Suggestions for v0.8

[Orb]

I don't think they need a reform to have these level 4-5 cities, I'm fairly skeptical that the Greeks and Romans were the only ones who knew what a city was. The 'barbarians' were, ironically, better-bathed than the Romans (if I'm correct, which I might be)

[Orb]

At Matthius, many of those traits seem much too exaggerated in effect. EB has a nice system where traits combine to make up a character, rather than a character's entire stats being dominated by one trait.

[cunctator]

I don't think they need a reform to have these level 4-5 cities, I'm fairly skeptical that the Greeks and Romans were the only ones who knew what a city was. The 'barbarians' were, ironically, better-bathed than the Romans (if I'm correct, which I might be)

Can't speak about the "barbarians," but at least during the principate every tiny roman backwater garrison and small town has had it's own bathhouse. I doubt the number of public bathes was surpassed by any culture since then.

At least celts will have large lvl. 4 cities in 0.8, not sure about iberians and getai. Sweboz and nomads will still be limited to lvl. 3 cities.

[MSB]

I don't think they need a reform to have these level 4-5 cities, I'm fairly skeptical that the Greeks and Romans were the only ones who knew what a city was. The 'barbarians' were, ironically, better-bathed than the Romans (if I'm correct, which I might be)

At Matthius, many of those traits seem much too exaggerated in effect. EB has a nice system where traits combine to make up a character, rather than a character's entire stats being dominated by one trait.

If the man has low enough influence, is mad and has lost enough battles he get the trait:

Enemy of Rome: This man is so useless and insane the senate have decided to declare him an enemy of Rome. It is every citizen's duty to kill this man. -10 influence, -20 personal sercurity and -8 morale for all troops under his command. Game Effects: When a general gets this trait him and a few of his troops turn rebel.

Ok lets get rid of that trait then. Mabye I was a little over the top with that one... So perhaps if all of the traits I ever suggested were to have a slightly less influence, management or command bonus/penalty then it would not be so extravagant.

Orb you are correct in saying that the Barbarians were better bathed. They washed with soap. Something that the Romans and Greeks never would use.

Can I just suggest that the Celts, the Germans and other Barbarians don't have the word "barbarian" in the culture name. It should be changed to something a little more like what they would call themselves. Don't ask me to give examples. I have no idea what they would historically call themselves!

[Trithemius]

Can I just suggest that the Celts, the Gemans and other Barbarians don't have the word "barbarian" in the culture name. It should be changed to something a little more like what they would call themselves. Don't ask me to give examples. I have no idea what they would historically call themselves!

What's a suitable pan-Eurasian equivalent?

[Tanit]

I was thinking about the Carthaginians the other day and I had a couple of thoughts.

They would not call themselves Quarthadastim. I could be mistaken, but as Quarhadast (The true name of Carthage) meant 'new city' in Phoenician then Quarthadastim would be something like 'People of the new city' I don't know for sure, but I would like to know why EB wants them to call themselves that.

Phoenician colonies. It was mentioned on another thread that it should be possible for Carthaginians to recruit at least their militia citizen phalanx from any city with a Phoenician colony. After some research I discovered that this was, pretty much, true. The Phoenicians would colonize places and then the colonists, still being Carthaginian citizens, would, in times of need, form citizen armies much like those that fought invaders in North africa. Of course there was supposedly a difference between colonial citizens and homeland citizens though I couldn't find anywhere that said what the difference was. I suspect this difference would have had something to do with local influence. The ability to recruit these citizens after building a colony would help in areas where Carthage can't build any troops, like in Latium for example. It's really annoying in the campaign to capture Rome and then be unable to recruit a garrison.

Carthaginian naval reforms: The Carthaginians, at the outset of the Punic war had a large number of ships partially beause they contained very small complements of armed men(marines). Partway through the Punic war the Carthaginians began outfitting their fleet with more marines and more specifically the best pick of their most skilled mercenaries. In game this would be a normal reform with the Punic fleets starting out with fewer men than they have now and then after the reform their ship complement is brought up to what it is now.

Carthaginian land forces reforms: In addition to the reforms you already have. After Hannibal had fought several battles with the Romans his men began to use Roman equipment they had captured from the defeated enemy. They took armour and weapons from the Romans but not shields so that they would not be mistaken for the enemy. It would be cool to see Iberians, Liby-phoenicians, africans and Libyans armed with Roman weapons and armour.

Libyans: It is mentioned in the accounts of the invasion of North Africa by Agathocles of Syraceuse that he convinced the Libyans to join him and that these included Libyan chariots. It is also mentioned that the Libyans were charioteers in the same way as the Balearic Islanders were slingers, it was a natural passed on speciality of the locals. Agathocles' invasion of North Africa took place approximately thirty years before the game of EB starts. There would most likely still be local Libyan charioteers and also likely mercenaries as well. The Carthaginians didn't employ them in the Punic wars, but they were still there if a brilliant Carthaginian general had known how to use them, or if an invader had been able to rouse them against their Punic masters. Also, Libyan cavalry is suggested in Polybius' account of the first punic war and the Mercenaries war. In the Punic war there is an account were he mentions the cavalry of the Carthaginians going ahead of the army and then he says that the Libyans fell back to the main army, drawing the enemy in. In the Libyan/mercenaries war, it is mentioned that the rebels received infantry and cavalry from the Libyan cities that joined them.

Xanthippus: I must protest to the way Xanthippus was portrayed inEB 0.74. He didn't arrive in North Africa until at least eighteen years into the first Punic war, and that started ten years after the start of EB. That's 56 turns! Not that the Carthaginians couldn't have hired him sooner, but he certainely wouldn't be in Africa at te start of the game. Now I understand the limitations that CA has put on EB, so if none of suggestions are plausible than the EB team has done the best they can and I approve.
Suggestion #1: Xanthippus starts on a ship with some greek mercenaries (as it was said that he came over with Greek mercenaries hired by Carthage) on his way to North Africa. This one is probably not possible but if it is then it is a good option.
Suggestion #2: Xanthippus starts as a Carthaginian general in Greece with a transport awaiting him.
Suggestion #3: The most historically accurate, though not neccesarily possible. Xanthippus starts as an eleutheroi general in Greece with traits that make him easy to bribe and a Carthaginian diplomat right nearby.

Skiffs: During the account of one of the many times in the first Punic war that Carthage rebuilt her fleet it says that they outfitted triremes, quinqueremes, and the heaviest of their skiffs. I don't know exactly what a skiff is, but its just a thought for making the Carthaginian fleet more diverse.

[khelvan]

According to the world's foremost Punic historian, the Carthaginians called themselves, alternately, Qarthadastim, Tsorim, and one other I can't recall at the moment.

[CountArach]

RE: The Naval Reforms.

I'm not sure about this one. I don't doubt the historical accuracy of it, but consider what would happen if they had won most of the naval battles in the First Punic War. They most likely would not have reformed the navy. Perhaps the only way to truly represent this would be if they had lost several crushing naval defeats vs a nation with far superior infantry (Like the Romans). I personally am not sure if this is possible (I don't think it is).

[Tanit]

RE: The Naval Reforms.

I'm not sure about this one. I don't doubt the historical accuracy of it, but consider what would happen if they had won most of the naval battles in the First Punic War. They most likely would not have reformed the navy. Perhaps the only way to truly represent this would be if they had lost several crushing naval defeats vs a nation with far superior infantry (Like the Romans). I personally am not sure if this is possible (I don't think it is).

I didn't think it was possible but I had to throw it out just in case.

According to the world's foremost Punic historian, the Carthaginians called themselves, alternately, Qarthadastim, Tsorim, and one other I can't recall at the moment.

After I wrote it and looked back at it, the name made a whole lot more sense then when I was writing it. Thanks for the source info Khelvan!

[paullus]

According to the world's foremost Punic historian, the Carthaginians called themselves, alternately, Qarthadastim, Tsorim, and one other I can't recall at the moment.

so, just who is the world's foremost pre-Roman Punic historian?

[MSB]

Xanthippus: I must protest to the way Xanthippus was portrayed inEB 0.74. He didn't arrive in North Africa until at least eighteen years into the first Punic war, and that started ten years after the start of EB. That's 56 turns! Not that the Carthaginians couldn't have hired him sooner, but he certainely wouldn't be in Africa at te start of the game. Now I understand the limitations that CA has put on EB, so if none of suggestions are plausible than the EB team has done the best they can and I approve.
Suggestion #1: Xanthippus starts on a ship with some greek mercenaries (as it was said that he came over with Greek mercenaries hired by Carthage) on his way to North Africa. This one is probably not possible but if it is then it is a good option.
Suggestion #2: Xanthippus starts as a Carthaginian general in Greece with a transport awaiting him.
Suggestion #3: The most historically accurate, though not neccesarily possible. Xanthippus starts as an eleutheroi general in Greece with traits that make him easy to bribe and a Carthaginian diplomat right nearby.

Slightly off topic, Xanthippus turned up in Age of Empires (the first one) if you could find him in the First Punic War, the battle of Tunis (I don't know if that battle really happened as I have never heard of it). He had a reasonably Greek army with lots of Phalaxes, two Catapults and a couple of Cataphracts. Now I know who he really was. Yes!

Anyway back on topic he could turn up like this:
The Script at the games start causes a eleutheroi general and a large army of Greek mercenaries turn up near Karthage between 10 - 18 years after a major war has begun and major defeats and victories have started showing up. Then when he appears the scripts causes a box/advisor to pop up telling you "A General can be Hired". This box will tell you that a General named Xanthippus is willing to be hired by you for lets say 30,000. It could give historical infomation about him his armies and what Carthage used him for. Then it could give two options Yes hire him, No don't hire him. If you don't hire him he goes of the be hired by somebody else on a rebel navy. If you say yes his army joins you. Brilliant solution!

Phoenician colonies. It was mentioned on another thread that it should be possible for Carthaginians to recruit at least their militia citizen phalanx from any city with a Phoenician colony. After some research I discovered that this was, pretty much, true. The Phoenicians would colonize places and then the colonists, still being Carthaginian citizens, would, in times of need, form citizen armies much like those that fought invaders in North africa. Of course there was supposedly a difference between colonial citizens and homeland citizens though I couldn't find anywhere that said what the difference was. I suspect this difference would have had something to do with local influence. The ability to recruit these citizens after building a colony would help in areas where Carthage can't build any troops, like in Latium for example. It's really annoying in the campaign to capture Rome and then be unable to recruit a garrison.

Carthaginian naval reforms: The Carthaginians, at the outset of the Punic war had a large number of ships partially beause they contained very small complements of armed men(marines). Partway through the Punic war the Carthaginians began outfitting their fleet with more marines and more specifically the best pick of their most skilled mercenaries. In game this would be a normal reform with the Punic fleets starting out with fewer men than they have now and then after the reform their ship complement is brought up to what it is now.

I agree with all of the above, but I wish to suggest that the Romans have naval reforms too. The Romans, had almost no sea power at the games start and had no very good idea how to build ships. A reform should occur after Rome has started a war with a naval faction. Also I think ships sinking by storm should occur much more often. During the Punic Wars Rome lost most of it's fleet to a terrable storm and there were several more historical reports of bad weather on the seas. I also think that if you go out onto the West Coast of Iberia or Gaul you should sink, almost guarenteed.

[khelvan]

so, just who is the world's foremost pre-Roman Punic historian?

Dr. Charles Krahmalkov.