Why is Syracuse so small??

[Lavrentivs]

Looking at Syracuse on the campaign map (and I suspect in the Hannibal Trailer, too), as pointed out by others, it looks very, very small. Historically, wasn't it a massive city with large stone fortifications?
I know a lot of people will probably think I'm posting this to have a fest, but I'm not; I'd like to look at this in terms of gameplay. What reasons do you think CA had for this? I mean, of course we've been told that only region capitals have walls but still.... this is Syracuse we are talking of here. In my opinion, it should be a unique siege-able city as it commanded a very strategic position.

Thoughts?

Pics:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[karamazovmm]

dunno, we didn't saw syracuse, but I would be disappointed if it didn't have walls, though I think it won't have any

[Lavrentivs]

I posted above 2 pics of Syracuse on the campaign map, one from a gameplay vid of the campaign, another from the Hannibal trailer. Unfortunately it has no walls and looks rather small.

Obviously, it would be interesting to build it into a great city yourself, but historically it was already a famous/great city in Rome II's time-frame.

[Zerosliver]

Already discussed in a lot of topics.

[karamazovmm]

I don't consider that small and I still think it won't have walls, given that the capital of that region is another city, if you look at the preview regarding city sizes its a medium sized city, which was syracuse compared to larger cities

[Tim_Ward]

Because of some odd decisions by CA about provinces.

[BunnyPoopCereal]

Because of some odd decisions by CA about provinces.

"Balance".

[Aymer de Valence]

Annoyed about the size of Jerusalem too, but oh well.

[Irishman]

No walls since it isn't a province capital. There are only going to be 2 walled cities in all of the Italian peninsula, Brundisium and Rome. This in an effort to reduce the 100% siege battles we saw in Shogun.

[Oplitis]

No walls since it isn't a province capital. There are only going to be 2 walled cities in all of the Italian peninsula, Brundisium and Rome. This in an effort to reduce the 100% siege battles we saw in Shogun.

And what is "Brundisium" to be compaired with Syracuse in the first place?

[karamazovmm]

And what is "Brundisium" to be compaired with Syracuse in the first place?

the most important city in sicily during roman government

[Mikelus Trento]

the most important city in sicily during roman government

*poke* http://www.collinsmaps.com/maps/Ital...214891.00.aspx

[Holger Danske]

No walls since it isn't a province capital. There are only going to be 2 walled cities in all of the Italian peninsula, Brundisium and Rome. This in an effort to reduce the 100% siege battles we saw in Shogun.

By cutting corners and in effect make some very stupid decisions. I can perfectly understand why not all cities should have walls, but those that command strategically important locations, and are of historic significance, should - in this case Syracuse as it's the centerpice for a 3-way war between Greeks, Romans, and Carthage...

[JGL]

We really could save time on this forum, if we just assumed (which in all likelihood it is) that the reason is gameplay balancing. I'm saving all my grievances for when I have played the game, I invite you all to join me

[baldrick13]

let Syracuse develop during a campaign and then talk to me...

[kamikazee786]

remember guys, its not about the size

ITS ALL ABOUT HOW YOU USE IT

XD

[nubcaker]

Do we really need another thread like this? The game is due to release in like a week. Let's wait it out.

[Cat-astrophic]

Cuz Rome is the star here and no other city can be as great, hence the small size.

Srly though:
THe cities seem to be placed dynamically with the terrain and vegetation so they give you the impression of being built naturally with it like it started on the coast and expanded avoiding elevations and thick vegetation. Also maybe this reflects the city size like in CIV games? As they grow in pop they also grow in size maybe?

[the_mango55]

I'm not geography expert, but if Sicily is 9,927 square miles (as Wiki claims), that representation of Syracuse has got to be at least 800 square miles. I'd say that's a pretty good size.

[High Fist]

Looking at it historically Sicily was a huge battlefield of contestment between Rome and Carthage in the forst Punic War, never mind Syracuse. Having no walled cities in Sicily means that the island's regions are more susceptible to conquest. If there was a walled city then the island would be easy to control as you have a base much more defensible than the rest of the island's cities. OFC Syracuse was walled and blah blah blah very defensible historically but that may take away from the back and forth conquest of the island. That may be the reason CA chose to have Sicily and S. Italy in one province.