Playing as Pontus

[DukeOfNorfolk]

First of all, apologies for the images. If I try and take a screenshot I get a blank image so I've had to take pictures on my phone and upload them.

Having moved on from the tutorial I've had a go with Pontus (the tag that starts as Pontus rather than reforming from Kios, I didn't know about the Mithridatic Kingdom until I consulted the Wiki). Whilst things are going ok - I've been able to carve out my own kingdom in northwest Asia Minor (Anatolia image) - there are still a few things I'm not sure about, and which I'm not sure I've understood from the Wiki.

I've had "suboptimal research generation" the entire time (the middle icon of the three in the notifications image), and I've no idea how to get rid of it! I can guess that it's because I've not promoted any pops to citizens or nobles, and having reformed into a Monarchy from a tribe I'm mostly a kingdom of freemen and slaves. I've put a couple of "promotion" edicts on, but generally I've found that most of my territories want to revolt, so I've been trying to negate this with Harsh Treatment where possible.

Similar to a recent post, I had a potential decision to convert to Cybelene at the start of the game, but as most of my rulers were Zoroastrian I've spent the first 50 or so years converting my pops instead - coupled with reforming from a tribe to a monarchy, I've had a lot of revolts (although this is part of what makes the game challenging and enjoyable). The first time I reached 200 PI I was offered the chance to convert to Cybelene, but by then I'd spent so much time converting that the majority of my pops were now Zoroastrian and therefore it seemed like a waste of time to convert my rulers to Cybelene. I've got no gripe with this, it's more of a "lesson for another time", but on the whole, is converting actually worth it? I've carried on converting as it seems like I've started so I might as well continue to do it, but I'm still not sure what I've actually gained from it.

One last question, as you can see from the "bigger picture" image, in 80 years while I've been having a go in Asia Minor, the Romans have conquered a lot (to put it mildly). I'm allied to the Seleucids, so I'm pretty sure I'll be fighting either Rome or Egypt at some point. I've got a few forts dotted around, but can afford a few more. Is it worth having more low-level forts or fewer high-level ones? Whoever I end up fighting I'm going to be outnumbered (and probably by better troops given the lack of research progress) so I guess I have to try and wear them down somehow?

Once again, thanks for the help. I'm really enjoying the game, I just know there are things I'm being hampered by and it'd be nice to know what to do about it!

 

[IsaacCAT]

is converting actually worth it?

Yes, it gives you a boost to happiness when POPs are from your primary religion, thus improving their output and reducing the unrest (happiness < 50), it also helps assimilation and reduces demotion speed as territories with a majority of POPs from non State Religion get modifiers: https://imperator.paradoxwikis.com/Religion#Territory_religion

I can guess that it's because I've not promoted any pops to citizens or nobles, and having reformed into a Monarchy from a tribe I'm mostly a kingdom of freemen and slaves.

Yes, if you have integrated a culture with a lot of freemen you will need time for their citizens and nobles to promote. Try to boost promotion by building cities and populate them with buildings such as libraries and Court of laws: https://imperator.paradoxwikis.com/Population#Pop_Ratio. It also helps to build foundries for a +25% increase of research points when you have reached the desired ratio of nobles and citizens. Finally, increase promotion speed when possible: https://imperator.paradoxwikis.com/Population#Promotion_and_Demotion

Is it worth having more low-level forts or fewer high-level ones? Whoever I end up fighting I'm going to be outnumbered (and probably by better troops given the lack of research progress) so I guess I have to try and wear them down somehow?

AI does not know how to assault, but in MP it is useful to have high level ones. At the end a fort is a delaying tactic to stop the enemy troops and give you time to strike with the best odds. https://imperator.paradoxwikis.com/Siege

The best odds are in order:

1. General Martial Skill (I recommend hiring a very good mercenary army and attach it to your legion/levy for the best results, only for the general martial skill, it can be a small unit)
2. Units, the best units are HC, HI, HA, EL. If your levies do not produce them, you will need to switch to legions to get them.
3. Quantity, the more units the better

Beware of manpower, always try to win your battles to keep your looses controlled, because fighting Rome can be exhausting (they have a lot of manpower). They will keep coming back to you.

Use your navy to your advantage. AI does not know how to use it most of the times. Get a fast army (cavalry) and send your units inside the enemy lines to loot cities that are not fortified. You will get a lot of money and distract your enemy.

Good luck!

 

[manager2525]

Playing as Pontus rather than Kios --> Pontus you have actually given yourself more of challenge. Kios gets a lot of decisions and modifiers to help Mithridates set up a successful state in Pontus. Also no Ktistes achievement as a side note.

As IsaacCat mentioned converting can be beneficial some times. Usually when thinking whether I should convert I take the following into consideration:
1) My pops religion as well as the religion of the pops I might conquer soon. In that regards going Cybelene is right for Pontus. It will take quite some time till you reach Zoro pops. So it will take more time converting and possibly assimilating.
2) Strengths and weaknesses of the religions in question. What are the base modifier for each religion, passive and omen effects, even possible apotheosis effect. It can be quite the challenge to pick which religion is better.
3) Even if it is secondary having the same religion with a tag you want to ally will have it a bit easier for you (as that tag will like you more). In that regards Hellenism is probably better.
4) Role play. You might want to stick or change religion just for RP reasons.

IsaacCat is right in pointing out that specific buildings are your best bet to increase your research output. As these buildings can only be build in a city try to build at least one city in each province so that the rural population will move there and be promoted in time. This should not be such a big issue in Asia Minor (Anatolia) since most provinces already have some cities (usually more than one that is even better)!
In addition to increase your research you can
1) Pick the specific national idea that does so. It is in oratory available from level 4 (Patronized Scholars).
2) Also there is a monarchy law that increases the ratio of citizens. So you also change that law as well to increase the output of citizens and so the research rate.

 

[DukeOfNorfolk]

Thank you both for your answers. @manager2525 the religion tips are really helpful - in hindsight I probably should've stayed Cybelene for this run, although being Zoroastrian did help me ally Armenia and defeat the Mithridatic Kingdom (Armenia then declared their intentions to betray me, so I allied the Seleucids instead).
@IsaacCAT, culture is something I've not really looked at, but from your answer it looks like I'm going to have to wait for the pops to promote themselves as there's no way to do it manually? I'm not sure what rights my citizens currently have, but I've not fiddled with the culture settings at all, so it'll be whatever the default ones are. Thanks for the battle tips too, manpower has been a trickier proposition in Imperator than EU4, seemingly because I've (understandably) got a lot less of it, and battles are a lot more draining as a result. I'm about to have a civil war, so a good chance to try your mercenary army tactic!

 

[IsaacCAT]

culture is something I've not really looked at, but from your answer it looks like I'm going to have to wait for the pops to promote themselves as there's no way to do it manually? I'm not sure what rights my citizens currently have, but I've not fiddled with the culture settings at all, so it'll be whatever the default ones are.

Culture is paramount in I:R. Each culture will give you a different template for levies and the game allows you to choose to integrate to your nation cultures or assimilate them to your culture. It should be one of the most important decisions of the game. Players initially integrate some cultures to get their levies and military traditions but on the long run, assimilating POPs will give you the most productive POPs (because of happiness).

Let us know how your civil war goes.

 

[DukeOfNorfolk]

So the image attached is from the beginning of the civil war. I had more levies than them, and with the help of the mercenaries I hired I won the war rather easily. Unfortunately on winning the war, I chose the "forgive and forget" option because that's what I tend to do, and it's reinstalled the same guy who caused the civil war. I will be fighting another civil war in 21 months.....
(it's mistakes like this that make me want to write an AAR/thread titled "confessions of a mediocre Paradox player" (or similar) for all of the things that happen like this in my games!)
I've integrated a couple of the larger cultures (over 100 POPs or so), and will start assimilating the smaller ones then, thanks!

 

[DukeOfNorfolk]

Curiously, when I reloaded the game from the situation above, the threat of civil war disappeared? I might've just needed to wait a month for the whole thing to have sorted itself out last time or does this sort of thing normally happen?

The next civil war I eventually got was the one in CivWar2; Current Situation is the current state of the game. I'm still allied to the Seleucids, but they're constantly trying to stab me in the back - I've had "plotting our demise" as a reason for not joining an offensive war, then they actually broke alliance with me only to accept it again a few months later, and most recently I've just had the red "alliance breaking" warning, only for them to call me into an offensive war that they could've won without my help. Rome and Egypt still loom large on the horizon, but they're mostly keen on fighting each other so haven't fought me yet. My biggest problem appears to be that all of my neighbours have at least 7 or 8 military advances to my 4 (almost 5). I beat Phrygia thanks to mercenaries and I assume my next few wars will be more of the same as otherwise my mostly light infantry levies are going to get smashed to pieces by heavy infantry. I think my best hope is to fight either the Bosporans or Egypt (both are allied to Macedon, so it's a good excuse to take that land for myself) and hope the Seleucids will accept?

 

[IsaacCAT]

Curiously, when I reloaded the game from the situation above, the threat of civil war disappeared?

This is a known bug.

Can you get legions and start training HI units? What is your financial situation?

 

[DukeOfNorfolk]

The screenshot is all the stuff I missed in the Current Situation screenshot above. I'm making 15 gold a month which is enough for at least one or two mercenary armies (there are a few really good ones on the Northern Anatolian coast), I may start making more money as my AE ticks down from 37 after the Phrygia war. I've passed the law that allows for the capital region to make a legion of its own, I made one with a few HI cohorts but then I accidentally disbanded it, thinking I was disbanding my mercenaries after the Phrygia war (another one for my "confessions of a mediocre Paradox player" above!).
I've also got a civil war brewing in about 18 months, so I'll have to build my legion back up and hope the Seleucids don't betray me whilst I'm fighting that.....

 

[IsaacCAT]

The screenshot is all the stuff I missed in the Current Situation screenshot above. I'm making 15 gold a month which is enough for at least one or two mercenary armies (there are a few really good ones on the Northern Anatolian coast), I may start making more money as my AE ticks down from 37 after the Phrygia war. I've passed the law that allows for the capital region to make a legion of its own, I made one with a few HI cohorts but then I accidentally disbanded it, thinking I was disbanding my mercenaries after the Phrygia war (another one for my "confessions of a mediocre Paradox player" above!).
I've also got a civil war brewing in about 18 months, so I'll have to build my legion back up and hope the Seleucids don't betray me whilst I'm fighting that.....

If you have not done it yet, switch to exporting bonus economic policy in the economy tab. You may want also to found cities for the extra trade good in high base trade value goods (like minerals). You have plenty of PI due to being a small kingdom.

Try to tackle corruption and streamline your forts (only were needed) to save you money.

Paying for your legions will be less costly than maintining your mercenaries on the long run and you can start building roads (look for the engineers bonus and split the legion for cheapest maintenance cost while building roads) to increase trade routes and assimilation/conversion rates. Also legions can be drilled for extra military experience that will open up military traditions that are very powerful to kill your enemies when the numbers are not in your favour (like the huge seleukid kingdom).