Seleucid Campaign part 1

Selecus Reborn, part 1: The Satrapies are Revolting! (and I have no money).

It’s time to begin a new campaign in Rome II: Total War, and I’ve decided to bring you all along with me. Hopefully this will end better than the previous effort.

Seleucids are considered one of the more difficult factions to play in Rome II. I guess I’m about to find out why. Initial findings are good. This is a Greek based but multicultural society, meaning that I have a wide range of troop options to choose from. Infantry backbones supported by missile troops and cavalry is a composition that has worked well for me in the past, and I’m expecting to use that again here.

The Seleucids begin in charge of a grand but declining empire. The various satrapies stretch north and east of your starting position in Syria. Beginning with an entire province under your control is also good, as you can get straight into the edicts.

Things look interesting. To the east lie my loyal satrapies (a satrapy is kind of like a protectorate). To the north my satrapy of Sardes looks likely to entangle me in all sorts of interesting expansion opportunities. In the south the desert dwellers of Qidri have declared war. As long as they stay put they can say what they like.

Well that escalated quickly. In turn one every satrapy in the empire broke away, with the exception of Media and Sardes. Be thankful for small mercies I guess. As satrapies break away they automatically declare war on you. Media’s position in Mesopotamia shields me from those disloyal easterners, and I can march north to fight beside the Sardes against their rivals in Asia Minor. A second army is being raised to go south and fight the Qidri.

Naturally, once I was fully invested in Asia Minor, the Sardes decided to break away too! This leaves my northern banner under general Antiochos somewhat isolated, but with some gains worth defending. Those treacherous Sardes waited until I was fully invested in their war to break away. I don’t have time to hold grudges though. They wanted peace and so peace broke out immediately. Antiochos needs to finish the war with Pergammon pronto.

In the south the Qidri were driven out of their city by general Patrocles in a decisive battle. That wasn’t the plan; general Patrocles was marching east in support of Media, but the Qidri came marching north, so he turned back to face them. The Seleucids have gained a worthless town in the desert with not much food and a new enemy. Nabatea declared war once we had defeated the Qidri. In other circumstances this might present an opportunity, but it is more of a danger. Nabatea is notionally under the protection of Egypt and I’m really not interested in provoking them to war right now.

Also with two banners in the field money is starting to run low. All these betrayals have played havoc with my trading income, which has tapered right off. The domestic economy needs some serious attention if it is to be capable of supporting the defence of my existing borders never mind further expansion.

I have used the campaign map from Rome II to show my progress so far. The key is straightforward. My (Seleucid) provinces are in blue. My enemies are in red, and my allies are in green. Everyone else is uncoloured.