1.03c Some feedback on the Marius vs. Sulla scenario

[pantsukki]

I've been playing the scenario as Sulla, and here are some observations from it:
-Very early the Pontics made a landing in Sicily and somehow captured Syracuse which has a lvl 4 fort. They could really have used the troops against me in Macedonia and Greece. They kept the city for multiple years, and I guess this also occupied lots of Marian troops.
-At some point the Pontics also landed one land unit in Egypt, in the province Naucratis. Seems really random, and for some reason there was no reaction from the Lagids.
-Both the Pontic and Marian AI is constantly spending on all sorts of province improvements, clearing, roads, urban development etc. Is this really useful for them?
-For a long time (~2 years) the Pontics kept sending troops in ships to the sea area adjacent to Rhodos, but they never landed. When they finally did, they just went out of supply pretty fast and after that were easy pickings for my garrison. I guess sieging a huge island fortress is too demanding for the AI.
-The Marians really took their time in taking Rome, it wasn't until August 86 'till I lost it. Shouldn't it be a priority for them?

[Random]

-At some point the Pontics also landed one land unit in Egypt, in the province Naucratis. Seems really random, and for some reason there was no reaction from the Lagids.

I have seen this as well with zero response. Was wondering why there is no Lagid release.

-For a long time (~2 years) the Pontics kept sending troops in ships to the sea area adjacent to Rhodos, but they never landed. When they finally did, they just went out of supply pretty fast and after that were easy pickings for my garrison. I guess sieging a huge island fortress is too demanding for the AI.

This has not happened in my current game but I suspect that a sizable part of the Pontic fleet was lost to storms.

-The Marians really took their time in taking Rome, it wasn't until August 86 'till I lost it. Shouldn't it be a priority for them?

In my current game they took Rome quickly. I take it back this turn (November 86 as I recall).

Other than the incursion into Egypt I am finding the AI a challenge and except for the above, nothing that had happened as yet really appears to be broken. I am finding that as Sulla you need to play the long game.

-C

[pantsukki]

This has happened before, and happened again in this current game: the Marians are really eager to attack the locked legions in Ancona, which usually gives Sulla free troops as they are quite easily evacuated.