Trying to play the Bosporan alternate campaign and just getting reked, I've probably done 5 different starts and only had 2 semi-successful starts after winning battles against the odds and even those I still ended up too far behind sauromatae and got killed by them in the start of the mid game.

I know they have a very challenging start compared to a lot of factions. I was wondering if anyone has found success playing them, what strategy did you employ, how aggressive did you expand compared to trying to build up cities? which rebel cities did you focus on, when did you disband your expensive army or did you disband them? when do you go after sauromatae