Tips on playing Athens?

[Solaristics]

I tried a couple of times but I get conquered by Macedonia in the first few turns as they have access to much higher quality troops. Any suggestions on playng Athens?

[Pocus]

Be their friend, probably. It might involve gifting them money so the relationship is high enough you are not a prime target, even if you are weak.

There is definitively some randomness involved here, and any weak nation at start can suffer from bad luck and get a DOW from a powerful neighbor.

[USGrant1962]

I haven't played Athens, but you could try to become Macedonia's client state. You can keep playing as Athens until you feel strong enough to break the relationship. You will get dragged into Macedonia's wars, though.

[Solaristics]

Be their friend, probably. It might involve gifting them money so the relationship is high enough you are not a prime target, even if you are weak.

There is definitively some randomness involved here, and any weak nation at start can suffer from bad luck and get a DOW from a powerful neighbor.

Thanks. Yes, I restarted a couple of times until I got a start when the RNGods (Hermes, in this case) smiled upon me and I didn't get an immediate DOW and then managed to duck and dive to turn 25 so far. Even managed to get a region from the Antigonids in a trade!

As a side note, I like the rationality of the trade system. The AI will make trades when the BP balance is favourable rather than arbirarily saying no.

[Solaristics]

I haven't played Athens, but you could try to become Macedonia's client state. You can keep playing as Athens until you feel strong enough to break the relationship. You will get dragged into Macedonia's wars, though.

Thanks, I was defintely thinking about that route but didn't go down it this time. I'll probably give it a try next time. I got a couple of cheeky client state offers from some smaller states including one from Sparta! Molon Labe and good day to you sir! I'm now in an alliance with the Antigonids so feeling like my back is covered at the moment.

[trex1983]

Yes the relationship boost that I saw with Athens / Antigonids is helpfull while I was trying Epirus and Sparta.
Epirus, got wiped 10 turns in. Sparta, got wiped in 15 turns.
On Difficult, now will try on Experienced difficulty level. So far the new start with Epirus is getting okay after the first 10 turns. Free boats, good leader but lost to Aetolia because they were taken over by Athens. Maybe thats something you can experiment as well to get a client state as Athens?

It was quite scary to have my tiny stack and two elephants sitting on the mountain tile of my capitol only to see a Macedonian death stack the next tile over...

Maybe I should have also accepted the client state request from Macedonia to strike back later. Thats how I survived playing Bactria for 60 turns until Maurya decided otherwise on Experienced difficulty. Thanks Pocus.

Good luck!

[Gray Fox]

Disband the fleet and hire two mercenary cavalry. Then invade Ionia, western Creta and then eastern Creta. Form the province of Creta Rhodus. Aetolia and Antigonids offered me sweet deals for Cretan Archers. Then add a few Light cavalry and invade Cephallonia. Epirus was at war with my ally Aetolia, so I invaded Corcyra and then mainland Epirus. Epirus accepted my terms of ceding Corcyra and sued for peace.

[Solaristics]

Disband the fleet and hire two mercenary cavalry. Then invade Ionia, western Creta and then eastern Creta. Form the province of Creta Rhodus. Aetolia and Antigonids offered me sweet deals for Cretan Archers. Then add a few Light cavalry and invade Cephallonia. Epirus was at war with my ally Aetolia, so I invaded Corcyra and then mainland Epirus. Epirus accepted my terms of ceding Corcyra and sued for peace.

Thanks for the tips. I only just noticed Ionia and Crete were independents so I stomped them but I didn't notice Corcyra was so I'll add that to the list. I like the idea of trading Cretan archers for stuff - I'll give that a go. I just had an opportunity open up in the Peloponnese: Sparta were at war with Macedonia so I was looking at trying to conquer them but they were actually winning so I left them alone. The tide turned against them and they appear to be down to only two provinces now ... I'm rapidly redeploying my invading armies from Crete to strike but they have made peace in the meantime and are appearing to build up.

[Gray Fox]

Cephallonia was independent. I took Corcyra from Epirus. It may be an indie in your game, though. I was thinking of using my Rhodus game as a template and send the Athenians off to conquer Phanageria, Alani and Sarmatia. Good luck!

[Solaristics]

Cephallonia was independent. I took Corcyra from Epirus. It may be an indie in your game, though.

My mistake. I was actually thinking of Cephallonia.

I was thinking of using my Rhodus game as a template and send the Athenians off to conquer Phanageria, Alani and Sarmatia. Good luck!

Sounds like you have a good platform to bring civilisation to those poor folks. I'm sure they will thank you for it.

[Gray Fox]

As long as they give me great provincial horse archers and cataphracts, they can keep their thanks.