March of Time Ballpark?

**RobertR** · December 30, 2013, 08:48 PM

So I'm playing as Makedon and I was wondering around which year The March of Time takes place. I know Rome needs a 24,000 pop city upgraded, but is there a decade where that usually happens? It's 247 BC right now and I want to know if it happens soon, or in another 50 years or so. I can't wait to crush those Romani dogs!! And are the reformed pikeman really worth the wait?

P.S. I'm new here, so forgive any ignorance.

**Hummer** · December 30, 2013, 11:55 PM

That's a total crapshoot. Sometimes the AI can't get their act together and can take forever to increase population. Give it another 20 years (80 turns at a minimum)

However, I don't believe it is Rome, I believe it is any other Italian city. Typically Capua or Arretium are the first to reach 24K pop.
There have been numerous discussions about this.
Couple comments at this link about which city triggers it.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...affects-reform

**Ownager** · December 31, 2013, 02:59 AM

The reformed pikemen are definitely worth the wait. They were an innovation made while fighting the Romans, so I think it would be historically correct for you not to defeat them before you atleast have reformed pikemen.

**RobertR** · December 31, 2013, 08:30 AM

Alrighty, thanks fellows! Guess I'll take my army elsewhere.

**Entropy Judge** · December 31, 2013, 08:49 AM

It's worth noting that you can still fight the Romans, you just have to make sure to leave them alive and in Italy.

**Boriak** · December 31, 2013, 09:11 AM

For me, the March of Time usually occurs around 230 BC, give or take a few years.

**Ownager** · January 01, 2014, 05:51 AM

I actually maintained another army to make sure Rome didn't get destroyed by enemies. That feels.

**RobertR** · January 04, 2014, 02:55 PM

Welp, got it at around 240 BC. Reformed Pikemen seem to be a bit more cost effective.

**Entropy Judge** · January 04, 2014, 03:28 PM

The best thing about the Hysteroi actually isn't that they have five more Defense than Pezhetairoi, it's that Pez are only recruitable in 7 or 8 provinces, Argyrapsides in 11, and Hysteroi are recruitable in over twenty ranging from the toe of Italy, through Greece, along the edge of Asia Minor, punching into Babylon, with outskirt regions in Africa, Baktria, and the Greek Steppe colonies. Almost anywhere Makedon wants to go, they have a powerful pike unit they can recruit.