Baktrian colonists (how to get them)

**FFJean** · July 19, 2019, 02:45 AM

Dear all,

Just downloaded EB2.35 and started again to turtle with on of my fav factions, Baktria. Did the missions, finished Taksashila and Pahlava on the way, got independance from AS (turtling, so got it around turn 200, having fun playing like this!) but since independance I have yet to get a colonist. I have an already rather large empire, but I do not understand what is the clear requirement to get those colonists, and whether on turn let’s say 10 I may have taken a bad decision that will not make me unable to get any colonist.

I don’t know (read through the fora) what is the exact requirement to produce colonists, and how to reach this requirement (helcol ?).

If you have a few minutes, please help me.

Thank you very much in advance,

FFJean

**QuintusSertorius** · July 19, 2019, 06:08 AM

The quickest way to get colonists is to accept the missions from the Seleukids before you become independent. Did you complete any of them?

Otherwise, you need to either own a Hellenic Metropoleis (none of those near you, you'd have to build it) or three Hellenic Poleis buildings (Baktra starts with one, you'd have to grow others to that size - Europos is the nearest ready-made one). In Central Asia, that is a very slow process of cultural conversion, if you don't have the colonists from the missions (which you use to build Hellenic Colonies, which accelerate conversion).

See this guide to governments and colonies.

**FFJean** · July 19, 2019, 07:41 AM

Dear QuintusSertorius,

I had already read the Player’s guide you kindly indicated, but I see no reference to « governments and colonies » apart from very basic thing in the said guide. WRT Metropoleis or Poleis, do they require Huge cities to build? If I understand your answer, they can not be built in every region?

I have indeed performed the first missions for my then Seleukos king, but I am now indépendant and at turn 200, so I need to be able to produce my own colonists, and apparently so far, I have produced none myself, just got the first few through the said missions.

Best regards,

FFJean

**FFJean** · July 19, 2019, 09:29 AM

Reading again the chat you linked me to, I am somewhat afraid understanding that I needed Baktria to be independent as per turn 64 to produce colonists? Is this a fact? As I said, I drive this very slowly, as a turtle... and only got independance on turn 200.
I love this game, and would be disappointed to have to discard it and restart anew.

Best regards,

FFJean

**QuintusSertorius** · July 19, 2019, 11:51 AM

No, there's no time limit on when they need to become independent. Only that if you haven't completed any of the missions the Seleukids give you while you are not independent, you don't get the bonus colonists. The only significance of turn 64 is that the notifications stop appearing after that point, but you still accrue colonists. The way to see if you have any is to look at the building browser in places that would qualify - in which case you can see Hellenic Colonies available.

There are minimum culture requirements to build Poleis buildings, that is the main limitation.

You can't produce your own colonists until you have either a Metropoleis, or three Poleis'.

**FFJean** · July 20, 2019, 02:32 AM

Dear QuintusSertorius,

Thank you for your answer. I have indeed got the mission colonists, but probably did not spend them wisely enough. I had not read the guides to Baktria before playing, as I wanted to play without « knowing what to do ». However, following what you say, I have looked at the conversion needed in Baktria to build a Metropoleis (69% when I look at the buildings) and noticed that the percentage does not move and is sticky at 66%.

Is there a way to move this up? I have an Hellenistic colony there that gives +1% (at least when I look at the building browser) but still, the figure does not move from 66%.

Thank you very much for your time,

FFJean

**QuintusSertorius** · July 20, 2019, 05:49 AM

What did you do with your colonists?

You need the final tier of Hellenistic Colony to get it the rest of the way, unless you have a governor with high Influence.

Has the ThorakitaiReform happened yet? The reformed Hellenistic Colony should become available in Baktra after that, as long as you still have colonists left to upgrade.

**FFJean** · July 20, 2019, 06:12 AM

Dear QuintusSertorius,

I am not overly sure of how I spent them, I’ll try to answer that by checking where I have Hellenistic colonies and settler towns (I think these two come from colonists, am I right?):
- Baktria (my capital city): 1 Hellenistic Poleis, 1 Katoikia Komon ;
- Marakanda: 1 KK ;
- Oskobara: 1 HP, 1 KK.

So I must probably used my colonists points there.

So I will put my max influence family member in Baktria and see if he develops my culture.

In parallel, I will try to take Europe’s to get the third HP right?

I am on turn 368, not sure if the Thorikitai reform has already happened, would you know?

Yours,

FFJean

**QuintusSertorius** · July 20, 2019, 06:52 AM

You only need colonists to start a new Poleis building - which looks like you did that in Oskobara - otherwise every level of Hellenistic Colony needs them. Unfortunately, it looks like you scattered your colonists around, which won't really help you get to the culture requirement levels needed to upgrade polis buildings, and reach self-sufficiency. The most direct route is to save them to keep upgrading the colony in Baktria, which will push the culture level up to allow you to upgrade the Poleis.

Is the Poleis in Oskobara a small one, or the second tier? Unless it's the second tier, taking Europos won't help. Ah, actually Europos won't help anyway - it has a second-tier Hellenistic Colony, but no Poleis. You'd need colonists to plant one there, unless the AI has put a Poleis there (which it does sometimes).

If you're on turn 368, the ThorakitaiReform has already happened. It's automatic and date-based.

**FFJean** · July 21, 2019, 02:51 AM

Dear QuintusSertorius,

Thank you for your help. I took Europe’s with an HP inside, whilst almost at the same time Baktria culture climbed to 69% (as you recommended, I had put my ruler in). So I should be producing colonists soon I guess.
Next time, I will try to better spend my original colonists obtained through the missions.

However, if I can give a criticism that wants to be positive, I think the system is too straightforward and does not allow the gamer (at least my style, that wants to understand the rules but not to be guided through as a blind) to play its way through.

Maybe some thoughts should be given to this remark by the EB2 team, to improve an already great mod.

Thank you again and best regards,

FFJean

**QuintusSertorius** · July 21, 2019, 04:22 PM

The ability to get colonists at all via the missions is effectively an exploit in favour of the player, because otherwise you're not getting them. If you ignore the missions, or spend the colony points unwisely, that's on the player. Getting to colonisation self-sufficiency is not a right, it's something you earn.