Back to EB, some questions

**Zeion** · June 04, 2015, 06:09 AM

Hello Community,

I recently got back to EB after a long, long break. Last time I played was back in R:TW and I must say, EB (now EBII) is still the best Total War experience out there. Of course I have tested Rome2:EE, and its OK, but EB2 is just plain fantastic. So much probs and respect to all people working on this project and its communtiy keeping the mod alive throughout all those years.

I have, however, some questions that I could not really find an answer for when browsing through the forum.

1. How can I identify which version of EB2 I have installed? Am I blind? But I can't seem to find the info, not on the main screen, not in the game, not in the files that come with the mod. I installed the Mod some weeks ago and I just want to make sure I have 2.02 installed.

2. I have seen Let's plays where the year and season info is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen (above the mini map). In my game, however, it never shows. Is it a bug, or did I mess up the installation?

3. In the old EB for R:TW, you always had to click on the advisor at the beginning of the game to make sure the script is running. Is there a similar thing to do in EB2? I didn't find any mention of such thing, but some things seem a bit odd, see questions below.

3. My current campaign is as Bactria. I'm in the year 234 BC, Medium/Medium setting. I'm not sure but I don't recall a message mentioning the reforms in the year 257BC. I can train the hippeis (heavy cavalvry), but not any other of the mentioned units in the "reform requirements" thread. But I assume what units you can train also depends on the buildings in your city...

4. I'm not perfectly clear about the whole "immigration mechanics" for hellenistic states. In the old EB, you had four types of government buildings, and depending on the province and your faction, you had different options of what you could build. Now, it seems it depends on your access to greek "metropoleis" in the "homeland"? All the provinces I conquered I only had the choice between olligarchic allied state and democratic allied state - and both options dont seem to make any difference. Also, the city does not really develop any further afterwards. Recently, I got the option to build the "greek settler building" in Baktra and Marakanda... does that have anything to do with it? Or is that just related to the amount of hellenic culture in my cities?

5. The AI seems to be really, really passive. Again, I'm playing on Medium/Medium as I recalled that was the suggested setting and that this makes EB2 challenging enough. Now I don't think I have been attacked once. I payed regular tribute to the Seleukids, so I'm at peace with them since the beginning. I destroyed Pahlava and pushed the Saka back to the very nothern steppes - both factions did have quite big stacks and posed to challenge to defeat - but they never attacked me or tried to attack one of my cities. They had huuuuge armies so there was certainly a chance to attack, especially in the beginning. I remember a campaign in EB1 where I had such a hard time as Bactria, getting attacked from all sides. Now I have already conquered all of India and the Seleukids are still not seeing me as a potential threat. Is that normal behaviour? Should I have increased the difficulty?

6. Family members: I really LOVE the overall way EB manages family members and their character. I'm wondering though because it seems to be really, really difficult to get "good" characters. I think in vanilla, this is way too easy, but in EB2 it seems a bit difficult? My current primary general, who has conquered all of India and defeated the Saka in 2-3 battles and conquered two of their provinces is still running at 0 command. I lost one siege, and it immediately gave me the "uninspired leader" trait. His character has the positive aspect in all 5 characteristics. Is it just bad luck then?

7. Could one of you quickly brief me on the impact that the several "Main stats" have? I tried to search the web and I didnt really find a concise overview what Loyalty, Chivalry/Dread, or the religious stat do. Command is for morale on the battlefield, I think I know that.

Ok thank you everyone for reading. I much appreciated any input to the above questions.

Thanks!

Very bests,
Zeion

**Sylon** · June 04, 2015, 06:59 AM

1. It's a bit clumsy, but if you start a new game as Armenia and get a message about being a vassal to the Seleukids, you're running the latest version. (2.02c)

3. The script runs automatically, so no need to press anything.

6 and 7. Command doesn't affect manually fought battles much, only autoresolve. Chivalry (renamed Confidence in EBII) increases morale instead. Loyalty determines the likelyhood of rebellion (high loyalty means less rebellious) while Authority decreases rebellion chance the higher it is.

Influence (piety) slightly increases the income you get from settlements, I think.

**QuintusSertorius** · June 04, 2015, 07:25 AM

Script is automatic, we know the AI is passive and that is being rectified in the next patch.

Originally Posted by Zeion

3. My current campaign is as Bactria. I'm in the year 234 BC, Medium/Medium setting. I'm not sure but I don't recall a message mentioning the reforms in the year 257BC. I can train the hippeis (heavy cavalvry), but not any other of the mentioned units in the "reform requirements" thread. But I assume what units you can train also depends on the buildings in your city...

You should have seen a popup announcement some time after turn 59 - note it won't be exactly on that turn, just within a few turns of it. What you should notice is that you are able to recruit Thureophoroi and Euzonoi, and that Akontistai and Hoplitai Haploi refresh slower. Please note, though, you won't get any of the new units in the reform thread, that's not til the full summer release. There are no new units in 2.02, just a restructuring of the existing ones to match what's coming.

As to recruitment, for all Hellenistic factions, that now depends primarily on Polis and Colony buildings, not government buildings. Only the upper-most tier of your government buildings give any units at all, in Baktra you should be able to recruit Elephants, but only after you are independent. If you upgrade Baktra to the highest, you'll get Hypaspistai and Hetairoi.

Originally Posted by Zeion

4. I'm not perfectly clear about the whole "immigration mechanics" for hellenistic states. In the old EB, you had four types of government buildings, and depending on the province and your faction, you had different options of what you could build. Now, it seems it depends on your access to greek "metropoleis" in the "homeland"? All the provinces I conquered I only had the choice between olligarchic allied state and democratic allied state - and both options dont seem to make any difference. Also, the city does not really develop any further afterwards. Recently, I got the option to build the "greek settler building" in Baktra and Marakanda... does that have anything to do with it? Or is that just related to the amount of hellenic culture in my cities?

The difference between democracy and oligarchy is that the former is slower to establish, but more stable. The former gives better infantry, the latter better cavalry.

If you get the option to build a settler building (it's a Military Colony), take it! It increases Hellenistic Polities culture. It's the only way you'll be able to upgrade the Polis in Baktra to a Metropolis, and thus be able to send out more. Plus the second tier of the Colony gives Phalangitai.

**Zeion** · June 04, 2015, 10:34 AM

Thanks a lot for the replies.

- I must have missed the pop-up then. I can train the Euzonoi, so I'm probably there.
- Is the independence of Baktria possible right now? I've seen this patch here (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...eallyBadAI-5-7) that fixes an apparently broken baktrian script.

Do you guys think this submod is essential or should I just continue the current campaign?

**QuintusSertorius** · June 04, 2015, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by Zeion

Thanks a lot for the replies.

- I must have missed the pop-up then. I can train the Euzonoi, so I'm probably there.
- Is the independence of Baktria possible right now? I've seen this patch here (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...eallyBadAI-5-7) that fixes an apparently broken baktrian script.

Do you guys think this submod is essential or should I just continue the current campaign?

If you can train Euzonoi, the reform has happened. They won't appear otherwise.

If you apply b0Gia's submod, you have to start again, they're not savegame compatible changes. In any case, we've fixed the Baktrian independence script in 2.02c, so it isn't necessary to get b0Gia's submod for that.

Next version is coming soon as well.