Is Placing in the Top Three a Win?

[w_michael]

If you play a secondary or tertiary nation then placing first is almost impossible against the likes of Rome, Persia or Egypt. I consider placing in the top three a win if I am not playing a favoured nation. I am playing on the Insane level. Anyone else think that way?

[DSP3000]

It does seem practically impossible to beat Persia with any of the small tribes without waging war on them. I’m a pretty new player but I have only been trying out the small tribes. The best way I can figure to do it is to focus on gold and metal and finance all the smaller neighbors to fight them.

I tried that once with Hiberni to limited success. The British isles are pretty easy to conquer and defend early and I just focused on my economy to pay for wars. This helped keep Egypt from being consumed and for a few decades Persia was having considerable trouble with the desert and steppe tribes but eventually recovered and I just couldn’t pump enough supplies out without expanding in to the mess that is Gaul. By then it was too late to achieve victory.

I was able to make the top 3 as Belgae but that was mostly luck. Egypt collapsed early and Rome and Etrusci fought a war that lasted over a century which allowed me to expand easily and keep them contained culturally.

Yeah given the current balance just making the top 3 is a challenge and requires the right pieces to fall in place. This is why I prefer the DLC campaign since it is a much more even playing field

[Surt]

Now I haven't yet tried to play one of the tribes on insane, as that is insane, but the way to win must be nearly the same, weather the primary CDR crisis, weather the 2nd CDR crisis, expand as long as you are in top half of the green zone, build a culture building as one of the first buildings to get the legacy show running, and as the OP stated support Egypt. I don't know if its worth supporting Lydia else one of the Greek factions should be supported so taht Persia doesn't get into permanent golden age.

[DSP3000]

Now I haven't yet tried to play one of the tribes on insane, as that is insane, but the way to win must be nearly the same, weather the primary CDR crisis, weather the 2nd CDR crisis, expand as long as you are in top half of the green zone, build a culture building as one of the first buildings to get the legacy show running, and as the OP stated support Egypt. I don't know if its worth supporting Lydia else one of the Greek factions should be supported so taht Persia doesn't get into permanent golden age.

That is where FOG 2 comes in to play. It takes a lot longer though but it’s a must on higher difficulty. I use my generals for auto battle and I import the battles for my main army. The one the king is commanding.