Girls, girls and more girls - family matters

[Coldcall]

I've noticed there is a draw-back to loittering a little too much for the first 50-75 years of an RS campaign (in order to allow the ai to develop empires).

It seems that once the initial high birthrate has slowed down after the original Maxentius clan have children; if one isnt taking many new settlements a reproductive drought occurs where the birthrate goes down to practically nil. In my last 20 years game tme i think the ruling family has produced only 1 or 2 children. Whats worse is I have a gaggle of aging female lesbians who no-one wants to marry or I get offered 65 year olds! Oh great :-)

I know the game works out how many family members are needed but since I am now on a rather fast expansion even if lots of kids are being born now; they wont be ready for service for 16 years. Alot can happen in 16 years in RS :-)

Perhaps in this campaign I've had lousy luck but my family tree is looking desperately thin.

[Nellup]

As you have said - it is tied to the rate of expansion, so if you are not expanding, there will not be so many births.
However, it can also be due to luck, to an extent. Do your characters have traits such as flaccid? Many traits and ancillaries reduce or increase fertility, it is just luck if your characters are developing poor fertility traits.

[EternalSlayer]

I've got the same problem, I haven't even got enough family members to fill up my Italian cities.

[century x]

I've got the same problem, I haven't event got enough family members to fill up my Italian cities.

Thats why the RS team gave us governors to recurit.

[HMonk]

Thats why the RS team gave us governors to recurit.

Yep

[Coldcall]

Nellup,

Actually I've had good luck with the lack of flaccid, barren traits etc..

It seems that because i have waited so long to expand I initially had way too many family members, and then after the first wave died off the game got used to thinking that i dont need all that many family members.

The game cannot know when the player will expand so it will always be well behind in future planning. So now as i am rapidly pushing into Macedonia Ive got a severe shortage.

Still i guess thats why the recruitable governors and generals save the day but it would be nice to have some Maxentius pedigree in the oven :-)

[Coldcall]

Just to add there is something shocking about being offered a 65 year old goat to marry your 13 year old grandaughter :-) I know they use to do that in ancient times but 65??????

She should atleast be able to remarry when he dies next year, or when i put on the dreaded Nile deathcruise :-)

Actually the female members should be able to remarry if under 30 when they become widows. Thats only fair.

[Sandrus Castus]

Just to add there is something shocking about being offered a 65 year old goat to marry your 13 year old grandaughter :-) I know they use to do that in ancient times but 65??????

She should atleast be able to remarry when he dies next year, or when i put on the dreaded Nile deathcruise :-)

Actually the female members should be able to remarry if under 30 when they become widows. Thats only fair.

Yes, that would be cool. (and realistic ^^)

[Oli]

maybe they just havent hit puberty yet? or the ones that have, have not yet found viagra, or have post menopausal wives?

[Arnspac]

Also remember that certain buildings , ie Scriptorium , enhance not only the settlement but the characters as well. If I recall correctly you will not get a churmegeon (sp) unless you build these.

[pseudocaesar]

Actually it was considered kind of immoral for a Roman matron to remarry once widowed.

[Source]

Or maybe they decided to become Vestal Virgins.