Macedon for Dummies

[Hand.of.Nergal]

So I've just re-installed RTW after a Total War sabbatical (sp?) of over a year (my favourite TW game being Medieval 2).

My favourite RTW factions are Germania for the 'Zerkers, and Parthia, because HA spam ftw. However now I want to play through the rest of the phalanx factions in vanilla before moving on to the awesome mods like Res Gestae EB etc etc.

So next up is Macedon. My first impressions based on the starting position is that I'd do well to Blitz the Greek City-States first, starting with Sparta. Then any rebel cities in the immediate area (Athens?) before face-raping Thrace. Finally I will make alliances with Carthage, Gaul, Germania, and any of Rome's other enemies as I tech up to decent pikemen/cav and land a few (dozen ) stacks in Italy to smite the foul pigs. And I do mean foul pigs, god I hate the bloody Romans/ Milanese/ the Pope...

So whaddya say? I've actually never played a full vanilla campaign as Macedon, and I'd like to hear some advice from the veterans so I can conduct a proper Jihad on the slovenly Roman infidels ...

[Primo]

So I've just re-installed RTW after a Total War sabbatical (sp?) of over a year (my favourite TW game being Medieval 2).

My favourite RTW factions are Germania for the 'Zerkers, and Parthia, because HA spam ftw. However now I want to play through the rest of the phalanx factions in vanilla before moving on to the awesome mods like Res Gestae EB etc etc.

So next up is Macedon. My first impressions based on the starting position is that I'd do well to Blitz the Greek City-States first, starting with Sparta. Then any rebel cities in the immediate area (Athens?) before face-raping Thrace. Finally I will make alliances with Carthage, Gaul, Germania, and any of Rome's other enemies as I tech up to decent pikemen/cav and land a few (dozen ) stacks in Italy to smite the foul pigs. And I do mean foul pigs, god I hate the bloody Romans/ Milanese/ the Pope...

So whaddya say? I've actually never played a full vanilla campaign as Macedon, and I'd like to hear some advice from the veterans so I can conduct a proper Jihad on the slovenly Roman infidels ...

First of all: to the forum.

Your strategy sounds good. You just have to attack greece fast, while you only defend yourself against thrace as long as you didn´t conquer it. The income of Greece will then suffice to supply enough armys for your war against Rome and Thrace, but both are no real threat to Macedons Pikemen.

You should invade Italy and kill of the Brutii as soon as possible, as they will only concentrate on attacking greece - which you don´t want, naturally. Garrisson their two citys with 5-10 Militia Hoplites and a few archers, and the other Romans won´t be able to reconquer them.

Have fun with your campaign.

[xinix]

Indeed blitzkrieging greece is a wise thing.

When it comes to beating the romans however i'd advice you to train a stack of phalanx pikemen (about 6 units) 4 units of archer and 4 units of macedonian cavalry.

advance your lines until your archers are within range of the roman hastati, halt your archers and then advance with your pikemen in phalanx formation towards the roman line. then outflank the romans with your macedonian cavalry, 2 on each side. Let 1 unit of cav attack the outer unit of the roman line and the other attack the center. that should be sufficient to kill the roman line

Good luck!

Cheers

[Alexanderos]

As the macedonians , the best tactic is Hammer and Anvil. It works great for carthaginians too because:

Option 1 for macedon : You put your phalanxes to fight the enemy main line , get some non-phalanx infantry units on the flanks and in the back depoy your lancers , they will own everything !
Option 2 for carthage : Lybian spearmen or poeni infantry for the main line , but on the flanks I suggest some numidian mercenaries to pepper their infantry with javelins and in the back long shield cavalry should finish everything.

[HERO_331]

Yeah, I agree with the above posters. The best course of action is to try to quickly eliminate some of the Roman power in the world. First consolidate Greece, then look to invade Italy and knock out the Brutii. From there, take on the remaining Roman factions. When Roman power has been decreased, you have a bit more flexibility; conquer Dacia and Thrace, or go campaign in the east like Alexander, whatever, it's your choice.

[Hand.of.Nergal]

Well, thank you for the kind words and wisdom gents. In a matter of minutes my campaign will be underway, I'll let you know how it goes. Unless of course it's an abysmal failure, in that case I'll lie through my teeth about it and spin tales of resounding triumph.

[HERO_331]

Let us know how it goes. Post your progress in this thread!

[Vindictus]

Blitzkrieg on the Greek Cities are the best way to go. Good plan. I'd probably go in this order...


1) Take Sparta and Corinth, officially shoving the Greeks off the plateau.
2) Take Byzantium (even if Thrace is there).
3) Take the nearest Thracian city. (Thrace is now officially powerless. Keep a two units of militia hoplites in the newly captured Thracian city for defense)
4) Focus on expansion to the Brutii. Always recruit Cretans when possible and Illyrian. (You know Illyrians have a smaller upkeep than mercenary peltasts??)
5) Take both Brutii settlements. Romans are too busy fighting their own wars that few will come to hit you. Build an army on the western front and gather another army on the eastern.
6) Continue the war with the Greeks on the Eastern front, taking their nearest city (forgot the name).
7) Push down and take Halicarnassus. (Ally with Seleucids. They will never be strong enough to break the alliance).
8) Take a ship down to Rhode and take it. Greeks should be gone assuming the Scipii did their job.
9) Land the army back in Asia Minor and push towards the Pontics. At the same time (with your newly massed western army, march onto Capua).
10) Take Capua swiftly, eliminating Scipii from Italian ground.
11) Lay siege to Pontic capital whilst rebuilding your western army. (Make sure to have lots of Phalanx/Levy pikemen).
12) Take Pontic capital and push downward to eliminate the remaining Pontic settlement (assuming the settlement near Byzantium is yours).
13) Launch an all out invasion against Armenia to wipe it off the map. At the same time send your western army on a bridge at the campaign map in full view of Rome.
14) Eliminate Armenia while dealing with the Romans on a bridge near Rome. Eliminate SPQR.

Eliminated factions: SPQR, Greece, (possibly Thrace), Pontic, Armenia
Ally Factions: Carthage, Seleucid Empire, Germania, Spain, Scythia
Possible Allies: Gaul, Britain, Numidia

That's how I would play it out if I had a direct plan. Usually I just expand in whatever direction I want.