Seljuks of Iraq

[RJA]

Hah my first campaign playing as the Abbasids, the seljuks of Iraq were destroyed in the 4th turn.
Should I keep playing or not? It might be too easy, but I'm not used to playing BC at all. So I think I'll keep playing to get the hang of the game.

[Fewrfreyut]

The seljuks start off pretty weak, and the ai seems pretty random. I've seen games where they expand pretty quickly, and games where they still have 1 region 30 turns in. As a playable faction, however, I find them excellent, especially versus "westernized" armies (armies featuring infantry and foot archers with lancers). Against say the KOJ, the Iraqi Seljuks can more or less go toe-to-toe, since they have some pretty good eavy armored spearmen and swordsmen. Their archers are decent too. The only thing they seem to truly lack is heavy cavalry. Their selections are pretty much limited to senior, elite and royal ghulams. For light cavalry though, the seljuks are fairly well off. The Seljuks are actually one of my preferred factions to play as.

[Dago Red]

The Seljuks of Iraq are something of a placeholder faction for the time being, if you look at what's planned for 3.0 -- they aren't even really in it. There will be lots of re-arranging. In the meantime, they don't do too well in most campaigns, often just sitting there for 30+ turns as mentioned. If you're playing the Abbasids, I'd turn up the difficulty to the highest VH at least at the campaign level since your main opponent is somewhat nerfed.

[Request a new user name]

Seljuqs of Iraq are the easiest Faction to start with.

Reason: Three Trebuchets.

What I do is, one add 4000 dinars to my money supply so I can upgrade my starting city to large, and gather my entire army and take Baghdad.

On the way to Baghdad, the Abbassids garrison a fort along the way with most of their army. Take it by storm, then go and take Baghdad and kill the Caliph, but don't sack the place. After you take Baghdad, then find the Caliphs heir and kill him.

Abbassid Caliphate destroyed.

Next don't disband the trebuchets and begin mopping up the surrounding area. Let Georgia help out by weakening rebel settlements with their constant assaults.