Rebel guidance.

[Vincent Butler]

Usually it is the Brigands who disrupt trade, and the Brigands are the ones I see on the roads. It is my understanding that if it is not Brigands, say the Iceni Rebels in Britannia, they will not disrupt trade. Correct me if I am wrong, anyone. Those Halicarnassus rebels off the road might not be Brigands, but instead Lydian Rebels or something like that. I have noticed rebels like to pop up between Ariminium (or Arretium, I get the two confused) and Tarentum, and again just north of Ariminium (or Arretium, whichever one is to the east). Those usually have mercenary Hastati.

[williamsiddell]

Those Halicarnassus rebels off the road

It was quite funny that I hadn't seen new rebels in Halicarnassus - until just after I started this thread. I've lost the save so I don't know what they were. Halicarnassus is interesting because it starts with six rebel units, four of which soon move out. Those four are high quality and so are expensive to bribe early in the game. If you then bribe Halicarnassus (for a good price considering it comes with a wonder), those rebels will not cause devastation meaning you can leave them and bribe when needed. I presume other starting rebel cities are the same.

just north of Ariminium

Do you mean south?

I've had rebels that started on the Sakae road which then moved to a watchtower I created. Those didn't cause devastation for some time, but after about 20 turns did. I agree that some rebels behave differently, but I thought it was some minor bug - I'll keep an eye open.

[Vincent Butler]

Could be south, I don't think it is always the same, they are just right outside the city walls. It seems to vary, north seems to be predominant to me, they move around. They are different from the units that appear between Ariminium and Tarentum. Typically I don't bribe rebel units till I have a lot of money, I prefer to destroy them. Sometimes I will have armies of pure cav for dealing with rebel armies. That works best if you confine that army to a region, it is quicker to destroy the rebels with units from a city than to wait for the cav army to get there.

[williamsiddell]

Typically I don't bribe rebel units till I have a lot of money

I nearly always bribe rebels early in the game for three reasons:

1) They're cheap.
2) They are usually of the same culture as your faction and so some will join your side - saving you build time and population loss (that group at Halicarnassus forms the core of my Asia Minor army when playing the Greek Cities).
3) The cost per turn of a small army set up to kill rebels is likely to be more than the cost of devastation the rebels cause.

[Vincent Butler]

Try it as Rome, the only time you can do it is those Italian rebel armies have the Mercenary Hastati, Velites, or Town Watch. I don't know how the Gladiator ones work. Greek style units are more widespread. I don't think barbarians can get the Merc Warband, because the icon is different. I have heard, I think on this forum somewhere, that Britain and Gaul cannot bribe each other's Warband to their side because the icon is different. Greece does not have that problem, the Militia Hoplites icon is the same, as is the Hoplite one (I believe). Probably same for Archers and Peltasts, I would have to look when I am in the game again.

[williamsiddell]

Aye, that's one of the good things about this game - variety with the factions. I'm playing Parthia at the moment and I can only afford cheap bribes and anyway I can only run a small army. Other Parthian points: no sewage, no doctors so far meaning losses are heavier, only one temple and the ground troops are poor. Parthians are eastern though, as are Armenians and Pontics so there are bribe recruits available.

[Vincent Butler]

Poor infantry is why I don't play as Parthia. Well, if they were set well for money I probably would, but the money is what kills my Parthian and Barbarian campaigns. Interesting idea, bribing, but that requires money, and Parthia does not have that. Even when I play on E/E, I still can't get a Parthian campaign to go anywhere. Which now has me wanting to try one again. The temple is not that big a deal, although I don't know what it gives. I usually favor a temple that gives money first, second improved weapons, third good units. That is my temple order.