Acadian: I developed a real fondness for using spies and assassins in a defensive campaign I did once. The idea is you never leave your starting territories. You just defend them, and try to survive until the game's final end date (of something like 14 AD). I was getting shellacked by the Armenians, who were building super-powered armies of cataphracts and cataphract archers and continually invading me with them. So I sent a bunch of spies and assassins down into all their cities, and destroyed their stables every turn. The stables being the building that allows you to recruit cavalry units. With that the invasions stopped, along with their ability to build any horse units at all. Eventually I bankrupted them, and they could no longer afford to repair the buildings I was destroying with my assassins.
Renee: I remember those old Avalon Hill strategy games, like Squad Leader. I never played them much either. A long time ago some of my RPG friends also played Star Fleet Battles, which was the Star Trek version of grand strategy. They had a huge campaign of Klingons vs. Federation vs. Romulans, with one person acting like a gamemaster between them all. He was the only one who knew where all the units were, since they were using Fog of War rules. So each side could only see their own units, plus those of the others factions within a certain distance of their own troops.
Just when I thought I was out, the Amazons pulled me back in. I am now playing a Bean Sidhe (Banshee) campaign. I smashed the Gauls with swordswomen and chariots. Now I am crushing the Germans and Romans. I am about done with Germania. Not because they are nearly wiped out. Beyond them is the Valkyrja empire, which I would rather not fight. They are Amazons as well, and will give me much more trouble. The Germans are easier to deal with. So I intend to leave a narrow strip of their cities between them and me to act as a buffer, and just slaughter the Germans whenever they are foolish enough to raise my ire.
Down south I am going all out against the Romans. I have two full-sized armies down there now, one for the east coast, one for the west. I just got the ability to create onagers and my high-tier archers. So it is going to be a city-taking, slaughter fest.
Complicating things are the Gorgons. They are the final Amazon faction, from the western Sahara. Why they are coming up on boats to land in my territory in northern Italy is beyond me. But they keep doing it, and keep distracting me from the Romans by attacking the cities in my rear. I have been forced to thrash them on numerous occasions. I am going to have to create a picket line of ships out at sea, to ward off their amphibious landings.
Facing off against the GermansOh noes! A flash flood!Charge!Killer QueenThis game has gone to the dogs