Roman: Brutii

[Kickius Buttius]

I'm getting worried about something and I need to ask you all a question. What triggers the Senate to declare the civil war? Is it possible to fail to reach the triggers and have the amount of time allowed for a game runout?

I'm playing a Brutii game that had a series of disasters right at the start (see earlier in this thread), but I stuck with it and was able to recover. As a consequence of the early issues, I've moved quite a bit more slowly than my usual gameplay. I now own twenty-two provinces. The Senate appears to still love me (icons one from the top) and the public is okay with me (popularity about half way up the scale). The date is 188 and I'm worried because no civil war yet.

I'm also wondering if you must eliminate a specific faction (the same one or ones you would have to defeat to win the short campaign). Due to the early troubles with the game, once I took all the Greek cities in Greece, I was forced to concentrate on Europe. I left the Greek cities in Turkey alone. The Greeks are thus the owners of three cities in Turkey. Do I need to take those?

I'd prefer not to, since all my armies are busy fighting in Gaul, with the exception of the full stack army and diplomat patiently sitting outside each Julii and Scipii city, waiting for the civil war.

[GreatEmperor]

No, if you get 30 provinces and the people of Rome love you, you will get a message that the people of Rome are behind you and you can unleash the civil war by attacking an other Roman Faction.

So my advice is to conquer Gaul and Spain so you reach thirty and then take some cities until you get the message. Then lay siege to the Julii and Scipii cities and you've got your Civil War.

[Kickius Buttius]

Okay, one more question. Having bribed many Julii armies over the years, it occurred to me that I might be able to bribe a city. Iuvavum was chock full of troops and no family member, so I gave it a shot. The bribe worked and I got the city plus the entire army.

The next turn, the senate assigned me the mission of "return Iuvavum to the Julii." If I failt o do so in ten turns the message said I would "incur the displeasure of the Senate." Is this something I should worry about or just idle talk?

Will it help me cause the civil war to begin?

[GreatEmperor]

It will only decrease your standing in the Senate list.

[Craterus]

It depends if you want the city. After all, you still get to keep the military force. But if you need the city, don't worry about it, just hold onto it.

[Kickius Buttius]

I'm going to hold onto it out of spite. Thanks for the help.

[gardibolt]

Actually, if you walk out of the city, it will probably rebel. Then the old order will be rescinded and the Senate will tell you to retake it. Silly old men.

But if you're looking to trigger the civil war, yes, by all means keep it, as long as they didn't threaten to investigate you. That's very bad.