Majors or Minors

[student23]

Hey guys

Just wanted to ask around how you're campaigns usually progress?

I've (due to the updates) played a 5-6 campaigns the last days and they always seem to play out the same. Syracuse either only weakens Carthage or destroys them completely. If they don't the African tribes mop them up. They seem to be able to retain and expand in Spain though.

In Gaul, Massilia completely wipes the floor with Tribes until the German Confederation turns their gaze on them. The Germans, due to the superiority of the Suebi roster I believe, after 60-70 turns, end up knocking on the doors of former Epirus.

Can't speak for the East but it is kinda odd that all my campaigns showed the exact same pattern.

[Ralkorin]

Here is a thing I have noticed, If I play as Rome every other campaign played out the same then I started playing as the different families the gameplay turned out different. my last few play through have been quite different.

[student23]

Here is a thing I have noticed, If I play as Rome every other campaign played out the same then I started playing as the different families the gameplay turned out different. my last few play through have been quite different.

Interesting. I've been playin' as Cornelia family. I'm gonna try that out right away.

[tomFoolery]

Are you using any sub-mods that might incur particularly repetitive results?


Here's what I've experienced, as Rome(Julii): I can't comment on Syracuse, I grabbed their lands pretty quick. At first in Gaul the Arverni and their Nervii allies were the dominant power pushing into some German lands and Iberia and the Cisalpine too. Carthage has done relatively well for itself, it avoided the wrath of Garamantia because Masaesyli swooped down into Phazania and took it all for itself, but was eventually pushed completely out of Iberia by the Arverni and Iberian tribes. The Suebi and Frisii have been and are the two dominant powers in the German lands and the only two Germanic groups left, the Suebi have pushed to the eastern edge of the map with all of Sarmatia. The large Arverni and Nervii lands were eventually eroded by me coming into the Cisalpine and southern Gaul and me and Carthage pushing into Iberia, along with the Germans pushing into Belgic areas. Now the only celtic super power is the Boii, which were once wiped out by someone but I believe liberated by the Suebi (the two have very good relations at the moment). The Boii control all the celtic/germanic llands just north of the alps and some off to the east like Pannonia and they were the ones that made a strong push into Gaul and were what really completely did the Arverni in, so in addition to those lands I just mentioned they have all of Gaul except for the very southern portion (me) and a piece of Aquitania (the Vivisci, who I liberated from the last Arverni region there). All of my Iberian holdings have been taken from Carthage (who took it from the Arverni) or the Edetani and the Lusitani (both I believe were liberated by Carthage from the Arverni). Everything in Iberia that isn't mine is the Cantabrian's or Celtici's, both of whom I liberated from Carthage. The east and greece is where things get really interesting. The greeks (Macedon, Athens, and Sparta) went to war with the Illyrians and Thracians and were literally completely wiped out. Epirus was destroyed early on by Sparta I believe, but was liberated back into existence by someone, I'm not sure precisely whom, maybe the Illyrians. At this point Illyria is completely controlled by Ardiaei, Thrace by the Odrysians, Epirus has only Apollonia, and the rest of Macedon and Hellas are split between the Odrysians and the Ardiaei. Pontus got pushed to the Bosphorus but I don't know how. The Seleukids are around and strong, and I do believe all the satrapies they could maintain trade relations with are around and on good terms with them. But just about all of Asia Minor, Armenia, and I believe the lands of the Seleukid satrapies are all now under Odrysian control (how they pushed so far east, I have no idea). The Illyrians and Odrysians have been at war with the Boii for some time, but the only bit of substance there is the northern most Illyrian settlement going back and forth between them. Quite some time ago, the Masaesyli push from Phazania into Cyrenaica when at war with the Ptolemies, and they managed to completely subjegate them and take all of Egypt and move into Nabatea, bordering the Seleukids. The two went to war, the Seleukids winning to my expectations, and not to my expectations liberating the Ptolemies in Cyrenaica. The two have now took back everything that used to be Hellenic and even have started to push into Carthage's Africa. Literally every faction east of Illyria in the northern medditeranean and Cyrenaica in the south are on good relations and have formed a very Iron Curtain, which I haven't yet turned my attention towards but I'm not on bad relations with, including the Scythians (Saka), who, as far as I can tell, control all of those northeastern lnomad lands around the Caspaian and the Caucusas. I know Baktria's stil around, but I don't know to what extent, it's too far east for me to be able to tell. Oh, and Brittania hasn't changed at all, none of those tribes have left their islands nor anyone invaded it as far as I know, even though they've been at war with some mainland celts.


The only sub-mod that might make any substantial different was Anabasis' Giving Peace a Chance mod, but I quickly ditched that a it caused some...weird, unexpected things to happen with diplomacy. It's intersting how people's camapaigns can differ so much. I'm very heavily considering using Mitch's Garunteed Major Factions mods in my later campaigns.

[Barune]

As Rome Suebi and Parthia got wiped out early on. Carthage is my kinda stagnant at current which pleases me as i do not wish war with them....yet. Arveni owns most of gaul and is moving into spain. Sparta made a confederation with athens and is destroyed Macedonia and is moving up north through Thrace.

So far this is by far my absolute best campaign yet.

Currently using: DeI (duh ), Mitch's Major faction empires, Bullgod icons, Bullgodesque icons for DeI, and Aztecs mod.

[tomFoolery]

As Rome Suebi and Parthia got wiped out early on.

I don't think I've ever played a campaign where Parthia wasn't wiped out almost instantly. It probably has to do with the fact that they start with one single region and are just about completely surrounded by factions that either hate them or heavily dislike them.

[Barune]

I don't think I've ever played a campaign where Parthia wasn't wiped out almost instantly. It probably has to do with the fact that they start with one single region and are just about completely surrounded by factions that either hate them or heavily dislike them.

Sounds about right, But hey that just makes it more fun when you decide to play Parthia right?

[tomFoolery]

Sounds about right, But hey that just makes it more fun when you decide to play Parthia right?

That's what I like to think, but it always makes pushing east as Rome or Makedon all the less interesting...

[Barune]

That's what I like to think, but it always makes pushing east as Rome or Macedon all the less interesting...

I've yet to play Macedon, and I've never gotten far enough into a Rome campaign to push east, Thankfully I'm pretty sure DeI will change that.

[Ano2]

As Rome Suebi and Parthia got wiped out early on. Carthage is my kinda stagnant at current which pleases me as i do not wish war with them....yet. Arveni owns most of gaul and is moving into spain. Sparta made a confederation with athens and is destroyed Macedonia and is moving up north through Thrace.

Currently using: DeI (duh ), Mitch's Major faction empires, Bullgod icons, Bullgodesque icons for DeI, and Aztecs mod.

See this is interesting, in my Rome campaign Sparta actually conquered Athens early and allied with Macedon to take on the Hellenic League which was formed by the Illyrian tribes. I wonder if Mitch's Major faction empires affect it. Otherwise it is a good variety of potential outcomes we're seeing so far.

[Barune]

See this is interesting, in my Rome campaign Sparta actually conquered Athens early and allied with Macedon to take on the Hellenic League which was formed by the Illyrian tribes. I wonder if Mitch's Major faction empires affect it. Otherwise it is a good variety of potential outcomes we're seeing so far.

Every single campaign I've played is different. Makes the game so much more fun. Since installing DeI i find it hard to put the game down. Before i could barely get up to 35ish hours played and of those hours it was probably 50/50 Vanilla/Radious. Love this mod.

[wolfshart79]

As Rome Suebi and Parthia got wiped out early on. Carthage is my kinda stagnant at current which pleases me as i do not wish war with them....yet. Arveni owns most of gaul and is moving into spain. Sparta made a confederation with athens and is destroyed Macedonia and is moving up north through Thrace.

So far this is by far my absolute best campaign yet.

Currently using: DeI (duh ), Mitch's Major faction empires, Bullgod icons, Bullgodesque icons for DeI, and Aztecs mod.

That is close to what I use... Been wanting to try Mitch's Majors mod but I didn't since the DEI team said they are not compatible? Has that changed?

[Barune]

That is close to what I use... Been wanting to try Mitch's Majors mod but I didn't since the DEI team said they are not compatible? Has that changed?

Mitch redid the way his mod operates so yes now it is compatible.

[Mihail]

In my experience playing mostly as Greek states and Successor states, it goes like this, Carthage and Rome start initially pretty strong, Carthage generally manages to beat the Romans, but they themselves are then beaten by barbarians be it African of Gallic Barbarians, Sparta/Athens mange to do a decent amount of expansion in Italy or Northern Greece, Macedoians generally fail early on to the Thracians, Aigyptos generally gets beaten pretty thoroughly by African barbarians, and Seleucids end up winning their revolt, but only after loosing most of it's holdings with it's satraps taking most of their eastern holdings, as for what happens further north? Who cares, they are barbarians

[Aleksander the Average]

I've gotten some good replay-value and randomness out of the popular historical development mod. Be warned though: if you plan on using it with a large starting faction (anything with a whole province or more) make sure you also use the harder economy mod found on this page.

The one really nice thing is that most of the time (with a few exceptions) the major factions seem to stick around (Parthia, Carthage, Seleukids) and some of the worst minors (Garamantia) are pacified (loyal disposition, etc).

Furthermore, I have noticed in several different plays-through that the situation in baltic peninsula is usually quite randomized amongst the major factions residing there and somewhat more interesting... sadly, even with these mods, Epirus never fares too well for long without help.

[Ano2]

I just had a lot at Mitch's mod and I don't think I will use it. Whilst it sucks that certain major factions often/very often don't survive, I don't like the idea of a guaranteed survival. One thing I would like to see in DEI though, is perhaps giving Epirus a better chance to survive. Even if this means not starting at war with athens, or removing some of the diplomatic bonuses.

[Barune]

I just had a lot at Mitch's mod and I don't think I will use it. Whilst it sucks that certain major factions often/very often don't survive, I don't like the idea of a guaranteed survival. One thing I would like to see in DEI though, is perhaps giving Epirus a better chance to survive. Even if this means not starting at war with athens, or removing some of the diplomatic bonuses.

Not sure what he considers Majors and what he considers minors, but i know Parthia and Suebi were killed off in my campaign before i ever saw them. I'd think at the very least parthia would be considered a "major" but even with the +to auto resolve if enough stacks show up, no +'s will help. Just my thoughts on the "guaranteed survival" aspect.

[tomFoolery]

I just had a lot at Mitch's mod and I don't think I will use it. Whilst it sucks that certain major factions often/very often don't survive, I don't like the idea of a guaranteed survival. One thing I would like to see in DEI though, is perhaps giving Epirus a better chance to survive. Even if this means not starting at war with athens, or removing some of the diplomatic bonuses.

I believe there's a version of his mod that only gives major factions the autoresolve bonus when they're on the defensive in a battle, thus only increasing their chances of survival, and not guaranteeing their survival. I haven't yet begun to use his mod, can anyone confirm this?

[Barune]

I believe there's a version of his mod that only gives major factions the autoresolve bonus when they're on the defensive in a battle, thus only increasing their chances of survival, and not guaranteeing their survival. I haven't yet begun to use his mod, can anyone confirm this?

Its not so much a version as much as Settings. His post details how to chose this option if you desire. The mod also automatically does not apply its bonus if the player can see the faction. It only works under the "fog of war".

Link to Mitch's Mod page: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...action-Empires

[tomFoolery]

Its not so much a version as much as Settings. His post details how to chose this option if you desire. The mod also automatically does not apply its bonus if the player can see the faction. It only works under the "fog of war".

Link to Mitch's Mod page: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...action-Empires

Oh, I see, I guess I should have read that more carefully. It seems like an easy enough fix to make and I'll definitely be doing it if I start using that mod. The historically plausible development sub-mod might suite some people who think Mitch's is a bit too harsh.