Quote Originally Posted by easytarget View Post
I look forward to the point in the campaign where everyone in the diplo screen is not staring back at me red.
You should try playing a greek faction which likes greeks. That way you'll have loads of friends around the pelopolynese. I was about to recommend Bactria but they have the small (small) problem of having to fight through most of Asia to find their friends...

With Rome, I've found that if I can sign NA pacts with Sparta and Athens, I usually end up being friendly/allied with them. Especially as one ends up focussing on Carthage and North Africa to begin with. Obviously, if the Greek cities have already declared war on you then, er, that won't work... Look to Carthage's enemies (if they have any) for friendships. In a few of my campaigns, they have started wars with the Arrevacii (the gauls), so providing youc an stomach friendship with the long haired ones, they have at times been solid friends of mine in Rome campaigns.