Friends in High Places: Senate favor and Impossible missions.

[Doug-Thompson]

Does high Senate influence and high rank for family members protect a faction from some of the impossible Senate missions that are such a major complaint among many players?

[Tricky Lady]

It may have been a very lucky coincidence, but when I got several family members at some senate posts, the senate gave me very easy and very rewarding missions to accomplish.
For instance: (I played the Julii) I conquer Massilia, next turn the Senate mission was Conquer Narbonensis and You will Be Rewarded (indeed: got 10000 denarii for accomplishing that mission). Several more examples like that. Unfortunately I lost that savegame to some kind of a bug that doesn't allow me to end a turn without CTD (of course I can relaunch RTW and replay the autosave (mostly) but that gets a bit tedious...)
So I relaunched a new Julii campaign, and until now I haven't got many Quaestors and Aediles and so, and the Senates missions are much more annoying and not even half as rewarding (Oh? You're organising games in my honour for the fifth time? YAWN). I need the cash, now!

But as said, this may just be a lucky coincidence.

[TinCow]

It may just be a coincidence, but the Senate Missions seem to be more accurately located in the general area where I am currently campaigning when I have high ranking members in the Senate. When I have one low position or no positions, they seem to ask some stuff that makes me laugh.

On a side note, my faction leader's son currently holds a higher Senate position than my faction leader! ~:eek:

[Doug-Thompson]

Hmmmm. Interesting.

As a reporter, I don't believe in coincidences. If you were members of the state Legislature, I'd be filing FOI requests by now.

I think there's something to this. I've been the most popular faction with the Senate this game and have had one mission that looked impossible -- blockade an enemy port in the Bosphorus where fleets blocked the narrow access. Then I realized I could easily just take the town, negating the mission.

Now that I'm getting huge, the missions are a bit more of a stretch.

[Haido]

Yeah gotta agree. I hold 4 of the highest post in the senate right now and the other too is the Senate personal holding. I get easier missions and no complaints ever.

[Haido]

Yeah gotta agree. I hold 4 of the highest post in the senate right now and the other too is the Senate personal holding. I get easier missions and no complaints ever.

[Blodrast]

I think there's something to this. I've been the most popular faction with the Senate this game and have had one mission that looked impossible -- blockade an enemy port in the Bosphorus where fleets blocked the narrow access. Then I realized I could easily just take the town, negating the mission.


but the reason this was impossible is because of a bug, though (namely, the stupid zone of control of ships such that one can never cross Gibraltar or Bosphorus, because the AI keeps half a dozen stupid little ships doing nothing over there...so unless you sink them all, there's no way through there). Would it have been difficult otherwise ?
(i.e., was it really far far away from your provinces, or very well guarded, or held by a very powerful faction ?)

[Morindin]

I hold all but one senate office right now, and 40 provinces. The rest of the senate hates me.

My leader hasnt been asked to commit suicide though, and I feel that is because of the family controlling it, I can probably get 50 provinces without them asking for my leader to kill himself at this rate.

I dont particulary get easy missions either.

[Doug-Thompson]

That's begging the question, Blodrast. I didn't get a mission way far away against a well-defended province. Did you get such an impossible mission while your faction had high influence in the Senate and if the Senate had not ganged up against you? If so, my premise is wrong.

Also, I realize the fact that NEUTRAL ships block trade is very annoying, especially since they gather at chokepoints like lice at tight-fitting places in clothing. It's maddening.

I would submit, however, that no mission is impossible, or at least unavoidable --- once you consider the diplomatic options.

For example, consider the typical case: You are ordered to blocade a port you cannot reach. Send a diplomat over and bribe the governor of the province (assuming he's not the faction leader!) or bribe another faction to attack, or bribe a family member and then use him to hire mercenaries and attack.

Easier said than do, I admit, but any one of those options will cause the enemy faction to lose control of the port. Depending on the circumstances, this either will or could result in the Senate cancelling its mission.

Granted, some of those options may be cost-prohibitive. Then we just have to take the hit.

[Blodrast]

sure, Doug, I agree with you, but again, any mission is potentially solvable because of another "bug" (ok, maybe not a bug per se...): the flawed Diplomacy (you can bribe your way out of anything and everything). As you guys have noted in another thread, you can pretty much win the game w/out ever having to fight one battle, just by bribing left and right.

No, I didn't yet have any impossible missions, but I haven't been playing that much lately (no time). I reckon I spend more time on the boards than playing the game, mostly because I browse the boards from work ;P

[AnnieP]

I played Julii and my first two missions were fullfilled promptly: within 3 game turns. The Senate then asked if I could blockade Carthagena for 1 turn :) I guess I did the right thing: I am not risking my meager 2 biremes navy just to have games thrown in my name :)

I guess I will learn if ignore Senate mission is a bad thing.

Annie