Announcement: Europa Barbarorum II 2.2r released!

[QuintusSertorius]

Isn't it rather strange that you'd have early access to elite units, epecially strong infantry like the Solduros? I'd feel too overpowered.

Also, when will Carthage be hostile to Numidia? The description says that I have to be wary of Carthage yet they are best friends despite having grown into a powerful rival.

Bataroas aren't elites, they're regular line infantry. Colonies give professionals, Solduroi are Celtic professionals.

Give the AI time, it's probably building up for a break with you.

[Tactics Mayers]

Bataroas aren't elites, they're regular line infantry. Colonies give professionals, Solduroi are Celtic professionals.

Give the AI time, it's probably building up for a break with you.

Indeed. Between turns 160-180, The Lusotannan mustered mustered a force and besieged Tolosa and engaged with a war that I could not simply offer a ceasefire. Only when the Celtiberians engaged a full on war against them that they sent me a ceasefire. It was quite fun sending naval reinforcement and leading a mixed force of Numidians and Celts against those Iberians.

With that regard, Is it easier to get a ceasefire from an offending faction as long as you do not have any territories directly neighboring them? You could sometimes see Carthage engaging a long conflicts against the Iberian faction but if they are at war with Rome, they can immediately offer a ceasefire.

Same goes for an ai faction mounting a naval invasion with their armies only for them to sit around doing nothing. I've seen this when an Epeirote army lay idle next the settlement of Syracuse that I've taken from them.

Also, will the Numidians have native Heavy Cavalry in the future? With the majority of their cavalry being light skirmishers and the others being nobles that are quite expensive and also very hard to replenish their numbers and very important BGs, they have experienced heavy casualties in trying to hold off the well-armored iberian horsemen. I simply cannot see myself fighting the Carthaginians when they have strong medium and heavy cavalry that can easily walk over my cavalry.

[QuintusSertorius]

The AI is still a work in progress, but yes, sharing a border tends to make peace less palatable to the AI.

The Numidians own Nobles (same as their bodyguards) are the only native cavalry they have heavier than skirmishers. Make use of what mercenaries you can get hold of to supplement your cavalry; Celts and Iberians both have decent mediums available for hire. There isn't much you can do about heavy cavalry, though. Aside from cope with it the best you can, not every faction has access to every kind of unit.

[Suetonius]

Really enjoying 2.2f - thanks to all the team. Feels like AI factions each have some sort of coherent plan (though I could be imagining that!)

As Pergamon I was getting on famously with Makedon until I took Byzantion (they had tried and failed several times) upon which they broke our alliance and attacked what was now my city. I seem to remember reading somewhere that new scripts included some specific stuff for each AI faction; Makedon's actions would make sense if that's the case.... but it surprised me and I thought as Pergamon I'd be aware that Byzantion was regarded by Makedon as "theirs"... am I wrong to imagine that this is the case? (Of course their attack may have been for another reason).

Are these 'hardcoded' AI actions/objectives documented? Or should I have paid more attention to the intro text on the faction selection screen? Perhaps I should read even more history! Any thoughts on this welcome....

[Tactics Mayers]

Continuing on with some of my questions that spawned during my Numidian playthrough.

1. Why do the Celtic Settlements near Iberia (Tolosa and Illiberri) not have not ranged units once the Satrapy has been built? A Satrapy in an Iberian settlement at least had Iberian Slingers so why do the 2 Celtic settlements have no Celtic Slingers or Archers?

2. It is already turn 250 and I see the Romans as a pushover despite having a well-rounded roster. I gave Syracuse to them because of the fact I don't want to deal with the Epeiros and hoped that the Punic Wars would happen. Instead, they are currently at war with the Sweboz. Doesn't help that they still have Camillan rosters despite the Celts already have achieved their reforms and armor upgrades.

3. Either swordsmen have no luck with projectiles or skirmishers are too good at killing front line infantry? While truly heavily armored infantry can resist the volleys of ordinary javelins, most infantry will have their numbers by brought down by a good amount. I've seen my Soldurus get reduced to only 30 men when skirmishers fired upon them or in my last Greek playthrough, the Peltastai Logades are sometimes the favorite target practice by enemy archers or skirmishers.

Otherwise, the playthrough has been quite great.

[QuintusSertorius]

Continuing on with some of my questions that spawned during my Numidian playthrough.

1. Why do the Celtic Settlements near Iberia (Tolosa and Illiberri) not have not ranged units once the Satrapy has been built? A Satrapy in an Iberian settlement at least had Iberian Slingers so why do the 2 Celtic settlements have no Celtic Slingers or Archers?

Because there's no native pool in Celtic regions. The Satrapy is composed of two parts: a core Numidian roster, and a local component. There's no local pool in Gaul, which is why you're getting no slingers or anything else there.

What you've pointed out is that there should be a regional restriction on it, it's not an intended place for Numidian factional governments.

2. It is already turn 250 and I see the Romans as a pushover despite having a well-rounded roster. I gave Syracuse to them because of the fact I don't want to deal with the Epeiros and hoped that the Punic Wars would happen. Instead, they are currently at war with the Sweboz. Doesn't help that they still have Camillan rosters despite the Celts already have achieved their reforms and armor upgrades.

The automatic trigger for the Polybian reform is turn 248, which you've just passed. They have to actively replace their Camillian units to get the benefits of the reform, there's no way to script a change.

Rome being at war with Sweboz is something recent map changes which will appear in 2.2g should fix (by closing the northern routes).

3. Either swordsmen have no luck with projectiles or skirmishers are too good at killing front line infantry? While truly heavily armored infantry can resist the volleys of ordinary javelins, most infantry will have their numbers by brought down by a good amount. I've seen my Soldurus get reduced to only 30 men when skirmishers fired upon them or in my last Greek playthrough, the Peltastai Logades are sometimes the favorite target practice by enemy archers or skirmishers.

Otherwise, the playthrough has been quite great.

Javelins from which direction? Most of a unit's protection is to the front (via the shield value).

[Tactics Mayers]

Javelins from which direction? Most of a unit's protection is to the front (via the shield value).

Mostly in-front. I usually keep elite units or a few swordsmen in reserve so that I don't lose precious units.

Oh, about the Twitter announcement. How does this affect the Numidians? Certain cities will no longer develop into larger cities?