Yeah, what the hound said.
Here's my favorite strategy
Grand Campaign 1500 BC - Greek Colonialism
The Lesbians.
Right at the start, build a few Astos and strike north to take Methymna.
Within the year, launch across across the strait and take Elaia for the Silver. This will fuel your treasury.
Next step is a bit harder, strike NE and take Pergamum before the Pergamenes wake up and get all butch with you.
This will be a fight, but the key is in outflanking them. They will likely devastate your center before your wings fully close them in, but then you'll slaughter their Hoplites even though all you have is Astos. Don't hesitate here; get aggressive.
Once you hold Pergamum you have Gold and Copper. Together with the Silver from Elaia, this sets you up nicely for mineral resources. Pergamum is also a large city, and strategically suited to control your NE flank while you expand south down the coast.
Leaving a small garrison at Pergamum, rally your troops at Elaia, add reinforcements from Mytilene, and when you're ready strike SE for Magnesia.
This will fall easily, assuming you get there before the Lydians do. Do
NOT dawdle and let the Lydians get organised or you will be well and truly hosed. Fighting their archers is a tiny slice of pure hell, and you don't want to have to do it more then twice.
Right, Magnesia gives you Iron and Horses. You are, after all, an Aeolian, so your cavalry is your strength.
Next, take a deep breath and strike for Sardis.
Bring every last battalion you can possibly muster without totally stripping your garrisons. Pirates at this early stage are numerous but incredibly low quality, (usually no more than Peasants and Prodromoi), so big tough garrisons are not needed.
You will need to fight the Lydians twice. Once to defeat their field army, which won't be hard, and once to take Sardis, which will be the toughest fight you have faced so far. Expect the butcher's bill to be horrendous.
Just use the old Attila the Hun strategy, "Horde One on the left, Horde Two on the right, charge!"
The Sparabara garrison will slaughter your men in droves, but once they are in melee and flanked, they
will die like any other mortal men born of woman.
Sardis is a huge city, with an incredible wealth of resources, and well worth fighting for. Not to mention that taking it early enough dispatches your most dangerous neighbor, one capable of nailing you to the wall if allowed to expand unchecked.
There, that's a good start. You have a sizable empire with great resource and population potential. Now develop your cities, and then go play Alexander
