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The Kingdom of Parthia is one of the playable factions in Rome: Total War.
The flag of Parthia
They can be played after successfully completing a campaign as a Roman faction or by simple modifications to the game files. Parthia has nearby rebels to conquer and three immediate factions to contend with: Scythia, Armenia, and the Seleucid Empire.
Heavily armor-plated Parthian Cataphracts decimate Roman Cavalry.
Introduction[]
The Parthians are a nomadic people who conquered and settled in the area near the Caspian Sea in the 4th century BC as part of the Dahae confederation. Since that time the Parthians, under their Arsacid rulers (named after King Arsaces I), have fiercely maintained their independence. The Seleucids have, from time to time, claimed to be the overlords of Parthia and, from time to time, have actually been strong enough to try and enforce their claim. This is not something that endears the Seleucid Empire to the Parthian kings.
The Parthians have the potential to be a great power – perhaps a great Empire – as they sit close to or astride the main trade routes from the east to the Mediterranean. The wealth of the world flows through these lands: a fortune that could pay for any army that an ambitious king could imagine. This wealth is there for the taking, for the people with the will to stretch out their hands and grasp it. Historically, the Parthians managed to become a great power, and fight off the advance of Rome into their heartlands.
To the north are the barbarian steppes, peopled by fierce tribes who require watching. To the west, though, lie the Seleucid Empire and the lands of Alexander’s successors. These too are ruled by ambitious men. And beyond them, the rising power of Rome, and the traders of Carthage. Perhaps common cause could be made with them, for a while…
Description[]
Parthia is a secession from the Seleucid Empire brought to life one of the powers in Rome: Total War's time period. Controlling many unique units and having an interesting position in the game, a Parthian shot can easily become a Parthian siege.
The Parthian forces have mainly poor infantry but rely on good cavalry such as extremely heavily armored cataphracts, which can use their base attack to shatter even Roman armored units. Powerful cavalry, consisting of cataphracts and horse archers, is what drives the Parthian war machine. Their infantry leaves much to be desired, but this empire is still a powerful presence on the globe. Parthia, famed for its horse archers, is obviously strong in cavalry. Their ground troops are rather weak, but used to reinforce the cavalry.
Tactics and Strategy[]
Since Parthia has very strong horse archers building up a good number of them in the begining a good tactic. In battle be sure to set them to skirmish mode and try to lure the enemy army into splitting up its forces. Concentrate your fire on a few of the enemy units and when they are shaken or wavering you can charge them and they will break. Repeat this process until the entire army is fleeing.
Parthia starts at the far eastern edge of the map in and around Asia Minor. The Parthians also may have access to War Elephants, which can be recruited from Elite Cavalry Stables.
Their starting cities are:
- Arsakia: Parthian Capital City; Region - Media
- Suza: Persian Capital City; Region - Elymais
- Campus Sakae: Parthian Large Town; Region - Tribus Sakae
In Rome Total War 1 (on very hard difficulty for both campaign and battles), if Parthia is an AI faction and the player is without influence in Asia, Parthia will initally do well, taking Babylonia from the Seleucid Empire. However as Egypt becomes the most powerful faction in the area, and as Armenia also becomes stronger, the Parthians will struggle, eventually losing all their territory apart from the northernmost territory, Campus Sakae. By this point they will have run out of money and eventually the Scythians will take their last territory, and the Parthians will be wiped from the map.
Units[]
- Peasants
- Hillmen
- Eastern Infantry
- Slingers
- Archers
- Cataphracts
- Cataphract Camels
- Eastern General (Skirmish only)
- Armoured Eastern General (Skirmish only)
- War Elephants
- Horse Archers
- Persian Cavalry
- Onager
- Bedouin Warriors (Skirmish only)
- Arab Cavalry (Skirmish only)
- Bedouin Archers (Skirmish only)