Great Mod/Carthage Advice

[TunaMaker]

Hello all, first post for me here. First I have to say, this is a great mod, and I'm very pleased with it. Many thanks to the team for making it.

So I've started my first campaign as Carthage and seem to be doing pretty well so far. I'm at about 265 I think, and have been building up economy and military infrastructure for most of the game. I'm at war with the independant greek cities, and rome (they started it). In sicily I've taken the one greek city and now go back and forth taking and retaking messana from the romans, cause I'm afraid of having my only army in sicily from becoming trapped there and getting destroyed, so I take it and retreat, leaving it to the mercy of the romans. So far the romans don't seem too intent on keeping it either, as they don't garrison it with much, and then their large army retreats. In Spain I created an army and took 2 rebel provinces, increasing my territory to 4 provinces in spain. My army is now stationed just south of Saguntum, which has rebelled from independant greeks to the other greeks (green banner to cream banner). For this reason I'm reluctant to take the city and start a war with greece. In africa I haven't done much, only crushing small bands of rebels.

I'm wondering where I should launch a new offensive and what direction should I go. Use my army in spain to continue conquering there, starting a war with greece and perhaps iberia? Ship that army across the sea and conquer western africa (still rebel) and perhaps numidia as well? Or focus all my strength upon rome and invade southern italy? or perhaps continue tug of war with messana and invade somewhere else?

Sorry this has become rather lengthy, but let me know what you think. Thanks.

TM

[Aenea]

First of all u should get faction destroyed Numidians.Take those greek cities that are near u cause they are so far from the rest greek cities that u actually will have a virtual war with the Greeks.U won`t actually fight them in any case.The best development for u would be to attack northern italy and sicely,and at the same time take some rebel towns around u in west africa.Iberian and Gaul cities take ages to grow,so u will be recruiting really uselless army from them,so don`t attack them.But from the beggining try to make alliance with the Ptolemaic empire.U need to be sure u won`t open with all nations a war.

[Kara Kolyo]

Hi and welcome. there are other players with better experience with Carthage, who can give better advice but heres my thoughts. 1- strike at the romans with all you have. if you wait for too long they might become too powerfull. 2- beware of egypt. in all my games Egypt and Carthage start war for africa. i thing its going to change in the next version through changing text files, but for now these two always fight.
finaly i think that if you leave rome alone and play defencive, you should conquer Iberia and make it your stronghold.

[TunaMaker]

Hey, thanks for the advice. Just a quick update here. I think in Iberia I'll take Saguntum from the greeks and then ship my army to africa and roll up the cities along the coast before proceeding into Numidia. In Sicily the romans have finally decided to hold Messana, and have launched a full scale invasion of the island. I think this is because they finally took Tarentum and now have several armies freed up. They have already brought a sizable garrison to Messana and 4 armies to the island, 2 of which I've crushed sending the survivors fleeing to Messana. Even so, the situation looks a little grim, as I see more armies marching down the coast of Italy. I'm already diverting the larger portion of my strength from Africa to Sicily, so I think I can hold. If I could just get the Gauls to attack Rome from the north.... Although they're allied right now. Has anyone had any success in getting the Gauls to attack Rome? As for Egypt, I have recently acquired trade rights with them. At the moment they are not willing to ally with me. I'll have to work on that. Thanks for the advice, anyone have anymore?

TM

[Avtokrator]

As for Egypt, I have recently acquired trade rights with them. At the moment they are not willing to ally with me. I'll have to work on that.

TM

If you ally with Egypt, you will come to rue that decision - GUARANTEED. Egypt (as an AI faction) is hands-down the most back-stabbing faction in RTW...you will regret any alliance made with them and I would go so far as to caution against trading map information with them - it's as if map info is an automatic trigger for Egyptian sneakiness. Egypt = EVIL.

[jaklei]

You should make an naval invasion with 1-3 stacks into middle italy, be sure to siege 2 towns of the roman factions that are attacking you and take atleast 1 and garrison it with your best troops, this will make the romans turn and bend all their might at that city, and if you can, take Roma and kill the senate that might trigger civil war in the near future

[LittleWeiz]

Ever thought of migrating to egypt? You can do that if u are quick (3-5turns). Egypt's a good choice, no cultural penalties(pyramid bonus) + good trade routes

[jaklei]

yeah, retake sidon that is afterall the city that chartage came from

[Watchman]

yeah, retake sidon that is afterall the city that chartage came from

I thought it was Tyre...?

[xj900uk]

When playing Carthage in the XGM I found that the best policy for the first 10 years / 20 turns was one of consolidation rather than expansion. Didn't build too many milatary units or buildings (with one important exception), and conquered a few rebel provinces near me (like in Spain). Build up a good economic power and trade base before trying anything too expansive.
For consolidation, this basically means taking the rebel provinces closest to my starting positions (because if you don't, somebody else will) but don't go looking for a fight with any factions. I waited until the Romans took Messina, then started laying siege to my ports - I had been secretly building up my naval forces, and was able to blockade all of their ports, which effectively destroyed their trade income and any grandious ideas of coming after me (well, Scipii and Brutii at least). Then, after about 10 years of watching Roman impotance and the money starting to role in, I began active conquest in three major areas - Sicily (Messena was poorly defended, and Syracuse was still rebel, t he Romans having exhausted themselves trying to take it and also weaking it a tad); followed by North Africa (those pesky, back-stabbing Numedians - I only did unto them what I expected them to do to me, given half the chance!) and finally Spain.
Now it's 250 BC and I own all of Southern Spain, most of North African (one Numedian city to go) and all of Sicily. Scipii and Brutii, thanks to the continued blockade of all of their ports are still impotent and broke as ever, the Julii are tied up in Southern Gaul and of no threat to me. The remaining two Spanish cities have got me pressing from the south and Gaul from the North (who also have the Romans to worry about, let them fight each other!), to the East everyone seems to be taking huge bites out of the sprawling Seleucian Empire and the only faction ahead of me on the chart are (guess who?) the Egyptians. It's almost time for me to toddle over there and releave them of some of the totally undeserved wealth.
And Hannibal hasn't even been born yet!!

[DimeBagHo]

The Carthaginians were supposed to have come from Tyre, which is located about where the port for Sidon is located on the Mundus Magnus map. Tyre itself was a colony of Sidon though, so I guess you could say the Carthaginians traced back to Sidon. Both cities remained important urban centers right up to the present day, but the map would just be too cluttered if both were on it. I guess ngr decided to represent Type with the port - which is reasonable because it was a very important center for maritime trade.