Roman: Scipii

[Bellicin]

I'm curious how the AI performs with the 1.5 & 1.6 patches myself. It certainly hasn't honored the Carthaginians very well. I coul be that I'm only playing a Med/Med campaign. I probably should have went of Hard/Hard, but I wanted to see how the game feels with the new changes. (I've always been a bit cautious that way, a lil' like Ol'e Pete Longstreet of the Confederacy)

I assume this might have been adressed in previous replies but what the heck:

The AI appears to be really nasty from what I've seen so far in 1.5. Earlier I've finished a dozen or so campaigns in 1.0 on different settings, and trying VH/VH in 1.5 is by far the biggest challenge I've had.

On the campaignmap the AI is pretty aggressive but not as rabid as I expected. Mind you I've only played 15 years of a Scipii-campaign though. So far I'm being hit by quite a bit of rebels (about 1 rebel army popping up every year in random province) and Carthage have been a bit of a pain until now. They had two full stacks roaming around the countryside, but luring them into attacking my main force at a river crossing took care of that.

One thing I have noticed though is that the AI is much more prone to ship their troops to other provinces and islands. The Greek Cities actually landed in Italy and tried to attack the Brutii in my current campaign, and the Julii have been rude enough to steal Caralis and Palma right before my eyes.

In battle I was impressed to see the AI flank me for the first time yesterday, and with a perfect pincermovement no less! Overconfidently I had one unprotected unit of hastati coming to reinforce my main army sieging Carthage, and hit by two units of long shield cavalry and one general it routed within seconds. They actually attacked at the exact same moment from three sides (front and sides) while staying out of pila-range all the time. Scarily impressive...

Overall the AI seems to be performing better but not incredibly so. Most fights are still about lining up and getting the advantage of height, peppering the enemy with all missiles you have without them charging. It seems that in 1.5 (compared to 1.0) the AI is more prone to try and deal with missiles by sending forth 1 unit at a time to chase the enemy missile unit off, which basically never works.

The biggest battleproblem I've had so far are the elephants, which are a nightmare on VH. I faced a battered unit of two lowtier elephants in Lepcis Magna, and they survived constant missile fire (fire arrows from my archers) and managed to take down one whole unit of wardogs and around 150 hastatii before dying. Had some better luck later on with making them go nuts or break but nowadays I try to stay well clear of them at all costs.

My two cents about the Scipii:
Carthage and Numidia are musts to defeat, they'll only backstab you if you leave them or their territories will be taken by more competent factions. I see many of the above posters try and get a share of the Greek Cities in their own homeland but I've never had enough military power to stretch that far myself. Taking whatever islands you can (Palma, Caralis, Kydonia) from Carthage or Rebels are great plans too, they'll bring in a steady income without requiring much defense. The sea is the Scipii homeland, so building a decent navy to fight off pirates and enemy ships is the way to go. Not to mention the ports will soon be your biggest source of income.

Yikes, that turned out longer than expected

Kind regards

[Centurion1]

The Romans are most definitely overpowered by the AI. Some of you have been mentioning attacks on the brutti's and Jullis usual avenues of attack. This isnt really my style. I prefer to fight an all-powerful group of roman families at the end. In fact ive been known to give the romans a little push in the right direction. Anyway, im playing as the scippi on VH/VH, and the camapign has shaped up pretty nicely. I conquered sicily first as is standard, then caralis and palma, (while i like a strong roman factions at the end, islands are my favorites), i then moved in on thapsus. After thapsus i conquered Carthage. Those stinking elephant riders then lost lepcis magna in quick order. I then conquered cirta. After that it was the marius reform (i known it seems slow, but that's my style.) i then built up three distinctive armies, in varying degrees of power. I had a African army composed of 8 early lego, 4 archers, a 5-star general, 4 roman cavalry, and a ballista for the sake of history. Then i created a Spanish army of 8 normal legos, 4 archers, 4 roman cavalry, a 8- star general, and an onager. My third army was based in italy for prepartion of the civil war and is composed of 8 praetorian guard, 4 archer auxilia, 4 praetorian cavalry, two scorpions, and a 4- star general. The north african army conquered tingi, dimmidi, and nepte in quick order. My spanish legion, soon mounted amphibious landings on corduba and conquered it, then moved on to Carthago navo. They are about to take oslo. (it takes a while because i am reluctant to attack with my troops in cities they are unable to retrain in, so ive been starving out my enemies.) Ironically enough ive adopted a roman tactic in spain and north africa. Because of excess armies of numidians and spainards ive been building forts at every stop. Needless, to say there has been no more trouble.
Global diplomacy is...........at the least intresting. The five greatest nations are in order, egypt, myself, brutti, julli, and the GAULS. Yeah my stupid northern brothers havent defeated some stinking barbarians (i did help the gauls out a litle HEEHEE) I am currently financing a VERY succesful war in asia minor between the greeks and egyptians. The greeks have entire west coast and the north east (im trying to create a new greek empire.....plus i hate the egyptians) And most intresting the julli have been losing provingces from the britains and gauls (the britainsa own all northern europe, and gaul owns modern day france and two cities) in spain Hmmm, this may lead to some new develoments. Sorry, to ramble more info coming

[Barry]

A very entertaining campaign Centurion. I may have to start a campaign as the Scipii now...

[Centurion1]

Yeah it has been quite satisfying i looked back and i was like what faction would i like to play and then it hit me. Ironically enough the scippi are the first faction i played and i hadnt played them since.

So a quick update, i am currently in control of all n. africa up to lepcis magna and am pursuing a very vigorous war in Spain. The egyptians are invading the new greek empire in Asia minor and the britons are expanding their power in the north. The gauls power was much more extensive then i expected, they controlled all modern day france AND Scallabis, numantia, and Oslo. The gauls and Brits brief push against the Julli was short lived and they are now reeling and have lost a little ground. The dacians are holding on by a single province, while surronded by brits, julli, and brutti. Not really sure whats going on in the east besides for greece and that Egypt is kicking @$# (nothing unusual there) the sythians are in control of all the north -east to the best of my knowledge. The gauls are fotressing in france with stack upon stack and even my julli brothers are unable to shake them out. After i defeat them in spain i think im going to be their financial backbone and maybe give them that edge to beat the romans (unlikely but it will be entertaining). I am also going to crush the numidians in libya and cyrene (would have earlier but its such a pain to get armies across deserts). My main thing now is to keep the greeks strong so they can keep the egyptians busy (once again unlikely but it WILL be intresting) Im about to crush those pesky spainards and their remaining city soon. Isuppose after i fortress in Spain, and North Africa, ill finish off the islands and prepare to raze the coast. I will land in coastal egyptian cities, conquer, exterminate, destroy all buildings, and leave. I'll take a screeshot next time, ill be making my move after i've conquered all spain, ive forted garrisons in the Pyrenees (5 normal legos, 5 archers, and 3 cav.) I also want a full stakc with a general each in Spain (maybe two there for historical reference), a stack of the same composition in n. africa, a italian stack, a raiding stack (for coast), an island stack, and 2 stacks for my libyan thrust. and finally a rebel hunting army composed of cav. in my major regions which is 5 melee cav., and 5 cav. auxilia with a young general for experience (italy, n. africa, spain, sicily). Thats only like 8 stacks with associated odds and ends. This will be boring but intresting because ill fight one awesome ai in the end, and ill get to set up my protectorate kingdoms. Barry tell me how your camapign sets up if you decide to go for it.

[Barry]

I will do Centurion, good luck funding 8 stacks!! I hope you have a decent financial strucure.

[Centurion1]

Yep im not too thrilled with the prospect. My financial structure is pretty well-developed as of now tho with an net profit (after expenditures) of 30k per turn with a base fortune of 450k. So i think i'll be okay.

[Barry]

Hmm, are you experienceing bad traits for your generals? All that money can corrupt them.

Ok, just started out with my Scipii campaign, I hadn't realised that I had removed the unbreakable alliance with the other Romans, getting sieged in Capua first turn with a full stack SPQR army was a bit of a shock but since then I have regrouped on Sicily. Messana is infantry, Syracuse Cavalry and Lilybaeum Missile. I find this to be very effective.

I dominate the sea and I am now in a position to launch an attack on Carthage and Thapsus, both should be very easy to take as my army consisting of 6-star general, 6 Hastati, 4 Cav and 4 Missile (most units are silver Chevron after previous victories).

I aim to secure N. Africa, eliminate Numidia then strike in Spain. No rush though.