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Thread: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

  1. #151

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I just started playing the Western Roman Empire campaign (only played a few turns). I am playing on medium/medium though. It doesn't seem too difficult. I've played the long RTW campaigns with the Scipio and the Selecuid Empire (which was a cakewalk. That faction is excellent).

    In the early turns I took financial losses but stabilised the rioting settlements. Only one revolted because there was no governor there, but was swiftly won back in the next turn.

    Of course, the state religion is paganism. Churches were demolished, priest units (good for nothings) disbanded, and proper pagan temples built in their place. The public were provided with games (probably in which Christians were being thrown to the lions, actually that should happen and games should influence conversion more than 5%, as they also encourage conversion to paganism as well as get rid of the Christian population!) to take their mind off the lack of churches and to turn them into proper Romans. In the same vein Christian faction members are not allowed faction leadership or governance in larger provinces.

    Much of the kingdom has been reclaimed from Christianity. Carthage remains its last stronghold, only because of a nasty Christian governor with excellent management and influence traits. He will be replaced soon though, either assassinated (can you assassinate your own faction members? hmm, got to try that sometime) or sent to live in a fort in the middle of nowhere.

    Also, my forces are gathering at the borders. The attacks will commence soon. :)

  2. #152
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Is it just me or does the game really lack historical battles, there are only two available! What about all the other famous battles, even I know the battle of Adrianople fought between Visigoths and ERE. There should be lots of them during times like that.

  3. #153

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I lost the pc I had been playing my old ERE campaign on (+400 years down the drain :[ ), so, with my new pc, I decided to give the WRE a spin. I had tried playing them before, but my lack of patience, coupled with all the WRE's problems, soon put me off. However, this time, I was determined to make it work.

    As always, I started the game to find crippling money problems, rebeling towns and half the game's enemies on my doorstep. Previously, I had destroyed buidlings and expensive units, but this time I just let them be. I built a few temples and sewers around the place, just to keep people happy, and upped the garrisons in places; notably Spain, where it's very hard to keep order. (One small note; I ALWAYS destroy areanas. They are not good! There are other ways of making people happy, which dont' rely on a staggeringly large amount of money.)

    As the WRE, despite a huge army upkeep, I only had 2 field armies to begin with, both under half-strength. A proven tactic in my last tries, was to take Campus Alleman, and wipe out the Allemane faction early on. So, I merged my two armies and took the city in a few turns. All was good. Then I made the mistake of attacking the Franks. I won the battle, yes, but I forgot that the Franks could horde. At that time they did not bother me, and merely retreated north. After this, I got the rebbellions, two at that time, mainly in Gaul. My army quickly reclaimed them.

    After a few years of rebeling-reclaiming, the Vandals eventually arrived in Italy. Strangely, they bipassed Rome, and began an assualt on western Gaul. My army (WRE's bad finances meant I could only have one) destroyed them after a series of long battles (the most humourus being a 5v1, where they took +3000 casualties). After only the faction leader remained, I left him and sent my army back to Italy, where the Samartians where making themselves known. Unlike the Vandals, the Samartians where content to attack Italy, siegeing Ravena. My army quickly arrived on the scene, but, after the casualties taken from the Vandal battles, lost a number of battles. However, with reinforcements from Rome, the Samartians where eventually destroyed.

    With a sigh of "no rest for the wicked", I turned my solitary army around, and marched them north, where the Franks had cut a large swathe out of my territory. Another brutal campaign saw them once again defeated, but still alive, taking refuge in eastern Europe, where I can only hope the battling Goths, Huns and ERE will destroy them.

    Overall, after 70 in game years, and <10 hours, I'd say my campaign is going very well; much better than I thought it would be. Most of western Europe is under Roman law, whilst the east is currently being fortified for when the Huns finnaly arrive (must have taken a wrong turning somewhere). The seperate theatres of Britain and Africa are caught in a cycle of rebellion/loyalitst uprising, though these are basically holding me back; I might just cut my losses and leave them for the rebels.

    So, my take on the WRE army.
    Infantry = mediocre. Limitanei and foderati are just fodder and cant hold up in a fight against anything. Both should be used as garrison troops, with foderati as the garrison on the front lines. Comitasenses are where the WRE excell. They're not nessecarily cheap, but they're easily avalible, and can slaughter pretty much any other infantry I've come across so far. Auxilia Palitia i haven't had the chance to use yet; so it seems WRE have to pay alot and wait even longer for any decent spearmen.
    Archers = poor. Only archers and bullecari, neither are exceptional (unlike Eastern Archers; god I miss ERE). I favour standard archers over bullecari; for price and avalibilty.
    Cavalry = good. Suprisingly, the WRE cavalry really works. Though foderati are useless, Samartian cavalry and above are amazing; easily a match for the cavalry the hordes throw at you.

    I use a standard set up of: 10 comitasenses, 4 units of Samartain cavalry, a general and 4 units of archers, for a perfect field army.

  4. #154

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    That's the spirit, hard work equals success. hey, what ethics this game promotes:P

  5. #155

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I never had problems putting large armies of limitanei into the field...against most barbarian foot troops they hold their own in sufficient numbers, and provide a good base to rally cavalry behind and protect archers. Granted, against the horde cavalry you'll face you'll want some higher quality stuff, buuut comitatenses aren't much better in that regard.
    I don't have a signature yet.

    ...

    Oh, wait...

  6. #156
    Member Member julianus heraclius's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Guys, you should head over to the TWC Invasio Barbarborum site where you will find various mods of the vanilla BI. All very good and very historical.

    Cheers

  7. #157

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Hmm, I guess I spoke a little too early...earlier.

    You are in fact, despite what i said before, completely doomed when you play as the WRE. Soon after posting my report, my empire began to fall apart. Usuaally this is down to major rebbeling, but, this time, the game acctualy did what it was suspposed to, and all the hordes arrived on my doorstep. The Slavs were the main perpetrators, taking western Gaul and Spain in quick succession. The Burgundii also arrived in Italy, taking Mediolanium and Ravenna. The Franks also caused no end to trouble in the north.

    Eventually, I was stuck in Italy, with only 5 provinces left, and sitting on a debt of around 100,000 denarii. Thankfully, probably due to playing on Easy mode , I began to get my money back, 2000 denarii a turn. Eventually, in 488, I began to hit the posotives. My last emperor (the last Flavian) died, and the empire passed to the young Odacer Pansa. Taking what meagre funds that had been gathered, he invested in 8 units of comitsatenses, and marched north. Mediolanium, Ravenna, Vicus Alemanni, Vicus Franki, Odacer took them all. Taking a dead Empire back from the brink of destruction, he surged northwards leaving a trail of dead Franks, Slavs and rebels in his wake. In just over 10 years the Empire had almost tripled in size, along with the Imperial treasury. By 500, Odacer the Great (affectionatly known as the Roman Alexander) stopped his campaign, and took a well desrerved break in the north, preparing to face the Slavic incursions in the West, the Frankish assaults in the North and the inevitable ERE expansion from the East. The Slavs came first, trying to sieze back their territory along the French coast. Most of the assaults failed, but some ground was lost. The Franks and ERE continued to wait, no doubt for Odacer to die and leave the Empire open for an assault.

    As Odacer neared his death, his only son, Cassius, came of age, and Odacer, wanting to see the capital again, marched south, with his son and the remains of those faithful units which had accompanied him all those years ago.

    After suppressing several uprisings and besting a few Slavic armies, Odacer finaly made it back to Italy, but died of old age, in 524, before he could again see Rome. The young Cassius, now emperor, quickly returned to the capital.

    With Odacer dead and buried, the Eastern Romans saw their oppurtunity to invade, witha lightning strike campaign, which divided the Empire in two, leaving Italy and a part of the Northern coast. The Franks, now a horde faction, made their reapparance in Gaul, along with new Slavic armies.

    Now, in 550, the northern provinces have been annexed, and the WRE stands as it did in 488, isolated and bankrupt. (whats the cheat for money? :P ). Now however, there are ERE armies posied to surge down to Rome.

    Revised army summary:

    It seems comitsatenses are really the way forward for the Roman factions. Don't use a field army with less than 5 of these units. Back them up with Auxilia Palitia, Bulecarii and Samartian Cavalry (Don't stoop to Foderati cav, and don't bother paying extra for the others; Samartians fit the bill perfectly). Maybe some artilley too; WRE has quite a range.

  8. #158
    Beware! Relentless Looter! Member Flavius Merobaudes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Interesting campaign, c4stigator.
    Quote Originally Posted by c4stigator
    It seems comitsatenses are really the way forward for the Roman factions. Don't use a field army with less than 5 of these units.
    Commitatenses are quite a good unit, but I prefer to use Plumbatarii instead. They have the same upkeep and cost only 50 bucks more, which is absolutely affordable. They have a longer range (70 vs. 40), deal one more damage and have better endurance, plus they are "highly_trained" to keep better formation and won't rout. You've got plenty of large cities in the beginning, which can train them, if the structures are present. One First Cohort, 4 Plumbatarii and 4 Auxilia Palatina make up the core of my legions.

  9. #159
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I'm grateful for the Sarmatian Auxilia. more cost efficent than Scholae Palatina and Equite Cataphracts. The game is very good but all the steppes factions seems to have all he exact same units. with only minor difference.

  10. #160
    Beware! Relentless Looter! Member Flavius Merobaudes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by QuintusJulius-Cicero
    I'm grateful for the Sarmatian Auxilia.
    So am I. They are worth their weight in gold. I must confess I sometimes spam them against the hordes.



    I'll have to deal with 4 hordes simultaneously, soon. Somehow, the Sarmatians managed to fend off the Huns and Vandals...

  11. #161
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Your army looks like Parthia in RTW. I try to keep a balanced force. The situation looks tough. How many fronts are you fighting on?

  12. #162
    Beware! Relentless Looter! Member Flavius Merobaudes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by QuintusJulius-Cicero
    Your army looks like Parthia in RTW. I try to keep a balanced force. The situation looks tough. How many fronts are you fighting on?
    I know the Sarmatian spam is an exploit, but it's just an emergency measure. Aquincum can train them from turn 1, and with a nightbattle capable character, they are the ultimate horde and general killers. I nearly managed to send the Vandal royal family to their ancestors, but didn't have enough movement points left for the last stack, so they had time to adopt a captain.

    I'm currently training my first regular legion in Rome that will stay in northern Italy until the horde threat is gone. It consists of the Magister Peditum, 1 unit of priests, 1 First Cohort, 4 Plumbatarii, 4 Auxilia Palatina, 2 Archers, 2 Equites Sagittarii, 4 Sarmatian Auxilia and 1 of these amazing carriage ballistae. That last unit is another exploit by its own...

    It will take some time, but I'm confident I'll wear the hordes down. I'll keep a constant pressure on them, attacking each and every turn, and my economy can provide a steady flow of reinforcements. Anyway, Rome wasn't built in a day...

    I got a ceasefire with the Alemanni - they seem to be more interested in the rebel settlements and sneak around Vicus Franki. I got trade rights with the other Germans and they behave until now.

    The Celts have a strong army near Dal Riada, but didn't attack yet. However, my assassin does a good job killing their agents and family members. The Saxons came over for some sight-seeing in Edinburgh and are now at war with the Scots (Celts). Probably an argument about who has the better beer. This is very good for us wine-drinking Romans...

    I send the army from Sicily to Tingi, and the Berbers are now officially crippled with only the desert village left. The ERE has its own problems and hasn't even thought about breaking the alliance yet. So the only serious threat are the hordes.

    I went all Christian (except Eburacum) on turn one and it's starting to pay off as I got a homogenous Empire and a strong economy by now. One problem remains: the unstoppable population growth. But there I use a third exploit, population control by riots. If a town grows too fast, pull out your garrison and set taxes to very high. This will raise your income and decrease population. Stalinistic methods, but hey, it's a game and the late Roman empire was a military dictatorship anyway. Don't forget to reclaim control the next turn however.

    When this campaign starts to get boring, I'll try to reconvert and found the Holy Roman Empire of Mithras...
    Last edited by Flavius Merobaudes; 02-26-2008 at 21:20.

  13. #163
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    The Magister Peditum is quite superb, though I do miss Eastern archers. and I rather have Commitantes than Plums. I'm just sorta of fond of them. the Iberian penisular is the first of the purges, all town masscred. destroying all military building will bring little income, but this will insure future riots will end up with no more than peasants garrison. which is easily taken out by generals. Christianity should be the state religion, it was easier with the East. you're getting along well with the Germans states. In my campaign The Franks were hard to deal with, with hordeble ability. while I was prepared to abandon Britain to the Celts, but the invading army was not as formidable as i first thought. Felix did a good job. The Saxons are in a mega war with the Burgadians. The Lambords are nowhere to be seen. The long feared steppes eventually came. But I had good armies in Ravenna, taking hordes out 1 step a time and also I had superb assassins preying on unprotected horde family members. The East had it’s own problems but the Berbers were really annoying. Had to use the Carthaginian wall to ensure my control in Africa. Haven’t though as Tingi, probably should of taken it and ended the African trouble. I liked the Pavarturii. They were the Arcanis of the late Empire. I also had 1 unit of Scholae Palatina. Carriage ballistae were useful, being equivalent of Horse archers with more fire power. Never noticed what advantage pagan temples bring, what advantage do they bring………………….

  14. #164

    Question Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Hey I was wondering what people use to defeat Hordes? Only thing I do now is autoresolve battles with them which I feel is gamey as it gives me victories I can't gain on my own. Also were is the Berber city deep in Africa? I bought the game on Trademe and it didn't have a map

  15. #165
    Member Member Critical Bill's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Not being that good at the game, I use a nifty combination of bridges, carriage ballista, heavy onagers, archers and plumbatarii. Also a few units of Auxlia Palitinae to hold off any cavalry that get through.

    It's the only way I can come up with of not being annihalated by massed horse archers.

  16. #166
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by Jalex
    Hey I was wondering what people use to defeat Hordes? Only thing I do now is autoresolve battles with them which I feel is gamey as it gives me victories I can't gain on my own. Also were is the Berber city deep in Africa? I bought the game on Trademe and it didn't have a map

    The best way to defeat hordes is loads of cavalry charges. Sarmatian auxiliary is key to your victory. Commentanteis are more than enough to handle any infantry the hordes can throw at you, Auxilia Palatina might be needed in case if the enemy have strong cavalry presence, Carriage ballista is also very effective. Also night attack really helps; as it separates one single horde army from their reinforcement army, so your soldiers don’t have to fight more than one army at once.

    I believe the Berbers have a city (Dimmidi) right in the heart of the Sahara, and also another city, Tingi in modern Morocco. Can’t find a map for BI at the movement.

  17. #167
    The Dam Dog Senior Member Sheogorath's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    My strategy for the WRE was simple. Everything outside of Italy and Carthage was demolished and/or disbanded. All those govonors got to sit around in settlements with taxes set on high until they revolted or were killed by barbarians/rebels. I also threw in a Christian church in each settlement to ensure that any barbarians who happened along would be faced with a very unhappy population.
    My next move was to stabilize Italy. This meant lowering taxes (unfourtunatly), bringing in a few surviving legions from outside to stabilize the more rebellious cities, and exterminating the population of a couple of cities that just didnt want to stay calm.
    This is probably the most difficult part, as the financial problems brought on by maintaining the army mean that I'm 20k in debt and only gaining 700 or so per turn. This is rectified by a wandering stack which is sacking cities left and right, but its starting to get worn down.
    As my main targets for disbandments were cavalry and comestinates, my military isnt up to much in the way of expansion as of yet.
    But Rome will rise again! And there will be proper Roman-style orgies for all! None of that barbarian drunking carousing!
    Tallyho lads, rape the houses and burn the women! Leave not a single potted plant alive! Full speed ahead and damn the cheesemongers!

  18. #168

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by Quintus.J.Cicero
    Is it just me or does the game really lack historical battles, there are only two available! What about all the other famous battles, even I know the battle of Adrianople fought between Visigoths and ERE. There should be lots of them during times like that.
    Perhaps the problem is partly due to a lack of detailed historical accounts and sources. There needs to be a lot more solid info, than "battle of X where Y were defeated", to make a plausible "model" battle. According to the mil. history book I've got on period even included famous battle like "Chalons" is short on solid info, probably the game version includes more cavalry than actually fought at time.

    Historically, massed light infantry archers defensively dominated horse archers, through greater range and fire density. The HC would actually be lured away, and then find themselves in huge trouble isolated, tiring; facing more maneuvrable missile LC with fresh HC coming in for the kill later. The game may distort things, by not making LC faster, and higher movement stamina than HC.

    But the problem was of course, that very strategically mobile cavalry armies, could not be pinned down and destroyed decisively. Later in history, raiding armies could only be tackled once they were encumbered by booty.
    Last edited by RLucid; 04-30-2008 at 09:19.

  19. #169
    Vicious Celt Warlord Member Celtic_Punk's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    the game is supposed to make you lose as this faction.
    when i tried my cards at this faction i pretty much hung all the rioters
    and tried to find some area to consolidate in, and let my borders collapse so i would have a somewhat strong position. i eventually gave up tho... found out you could mod the factions so i could play as the celts :P
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  20. #170
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by RLucid
    Perhaps the problem is partly due to a lack of detailed historical accounts and sources. There needs to be a lot more solid info, than "battle of X where Y were defeated", to make a plausible "model" battle. According to the mil. history book I've got on period even included famous battle like "Chalons" is short on solid info, probably the game version includes more cavalry than actually fought at time..........
    .
    Adrianople !

  21. #171

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Well the Wiki write up kind of illustrates my point, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Adrianople

    There are fewer well documented battles to choose from, and we don't know the criteria for choosing them. Then again perhaps the success of the campaign game, mean less emphasis on historical battles. They may have been partly developed for RTW, because of the Time Commanders / Decisive Battle TV usage, and if marketing didn't think they'd be a selling point, then less effort goes in.

    When I installed BI, it was historic battles I looked at, for a quick try out; so actually I do agree with your main point, and only a CA spokesman could give official reasons, and would we believe PR statements anyway?

  22. #172
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    List of Roman battles.
    There so many to choose from 365A.D-476. Plus you can have some outside that time-frame (Asculum was in 279B.C while Badon Hill was after the BI have official finished as well).

  23. #173

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Nice long list, but there often seems not to be any meat on the bones.

  24. #174
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by RLucid
    Nice long list, but there often seems not to be any meat on the bones.
    Surely some are good enough to make it to the historical battles. Of course not all of them are worth of a place.

  25. #175

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Suppose you design a mod offering the battles. Aren't you going to worry about quibbles about historical accuracy and such like? Market an evolutionary update to RTW. You think it's the historic battles that sell the game, or the campaign?

    Compare with the ease of doing the minimum possible...
    Last edited by RLucid; 05-02-2008 at 15:42.

  26. #176
    Senior Member Senior Member Quintus.JC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    All of the original historically battles are barely 80% historically accurate, but at least it’s there.

  27. #177

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    And what response did they have?
    What was the expected market for RTW v RTW BI?

    I agree with you it'd be nice to have historic battles, just doubt anyone hard nosed think they are what sells the game and especially an upgrade to a less sexy decline of empire time.

  28. #178

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    My Strategy as the WRE (playing with Vanilla Balance Mod/Bugfixer mod) was to christianize the empire on the first turn by destroying all shrines and replacing, i also destroyed all milatary buildings except inand try to stop as many cities as possible from rebelling whilst trying not to disband my whole army. Obvious All light cav copped it but i kept sarmatians since i think there was only 2-3 units, most other units stayed, even the boats (previously i always sunk) as this helped my plan. Capital bacame Masillia.

    I formed an army in Iberia, Northern Italy, Africa and Gaul and money was sound for the first few turns until rebelions in The Balkans, Northern Italy, Iberia, Britianna, Sicily and Gaul and i briefly dipped into the red. In Africa the army consisted of a few family members, comms and archers about 9 strong, so i crossed the ocean and sacked Sicily and headed back to Carthage to keep building this army was very small but sicily got me closer to the black. In Iberia the army again was family and this time archers and spears and sacked Cathago Nova and then Salamanca and got into the black. The Africa and Iberia armies then joined there strenght to give 3/4 stack of troops and proceeded to sack Tingi and Dimiddi and take out the Berbers. Treasury starting to function for the Border Cities, Lepcis Magna in Africa got a semblance of a garrison rather than peasants. Whilst forming this army for Iberia/Africa i dumped a heap of Pagan Family members and some christian embezzlers in a single navy and deposited them to the bottom of the ocean.

    Meanwhile the Northern Italy Army (fully buffed from rome)Sacked its way thru the North and the Balkans building exp garrisons at Mediolanium, Raetia, Pannonia and Salona. The Vandals came knocking and where repulsed with the Goths which both are in Dacia now with one settlement each and no armies(job done). Although Aquicum is a rebel buffer state until i gain more strength. More family members down the ocean floor.

    Gaul had the most trouble, Lomabards and Burgadians were set free by the Franks and Saxons who both hold Germania( and still haven't bothered with Gaul - thank god) Burgadians destroyed by franks and i destroyed the Lomabards after they retook Avaricum and regained there strength. I destroyed the Almanni early to gain another buffer state (rebel due to the Huns sacking) I only just built up enough cash to properly garrison and equip 2 Gaul armies to destroy the Huns on their way thru and now the Celts in brittania.

    As its stands the west is mine the east is the ERE since they have dominated the persians i took all the hordes out (sarmatians/Roxlani doing nothing yet) and the ERE has just declared war again and then Pax Romana once they are gone!!

  29. #179
    Member Member Agent Miles's Avatar
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    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    My first try with the WRE is surprisingly easy on VH/VH, no mods and huge units. I eliminated most of the troop producing buildings and a lot of the troops on the first turn, which kept me out of debt from that point on. I moved the capital to Massila and queued up as many peasants as it took to keep at least blue faces everywhere. I specialized the settlements in Italy for HA’s and crossbow infantry types. This allowed me to make cavalry heavy armies with silver weapons and armor from Rome. I had two riots on turn two and a few thereafter, but not one settlement has actually rebelled.
    I quickly fortified my frontier with the east along the Rhine and Danube which helped a lot. I put together a group of pagan Family Members and used them to smash rebels in Spain and Gaul. Their bodyguard regenerate and heavy cavalry rocks. I targeted the Berbers and the Celts for extinction which simplified my borders strategically. I send the troops I produce in Italy to the Army of the Rhine or the Danube each of which has a six star commander. I use the initial troops with lots of mercenaries elsewhere. The ERE declared war almost immediately, but have only run from my armies. I have taken Athens and the only problem they pose is a stack of nine large ships that defy destruction. The Vandals have arrived but are mostly just wandering between the ERE and Salona. I was able to make a team of Christian FM’s and agents that convert a completely pagan settlement in about two turns. After more than a decade the WRE leads in every category.
    Last edited by Agent Miles; 11-17-2008 at 18:32.
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  30. #180

    Default Re: Western Roman Empire (BI faction)

    My first experience with it was to just march out of a number of the disgruntled town, allowing them to rebel. Once they did so, I simply crushed the rebels and then massacred the town. For towns like Carthage and Rome herself, this quickly provided a huge amount of cash, and the locals soon learn that to defy is to die. Overextension = bad. I gave up on Britannia immediately and consolidated my hold on mainland Europe (after selling everything, of course) - basically following the real WRE's footsteps there. The additional troops from Britannia were merged with my Gallic forces and sent to crush some nearby Barbarian scum. Hordes are a problem, but are a problem best met head-on; even victories can be costly to them, and while they may gain a bit of ground and your army may suffer defeats at the hands of loads of full stacks, the long odds are in your favour; you can replenish your ranks. They can't. Once crippled, leave them to waste out in the forests and find another victim. The WRE's problem is it's surrounded by a lot of people who really don't like them, and a lot of towns eager to rebel against you too.

    But Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was her Empire. If you war, war mercilessly and do not stop your campaign until they are destroyed utterly. If you are at peace, you might want to let a big settlement well within your borders (e.g., Rome) rebel, reconquer and massacre to strengthen your coffers a bit to prepare for your next conquest.

    Beyond the obligatory trade rights, map sells and alliances of convenience to be reneged on later, sod diplomacy. It's called Total War for a reason. :P
    Last edited by Arcana; 11-17-2008 at 18:26.

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