A small question....

[Mikeus Caesar]

...i have heard something about there being a roman civil war some point during the game. if this is true, could someone tell me when it starts? Because i need to know when to start hoarding my units up in my italian cities!

[nokhor]

well, if you're playing a roman faction and you start approaching 30 provinces, the senate starts giving you 'do this or else' missions which if you fail cost you money or family members. once you hit 30 provinces, the senate then ask for the faction leader to commit suicide. if you refuse, civil war, if you agree, faction leader dead. so technically, the civil war doesn't start until you agree to it, but delaying it keeps costing you more.

[TheDuck]

...i have heard something about there being a roman civil war some point during the game. if this is true, could someone tell me when it starts? Because i need to know when to start hoarding my units up in my italian cities!

Another thing...

You will get messages in game that state that your popularity with the plebs in Rome is high enough to justify marching on Rome and overthrowing the Senate, if you get that message, you can declare war unilaterally and get on with it..

When playing a Julii campaign I had troops in Arretium waiting when I got that message, took two turns to reinforce, then attacked! So you can start the civil war if you wish (and I wished!).

Before that point when you click on SPQR/Brutii/Scipii units, it says you are allied with them and can't attack, after that message its the normal 'are you sure you want to attack?' message like you get when attacking a foreign neutral or ally.

[Zharakov]

With me a stupid scipii ship attacked mine and it was me and Brutii VS Senate and Scipii. Well My team won. As a word of advice, keep a siseable army in a fort in every Italian province in a fort and always make shour your army is more advanced then the enemies.

[econ21]

In my Julii game, I was around 40 cities and having no trouble from the Senate. So I am not sure 30 is a magic number. I did all the Senate missions and they were as happy with me as with the other factions with much less territory. I don't know how long I could have kept going - but I suspect I could have taken 49 non-Roman cities and then ended the game by taking Rome without a prolonged civil war. I decided to start the war when the Senate wanted me to attack Egypt - knowing civil war had to come for me to win the game, I thought starting it when my enemies to-be were fighting the powerful Egyptians was as good timing as any.

BTW, does anyone feel a bit sad having to make a bid for Emperor? I would have liked an option to win by upholding the Republic (a much more attractive concept)!

[Mikeus Caesar]

Thanks guys. Now i know to start hoarding up units in my towns bordering with other roman factions.