Naval domminance/AI attempted relief

[Frost, colonel]

Thinking back to my early Scipii campaign, when a few years after the Marius reforms I started on Carthage by landing on Sardinia.

Thats when I had strong fleets. MY besieging forces were weak and Carthage tried to relieve the island 3 times with very strong elite armies.

Each time she tried to relieve I was on the look out for ships and chased each fleet til sunk.
At the time I thought I was been clever but at the same time felt quilty for so easily destroying the cream of Carthages forces, with about 7 fleets in just that one area.
If they had landed I would of lost but at the same time I had spent alot on those fleets partly because I had noticed how strong the AI was now in v4.6 with fleets and I didn't want to loose a Legion at sea or another fleet.
What I was doing was accidentally baiting Carthage to commit her best forces to relief

When landing on the African mainland Carthages armies seemed to have suffered ie she seemed weak.
Was doing what I did cheating or perphaps just a poor choice of gameplay? (inexperience)

What would you people have done?

[NorthHammer]

personally, I hate the navy. i take a dumb approach and don't build up any ships unless i have to. i'm more of a land kind of guy.

i liked the navy battles much better in MTW. I wouldn't call yourself cheating if the AI is dumb enough to send uber units with hardly any naval protection. What else were you supposed to do? Let them land and decimate you?

[Sidmen]

Actually, you just replayed the 2nd punic war.. Carthage was winning till the roman forces constructed a mighty navy to stop supplies from reaching sicily. Its a realistic tactic for any commander of any age. But for the game, its up to you wether or not to sink the ships.. If you wanted a fair and good game, do like the romans did in history, after taking carthage's navy and her islands away, let her rebuild a bit. I think you'll be happy at how she rebuilds.

[Boudicca]

Well...this is Rome total war. Not Naval warfare total war. The Romans did make that bitter experience with the Cilician Pirates episode, when they had to send, I think it was Pomperius? to crush the pirates. I don't think Rome has been so much into military fleets and created a fleet only when it had become inavetable.

[Revan The Great]

Sidmen: It was the first Punic War you're refering to, Second Punic War was with Hannibal when he crossed the alps, etc.

Boudicca: It was Pompey, not "Pomperius" (Yes, I like correcting historical inaccuracies, don't like it, I don't care.)

As far as ships go: I support Sidmen's view of The Navy. I simply don't keep one and let the idiots blockade my port for one turn then move off. If I ever do need a navy, I simply just raise one huge Navy for whatever I need it for. Use it. Then Disband/let it be destroyed.

-Revan

[Boudicca]

sorry for Pomperius...he is called Pompeius in Germany. I just mistyped. I know the good old Triumviri

[LordSaradain]

Pompey, Homer etc are just english versions of the names.
I prefer using the original ones Pompeius, Homeros...

[makeshift52]

I let them land, but if they are uber then I ward them off.

[NorthHammer]

how's carthage's expansion into spain?

[Revan The Great]

sorry for Pomperius...he is called Pompeius in Germany. I just mistyped. I know the good old Triumviri

Sorry for my post being harsh, I get constant heat from correcting people over things But yeah, Pompeius is his actual name, much like Hadrianus=Hadrian or Traian(I think)=Trajan. Oh well, peace

-Revan