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Thread: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

  1. #1

    Default Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Guide.
    Frogbeastegg's Guide to Total War: Shogun II. Please note that the guide is not up-to-date for the latest patch.


  2. #2
    Member Member Afro Thunder's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI)

    I started this one as my first campaign in BI. Right off the bat you have to deal with a few cities that are suffering from some redness of the face if you get my meaning. That's because the settlement's official religion is Pagan, and it has a majority of Christians. Wreck the Pagan temple and build a Christian shrine in those cities. Stabilizing your internal situation should be your first concern, then you should worry about the Sassanids. You're at war with them at the start of the campaign.
    Proud Strategos of the

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    Member Member Azi Tohak's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI)

    Quote Originally Posted by Afro Thunder
    I started this one as my first campaign in BI. Right off the bat you have to deal with a few cities that are suffering from some redness of the face if you get my meaning. That's because the settlement's official religion is Pagan, and it has a majority of Christians. Wreck the Pagan temple and build a Christian shrine in those cities. Stabilizing your internal situation should be your first concern, then you should worry about the Sassanids. You're at war with them at the start of the campaign.
    Yup, breaking the Pagan temples also gives a little money, but the main thing is then moving your newly released troops (because no more religious problems) up to the front to deal with the inevitable Sassanid Army.

    For me, the biggest problem early on is how to deal with the darned Katanks (err... Clibanarii... yeah... that's it). With their fantastic (or dreadful) armor, they can stand up to any missles you try to chuck at them (the laugh at pilum!). But the good news is that they are NOT killing machines. They do not kill very quickly (their rolling pins are not good at much besides bread you see). However, the Persians don't have very many, and won't for a long time (high on the building tree). The best you can do in battle is match your best infantry against the Clibanarii (Comitatenses etc), try to encircle them, and use your lousy infantry, missles, and your own general's cav (you DID remember to include a general right?) to smash the rest of the Persian army. After you chase that horrible infantry off the map, you can then just smash the Clibanarii with numbers. It won't be pretty, but it will work eventually.

    In term of strategerie, I like to hamstring the Persians ASAP. Meaning I break their initial invading armies (and their Clibanarii too!) as fast as I can. I did notice for me that the Persians like to go after Caesarea. Since I have an MA of 200, not the standard 80, I can quickly relieve it from Antioch, but that is something to keep an eye on. Then I take Hatra (enslaving) and then, after I have smashed armies trying to relieve Hatra, I go and sack Ctesiphon, destroying as many buildings as possible! Bad Azi But hey, it works! If you hold onto Hatra long enough (religious problems in Ctesiphon make it unpleaseant to hold), you might get lucky enough to have the ERE rebels appear. I likes my buffer states!

    Now then, you have smashed Persian power right? The next problem are going to the hordes. Personally, I HATE fighting smoke (aka Horse Archers) so I like to let the AI besiege Constantinople or Thessalonica (I usually just abandon Sirmium), and then crush their armies against the edge of the battle map. Is it fair? Nope! But it works.

    To be honest, once I get here... I start to get bored... I'll be back later with more advice.

    Azi
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  4. #4

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Eastern Roman Empire BI

    In RTWBI, the Eastern Roman Empire may seem extremely vast and unorganized at first glance but this isnt the case. The ERE is actually quite fluid and easily controlled once you sort out some initial problems.

    First, you must destroy all Pagan shrines and convert all cities to christianity as this will surely help you control your empire and prevent riots at the start.

    Immediately after converting your empire to christianity it would be wise to consolidate your military forces in each region using a border defense strategy. Meaning, you should consolidate your Northern border units, Stirmium to Constantinople, by fortifying each bridge crossing with a fort and medium size garrison. The same strategy can be employed at your Eastern border, Antioch to Jerusalem, albeit with slightly greater intensity

    I prefer a medium size stack in each fort, as opposed to placing 1-2 giant stacks in key locations which will result in fewer engagements with relatively easy fights, and a screening force beyond the crossing. In my opinion, using the bridge fortifying startegy and placing several medium size stacks in each fort will allow more control of your empire and result in more fights; generally more exciting and challenging. Also, if you build the forts infront or before each bridge crossing this will allow emplacement of a small screening force on the bridge itself to slow and wear the enemy down before the major battle.


    So, after you have converted your empire to christianity and consolidated your military along your Northern and Eastern borders it's time to manage your cities and build your empire! I prefer to build my Empire economically rather then militarily, which will definately prove useful later in the game. I first build all financial type buildings in each city with a focus to stay unified and not let any one city flourish or outpace each other, comparatively speaking. This strategy, when playing the ERE, really provides your Empire with more fighting ability later in the game by ensuring you have the funds to continually train units.

    When playing ERE, I build in this order:
    Roads
    Markets
    Docks
    Land clearance/Farming
    Mines
    Academies - Advanced Religious buildings


    Thus, after you have completed all financial and growth oriented building then it would be wise to start construction of your military infrastructure. Now, there is a few exceptions when playing the ERE, in regards to military type buildings. It's wise to set Constantinople and Antioch as your major military providers at the start of the game and continue with this approach until your ready to march on Italy.


    As for tactics, the bridge crossing strategy will work wonders in your Northern border against the Vandals and/or Huns. Generally, at each crossing you sould build the fort infront of the bridge and then deploy screening forces to slow down or deter the enemy from using this route/bridge.

    I prefer to use a mixture of archer cavalry (2-3x), light cavalry (2x), and spearmen (2-3x). I use small size armies to accomplish the screening tactic, which saves alot of cash but it still very effective.


    Well, after you sort the mess above it's time to march North (Italy) and East (Persia) and fulfill your conquests. I will post once I have beaten the campaign on very hard. (Im at about the beginning-end atm)

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    Member Member darsalon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Having read up on a couple of beginning posts with the ERE I started a game with them and have now hit probably mid to end game with them.

    I'll reinforce what other people have said with getting rid of the pagan temples and killing off the Persians asap. With the concentration on the eastern front I have merely carried out a holding action against the few attacks I have had to contend with on the western front. Maybe because I've been playing it on Medium level but the hordes have barely touched me so far.

    Anyway, the Persians. Watch Caesarea in central Turkey as that's one I've found the Persians were going for a lot, even when I was knocking on the door at Ctesiphon. There is an ideal route from the Persian regions in the northeast to Caesarea that needs to be watched. For invasion, as previous posters again mention, Hatra, Ctesiphon and then swing round in an anti clockwise direction to mop up. I sack them each time myself. None of this enslaving rubbish . Wipe em out so it makes it easier to then get the survivors onto Christianity asap.

    In battlefield fighting Persian infantry is normally levy spearmen when you face them so most units you have will be able to deal with them ok. The main threat is the Cilibrani (however you bloody spell that!) which requires a couple of lines of legio lancieri or higher to soak up the initial charge before then charging in cavalry or another infantry unit behind them. When they're getting crunched from all sides then eventually you'll get them.

    Western Europe area. That's been reasonably peaceful. I gave up sirmium fairly easily after the Huns rolled through and left it as a rebel city for around 30 years. That's been a buffer zone whilst I've built up a network of alliances with most of the barbarian factions which has held fairly well for most of the game. As a result I haven't had the "fun" of fighting horse archers yet and also has meant my military buildings aren't as highly developed as in the east. Therefore this stage of the game is a combination of economic growth in the east and military buildup in the west to take the Rome and Carthage target regions.

    Really I've found this faction to be good fun but not that challenging once the Persians have been dealt with. From there on in it's economic/military powerhouse time
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    Member Member Afro Thunder's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Speaking of Caesarea, in my campaign the Sassanid faction leader decided to place the city under siege, all by himself. What was he thinking?
    Proud Strategos of the

  7. #7

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by darsalon
    Having read up on a couple of beginning posts with the ERE I started a game with them and have now hit probably mid to end game with them.....

    Really I've found this faction to be good fun but not that challenging once the Persians have been dealt with. From there on in it's economic/military powerhouse time
    Agreed.
    I've been playing on VH/VH and I have to agree that even on this difficulty the ERE are quite easy to maintain and develope but are still an exciting, stable faction to play.

    I also agree the Northern border from Sirmium to Constantinople is fairly easy to defend against the Hordes. I prefer to "defend" the Northern border and "attack" the Eastern border (Persia).

    Love the expansion, just wish they would come out with a multiplayer campaign version based on the RTW.

  8. #8
    Member Member Sleepy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I've just won an ERE campaign and here are some of my thoughts:

    At the beginning I changed the religion of many pagen cities to christianity. Though I left Athens and Thessalonica for the mid game and forgot about Kydonia for a while.

    Like many here my initial strategic plan was to hold in the west whilst dealing with the Sassanids. For my eastern army I used a mixed force of infantry, eastern archers and horse archers with the occaisonal light cav for mopping up the runners.

    However my expansion plans were restricted by my fixing the EREs economy by first building docks and roads, then other trade buildings. I only built military infrastructure at Antioch and Constantinople.

    In the west I kept an army on the Danube, I didn't bother with forts. Most hordes avoided me on their traipse west. I did destroy the Vandals who sneaked across the river whilst my army was out of position. However a combination of attacking stacks who were detached from the main horde and the big Constantinople Garrison made short work of them. My western army was infantry, eastern archers and a few light cav. Later I added horse archers to the mix after watching the eastern armies success against the Sassanids.

    During the mid game both the Lombards and the Slavs attacked however I was able to slaughter them at various bridges.

    The WRE attacked me after I took the rebel controlled city of Salona which meant my plans to invade Italy were advanced by a decade. It was also the easiest campaign my armies ever undertook. Of the 6 cites I captured from the WRE the biggest garrison was 150 men.

    A mistake I made was to over garrison my cities with lime(?) troops. 10 to 15 per city. This greatly reduced the profits I could invest per turn and also meant I could only afford 2 field armies. Later I disbanded most of them replacing them with peasant garrisons where neccesary.

    Eastern Archers are excellent at destroying horse archers and as they develop experience become more effective against heavy infantry attacking from the front

    Toxic hippos are excellent anti bandit troops, they also supply mobile fire power to field armies.

    Carriage Ballistas are so over the top its unreal.

  9. #9
    Merkismathr of Birka Member PseRamesses's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    ERE is all about bridges and is the easiest faction to play second to playing the Sassanids.

    Eastern front:
    Three bridges to protect and a wast rebel Arabia. I hold my bridges and while the Sass are concentrating on getting over to get Caesarea and Antioch I sneak a smaller force south of the river Eufrat emerging south of Ctesiphon which isn´t guarded. Sack it, exterminate and destroy every building and leave it! What happens now is that the AI is responding to this new threat and moves towards you - back off to the rivercrossing beside the city and hold it while your army at the Coele-Syria bridge moves on Hatra and the one holding the bridge east of Sinope moves on Artaxarta. In just a couple of turns the Sass will be history. Now take Colchis (if it hasn´t joined you already) and the rebel towns of Dumatha and Petra. Eastern border is now the Kaukasus moutains (4 bridges) and in the south the Libyan-Tripolitanian straits towards your ally the WRE.

    Northern front:
    Two bridges - easy kill! Only one border opening: to the west into WRE province. Have never got any incursions from this direction. Caution: the Sarmatians can, sometimes, materialize within your northern Thracian border so always keep some 6 archers and 4 good infantry in Constantinople.

    Final push:
    When I´m finished with the Sassanids and have secured my empire, have enough armies, manageble unrest etc. I strike at Lepcis Magna and Salona thus starting the last phase of the game - taking Carthage and Rome.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I agree on the ease of the ERE faction. Nevertheless, my main full stack has become bogged down around Hatra with pretty much the entire Sassanid army. Im trying to pick them off one by one, while consolidating my defence of the north above Constinople. I let Sirinum revolt, though.

    I had a loyalist revolt to my side - the rebel city in the north east (can't remember its name). Anyone else experience this. Was pleasantly surprised, especially as the Sassanids were seiging it.

    Still early game for me.
    Last edited by Garvanko; 10-12-2005 at 14:11.

  11. #11
    Member Member Sleepy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by Garvanko
    I had a loyalist revolt to my side - the rebel city in the north east (can't remember its name). Anyone else experience this. Was pleasantly surprised, especially as the Sassanids were seiging it.
    Seems to be a constant in ERE campaigns, it happened to me and to the poster above you.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Damn hordes!

    Had to give up Constantinople and Thessalonica. Basically i walked out before the Goths came in (huns and vandals were fast behind them). I did manage to shift two full stacks across into Asia Minor, and hope to use them to consolidate my growing powerbase in the east.

    I can't get an Alliance with anyone. Im playing H/M.

  13. #13
    Resident Northern Irishman Member ShadesPanther's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by Sleepy
    Seems to be a constant in ERE campaigns, it happened to me and to the poster above you.
    Well I completed a campaign and it happened and then in my latest campaign. It occurs when the Sassanids take the city
    Last edited by ShadesPanther; 10-12-2005 at 18:12.

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    Merkismathr of Birka Member PseRamesses's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by ShadesPanther
    Well I completed a campaign and it happened and then in my latest campaign. It occurs when the Sassanids take the city
    It happens when they take it and can´t keep enough of garrison units to keep order. Kotais has a majority of christians and a shrine so it will take a lot of units to do that. The problem is that the AI doesn´t ever raise any buildings.

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    Forever British Member King Ragnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Well in my campiagn money as hit an all time low and im having to withdraw all forces from the outskirts of the empire following a scorched earth policy, the Sassinids, Goths, Huns and ERE rebels are making this really hard.
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  16. #16

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Here is what I did with the eastern Romans...

    First things first; the migrations. Build up forts to the danube crossing places so that the enemy will be slowed down by the fort, which the enemy has to besiege or assault in order to cross the river. Fill the forts with 2-4 units of limitanei (or more, I don't care) and then build a Comitatenses army (in the historical sence), which should be rather diverse in tactics (archers, comitatenses, cavalry). Also, build up highways to the frontier provinces so that your army can move faster to counter the migration (horde) that is besieging the fort(s) on the river crossings. I found this tactics to be highly, uh, profitable, since I needed only one army to protect the border, and I did so with relative ease. Once you've done this, you can center your resources to conquer the Sassanids.

    Build up alot of trade facilities, education, docks, etc to increase your economy. If you have alot civil disorder, in Jerusalem or other cities for example, move your capitol more to the center, to Ancyra, for example.

    The Illyria will probably revolt from the West, so take it.
    Last edited by Furion; 10-14-2005 at 18:27.

  17. #17
    Barbarian of the north Member Magraev's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    The Eastern Roman Empire have a very nice set of troops and excellent income. Very nice archers are a great asset backed up by lanciarii, comitanenses or even better plumbatarii. The cavalry are only worth it on the highest level, so make a city go straight for the Circus maximus - you won't be disapointed in the power of your heavy cav. The lower level cav are way overpriced (except maybe some dromedarii to fight clibanarii, but they'll drop like flies). Buy mercs instead - especially north of the danube. I'd advice around 6 archer-units in a full stack to fight the hordes - the same or a little less against the sassinids.

    I started with the total disbanding of my navy except for the two unique ships (decere + corvus iirc). As soon as I could Limitanei were disbanded and replaced by peasants. Eventually several cities will need 20 peasants for garrisons - grr. Go fully christian immediately. As soon as the greek cities are under control move the capitol to Ancara - especially when you (hopefully) start taking the Sassinid towns.

    Your success depends on two things - smashing the Sassinids and averting the hordes. Bridges are excellent for this task, but often a mountain pass will serve the same purpose. Try to ally with the vandals - they helped me beat the Goths north of Thessalonica. Don't expand in the balkans - leave that for the hordes and the WR-rebels.

    In my game the huns pushed the sarmatians into horde and settled on the plains, the vandals pushed the goths into horde (and left for rome, but are too weak now to take it i think) and I exterminated the goths. The Sarmatians are fighting the germannic tribes now.

    You should probably only use the emperor and his heir in your major wars. The other generals will get disloyal very soon with some victories and have to be put on ice. The battles against the goths turned a 4-loyalty trusty general into a 0-loyalty backstabber in a few years.
    Nope - no sig what so ever.

  18. #18

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    My ERE campaign is back on track. Although I lost Constantinople (Goths) and Thessalonica (ERER), it did allow me to focus fully on the Sassanids. Cestiphon has proved a tough nut to crack, though Im progressing well, having finally taken Hatra, and am currently sweeping through the Sassanids northern frontier.

    Don't you just love Eastern Archers and Merc Alan Horse Archers?

  19. #19

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by Garvanko
    My ERE campaign is back on track. Although I lost Constantinople (Goths) and Thessalonica (ERER), it did allow me to focus fully on the Sassanids. Cestiphon has proved a tough nut to crack, though Im progressing well, having finally taken Hatra, and am currently sweeping through the Sassanids northern frontier.

    Don't you just love Eastern Archers and Merc Alan Horse Archers?
    Organize the defence of Europe like I did (post 16, this thread) and you wont lose constantinople, I think.

  20. #20
    Resident Northern Irishman Member ShadesPanther's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    About your post Furion. I find that when they move to Salona they can cross at the bridge just north of Sirmium. A fort just across the bridge usually discourages them but park your army on the bridge. (It doesnt have to be that good as the garrison can help you.) They also cross at the passes near Salona so put forts there and you should be completely safe from incursions and have an army that can help for any that slip through

    "A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock and a stack of French porn."
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  21. #21

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by Furion
    Organize the defence of Europe like I did (post 16, this thread) and you wont lose constantinople, I think.
    I tried that, but all the hordes came for me right from the start. Huns, Vandals, Goths. I felt it made more sense economically and strategically to abandon the province, and consolidate in the East first. I still hold Athens, and was able to take Thessalonica from the ERER, so I have managed to maintain a presence there to some degree.

    Ive been successful in destroying the Sassanids in the East, and am currently looking to push on towards Carthage, and from there launch a sea invasion of the Italian peninsula and Rome. I'll try to win the game by retaking Constantinople, thus securing my 34th province and domination.

    Currently I hold 22 settlements and have a strong financial and growing military base.

  22. #22
    Member Member darsalon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by Garvanko
    I tried that, but all the hordes came for me right from the start. Huns, Vandals, Goths. I felt it made more sense economically and strategically to abandon the province, and consolidate in the East first. I still hold Athens, and was able to take Thessalonica from the ERER, so I have managed to maintain a presence there to some degree.
    Eeeep, that looks nasty!

    Admittedly I've had trouble with hordes even at the end of a campaign with ERE. Had a horde of Burgundians sweep into sirmium (sp?) where I had only a few comitanenses as for defenders and the basic stone walls. Managed to slaughter 2,500 of them but just ran out of defenders on my side once the comitananses had gone because the horde swordsmen easily went through the other defenders I had.

    On that note is it best to duke it out with attackers on the walls or just plug the roads to the main square with people? Thought it best to use the walls in my instance as I had only a couple of squadrons of cavalry in comparison with the burgundians' swarms. Guess their numbers would be controlled just by the city streets but thought I'd rather do that on the walls with them not fighting me!
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  23. #23
    Member Member Afro Thunder's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Well, if you're facing a Hun horde, then you probably should defend the walls. The reason for that is that they have very poor quality infantry that even Limitanei can deal with to an extent. If the enemy can't capture the gate and all they have left is cavalry, you automatically win.
    Proud Strategos of the

  24. #24
    Member Member Alexis Campus Regis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I've had similar problems. I beat Vandals on the bridge over the Danube- using troops from my fort - but the Huns turned up & their first horde went through my spearmen & comitanenses like a knife through butter. Has anybody got a bridge defence lineup that's effective against them?

    In similar vein everyone seems to use a strategy of only developing advanced military buildings in Constantinople and Antioch. Fine but how do you retrain / reinforce the units on the frontier quickly enough? (Huns arrived one turn after Vandals) Or do you merge weakened units and try to keep a steady flow of new cannon-fodder coming from Constantinople?

    Or am I missing something obvious? I'm the first to admit I'm not exactly the reincanation of Hannibal in terms of being a military genius.

  25. #25
    Senior Member Senior Member econ21's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by Alexis Campus Regis
    I've had similar problems. I beat Vandals on the bridge over the Danube- using troops from my fort - but the Huns turned up & their first horde went through my spearmen & comitanenses like a knife through butter. Has anybody got a bridge defence lineup that's effective against them?
    I've only played on medium battles. I noticed I lost more men in a bridge battle against the Huns than the Vandals. Maybe they have more bows?

    Spearmen do ok against cavalry; comitatenses against chosen infantry. It's a little tricky working out which one you're facing - get it wrong and it's not nice.

    I form three such units in the following shape \_/ with hold formation. Have a fourth unit in reserve close behind the _ part of the line, as cavalry can push through.

    I backed these infantry with 3 archer units, protected by limitanei or better and a couple of cavalry for emergencies and the pursuit. Plumbatari make a good rear reserve if you can get them.
    Last edited by econ21; 10-20-2005 at 19:36.

  26. #26

    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    ERE update.

    Taken: All the Sassanid territories, Carthage, Syracuse and Tarentum. Retook Constaninople, and got a ceasefire from the Goths through their ceasefire with the WRE. Nice.

    Lost: Kotais, for a while to the Roxolani, who have been sending stack after stack against me in the North-East. Ive just retaken it again, and am defending the two bridges adjacent to this crucial lil' province.

    Targets: Take Rome, and consolidate my grip on the Italian peninsula, while dealing with the Berbers in Africa and the Roxolani - their Virgin Archers are great units! I need seven more settlements to win the game, and Ive finally been able to start building a Circus Maximus at Carthage!

    Its 420 AD and I hold 25 provinces.

  27. #27
    Member Member Sand's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I've had similar problems. I beat Vandals on the bridge over the Danube- using troops from my fort - but the Huns turned up & their first horde went through my spearmen & comitanenses like a knife through butter. Has anybody got a bridge defence lineup that's effective against them?
    Morale is how I won all my bridge battles. And fire arrows, which is basically the same thing. I had a very decent general who had some wonderful morale boosts - something like +4, +5 and he wasnt a hopeless drunk or a raving loon. Im aware this mightnt be replicated for everyone, but it does show the benefits of morale.

    I lined up a unit of cheap Limitanei across the bridge, with one to either side as the AI tends to push out and around the blocking unit through sheer weight of numbers. You need to keep them pinned in. Had around 2 archer units on each flank. Concentrating all 4 units on one target using fire arrows as they crossed the Huns and Goths were broken often before they even reached my side of the river, soon as they break hit the next with 4 archers, and panic becomes an epidemic. This was on medium battle difficulty. The only real job then was massacaring them all as the Limitanei never broke, and the Huns/Goths broke *through* my lines rather than back the way they came.

    Of course, they all "fought to the death" and theres a lot of them so you need infantry reserves behind the Limitanei to plug any gaps that start opening up, and again to keep the limitanei happy that "the flanks are secure".

    Also be aware that Hordes have plenty of cavalry that can ford the rivers and will try to kill your archers so keep another spearman unit behind them as reserves when they try to ford.

    The only sad thing is my heroic general got a few ideas above his station and ended his career banished to some forgotten part of the empire.

    In similar vein everyone seems to use a strategy of only developing advanced military buildings in Constantinople and Antioch. Fine but how do you retrain / reinforce the units on the frontier quickly enough? (Huns arrived one turn after Vandals) Or do you merge weakened units and try to keep a steady flow of new cannon-fodder coming from Constantinople?
    Constantinople isnt too far from the frontier with a good road tbh. But whilst you will be getting your elite units from Const/Antoich, cities on the frontier like Sirinum (sp) for example can be used (with low tech barracks) to retrain archers/spears who will be taking the vast majority of your casualties. Your elite high tech stuff shouldnt be taking too many casualties ironically enough because they should be doing the least fighting, thrown in when the battle is about to turn rather than the grindstone on which the enemy exhausts itself. Which is where the easily replacable Limitanei come in.

  28. #28
    MTR: AOA project ###### (temp) Member kataphraktoi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    I've only recently gotten BI so here's my fledgling guide to the ERE:

    From the start, you should:

    - check the religious orientations of your cities
    - check the public order and rectify that by either
    - lowering tax rates
    - destryoing pagan shrines/building christian churches
    - know where your diplomats are (especially in the West)

    In expectation of the hordes, you should actual ERE defensive measures by locking up bridges and passes with forts (garrison with limitanei or peasants).
    Sometimes a horde will spawn within ur borders bypassing the forts near Constantinople so you have to be prepared. What I did was to construct an "Anastasian Long wall which covered Constantinople from the West. In addition, I constructed a line of forts up north to form a second line of fortifications. The Goths did spawn within my borders but never attempted to attack Constantinople. They eventually drifted somewhere else.

    In addition, your diplomats should be north of your borders where hordes are expected to be. Make alliances with them if they worth it. If they are strong, even better because they are likely to capture a settlement. Once they do, just offer trade rights.

    In the East, you should have similar line of fortifications against the Sassanids. Antioch and Caesarea are the most frequently attacked. Build forts on your own territory and on Sassanid territory. It will slow them significantly. In addition, you should block passes that lead to Sidon and Jerusalem because they will sometimes cross the desret unexpectedly.

    All in all, this should allow you to:
    - keep a smaller army
    - build rapid mobile forces (commies) whenever a pass is threatened
    - build your financial reserves for a major offensive (east or west)
    - build a line of delaying forts to allow you to do train forces and/or concentrate forces around trouble area.

    Basic tactics when attacking Rome:
    One small army for building forts in the northern passes to hold off WRE army from coming to its rescue.
    One large army for besieging Rome
    One large fleet to prevent amphibious landings of troops.

    Note: do not neglect ur fleet watever the expense, especially if ERE rebels hold a province with a port, it will annoy you when they build their fleets and blockade ur ports.
    Retired from games altogether!!

    Feudalism TOtal War, non-active member and supporter. Long Live Orthodox Christianity!

  29. #29
    Sardonic Antipodean Member Trithemius's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by PseRamesses
    Northern front:
    Two bridges - easy kill! Only one border opening: to the west into WRE province. Have never got any incursions from this direction. Caution: the Sarmatians can, sometimes, materialize within your northern Thracian border so always keep some 6 archers and 4 good infantry in Constantinople.
    I had a problem with horde leaders fleeing from battles north of the river frontier and somehow retreating past my forts. No teleporting Sarmatians yet, although I've watched some Huns settle in Aquincum, then be displaced by the Goths, and appear in Illyricum et Dalmatia; I had used my friendship with the WRE to watch their crossings as well, in case they dropped the ball.
    Trithemius
    "Power performs the Miracle." - Johannes Trithemius

  30. #30
    Sardonic Antipodean Member Trithemius's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastern Roman Empire (BI faction)

    Quote Originally Posted by ShadesPanther
    Well I completed a campaign and it happened and then in my latest campaign. It occurs when the Sassanids take the city
    Mostly because the Sassanids aren't especially bright - when I played as the Sassanids I garrisoned the place heavily and had no problems, but in my ERE game its revolt made me go to war with Sassanids after I had fought them to a bloody standstill in and around Cteisphon.

    I assume it is because the government building in Kotais is Roman culture that it happens; I guess the culture determines loyalty since I when I was playing as the Sarmatians and raiding, looting, and abandoning cities, a lot of them rebelled and went back to the WRE (which was a pain since it forced me to go to war with them and broke my lucrative trading deals). It's a pity there is no option to "install client rulers" in a city you don't want to govern (make it a neutral city).
    Trithemius
    "Power performs the Miracle." - Johannes Trithemius

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