How to unify Italy before the Trait comes?

[I Am Herenow]

At the start of my Romani campaigns, I never manage to unify Italy before the "Year in History" trait arrives telling me that they'd already done it historically.

It's probably due to the fact that, upon beginning a campaign, one naturally assumes that the situation one faces is relatively stable; so being launched into a war with the Epirotes as the Romani - being given a "rolling start", as it were, and a 100 mph rolling start at that - is somewhat unexpected. Consequently, the initial delay (or "lurch") as the player gets to know his empire and what is happening around him may be what delays their actions.

Nevertheless, how would I defeat the Epirotes in Italy before the "time limit", if you will? It seems near enough impossible to me.

Indeed, has anyone considered making it somehow easier for the Romani to unify Italy in two or however many turns? Perhaps by placing Epirote/Roman armies in positions more threatening to the other faction at the start, in order to prompt the Roman player (and AI) into action. Or having a Roman spy in the Epirote cities, so that the gates are opened?

I don't know what happened historically - so if the army positions and compositions as they are now were actually attested to by someone, then fair enough, but I would assume that the scarcity of historical records for the period (more specifically, the scarcity of information on the Italian penninsula in 272 BC) would give you some leeway.

Again, if your hands are tied and your armies cemented by historical sources, then so be it - but trying to increase the pace of Italian conquest by the Romani in EB to match that of their real-life counterparts would be very much appreciated.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Well, the Epirites withdrew from Italia, so historically they just kind of handed the city over without a multi-year seige that RTW has. The fact that normal seiges take more than a year, really screws up some of the realistic speed aspects.

[Thaatu]

Mine went something like this:

I moved the southern army near Taras and sent the fleet to pick up the northern army, which I began moving to Brettia. On the second turn either the Epirotes attacked the southern army, or moved most of their garrison out of the city. Either way they were beaten and the survivors holed up in Taras, which I put under siege in the same turn. The other army was about halfway on their journey. In the autumn of 271 BCE I took Taras. By winter the other army reached Brettia, and in the spring they layed siege to Rhegion. By autumn of 270 BCE, the town was mine. It was in a hurry, but at least it's doable.

[Warmaster Horus]

Me, I take the Arpi Army, install a suitable leader with reinforcements and by Autumn 272 BC am beseiging Taras. I take it during winter. I then send 7/8th of the Army to Rhegion, which I capture during Summer 271BC (approximately). But realistically, MAA is right, of course.

[I Am Herenow]

Why not, then, reduce the Epirote garrissons in Italy - or completely get rid of them - and move the necessary armies over to Greece? This would then, surely, let the Romani historically cakewalk the rest of Italy; and would liven up the start of an Epirote campaign, forcing the player (who would presumably have different ideas to Epirus) to swing back to Italy in a mad dash to protect his cities in it.

[Foot]

Why not, then, reduce the Epirote garrissons in Italy - or completely get rid of them - and move the necessary armies over to Greece? This would then, surely, let the Romani historically cakewalk the rest of Italy; and would liven up the start of an Epirote campaign, forcing the player (who would presumably have different ideas to Epirus) to swing back to Italy in a mad dash to protect his cities in it.

Far as I am aware the surrender came after Pyhrrus died, which doesn't necessarily happen. But we have reduced the garrison in the internal build.

Foot

[The Stranger]

Why not, then, reduce the Epirote garrissons in Italy - or completely get rid of them - and move the necessary armies over to Greece? This would then, surely, let the Romani historically cakewalk the rest of Italy; and would liven up the start of an Epirote campaign, forcing the player (who would presumably have different ideas to Epirus) to swing back to Italy in a mad dash to protect his cities in it.

or he will train atleast one unit it so its secure, and land one general with some troops asap and hire some mercs and beat the hell out of the romans.

beter idea is to start the game at 271 B.C. and just give it to the romans...