How to fight the Arverni and Rome as Egypt

[Alwyn]

In a grand campaign playing as Egypt, I ignored the obvious enemy, the Seleucids, and expanded south as far as Axum and west as far as Carthage instead. The Seleucids were overwhelmed by their other enemies, so Egypt has no immediate threats to the east.

In the west, the Arverni expanded aggressively through Iberia and into north-west Africa. Now they're marching from the African port of Iol towards the city of Carthage, and their armies includes about five or six Oathsworn. I sent newly recruited Thorax Swords and artillery to fight them - my army got massacred.

Then Rome declared war on Egypt, so now I have two heavy sword factions to deal with.

How would you deal with this situation?

[LuckyPistol]

I'm more impressed by the AI for taking out the Seleucids without you lol

Do you have dedicated naval units patrolling the sea? Maybe you can intercept some armies on the water.

The Arverni are pretty terrifying opponents due to the love CA gives heavily armored sword units. I would test out chariots to break their formation and follow the charges up with some javelins. Also, ditch the Thorax Swordsmen, and recruit the Royal Peltasts and Galatians. You're gonna go broke, but it's going to be what you need to take on Oathsworn. Lesser Arverni units can also be picked off pretty easily by your ranged units (they are typically high in defensive skill but low in armor). Just don't ever autoresolve, that high melee defense is prioritized and is a big reason why the Celtic factions snowball.

This part is a bit more difficult, but try your best to kill or route their general early on (if possible). Barbarian bonuses are very effective. Remember to let him live if it looks like you can't wipe the entire army out in one go.

[Alwyn]

Yes, I was impressed by that too!

Yes, Egypt has a fleet at Carthage - enough to discourage the two Roman legions in Sicily from crossing the sea for now, but not enough to intercept Arverni reinforcements crossing from Spain to Africa (and anyway the Arverni hold north west Africa).

Thanks, I haven't used Egyptian chariots and I'll give them a try. I can't recruit Royal Peltasts or Galatian Royal Guard yet - I'm researching the tech needed to build the tier-4 barracks (it was a big mistake not to have researched it earlier!). You're right, using those elite units will consume my income, but it will be necessary.

In the meantime, I've been holding off the Arverni with lines of Thorax Pikes and using artillery, archers and cavalry to wear them down - it usually works but with heavy losses for Egypt. Good tip about killing the general, but not (as you said) when the player can't wipe out their army.

[LuckyPistol]

Are you focusing on field battles? I can't remember if Egypt has decent ranged cavalry or not. Setting up your pikes for settlement defense is my go-to strategy as Hellenic factions; the higher tier pikes can hold off the Oathsworn just long enough to keep them in a choke point so you can send some javelins or shock cavalry into their backs.

[Alwyn]

I prefer to fight in cities - as you said, pikes as great for holding choke-points in settlement defence. Sometimes the Arverni send armies to raid the edges of my African regions, and I attack the raiders in field battles, to avoid them sending more armies and overwhelming my cities with sheer numbers. I've finally been able to recruit some Galatian Royal Guards and scythed chariots, and look forward to seeing them in action.

[LuckyPistol]

Good to hear you're getting the Galatians recruited!

The AI is smart enough to try and bait you with those raiding armies by staying just out of reach, my only suggestions are to keep a champion or other agent that can fend off the public order maluses, or keep a stack of cavalry-only for the wider movement range (this is not really an option for you, financially or otherwise) to catch those raiding parties off guard.

I don't know if you're experienced with chariots, but just be sure to never actually right-click to attack with them - just have them plow through enemy units so they don't get bogged down and surrounded