Help newbie

Hello,

I've looked through the guides on here but still can't seem to find enough info for a COMPLETELY new starter.

I did not have a manual when I purchased the game. Is that normal?

I am told that I have to recruit and construct traders etc, but they are greyed out. I have no idea what I'm doing to be honest as without a manual its mind bogling.

That girl in the top left gives you some hints but not enough.

Please help, as I really want to get into this game.

Thanks.

Welcome!

If you purchased a budget RTW the manual will be on the CD as a .pdf (you'll need Acrobat Reader to view it, usually included on the CD).

And take a look in:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=38382

For frogbeastegg's in-depth guide to RTW.

If buildings are greyed out it means that you do not have enough money to purchase them.

Thanks guys. The guide looks good, cheers.

I've managed to biuld up my empire a bit, though I'm still struggling in some of the battles, and getting income is proving to be a test. Looks a great game though, I'm sure I'll have more questions in a while.

Can you play the game in windowed mode?

I'm not sure about windowed mode, but if you are struggling with income, the best way I have found is just to attack. Taking cities will increase your income by large amounts. This will also help you improve your armies so battles become easier. If you look at guides, there are some decent tactic threads available.

Also if your struggling to play the game, you might want to play the tutorial if you haven't already.

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Originally Posted by Mek Simmur al Ragaski

I'm not sure about windowed mode, but if you are struggling with income, the best way I have found is just to attack. Taking cities will increase your income by large amounts. This will also help you improve your armies so battles become easier. If you look at guides, there are some decent tactic threads available.

Also if your struggling to play the game, you might want to play the tutorial if you haven't already.

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Thanks, I did try the tutorial but it seems to be very different to the actual campaign....i.e. - alot less going on.

Is it best to attack cities that are neutral? Or shoudl I leave these alone?

Attack rebels if there are any around, and if there is a lightly garrisoned city near you, I'd attack that. It depends who it is, if you attack a weak empire, then you'll probably do fine, but attacking a large successful empire might get you into some trouble. However if you knwo what your doing, then you could attack anything, vary your tactics and do anything you want.

Thanks. Do cities only earn money when there are soldiers in it?

I moved mine out, and the city went from 1000 income to -400 income!

It usually has something to do with the general, as they have certain traits that can affect income from a city.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mek Simmur al Ragaski

It usually has something to do with the general, as they have certain traits that can affect income from a city.

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THANKS. 1 more question - How are you supposed to move armies across water? I am supposed to take a settlement on Sicily but can't find out how to get there. I'm thinking it must be via the navy but how?

Many tHANKS

To build a navy you have to construct a dock in your city, they are only available when a city reaches a certain population. Once you have built one, you go onto the recruitment tab on your cities, and there should be some ships avaible for purchase there.

I see, so once the ship is built, do you have to load it with soldiers, or are they already in the ship? I can't find a way to find out.

sorry for all the questions.


cheers

Once the ship is built, you have to load the soldiers in it. By merge land army with the naval units while on shore.

Frogbeastegg's guide is a great in depth guide for Rome: Total War. For a simpler version, try the Smackus Maximus guide.

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Originally Posted by smallclone

I see, so once the ship is built, do you have to load it with soldiers, or are they already in the ship? I can't find a way to find out.

sorry for all the questions.


cheers

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Nah, questions are why we're here! :dizzy2:

If you've built a ship, you must load units into it manually. It must be in port on shore for units to move into it.

To view who/what a ship is carrying, select it and look in the Army and/or Agent tabs.

Meh, Quintus beat me.

Thanks guys, really getting into it now. The battle scenes are quite amazing.

I managed to get onto Sicily and capture Messana! woooh:egypt:

I only bought this game on Friday and have notched up about 20 hours of game time already!

I'm sure I'll have more questions tomorrow!

You listening to the Senate boy? :D

Yeah, aren't Messena owned by the Scipii? :inquisitive:

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Originally Posted by Quintus.JC

Yeah, aren't Messena owned by the Scipii? :inquisitive:

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Scipii owns Messena in the beginning unless if he is playing a modded version of Rome.

The guy was supposedly purchased the game on Friday, playing it for the first time, I doubt its a Mod. So how did he get Messina without incurring the wrath of the purple faction? :idea2:

I lost Messena early on because I had no idea what I was doing (because there is no manual even in pdf format!)

As it turns out 2 of my cities got attacked at the same time and all my family was killed last night.

Back to the drawing board.

The Rome: Total War guides section should help you with your starting moves. The best faction for a beginner in my opionion is the Julii; have less potenial then the Scipii and Brutii. But their play is less complicated and their starting enemies are relatively primitive compared to the factions the Brutii and Scipii faces early on.

Yeah I agree with Quintus, if your a beginner trying to find your legs in RTW, then Julii would be your best bet. They only have the Gauls to compete with, whereas the Brutii have the Greeks and Macedon, and the Scipii have Carthage and the Greeks.

As for losing your family members, what I usually do if i need heavy cavalry is to just charge into the enemys flank, then take your general out, and if the enemy is still standing charge again. Don't use your general for head on charges, because you need generals and half the time he is going to die if he is in the thick of the fighting.

From what I find (and personal experiences), beginners often have trouble dealing with phalanxes and elephants effectively, the Julii is speared of that. Also the Julii have little need for a powerful navy, whereas the Brutii have a need of a good navy to protect their Balkan interests while the Scipii relies entirely for the navy for their transportation of armies.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Quintus.JC

The Rome: Total War guides section should help you with your starting moves. The best faction for a beginner in my opionion is the Julii; have less potenial then the Scipii and Brutii. But their play is less complicated and their starting enemies are relatively primitive compared to the factions the Brutii and Scipii faces early on.

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Whilst your bound to find something good, most people by my experience just seem to show off (I 0wn3d th1s 10k armyzzz!!) But I disagree with the Julii, although many people may disagree, the Scipii are the easiest, the Barbarians seem to be tougher fighters than the Iberians + Greek Colony. Of course there is the inveitable clash with Egypt, but the wealth(Sea Trade) would let the player create the hell they would want; I am sure beginners know how to deal with Egypt by that time. Of course this is my opinion.
I got owned by the Macedonians and Greeks when I played the Brutii, I had no idea how to beat the Phalanx:embarassed: Anyone come across a similar defeat?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by coalition

Whilst your bound to find something good, most people by my experience just seem to show off (I 0wn3d th1s 10k armyzzz!!) But I disagree with the Julii, although many people may disagree, the Scipii are the easiest, the Barbarians seem to be tougher fighters than the Iberians + Greek Colony. Of course there is the inveitable clash with Egypt, but the wealth(Sea Trade) would let the player create the hell they would want; I am sure beginners know how to deal with Egypt by that time. Of course this is my opinion.

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Naval warfare isn't entirely easy for beginners to handle. The Iberians and the Scilian Greeks are inevitablely weak, but the Carthagians and Egypt are tough to handle. The squaor alone is a big worry and the culture penalty is staggering. Elephants and bowmen are a pain in the back. In my opinion Julii is still the easiest for the beginners, despite the fact they have the least oppertunity for wealth and also their temple selection is limited and crap.

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I got owned by the Macedonians and Greeks when I played the Brutii, I had no idea how to beat the Phalanx:embarassed: Anyone come across a similar defeat?

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Same here, it takes experience to crack the phalanx. When I first played R:TW phalanx troops seemed unbeatable, now I can beat a few army of hoplites with relative ease.

On my first Brutii campaign I got absolutely owned, but on my second I figured out some anti-phalanx tactics which help me to blitz Greece and Macedonia.

As for you thinking Scipii are easier, I disagree. I still haven't found any successful tactics at fighting elephants apart from putting spearmen or a phalanx in the way and hoping for the best. With the Julii you are fighting against light infantry and your only problem is that the enemy has generals which I found can pretty much insta-rout my entire army.

However come to think of it, I think Brutii might be easy, as once you take control of Sparta, you are the first faction on your area to start fielding heavy infantry as you can produce principines, which can help you greatly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mek Simmur al Ragaski

However come to think of it, I think Brutii might be easy, as once you take control of Sparta, you are the first faction on your area to start fielding heavy infantry as you can produce principines, which can help you greatly.

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Those Spartan Hoplites might change the mindsets of the beginners.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Quintus.JC

Naval warfare isn't entirely easy for beginners to handle. The Iberians and the Scilian Greeks are inevitablely weak, but the Carthagians and Egypt are tough to handle. The squaor alone is a big worry and the culture penalty is staggering. Elephants and bowmen are a pain in the back. In my opinion Julii is still the easiest for the beginners, despite the fact they have the least oppertunity for wealth and also their temple selection is limited and crap.

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Ok you got me:sweatdrop: especially about the naval warfare and Squalor, didn't think about it. I still reckon the Iberians(Spain), the lonely Greek colony, Carthage and Numadia are weaker than the Gauls(Forester Warband:thumbsdown:), Germans(Beserkers:thumbsdown:) and Britons. (Chariots:thumbsdown:) For some reason or at least in my game, the Carthaginians don't seem to build elephants, mabye the occasional early ones but they are easy to bring down with your Hastati + General. The Culture penalty is also just as bad as the Barbarians, I mean Hairy men don't mix with Clean civilized men.

If your wondering, this is a short Campaign which I am referring to, therefore lessening the chances of your conflict with Egypt.

Yes, I hadn't thought about that. When I took Sparta, the battle was outside the city gates, as Greek soldiers landed via ship and attacked me. There was lots of room available so taking out the Spartans was easy once I had them flanked.

Its just that I think the Julii campaign is inevitablely less complicated then the Brutii and Scipii, no need for navy, no need to deal with Phalanx and Elephants. Forester warband aren't too hard for Rome to counter, the Germans aren't very aggresive against the Romans either. Squalor will be a problem for any faction and yes it is the same for all Romans unfortunately.

For short campaign it is very possible for the player to avoid Egypt, should he wish to.