Speed-Run Begun!

**General Sun** · May 30, 2006, 07:03 PM

I've decided to start on my speedrun!

Though not many responded with interest to my proposal, might as well as go on with it anyway. It might be fun. To begin with, first decision is of course, which faction to start with. The Romans are probably the best, since they have powerful marian reforms and is centrally located, easy access to many rich lands. :original: I decided to start as the Brutii, I figured that Greece would give me much wealth early on. (Though Pavitiaum and Mendolium *atrocious SP I know would've been rich as well).

So with that in mind, let's go over a few of the basics.

I'm on VH/VH of course, 1.5, no mods.
The goal of the exercise is to get the game over with as quickly as possible. I'll use any loopholes in existence, and all tactics, cheap or not. Game over equates to getting 49 provinces + Rome. That is my ultimate goal. :original:

Let's get to it then.

My picture gallery is right here:

I will update it with pics for every few years.

Year 270 BC:
http://www.generalscollective.com/ga...album=32&pos=1
As you can see, I have taken my first city, and a second army is crossing the sea.

http://www.generalscollective.com/ga...album=32&pos=0
I decided to go for the Greek's richest. Sparta! That'll eliminate their elite Spartan troops as well, 2 birds with 1 stone. I have yet another army going towards Thermon.

Should I use my Sparta army to attack Macedon? Or should I take Thermon first? Notice that Syrucuse is underseige, if it is taken, will the Greeks be eliminated? :original:

Wish me luck!

**Shaun** · May 30, 2006, 07:09 PM

Yes, take Thermon first. You dont want o leave an enemy stronghold in your territory. It will be good to get the greeks out of the way so soon.

Good luck, my guess is tha it will take you 75 turns.

**General Sun** · May 30, 2006, 07:41 PM

A short time later, it is 267
http://www.generalscollective.com/ga...album=32&pos=0

I have done the daring thing and took Cornith (it was a costly and difficult seige, defeating both the home defense and reinforcements), I have also defeated a reinforcement Greek army at Thermon, but that battle did not allow me full victory over Thermon. (Surprisingly, that army was 2 milita cavalry, a cretan archer, and a cavalry unit. No phalanxes, my Hastati didn't do all that great against them).

Now a second reinforcement Greek army is at Thermon and my ship with my reinforcements was driven off-course by rebels! My Cornith army is now pretty much stuck, I don't want to provoke the second Greek army or the Macedonians for that matter, by moving it. I think I will seige Athens.

My finanical situation isn't all that pretty either, I was depending on Thermon to provide me with money this turn. No go. I tried to sue for peace with both the Macedonians and the Greeks, no go either. Damn. I will be tight on money for several more turns it seems. Let's see if I can take Athens and Thermon.

Thermon came around to the Roman view, but I decided that I better try to starve Athens out. My forces just isn't big enough to do much else.

http://www.generalscollective.com/ga...album=32&pos=0

The next two turns were uneventful as I built up my army and economy. Syracuse fell to the Scipii, the Greeks are pretty much screwed. They have one city on Asia Minor left though. My navy had their butts handed to them, which is preventing me from reinforcing my army in Greece. I can't move against the Macedonians until those equitates get here!

Will try to sue for peace again and maybe get more cash in the process...

http://www.generalscollective.com/ga...album=32&pos=0

In the year 265, my reinforcements have arrived. My blitzkreig has been halted for quite a few turns now and i'm getting itchy for battle again. I recklessly charged my army of 5 horses and 1 general deep into enemy territory, target Thessalonica. Though deeply outnumbered, cavalry-wise my army is still superior up there, and I believe I can out manuever their phalanxes without too much casualites.

Meanwhile, a second army gathers in Thermon in preparation to do battle with the army at Larcissa, which is stock full of cavalry. I can't hope to win that battle, so I will have to wait for my Athens seiging army to finish the 2 remaining turns of the seige then hop over to Larcissa. In the best case senario, I take both Thessalonica and Thermon within the next 2-3 years (3-6 turns) and can move onto Asia Minor.

Financially, I seem to be making more money now that I have raised taxes. I think I'm going to raise it some more in my home towns. Anybody got any advice on Crete? Is it worth taking?

The naval situation is getting better, by the looks of it the Greeks, Macedonians, and rebels ships are killing each other off. I got my reinforcement across (like I said), and Sparta is building a shipwright. I hope to create a convoy soon.

Meanwhile, the Julii still hasn't taken the two upper Gallic towns. Should I go in and snip Pavitiaum? Leaving them a freehand with that M town? It's a rich city, and the slaughter money is plentiful. Whatja guys think?

Multiple posts merged / Please use the edit button /Proximus

**therussian** · May 30, 2006, 08:33 PM

Hm. Don't go after Crete just yet. I don't think it's worth diverting any of your forces to take. Your aim is consolidating the Balkans right now. Pour all of your money and resources into that one goal. Maybe, if you have enough money you can raise a second legion and ship them across the Adriatic. Just a suggestion

**General Sun** · May 30, 2006, 08:50 PM

Thanks for your comments shaun and therussian. I've stopped for the day. Since this is a speedrun, I've decided to throw caution completely to the winds and just go on all out attack.

I won't go for Crete then, but I'm also thinking about just forgetting Larissia and going for Peregaum, that's a richer city with a wonder I believe. It's slighty more out of the way but much less well defended. Maybe I can knock the Greeks out with that attack, that'll fix my naval problems a bit too.

**Ulf** · May 30, 2006, 09:02 PM

take Rhodes and it's cheataholic wonder

**General Sun** · May 30, 2006, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Ulf

take Rhodes and it's cheataholic wonder

Oh yes you're right! I should've went for it earlier.

Maybe in place of Cornith, which didn't turn out to be much use! I will head there immediately. New goal.

:original:

Just as a tally. 6 provinces so far, 44 to go!

Thank you Ulf.

**Severous** · May 31, 2006, 01:33 AM

Nice. This is VH/VH ?

As your fast run captures 'wonders' you will gain temporary public order bonuses. It might be a factor in deciding how to expand. Gain many wonders for public order benefits..or capture them slower to spread out the order benefits across many turns.

**General Sun** · May 31, 2006, 01:19 PM

By the winter of year 264 I was already the largest nation with 8 provinces. Economically there was a massive turn around with now over 10k in the bank.

http://www.generalscollective.com/gallery/...?album=32&pos=0

The siege of Athens ended without bloodshed, and I managed to destroy an army twice my size with only cavalry at Thesselonica.

Athens is building a port, and I will sail to Rodes soon. But first, Larcissca since money is no pressing matter at the moment. A small army is already within seige range. I'm about to move my general from Athens to take care of that matter.

I have already used up 12 of my turns! Can I make my target goal of winning by 230?

8 provinces down, 42 to go!

It is now the summer of 262.

Many small armies have coalesced into one defending army in Larisica. (The AI has gotten better!) But unfortunately for them, it's still not big enough.

http://www.generalscollective.com/gallery/...?album=32&pos=1

Meanwhile up north an army gathers in Thesselonica for a strike at the final Macedonian city. This will likely wipe them out. Fianically I'm doing better than ever, with this turn I can't even use up all my money.

The naval situation is pretty much taken cared of, I have a convoy and everything's dandy. Meanwhile the Greeks has sued for peace, and I made them pay a pretty penny for it.

---------------

The next year,

http://www.generalscollective.com/gallery/...?album=32&pos=0

They Macedonians foolishly attacked my siege army at Larissa and got themselves a whooping. Good riddance.

See that ship in the Athens shipyard? It's actually a convoy with about 6 land units in it. Destination: Rhodes.

The northern army is moving, however that macedoian town is well defended, I probably need to move more troops away from Larissa.

I'm getting really tight on time here. Is there a way to speed up my conquests? Should I attack the Selecuids, or go agaiinst the Thracians after I finish off the Greek/Macedonians? Can I do both at once? Hmmm.

Well anyway, the count is 18! turns now. The last 6 turns didn't see as much progress as the first 6.

Time to get this blitz machine going again...

**LSJ** · May 31, 2006, 04:56 PM

Good luck on your speed run. I did something like that before, playing as the Scipii.
I made my cities all designed to pump out and support troops, and kept on invading cities. Every time a city was captured I placed three units as a garrison and kept on going. After about 36 years I had a nice empire, but also rioting cities and two enemy empires heading for the capitol. Its fun while it lasts.
Hopefully you don't get into that situation.

**General Sun** · May 31, 2006, 05:32 PM

Thanks DarkPhrophet. Severous, yes it's VH/VH. I saw your thread over at the rtwheaven. It was truely phenominal the rate at which you moved. I'll try to match it, I'm setting my goal at 245 BC, (gives me 10 more turns than you) or before... Am I on track for it or do you think I'm lagging behind?

-About the wonders, I'm not too into them right now since they have mostly minor bonuses.

I hope I can match your goal of 250, but that's only 21

turns or so from now!

**General Sun** · June 16, 2006, 03:39 PM

So it's 250... Winter

http://www.generalscollective.com/ga...album=32&pos=0

This is where I am. I finished my campaign up north against the Thracians and had moved onto Egypt. The entire place is one big fat checkbook. But perhaps it was a little too far away because my ships took a while to get there, and I got there piecemeal. Eh, well the Egyptians are almost doners, I already took five of their cities, three more and I'll be done with Egypt. My next target is Pontus and Selecuids, the Asia Minor kids. I got some fleets ready to sail around.

I'm hoping for civil war before that though so I can hit some stuff closer to home, like Italy and Sicily. Then I can expand in other directions such as Spain and Carthage, not having to worry about a messy war with the Parthians.

Obviously I'm going slower than Serverous, but if the civil war happens soon, that is, within the next three turns I can turn around and bribe lots of Roman armies to use against those other Romans and take some provinces quickly.