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Thread: Sparta question

  1. #1

    Default Sparta question

    Excuse me esteemed RSII players, I have a small question regarding Sparta's building tree. Specifically, I am wondering in what settlements can I build the highest tier spartan barracks(the one that allows recruitment of spartan hoplites). In the buildings description I believe it states that it can only be built in certain places however I am unsure as to where exactly. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Sparta question

    You can build the Mora Megiste in every area the Free Greeks owned, but you'll have to turn these colonies either in military or economic/military settlement. That's the trick and it offer's a good troop supply strategy, because you can train your best units (for example) in Massilia and start to conquer Gallia or in Nicopolis, the Thracian-Greek colony and conquer the Dacians.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Sparta question

    I'm playing currently with Sparta and it's being epic the whole time. Can't believe I started with Sparta only, currently empire consist of around 40 provinces. What is your usual military composition? I only conquer other cities with minimum of 7 phalangites, 6 calvary units and using hammer & envil tactics. Also, I "retire" generals to reserve when they're 40, I keep 1 king at Sparta, other one is front row in battle. I have many historical rules like that.
    And yeah...If any of spartans route during battle I dismiss that unit or if it is general I send him to sucide missions because he wouldn't be able to live in Sparta because of shame. Sometimes it feels like playing Sims.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by Herwoyeah View Post
    What is your usual military composition? I only conquer other cities with minimum of 7 phalangites, 6 calvary units and using hammer & envil tactics.
    Hmm, 5 or 6 phalanx units (not much difference) but mostly foot for me. So slingers (4) and hoplites (6).

  5. #5

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by Herwoyeah View Post
    Also, I "retire" generals to reserve when they're 40, I keep 1 king at Sparta, other one is front row in battle. I have many historical rules like that.
    And yeah...If any of spartans route during battle I dismiss that unit or if it is general I send him to sucide missions because he wouldn't be able to live in Sparta because of shame. Sometimes it feels like playing Sims.
    I think I read somewhere the issue with two kings on campaign was they argued or something once, so they had this rule. As I have many campaign groups, this doesn't occur, so both are deployed.

    I don't have all-spartan units, I treat spartiates as being officers (or generals' bodyguards)

  6. #6

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by Herwoyeah View Post
    I'm playing currently with Sparta and it's being epic the whole time. Can't believe I started with Sparta only, currently empire consist of around 40 provinces. What is your usual military composition? I only conquer other cities with minimum of 7 phalangites, 6 calvary units and using hammer & envil tactics. Also, I "retire" generals to reserve when they're 40, I keep 1 king at Sparta, other one is front row in battle. I have many historical rules like that.
    And yeah...If any of spartans route during battle I dismiss that unit or if it is general I send him to sucide missions because he wouldn't be able to live in Sparta because of shame. Sometimes it feels like playing Sims.
    Meh, It's not hard to play as Sparta ,quite easy actually. Same as Syracuse. Imo they balanced them and it ruined the challenge. Playing Rome or Carthage you should be more powerful and able to field more armies then Sparta. But they balanced it so even a single city state like Sparta can have a stack and a half. or even 2 out of the gate. I prefer if they did not balance it and made it HARDER to field such large armies when you start with only one city. Sparta should be harder to expand with, and thus a greater challenge. But this idea to make the minor powers as capable to field armies and have a good starting economy as the major powers kills it for me. I would prefer to see if I could overcome the odds with a minor nation, attempting to reclaim their former glory.

    Not possible with the "balancing" they did. They are as good as Rome or anybody else. Minor complaint, but it has always bugged me and kept me away from bothering with Sparta. Now, if they would make their starting economy struggle to field a large force, thus forcing you to win against the odds out of the gate just for basic expansion......
    Last edited by CatoTheYounger; February 28, 2015 at 10:56 PM.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by CatoTheYounger View Post
    But this idea to make the minor powers as capable to field armies and have a good starting economy as the major powers kills it for me. I would prefer to see if I could overcome the odds with a minor nation, attempting to reclaim their former glory.
    Good starting economy? I dont think so, I had to disband majority of my army not to be in red on 3rd turn. What do you mean they balanced minor powers? I didnt read that much about mod, please explain.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Cato, I suggested to dvk if it's possible to implement Helotoi revolts or rebellions of entire regions. This could happen as Sparta if you're expanding too fast or through certain traits, for example if a govenour is Spartan and you put him in a region outside of Greece, then the culture there makes problems and can only be calmed down after a long transformation or something like that. He said he will look into this. That would give a challenge, as it could happen that you have an army that is conquering far from home and suddenly in the next turn there's a Helotoi rebellion, but no army to deal with. My personal thought is, that Sparta needs a thing to stop you (when you're playing) from expanding too far and fast. Those armies could consist out of regional units and some Spartan units.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by Darth Bane1 View Post
    Cato, I suggested to dvk if it's possible to implement Helotoi revolts or rebellions of entire regions. This could happen as Sparta if you're expanding too fast or through certain traits, for example if a govenour is Spartan and you put him in a region outside of Greece, then the culture there makes problems and can only be calmed down after a long transformation or something like that. He said he will look into this. That would give a challenge, as it could happen that you have an army that is conquering far from home and suddenly in the next turn there's a Helotoi rebellion, but no army to deal with. My personal thought is, that Sparta needs a thing to stop you (when you're playing) from expanding too far and fast. Those armies could consist out of regional units and some Spartan units.

    That's not a bad idea. Worrying about the Helots should always be a Spartan situation.

    Sparta should have trouble affording a big army because they have one city and are land locked with few trade options. But they basically start with nearly 2 full stacks. Why would you disband men because your money left is small? With two armies you just conquer Thebes and the Helot territory easily. Then you quickly have 3 cities and your income just grew considerably. With only one city, a singles stack is all they should be able to afford. The capitol treasury is to generous and should only be a boost for the big boys like Rome and Carthage and maybe Parthia.

    To me Syracuse and Sparta should have quality men, but not be able to win a war of attrition or initially be able to afford such considerable armies. Sparta should be forced to Ally and figure out a way to get the ball rolling. Instead they are able to field an army large enough to take on anybody from the outset. Shame.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by CatoTheYounger View Post
    That's not a bad idea. Worrying about the Helots should always be a Spartan situation.

    Sparta should have trouble affording a big army because they have one city and are land locked with few trade options. But they basically start with nearly 2 full stacks. Why would you disband men because your money left is small? With two armies you just conquer Thebes and the Helot territory easily. Then you quickly have 3 cities and your income just grew considerably. With only one city, a singles stack is all they should be able to afford. The capitol treasury is to generous and should only be a boost for the big boys like Rome and Carthage and maybe Parthia.

    To me Syracuse and Sparta should have quality men, but not be able to win a war of attrition or initially be able to afford such considerable armies. Sparta should be forced to Ally and figure out a way to get the ball rolling. Instead they are able to field an army large enough to take on anybody from the outset. Shame.
    This is, has been, a common criticism of RS2. However, we had a very dedicated Beta tester who was a big Spartan fan and historian who played probably around a hundred campaigns with them testing them. They are far from 'easy'. Almost any faction in RS2 can appear 'easy' at first, that's because of the way we set each faction up. In their own 'sphere of influence' (an area in and around where they start) they are powerful economically....and it is the economy that drives the military and can sustain a war or even survival. But once you start getting further into the game, and other AI factions have grown and expanded, and you have expanded beyong your 'sphere of influence', your economy starts to 'tank'. Our beta tester would get well into a Spartan campaign and ALWAYS complain that it got so hard he was not sure he could survive. The Romans, in particular, made it a nightmare to play Sparta.

    Now, in fairness, he was using the standard RS2 setup with garrison script and all, so it could be different if one didn't play them that way.

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  11. #11

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by dvk901 View Post
    This is, has been, a common criticism of RS2. However, we had a very dedicated Beta tester who was a big Spartan fan and historian who played probably around a hundred campaigns with them testing them. They are far from 'easy'. Almost any faction in RS2 can appear 'easy' at first, that's because of the way we set each faction up. In their own 'sphere of influence' (an area in and around where they start) they are powerful economically....and it is the economy that drives the military and can sustain a war or even survival. But once you start getting further into the game, and other AI factions have grown and expanded, and you have expanded beyong your 'sphere of influence', your economy starts to 'tank'. Our beta tester would get well into a Spartan campaign and ALWAYS complain that it got so hard he was not sure he could survive. The Romans, in particular, made it a nightmare to play Sparta.

    Now, in fairness, he was using the standard RS2 setup with garrison script and all, so it could be different if one didn't play them that way.
    The King Has Spoken! All Other Opinions Have Been Rendered Meaningless!

    Anyways, I haven't got around to playing Sparta, I always love to make them great allies in my campaigns though

  12. #12

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by dvk901 View Post
    This is, has been, a common criticism of RS2. However, we had a very dedicated Beta tester who was a big Spartan fan and historian who played probably around a hundred campaigns with them testing them. They are far from 'easy'. Almost any faction in RS2 can appear 'easy' at first, that's because of the way we set each faction up. In their own 'sphere of influence' (an area in and around where they start) they are powerful economically....and it is the economy that drives the military and can sustain a war or even survival. But once you start getting further into the game, and other AI factions have grown and expanded, and you have expanded beyong your 'sphere of influence', your economy starts to 'tank'. Our beta tester would get well into a Spartan campaign and ALWAYS complain that it got so hard he was not sure he could survive. The Romans, in particular, made it a nightmare to play Sparta.

    Now, in fairness, he was using the standard RS2 setup with garrison script and all, so it could be different if one didn't play them that way.
    Ah yes, I actually remember getting owned in that campaign. Because I was too used to the RS1 type of combat.

    You really want to have pikemen if you're going to low-tier on Hard or above difficulty, otherwise it's just too annoying to make any progress (on 0-turn, which is the sparta modfolder).

    Well actually you can probably just use the Metoikoi hoplites (the ones with bright yellow shields), it will work ok due to the different stats units have compared to earlier rs2 versions
    Last edited by Alavaria; March 03, 2015 at 05:36 PM.

  13. #13

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Quote Originally Posted by Alavaria View Post
    Ah yes, I actually remember getting owned in that campaign. Because I was too used to the RS1 type of combat.

    You really want to have pikemen if you're going to low-tier on Hard or above difficulty, otherwise it's just too annoying to make any progress (on 0-turn, which is the sparta modfolder).

    Well actually you can probably just use the Metoikoi hoplites (the ones with bright yellow shields), it will work ok due to the different stats units have compared to earlier rs2 versions
    I listened to your post and Gave Sparta a try for a few turns. I stand corrected. They initially have a strong army that they cannot afford or maintain. by the next turn I saw that I had better use the army to expand another couple cities asap because I was in the red and would have to disband, and have small expansion quick just to survive. And faithless Rome not honoring their alliance is no small problem.

    The tester was right and I judged them too quickly at a glance. Think I will have a go at a full campaign.

  14. #14

    Default Re: Sparta question

    Sparta has a few "traps": really really expensive units.

    Yes, things like Spartan Hoplites, and especially Promachoi

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