What about the Visigoths?

[dajarvi]

The germanic invasions into Western Rome are dated by scholars between the years of 378-439. With Rome's first major at the Battle of Adrianople in 378, they slowly made their way across Thessalonica, Greece, then up to the Alps and across the Po, and down into Italy with very little resistance. Concerning the Vandals, yes they took Africa, but in Italy, the city of Rome was already under Germanic rule, even Thessalonica and Greece. The Eastern half of Rome still held Constantinople, Asia minor, Egypt, and Jerusalem. Gallia and Hispania was taken by the visigoths in 357-82. And in Britannia, the Britains begin to form their own defenses because Rome doesn't have the legions to protect them.

Now, this is just my opinion (I think the mod you are making is wonderful, I'm just being picky, but I mean no offense), it seems that the game should focus more on the early visigoths instead of the Vandals. The Vandals come later in time after the Visigoths already took over most of Western Rome. All that was really left of Western Rome by the time the Vandals came through was Africa. Really the Vandals fought a lot against other Germans. I think the mod would be bettered if the map was enlarged at least up to the gates of Constantinople (without the city being present on the map) but close. If continuing with the Vandals, then Western Rome really should only exist in Africa, nowhere else.

I say write this only on the basis that the modders might be interested in historical realism. Otherwise, it doesn't matter =)

Books of reference:

Historical Altas of Ancient Rome by Chris Scarre

Roman People (Fourth Edition) by Robert B. Kebric

[Riothamus]

The germanic invasions into Western Rome are dated by scholars between the years of 378-439. With Rome's first major at the Battle of Adrianople in 378, they slowly made their way across Thessalonica, Greece, then up to the Alps and across the Po, and down into Italy with very little resistance. Concerning the Vandals, yes they took Africa, but in Italy, the city of Rome was already under Germanic rule, even Thessalonica and Greece. The Eastern half of Rome still held Constantinople, Asia minor, Egypt, and Jerusalem. Gallia and Hispania was taken by the visigoths in 357-82. And in Britannia, the Britains begin to form their own defenses because Rome doesn't have the legions to protect them.

Now, this is just my opinion (I think the mod you are making is wonderful, I'm just being picky, but I mean no offense), it seems that the game should focus more on the early visigoths instead of the Vandals. The Vandals come later in time after the Visigoths already took over most of Western Rome. All that was really left of Western Rome by the time the Vandals came through was Africa. Really the Vandals fought a lot against other Germans. I think the mod would be bettered if the map was enlarged at least up to the gates of Constantinople (without the city being present on the map) but close. If continuing with the Vandals, then Western Rome really should only exist in Africa, nowhere else.

I say write this only on the basis that the modders might be interested in historical realism. Otherwise, it doesn't matter =)

Books of reference:

Historical Altas of Ancient Rome by Chris Scarre

Roman People (Fourth Edition) by Robert B. Kebric

Thanks dajarvi for the nice comments..We thank you but I must disagree that the Visigoths should be the focus more than the Vandals for they were more of the dominate faction or threat.
I would agree that at 429AD the Visigoths were the strongest faction and they were responsible for the Alans destruction and the Vandals exodus out of Iberia but they were still foederati and located basically in granted lands in Southern Gaul. The shift in power and threat was going to quickly change with the quick expansion of the Vandals through the rich bread basket of Africa.

The Vandals had become a major threat to the Roman Empire militarily and economically by 439 after capturing Carthage, and as we all know by 455AD they sailed into Rome caught the Romans with their pants down, and peacefully sacked the city. The Visigoths never really became that serious of a threat until they aggressively began expanding into adjacent territories in Gaul, and that was not until nearly a decade after the death of Aetius.(455AD)and Aegdious(464AD) Both factions by the mid fifth century were having their way, carving up what was the WRE(the Visigoths in Iberia) but it was the Vandals who cut off the Roman right arm first and first became the dominate threat by cutting off much of the WRE grain food supply and then gaining control of the Mediterranean Sea trade to the Roman west.