A Big "Thank You" for the creators of RSII and some specific questions regarding government, assimilating and stuff from a newbie ;)

[tobi_808]

Well, words can't really describe how glad I am after finding out that Rome II (glad i didn't bought this till now ...) will suck even more than Empire did at release,
that YOU guys created over years and years something that really gives me (playing TW games with mods only since 5 years) right now the same epic feeling I got 2004
when touching Rome I Vanilla the first time. (no offence ^^ --> Back then I was still a boy and I loved even Vanilla. Today I wouldn't touch that mess for 30 minutes.)
From my view nowadays RI-Vanilla just seems ridiculous, as Rome II seems right now.

I mean the "needs and wants" change when you grow up, especially when you played 1 game-series hardcore-wise (sometimes I played "a TW game with a mod-only",
means no other video games for half of ayear ^^) - Nowadays I am so damn entitled regarding TW, BUT:
You guys really achieved what not many TW mods achieved at all - epicness, authenticity, gameplay depth, challenge, great appearance - DAMN YOU FULLFILLED ALL MY NEEDS


So now to my questions, cause I couldn't figure out, even reading all description of building and technologies ingame and reading all FAQ, guides whatsoever exists in the froum;

[I know in bases about government direction, that tax penalties = infrastructure costs, what to do for marian reforms, i know many bases]

1.) the Roman Oppidum - ________ - in italian territories it is the barracks, but in foreign provinces it isn't the barracks !!!/???
(in Appolonia i first tried out to give a foreign freshly conquered region Civitas - to see if i can then really recruit all the units stated in the
descriptionof Civitas for Appolonia -and yep even without a barrack, I destroyed the Greek one after capturing, I can now recruit many greek units,
and even more if I would upgrade to Economic + FORTIFIED Region - I get that. But what would an Roman Oppidum then do in this province ?
Just enable recruiting of spy+diplomat+ the penalties/bonuses ? When/where do I build these damn thingies ?

2.) That might is / seems to be related to the AoR ??? , I did take a look at the map in the important stuff folder, so well how do I know where and when I can recruit what before
researching / building my way up through ???


3.)
- When give Civitas, when give Allied Status and when Annex ??? I mean i know the bonuses and penalties, but why not giving all mostly possible Civitas ?
- So why should I "annex" a region anyway - a bit of trade bonus, but only happiness penalty - and does the "annexation" take away the ability to recruit Roman troops there ?
- And if I would have given Apoolonia "Alied / Client" Status to what bonuses/penalties and recruitment possibilities does that lead ???

- Corsica or Capua for example is the same AoR as Rome itself, even in Tarentum i guess it be the same:
4.) WHAT Buildings and technologies do I need basically need for recruiting WHICH UNITS ?


5.) What about taxation of newly conquered regions - in all regions outside Italy it seems, that I only tax "a bit" of what really could be taxed - Why ?
And what do i have to do to change that, to make the conquered provinces as lucrative as my old italian ones ?
I gave Civitas to Appolonia, but NO effect on taxes at all ? Why ?

which leads to #6:
6.) Might assimilation be the key ? or is it just the next population-step I need to wait for to be able to build my Magistrate Palace over the one
from the previous culture ???


7.) And what to do - to assimilate I conquered region best ?
(I mean I know historically Rome's policy wasn't to just assimilate all that was conquered, truely not, they where far more pragmatic - I know,
I read a lot about Roman history in the past few months, but since I want to assimilate lets say at least all central Mediterranean provinces, especially
all the Greek ones (damn backstabbers ^^) I just want incorporate all the nice Greek cities deep into my empire.)


8.) later for the Marian Legions: Would it make sense to make Capua (same AoR as Rome) also to a military region or would it not be better to make Tarantum
a second military recruitment base in the south, since it will later be able recruit a different legion ?
Then it would make sense to make Massalia and Syracus for example another military recruitment base, right ?
[I don't get how the change will be processed anyway, but I might ask this later again ^^]



I am sorry for the MASSSSSssss of questions, but I think either I have overlooked some hints ingame or search engine of TWC is just lame. (love the forum anyway!)
All questions are related to a core aspect of the mod, and are somehow interconnected, yet I didn't manage to find anything about to satisfy my curiousness

Anyway I would be thankful for any help or dedication to answer at least some parts of it - I love the game mechanics of this mod and its complexity,
I just want to understand every bit of it before It turns out to be turn 100 and I then realize what crap (false-building / wrong-skilling) I have done,
and sometimes you also want to know what outcome your decisions can and will have
I mean I am in turn 25 and from now on I really NEED TO KNOW what to build when organizing my damn empire

[ur-Lord Tedric]

1) - Is on your barracks path anyway. In Area 6 it will allow legionary troops; elsewhere it will allow Late Auxilia once you are passed the Imperial/Augustan Reforms; you will need Campus Martius (and thus have granted Citizenship) and Fortresses for legionary troops elsewhere.

2) - The AoR map is still fairly accurate - I tend to build up a military infrastructure where Weapons Metals are naturally occuring.

3) - If you want access to Client State units, then make the settlement a Client State. If you are Romanizing then Annex, or do it later if the locals aren't quite ready yet.

4) - Metals, Foundries and Barracks - this detail is still in the stickies and is always worth a look.

5) - Not entirely sure what you mean, but do not make the classic mistake of only looking at the figures shown on the campaign map. Why should Civitas make any tax difference? Now they are citizens don't you think they should be less exploited (don't equate to the exploitation you see nowadays by the idle rich!)

6) - ?

7) - so go fill your boots. Now it's so easy to keep population happy (although it costs tax) I Annex everywhere and bring into the 'Empire' immediately once the Marian-reforms are done and I don't want Allied troops.

8) - Early on I go for Tarentum and Aleria and Lilybaeum as recruiting centres (Metals) and add Ariminium and Arretium. Syracuse and Massalia are natural ones too once captured. Messana can be on the list because of III Augusta (iirc). Nearby Genoa can be useful - in the end I look for a pair of settlements for each legion.

Perhaps a question at a time next. Do find the original stickies in the Previews sub-forum - worth a read.

[tobi_808]

Kind regards for that help !!!
Ok, (shame on me) I forgot about the unit guide, which explains what you need for recruiting a specific unit.
Got that downloaded since I installed the game, but forgot about it

Still - I don't know what is romanizing a region "more" - to annex or to give citizenship ?
And HOW does that relate to recruiting - is there no difference of available units between Annexed region and Citizen region ?

As I understand it right now: Before marian reforms the oppidum/barracks allows me to recruit Polybian Cohorts also in Annexed regions,
but after the marian reforms I can only recruit Legions in regions with citizenship ???

--- I also don't want "allied troops" like allied cohorts, of course later germanic alae and such, but no "un-roman legions" meaning
"client-units" (not "un-roman" regarding "nationality" of course) That's why I don' want to give any state client status,
allthough it seems to be far more historical, than to annex most regions ^^ ---

[ur-Lord Tedric]

Annexing is a step on the way to giving Citizenship - but you don't have to. The choice is to Annex or make a Client - they are completely different. Client States need more careful handling, which is why they might object to Family members as Governors. Annexing is more like - 'you're mine, get with the program'. Clients are more like - 'come, it's not that bad, just give us some money and we'll cuddle you a while - and take over later'.

The 3rd level Oppidum will allow you to recruit Polybian Cohorts or Generic Cohorts (either side of the Reforms), but only in Area 6 (S Italy & Islands) - elsewhere you need Campus Martius. Roman legionary troops are citizens - so any link to Citizenship is just right.

Allied Cohorts can be very useful and are nearly as good and cheaper. If playing 'historically' each army would contain equal numbers of Roman/Polybian and Socii Allies.

Again, linking to history and post-Marian, if you were re-hashing Caesar's Gallic Wars you would make a few of the Southern Gaul settlements (including Massalia) into Clients and recruit Gallic Cavalry to support your Generic Legions.

As noted - after a while and with the ability to quickly get Unrest under control, I simply find it easier to Annex and get to Oppidum L3 (which in the Imperial period lets me have Auxilia - just right). Citizenship and legionary barracks can come later.

[meerkatology]

make genoa a client state, u can make allied germani cavs there, they are on par with praetorian cavs at half the cost.

[ObsessedBySteam]

Since this is a thread concerning problems with understanding how government things work I'll dare to post another one.
But first, a little hello to all users from a Homo novus and "a big thank you" to all the Developers of RS. There's no need to tell this mod is wonderful.
So, I've got a problem with roman military leadership - I can't make my commander become legatus after five/ten years of serving as a tribune.(these numbers are other threads and remember something like that from RTR).
He's a patrician, I tried to leave him in a city for two-three years and he maintains his status. Sometimes he's tribunus and governor at the same time!
Since there's no guide about leadership (preview by dvk does not say how to graduate to legatus) and I've tried virtually everything in game
(like triggering all reforms) I beg your help. I've got RS 2.6.

Thanks for every reply.

Cheers

[Sertorio]

You will have no Legatus before the Marian Reforms. Legatus is a term related to the time of Caesar, when he acting as Consul or Proconsul legated the command of the Legions to trusty followers.

[ObsessedBySteam]

Thanks. But as I stated I am after Marian reforms and have triggered the republican legions already.
My commanders in Roma obtain ancills' about leading legios like Germanica I etc.
And still after serving 10 years as tribune my general has not become legate...
But I still don't know where's the mistake I'm making. Anyway, once again thank you for quick reply.

[dvk901]

The trait mechanism that allows this change is dependent on the Faction Leader being in Rome when the Marian Reforms occur. He is given a trait that indicates that the reforms have occurred, based on the existence of the 'Roman Fortress' in Rome (which can only be built AFTER the Marian Reforms), and all other characters are then given a similar trait to indicate that the Marian Reforms have occurred. The Roman military leadership then changes from the old 'Republican' to the later 'Imperial' version. If your FL is NOT in Rome, that's probably why the change isn't occurring.

[ObsessedBySteam]

"Now I know". Thanks a lot for your assistance, I didn't realize I've got to trigger the reform by staying
in Roma by faction leader...

[ur-Lord Tedric]

"Now I know". Thanks a lot for your assistance, I didn't realize I've got to trigger the reform by staying
in Roma by faction leader...

It's one of the things that ought to be stickied somewhere.....but:

- Phase 1 of the Marian Reforms is triggered by Akragas growing to 24k and building the Imperial Palace (units change)
- Phase 2 of the Marian Reforms is triggered by your FL being in a settlement that has a Roman Fortress (so later and semi-linked to the Imperial age)(this changes the rank structures)
- The Imperial/Augustan Reforms is triggered by building the Circus Maximus in Roma (appearance of Late Auxilia)

Taken as a whole, the player can choose when and how things happen and stay somewhat in control should they wish play in either Early/Middle or Late Republic (although to be fair the Polybian period style doesn't fit a wargame with standing armies); or then the Early Imperial/Principate.

[TTRouble]

Im glad I decided to read the thread .. its little details like having your FL in your captial that make the mod so flippin fab to play. Now to finish my studies so I can quick off another Seleucids campaign !

[Vaeltor]

Hey everyone, great community here and i'm happy to now be an 'officical member' I see a few things have been discussed in this thread regarding government and reforms but I just wanted to go back to the first point in the original heading... ...I just want to give my thanks and appreciation to the devs for creating what is, in my mind, the ultimate game. Historical accuracy, playability, difficulty, enjoyment, fun, frustration, everything that I imagined a game could be when I first played the original Age of Empires 16 years ago. Thank you RSII team, you have given me so much joy! Vaeltor