Best Campaign

same here, I'm thinking my next is going to be Selucid Empire or however you spell it. Hammer and Anvil coming at ya. Telys - the gauls wont even move onto britain, since its an island? strange indeed. Those damn brits (no offense to any english present) will never stay content no matter how low the tax rate is or how big the garrison. And the gauls keep it with no garrison at all!? Anyway, another question. say you have a history of making war with people you have trade rights with, will that affect faction's desicions to become protectorates. Or if you have a history of turning on allies. or on your own protectorates. any thoughts on this much appreciated, though I doubt anyone would have the time to test it.

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Originally Posted by Glaucus

same here, I'm thinking my next is going to be Selucid Empire or however you spell it. Hammer and Anvil coming at ya. Telys - the gauls wont even move onto britain, since its an island? strange indeed. Those damn brits (no offense to any english present) will never stay content no matter how low the tax rate is or how big the garrison. And the gauls keep it with no garrison at all!? Anyway, another question. say you have a history of making war with people you have trade rights with, will that affect faction's desicions to become protectorates. Or if you have a history of turning on allies. or on your own protectorates. any thoughts on this much appreciated, though I doubt anyone would have the time to test it.

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In my last campaign as the julii I had dacia as a protectorate, but the brutii kept attacking them canceling my alliance, so eventually i just started attacking dacia again and demand they become my protectorate. I did this about three times and each time they accepted my demands, but only when one of my armies was sieging one of their settlements. So what I'm basically saying, from my own experience, is that you can cancel your alliance with a protectorate, attack them, and then demand they become your protectorate
again and most of the time they will accept. Also certain factions are weaker and are more easily pushed around. ie gaul, macedon, seleucids, numidia, and a few others are borderline and could go either way.

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Originally Posted by Garvanko

Edit: Im thinking of starting a campaign with Macedon. Im itching to try my hand at phalanx warfare once more.

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I've played as macedon a few times but I prefer greek hoplites over macedonian pikemen. Eventhough hoplites have shorter spears, I feel, they hold the line longer than pikemen.

That may be true, but Macedon have better Cav for hammer and anvil. I do like Armoured Hoplites, though.

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Originally Posted by Garvanko

That may be true, but Macedon have better Cav for hammer and anvil. I do like Armoured Hoplites, though.

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Yea, The Greek Cities would be a lot better if they had an equivalent to campanion calvary.

I don't have any pics, but my Spain campaign is going well. The brutii attacks are slowing down as I continue to slaughter every army they throw at me. I just recently surpassed them in military ranking, now I'm second only to Pontus.

Just landed a force in Greece and have Corinth and Athens under siege. I could have all of what used to be Greece and Macedon in a only few years. There's no one to stop me!

And I'm going to continue my advance against Germania, because I've been stalled for a few turns due to the brutii diverting most of their forces to look at Mogontiacum (they never even laid siege to it). They're withdrawing now, so everything seems to be going my way!:2thumbsup:

Decided to end my Julii campaign after this happened for the fourth time in succession.

https://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6373/00075wn.th.jpg

An army full of Bowmen, EVERYTIME! How rubbish is that?!

Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. In the end I conquered the whole of Europe, most of Asia Minor and Africa. My longest campaign, and probably my best so far. Ended 139BC



As I mentioned earlier, Im picking up Macedon again. Aiming to concentrate on Asia minor and Egypt, while defending Greece from the Brutii with my Greek and Thracian allies.

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Originally Posted by Garvanko

Decided to end my Julii campaign after this happened for the fourth time in succession.

https://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6373/00075wn.th.jpg

An army full of Bowmen, EVERYTIME! How rubbish is that?!

Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. In the end I conquered the whole of Europe, most of Asia Minor and Africa. My longest campaign, and probably my best so far. Ended 139BC



As I mentioned earlier, Im picking up Macedon again. Aiming to concentrate on Asia minor and Egypt, while defending Greece from the Brutii with my Greek and Thracian allies.

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My longest campaign ended in 70 BC as the greeks I only held kydonia and rhodes, I had abandoned the rest of my settlements just to see if I could, and the only reason I stopped playing is that it crashed to desktop when I tried to end the turn. I'm not sure why it did that so I just reinstalled the game and lost my favorite campaign, not my best, but definetely my favorite.

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Originally Posted by Telys The Conqueror

Also certain factions are weaker and are more easily pushed around. ie gaul, macedon, seleucids, numidia, and a few others are borderline and could go either way.

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ahhh that would explain why I can't get egypt to become my protectrates even though all they have are the three nile settlements in my Seleucid campaign. and finally, i heard that if you demand a faction become your protectrate, and they say no, it will be harder to get them to be in future. thanks, Glaucus

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Originally Posted by Glaucus

ahhh that would explain why I can't get egypt to become my protectrates even though all they have are the three nile settlements in my Seleucid campaign. and finally, i heard that if you demand a faction become your protectrate, and they say no, it will be harder to get them to be in future. thanks, Glaucus

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What I do is declare war and demand they become my protectorate, usually they will say no a few times but as long you continue to attack and demand they will give in, but you do not want to take the majority of their settlements, only one or two, otherwise they will never say yes. Oh, and factions will usually not give in until their military is weaker than yours or are no longer able to protect themselves.
https://img87.imageshack.us/img87/1180/greeks2zv.th.jpg
It seems factions are giving up easier on hard, or atleast that's how it seems in this campaign.

More Protectorates Telys. !

You have a way with them thats for sure. Ive not seen so many anywhere else..and Julii as a protectorate of Greece. :dizzy2:

Ive nothing so grand.

Im meant to be going east. I want to meet eastern factions for the first time since I purchased the game last December. Instead the senate is taking me west. Like a good Roman Im following all senate orders.(amongst other things)

https://img90.imageshack.us/img90/21...57s13ts.th.jpg

First Patvium had to be blockaded. Mission after that was capture Patvium. Then capture Mediolanum and now Massila. Im planning on holding Patvium...but looting all towns captured west of there. Mediolanum has been exterminated and the soldiers have upgraded their weapons from the blacksmith. Will demolish all I can and rack up taxes in Mediolanum before I leave for Massila. This may leave rebels, Gaul and Julii to fight over the town. Who knows...I might get another senate mission to capture it back again.

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Originally Posted by Telys The Conqueror

It seems factions are giving up easier on hard, or atleast that's how it seems in this campaign.

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Unbelievable. I play on Hard, and I haven't got one in god knows how many games. I simply gave up trying after a while.

Give us the the full breakdown, please. How do you do it?

I'm more curious as to how Severous has conquered so many cities in a mere 13 years. He seems to be taking several cities per turn. How?

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Originally Posted by Garvanko

Indeed. After you kick them out of Sicily, send a diplomat and negotiate Ceasefire, trade and an Alliance. They will accept.

At least then they won't mess around with your fleet.

Edit: Im thinking of starting a campaign with Macedon. Im itching to try my hand at phalanx warfare once more.

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I was talking about RTR :P

Once you knock them out of Tarentum and Croton and destroy Pyrrhus' force, they don't bother you. They usually fight with Carthage on Sicily while you secure Italy.

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Originally Posted by Garvanko

Unbelievable. I play on Hard, and I haven't got one in god knows how many games. I simply gave up trying after a while.

Give us the the full breakdown, please. How do you do it?

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All I do is begin a war with any faction and immediately demand they become my protectorate, sometimes I offer money but it doesn't really matter because they will most definetely say no unless I offer some outrageous amount of money that I don't have. After that I'll take one to two settlements depending on the size of the faction, drawing these sieges out as long as possible so they waste the majority of their military trying to push me out. Then I demand again, I usually offer nothing in return as most factions will counter offer for money when ready, but on occasion I'll offer my entire treasury just to see if they'll accept. If they still say no I'll take all my armies, put them in a couple of the enemy provinces and leave them there. I then demand once again, if at this point they do not counter offer I will offer different amounts of money and settlements in return. If they still do not accept, depending on their size, I will take multiple settlements at one time demanding they give up every turn. That is one thing I never forget to do every turn from the declaration from of war, demand protectorate. Few factions refuse past this point. Also, in two cases, I offered protectorate right after I loaded a saved game and they accepted, carthage for nothing and the julii for like 20,000. This may of been a bug in the game but hey, if it work it works. I also should add that in the case with the julii I never technically fought them. I kicked the brutii out of epirus and, of course, went to war with all the romans. Wiped out the scipii and the brutii, had a few sea battles with the julii, and destoyed nearly all the senates army. After a little bit I stopped playing, saved, came back, loaded and immediately demanded protectorate of the julii and to my surprise they made a counter offer for money. I also went to war with them once more in order to take rome and they accepted terms again.

Edit: Any faction will become your protectorate for 1,000,000 denari.

Ahh, a save-load bug. I can understand that one. You patched to v1.5? I'll keep the rest of what you say in mind and try it out in my campaign.

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Originally Posted by Neco

I'm more curious as to how Severous has conquered so many cities in a mere 13 years. He seems to be taking several cities per turn. How?

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It just doesn't seem possible especially with the amount of denarii you start off with. And you'd need to attack without facing resistance. Unless he's playing without movement points..

Hi

That Brutii campaign is my 2nd Imperial campaign. I started on 19th February and I have played a bit most days since then.

I recorded every number I could see for the first ten years of the game. All the battles, all the settlement details including trade, all the traits, retinues and financial postions. Was my way of learning. Have a few hundred screenshots. Saved games from each turn.

I pay a lot of attention to finanaces. Brutii is soon into the rich Greek lands. Very High tax rates and port construction have given me a big cash flow. I enslave some towns so I have a slave resource on the map for even more trade revenue. I dont usually build military buildings until theres nothing else left to build. Most towns have produced troops most turns even if only basic troops or peasants (for garrisons).

Governors have developed great traits and are bringing in additional admin income.

End of last turn Winter 258BC:
Income 75,486
Expenditure 62,963 of which 29,658 was army wages

I am now capturing the north east corner of the map. I dont think a very profitable one. 2nd front against my ally Pontus will soon start.

I dont mod the game. Troops are subject to all the usual movement restrictions.

Most regions captured in one turn was 4 in the summer of 260 (Rhodes, Kydonia,Tylis, Segestica). Expansion is not so fast now as I dont want to go any further west nor south.

Had my first ever command over Cretan archers this week.
https://img234.imageshack.us/img234/...58w60ve.th.jpg I like cavalry and archers.

I tend to get protectorates by offering them some of their cities back plus a whole bag of cash. For some reason, the A.I. never thinks of demanding anything but money, even though they want something else. So, offer them all possible options (money, trade rights, map a city) and they will tell what they want. However, I kind of gave up on this seeing how easily my protectorates broke their word. All it took was aggressive action against an ally of them. They are my bloody protectorate: they shouldn't even have diplomatic relations without my say so! :angry:

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Originally Posted by Garvanko

Ahh, a save-load bug. I can understand that one. You patched to v1.5? I'll keep the rest of what you say in mind and try it out in my campaign.

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I think I'm using v1.3, but I'm not really sure.

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Originally Posted by Ludens

I tend to get protectorates by offering them some of their cities back plus a whole bag of cash. For some reason, the A.I. never thinks of demanding anything but money, even though they want something else. So, offer them all possible options (money, trade rights, map a city) and they will tell what they want. However, I kind of gave up on this seeing how easily my protectorates broke their word. All it took was aggressive action against an ally of them. They are my bloody protectorate: they shouldn't even have diplomatic relations without my say so! :angry:

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Whenever I feel like attacking a protectorates ally I usually put a small army on a major trade route and try and get them to attack me first so the protectorate will cancel their alliance with them.

I have come to the conclusion that any faction will give up at anytime for 1,000,000 denari.
https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/...eeks9ii.th.jpg
Carthage was the last faction to surrender, for 1 million denari.
https://img216.imageshack.us/img216/...ties4oh.th.jpg
I would of had over 9 protectorates at the end but the julii cancelled my alliances with gaul and macedon, I couldnt figure out a way for the seleucids to cancel their alliance with egypt, and I cancelled my alliance with spqr in order to take rome. Over the course of this campaign the following factions did surrender at one time or another, gaul, macedon, egypt, pontus, the julii, S.P.Q.R., thrace, the seleucid empire and carthage.

My Macedon campaign has started out OK. Took Athens double quick, with my Faction Leader, and started the economic build straight away - Ports, farms, traders... Got Alliances with everyone I could, including the Greeks,Dacia and Thrace who all stabbed me in the back five turns later.

With the Greeks I had no choice but to retaliate at Sparta - shot the Spartans down, too. Gained a temple of Nike, but Im not sure I can upgrade it, yet.

The Brutii are hovering on the edge of my borders at Larissa and Thessalonica. Greeks still own Thermon, while Im now at war with the Romans as well. Enemies all around, but it was always so with Macedon. Pointless making Alliances, imo.

A screenshot of my Faction Leader leading the offensive against the Brutii.

https://img320.imageshack.us/img320/...edon8vz.th.jpg

Still not too sure whether I should go all out for Italy or defend my homeland. The Greeks at Thermon could act as a buffer, perhaps? Decisions, decisions..

To the east, another General is heading for Byzantium.

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Originally Posted by Garvanko

Still not too sure whether I should go all out for Italy or defend my homeland. The Greeks at Thermon could act as a buffer, perhaps? Decisions, decisions..

To the east, another General is heading for Byzantium.

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Thats one thing I hate about being a faction that starts right next to roman lands, war is inevitable and the only way to stop it is to wipe out three factions and take Italy.

Telys.

Your protectorates style is unique. Ive not seen anything like it elsewhere. If i read your screenshot correctly you have protectorates on 2 tiers. Egypt is a protectorate of yours, yet they have a protectorate of their own in the Seleucid. Who receives the tribute from the Seleucid..and did Seleucid lands count towards your total ?

I got a temple of Nike in Sparta (Brutii campaign). Cant decide if I should rip it down and replace it with a true roman one or leave it in place.

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Originally Posted by Severous

Telys.

Your protectorates style is unique. Ive not seen anything like it elsewhere. If i read your screenshot correctly you have protectorates on 2 tiers. Egypt is a protectorate of yours, yet they have a protectorate of their own in the Seleucid. Who receives the tribute from the Seleucid..and did Seleucid lands count towards your total ?

I got a temple of Nike in Sparta (Brutii campaign). Cant decide if I should rip it down and replace it with a true roman one or leave it in place.

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The seleucids didn't pay tribute or count for settlements. They did send a few assassins and spies though.

What level is the temple?

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Originally Posted by Severous

I got a temple of Nike in Sparta (Brutii campaign). Cant decide if I should rip it down and replace it with a true roman one or leave it in place.

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Pull it down and build your own temple to Mars. Culture penalty will drop, and you'll still get similar experience bonuses from the Mars line.

Hi

The temple I couldnt decide what to do with:
https://img230.imageshack.us/img230/...57w38gu.th.jpg

Sparta is the only place in my empire that can build archers. Its been pumping them out constantly plus an odd Ballistae. So the +1 experience is a nice addition. A consequence of the constant recruitment is Sparta has a stagnant population at around 3000. Public order is 170% and tax is very high. Im not worried about order or culture. Just want the +1 experience.

It would take 3 turns to replace this temple level with a Mars temple. Perhaps replace it once I get population over 6000? In the meantime I am using 3 turns of construction to build a blacksmith...+1 weapons for my archers I hope.

I read that the temple of Mars give governors bad traits. Govenors become Mr Angry :furious3:

Not sure what bad traits Nike will give me...taste for expensive footwear perhaps.

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Originally Posted by Severous

I got a temple of Nike in Sparta (Brutii campaign). Cant decide if I should rip it down and replace it with a true roman one or leave it in place.

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I tend to leave them in place if I can upgrade them myself. You can upgrade temples of a similar type. For example, the Julii can upgrade the fertility temples of other cultures (Isis, Freya) to temples of Ceres. Unfortunately, though Nike and Mars give similar bonuses, they are of two different types, respectively victory and violence. So: tear it down. You can find the temples types in the Sinner's Guide to Temples or at the bottom of the export_descr_building.txt.

Edit: just saw Severous' post. The traits affected by both temple types are:

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Originally Posted by export_descr_character_traits.txt

Trigger temple_of_victory_vnv_trigger
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd

Condition EndedInSettlement
and RemainingMPPercentage = 100
and SettlementBuildingExists >= temple_of_victory_temple

Affects GoodRiskyAttacker 1 Chance 10
Affects Warlord 1 Chance 10
Affects Pragmatic 1 Chance 10

;------------------------------------------
Trigger temple_of_violence_vnv_trigger
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd

Condition EndedInSettlement
and RemainingMPPercentage = 100
and SettlementBuildingExists >= temple_of_violence_temple

Affects Anger 1 Chance 10
Affects Bloodthirsty 1 Chance 10
Affects Energetic 1 Chance 15

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While anger is indeed a bad trait to have, bloodthirsty gives a nice +1 command +1 morale at the first level and the higher leves energetic is gives big boosts to management and movement points. Nike gives good risky attacker, which is rather easy to get anyway; pragmatic, which is nice but not as good as energetic; and Warlord, which doesn't affect Romans.

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Originally Posted by Severous

Hi

The temple I couldnt decide what to do with:
https://img230.imageshack.us/img230/...57w38gu.th.jpg

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With a temple that small I would just replace it and make sure not to keep the same general in that settlement for to long if you change it to a temple of mercury.

Edit: I meant mars, just wasnt really sure and put mercury.

Thanks for the replies and advice guys.

I have decided for now that the Temple of Nike remains. Building a blacksmith has priority. Once Sparta cannot build anything useful then it will be time to demolish the Nike temple and switch to Mars.

Ive noticed the positive things about Mars and have decided to build a few to Mars in other towns...and move away from almost only Juno temples. Maybe I will get some different retinue also...a change from Priestess and Priests of Juno? If so will my generals be able to have one of each ?

Firsts occuring in my campaign:
- Plague. In Thessolonica 256 Summer (end of turn)
- Fighting lots of Scythian Horse archers.
- Fighting Pontus. Eastern Infantry are not dangerous. Fall quickly to missiles.
- Fighting Pontus Heavy Cavalry. Hard..especially the faction leader.
- Scorpions. Not very deadly but good for provoking enemy at a distance
- Let a town rebel. Loads of upgraded peasants have turned up and the Senate has given me a mission to go recapture it.

My main force is moving east along the northern coast of the Black sea. Tanis next town. But along the way a stack of horse archers. Trying to envelope them.
https://img333.imageshack.us/img333/...57s47tj.th.jpg
Worked reasonably well. One got away though and led me a merry dance.