Use of hippodrome (building)

[ooji]

I recently noticed that building hippodrome actually reduces your settlement's overall happiness level by 5%. What's the use of this building then? I mean if I wanted to hold a festival, I can just build an arena. Arena can do the same stabilizing effect. Why does hippodrome reduce my settlement's happiness? Anyone?

Also, I don't want to create another question, so:
1. How does camilian principles compare to polybian principles? I know that polybian principles have extra 2 armor, but do camilian principels hold better vs cavalry since they have spears?
2. Is there a use for hastati in general (camilian and polybian) when principles have better armor and about the same cost and upkeep?

[Ownager]

For,the answer the the second part of the second question, go to the manipular formation thread. There was a huge discussion there about Camillan Hastati. The bottom line was that Hastati add nothing to your armies, except giving you historical satisfaction and offering a sword unit for Camillan rome.

[Principe Alessandro]

Well all spearmen have some bonus against cavalry so yes they should be better against cavalry, the hastati can be placed in front of your princeps to act as a temporary screen, in case they aren't up to the job of holding the ground retreat them behind the princeps and use them as flankers.

[Ownager]

They can take casualties so your Principes can live. Principes were not committed to action until the Hastati were sure to fail. In the same way, Hastati can hold most of the other early faction infantry until you bring in the cavalry or flanking Principes. You could also use Principes to hold the line and Hastati to flank, since swords, on average, have better flanking stats.

[ooji]

Since there's only so many troops you can have in one full stack, I'd rather have principles if that's the case. Anyhow, does camillian principles hold better vs cavalry than polybian ones?

[Principe Alessandro]

Since there's only so many troops you can have in one full stack, I'd rather have principles if that's the case. Anyhow, does camillian principles hold better vs cavalry than polybian ones?

Yes, they are better in anticavalry role.

[Ownager]

I have always had space in my full stacks. Maybe you are doing something wrong? This is with 6 Gallic mercenary units added to 6 Hastati, 4 Principes and 2 Triarii and Pedites Extraordinarii, one of each. Plus two cavalry.

[locoace3]

If i didn't use hastati as front line and main part of my roman army, i just feel wrong.

[Ownager]

Same. Especially with the easier recruitment of them in EB.

[ooji]

I have always had space in my full stacks. Maybe you are doing something wrong? This is with 6 Gallic mercenary units added to 6 Hastati, 4 Principes and 2 Triarii and Pedites Extraordinarii, one of each. Plus two cavalry.

Oh no, I like having all principles with few regional spear auxilla and about 3 or 4 cavalry.
Does anyone have anything to say on hippodrome building? Is it useful if at all?

[locoace3]

Oh no, I like having all principles with few regional spear auxilla and about 3 or 4 cavalry.
Does anyone have anything to say on hippodrome building? Is it useful if at all?

I'm sorry but that's just weird to me, it seems almost like it's horribly ahistorical and a bit on the easy side. you can essentially dominate any enemy army with that

[athanaric]

Oh no, I like having all principles with few regional spear auxilla and about 3 or 4 cavalry.

Whatever makes you happy.
Personally, I like a historical or semi-historical army composition, but I guess you could argue that since Camillan Principes are spearmen, an early all-principes army isn't too bad.

Does anyone have anything to say on hippodrome building? Is it useful if at all?

Yes, it enables horse races. The "loss" in happiness is due to the fact that the simple racecourse provides +5% happiness while its upgrade, the hippodrome, doesn't. You can upgrade the hippodrome further, which will add a higher happiness bonus, eventually.
It's not a top priority building but the races can be useful to quell unrest.

I think the building is available to all factions right?

Nope, just some. The particular effects, including bonuses, are unique to the Roman tech tree. Though other factions benefit as well if they conquer a Roman settlement with a Hippodrome. It's also unrelated to reforms.

[Ownager]

I was thinking about RS, where I think it helps out with the reforms. However, I'm not sure about EB. Have you checked the next building in the tree?

[ooji]

I'm sorry but that's just weird to me, it seems almost like it's horribly ahistorical and a bit on the easy side. you can essentially dominate any enemy army with that

Yeah, well there are some of us who like to have historical unit compositions and then there are some of us who like to have practical unit composition. I think if you check the Manipular Formation thread, you can see that quite well Since I play on VH setting, I can't just go out there with fragile unit composition and hope to win when I know that my enemies are going to send me 2 or 3 full stacks of army vs my single stack in one turn.

I was thinking about RS, where I think it helps out with the reforms. However, I'm not sure about EB. Have you checked the next building in the tree?

I haven't gotten to the next level yet since I haven't built the initial one, I think the building is available to all factions right? Have you had a chance to build it?

[locoace3]

Yeah, well there are some of us who like to have historical unit compositions and then there are some of us who like to have practical unit composition. I think if you check the Manipular Formation thread, you can see that quite well Since I play on VH setting, I can't just go out there with fragile unit composition and hope to win when I know that my enemies are going to send me 2 or 3 full stacks of army vs my single stack in one turn.

bah, i don't like hard of VH, it's pointless, and just gives the enemy hand outs and buffs, the only time i'll turn the setting on is if they actually make the AI smarter.

[ooji]

bah, i don't like hard of VH, it's pointless, and just gives the enemy hand outs and buffs, the only time i'll turn the setting on is if they actually make the AI smarter.

Well, the AI is stupid and we know it. Playing on harder difficulty makes it slightly more challenging to play through the campaign.

[Ownager]

Never mind. That was the Circus Maximus in RS.

[ooji]

Yes, it enables horse races. The "loss" in happiness is due to the fact that the simple racecourse provides +5% happiness while its upgrade, the hippodrome, doesn't. You can upgrade the hippodrome further, which will add a higher happiness bonus, eventually.
It's not a top priority building but the races can be useful to quell unrest.

Ah that makes sense. Another question I had was can't Arena (Collesium eventually) do the same thing as Hippodrome in providing happiness and quelling unrest?

[Samariten]

Thats why one should not blitz in EB, give the AI some time to build up their strenght. If you like roman army composition check my sig "Quintus Sertorius' Guide to Conduct Becoming of a True Roman ". But you should play as you like EB gets inhistorical after the first turn. You should only use your hastati in guard mode tire the enemy line out then move up your principes through the gaps to relieve them. I never use them for flanking but it guess one can use them for that to.

[Bladvak]

I recently noticed that building hippodrome actually reduces your settlement's overall happiness level by 5%. What's the use of this building then? I mean if I wanted to hold a festival, I can just build an arena. Arena can do the same stabilizing effect. Why does hippodrome reduce my settlement's happiness? Anyone?

As you may know, having a certain building in a city with a governor may give said governor specific ancillaries and traits.

For the hippodrome, I presume that's something about "Enjoys a race". The antitrait for his is RaceHater, which gives different or opposite bonuses.