Bactria

[Carpathian Wolf]

Well since my main campaign died cause of a corrupted file I decided I will start a Bactria campaign. I played the first few turns but ended up deleting it wanting to start fresh. Pretty early one it asks you to support the Parthians or AS. I really couldn't give a damn about either as I want to expand into India before making Alexander's conquest, but backwards. But I still have to decide. To some extent there is a bit of Hellenic loyalty to be held toward AS. At the same time they have a lot of rich territory to take and their forces are very spread. The Parthians on the other hand just seem like another pain although I could ally with the Saka perhaps and use that to balance against the Parthians. Any early campaign tips?

Also how long before I can get myself some cataphract elephants?

[Antiochos VII Sidetes]

Support the Seleucids, they're more powerful; the Parthians never make much headway.

You might want to avoid those elephants...unless you want to destroy your budget.

[KozaK101]

Or go with Parthia, they usually wont attack, plus you get seleucid lands for quick money. By the time stacks arrive at your door you should have an army funded by nearby rebels and former seleucid settlements. On the saka, you will have to fight them eventually. If you don't take Marakanda and Alexandria Eschate then they will, which is to their advantage, and your eventual downfall, inless your good at foitin!

[Carpathian Wolf]

Support the Seleucids, they're more powerful; the Parthians never make much headway.

You might want to avoid those elephants...unless you want to destroy your budget.

Damn no. Going to ride them all the way to Pella.

To get the cataphract reforms you have to lose 3 major engagements against an enemy using them?

If I go straight for all of India will it provide a good economy base or are the settlements there low in economy? I also figure once I do get Indian coastal cities I should probably get trade rights with Egypt.

[Faramir D'Andunie]

Cata reforms is AS specific. Baktria does not need to undergo anything similar.

In India there is only one coastal province unless I am mistaken?

For trade rights you might also want to get some from Saba as well but, from what I remember India has silver mines.

[Faramir D'Andunie]

Campaign tips from Baktria, can do. Right let me think.

- Take your starting army and capture Kophen. Once done your main focus should be to try and build a mine there, you desperately need the cash. A lot of your starting army is expensive, you may even want to send a general to meet a glorious death against some rebels north of you.

- Go for regional barracks, they offer all the troops you will need. Persian archer spearmen, baktrian infantry, Dahae riders and eastern slingers.

- Get a diplomat and sell ceasfires to anyone who is at war with you, especially Ptolemaioi. You can use the early cash.

-Try to get stone walls on Baktra as soon as possible.

-Don't try to stay loyal to AS, they will turn on you anyway. You are Baktria after all, you rebelled because the kings in far away Seleukeia don't care for the plight of their free subjects beeing raided by nomads and barbarians.

-Try to avoid going north and fighting the Saka too early. Not till you are strong enough to survive this war. If you can conquer Alexandreia-Eschate and gift it to Pahlava to have them fight the Saka, even better for you.

- Once you take Kophen and have some income you will have to decide where to expand. You can either go into India or turn into AS. Personally I personally usually take Aria and Drangiane from Seleukeia, move against the rebels in Arachosia and perhaps even consider to raid Karmania and keep it for the mines (but not seriously bother to defend it).

If you go against India bring along plenty of spears and javelins, those cities are well defended too.

[Carpathian Wolf]

Anyone else try this "backwards conquest" thing with Baktria?

[MisterFred]

I've never gone all the way to Pella, since once I achieve the Baktrian victory conditions I don't fear anyone at all and don't bother. But I've played two Baktrian campaigns, one going north first ( the Sogdian triplets -Marakanda, Chach, Alexandria-Eschate), one going south first (Kophen, Taxashila, then the Afghan triplets - Ariana, Prophthasia, Alexandropolis). The campaign where I went north was far easier - maybe because I was more experienced that time.

Either way, back the Parthians - the AS always turn on you. Plus its more historical. Going north, take Marakanda first (its a decent city), then Chach. Then Alexandria-Eschate only after the Saka take it (wait for the AS to declare war on you rather than the other way around). I know a lot of people don't like to declare war on the Saka so early, but it turned out to be pretty effective. Also, its a lot easier to kill their units attacking their towns than any other way. When they have to send armies from fifteen thousand miles away, the Saka are much less effective. After you take the northern triplets, focus on economy and prepare to take on the Seleucids. Defend the north with a governor (maybe) and one unit in each city, and an army between Chach and Eschate. It doesn't have to be large, but should have credible ranged support. When you get a bit more cash, put a few (~4) units in Marakanda to make it less tempting for the Pahlava.

If you go south first, take Kophen first. Wait to to into India. Those guys are tough. You could take Alexandropolis second, then come back north for Gava-Haomavarga. If you're not knee deep in war yet (which is actually pretty doable) you can put together a full stack to take on the Indians. Bring javelins and arrows. Your archers murder indian archers for cost, and javelins are good not just against elephants, but also indian spearmen.

Either way you go, you'll essentially have an early army consisting of varying amounts of archer-spearmen, persian archers, slingers, pantodapoi phalangites, and peltasts or peltast-like units. Once you get money (I find Baktria gets economically stable shortly after taking both pairs of triplets and Kophen). Then you have 3 basic tasks. Push the AS back (fairly easy - they don't have the best barracks in the east, but boy they'll tie you down), conquer India (takes awhile, very unruly populace, fairly lucrative because of mines), and finish off the Saka (one of the harder tasks - taking Chigu isn't easy).

To take out the Saka, both times I put together my best (and incredibly expensive) army supplemented by mercenaries along the way. The second time was 4 Pezhaterai, 2 Baktrian agema, 6 Thorakitai, 2 Familiy Members, 4 Baktrian Horse Archers (love those guys), and two elephant units.

It's a fun campaign.

[athanaric]

If you go south first, take Kophen first. Wait to to into India. Those guys are tough. You could take Alexandropolis second, then come back north for Gava-Haomavarga. If you're not knee deep in war yet (which is actually pretty doable) you can put together a full stack to take on the Indians. Bring javelins and arrows. Your archers murder indian archers for cost, and javelins are good not just against elephants, but also indian spearmen.

Either way you go, you'll essentially have an early army consisting of varying amounts of archer-spearmen, persian archers, slingers, pantodapoi phalangites, and peltasts or peltast-like units.

Just remember not to put phalangites in charge of siege towers or ladders. They suck on walls.
Shoot the Indian archers and spearmen with arrows (the archers are a more important target, because of their dangerous melee weapon), and save the javelins for elephants. Once all elephants are neutralised, use the remaining javelins on the enemy's Guild Warriors. It is imperative that you shoot as many of them as possible, because they can defeat any of your units one on one, up to and including bodyguards. Slingers are also good against them. Don't waste arrows or stones on elephants though.

India is very rich, having mines and "border trade resources" pre-built. Gandhara has one mining site (600/1500 mnai per annum); Sattagydia and Sindh have two each (1200/3000 mnai per annum). So has Kophen by the way, making it your most important target in early campaign.

[Brapbrapbap]

If you play on the far east, there's one rule that you must obey.

If you play has Pahlava, make Bactria and Saka fight each other.

As Saka, make Pahlava and Bactria fight each other.

As Bactria, make Pahlava and Saka fight each other.

While they're fighting you focus on rebels and AS until you're strong enough to crush them both.

[MisterFred]

That's the power gaming way to go about it. But I liked my slow southern expansion as Baktria better than the northern, more effective route because I was constantly being harassed by Saka armies and huge masses of AS mercenaries/crap - very different armies to face. It made it feel more historical and epic, like facing the barbarians that really did conquer Baktria but somehow beating them.

[Faramir D'Andunie]

That's the power gaming way to go about it. But I liked my slow southern expansion as Baktria better than the northern, more effective route because I was constantly being harassed by Saka armies and huge masses of AS mercenaries/crap - very different armies to face. It made it feel more historical and epic, like facing the barbarians that really did conquer Baktria but somehow beating them.

There is a lot of truth there, and it can apply to most eastern faction campaigns. If you take the slow route and do not try to undermine your enemies too fast or too effectively you will get an campaign that will feel more and more like a struggle.