How does culture spread?

[nasher168]

I'm sure I'm just being silly and that this information is around here somewhere, but I can't work out how to increase my own culture in provinces I own. I've been playing a fair few turns as the Romani and haven't seen any increase in my own culture in cities like Capua and Arretium. Is there some building I need to construct to make it start increasing, or is it just a very slow, natural increase over time that I just haven't noticed yet?

[SanderP]

I'm sure I'm just being silly and that this information is around here somewhere, but I can't work out how to increase my own culture in provinces I own. I've been playing a fair few turns as the Romani and haven't seen any increase in my own culture in cities like Capua and Arretium. Is there some building I need to construct to make it start increasing, or is it just a very slow, natural increase over time that I just haven't noticed yet?

Playing as Seleucids I am facing this problem as well. Just came here to ask the same question.

[Schatzmeister]

From what I could observe, it increases not per turn but per year, but I am not too sure about that. I would like to hear a definitive answer on that topic.

[Kindjal83]

Same as Epeiros...

[HunterKYA]

To make your culture dominant, you have to build structures (i.e. temples, etc.) that produce positive influence and therefore, spread your culture. But what you also want to do is destroy any buildings from the previous owners that could be producing influence from their culture, then replace them with yours.

It's strange that you haven't seen any cultural gains, seeing as once you occupy a region, armies normally begin spreading your culture to the area.

[SanderP]

I can't even leave Tarsos at the start because of "whyever unrest" and massive culture minus.

[2-D Ron]

I'm not 100% Certain, playing as Romani.. But when you've taken a settlement you have to subdue settlement which takes 2 turns and about 4000 Denari, then upgrade to a Socio Italica, then build the following buildings Romani temples, Roads, Trade Route Garrisons then I think when you end a turn you will get the advisor telling you that the Senate have ordered you to build a Colony in a certain city which gives you the Culture conversion buff.

Like I said, not 100% I think the Colony sanction thing is a random event when certain criteria is met, might be even a limit on how many your allowed so once you've subdued a Region, demolish the Colony and see if your allowed to build it again somewhere else with all the required buildings?

[FrreeeBird]

I'm not 100% Certain, playing as Romani.. But when you've taken a settlement you have to subdue settlement which takes 2 turns and about 4000 Denari, then upgrade to a Socio Italica, then build the following buildings Romani temples, Roads, Trade Route Garrisons then I think when you end a turn you will get the advisor telling you that the Senate have ordered you to build a Colony in a certain city which gives you the Culture conversion buff.

Like I said, not 100% I think the Colony sanction thing is a random event when certain criteria is met, might be even a limit on how many your allowed so once you've subdued a Region, demolish the Colony and see if your allowed to build it again somewhere else with all the required buildings?

I thought the Colony's gave you early access to faction units with a penalty to stability? Or maybe I'm thinking of the wrong structure?

[2-D Ron]

I thought the Colony's gave you early access to faction units with a penalty to stability? Or maybe I'm thinking of the wrong structure?

Oh wait, there is the Socio Italica states like Capua, Arpi, and the 2 settlements north of Rome... Segesta, Sicily and the other settlements to the North you build a Roman Pacification and then a full Roman Status for 8000 Denari/8 Turns which gives you a 1% Cultural Conversion Buff.
It's incredibly slow process, 160 turns in and mainland Italia still has only an average 50-55% Western Roman Culture, the Colonia's give a 1% Conversion Buff, but I have no idea how you get them other than build roads and garrison stations.. It seems pretty random to whether you get them.

[Kull]

Oh wait, there is the Socio Italica states like Capua, Arpi, and the 2 settlements north of Rome... Segesta, Sicily and the other settlements to the North you build a Roman Pacification and then a full Roman Status for 8000 Denari/8 Turns which gives you a 1% Cultural Conversion Buff.
It's incredibly slow process, 160 turns in and mainland Italia still has only an average 50-55% Western Roman Culture, the Colonia's give a 1% Conversion Buff, but I have no idea how you get them other than build roads and garrison stations.. It seems pretty random to whether you get them.

If anything, it's too fast. The social war took place in Italy between Rome and it's Allies in 94 BC. So that's over 300 turns, and they were still not fully integrated and obviously not a happy about it.

[Lindorn]

If anything, it's too fast. The social war took place in Italy between Rome and it's Allies in 94 BC. So that's over 300 turns, and they were still not fully integrated and obviously not a happy about it.

Uh....to be fair though that war happened because large groups of people wanted to be assimilated FURTHER into Roman culture. Further, in fact, than Rome would allow them :p

[Ballpoint202]

Per the EDB, only colonies and "tribal buildings" (Sweboz?) give a "religion_level bonus". Unless I missed something.

eta: i did miss something. Some of the government buildings give religion_level bonuses, but it's hard to say if there's a pattern. For example, the first level of Roman "govallied", called "alliedstate" governments gives a religion bonus, but you can't recruit from it, and its upgrades (oligarchic and democratic allied states) give recruitment but no religion bonus.

Is there a method to this?

[Iaius Statius Laurentius]

Per the EDB, only colonies and "tribal buildings" (Sweboz?) give a "religion_level bonus". Unless I missed something.

eta: i did miss something. Some of the government buildings give religion_level bonuses, but it's hard to say if there's a pattern. For example, the first level of Roman "govallied", called "alliedstate" governments gives a religion bonus, but you can't recruit from it, and its upgrades (oligarchic and democratic allied states) give recruitment but no religion bonus.

Is there a method to this?

Religion seems to represent politics/government type more than culture. The walls represent the complexity of a city's institutions, the religion is the government type, and the colony buildings are it's relation to the factions ruling apparatus.

Oligarchic and democratic politics don't do religious conversions because they represent client states that the Romans left to their own devices rather than cities which were gaining Roman political rights over time.

At least, that's my educated guesswork.

[SanderP]

An general overview would be nice. Tarsos is still 70% popularity red for me. 50% "unrest" 50% this "culture" thing.

[nasher168]

I've not seen any mention of colonies anywhere. I did manage to make Capua go from 35% Western Polities to 36%, though, by building a Ludus.

[Ballpoint202]

I've not seen any mention of colonies anywhere. I did manage to make Capua go from 35% Western Polities to 36%, though, by building a Ludus.

Are you sure it was the school? The EDB mentions no religion bonuses for them. Maybe it was something else?

A guide would be very nice.

[nasher168]

Are you sure it was the school? The EDB mentions no religion bonuses for them. Maybe it was something else?

It's possible that it was just chance, but it went from 35% to 36% on the very turn it was finished.

[Moros]

I don't know how the Roman mechanics precisely work, but settlements do get some cultural influence from the faction that is controlling it. Thus if Roma has religion X and controls a settlement y, then y will get more x. But indeed certain government buildings and other mechanics may fasten or decrease this conversion. @V.T.Marvin should know more.

What I do seem to remember is that settlement size does play a major role for the Romani. If the newly acquired settlement is large, the Romans should have an easier time dealing with it, as it fits their way of government better.

Tweeks on the speed of conversion might be needed though. So input is welcome.

[Faravid]

I find culture penalties far too harsh at the moment. Particularly as smaller states like Baktria conquering even one city can bind a greater part of your military for several turns which does force me to expand slower alright but it's just a tad too much on the BS side of difficulty. I mean I understand the mechanic but I disagree with it.


I'd prefer a RTR style system where regions are pacified quickly but it takes very long to get anything out of it troop-wise.

[Anubis88]

I find culture penalties far too harsh at the moment. Particularly as smaller states like Baktria conquering even one city can bind a greater part of your military for several turns which does force me to expand slower alright but it's just a tad too much on the BS side of difficulty. I mean I understand the mechanic but I disagree with it.


I'd prefer a RTR style system where regions are pacified quickly but it takes very long to get anything out of it troop-wise.

The point of EB is to make everything as historical as possible. Do you have any evidence that a new region could be pacified fast and without tying up much of your army? From my experience in history people hate regime changes, especially if it's a different culture alltogether.