Disappearing troops? BI (Goths)

[darklite]

I have a side game going as the Goths. I was curious what their units were like, so I started up a game. So I packed up everything and took rome & the southern provence. And things were rodey, with a ceasfire against WRE. Then I attacked WRE with a medium force, hit next turn, and suddenly a large % of teh garrisons in my two cities were gone. No messages of revolt or anything. Just gone. Population numbers for the cities seemed not to have changed either.

Anyone else experience this?

[symball]

Were you in horde mode? if you capture a third city then all your remaining horde units settle down automatically.

[darklite]

ahh. I thought the horde mode finished once you took & occupied the 1st city. Grand now I understand. Cheers.

[symball]

no- I think you lose the horde units in the stack you attack with for the first couple of cities but three is the magic number for becoming a settled faction again. thats why it is a good idea to find a good collection of cities (eg italy or greece) before you settle anywhere, that way you have a good chance of building up enough strength to carry on expanding before someone else comes along and beats you up.