Europa Barbarorum II FAQ

[Andy1984]

I've got two questions and a suggestion regarding EBII, so here they are:

(1) My first question relates to the usage of four-horse chariots in battles. We know these chariots were used in parades and ceremonies. Montvert believes these chariots to be used at Magnesia, but his only source for this is Livius (who could hardly have been more informed about the battle than we are). Persians seem to have deployed four-horse chariots as well. I haven't found a credible source yet for the deployment of four-horse chariots, but if I will I'll let you know. My question is whether the EBII-team considers four-horse chariots? (RS has a four-horse chariot as unit.)

(2) Has the MTW2-engine or the Kingdoms-engine been known to retrain AI-units? In other words: are we likely to see an EBII-AI that retrains her units as well?

(3) My third is more a suggestion. In EBI, I didn't encounter that many truly impressive empires (apart from the ones at the start of the timeframe). While it is certainly true that Rome and her allies weren't bound to become the empire they would become, the Roman empire in my opinion demonstrates clearly that at least the administration, cohesion or any other factor of centralization could be found to turn one of the starting factions into an empire of the Roman size. I believe the reason why the AI in EBI fails to grow to these sizes is the following. Thanks to the wonderful moneyscript, each faction is capable to have at least some funds, with an average of 20.000/2=10.000 mnai to spend each turn. This enables smaller and poorer factions to build out their economy, hire some mercenaries and eventually forge their own mini-Hai or mini-Pontos empires. However: they hardly grow beyond a certain size, even if the player leaves them alone. This is because eventually, this 10.000 mnai on average isn't sufficient to construct buildings or to wage the multifront wars the Romani, the AS or even the owners of the Agean are engaged in. The bigger these empires, the more opponents to engage who have equally 10.000 mnai to spend on little more than mercenaries (since they have far less settlements, like Bactria).

If we add a minor adjustment to the money-script, this problem would be solved (that is: if the team believes this to be a problem). If we give each faction 20.000 mnai until their finances are positive, and an additional 500 mnai for each settlement owned on top of this already positive treasury, an AI would have on average 10.000 + 500*s to spend. This would be 11.000 for a two settlement faction (which enables them to do just anything they do in EBI), and a stunning 15.000 mnai for a 10-settlement faction. I believe this would enable AI-factions to grow to an even bigger size than they do now. It would also reflect the idea that bigger empires were capable to muster greater forces (whether mercenary or more soldier-like).

If the team is convinced empires of the Roman or Alexandrian size are too ahistorical for the given time-frame because of administrative or cohesion-related limitations, shouldn't these limitations be imposed by unrest due to the 'distance to capital' and related traits instead of financial limitations? This can be realized by giving fewer happiness-bonusses to buildings, which would make it harder for both the player and the AI to subdue far-away regions.

kind regards and thanks in advance,

Andy