What with BF2 and X3 and Christmas a such I have not played much in a while.

Well now I have finally downloaded the latest patch for BI and fired up a new Western Empire game. While I have not forgotten how to fight I had forgotten what a series of diasters the Western Empire was. First some revolts (just three) and then lossing money and going into debt while trying to streamline the empire's military. Then when you have stablised to loss of money and public unrest and start to recover you find your governors are a corrupt old bunch of wasters. Next as you are trying to organize your forces into something resembling an army rebels and bandits start popping up all over the place. As you are dealing with them the Alemanni and the Berbers start getting shirty and harassing your cities.

You defend yourself and take back a city (sacking it) and finally get into the black again with stacks resembling legions starting to form and boom the Hordes (Sarmatians or Huns) turn up) plus the Eastern Empire starts getting all expansionist. Iberia is a pain in the @#$# simply because it is so far away and has public order issues. But because it is far from the front lines sending money there feels like a waste.

Finally trying to spread a little Christainity about, at the same time. Well that is the one thing that is good pretty well so far (if you ignore the occasional riot)...

I had forgotten how much more work there was in a BI campaign...