r/Imperator

Ive integrated a significant amount of cultures as heraclea pontica, and ive got decent levy size multiplier, so why am i getting so few levies from all these pops? (especially cappadocian and paphlagonion) only mods are invictus and better UI

I started this Sparta campaign around six months ago, aiming to restore its former glory, and only now decided to finally bring the campaign to a close. Ahead still lie centuries of peaceful development and the end of expansion - perhaps with the exception of Numidia and Morocco, which could still be conquered in order to gain access to the Atlantic Ocean and prepare for the future discovery of America in a later mega-campaign.

From the very beginning, Sparta chose the most cautious and pragmatic path of expansion possible. First came the conquest of Crete, strengthening the economic and demographic foundation of the state. Then followed the Peloponnese, the Balkans, Asia Minor, Italy, Syria, and later the conquest of Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. Having reached the borders of the Byzantine Empire of 476 AD in Asia, the Spartan Empire, while preparing for its Asian campaign, conquered the Caucasus, Crimea, and Dacia, fully securing control over the Black Sea. This was meant to secure the rear.

Having gathered the full might of the Empire on the eastern frontier in 727 AUC, Sparta declared a war of annihilation against the Seleucids, the Mauryas, and numerous other states. The "Imperial Challenge" was proclaimed, its goal being the restoration - and even expansion - of Alexander's Empire. Half a million soldiers began their 18-year campaign, one that would not stop until they reached the Indus River and the Hindu Kush. The entire East was crushed in the course of one endless war that did not cease for a single day during those 18 years, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of soldiers.

In 745 AUC, the great Asian campaign finally came to an end. The exhausted armies, after 18 years of endless marches and battles, managed to return home. "Pax Hellenica" was proclaimed. The Empire had expanded to such an extent that launching further major conquests would now be extremely difficult due to its sheer size and underdeveloped communications. Therefore, determined not to repeat Alexander's mistakes, the great conqueror of the East, Stratonikos II - who had retraced Alexander's path - chose to focus on peaceful development instead.

Every single border of the Empire was fortified through the construction of fortresses and other defensive structures. The gradual assimilation of the population began. The economy started actively recovering and growing after the decline caused by the endless great war. Sparta itself became the greatest city on Earth, transforming into a vast metropolis with an enormous population, highly developed trade, and thriving industry. Piracy was eradicated, and stability within the state was restored.

The next objectives planned for the coming three centuries are as follows:

• To consider the possible conquest of Numidia and Morocco. Arabia and East Africa remain possible secondary objectives, though a peaceful trade-oriented policy is preferred toward them.
• To establish 25 elite professional armies, each numbering 25,000 men, equipped with the latest weaponry and stationed across the Empire in specially constructed military bases. These armies are intended to remain in their provinces for centuries.
• To raise both cultural and religious assimilation to at least 99%.
• To construct a vast imperial road network connecting every city of the Empire - linking Tunisia with the distant cities of India, and southern Italy with the lands of Bactria. This should improve migration and strengthen imperial control.
• To carry out a complete manual reorganization of every province in the Empire. Provincial capitals will be actively relocated. Each province will contain a single major city, while all others will be demolished.
• To create three massive fleets, each consisting of 500 ships and including every class of vessel, including the newest and largest designs. They will be stationed in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, and the Black Sea. Their purpose will be to maintain order and stability at sea, protect trade routes from piracy, and project imperial naval power.
• To fill the Empire with every available Wonder of the World.
• To fully develop all rural territories of the Empire, followed by a complete manual reconstruction of cities according to specific templates. There will not be a single city or settlement in the Empire whose potential remains unrealized. According to calculations, this construction effort will require nearly one million talents, while the treasury currently holds only 88,000. This means the development plan will take centuries to complete.
• To eventually carry out reforms intended to save the Empire from the Crisis of the Third Century. A "Constantinian Reform" will be introduced, separating military and civil authority, alongside an economic reform inspired by Aurelian. However, these reforms are intended to be delayed until the very last possible moment.

This is only part of the grand design of Stratonikos II, who intends to formalize this plan into an official state doctrine that his descendants must follow. All of this is meant to ensure the survival of the Empire through the disasters that await it in the centuries to come.

Playing a Tylos into Babylon Invictus game when I spotted a cool flag and wanted play that nation next but I'm struggling to form if and I was wondering if anyone knew how. (Also showing off my Babylon run a little bit too because I'm pretty proud of it)

I originally noticed Chrysaoreus where Caria starts. Thought to myself that's a cool flag, fun sounding name, and nice color, I'll play that next. During my play through as Babylon the got mostly conquered by Phrygia then again by Macadon. After I got to point where I wanted to start a new campaign I played as Caria. Didn't see the option to form Chrysaoreus but played it out anyway. After the Antigonid Dynasty fell the named turned into something with a P. Then I formed the Heka something Dynasty before turning into purple Macadon through the mission tree. Fun game but no Chrysaoreus.

I looked up on Google how to form the nation and it said something for the Ptolemys to release into a feudatory. But it's is in a mission tree the Invictus mod changes and I can't find anymore information.

I know the nation is pretty obscure but if anyone knows more I'd appreciate the help.

TLDR saw a cool formable in play through, can't find how to form from game or Google.

R5: Just finished The Spice Must Flow achievement in year 659.

I recently made a post about not being able to complete this achievement when I had formed Erythraen League. I don't know what went wrong, because apparently you can still get this achievement as EL, so maybe I just missed a spice territory somewhere. In fact, in this game, I thought I had all of the spice territories, but the achievement wasn't unlocking, so I decided to just keep playing and conquer more territory, and it worked! Somehow I had missed a spice in Arachosia province, and as soon as I conquered it, the achievement unlocked.

If anyone wants a mini guide on how to get this achievement:

1. Reroll the start until you get a ruler with a good martial skill. Yeah, maybe cheesy, but this makes the early part of the game much easier.

2. Hire mercs and conquer all nearby macrobian cultures, which will quickly give you a good sized levy early in the game. I then went after Arabia Felix and eastern Arabia, integrating Sabean and Hadhrami cultures. I choose to adopt Arabic religion because I wanted a deity with the free province investment apotheosis, which Waaq does not have. This isn't necessary though, you can just keep your starting religion.

3. I then went after Aksum and then Kush, integrating Meroitic culture. I then used the Land of God mission tree to get a claim on the Maldives, made them my client state, and integrated them, giving me access to attack southern India. I then abandoned the Land of God mission, because it requires you to form Punt, which changes your color from neon blue to orange. I like orange, but I like the neon blue better, so I stayed with it.

Also, if you continue with the unique mission trees, in order to get an empire government, you need to go through a civil war, which I wanted to avoid. By abandoning the mission tree, you are able to get an empire government though a decision which does not require a civil war.

4. This is the hard part, because now your only real targets are Ptolemies, Seleukids, or Maurya, all of which will be much bigger than you. If any of them go into a civil war, use that opportunity to attack them. I had to wait for the Maurya event where they fall apart, and then I attacked them, starting from northern Arabia, into Gedrosia, and heading east from there.

5. Eventually I was able to fight and beat the Ptolemies, and then went west taking all the spice in north Africa. I saved the Seleukids for last, as they were by far the strongest and they never had a civil war.

All in all a very fun game. If you don't have the achievement yet, I highly recommend it!