Disapointed in Carthage

[ShadesPanther]

I modded in gaul swordsmen and scutari ito Carthage and I am going to make alot more types of mercs available in the carthage area. I will also give them a bigger navy and give them a larger starting money.

[Lichgod]

Carth H/H Long

Finished a Carth N/N Short campaign.

Sicily - Put Faction leader in your town as he seemed to die on turn 2 if he was in the field. I bought the Hoplite Merc and added it to the Lilybeamum garrison. Scipii attacked the Greeks every time and took Syracruse. Leave defending force, move most of army to Carthage. Put your spy in Massena.

Carthage - build a ship and get ready to send your army to Sardina as the Julii will keep attacking you there until they take it.

Sardina - build walls. get ready for Julii invasion.

Spain - buy merc infantry (ones with Pila) and build stables for cav. Defend for now as the Spanish and Gauls are going to attack.

Put your worst family member and two milita on a boat. Sail to Balaeric Isles. Pick up garrison, leave militia, buy all slinger units, go to Spain or Sardina - where you percieve the biggest threat. (Note, your generic slingers are NOT worth it. When you can afford to do so, station a family member here and keep buying Balearic Slingers when they are offered.) Balaeric slingers have better stats, 50% longer range, and come with 2 experience compared to normal Carth slingers.

If you get a chance (I did not realize this until later), send a small force to take Crete from the rebels. Just buy some mercs (archers, Rodesian slingers) before taking the town. Crete archers are some of the best and only way (open to other ideas here) to get Archers as Carth.

After you beat up the Julii on Sardina (they will be back), take most of your force (elephant is you salvation unit), return to Sicily (stop off at carthage to get retrained with your new blacksmith). The force on Sardina will see small forces of Julii and needs to big enough to destroy them as soon as they land.

Once on Sicily, pick up most the Lily garrison (which might be under siege at this point), take Massena (where you spy is, 48% to open gates, check each turn you have it under siege, you will find it open at least once, then attack). Take Syracruse last. Spy first followed by siege. Once you get Sicily secured, only token forces of Scipii drop off at Messena. Keep one fair army there, most the other non-militia units back to Carthage.

Numedia should be bothering you now. Also, the Spanish and Gauls. I loaded up one elephant and some long shield cav with a family member to Spain to start the conquest there (pit stop at the Balearic Isles for more slingers). My main army I sent into Numedia to take them out of the game. Also, by now, I had lost Sardinia to a combined Scipii/Julii assualt on the town. The Julii never bothered me again once they had Sardinia.

Overall, lots of fun to play, a real challenge. I never seem to have enough cash. Protect your elephants, put one in each army. When they go in, have a cav on their heels. I notice elephants dont kill much before the enemy breaks morale. They are super effective in shattering formations for your follow up cav to decimate. That, plus the Morale hit the elephants cause, crushes the best of troops. Not much difference for the cost between the cheap elephants and their two upgraded cousins. I have only lost one elephant (not unit, just one beast) in my campaign which is 2/3s over.

Watch your Balaeric slingers closely. I have mentioned on other threads their arc of fire is very low and friendly fire is a big problem with them. Micro Manage is key with them. They ARE worth the hassle. Especially when taking towns. The AI likes to stand in the square. Slingers like to shoot them till they are all dead.

Carthage is my favorite faction. Lots of challenge.

[jbluvchild]

Can you change there damn faction crest too , its a horse under a plam tree. Red and White