Roleplaying Help

**mastershake16** · April 04, 2010, 08:39 PM

Hello, I have been reading some AAR's and have been getting all excited about commanding my own armies and becoming attached to them. I remember playing RS, I loved certain Legions that I could recruit, and it was really interesting. I have read about EB and have tried playing the Romani campaign and I want to start to role-play more. I have gotten about 10-20 turns in and it's really fun but is this the best mod for role-playing? Can a single "legion" stick around and become really battle hardened and experienced under the same commander? I want to build up a commander and progress him through his life. I think I read about some other mod that if a general serves for 10 years he is granted a legion or something? That sound's pretty cool because he could progress during his life.

So does any have any tips to help me role-play? IS there a way to name an army I have or just any general suggestions?

Also if there are any other mods that are more suited to role-playing, I'd be open to most anything.

Thanks a lot

You guys are the best!

**Mediolanicus** · April 05, 2010, 03:43 AM

Well, AFAIK EB's FMs have the most traits and ancillaries, so that make RP'ing a tad easier.

I don't know if EB is the best mod to follow one army in particular.

I think with all the traits it is easier to role play the decisions of all your generals based on those traits.

**dbug** · April 05, 2010, 04:24 AM

Originally Posted by Mediolanicus

Well, AFAIK EB's FMs have the most traits and ancillaries, so that make RP'ing a tad easier.

I don't know if EB is the best mod to follow one army in particular.

I think with all the traits it is easier to role play the decisions of all your generals based on those traits.

Yes, that's definitely a good side. However, EB doesn't have named legions and the system of naming armies are not present in the RTW engine at all

**mastershake16** · April 05, 2010, 09:28 AM

Thanks guys. So should I keep sticking with this mod?

After I posted the first post I continued to play and I took the bottom 2 cities in Italy, and OMG it took so long haha but it was so rewarding. What was really cool too is that I was going to invade Sicily but it said something about a historical treaty I had, so I shouldn't do it. THAT is the amazing historical detail that I love

I am loving this mod so much, but the only thing that scares me is that I'll prob never get reforms haha My first general got smoked by an Epeirot army, but then I have this other guy who rampaged through southern Italy and is building up quite nicely. He finally has a sizable army.

If I am just going to keep track of my general, should I "retrain" my armies, or integrate new units?

EDIT: Just took him to invade a rebel camp in the North...
OMG In Italy I could just rush in the gate and then expand... the crazy ass swordsmen and gallic cavalry kicked my ass and dissolved my entire army! But I forgot to save it, so now I have to refight...

I think I might lose on purpose to keep it real...

**Mediolanicus** · April 05, 2010, 03:14 PM

Yes, you should stick to it.

And play it as you like.

**Horse Archer** · April 05, 2010, 08:36 PM

Yes, this seems like a good idea. I'll give you a few rambling thoughts about what I know about the period you're in right now. If you're interested in keeping it really historically accurate, only have generals REALLY attached to their legions if you're well into the Polybian Era, as the Senate would move their generals around quite a bit, not to mention that most early Roman armies would be disbanded after a war, as these were made up mainly of farmers.

Though, for gameplay's sake, you don't necessarily have to disband all your legions once your done with them if you want to model this, just "deactivate" them by leaving them in a town or fort in your homeland for a while. However, EB is more disband-friendly than you may think with the economic mechanics implemented.

Also, be careful trying to blitz Gaul. I've had some bad memories with those naked dudes.

**Scipio Africanus Maximus** · April 06, 2010, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by Horse Archer

Also, be careful trying to blitz Gaul. I've had some bad memories with those naked dudes.

Hm... That's quite disturbing.

Anyway, Rome is an excellent faction for RPing, and with all the traits you really can make your generals unique. Try to tailor your decisions to their personalities. If your general is a cruel, bloodthirsty fellow, annihilate anyone and anything in your path with little regard to your own men. On the other hand, a cautious or kind general should, of course, be more cautious. Oh, the possibilities.

As for retraining, It'd be more realistic to integrate fresh troops. If you only retrain, the units keep their experience. So, a decimated unit of Hastati with 4 experience is filled with new recruits, yet keeps that experience. Of course, having experienced armies has its upsides as well.

**mastershake16** · April 06, 2010, 01:44 PM

Ah alright. I think Ill try to integrate fresh troops in to "keep it real".

I am not sure what to do...

Replay the my siege battle and intentionally lose because thats what happened the first time, then disband the army because they were "Retrained"... this is fine but the downside is I spent hours just trying to conquer southern Italy and I'd have to restart.

I could restart, either with a new faction or Rome.. again. If it were a new faction it'd be Hellon Kellenon or w/e it's called. The downside of that is I'd restart my whole campaign and would have to learn the new style of fighting. I've only played Rome always, and sometimes barbarians. This is also kind of an upside thought because it'd be refreshing, although would the RP still be cool? All the Roman names are just so awesome

ALSO I'd have fresh troops when I restart so I wouldn't have to disband and feel like I "cheated"

Help me out please

P.S. If you choose for me to keep playing my current campaign, does anyone have siege tips?

**Scipio Africanus Maximus** · April 07, 2010, 06:55 AM

Usually, if I have to replay a battle I lost I just autoresolve it. Usually if a human player is gonna lose, the PC has no chance. But, if it does by some miracle win, I just go on and don't worry about it. If you decide to try and win the battle, let them sally out to face you. This gives you a larger area in which to fight, and you don't have to defeat them (assuming you have battle timer on), just hold them off. The naked swordsmen are difficult in a face to face battle, but if you flank them and attack from behind, they are more managable, especially if you hurl pila at them first. You might even get enough casualties to make them rout, just don't trap them or they'll fight to the death and cause more casualties.

**torongill** · April 08, 2010, 08:12 AM

Siege tips I can give you: Always use multiple avenues of attack. In this way you can move more men inside the gates and force flanking. The first unit to enter the city, when you are attacking a wooden-walled settlement has to be the best one. The AI will attack the first unit inside with everything they have, but once there are more than one unit, all of them are attacked. So entering with your best melee unit initially would allow you to divert the defenders to that point, ergo you'll heve easier time entering from the alternative routes. Avoid gates, they have about half the width of destroyed segments of the wall(whether it's a wooden or stone wall.) A corollary of the multiple anvenues of attack is another thing - you can seal retreat routes, so that you can trap routes enemies or, in case they are difficult to rout, attack them in the rear. When finally attacking the square, use all the routes leading to it to. You want to surround the last stand of the defenders from all sides and kill every last one of them(they can't be routed if they are at the town square). When using siege towers, find the weakest spot on the wall, that is the place where either no or only one tower can shoot at the siege tower and the attached unit. This will usually be some spot quite a distance away, but you can send your men along the wall, capturing towers as they go. Always attack the defenders on the walls from two directions, this will shorten the fight. Oh and be patient and wait until at least one part of the unit, that uses a siege tower is located on the launching platform. Then you can tell them to run. There's some bug that if your men start forming to enter the siege tower and you command them to run, they start going in and out of it and it's impossible to retreat. I almost lost a battle once because of this. So patience, multiple avenues of attack and no mercy until the town square is yours.

Avoid using spearmen, unless they can form phalanx or shieldwall, they suffer penalties vs infantry. I'm playing with RTW:1.6, so my early triarii can form a hoplite phalanx(shieldwall) and they can stop dead the naked fanatics. The fanatics rely on ferociousness and initial charge and double hp, so it makes sense to face them with a unit with very good defensive stats, a tough formation and long reach of the weapons

It's a bit of roleplaying, but I have increased the pushing weight of the naked fanatics in my Romani campaign. Now these guys can really drive a wedge

If you have any further questions, ask away, I'll try to answer to the best of my ability