Started a campaign last night

[Myth]

Grand Campaign with Rome. I can say I got immersed and satisfied. I figured out my starting gambit with Rome under the new rules. I am pleasantly surprised at how good the game is now actually.

Once I get around 50 more turns I'll update my mini guide. First of all, the changes to the tech tree now prompt the use of Hastati/Principes/Triarii for the first half of the game (or sooner, depending on when you invest into tier 3 tech). The AI is smarter and more deadly than it ever was in the past.

For example, the old approach of getting a band of Hastati and Veites and conquering the Etrusans and Cartage with them no longer works. Now you must blockade the settlement on Sardinia to prevent the AI from raising more stacks in there, while you use a stack to wipe the Etruscans out from Italy.

Carthage has parked a full stack on Corsica. I am also so glad now that they made me care about diplomacy - seeing the Daorsi are securing the Adriatic coast and Liguria wiped out the Venetii made me so happy, because I felt more secure. Especially seeing the Venetii go, who are a huge threat early on. Following Slaist's model of "snowballing diplomacy" I manged to get NAPs with Athens and Sparta, trade with Athens, as well as NAP/Trade with the Daorsi. Even if Liguria decides to march down from the Alps, I'll meet them with Principes and whittle them down. Meanwhile my gaze turns to Carthage, who is no longer the pushover it once was. I don't know what changed, but I get the feeling the "African superleague" is no longer chopping them to bits. I'm actually glad to have a NAP with Syracuse and I'm hoping they would join the inevitable war with the Baal worshippers and thus keep Lybia at bay long enough for me to crush Carthage.

I have a minor gripe with naval battles still, because they just don't feel as natural and as smooth as land battles. But whatever, I'm used to ARing with navies anyway. When I get siege ships maybe I'll lead more. Overall, I can't wait to finish up the Rome campaign and go for a Massagetae campaign.

[CaptainCrunch]

... I have a minor gripe with naval battles still, because they just don't feel as natural and as smooth as land battles...

Naval battles are so broken by the gamey contrivances coded in by CA to assist the AI that the only way I can manually play them to any level of satisfaction is through modding and ranged attack (artillery). Close-in ramming and boarding where precise maneuvering and timing is critical is completely FUBAR.

[Kamakazi]

I recently stated a Syracuse GC and while at war with Rome and Carthage they are pretty freakin sneaky... and deadly.... its a good workout of my strategic skills

[Alcibiade]

If CA could only allow galleys to paddle backwards it would impove naval fights a lot. I still don't get why it's not possible...

I mean they did reverse-row, didn't they ?

[Slaists]

I have not played much with the latest patch (house guests, real life, etc.), but the few turns I did with Carthage (Barcids) looked promising. Roman AI has taken full control of the Italian peninsula (sparing the Northern regions which are under firm Ligurian control) and now they look more threatening than ever especially since, as Barcids, I cannot afford much of an army. Anyway, CA has made great improvements in the campaign relative to the roll-out version of the game. I wish I had started playing the game now, not some 9 months ago, LOL.

As to naval battles: the bigger ones are crazy; in smaller ones though (up to 10 ships per side), ramming with proper naval ships carries the day for me. It is a costly affair though.

[Alcibiade]

Roman AI has taken full control of the Italian peninsula (sparing the Northern regions which are under firm Ligurian control)

A surviving Rome AI ? That's quite a surprise ! Without using any mod ?

[Jarmam]

In my experience AI Rome has become more resilient than it used to be. I'm glad that it's not just a fluke in my few games.

[CaptainCrunch]

If CA could only allow galleys to paddle backwards it would impove naval fights a lot. I still don't get why it's not possible...

I mean they did reverse-row, didn't they ?

Oh yes. Backwatering was an actual tactic used in classic formations such as the 'periplus'. The Greeks used it quite famously against the Persian fleet at Salamis. The battle line would point its rams facing the enemy and slowly backwater drawing them in while the hidden extended line performed a flanking maneuver.

[Slaists]

A surviving Rome AI ? That's quite a surprise ! Without using any mod ?

Yes, a surviving Rome AI (no mods, vanilla, patch 12 beta). My game is only some 15 turns into the campaign. Given that I am playing as Carthage, Rome is not likely to survive for long though ;)

[Spoonska]

I started a new campaign about a week ago with the goal of achieving "This Is Total War" and the win without auto-resolving achievements. It's been some fun. It reminds a lot of Shogun 2 because I'm constantly under attack and under agent spam.

It's been really slow going. I'm at turn #100 I think, maybe a little under that. All I own at the moment is pretty much modern day France. It's not a lot but it's enough to support 6 armies and 1 fleet. I've had a lot of fun with Barbarian armies. This is my first Barbarian playthrough. My armies mainly consist of : 1- Oathsworn General, 2 - Balista, 4-5 Slingers, 4 Chosen Spearmen , 2 Heavy Horse, 6 Chosen Swordsmen.

The campaign map has been uninteresting I would say. From what I've seen Lusitania has conquered almost all of Iberia and Rome has Italy + the alps. I don't see anyone gaining map, but it's nice to see some big factions for once. The most frustrating thing from the AI is still sieges. It really seems like 1 in 4 sieges the AI is inactive.

I like my strat however I need to adjust some before Civil War happens. I've pretty much kept full stacks in cities along bordering countries, while I have 1-2 stacks pushing out. Like I said though slow going. Hopefully by the end of today it won't be a problem. I'm planning on getting a lot of playing time in and I should start to snowball if I play my cards right.