remarks over early roman campaign

[Janus2]

Hi,


When I start a campaign with the romans, a few turns after I capture Taras (very early, in 272BC, to simulate history a bit), the carthaginians are always landing a 3 unit Poeni Militia at Capua (sometimes 2 or 3 times even), it then moves between Rome and Capua, and does nothing except annoy me. It's just silly to declare war over that. I doesn't matter how many campaigns I play, it always happens.
I wonder if this was scripted, and if it is, can be removed ?

Also, when I capture Rhegion, Carthage just stops doing anything in Sicily. They don't seem to dare to attack Messana and Syracuse anymore (which they do if I don't have Rhegion) It looks to me as if the AI-player leaves you alone if there is an independent town between you and the AI faction. I also noticed this against the Aedui in the north. As long as yo keep Segesta and Bononia alone, they leave you alone (although they have a full stack there) . It's possible that the Aedui are too busy with the Arverni to bother with the Romans, but the same can't be said of Carthage, who have no real enemies. A bit more aggressive in Sicily would be nice.

I play a EB 0.81aV2 with BI, plus first cohort mod and AI balancing mini-mod (challenge level).

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Well, those guys landing near Capua are due to BI. They are trying to do a naval invasion. This isn't scripted.

I've never seen the AI give me space. They usually take all of the 'rebel' towns they can and attack me whenever they border me and see an opening in my defenses.

Carthage in Sicily act weird. Due to game mechanics, they have difficulty knowing where their core is and where they are weak an where to expand. If you let them conquer all of North Africa, they will probably send a whole lot of forces to Sicilia to conquer it, if you can wait that long.

[mcantu]

If you leave the guys by Capua alone they will eventually get reinforcements. Sometimes their navy only has a couple of ships and they get sunk by pirates before they make the round trip...

[Janus2]

thanx for the quick reply,

I'll try a campaign without BI, if it only gets rid of those stupid petty naval invasions... I wonder if it's the difference between BI and RTW that will make the AI as aggressive as in your campaigns.

And I dont like to leave them alone, either you invade properly or you dont.. (usually I just bribe them asap)

[mcantu]

If you go without BI I think the AI will be less aggressive. I've had Carthage attack me with multiple 3/4 to full stacks when I give them a chance

[Paul d]

hey, i never realised until now, that you start with a fleet and an amry in one of your northern cities.

take the roarii, equites, and leves from that army, and send it on the fleet to corsica, or sardinia.

build up a few more forces, and take out Taras.

next, build another legion, and send it north to attack bonona

meanwhile, send your Taras force to rhegion



Continue to expand north and south, and eventually across the sea.

I have taken over half of carthage, Illyria, and Panonia, as well as southern germany, by 242.
anyway, once you get foreign cities, abandon using the crappy roman slingers, and start training the celtic slingers instead. they have better attack, as well as some forest bonuses.
also, stop using Roarii once you have acess to Gaeroas, they can pack a better punch, despite the fact of lower defense.
when you take over carthaginian land, and you have acess to numidians, use them as a replacement for your roman javelinmen.
be sure to hire iberi scutarii and balearic slinger mercenaries in Zeutegania(the carthage region) and ship them to your frontier armies.
in the north, be sure to hire germanic cavalry, or gallic cavalry, and while campaigning near the getai area, hire horsearchers.


usually, my armies are as follows:

4 hastati
4 princepes
2 numidian skirmishers
3 Iosatae (cceltic slingers)
2 Gaeroas
2 Triarii
2 germanic or Gallic cavalry (possibly hippeis)
1 general


I usually only have 2 armies, for every 15 cities I own. 2 more cities, and It looks like i willl need to have 4 armies.

hey, this thread IS called early campaign remarks