Playing as the Trojans... (help needed)

[SquadLeader]

After I played as all Danaans, I thought the next step was moving onto the Trojan factions, and that's what I did.

While I found Priam's whims doable overall, I'm not sure if it's me doing it wrong, but I'm basically alone (well, except most other trojan factions and the Amazons) against a good 75% of the other populations.

Problem with my allies is that they are overwhelmed by the Danaans and are either reduced to dust or they very limitedly try to help.
I even donate them some cities, but that doesn't seem to change too much.
During my playthough:
- Paris gets destroyed after a while.
- Priam, well, is static in the end, but I expected it.
- Aeneas tries to do stuff but to not much avail.
- Same with Hippolyta.

Additionally, a lot of minor factions declare war and while I'm busy brawling with 100 enemies, one of them unexpectedly comes from the sea and gets one of my cities.

Would you happen to have some suggestion to play the Trojans properly?
Who actually IS my ally?

Is Thrace supposed to be by my side? They seem pretty neutral to the events involving the Trojans. Not against me, but not actively helping me much either.

Thanks to whoever will have some time to dedicate. :)

[MF]

I sucked up to Thrace - they're a good ally. Much more reliable than Paris imho. Give him a few gifts and maybe the odd settlement and he'll be your BFF. You need help taking on all the Greek factions and his location makes him ideal for giving you an easy route.

[SquadLeader]

Thank you!
I started playing as Thrace, too, and Rhesus is definitely friendlier to play as. :)
But Hector, I mean, he's not bad, but he's simply outnumbered for the above reasons...probably I'll have to rely on some luck, as well. :D

[ik vind geschiedenis leuk]

if you have rhesus and memnon, you should give memnon a go, his unique mechanics are unique, and he is very strong

[Lotor13]

Originally posted by SquadLeader:

I'm not sure if it's me doing it wrong, but I'm basically alone (well, except most other trojan factions and the Amazons) against a good 75% of the other populations.
...
Problem with my allies is that they are overwhelmed...
....
Additionally, a lot of minor factions declare war and while I'm busy brawling with 100 enemies, one of them unexpectedly comes from the sea and gets one of my cities.
...

I like the Troy, but this probably the core problem within gameplay - how the AI act on campaign map and "anti-player bias"

It is simple too much focused against player.. and only against player. AI goes through whole map ignoring everybody on the way, to attack human player. In the late game AI constantly confederates smaller factions against player.

This is one real problem, why many players are dissapointed with Troy and Troy has less popularity than other Total War titles

[SquadLeader]

A bit of a shame, because OVERALL the game is not that bad. It just needs some balancing here and there.
Impressive how most achievements have 10% or less of players who got them.

[Lotor13]

Originally posted by SquadLeader:

A bit of a shame, because OVERALL the game is not that bad. It just needs some balancing here and there.

Overall, the game is good, I like it a lot. Troy received a lot of undeserved hate (haters and "historical experts" complain about setting of Trojan War - it is not Medieval 3), but it has real problems in the gameplay , and the campaign AI is one of them..

Originally posted by SquadLeader:

Impressive how most achievements have 10% or less of players who got them.

The achievements for completing campaign is very low compare to other Total War, I guess, because middle - late game is very "unbalaced" and annoying due to campaign AI (anti-player bias "only focus" and confederating)

[defcon]

Yeah, the campaigns on the Trojan side are definitely tougher. Paris and Hector are really a challenge.

It was helpful for me to completely conquer remote regions like those in the northeast, because the smaller tribes there kept declaring war on me. With these regions, you also have a good economic basis where the Achaeans can't get to so quickly.

I would also recommend to play in Historical mode without mythological units because you have a better balance there.

[SquadLeader]

Thank you Defcon!

This is what I did with Hector, I mercilessly fought most of the tribes in the east and left another army guarding the seaside.
Unfortunately, even the minor tribes managed to put up a fight and delayed Hector's return to the frontlines, so in the end I was overwhelmed by Sparta, Argos, and all the Danaan Pillars that sent countless ships against me specifically, since Dardania was taking its sweet time and Paris was obliterated. XO

I finished Thrace's campaign and I liked its mechanics, I'm currently playing as Lycia and so far so good, although I'm once again in a tight spot because of countless declarations of war of small tribes and Danaan pillars, haha. :D

[ik vind geschiedenis leuk]

honestly, in my experience trojans get all the good stuff. thrace has the good chariot and glass cannons that can easily beat diomedes and odysseus's ones . lycia has classic anatolian units, very useful. amazons have cavalry. base trojans have powerful archers and defensive infantry that go toe-to-toe with their greek counterparts. memnon has fast elite medium infantry, elite multi-purpose heavy infantry, heavy chariots(not the best but fine), good archer chariots, strong archers, fast firing slings, good anti-flanking medium sword/axe and shield infantry, elite offensive two handed spear infantry, fine javelin throwers, low level clubmen and more. and most of the mechanics are better too, though both amazons have the opposit of synergy in their rosters and mechanics. I guess greeks get paragons and allied units, but is that really better than instant armies?

[SquadLeader]

I also noticed Trojans get a lot of good units, unfortunately since you're usually outnumbered, you're unable to create enough armies to fight back 4-5 pillars that may focus you anytime.

I always try to turtle my wah through for a number of turns, but to be honest it's also a matter of luck, because if your allies get defeated then you're next and the Campaign is not worth my time anymore in that case. :)
Might as well start a new one and hope the odds are more in my favour, sometimes Hector or Aeneas are very aggressive and they get really far. :O