Rebel guidance.

[williamsiddell]

Where do they appear?

At the start of the game: Anywhere - as mentioned elsewhere there are inacessable places where rebels appear (Spain, Armenia). Unfortunately for you they've been there from the start.

It's said that there is an increased chance of rebels where there is unrest or slave boosts in a city.
Evidence: Rebels don't appear in long settled provinces.

On the road to a port: Never - the game allows only a blockade to disrupt sea trade.
Evidence: Ever seen rebels on Caralis?

Rebels generate on road trade routes - if you a find a particular group too irritating then reload.

The chance of rebels increases with the length of road.
Evidence: The constant appearance on Scythian roads. And then there is Halicarnassus - often has rebels at game start, but never after (only a port road and very short road to a bridge).

Rebels can be 'nudged' off roads to free up trade - and even better 'nudged' into another faction's territory :)

Edit: Ooops wrong again. I've just discovered rebels not on a road in Halicarnassus. Tit

[Myth]

In my experience they appear whenver unrest is high in a province, even if it's not rebelling directly. If you leave them unattended for too long you get permanent devastation which decreases your income from that settlement.

[williamsiddell]

If you leave them unattended for too long you get permanent devastation

Can you put a number on that? I like to play 'just in time'.

[ReluctantSamurai]

If you leave them unattended for too long you get permanent devastation

I was under the impression that devastation caused by brigands clears up eventually just like that caused by invading armies? I could be wrong

[Vincent Butler]

Usually it is the Brigands who disrupt trade, and the Brigands are the ones I see on the roads. It is my understanding that if it is not Brigands, say the Iceni Rebels in Britannia, they will not disrupt trade. Correct me if I am wrong, anyone. Those Halicarnassus rebels off the road might not be Brigands, but instead Lydian Rebels or something like that. I have noticed rebels like to pop up between Ariminium (or Arretium, I get the two confused) and Tarentum, and again just north of Ariminium (or Arretium, whichever one is to the east). Those usually have mercenary Hastati.

[williamsiddell]

Those Halicarnassus rebels off the road

It was quite funny that I hadn't seen new rebels in Halicarnassus - until just after I started this thread. I've lost the save so I don't know what they were. Halicarnassus is interesting because it starts with six rebel units, four of which soon move out. Those four are high quality and so are expensive to bribe early in the game. If you then bribe Halicarnassus (for a good price considering it comes with a wonder), those rebels will not cause devastation meaning you can leave them and bribe when needed. I presume other starting rebel cities are the same.

just north of Ariminium

Do you mean south?

I've had rebels that started on the Sakae road which then moved to a watchtower I created. Those didn't cause devastation for some time, but after about 20 turns did. I agree that some rebels behave differently, but I thought it was some minor bug - I'll keep an eye open.

[Vincent Butler]

Could be south, I don't think it is always the same, they are just right outside the city walls. It seems to vary, north seems to be predominant to me, they move around. They are different from the units that appear between Ariminium and Tarentum. Typically I don't bribe rebel units till I have a lot of money, I prefer to destroy them. Sometimes I will have armies of pure cav for dealing with rebel armies. That works best if you confine that army to a region, it is quicker to destroy the rebels with units from a city than to wait for the cav army to get there.

[williamsiddell]

Typically I don't bribe rebel units till I have a lot of money

I nearly always bribe rebels early in the game for three reasons:

1) They're cheap.
2) They are usually of the same culture as your faction and so some will join your side - saving you build time and population loss (that group at Halicarnassus forms the core of my Asia Minor army when playing the Greek Cities).
3) The cost per turn of a small army set up to kill rebels is likely to be more than the cost of devastation the rebels cause.

[Vincent Butler]

Try it as Rome, the only time you can do it is those Italian rebel armies have the Mercenary Hastati, Velites, or Town Watch. I don't know how the Gladiator ones work. Greek style units are more widespread. I don't think barbarians can get the Merc Warband, because the icon is different. I have heard, I think on this forum somewhere, that Britain and Gaul cannot bribe each other's Warband to their side because the icon is different. Greece does not have that problem, the Militia Hoplites icon is the same, as is the Hoplite one (I believe). Probably same for Archers and Peltasts, I would have to look when I am in the game again.