Barbarian Style

[SicilianVespers]

When playing as a barbarian faction, do any of you play as an allied Foederati tribe? or do you go all out to bring the Romans down?

I have been playing as the Sarmatians, and decided to prop up the WRE. It has been an excellent campaign so far.

I went to horde right away, and moved on to settle in Moesia, Pannonia, and Dalmatia, as the Magister Militum per Illyricum.

I destroyed the Franks & Vandals, and severely weakend the Hun, who eventually settled in Aquitania.

Achaea and Macedonia have been taken from the ERR and ERE, respectively.

I also helped the Romans retake Venetia and Latium, but I decided to hold onto Ravenna, so I can help defend Italy.

After all this Locus Sarmaticus rebelled vs the Sassanids, and Joined my Sarmatian Kingdom. I had a very tough time defending vs the Sassanids, but They were beaten, and Alania rebelled from their control, so I am secure. (I am using Celts blarge map, it includes the entire Sass empire)

Finally, with the Franks eliminated, the Celts have become a powerhouse. They took all of Britannia & northern Gaul, and are ready to cross the alps. I offered to attack the Celts as a gift to the Romans (they won't give me military access ), and am preparing to move into Gaul. I think I will keep Armorica after the Celts are driven out.

This has been much more interesting than destroying the WRE. The ERE & WRE haven't even gone to war, since I am a strong buffer between the two.

It is now 425 AD, and the Slavs have moved across northern Europe, and are attacking the Alemanni.

The Berbers have also taken all of N. Africa and Sardina.

It's a good change, you get to be Roman, with a Barbarian faction.

[webusver]

I prefer to edit descr_strat file each time before I play RTW. Default conditions for barbarians against WRE are too good. AI often lets to rebel his cities, while when I played as WRE I managed to balance things so that there were no WRE rebells at all. So usually I give some bonuses to AI controlled factions.

[SicilianVespers]

This is a personal mod I am playtesting, but the WRE has managed to hold it together very well (with the help of my Sarmatians). So far they have managed to recover sacked provinces in Italy, twice (Huns & Vandals). They were also able to force the Huns to horde, and move from Gaul to Spain.

The Celts have really taken advantage of the situation between the Huns and WRE, but this is only because the Franks were eliminated.

It's funny, the Celts and Berbers are playing the parts of eliminated Franks and Vandals.

[EDIT]
I think CA really missed the boat by not offering a "Become Foederati" diplomatic option.

[player1]

My usual experience when playing barbarians (especialy eastern ones) is that WRE can hold on their own and expand on VH, as long as there is not much hording around. When hordes arrive it can break.

Of course if it's me that's playing rampaging horde, I have no problem goinh straight to Italy.

[Lord Kal]

No rebellions? Every time I play, Spain always erupts into civil war. Servius the Executioner is a bit bolshy!

[player1]

Well there are some rebellions, but are pretty temporary, like few turns and then again Roman.

Of course evrything changes after hordes come.

I actually think WRE would be much tougher if Franks would horde from start.
Until that happens a few times it happend to me that they destroyed both Saxons and Alemanni.
(of course in that game, sarmatians, goths, vandals and huns were a bit slow with going toward WRE).

[SicilianVespers]

Severus always ends up crushing the Spanish rebels for me, and usually ends up conquering Mauritania. Don't leave him in a city that is on the verge of rebellion.