An XGM "Don't"

For those of you who play XGM, here's one not to do and I know because I did it.

As the Roman Faction, I tore Northwestward through Gaul and due to short numbers of troops, bribed my way across the channel to Britain. That is, I bribed Gaulish family members, bribed rebels, and took a small army on across the water as well as a diplomat.

Once there, my diplomat also bribed rebels, and a couple of rebel towns.

Mind you this, it was only about 250 B.C., long before the Marius event which I delayed by recruiting out of my Roman Cities and not going to Huge City status until they were over 30,000 and I could not recruit fast enough to keep the population down, but that is another story.

Remember all those rebel towns I bribed? They immediately grew attitudes and revolted. It was not just a simple revolt of peasants or militia either. No. There were Legionary Cohorts, Roman Cavalry, and Archer Auxilia, all with silver armor and multiple chevrons. It has taken another 30+ years to recapture and stablize most of the towns. They still have minimum populations as they will still riot and kill citizens and soldiers. I cannot retrain them because with only 400 people in the town, there is are not enough people in the town to recruit. The real kicker is that I can take the towns, exterminate to 400 (if there are 401 people) and withdraw, and the place still throws out a full stack in silver armour. There have even been occasions when my army in the town has defected and the city turns blue, and I'm having to fight the army which I have trained up and upgraded.

So anybody thinking of bribing the settlements across in Britain, you will literally be giving a town and a large well equipped Post Marian type Army before the Marius event even takes place. If you go there at all, do it after eliminating Gaul and continue playing.

Strength and Honor

Celt Centurion

That kind of rushed expansion almost always fails. Controlled expansion over a contiguous territory where assimilation is just as important as conquest is the preferred method. I can understand your wanting to hit the Britons hard (one of the most poorly balanced factions ever).

In XGM, there are no Britons. What we now call the British Isles is all rebel territory until somebody comes and takes it.

I won the short campaign last night by finishing off the Gauls, but most of Britania is blue under Roman Rebels. I still have two out of five territories.

Now I have 36 or so territories, so will start bringing in loyal citizens from other places to try to change matters in the Briton Settlements.

Meanwhile, I need to go after the Carthaginians and the Macedonians who decided last night that they should attack me as well. They didn't have a problem with me until they attacked my ally, Germania and I would bribe away any army which besieged them. Then, I took Patavium, and two turns later there was a Macedonian Army besieging me.

Strength and Honor

Celt Centurion

XGM is good times.

Admittedly, I haven't played it much since I discovered EB. :sad:

I do know that a blitz tactic will fail...as there are hefty culture penalties IIRC. It's designed that way. :yes:

I still haven't gotten a chance to play XGM: Diadochi by Redfox, but I do intend to at some point. Playable Pergamon = :2thumbsup:

Bootsiuv

Where can i download XGM from?

In the forge there's a thread on XGM, including some download links.

Bactria was my hardest RTW campaign until now... :2thumbsup:

Thankyou

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrdun

Where can i download XGM from?

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Here is the link

http://homepage.mac.com/abradbury/XGM/page1/page1.html

If that does not work, try keying in Rome Total War Extended Greek Mod, downloads.

That ought to do it.

Strength and Honor

Celt Centurion

Cheers guys

don't try fighting both the Grey and the Yellow death when playing Saba

don't set foot in the British Isles thinking it will be a piece of cake (with a half decimated stack that departed from home 10 years ago)

@ mrdun
for XGM

An XGM Don't: Play as Romans. I lasted three turns before I quit, first turn I defeated Pyrrus, still had half a stack left, next turn the other full stack from tarentum attacked Capua, not enough money to raise another army, third turn odds 1-3 against with the garrison and half stack, Gauls attacking me from up t't north so I quit in disgust. Playing as Saba now. A lot easier, I have time for controlled expansion before I meet the "yellow death".

I won as the Romans (H-M). FUN challenge -- and I do mean challenge. You work your keester off taking down Pyrhhus with a 3/4 stack, conquering Tarentum (and usually re-conquering Capua) while having to hold off the Gauls with a quarter stack and a lot of chutz-pah. Then you get to race up and down the peninsula (roads are life) with the one full stack that you can barely affford to reinforce, fire-fighting against Roman rebels in the South, Gaul to the North, and Greek Independents from North and (until Cartha does for Syracuse) South. Consolidating Sicily and Italy up to the Alps took almost 70 years.

Saba (VH-M) is less vexing so far. As scripted, I am at war with the Ptollies and the Selkies simultaneously (though I had almost 15 years before any war started), as well as Baktria (took Patala with a general who bought mercs on scene). Quite enjoyable so far and a better cash-flow per town than the Romoi.