Seleucids unbeatable on VH/VH?

[DerekBaker]

Playing as Carthage on Very Hard for both settings, I was going fine until I ran into the Seleucids.

They seem to be able to spam strong armies at will. Which would be OK if their troops weren't fantastically tough with sky high morale.

The only infantry that can stand against them are those I can recruit in only 7 cities (a subset of those I started with). Even then unless I've massive numerical superiority, there's still a good chance I'll get my backside handed to me.

I'd already destroyed the Romans, Greeks, Iberians, Gauls and Numidians, finished off the Germans, and was going forward against the Thracians. I'd had challenges, but the Seleucids are a steamroller.

[AtlasGR]

It happened to me too. They had about 100 provinces !!! Scortched earth and piracy might help

[krulos24]

I'm having the same problem except playing as Rome. The only factions left are Germania and Selucids and I can't seem to beat the selucids because they just keep spamming armies full of phalanxes.

[Alavaria]

Oh wow, I'll look out for what when I get nice and big with Numidia (on VH/VH)

[Gettysburger]

When fighting a significantly more powerful faction you have to be careful how you fight and where you fight. I use cat and mouse tactics when I cannot face a faction head on. I only play VH/VH and have crushed the Seleucids every time.

-Retreat when you do not have the advantage
-Bait the enemy into a battle where you have the advantage of numbers or position
-Let the enemy siege your cities (they will usually take many turns before they assault), examine their sieging force and develop a stack that can crush them
-When you see a city of theirs is weakly defended SACK IT. Then retreat and man it with just enough mercenaries. This will relieve the pressure in your territory and force them to spend some time to retake it.

[Caesar Augustus]

You are aware that the AI gets a boost of something like 10,000 denarii every turn with the campaign map AI as very hard right?

This is partially why it's able to spam armies at you.

Also, the battle AI get's a ridiculous morale boost and a couple of other things on very hard.

This is why it's tough to beat their phalanxes. Flank them with skirmishers and charge them in the rear with cavalry. You'll need to hold them in place with heavy infantry or another phalanx.

[trulias]

i think the main problem is in the auto-war. in hard and very hard selections players have to play all battles, even tiny ones in real. this is a little discaustin i think. esspecialy against selecuids like enemeys, tens of little armys and all lot of big armies try to cut your trade lines and penetrate your territory.

in one of my topics, i try to find a solution to play old vanilla 1.6 in new huge map. maybe in this process one of our friend come wiht a solution this "huge enemy factor" problem to

in my opinion, more advanced rebels with a chance to build a new faction in line of their culture origin can solve, "too strong" enemys with only attacking to you problems.

[Caesar Augustus]

The problem is that the AI will always go after the "Rebel" faction, and then the player.

And VH battles are rididculously difficult purely because of the bonuses.

It would be possible to mod the standard factions on the this map, but I'm not sure how you'd go about doing so.

[TKainZero]

"I'd already destroyed the Romans, Greeks, Iberians, Gauls and Numidians, finished off the Germans, and was going forward against the Thracians. I'd had challenges, but the Seleucids are a steamroller."

There is your problem right there.

Fighting in north-western Europe is fruitless.
On VH/VH, (My Favorite Setting), you must expand to the east, taking the Isles in the Eastern mediterranean sea.

This will give you the ability to attack anywhere in the region, from Asia Minor, to Jeruselum, to Alexandria, and if you do it right, all at once.


Basicly, you must get involved early with the Seleucids on VH/VH


Best case secenero is to have control of the sea, and all enemy ports blockcaded, with many MANY Spies on shore, and you can make rapid navel invasions, and wreak havok on the Enemy army movements.

When playing a larger, stronger force, you need to keep them moving around, thats where the Boats are great, you can take an army from Asia minor, and have them in Alexandria in a couple turns, and it took them 10 years to move that army from Alexandria, up to asia minor to fight you.


Oh, and never underestimate the power of a well trained, and experienced army, with a GREAT General Leading them.



Intrestingly enough, that is one VH/VH game in which the Seleucids were destroyed by the PC Factions.

[Tomahawk]

Sounds like a situation where you should use "tactical withrawal" and "bottlenecking" tactics.