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It almost feels as if the Gods themselves are trying to stop us from getting our elephants.

We know better. They won't win.
 
Wave: Yes It's Difficulty is becoming Clear. However the Weakness of other Nations is providing Opportunities.

dragonizer: Perhaps but they're not worth attacking with a penalty of 2 stab. Anyway there willing to work with me still as I make a new alliance to do a mission.

loki100: Yes but the situation has improved. Picking off scraps in Greece seems like the worst possible policy right now. Macedonia by far the Weakest Greek Nation has been guaranteed by a number of nations including Epirus therefore making an attack Suicidal.

Qorten: The only real Scar is the fact I'm in massive debt. but Yeh as above for Scraps.

Saithis: Well the Fact the Illyria's Religion has the lowest power makes using omens too risky. Temples help but it will take time before large scale usage of omen can occur. Only Jewish Nations can use Omen reliably at the start and there are no Jewish nations.

Chapter 4: Is Timing and Target Picking everything?

( A while Later)

Regent: Well The Economy is sluggish.

Advisor: But Improving with a reduction in the army disbanding empty units*

Regent: Still Look at these maps.

Advisor: There maybe 50 years old.

Regent: Yes but they seem to show the current region was under Illyrian Control before the Celts of Tylis moved in.

Advisor: Your Right. A sign from the Gods maybe the High Priest was muttering about some new religious practises that showed promise of gaining the Gods favour.

Regent: It must be then.

rome_55.jpg


( Some Time Later)

King: Hello any new news?

Advisor: Not a lot though several priests seem to think you may be a God.

King: What? Really? Why?

Advisor: You seem so brilliant that you must be a god. How else would we end up with so brilliant a King?

King: I see well if they think so let them go ahead.

rome_56.jpg


( More Time Later)

Advisor: There seems to be another Civil War going on this time in the Selucid Empire.

King: Most Strange. You would think something was lowering their Popularity to help Ensure so many civil wars**

Advisor: Still the Rebels again moved too quickly they aren't strong enough to defeat the Selucids.

rome_58.jpg


( A little While later)

Advisor: It seems the Selucids are in for a rough Time. Egypt has taken advantage of them being divided and in civil war to attack hoping to press their claims to Selucid Lands.

King: Which is better Strong Selucids or strong Egypt?

Advisor: Preferably both divided and weak but that's unlikely to happen. Also Can you stop having so Many Bastards it's damaging your popularity which could cause a civil war if your not careful.***

King: I'll have to see what I can do.

rome_59.jpg


( A little while later)

Illyrian Travel Agent: Umm King you were wondering about those Elephants.

King: oh yes has something changed?

Illyrian Travel Agent: Well Yes it seems a TransCaspian State called Parthia has pushed into the Eastern Regions of the Selucid Empire meaning the Selucids no longer control any Elephants. Just thought you should know.

King: This may be Critical. If this Parthian State can push to the Sea somewhere We may be able to invade and move swiftly towards Elephants.

Advisor: Wishful Thinking really It's far too weak right now to push back the Selucids that far. It's taking advantage of Selucid weakness to push into the area like Cappadonia which has Declared Independence. The Selucids are weak right now so Everyone is trying to take advantage of it.

King: Still it should be considered.

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( More Time later)

Advisor: Egypt has beaten the Selucids.

King; Taken three provinces that will shift the balance of power.

Advisor: Yes it may Encourage Egypt to completely dismember the Selucids? We should be ready to attack when the Selucids are weak enough to take but they have enough land that is worth taking.

King: Yes We'll need a fleet for that. We should plan but not hope the Selucids where Distracted remember they may well recover.

rome_61.jpg


( More Time later)

King; I've been watching events in Epirus and I think now is the Time to revoke our Tribute arrangements with them.

Advisor: Why do you think now is the time?

King: A few dubious deals Have raise us enough money to function**** while we now also make a profit to boot. Revoking Tribute will secure us Financially. Also the Epirot Army has somehow been beaten by a group of rebels which means they will be unable to counter attack straight away to re-establish our Tribute.

Advisor: Good thinking. This could work.

rome_62.jpg


( Some Time Later)

King: Right now that's clear that Epirus isn't going to attack us we can attack Tylis.

Advisor: But they have more men then us!

Kin: Yes but we can wear them down fighting attrition warfare they will run out of manpower long before we do. That will allow us to smash their army and then take their lands. We will not suffer stability hits as we have claims to their lands It's the Perfect Solution to all of our current problems more resources for temporary costs.

Advisor: Ok then but If this goes badly don't blame me.

rome_63.jpg


( A little While Later)

Advisor: That went badly.

King: Not at all 4 to 1 losses are more than acceptable the army could do with some expansion and after that we''ll do fine.

Advisor: Are you going mad? We're going to be beaten.

King: We suffered a Year and a quarters worth of manpower they almost certainly lost more and we have plenty of manpower to replace our losses they are almost certain not to.

Advisor: How long is this going to last.

King: Not long once they have run out of men to fight they will quickly be crushed.

rome_64.jpg


( A little While and several Battles Later)

King: I told you this would work.

Advisor: Yeh after we lose most of the country.

King: Still it can be taken back and the Celts have been badly weakened by their defeats soon they will crumple before our might.

Advisor: Perhaps they will.

rome_65.jpg


( More Time later)

Advisor: I think we're standing to close to their Army they have archers they could hit us here.

King: If we don't have good knowledge of the battle site we will lose far more men.

Advisor: Perhaps but still couldn't we move back to the top of the Ridge we can see perfectly well from their and we'll be out of range of any archers there.

King: There Archers couldn't get us he.........(Arrow Flies over and hits King in Eye)

Advisor: Don't say I told you so.

New King: Looks Like I'm king Now.

Advisor: Your not half the man he was. You can barely swing a sword let alone lead men to battle.

New King: Perhaps but I'm the Rightful Heir.

Advisor: Ok Let's just finish this off.

rome_66.jpg


( A little While later and a couple of battles later)

Advisor: Your Brothers Plan worked I see you would never come up with something anywhere near as good.

King: Don't Insult me.

Advisor: Just saying the Truth you know.

King: Still now all we need to do is reduce their controlled forts to claim all their lands.

rome_67.jpg


( A Little While later)

Advisor: Looks like the Selucids have ended their Civil war now.

King: But they are all the weaker for it. Other nations have grabbed land of them while they were distracted by infighting.

Advisor: Still they could now recover.

rome_68.jpg


( Some Time later)

King: Ok Then with all your lands occupied we demand you give it all up apart from some land in and around your capital in Thrace and give Us 20 gold.

Tylis Chief: I suppose we have no choice but to accept. I don't like it though.

King: Victory we have now almost doubled in size and have lots more money now.

Advisor: But not a lot more manpower.

King: Oh well we can work on that later. Let's celebrate.

rome_69.jpg


( Some Time Later)

Advisor: Now that your Sober again I'd Like to Inform you that Egypt is attacking the Selucids once more.

King: Ok can we take advantage of this?

Advisor: No Our fleet is far too small and it would encourage others to attack us.

King: OH ok then.

rome_70.jpg

* I had about half of My units with no men in them. I disbanded some but kept enough to form a sort of Balanced Army.

** Very Easy Difficulty reduces AI Leader Popularity Which may explain the number of civil wars so far in the big Monarchies.

*** My King had 4 or 5 Bastards in just 9 Years. I always refused the Rumours as that cost less popularity and Loyalty.

**** Rome doesn't do Bankruptcy or anything like that As Far as I can tell. Instead you get events which destroy Buildings or lower Stability in exchange for money. This can help recover from debt but can lead perhaps to long term Financial Instability as doing so means you are unable to make a profit any more if the wrong things happen.
 
Titans clash and Illyria grows. With any luck, this is the first step to finding elephants.
 
Yay, the purple colour is spreading in the map! Good job in the war, now that you are big in size how good chances you think you could have against Bithynia, Pergamon or Pontus? Some "over-opportunistic" moves might be successful to grow your economy
 
nice job expanding. Loved god king gets arrow in the eye.:)
How bad did your manpower get hurt?
What are future expansion routes?
 
Loki100: No not really is it. I think the other Branch of the Family got all the Good Genes judging by the stats of the last king, but this side got all the bad stats. The Heir is even worse though.

Qorten: yes I fully intend to hold onto what I own. But grabbing New lands is looking more tricky.

Saithis: Yes Elephants are clearly just around the Corner.

Wave: Against Pergamon and Bithynia none they don't exist anymore. Against Pontus very small. They're linked by allies to the Selucids not someone I want to be taking on right now.

dragonizer: Not too badly 10000 manpower or so isn't too much of a problem. Manpower for expansion isn't the real limiting factor. It's the chains of alliances which cause problems linking most nations to more powerful ones. Since all the Nation in Greece and the Selucids are Greek both in Culture and Religion (Except Macedonia which is Shamanist for some reason) they work together better creating problems. Expansion right now the plan is to colonise around the Black sea and Attack through Roxolani, the Bosphoran Kingdom and Armenia to get to the Selucids who seem weakish.

Chapter 5: Quiet Flows the Danube.

( Some time Later)

King: This seems too quite.

Advisor: Really I thought you would enjoy a rest from the more stressful activities of state?

King: I do but doing so little only confirms in the view of my People that I am incompetent therefore to dispel this thought I need to do lots of things to seem competent in their minds.

Advisor: Ok well the only thing Recently is that all the barbarians in one of our Colonies have settled down and accepted our rule.

King: That's good I suppose.

rome_71.jpg


( More Time Later)

Advisor: It also appears that Egypt has defeated the Selucids again.

King: The Selucids seem rather weak is there Authority collapsing I wonder.

Advisor: Not sure but this weakness may result in Opportunities for us to exploit when the time comes.

King: Keep me posted.

rome_72.jpg


( More Time Later)

Advisor: My King we have managed to advance the Frontier further North in the West the Province known as Maezi has fallen under our control.

King: Yes another success to my name.

Advisor: Though this puts us into greater proximity to the might of Rome which is aggressively Pushing through Gaul* and has footholds in Spain.

King: We should be wary around the Romans.

rome_73.jpg


( More Time Later)

Advisor: It seems that even Parthia thinks the Selucids are weak.

King: Really wait how old is this information.

Advisor: A while IT seems the war ended when Pontus forced a peace deal on the Armenians to make them secede two provinces to them.

King: I'm confused.

Advisor: This is how modern Diplomacy works.

King: UMMM ok then I suppose.

rome_74.jpg


( More Time Later)

Advisor: Another Colony's barbarian Population has decided to follow our ways.

King: That's good.

rome_75.jpg


( More Time later)

Advisor: Good news our forces have repulsed Barbarians attacks on our Trans Danube Provinces.

King: Really when was this.

Advisor: Very recently. A barbarian group known as the Roxolani began launching forays against the Trans Danube Frontier so the army moved into the repulse them. In a series of Battles our forces defeat them and Captured many of them who survived as slaves.

King: That is very good I presume.

Advisor: Oh yes it is a marvalous success. The Former Tylisian Provinces have been troublesome for some time with several revolts and a major Barbarian uprising Paeonia.

King: You hoping this repulse of Barbarians will help the area Quieten down.

Advisor: Yes Hopefully.**

rome_76.jpg

* For Some reason the Romans conquered several southern Gaulic Nations and a Northern One.

**These events have been rather exaggerated in their Importance. While slaves are nice this doesn't really do anything.
 
**The barbarians do provide decent filler.
The Seleucid Empire does seem to be having problems. :unsure:
Probably have to buy this game 95% likely.
 
I am very impressed with your colonial Illyrian empire!

Do you think that Seleucids or Parthians would be weak enough to be attacked for elephants?
 
nice progress to the Black Sea, you'll be building an impressive little (elephant-less) empire at this rate. The only problem I've found with the Seleucid-Parthian clash is whichever wins is rather powerful and if I recall the map in that area properly, their elephants are over on the eastern edge?
 
Yes, could be that you'll have to take on the Parthians instead of the Seleucids if they succeed (or it already is so). Egypt winning is rather uncommon by the way. I like that!
 
Well done, Illyria is becoming quite the foe to contend with.

Let's hope the Seleucids and Parthians grind each other into a stalemate. Then the elephants will be ours, precious...
 
dragonizer: The Selucids are having lots of Problems. I certain a Selucid Collapse is imminent .

Wave: Well By the Time I Get round there Most Likely. The Selucids as I have said are collapsing while the Parthians can't seem to do anything against the Selucids.

loki100: Yes The Elephants are on the very far eastern Border of the map Currently Controlled by the Parthians. Well at least the Clash between the two isn't going any where so far.

Qorten: Yes Egypt is doing very well Indeed. As for the Selucids and Parthians I'm going to have to take on both right now as the Parthians control Elephants and the Selucids block access to the Parthians.

Sathis: Yes There grinding away to no effect right now.

Chapter 6: Advancing the Frontier

( Some Time Later)

Messenger: My King Epirus has attacked Macedonia.

King: Is a Opportunity I spot we could attack Macedonia to try and grab their Province while they have no allies.

Advisor: But our army is far away and may not reach the region in time to claim it before Epirot Troops arrive.

King: But there are no Epirot Troops in the area either we may just beat them if we go now. If we don't Epirus will become even stronger.

Advisor: Alright but the People will not like this and if this goes wrong It's on your head.

rome_77.jpg


rome_78.jpg


( More Time Later)

Advisor: Two Pieces of News , first we have built a new colony to the north and Secondly There is yet another Eastern Civil war going on this time the Selucids again.

King: Good all round then we have more land and a rival is being weakened.

Advisor: Yes you could say that I suppose.

rome_79.jpg


( Extra Time later)

Advisor: Macedonia has fallen.

King: Who got there First is what I want to know.

Advisor: Umm the Selucids.

King: WHAT HOW DID THEY GET THERE?

Advisor: By boat faster than our men could walk they were called in as allies of Epirus.

King: At least this doesn't Strengthen the Epirots.

rome_80.jpg


( Another Bit of Time later)

Advisor: Egypt is attacking the Selucids again seeking to claim more land they feel should be there's

King: The Selucids are clearly collapsing and quickly. Can we grab anything off of them in a sneak attack.

Advisor: Not with our Navy in it's current state.*

King: Ok Oh well there will be other Opportunities.

Advisor: I assure you there will be.

rome_81.jpg


( A Little more time Later)

Advisor: Parthia is attacking the Selucids with the Aid of their Armenian Allies.

King: Umm ok then.

rome_82.jpg


( Some Time Later)

Advisor: After years of effort we have managed to obtain pledges of Loyalty to the Kingdom from everyone in the Territories captured from Tylis they are now utterly loyal to you.

King: Huzzah no more rebels in the Eastern Half of my Kingdom.

Advisor: Yes That is true.

King: How did you get everyone to give you a pledge?

Advisor: Don't ask the answer isn't pretty.

rome_83.jpg


( Extra Time Later)

King: Ahh Yes I just Divorced my wife.

Advisor: Unn Why would you do that it makes you unpopular and weakens your position.

King: Well Yes but...

Advisor: Being as Stupid as always I see.

rome_84.jpg


( More Time Later)

Advisor: Egypt has Triumphed over the Selucids again. This Time they took regions to Spilt up the Empire into several Different Parts to aid it the Selucid Empire's Collapse.

King: The Selucids seem ripe for Conquest by a nation ruled by more Competent people than it's current leader.

Advisor: Well That rules us out then. Our Leader is an Idiot.

rome_85.jpg


( A bit later)

Advisor: We have Colonised a new province.

King: Huzaah push the Frontier even further forward will you we must conquer all.

Advisor: But have you thought of possible long term side effects of all this expansion. Colonising new regions adds new lands but not new populations this spreads the people out meaning it costs more to do the number of extra sacrifices needed to raise stability with out significantly increasing our income. It also means that ideas find it harder to come together over the long distances meaning that research slows down. Overall Colonisation results in significant problems for our nation that can't be swiftly solved.**

King: No really I didn't think of this.

Advisor: No you never do ever do you.

rome_86.jpg


( Time Later)

Advisor: The Parthians have White peaced out of their war they clearly lack the Resources for prolonged campaigns.

King: That or there Simply weak.

Advisor: Regardless Armenia Fights on and is doing rather well.

rome_87.jpg


( More Time later)

Advisor: There is a civil war in Egypt now.

King: Maybe It'll end the Long run of Egyptian Success in warfare.

Advisor: Unlikely the Rebels are too weak again to make much of an impact.

rome_88.jpg


( A bit Later)

Advisor: One of our Colonies has been successful in Encouraging the Barbarians to settle down and Accept our ways.

King: Oh Yeh I'm so awesome.

Advisor: No really your not. If you were awesome I'll have jumped off a Cliff long ago.

rome_89.jpg


( More Time Later)

Advisor: Roughly Half of the Selucids Asia Minor Provinces have Broken away as a new State Called Asia and are attacking the Selucids to claim the Rest.

King: The Selucids are clearly long gone why will we not attack them.

Advisor: We can't reach enough of their Provinces to do anything against them.

King: Doh.

rome_90.jpg


( A While Later)

Advisor: We Have colonised another Region to our north.

King: So Many success I think I deserve a Nap.

Advisor: Your always having naps though.

King: Snore, Snore.

Advisor: Oh well It's better than having him awake.

rome_91.jpg

*The Reason it's so weak is because I need the Money for more Important stuff than Building up a fleet to try and conquer somewhere I don't have the manpower to conquer.

**There Are other Reasons for stopping Colonisation. I'd rather Not border the Romans right now and also it means I've to spend more money building buildings.
 
lots of possibilities opening up in the East, that Seleucid civil war followed by the others piling in should help.

did like this bit of prophecy:

if this goes wrong It's on your head

given the war cost you stability and prestige when the Seluecids snagged the goody bag from you. But overall you have built quite a neat Balkan power house.
 
Advisor: Well That rules us out then. Our Leader is an Idiot.

:D:D:D

I must say that's a rarely beautiful Seleucid Empire.. The smaller it gets the better :p

Now it could be good time to remove Tylis from the map and then take Asia's few provinces, then you'd have a border with the Yellow blob and you'd be able to attack :)
 
Loki100: Perhaps If I either had the Border or the Fleet I needed to exploit those Opportunities

Wave: Well Asia Lost it's coastal province to Pontus and My fleet sucks Badly as Does my Tech.

Chapter 7: Elephants are Very Elusive.

(Some Time Later)

Advisor: We've had another successful colony.

King: Can't you talk about something else.

Advisor: If something else happened then I would but right now nothing else is happening.

King: ummm Ok well I can't be bothered to go do something

Advisor: That's What I though you'd say.

rome_92.jpg


(Some Time Later)

Advisor: We've Also repelled several Major Barbarian Incursions into our territory.

King: Ok more Slaves for us.

Advisor: Let's Hope your Successor is More Competent or else Finding Elephants will be impossible.

King: Where are those Elephants Again

Advisor: The Distant corners of the World.

rome_93.jpg


(More Time Later)

Advisor: I have some reports on the Colonisation of Frontier Territories.

King: They both look the same to me.

Advisor: Well they are the same just different places

King: So Why have two different reports. I'll Just look at one for Tomis and assume the one for Piephigi is identical. It'll save so much time.*

Advisor: I suppose well here it is then.

rome_94.jpg


(More Time Later)

Advisor: Yet another Eastern Civil war this time in Parthia.

King: Interesting Anything else going on over there.

Advisor: Armenia and the Selucids White peace out, The Egyptian Civil war ended and Pontus took land off Asia.

King: Fairly Interesting. I suppose.

rome_95.jpg


(More Time Later)

Advisor: King doom is upon us Baboons are out doing us at Play writing

King: What Can baboons even write anything?

Advisor: It appears so Some how they have written a Better version of the Play Oedipus the King.

King: Oh that wouldn't be too hard would it. But still This seems to be a another Piece of Bad luck after all we've lost a lot of Good people to Illness recently.

Advisor: Yeh It's been very dry recently and without enough water people weren't being as clean as usual so a lot of Disease was spreading around so we had to invest in some sanitation technology to limit it's effects.

King: That must have cost a bundle.

Advisor: we had to destroy a Stockade and sell the materials to make up enough money.

King: Ok at least not too many people have died from these diseases as a result of your actions.

rome_96.jpg


(Some Time later)

King: Is it Just me of does that block look unstable.

Advisor: Maybe just a bit.

(Block falls off of pillar on to King's head.)

Old Age: Hah got ya king I told you I'd get you 50 years ago and I have now.

Advisor: Oh Dammit Come back here Old age I want to know why you have such a funny name.

rome_98.jpg


New King: Oh He's dead Now I'm the King yippe

Advisor: Oh Great we went from Incompetent to Hopeless Kings when will get our next decent King I'm think 400 years right now.

rome_99.jpg

*Yeh I figured not showing you a picture showing the creation of a Colony would save some time so yeh.
 
From bad to worse, you can send him to fight barbarians?
I bought the game spent about 50 hours so far. Interesting.:)
 
I see Romans have made some good progress. I think you will have to kick some Roman ass before this game is over..

The Seleucid status is weird. I've never actually seen that happening in Vanilla or without my own help. Do you play on normal difficulty?