Your turn 0 on IB:SAI Julian campaign 361AD(vh, vh); or, better yet, MCXIV a.U.c

[Arminius92]

Ave, fellow player!

NOTE&ABBREVIATIONS:

some strategies here might be considered cheating, a mixture between some sentimentalism and ruthless ratio+spoilers for some AI movement. Po:public order, lvl:level, mp:movement points, exp:experience, garr:garrison, cor:center of recruitment, mercs:mercenaries, infl:influence, vht:very high taxes, upk:upkeep, upg:upgrade. Last but not least, English is not my 1st language, so indulge (and correct) me. This is my debut using this site, sorry for some "excessive boxing", even with editing I can't get rid of them. An history nerd living near Aquileia.

To reach the campaign's goal, we need victories on the field. Those are achieved with a better army than the enemies. Better, here, means quality, and that is costly. So we need a working economy, and that requires a flourish society. We have none in the beginning. But our Julian will change that. Gore Vidal, sort of.

(seriously though, if you can read his Julian while playing, it is an even better experience)

Where is the MONEY? Walter Comes Rerum Privatarum

that 1 comes from activating the SAI script. Make sure you do it (select a settlement, then show me how from advisor) every time you start your game.

Unfortunately for Walter the blue sky is only above us, ergo we need another system to fix the economy. Our imperator looks at his uncle Constantine: take the gold from the temples. We are meaner, so destroy them, getting (partially) rid of XPinfl (except Gades, Attalia and Trapezus: we don’t have enough garr/po buildings plus Jerusalem: his historic building cannot be destroyed: bypass it by building more pagan temples). Why XP? 1)Julian is pagan, every city following other religions (official religio is entstablished by: buildings>governor>emperor) will have a po malus; 2) the buildings chain for pagan temples provides us with more bonuses than XP. Why partially? Because generals, agents and ancillaries have a role here too. Act immediately, as religio infl is affected by contiguous regions as well:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

By doing so, in fewer turns-> more pagan empire=more p.o->can raise tax on our now flourish, jovial society...

...like so:

1 Destroy also the garr building. The riot won’t be able to recruit good units, ergo crush them quickly (ballistae for instant win) and easily, loot for funding our quest+time to build up the city, lower pop will need less garr.

Let's answer the previous "boxed" question:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

That fleet up there is not to be disbanded (repel Saxon/Franks invasions), the other ones, some can be (leave just 1 bireme for parking XP[for now] or unloyal guys or ferry troops)you can reduce their upk by letting pirates defeat you and not retrain.

What other buildings

to destroy? a few ideas:

Constantinople amphitheatre (even with vht po>75%), A. Treverorum large baths (already a huge city, enough po like before), magna/parva villa rustica, blacksmith (except fabricae) EVERYWHERE, aqueducts in Rome, Alexandria, Constantinople, AT, Antiochia, Nicomedia, Verona (not yet, soon if needed)

Garr building (for controlled uprisings) in Aureliani, Lutetia, Hadrumetum, Russadir, Cartenna, Tingis (after 1 turn, recruit 8 units of milites exculcatores[takes 0turns!]+1 of funditores). Since they’ll rebel, vht to squeeze every single Aureus we can.

to build? In general, go for S Invictus (if we need pop grow->higher tax lvl [e.g. Palma]) or Neoplatonic temple, except...

Port$ lvl 1, because:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

NOTE: Ephesus not Halicarnassus

Small Gymnasium in Mediolanum, Argentorate, Sirmium, Singidum, Marcianopolis, Amida, Damascus [NOTE that in this mod some buildings have prerequisites (S Gymnasium>Forum>Communal farming>streets)] for +1exp (cor)

Wooden walls in the 2 SW cities in England (to avoid Celts amphibious assaults)

Garr buildings in Bracara, Caralis,Toledum, Rhodes and Crete (funditores from Athens [the new garr building there will give us exp 3] via boat near Constantinople, 1 Vigiles if necessary from Ephesus)

Ballista ranges

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Reduce corruption

Move the capital to Rome (nostalgic move, probably Tarentum or Dyrrachium are more centered, I have not tested it).

Diplomacy

Sell geointel to EVERYONE ASAP, 2.1-2.k coins, Lahkimids and Sassanids some more (Lak accepted to give me 3.1k) because trade rights. Send back to XP regions the pagan diplomats and put them inside cities (chances are they develop more traits and pagan infl). XP diplomats OUT, patrol borders and later corrupt enemies.

Let us talk military (police) AKA garr

Having secured frontiers means the interior does not need strong units. Garr po bonus is calculated on the number of policemen we have/pop.
Which means: DISBAND THE VIGILES URBANES everywhere, if you can outside your borders or in regions that will rebel (^controlled uprisings); the only case not to do that this turn is if you can’t swap them with other units; still, try anything else (low tax, more frequent games).
Hire everywhere you can the other two, be careful that the Payhadag drain the population quickly (we need Amida to became a large city soon for the troops experience bonus, so tread lightly). Nisibi is already a large city so go ahead, Edessa could but not a cor for serious troops as Amida, so again go ahead, Trapezus as well (reducing pop-> less squalor, more garr, more po, convert them faster).
Units in detail:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Swap the entire garr of the Middle East (including Turkey and Egypt). On the Renan-danubian front we have some barbarian units to use as garr as well (e.g. Suebi band, 240guys for 40 upk). There are also some Gothic mercs already in our army*, use them as garr since you can’t retrain-replenish them after a battle. Speaking of *, disband Veterani Pedites/Eq.

Let us talk military (and admin stuff, again)

NOTE: sentimentalism, I have not disbanded the units with some historic name (eg: legio VIII something). The rest was not so lucky.

Tempus fugit, Iuliane. Libanius, sort of.

I hear you, Libanie. As we do. Clockwise (yes, the Romans had clocks) starting from

Syria

Armenian frontier should be secure, keep an eye on the city NE of Trapezus, Huns might take it and come for you: slow them with forts. In the East, the Sassanids might be tempted to attack us if they see a weak spot. Block them with forts, they buy us some turns. Army in Sassland is there only to be disbanded, and intel. Speaking of army: Spoiler Alert, click show to read:  Spend 390/turn for a unit that, if damaged, have to retrain in a place 5-6 turn away? We could send them to the Danube front, but not worth the time, nor the dime. Just disband them (here * if you take only the cav [yes, the Promotii as well] you can reach that rebel region now). Why Holy Grail? You can recruit Eq. Parthii in Antiochia with lvl 4 exp and 2 melee/missile upg. They are the Spet Xion of the LoTW campaign with the White Huns (though less effective in melee). Have one of them in the recruitment queue ALWAYS. The rest of the space is for retrain all the other units in this zone, starting with them: 8 units+ a general (that will spend this 1st turn on a boat, give him military ancillaries, Jovianus here will be an excellent Alexandria gov, after a long boat trip) will be enough to conquer the rebels settlement in Sinai, Nabataea. 1) legio comitatenses saggitarii: Amida (soon with 2 experience), Alexandria, 2) saggitarii lorica squamata: Damascus (soon 2 exp), Palmyra, 3) funditores Carrhae, Aelia Capitolina, Bostra. RECRUIT YOUR TURN0 GARR THIS TURN, + your serious unit.

Lybia

Septimius Severus will be proud

Septimius Severus will be proud

EastRecruit those mercs, use them as garr, take your serious troops from Apollonia&Ptolemais (DISBAND the eq mauri in the rebel region) east on the coastal street. Send him STEP BY STEP just after the border and as east as you can (no arian infl, loyal enough, conserve your mp!! [no tired/testy]). He will assault the rebel libian city. West:This guy will lead the assault on Harumentum (deprive him of that ancillary "malus morale")

Africa

Oh boy. Gordian I before losing his head.

We won't

Recruit your t0 garr+funditores, in Saldae fill the queue with just them (since we can’t t0 here; less pop more po) 1) disband the trireme, move 1 bireme in HippoR port, 2) move all the generals in the Carthage boat, the HippoR guy in C, give him all the retinues with influence, his dux retinue REDUCE admin>give that to XPboy and move XP on the boat as well 3) move this guy on the square, build a fort then send him on the boat in HippoR 4) same as before, then towards Saldae (don’t use all the mp! + pagan), hire mercs>to Saldae now, 5) disband all the camels, eq mauri keep if exp>0, 6) move that general to the PORT (he stays in a revolting city, he risks dying). Next turn send: +him to NovaC (swap the merchant retinue with XPguy there); +the C boat with 2 t0garr unit to Sicily (swap and disband local garr).

Mauretania

The Limes Africae is almost restored:

NOTE: you just need 1unit per fort! Purpose of these forts is to avoid rebels occupying our garr-less cities/ slow down Berbers. 1) A bireme in NovaC, one in Corduba, one here * 2) move>fort>move>fort, move general to navy 3) move>fort>ship 4) general>ship. 5) as above, move the troops towards Gades>E Augusta (refitting)

Spain
Generals: NovaC>ship; Toledum>Gades region (yes it use all his mp, but heÂ’s XP, and since Gades is XP for some more time, we need him here to help mantain > XP ->enough po) Spy: recruit in Corduba (finger crossed for a pagan, otherwise boat), send the one there in NovaC.
Units disband eq mauri and Tarraco garr in NovaC (since we’ll recruit here our t0garr, no harm done from more pop), send 1 eq auxilia to Tarraco (1 army troop cheaper and with more men than the Vigiles), 1 + catafractarii to Corduba. 3 NW cities: disband all Vigiles (except one in Bracara) in the E. Augusta region (1 legio from Toletum is enough po)

Britain

Enough rain, I am going back south, vale! Constantine leaving Britannia

He knows he leaves it well guarded with

Attaboy

He's an excellent pagan and gov.Move him to Cerdices, pass his retinue (-1admin), book the mercury shrine (1 turn, city will be besieged, also be sure that Attalus is in charge of gov), then move him back to L. C dude now, in details: 1)He'll go to Eburacum, delivering his recently acquired retinue to the guy there, then go make forts as shown, same for 2), but this one will also recruit mercs. Move 1 unit in front of the forts, chance is enemy will attack them and then be blocked by the fort (can’t make to Eburacum, it is just that the AI cannot see our forts). Any experienced unit not needed, send them towards E. The squares signal where you should build the next forts ASAP, guy1 can then go back to E, guy2 will stay in the fort he’s currently in (big red arrow. +not on the front line, so won’t be besieged; +in fort so no betrayal; +out of our border so no XPinfl; +able to recruit mercs if one fort falls)

Rhine line

Stulte! a legatus to his commander, Teutoburg forest

No clades Variana for us

Note: Ravenna not Bononia Move the assassin to Samarobriva for this turn, then London: he'll kill the Saxon guy (sometimes even 45%chance is enough). Diplomat to full yellow star (sell geointel) then to the other one (ready to go to the Saxon, provide pagan infl for S region). Spy, use him, we need the Emperor to level up some good traits (agents recr discount). 1) general>fort, recruit Frankish band (sent them towards Samarobriva, good garr) fort. He can stay there for this turn, then boat; 2) general>forts then back to AT, send the milites to relieve the garr of orange circle forts, DISBAND along all the line the Foederati (350upk, too much); 3) guy>fort>Durocorturum; 4) send the XPguy to the boat, pass his retinue to the pagan by his side; 5) guy in Argentorate>forts>Ag; 6) guy>fort>move him just before the border with Lugdun, hire mercs (send them to SW Gaul), to Milan. AG, AT are cor, the former for Equites Sagitarii, the Holy Grail western edition (and for this turn, 8 t0 garr numerus exculcatores, pop loss will be counterbalanced disbanding every A. superventores, A. Palatinae[Mattiaci,Leoni>you find them in armies 4]) the latter for the A Palatina Sagitarii (a similar unit can be recruited in Arelate). Any unit of Eq Dalmatii in the area, towards Rome (lvl 3 missile, then Balkans). Armies 4) towards retrain in AT or Med, 2-3 units of h inf&cav+general will be enough to retake our controlled rebellion.

Italy

Where is the wine? average opening conversation here, even today.

Here the game is a refined movement of guys and retinues:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1) move the starting XP Medguy to that spot. He’ll meet with the Ravenna guy. BEFORE you move Rg, put in the construction’s queue useful buildings (trade and p.o). Now move him to Mg, pass the retinue to him and then Rv boat (1 bireme, disband the rest). Rome: move A. Ruf to Arretium, pass the military retinue to TF, move TF 1 clickN and hire the 2 Numerii, send them to the white star bireme (detach and disband the other one in Rome), sail to Corsica (1 in the city, disband the local garr, the other to Sardinia). Now move TF 1 clickN (just like in the picture, check that he has enough mp to arrive in Rome). Pass his military retinues to the Mg (which you move to TF now). Mg gives TF his admin retinues, then go back in Emilia. He’ll use all his mp, amen (next turn, Rv boat). Move back TF to Arretium, book the buildings (usefuls as before PLUS streets!!) then send him to Rome.

Danube line

If only this river was larger Aurelian, probably.

We will remedy that

1red) move GaudentiusF&ValensF to the bridge, swap the retinue (GF->VF) GF go west, VF east (move him carefully, avoid being blockaded, construct those forts, heÂ’ll stay behind the frontline, the garrisoned fort in the picture) 2red) use the guy in that fort to build forts as you see. Next turn he’ll be gov of Paetovia. Leave that unit in between to lure the enemy: he’ll attack it, we retreat, he’ll be stuck between forts. GF->hire cavmercs, send them carefully west. We need to fall in the ambushes to make those Quadians armies move from the way. 1orange) move those 2 as shown, the orange one starts. We’ll have now space to send the Sirmium general. As you can see from 2orange) he is blocked at first, but if you build a fort he’ll be free. Before that, hire a lot of mercs (finger crossed for the mercaptain retinue). Use the [3orange] young (other one to Dyrrachium) guy to make more forts in the area (repeat the trick on the left side of the Sirmium bridge then all the up-right orange circle). Sirmium and Singidum are cor (sagittarii, Eq sagitarrii respectively) send them to Rome (use Rv boat as ferry) for lvl3 missile till the one in Constantinople is done. R&C will recruit Onagers (Rome starting now). In a few turns will position all this missile units (plus the lvl3 exp&missile funditores) with a few h inf on the bridges.

Danube mouth&Crimea

Ovid is dead, please Tomis citizen pleading to Huns.

No crossing of the Danube this time

White star=one bireme +for the guy in Pergamum>send him towards Trapezus; + to Athens, +to Cport (ferry emperor to Nicomedia, NOT YET) 1) Disband the awful (archers too) units in the rebel zone. Crimea: move our guy, hire 2-3 mercs (costly one, since they’ll take attrition in Panticapeum, you’ll take it without a fight, garr is outside) send him as N as you can without ending his mp: he’ll make a fort barrier as shown. Use the diplomat to scout those Goths (guess the surprise is ruined) sell geointel and use him as spy (XP). NOTE: look at the generals in this area, I describe them here only by initials. Constantinople: move MF to AF. Switch all admin retinue to MF, military to AF. MF to Hadrianopolis, book 1 building (MF will admin C, so he’ll be there any time he’s needed) then back to C. Move JF 1clickN on the crossroads, move AF to him. Give JF exploratore's retinue to him, then send AF to Marcianopolis, pick up the military retinue from the guy there and then move him to the boat. G to the fort across Danube, he’ll relieve the guy up there and take his military retinue. This one to Marcianopolis. Guy in Marcianopolis to Hadrianopolis. Marcianopolis is cor for the Sarmatian armoured archers (also available as mercs, recruit them whenever you can), the last Holy Grail unit. Since we’ll need to upgrade it to large city (barracks, +1exp) this will be one of the few settlement with low tax.

Proof that it works

Before hitting the end turn for the 1st time, you should be looking at something like this: Spoiler Alert, click show to read:  3rd turn start: Spoiler Alert, click show to read:  Buying time, reoccupying the forts: Spoiler Alert, click show to read:  Sinai taken, next stop Cnodomar city thanks to ballistae. Captain Vibius, reinforced with archers from Eburacum, will wipe out the Saxons (though Londinium general will guide him). Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Congrats, you've reached the end...turn and of this guide. Ave atque vale! And, mr. Ray Stevenson, requiescat in pacem.

[Arminius92]

Some add notes:
-check the loyalty of your generals before the endturn if they are leading an army. Some ancillary helps in keeping the guys loyal(sometimes they reduce their admin capabilities, so it is a double win);
-move the "admin guys" form town to town every now and then, that way is less likely they bacame lazy. If they have same trait that reduce building's cost, concentrate the ancillaries with the same characteristics;
-onagers on rivercrossings battles are OP when using flaming shot, funditores vs armoured cav as well;
-when taking a new region, if it is underdeveloped you'll need a general with a lot of influence, especially if it has another religion(you want to convert to pagan ASAP since the leader'religion influence p.order). If it is possible, use agents with your religion to accelerate (or decelerate) this process.
-some ancillaries acquired in battle reduce the recruitment cost: assign those to the guy administrating your cor;
-after a battle, merge the units ONLY if the resulting number is > to a single battalion(the x battalion will stay there, y will go back for retraining) this way you can also spread the experience;
-in internal regions, construct watchtowers AWAY from roads, the rebels will move towards them, not blocking your commerce;
-some barbarian faction can turn into hordes if you take their last settlement(and the only family members are there), avoid this by "losing the battle"=retreat after killing all of the guys;
-you can rename the settlements(EG I rename Chnodomar in A.[ugusta] Rauricorum.