A few questions on AI

[Tim]

I'm playing my first campaign as Julie. It's about 140 B.C. I like to take things slow and build up my infrastructure. Anyway, here's a few questions.

Is this game going to be flawed like Medieval, in that the AI of other factions cannot handle their economies. I look at the diagram comparing your faction with all the others. By the look of things, everyone but the Romans are falling back to the dark ages. In a few decades, I think I'll have orbital satellites. I realize the barbarians won't advance much, but Carthage (admittedly, I took their capital) in Spain looks like they haven't even invented the wheel.

Anyone having trouble maintaining control of captured provinces? I'm always just one or two turns away from revolts. Most of my cities are maxed out in buildings, as I pay special attention to making buildings that help moral ect. Yet, I have to keep a constant watch on what is going on, even though I've held some of them for fifty plus years.

Sorry, this was rushed, as I have to go to work. Later.

[Sir Robin]

A couple of things are actually involved here.

Are you also taking about farms and roads when you state maxed infrastructure?

It appears that farms and roads also play their part in keeping people happy.

How far are these cities from your capitol?

The further they are from your capitol the more likely they are to rebel. You might want to move your capitol to the most central location possible or to the most important cluster of cities.

The game is called RTW for a reason.

This game is essentially geared towards building up to a Roman apocalypse or desperately trying to stop the Roman steamroller.

Weak economies?

Yep the non-Roman AI factions seem a little buggy when it comes to building up their economies.

However this isn't just an AI issue.

The first time I played as Carthago I was shocked to find out how poor that city, Cordoba, in Spain was.

The AI factions I have played so far seem far less developed than Rome and its factions to begin with.

Only Carthage was a descent size and it only had low-level buildings!

The Roman factions have a tremendous initial advantage.

First, you have three pretty reliable allies for most of the game.

Second, you have trade routes right off the bat with Rome and the other two families.

Third, You only have to worry about one or two hostile factions to start with. The others are too busy fighting your relatives.

Carthago had only one port and no roads... in any province!

In fact three or four provinces didn't even have walls!

Sorry, I have issues... it just seemed that some the non-Roman factions were given to much of a handicap.

My goal once I can spare the time is too beef up the non-Roman factions and slip in some pre-existing allainces, wars, and trading rights.

[Spartiate]

Please tell me that the Egyptians are rich.They had a booming economy centered on Alexandria which had a population of 3 million as compared to 1 million in Rome.Antioch had 2 million people and was also an area of some considerable wealth.I'm getting the game on Friday with the rest of my Europeon brethren and if i find out that a lot of the advantages in relation to wealth that the eastern kingdoms had is not reflected in the game i will be one unhappy bunny.

[Psyco]

Please tell me that the Egyptians are rich.They had a booming economy centered on Alexandria which had a population of 3 million as compared to 1 million in Rome.Antioch had 2 million people and was also an area of some considerable wealth.I'm getting the game on Friday with the rest of my Europeon brethren and if i find out that a lot of the advantages in relation to wealth that the eastern kingdoms had is not reflected in the game i will be one unhappy bunny.

Dont worry. Just look at their roads and your question will be answered (the amount of caravans = the amount of trade. Their roads are packed!)

The AI seems pretty good at advancing technically. I'm playing on normal, and the AI's army seems quite up to date.

[Morindin]

In my game on Hard/Hard I consider myself pretty good at these kinds of game, approaching 200BC and have steamrolled the Gauls, allied with the Spanish, and on a 3 front war against the British, Germans, and Macedonians.

The Macedonians are the richest (I want their port nations), and the Egyptians are the most advanced, populous, productive, and have the largest military. They are the "best" faction by quite a way. The AI is fairly good at managing its economy in my game and most cities ive taken over from the AI (Macedonian especially) have had higher tech buildings than my own.

Secondly, distance to Capitol makes a huge difference to happiness and because the map is massive that is reflected well. Its also quite realistic. My Macedonian cities are taking quite a -ve due to distance from capitol.

Punctious Pilot (sp?) was complaining about putting down rebellions every year for 11 years in Judea.

I might add the strategic AI is giving me a very hard time.