Ok so Ive just playing around with a campaign as Hayk(Armenia)
opening turns building up economy and public order whilst getting away with one cheap stack of slingers/archers/spears and one cataphract general followed by another general with a small stack of 3 units. (just for patrolling and helping with the public order)
trade with most of my neighbours is on the go (except media atropetene)
alliances wise I managed to get a deal with Selucia and Pontus. 2 solid factions positioned perfectly to buffer me against attacks from Egypt and the neighbours to the west and northwest of Armenia
I'm also at war with Parthia and Colchis.
I managed to get about 80 turns into it but I made the mistake of allowing Media Atropetene to grow too powerful by choosing to ignore it earlier on! I learned the hard way when I had to face stack after stack those damn sparabara ...
HATE those! grrrrrr (such a hated unit to fight against) that said though, great unit eh? they get alot of bang for their buck nice defence, nice melee and that superior eastern bow power.whats not to like?
Anyway with all my wily ways and a the stops pulled out, I couldnt manage to save the kingdom and was ground down by that nasty and numerous range/spear spam
with the odd enemy general with some persian median or heavy cav/cataphracts thrown in to the mix just to see your all of your skirmishers/ archers off!
I know that Armenia has some of the best armoured units in the game, and are no slouch in the Cataphract dept. I even had a stack of those lovely Heavy armoured horse archers but they eventually dwindled down and lost the battle of attrition and couldnt reinforce quick enough vs my plight with neverending forests of persian and median spears there to greet me!
but... BUT what is your strategy? do you get cheap stacks and try and play the archer/spear game? or do you have a more Hellenic or "romanised" approach and wait for the expensive legions and try and turtle as much as possible and then play the hammer anvil style?
whats the best way to fight the Eastern foe? tips for stack compositions vs them?
and also general economics what buildings etc would you prioritise first and why?
Thanks in advance