Stomp out Gaul early or establish rich provinces

[bigmilt16]

I know that it is fairly typical in a Roman campaign to establish Sicily, N. Italy, and Corsica/Sardinia first to provide essential trade and mining economy and to get the polybian legions.

Do you guys usually march into gaul after this, or do you guys try to establish other historical provinces. I ask because the gauls always turn on me, but I don't want to waste time early on storming the barbarian wastelands without a bigger economy and military.

What should I do? thanks

[anubis88]

I for always follow a historical approach with the factions i play. When playing with rome I kept a legion in the po valley to repell the Aedui attacks( i conquered sicily, corsica and sardinia in a historycall order), and then i went to Iberia and greece.

It depends on what you like. I suggest you ally yourself with one gaulish faction, and help them a little if they need it(money, manpower) to leave the 2 factions in a status quo. They surely won't come after you if they have their hands full with themselves

[Gugus]

I always take Massilia and garrison it haevilly - it is a good choke point and it seems to deter gauls from attacking. Same with Mediolanum and any other province that borders Arverni\Aedui. It is also handy to keep one or two legions in the Po Valley.
G

[Disciple of Tacitus]

I also take a historical approach. There are threads somewhere in here about that. I too play the Gaulish factions against each other. Currently allied with the Averni and "paying them tribute", as the Aedui have all of western France. They are happily being historically accurate by bashing each other's heads in whilst I take Greece. Very accomidating of them.
I keep a minimal force in Massilia and Mediolunm (sp?), and extra mnai in the bank. Much like the Romans in their time, if the barbarians invade, stay, and seige my towns, I spit a 1/2 legion out in no time at all and march them to lift the seige. Northern Italy - b/c the cities are so close - can do that. It's very annoying when you are fighting Rome, but great fun when you ARE Rome.
Keeping the extra mnai in the bank takes some disciplne, but I prefer it to keeping a full legion standing around the Po Valley staring longingly at the sheep.

To concur with Gugus and Anubis88, Northern Italy offers some wonderful natural borders/chokepoints. Press north til you hold them, then hold.
That's my two bits. Hope it helps.

ps. Is anybody else expanding historically using the Provinces as their guide on which territories to take?

[beatoangelico]

the best thing to do is probably to take Massalia and Tolosa and then keep a defensive behaviour. This is both historical and convenient, since in RTW engine sea trade brings much more wealth than land trade.

[Dubius Cato]

I find myself doing a punic war and when I conquered Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia, I always see Carthage soo undefended, so I did go into Africa after that immediately, just because I could. Carthage is a really fat target. Then I need to kill the rest of the Carthies, and then the Ptolies come around and attack me. Happened in two campaigns now. I just can't resist to get Carthage early.

[Emperor Mithdrates]

Being a Carthaginian fanatic myself it kills me to say....DESTROY the one other civilization that will match Roman discipline and Technology. Carthage (Northern Africa, Modern Tunisia)!

http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/...4101621646.jpg

Here is an image i put on the internet of what my carthaginian army did to legions of Romans. Trust me destroy them before they get a foothold.