A guide to EB blitzing, for new players.

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

And if you try to keep Taras, you will have to fight neverending battles against Rome, with it's unlimited resources/mercenaries, as peace is then impossible.

True, but that is very historically accurate!

The Romans (in the EB time period) really were stubborn, pigheaded, unreasonable bastards who just would never quit a war until they'd won a total victory, no matter how many times you beat them in battle. They had no respect whatsoever for normal civilised Greek diplomacy, where people acknowledge when they're beaten and make peace. If the Romans hadn't taken Taras in 272 BCE, in real life, they would never, ever have stopped attacking it - sending a new consular army every year, until they'd either taken it, or until Roma itself was a smoking ruin!

Actually, the stupid AI does a great job of reflecting Roman attitudes to diplomacy and politics! ;)

That's why it's just not worth spending too much money on defending Taras - it's just not worth the effort against mule-brained Romans. If it can be defended on the cheap, great - if not, let it go.

The way I roleplay defending Taras, is this:
The city has to take full responsibility for its own defence. The city can only purchase what new recruits it can afford to buy with its own farming and trade profits (see the settlement screen to find out how much that is). It has to pay for its garrison unit upkeep costs as well. Taras can't spend money out of the rest of the Epirote pot, only it's own income. If that's enough to defend the city, fine. If not, tough! Pyrrhus is fed up with fighting Romans and isn't interested in Italy anymore. So Taras is left to stand or fall on its own.