RTW v1.5: tips on the Spain Campaign?

[piranha45]

I'm playing Medium campaign diff and VH battle diff. I'm pretty new to the game still, I won Gaul and Julii campaigns prior to trying Spain. But Gaul's Forresters rock the AI ridiculously well, and the Julii are just plain thugs. Spain seems to have no such advantage, unless these Bull Warriors somehow compensate, but other than their Excellent Morale it doesnt seem they do... 1100 denarii, 2-turn recruiting cost! Armor and attack only marginally better than Scutarii.

Its 222 BC.

The Scipii forced me out of Africa, I had held it for a while but they steadily ground me down and out. Does their AI tend to move into Spain, next (meaning I'll have to start stationing a full army or two there)? Or will they switch to moving to Egypt/Arabia?

I've managed to keep the Julii's wings clipped, but Gaul and Germania refuse peace with me except under extraordinary terms, and they keep making a mess out of things when I try to take Italy.

I had fun with the dirt-cheap Iberian Infantry at first, but their Upkeep is 170, as opposed to 130 for Scutarii, and the morale for both Scutarii and Iberians leaves much to be desired, particularly when I don't have a general handy. I barely found out I can make Bull Warriors from the Circle of Esus, so I tore down all my Teutatis circles and am putting up Esus, so I can make these guys... Only have like 2-3 right now. I haven't bothered with javelins, cavalry (aside from generals-- i often put 2-3 generals in a unit per army anyway for cavalry usage), and slingers at all, and don't plan to unless someone tells me otherwise.

Is massing Bull Warriors the ideal way to do things? Should I be trying to take Italy first, or Gaul-Germania, or what?

My Britain attack has totally stalled out-- I did an Autoresolve 2 separate times up there against a General and 1 warband in a town, against 1 general and 10 groups of Iberians, and LOST BOTH TIMES with 4:1 odds! lol! normally I fight my battles, except for sieges, which that was--- so I'll need to send another full army or two up to make that conquest happen. Should Britain's conquest be of high priority or no priority? Ireland only gives me 73 income for trade with a lvl1 port, lol.



here's the current map

[Kratos]

Try to kick the Britons out of Britain as quickly as possible as you don't want a front up there as well. Once you are done there, take your british army and capture Alesia. Then defend yourself from Germania while you take Italy.

Do not let Julii take Mediolanum or Patavium as that gives them a huge boost. Try to take them yourself or let them remain (for a while) in Gaul's hands, but do NOT let the romans claim them.

Use those bridges in norhern Italy to your advantage. End your turn there and you will be attacked. Use the good old bridge defence tactics and your generals will soon have 10 stars after all your heroic victories. By now you should have recruited a lot of bull warriors and sent them towards Italy. Start working your way downwards, and retrain when necessary.

As for the army composition I have little experience of playing Spain. As you have already said, the core of your army should consist of bull warriors.

[piranha45]

thanks for the good advice, dude. I'm getting things 'stabilized' now ^^ Britannia's mine, the menacing Gaul and German armies are-- for the moment-- devastated, and Bull Warriors are pouring in from all my provinces.

few more turns and I think I'll be ready to snuff out the Julii

[Hader]

Moved to the Battle Planning forum.

[piranha45]

once i started cranking bull warriors, any difficulty experienced in this campaign vanished, haha... just like being gaul and spamming forresters. weak AI!!

[piranha45]

The ending is identical to the Gauls, in every way lame.