Roman Civil War question

[Derfasciti]

Hi guys,


I've been playing the Julii for quite some time now. I've conquered Modern day France, Germany, Denmark and England and I recently got a message saying that if I wanted to, I could try to take the reigns of power for myself.

Now, I know what this means: Starting a civil war with the other three Roman factions. But ages ago, when I first played this game, I remember getting a threat from Rome that if I would not denounce my faction leader, then a civil war or whathaveyou would ensue. When I rejected their proposal, the war started. So I never really started the civil war, as I would be doing in the former by simply attacking a Roman faction.

My question is, what is the difference between these two messages, if any, and how are each triggered?

And any general tips for the civil war when I create it?


Thanks for the help.

[Gaius Scribonius Curio]

The former version occurs when you have enough popular support among the people. In other words you have been a great conqueror and the plebs love you. The idea is that if you took Rome, they would accept you.

The latter is when the Senate becomes so suspicious of you wanting to do the above, that they order your faction leader to commit suicide. If you don't you're declared an outlaw and the other Roman factions will attack.

Because of the game mechanics, both of these situations tend to occur when you have a sizeable empire. Usually senate popularity drops while the people's love for you rises.

If you can try to have sizeable armies close to Rome and the other Roman factions major troop centres at the outbreak of civil war. If you have popular support and you're ready then preempt it by marching on Rome. Also, if you have a large enough treasury, bribe enemy armies which then increase your armies whilst simultaneously draining your enemies.

Thats all I have for now,

Curio

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

To add to what Gaius has already said, the popularity system can be viewed on the senate details scroll. To open this, click on your faction emblem on the bottom right corner of the screen and select the senate tab. The sheilds on the left and right show senate and people popularity.

Senate Popularity will, as said, provide you with the faction leader suicide demands. These appear at about two sheilds of popularity. You will know it is approaching when senate missions come with peanaties for failure rather than rewards for sucess.

Senate Popularity can be increased by early conquest and following senate missions. Once around about 35 provinces is reached though, it begins to fall. Regardless of whether you are following senate missions or not, further conquest will result in further falls in senatorial popularity.

Also as said, if you refuse their demands of faction suicide, the war begins. The Roman factions are always given a choice as to whether to support you or the senate. In most cases they go with the senate, but on rare occasions the player's side is occasionally chosen.

Bear in mind that the AI can also be outlawed, and in that case you have the choice of who to support in the war ahead.

People Popularity will provide you with the ability to take power of your own accord and, as with senate popularity, is gained through conquest. Unlike senate popularity, however, any expantion will keep the people happy limitlessly.

If you do start the civil war like this, the Roman factions who are not under attack, will get the choice of who to support.

Do bear in mind that the AI can also start the civil war in this manner - it is rare, but it can happen.

[Quirinus]

Also, if you have a large enough treasury, bribe enemy armies which then increase your armies whilst simultaneously draining your enemies.

Not sure if that's still a cost-effective strategy as of patch v1.5. IIRC they drastically increased the bribery price for Roman troops, meaning you may be paying ludicrous amounts of denarii for a bunch of town watch.

This is to prevent the player from just bribing over Senate/rival faction troops at the start of the civil war-- at the stage of the civil war, it should be easily affordable. Not anymore-- you'd actually have to fight most of the other Roman troops, therefore 'forcing' the player to play the civil war the epic way.


Also, to add to what Curio and Omanes said, if you accept the Senate demand for your paterfamilias' suicide, it will only buy you a few more years before they repeat the demand. It's worth keeping in mind if you're thinking of sacrificing your faction leader.


As for tips for the civil war.... I don't really know any grand strategy to it, except that you should probably spare an army or two near or in Italy when your Senate popularity begins to droop. I'd also recommend trying to assassinate their family members all the time. If you succeed, even if it's a useless general, it's one less self-replenishing two-hitpoint heavy cavalry unit out there. If you fail, well, keeping trying, and they will eventually go mad/paranoid/both, which hurts them, as insanity is hereditary. Of course, while you're doing the latter, they become harder to assassinate and their bodyguard may grow from being an acute nuisance to a real threat on the battlefield.

Also, drive your rivals off Italy as soon as possible-- having high-tier cities in very close vincinity to one another is a recipe for flinging expensive, high-tier units at each other every other turn. Which is bad.

[Derfasciti]

Well I just started the civil war and in a pitched battle crushed a SPQR army. But when I won it, I received a Roman Eagle, it was sent to my capital, Arretrium.

My question is what exactly does the Roman Eagle do, if anything? I've never gotten one before in any of my previous games as far as I can recollect.

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

It does nothing special - it basically means you've wiped out a first cohort which is the only sort of unit which carries an eagle.

The leading general gains one point of influence, through a trait, for each eagle he captures. After three eagles are captures influence boosts halt and the bonus remains at three.

The loosing general loses one point of influence, through a trait, for each eagle he loses. As with the winning general this peaks at a loss of three points of influence.

The settlement you've taken the eagle too now will become a key focus of the Roman faction you stole it off. I'm not sure if this applies to the senate since it is not really aggressive, but eagles stolen from other Roman factions will certainly place plenty of effort into regaining their lost honour.

To me eagles are a bit like protectorates - a little less worthless than they should be. Maybe you ought to be able to sell it back to your foes or use it as a tool to broker diplomatic deals - brute force was not the answer to everything even in the classical era. The possibilities are endless, but are sadly unimplementable

[Quirinus]

The loosing general loses one point of influence, through a trait, for each eagle he loses. As with the winning general this peaks at a loss of three points of influence.

I was under the impression that it was rather more severe than that, something along the lines of 'Disgraced' (-4 influence) and 'Utterly Disgraced' (-8 influence)? Or is that something else entirely?

To me eagles are a bit like protectorates - a little less worthless than they should be. Maybe you ought to be able to sell it back to your foes or use it as a tool to broker diplomatic deals - brute force was not the answer to everything even in the classical era. The possibilities are endless, but are sadly unimplementable

Another similarity is that they are both very good for the ego.

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

I was under the impression that it was rather more severe than that, something along the lines of 'Disgraced' (-4 influence) and 'Utterly Disgraced' (-8 influence)? Or is that something else entirely?

Thinking about it again it probably is something more like that. I haven't ever lost an eagle (not frequently training first cohorts), so I don't quite remember the exact stats.