Opening Moves as Rome in Ancient Empires

**SacremPyrobolum** · February 14, 2016, 07:36 PM

Whenever I start, I always fight myself into a stalemate trying to take Sicily. If I move to take the undefended Carthage settlement, Syracuse will take Italia, if I try to wait and lure out Syracuse's army, Carthage diverts all its armies to defend Sicily and Syracuse is able to build up 2 new armies by the time mine can recover. What do I do?

**Kassandros** · February 14, 2016, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by SacremPyrobolum

Whenever I start, I always fight myself into a stalemate trying to take Sicily. If I move to take the undefended Carthage settlement, Syracuse will take Italia, if I try to wait and lure out Syracuse's army, Carthage diverts all its armies to defend Sicily and Syracuse is able to build up 2 new armies by the time mine can recover. What do I do?

Well, the Ancient Empires submod is currently very broken. It hasn't been updated since November and isn't balanced at all.

**SacremPyrobolum** · February 14, 2016, 09:49 PM

Someone in the thread said they made a fix and Dresden thanked them for it. It seems to be working thus far...

**Litharion** · February 15, 2016, 02:53 AM

Originally Posted by SacremPyrobolum

Someone in the thread said they made a fix and Dresden thanked them for it. It seems to be working thus far...

Yes it is playable right now and was recently updated.

**FlashHeart07** · February 15, 2016, 11:04 AM

Just use the same procedure as always. Full frontal attack. This is a Total War game afterall

attack them both.

**Takarazuka** · February 21, 2016, 03:50 PM

Having the same problem! I get in to a stalemate at the straits between Cosentia and Syracuse... ends up devastating my region and my armies start to suffer with attrition. I have about 600 hours in Rome 2, most of that with DEI, and I have never had such an exhausting experience trying to just move out of Italia!

**dahooscarl** · February 21, 2016, 06:04 PM

I'm doing a Roma campaign and I didn't break out of Italian until around 150 BC.

Rushing into war with Rome is a huge mistake. Italia is big and has huge potential, but Syracusian hoplites and pikes will pwn your hastati, Carthage has way more money, mercs and manpower and the Gallic tribes destroy your spear armed infantry. Italia has little infrastructure. To win you must build. First turn, disband all ships but your admiral, recruit another admiral and send them in opposite directions. One east towards Greece the other west towards Iberia. Every faction you encounter, try to sell your trade rights. Do this for Carthage too. It will help keep them at bay. If they are making money from you, they'll be less likely to invade. I wouldn't be trying to expand out of Italia until you've got all of Sicily and M. Grecia, and at least all tier two buildings at least(with as many trade harbours as possible)

Even if you did take, say Genua on turn 3-4. Now you have an underdeveloped town, with rapidly decreasing public order and supplies, little to no money to invest and enemies all around.

**Takarazuka** · February 21, 2016, 06:34 PM

But in Ancient Empires, you start at war with Syracuse and Carthage. Neither will do a peace treaty and they come knocking pretty quickly. Within 9 turns I had 4 full stacks (2 Carthage/2 Syracuse) at Cosentia decimating the regional supply and mowing over my southern areas.

**Julio-Claudian** · February 21, 2016, 06:41 PM

Just go straight for Syracuse with that army and subjugate or preferably liberate it, then you'll have an ally on the island who you can persuade to join the war against Carthage. Then just try and hold that position as you build up your strength.

Or sometimes you can just make peace with Syracuse if you offer them enough money