want a challenge try City State mode

[The Stranger]

oke here are the rules

1. you can only have one city
2. cheats are not allowed
3. you have the right to up you're denari pre-game to 10000
4. conquering other cities is not allowed
5. getting a protectorate or be one is allowed

tips

keep the number's of generals low
try to get high quality units fast
don't play with phalanx factions if you're very experienced
use the biggest city in your faction
make many friends and get trade-rights fast

good factions are

scythians
parthians
spain
gaul
germania
britons
dacians

[Conqueror]

So what would be the goal of the game? Survive X turns? Develope the city to max with all buildings & upgrades?

[unseen11]

The whole not conquering other cities and not using phalanx units if you know what you're doing makes this whole plan seem idiotic to me, no offence

[derF]

Could be quite fun if somehow you manage to support sufficient armies to fend off attacks from all around your one city.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

But city states did conquer other city states... Why not allow conquest, but keep the only one city to start.

[derF]

But then, the idea dissappear abd youll just end up playing a normal game.

[The Stranger]

the idea is to survive all turns (well atleast 150 years) and be a powerful city state. if you manage to survive the 1st few turns and save some money, you can start wars and try to get protectorates. this xtra income could help you further on your quest. it is very hard, not reccommended for players that want to have fun instead os a challenge

[Uesugi Kenshin]

The idea is still there, allowing you to conquer is fine, how about if you survive a certain number of years, say 20-30. Otherwise there is no way you will be able to survive because to hold against the large armies that will be sent by Rome or another imperial power such as Egypt you will need an army so big you will go into debt.

[Conqueror]

No to mention that your port (if you have one) will be blockaded every turn, and you can probably expect to be besieged almost every turn as well. Diplomacy being what it is, you will likely be surrounded by enemies from all sides sooner or later. Trade income will thus be close to none.

[The Stranger]

oke it is just a basic consept, you can mess with it, and make it fit you're gamestyle

[Colovion]

Good idea :D

For me, I'd allow myself to conquer other cities - but I would impose this upon myself in equal fashion of the city-states idea:

[--> I would not build anything in the outlying cities but food and trade production. No empire building - just productive building in the regions to increase profit. No building of units except from your own city, but mercenaries would be allowed.

[Wishazu]

mercs arnt nearly numerous enough to help you when you are surrounded by your enemies.

[Brutus]

Hey Emperor, have you tried it already? I'm curious at your results.

[The Stranger]

yeah, i did. i was attacked almost every turn. i had a pretty strong navy (6 ships but that's strong for one harbour). i had to disband and than train new units all the time to not go red. but keep a decent army. it was very hard and i was on the verge of a breakdown every second. though the siege bug was very anoying (actually better for me but still). i also had to send fam. members on suicide missions cuz they are vey expensive. it is very challeging but you have to have the right play style for it (that is defensive)

[Colovion]

mercs arnt nearly numerous enough to help you when you are surrounded by your enemies.

exactly the reality which I was trying to create ~D

[Kekvit Irae]

The whole "no phalanx factions" kinda kills the point of the "City States" idea. After all, wasnt Greece divided into City States, Athens included?

[Colovion]

I think he just meant that if you want more of a challenge, then you could take that route. I think that Crete would be an incredible base of operations for a naval arm to a land-based trade power in the Aegean.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

I like the no phalanx faction bit, when I was playing my Greek campaign I could hold a city on Scicilia and Italia and just keep dropping a few hoplite units in now and then and hobble Roman and Carthaginian empire building by building meat walls with my spears.

[The Stranger]

the city state is only used as a term.