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Provincial Campaigns
Campaigns: Massalia, Bosporan Kingdom, Cyrenaica, Syracuse, Epirus, Pergamon, Galatians, Parthians, Scythians. Provincial campaigns in XGM are similar to the main campaign, but each campaign allows the player to play one faction from a new starting position, representing some historical power. To play a provincial campaign, select Single Player, then Provincial Campaign, and then choose from the list of campaigns.  Located on the southern shores of Gaul, Massalia is one of the farthest flung of the far flung Greek colonies. Founded by Phocaean Greeks centuries ago, the city has grown wealthy trading wine to the barbarians of Gaul, and barbarian slaves to the Romans in Italy. While the city enjoys good relations with Rome, relations with the barbarians of the surrounding lands are as changeable as barbarian temperaments, and relations with the great trading power of the western Mediterranean, Carthage, are just short of hostile. Bold leadership will be required if the city is to avoid being swallowed up by its enemies - or perhaps even its friends. Strategy: Capturing Emporion early in the game is an attractive option. The city will provide a significant income boost, the opportunity to recruit some useful Iberian AOR units, and a second source of Greek recruits. However, taking the city may draw hostile attention from the Iberians, and Emporion is much more difficult to defend than Massalia. Wether or not the player takes Emporion, an early goal should be to take the islands of the western Mediterranean from Carthage, in order to establish a good financial base. After that the player will face a choice of pursuing the war against Carthage in Africa, or expanding into the barbarians lands of Iberia and Gaul. In either case the player will face a difficult task of having to defend against several threats, with few men and little money. A brutal approach may be required. Enslave the barbarians to boost your own population levels, exterminate to raise money, and don't be afraid to lay waste to settlements and leave them lightly defended while you move on to the next. Special Units: Massalia can recruit Celto-Hellenic Hoplites anywhere with a City Auxiliary Barracks. This good quality heavy infantry can serve as a useful backbone for Massilian armies in a region where relatively few Greeks are available for recruitment. Located
in eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula, on the shores of the
Cimmerian Bosporus, the Bosporan Kingdom was the first truly
Hellenistic state - in which a mixed population has adopted the Greek
language and civilization. Ruled since 438 BC by a dynasty of tyrants
known as the Spartocids (after their founder, a Thracian named
Spartocus) the Kingdom is has ammassed great wealth by trading wheat,
fish, and slaves to the Greeks cities to the south. While the lands of
the Bosporan Kingdom in Crimea are secure for now, the Kingdom's
position on the edge of the vast steppes has always been precarious.
Caught between nomadic hordes migrating in the north, and expansionist
empires in the south, maintaining the independence of the Bosporan
Kingdom will be a challenge for any leader.
Lying
on the shores of Libya, Cyrenaica was settled by Greeks centuries ago.
Sometimes known as Pentapolis, for the five Greek colonies here, or
Cyrenaica for the largest and oldest of these, the city of Cyrene, the
region was conquered by Alexander and then reconquered by Ptolemy
Soter. Recently the region has regained its independence, as the
Kingdom of Cyrene, under the rule of Magas, the rebellious step-son of
Ptolemy Soter, and half-brother of the current Pharaoh. Now war is
brewing between the great empires of the Ptolemies and the Selucids,
and with that war comes great opportunity for a leader who is able to
strike in the right place, at the right time.
Once
described by Cicero as "the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful
of them all", Syracuse was founded by Greek settlers from Corinth and
Tenea in 734 BC, and grew to become the most powerful Greek city
anywhere in the Mediterranean. Centuries of war with Carthage, for
control of Sicily, have left that power diminished but far from broken.
Carthage, Rome, and the Successor States, all threaten to eclipse
Syracuse, but the city state retains its wealth, its strategic
location, and citizens that are both courageous and ingenious. With the
right leadership the city might come to dominate the Mediterranean
world.
Strategy: War with Carthage is inevitable. The most reliable path to victory is to take Messana from the rebels, and then Lilybaeum from Carthage to secure control of Sicily. Then take Sardinia, Corsica, and possibly the Balearic Islands, from Carthage to establish a good financial base. At that point you should be ready to invade Africa, but be warry of attacking the city of Carthage itself too early. The Carthaginians will raise a powerful garrison force to defend their city, so you will need to prepare a large force of good quality units to defeat it. Special Units: Syracuse itself has three unique units available: (1) Syracusan Hoplites, a superior hoplite unit recruitable from a City Barracks; (2) Syracusan Quinqueremes, a superior naval unit, available from a Dockyard; (3) Gastraphetes, a powerful crossbow unit with excellent range and stopping power. Notable AOR units available early in the campaign include Numidian Cavalry in Africa, and Tarantine Cavalry available in Tarentum. Pyrrhus.
Long has Epirus been a shadow of the greater greek cities, but
conquests in Italy and an alliance with Macedon let the lands prosper.
Now, Pyrrhus has gathered a vast army to recapture samnite and greek
cities from the rising power of the Roman Republic.
Pyrrhos' military forces are modeled on the Successor armies of Macedon. Heavy phalanx infantry are the core with a strong reliance upon mercenary troops, heavy cavalry units as well as light missile troops, and of course, elephants - one of the most recognizable feature of Pyrrhus's army. While your army is strong, and your position is sound, one misstep could bring your kingdom crashing to the ground. The Kingdom of Epirus is at a crossroads in history. You must at all costs double your efforts and attempt to push the Romans back to Latium. You are already at war and need only drive them to north, but be wary of the treacherous Macedonians, this fragile Alliance won't stand long... The
Kingdom of Lysimachus was one part of the successor states - a fragment
of Alexander's great empire. After the death of Alexander, Thrace fell
into the hands of Lysimachus, a member of Alexander's Companion cavalry
who had distinguished himself in India. Under his rule the Kingdom
expanded and achieved a commanding presence in Asia Minor, but with his
death in battle against the Seleucids just ten years ago, the kingdom
has degenerated into a rump state - the Kingdom of Pergamum. With
Thrace separated and much of it's land occupied, the Kingdom has been
severely weakened. Now it stands at risk of being swallowed up by its
more powerful neighbours.
Even though Pergamum may be weak, the lands still posess a great deal of riches and as Philetaerus demonstrated, it has great potential of once again becoming great. Combining aspects of the Macedonian and Seleucid way of war, the infantry forces of Pergamum are formidable. Though surrounded by Seleucids and hostile Greeks, it is also surrounded by strategic opportunity. Greece, Asia Minor, and control of the lucrative Black Sea trade are all within reach. A leader with ambition might do again what Lysimachus did before...  A
celtic people, who migrated south through the balkans, the Galatians
invaded Macedon and Greece c. 280 BC. After defeating the Macedonians,
killing the King of Macedon, and occupying the city of Pella, they
continued south and inflicted a crushing defeat on the combined Greek
forces at Thermopylae. Following this victory their luck turned, however,
and they were eventually routed near Delphi, and nearly destroyed as
they fled north again. The survivors, or possibly another group,
crossed over to Asia Minor from Thrace and settled around Ancyra.
This campaign works best with the Barbarian Invasion exe which provides the ability to horde. With the BI exe the player starts with two family members and a single settlement. By abandoning this starting settlement (use the button located near the bottom left of the settlement info scroll) the player can raise a horde and choose their path of invasion. With the RTW and Alex exes the player starts with two full stacks, and a single settlement. The player will need to hold at least one settlement at all times to avoid defeat.  Parthia is unplayable in the main campaign, but can be played in a provincial campaign. Horse factions: Parthia and Scythia have had almost all of their non-cavalry units removed. They get just one very poor quality infantry unit that can be used for menial tasks like garrison duty, or pushing battering rams. Hording: If you have the Barbarian Invasion expansion installed then the Parthians, Scythians, Gauls, and Germans, will have the ability to form hordes, by abandoning their last settlement. The entire faction can then migrate, sacking enemy settlements on the way, without holding any settlements themselves. Strategy: Expanding to capture the steppes to the north, and parts of the silk road to the east, should be your first priority. At some point you will almost certainly come into conflict with the Scythians, so you will need to be prepared to hold them off, or to invade the western steppes. Once you have taken all of the rebel settlements to your north and east, you can turn your attention to more valuable, but more difficult prizes. Bactria, India, and the Seleucid Empire all offer great wealth if you can take it.  Scythia is unplayable in the main campaign, but can be played in a provincial campaign.Horse factions: Parthia and Scythia have had almost all of their non-cavalry units removed. They get just one very poor quality infantry unit that can be used for menial tasks like garrison duty, or pushing battering rams. Hording: If you have the Barbarian Invasion expansion installed then the Parthians, Scythians, Gauls, and Germans, will have the ability to form hordes, by abandoning their last settlement. The entire faction can then migrate, sacking enemy settlements on the way, without holding any settlements themselves. Large Cities: Barbarian factions can now build large cities. Each faction gets a range of new buildings and some new units for this city level. Strategy: Expanding to capture the steppes around your stating position should be your first priority. At some point you will almost certainly come into conflict with the Parthians, so you will need to be prepared to hold them off, or to invade the eastern steppes. Once you have taken all of the rebel settlements in the steppes, you can turn your attention to more valuable, but more difficult prizes. The Bosporan City States and other Black Sea regions to your south offer great wealth. |
