Any Epirus Strategy for 2.0?

[MohawkWolfo98]

Is it just me or is it infinitely harder to play as Epirus lol

In pre 2.0, the tactic I used was to annex our ally up north (they always broke their alliance) when Pyrrhus was deposed. Now it seems they don’t break alliance anymore and there is a truce of 5 years, which kind of ruins the strategy as Rome and Macedon eventually becomes too OP

Does anyone have advice on how to play as Epirus?

 

[Nak'Arosh]

I'm on Rome now can't help you now. Hope someone share how to help you.

I remember that was hard playing with Sparta to stop Macedon and Rome.

As any Greek Nation a good advice is hold Syracuse territories or Crete, so you can have a burst of gold. They were like a silk road on that days.

 

[Akbar The Great]

Apparently, the meta for Epirus is to bang your head on the desk repeatedy, and then smash the fuck out of your keyboard.

 

[MohawkWolfo98]

Apparently, the meta for Epirus is to bang your head on the desk repeatedy, and then smash the fuck out of your keyboard.

Me as after 2 tries I found a way by declaring war first on Apollonia, annexing them and Tautenlia....

Only to find out that Pyrrhus divorced his Argead wife to marry a Lagid to which I killed but still can no longer marry his ex-wife apparently.

 

[TehJumpingJawa]

Ally Rome, conquer stuff quicker than they can.

 

[manager2525]

Hi, do you want to go for Italy or are you not that much set on that direction? Also which difficulty setting are you playing on?

If normal difficulty then I had some luck when focusing on Greece. So starting off you can go for Ambrakia via the mission tree. If you do this early on Macedon will not commit too much of its forces to this war due to the struggles with the Antigonids. If you have a bad timing (are late or too early) though and Macedon pieces out the Antigonids then you do not have much chance there. Do not start a war with Appolonia if they are allied with Korkyra since you can have the later as a free vassal through the mission tree. From there I think it is easier to focus on Greece/Macedon. Taulantia is a half decent ally, Thrace is much better so you might want to go for a Royal alliance marriage with them.

Edit:
It is not necessary to disband your legion if don't feel like it or you can choose to just disband the very expensive elephant unit you are given by the event. Also even if Pyrhos cannot lead the legion you will be able to utilise him if you keep him close to your legion. He will take over the command since he has the higher marshal. Also if you do not find it that much cheesy (and or over micromanaging) you will be able to send your legion and starting levees together for an attack, your legion will arrive a bit earlier then you can see what type of tactic the opponent uses and set Pyrhos with his levees to having adjusted his tactic accordingly. Now you have a 14 martial leader with the correct battle tactic!!!

 

[scriptkiddy]

It is not necessary to disband your legion if don't feel like it

Not only is it not necessary to disband it, it is mandatory to keep it and start drilling as of day 1. Given how slow your advance in military traditions is, you definitely don’t want to miss on that insanely huge military experience you get from average cohort experience.

 

[Djacir]

First things first, disband your legions and change to that law that gives you more levy size. In early game, you are going to need manpower to have a fighting chance against Macedon if the Antigonids do not overwhelm them (it happened in my last Epirus game). After a few years of preparation, strike against Macedon while they are at war with Antigonous and hopefully somewhat spent. Your main aim will be to annex the rest of Aetolia as long they are distracted, and Thessaly if you can. I never depose Pyrrhus because i like keeping him as a general.

After that, if you have enough manpower and Rome is hopefully distracted against the Italiotes (usually you aren't that lucky, Rome is overpowered), strike against Southern Italy and try your luck there. If Rome is already dominant, you should consolidate your power in Aetolia and the Peloponnese, and mayhaps another campaign against Macedon if you aren't that successful in your first.

If you are big enough and holds a significant part of Hellas, you should be strong enough to have a chance of success against Rome. If you are not confident, strike against Syracuse first, or make them your client state through missions. Fighting against Carthage is much more easier than against Rome. You should be ready them to kill the red blob still in Pyrrhus lifetime, and hopefully sack Rome itself a few times just for fun. After that, the world is yours, if you are smart enough.

 

[MohawkWolfo98]

First things first, disband your legions and change to that law that gives you more levy size. In early game, you are going to need manpower to have a fighting chance against Macedon if the Antigonids do not overwhelm them (it happened in my last Epirus game). After a few years of preparation, strike against Macedon while they are at war with Antigonous and hopefully somewhat spent. Your main aim will be to annex the rest of Aetolia as long they are distracted, and Thessaly if you can. I never depose Pyrrhus because i like keeping him as a general.

After that, if you have enough manpower and Rome is hopefully distracted against the Italiotes (usually you aren't that lucky, Rome is overpowered), strike against Southern Italy and try your luck there. If Rome is already dominant, you should consolidate your power in Aetolia and the Peloponnese, and mayhaps another campaign against Macedon if you aren't that successful in your first.

If you are big enough and holds a significant part of Hellas, you should be strong enough to have a chance of success against Rome. If you are not confident, strike against Syracuse first, or make them your client state through missions. Fighting against Carthage is much more easier than against Rome. You should be ready them to kill the red blob still in Pyrrhus lifetime, and hopefully sack Rome itself a few times just for fun. After that, the world is yours, if you are smart enough.

Hi, do you want to go for Italy or are you not that much set on that direction? Also which difficulty setting are you playing on?

If normal difficulty then I had some luck when focusing on Greece. So starting off you can go for Ambrakia via the mission tree. If you do this early on Macedon will not commit too much of its forces to this war due to the struggles with the Antigonids. If you have a bad timing (are late or too early) though and Macedon pieces out the Antigonids then you do not have much chance there. Do not start a war with Appolonia if they are allied with Korkyra since you can have the later as a free vassal through the mission tree. From there I think it is easier to focus on Greece/Macedon. Taulantia is a half decent ally, Thrace is much better so you might want to go for a Royal alliance marriage with them.

Edit:
It is not necessary to disband your legion if don't feel like it or you can choose to just disband the very expensive elephant unit you are given by the event. Also even if Pyrhos cannot lead the legion you will be able to utilise him if you keep him close to your legion. He will take over the command since he has the higher marshal. Also if you do not find it that much cheesy (and or over micromanaging) you will be able to send your legion and starting levees together for an attack, your legion will arrive a bit earlier then you can see what type of tactic the opponent uses and set Pyrhos with his levees to having adjusted his tactic accordingly. Now you have a 14 martial leader with the correct battle tactic!!!

Thanks for all ur advice peeps, will try both of them as soon as exams are over. Ugh do I wish I had more time to play haha

 

[Patrick Harte]

1) Disband your levy and change law to the one with +10% levy size.
2) Fabricate claim on Latium.
3) Summon War Council and pick Korkyra, declare war, annex them. Now you have a 13k army.
4) Rome should have eaten Samnium by now and entering it's second war in the south.
5) Ask for military access, ferry your troops across the Adriatic.
6) Siege Capua on the way to Rome, and when in Rome assault it.
7) Take Rome in peace deal, integrate Roman culture.

 

[hansnoetig]

I don't know if this is necessary on lower difficulties, but i couldn't beat Macedon without them on Very Hard: Hire the Mercs in Appolonia (i think, it's the 3.5k stack there) about 5 month's into the game and don't disband them for a very long time. Disband the legion and take the levy thing as others already said. Do not send Phyrros away (also marry the Argead women at your court) and marry your sister to the Antigonids.

The Mercs will get you into the red, but you have enough money until you can start looting. Declare on Ambrakia asap (about 1 year in) and siege it down with your levy (always loot with Phyrros in command, it will finance everything). It should be finished once Macedon shows up (in all my tries maximum was a 13k stack), beat them on the hills and then proceed to take as much as possible before Antigonid can. Let him fight Macedon while you try "dodge and siege", until you can get Ambrakia to Lamia in a peacedeal (ideally as much of Thessaly as you can too). Declare on the other Aetolian state before you make peace (or don't if you want another round with Macedon) and annex it, while integrating the Aetolian (and possibly Thessalian) culture.

Congratulations, you just finished the hard part. Consolidate Epirus through the mission tree, while you start gobbling up the Peleponnese (start with the Aetolian state with Olympia) and integrate the "Spartan" culture. Battle, battle, battle, loot, loot, loot. Take all of Macedonia from whoever won the war (usually Macedon) and/or eat the rest of Greece (minus the islands). Obviously integrate Macedonian culture. Now it's about 470 and you can start preparing to cross over to Italy (hire ships and more mercs). The Magna Graecia mission is a walk in the park if Syracuse exists (you may have to release an OPM for a mission). Burn Rome and Carthage to the ground and become Alexander of the West