That is certainly true. It only really works well against factions. Do the bands of Aphistomenoi even care that you are in a rebel province? They only seem to get aggressive if you trip over them or attack a town, kinda like snakes, or hornets, or other such critters.
And yeah, I like the set piece feel to it, too. The new logistics traits system can make it a little less comfortable, unless you have a few smart and well-trained generals (which I do!).
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