Thinking about the End Game

[MajorFreak]

So...i'm at 100BC and not getting bored with micromanaging a Zero revenue budget thingy...i've got Dacia, Thrace, Seleucid empires playing as Brutii. I'm watching Scipii have problems with Egypt's revolting cities, and Julii juggle a spain/german two sided war. I'm wondering...where and when do i want them attacking me? I don't want to conquer them as much as play a fun end game where the other roman factions attack me instead of me overrunning rome (gets old fast)

So what parts of the map are the best to hold. I've got the coastal pass just west of segestica sewn up...are they going to attack me there or just go around? Bridge battles are just no fun in the unpatched version because anyone fleeing just suicides.

Does anyone have a list of map JPGs or topographical maps of the battlefields in RTW? Or even a list of multiplayer map names that mirror the campaign maps?

[ReluctantSamurai]

As the Brutii, defending your hold on the 'boot' is rather easy...the big hill NW of Tarentum has several spots with commanding positions. You have to play around with your placement to find them. In my experience, the Julii will try several frontal assaults east of Patavia, and if unsuccessful, they will try the end-around across the bridge to the NE of Segestica.

As far as boring is concerned, I always got tired of seeing endless stacks of your former allies (whatever color they may be) and no matter how many historical battle markers you leave on the terrain, there will be more stacks, and still more stacks to fight unless you wipe them out.

[MajorFreak]

hmmmm...maybe if i become hostile to rome before they take out spain/germany and egypt i might create a situation where they take out rome? And will the purple legions attack me on the boot?

[ReluctantSamurai]

And will the purple legions attack me on the boot?

No. The SPQR will only attack if you threaten Rome. If you siege Capua or either of the two Julii cities nearest Rome, they will move to assist. If you're playing on VH/VH, this will be no army to trifle with...cohorts of all kinds up to Urban's, Praetorian cavalry, etc...all with armor/weapon/exp upgrades, and perhaps several SPQR generals (most of whom tend to have a very large bodyguard approaching the number a normal-sized cav unit has).

And if you get outlawed (the only way to start the "bloodwar") then the other two Roman factions plus the SPQR will be allied against you...so no, you have to take out Rome yourself.

And if you're hoping for either the Spaniards or the Gauls to create problems for the Julii...it won't happen, especially if Uncle Marius had shown up. Neither has units to compete with Roman legions when controlled by the AI. Heck, I've modded the Romans in my game so that they can't have any cohorts beyond Early. No Praetorian cavalry either...and they still mop up Europe with ease (and yes, if I play a Roman faction, same rules apply).

I've never done an analysis, but from my experience with the factions comparison graph, any Roman faction still remaining when the Reforms happen seem to get a huge money infusion that's hard-coded. All I can say is that I watch that graph constantly and I've seen one or more remaining Romans faction go from 10k denarii to well over 100k for no apparent reason...even if I have every single Roman port blockaded.

[MajorFreak]

damn and damn. well, thanks for the info regardless