going to be crushed between the two of them, and the one city (Sais) that was able to produce hoplites was right in the middle.
I still only had enough men for one field army and I had to use it bouncing between east and west, barely able to make up for losses after each battle. Sometimes I would have to fight up to three engagements per turn, and for a long while it looked like the end. Meanwhile my Kush campaign was going very well and I was contemplating the prospect of having to withdraw to my newly won territories in Upper Egypt and continuing the fight there.
However, I slowly made headway and eventually gathered enough hoplite units together to form two field armies. Now I had the breathing space I needed. Things weren't so fraught. Some of my other cities had grown enough to start producing heavier troops as well. Now I was able to hold off my attackers, even though the Babylonians were still piling in from the east.
So, finally, we get to the current situation. Kush is no more and all of its provinces absorbed into my growing empire. Kyrene has just lost its last city and my forces the will return to re-equip at Sais, as soon as the region has been consolidated. And, I have two field armies, with experienced hoplite units, easily holding the eastern border against Babylon. With Upper and Lower Egypt safe and Kyrene incorporated, my next step is to increase my forces to three field armies and then take the battle to Babylon itself.
So congratulations and my thanks on the mod. I haven't enjoyed myself and been pushed so much in a long time, and just a couple of things that struck me before I close. Did you know that there is no way to build or retrain the Kemetan Guard units, and, I still can't get used to the way you've decided to name the Kemetan units - those initials don't really work for me. But, be assured, neither of these points are big deals or game breakers.
I think my next campaign will be to rebuild the Persian empire.