Mini Guide: Getting started with Rome II

[zizzurry]

"In Neapolis get as high a Barracks as possible and get as high an Auxiliary Garrison as possibe"


Myth, what is the advantage of the Auxiliary Garrison in Italia?!... I usually take the Barracks only! In fact, I only built the Auxiliary Garrison in Provinces that has some usefull/cool units (Cretan Archers in Knossos, in example!)

[Slaists]

"In Neapolis get as high a Barracks as possible and get as high an Auxiliary Garrison as possibe"


Myth, what is the advantage of the Auxiliary Garrison in Italia?!... I usually take the Barracks only! In fact, I only built the Auxiliary Garrison in Provinces that has some usefull/cool units (Cretan Archers in Knossos, in example!)

Short answer: Auxilia cavalry [the best Romans can get for quite a while] with all the military upgrades from the rest of the infrastructure you build in Italia :)

For Cretan archers you don't need Knossos, btw, any of Hellas regions will do (Athens, Sparta, Knossos)

[Sp4]

Italia always turns out to be a pretty rich region for me though (peace and all that growth I guess) I try to do my recruitment far away from there and just focus Roma on printing gold. In my current campaign, Italia is making more than 3 times as much as my second richest province.

[Myth]

The richest province is Africa. It has the most resources and 4 coastal settlements. With the right temple choices and infrastrucutre it should produce the most gold for you. Rome is good because it's one of the more easily accessible and consolidatable 4 settlement provinces. You don't really want your main infantry recruitment center to not be stationed in a 4 settlement province. Also, Rome has only 2 resources so you are not forced into losing PO by upgrading minor settlements, and a full fledged military training center has tons of PO issues (unless you're Rome with a Circus Maximus)

[Sp4]

Don't have all of Africa. Pesky Egyptians keep sending 2-3 stacks to attack me. My second richest province is Hercynia, with its gold mines and industry. I'm kind of being left alone there at least because the Germans are having a war with the Gauls and the 'guys on the other side' are fighting the Scythians and no one cares about a bunch of Romans sitting there min(d)ing their own business.

[zizzurry]

Myth, you made this guide compatible with the mission objectives?!...

[zizzurry]

This is my military center (Italy) configuration:

Rome (Capital):
(1) City (lv 3/4)
(2) Basilica Exercitoria (Lv 4 Training Center)
(3) Circus Maximus (I find the sword wielding gladiators to be an able shock troop, due to their ungodly high attack rating) xD
(4) Temple of Mars (lv 4)
(5) Armidoctor (Lv 4 Training Center)
(6) ??? -> I really don't know what put in this slot! xD

Neopolis:
(1) Town (lv 2)
(2) Trading Port (I should have built a military port here instead, but even still, the early income from this port was helpful)
(3) Cohort Barracks (will upgrade to Legion Barracks)
(4) Temple of Mars (lv 3)

Ariminium:
(1) Town (lv 2)
(2) Docks (lv 3) or Portus Classis
(3) Fabrica (lv 3)
(4) Auxiliary Garrison (Socii Equites Extraordinarii, Auxilary Cavalry and battalions of war dogs) xD

Velathri:
(1) Town (lv 2)
(2) Armourer (lv 3)
(3) Temple of Mars (lv 3)
(4) Siege Engineer's Workshop (lv 3)


That's how I did mine. Feel free to critique and/or share your own builds.

[Slaists]

Italia always turns out to be a pretty rich region for me though (peace and all that growth I guess) I try to do my recruitment far away from there and just focus Roma on printing gold. In my current campaign, Italia is making more than 3 times as much as my second richest province.

If I play Rome, I use Italy as the troop production center same as Myth. This is historical too. Rome did not start to recruit legions outside of Italy until the time of Caesar, auxilia fodder is a different matter.

Same regarding Africa: I'd make it a priority to take that cash cow. Build several temples that boost port income + a dignitary + a tax edict and you're "golden". Add some slave markets for even a bigger "bang". Again, that role for Africa is historical, the province was a significant tax provider for Rome (tax and grain) all the way until the eventual collapse of the empire.

I'd build Italy up as a commercial province if I was playing as a different nation and conquered it.

p.s. As much as possible I go for upgraded city centers: this gives extra recruitment slots and also improves road network which adds significantly to troop mobility.

My stetup would be: Italy: Mars temples everywhere (maxed out); 1 legion barracks (max), 1 auxilia barracks (max), 1 armor boosting workshop (max), 2 training fields in Rome + anything I can get for happiness. I'd build a weapon boosting workshop in Northern Italy to upgrade troops as they march out from Italy.