Help for a first timer

[Modern day Ceaser]

Hi everyone I've only played through vanilla once so not a seasoned player but heard alot about Dei and wanted to give it a go.

I started a Rome campaign disbanded most of my troopsand built up my economy abit and got some money in the bank, around 10,000 before I thought I'd head up North and take the Venetii settlement.
I built up almost a full stack and was met by a full stack of Venetii. The battle was epic very impressive compared to vanilla but after I won my Army was half its original size. I pushed on to siege their settlement but there garrison though not as good units was easily twice my size.

With this game what do people do, attack with two Army's then disband if not needed or attack with one then replenish in friendly territory.

I've only just dipped my toe in with this mod and really liked what I saw but really need any advice.
I prefer the slow pace to the vanilla steam rolling

Thanks

[Garbad]

Garrisons are very low quality, so don't be intimidated by raw numbers. Once you get medium quality troops (principe and the like) you can easily rout them 2:1.

As for the replenishing, I always get the 5% replenish skill for my first skill as a general, then look for other upgrades as you move on. It helps a lot, and is in a useful line (my next upgrade is usually ammo).

As rome I usually run my first army somethign like this:

4x triarii
4x princ
4x histati or local axemen
4x equites
4x slingers

Slingers because you need something to counter battery archers and slingers are the kings of range v range fights. Roman skirmishers are pretty useless. As I grow, I try to add a second support legion with more slingers and more cheap spearmen to absorb casualties and help me win autosim. Once my wealth grows, I add a second fully functional legion -- the key is princ/triarii, who can crush 2-3:1 against weak levy melee troops.

[Arakorn]

Garrisons are very low quality, so don't be intimidated by raw numbers. Once you get medium quality troops (principe and the like) you can easily rout them 2:1.

As for the replenishing, I always get the 5% replenish skill for my first skill as a general, then look for other upgrades as you move on. It helps a lot, and is in a useful line (my next upgrade is usually ammo).

As rome I usually run my first army somethign like this:

4x triarii
4x princ
4x histati or local axemen
4x equites
4x slingers

Slingers because you need something to counter battery archers and slingers are the kings of range v range fights. Roman skirmishers are pretty useless. As I grow, I try to add a second support legion with more slingers and more cheap spearmen to absorb casualties and help me win autosim. Once my wealth grows, I add a second fully functional legion -- the key is princ/triarii, who can crush 2-3:1 against weak levy melee troops.

I disagree. I used to only like archers, but I didn't know how to use ranged units properly. Velites are awesome. They just have too little ammo for me. I like to engage the enemy line with my hastati & principes, then move around the line with the velites and throw javelins in the back of the enemy. The javelins are great because they pierce armour, so they are extremely deadly, especially when flanking. They are also useful against enemy elephants. You need to protect them though. They can hold their own for a while against light units, but heavy infantry and cavalry tear them down.

OP: You need to practice battles, tactics, until you are comfortable beating much larger armies. Then the game becomes easier. The AI just isn't capable of matching the tactical mind of humans.

[Garbad]

I disagree. I used to only like archers, but I didn't know how to use ranged units properly.

Oh, I love peltasts and such -- some of my favorite units. But the roman skirmishers (forget the levy name), velites, and antigosani? are pretty inferior. With no armor they are largely fodder. You are much better off spending that precious early game money on a slinger or a high offense melee.

[luck_ponte]

Depending on your army composition, the numbers are irrelevant unless you are going solely with auto-resolves. On the flip-side, if you feel you still want more men to take on the assault, mercenaries are a good way to bolster your ranks for a battle (you may just disband them after its all done), at least as far as numbers are concerned.

[dahooscarl]

Disband troops you're not using. Ecspecially cavalry and artillery, thier upkeep is ridiculous. (In a good way.)
Recruit governors as soon as possible. They're essential to maintaining public order and spreading your culture.
Spies no longer cause casualties to armies, so they're basically just along with the army as scouts although they can reduce movement and morale which is useful for isolating settlements from nearby reinforcements.
Use champions to recruit and train.
With most factions, early blitzes don't end well. Take your time and slowly expand.
If you take a settlement remember that occupying drops PO by like -40 or -50. Razing nets no PO penalty, but you gotta rebuild from the ground up.

Hope this helps. Cheers!

[Modern day Ceaser]

Thanks for the replies I'll try these out and hopefully get a good campaign going.
I've just started one tonight and like has been said I've disbanded most of my troops and started to build up my economy without yet expanding though the Insurbes look like there making there move on Liguria so may have to gather some troops together

[Garbad]

I had this fight last night:
http://i.imgur.com/6XpNwun.jpg

The first company was just some local civilian volunteers who killed about 30 guys and lost 1300. That left Gaius and his 1200 men of the 1st legion against 4500 angry gauls...and we won. Do not fear their numbers! They are but low morale fodder!

[dahooscarl]

I had this fight last night:
http://i.imgur.com/6XpNwun.jpg

The first company was just some local civilian volunteers who killed about 30 guys and lost 1300. That left Gaius and his 1200 men of the 1st legion against 4500 angry gauls...and we won. Do not fear their numbers! They are but low morale fodder!

Morale is definitely the most important stat.

[Garbad]

Armor > weapon damage > morale > who cares.

[dahooscarl]

Armor > weapon damage > morale > who cares.

I would guess the OP, since he asked for help and advice.

[FlashHeart07]

If you like to play as Rome. You are most definitely going to enjoy version 1.2 when we release it. It will bring a lot more action to Rome aswell as other factions use time to learn the basics of the mod. These include the supply system and the People of Rome. And ofc many of the other aspects


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[Garbad]

I meant the other stats don't matter much. Armor > weapon damage > morale > other stats don't matter too much.

[dahooscarl]

Oh. Gotcha. I also pay attention to melee attacks and defense. Last time I didn't, I had three units of Triarii get ambushed and slaughtered by upgraded carthaginian marines.

[ThorBardy]

Can someone tell me how the fighting system works.
and often here, people speak about low tier and high tier units - is that the light/medium/heavy thing?

for the campain, don't make the false and build everywhere everything to level 3 buildings. They give more money and maybe more food, but farms for example give 8 food (5 at level 2) but have a PO panalty of 4. i made the false and was upgrading everything i can. Because i had much money. Than i saw i got less food. Then i tried solving this problem and then i got big malus on Public Order. And so on. Very difficult to balance the high tier buildings. Maybe that was the reason why my earning of money melted from 15000 per round to 2500 per round. Not recruiting new troops. I had the 6 full stacks before. That was at the point, when i was close before getting marian troops.

maybe someone can give tips:
-should i recruit more light and medium levi troops?
-what is your build order? Tried to make speacial regions for military and industry. Do you build tier 3 buildings everywhere?

i don't had any probs with battles, but the econ thing is very hard. And i even don't use people of rome submod.

[KAM 2150]

There are no "legit" unit tiers in DeI. It is a lose term, as people mostly divide units in levy, standard, heavy and elite, but there can be a lightly armoured unit that is elite or simply very good at certain aspects that make it stand out so people think about it as a better unit. Just pay attention to unit stats and cost.

And yes, light and medium units are a good idea to boost your economy. In my case, I always try to go for heavier units, but I disband almost all armies when there is no war.

[Garbad]

I have a house rule that every army I build has to be constructed differently (different troop types and ratios) to force myself to use different units and tactics. It makes the game more fun and challenging to not just roll around with 16 elite praetorians and such.

[ThorBardy]

I have trouble with twcenter forum at my iphone. Installed tapatalk now. And this works.

So i am at war with half the iberian and carthago, so i can't disband my army. And theese guys fought so many battled for me. Give there lifes for rome. And some of them are level 6 legionaries now. I would not disband this guys. [emoji1][emoji1]

Italia was poblic order at -99 before i get it to a + per round. In some little regions i get rid off level 3 buildings. With the huge panalties. It is very difficult to balance this hight tier buildings.

And i lost so much earning per round because some other empires don't like it when i declare war to my partner massalia. They cancelled the trade with my empire.

Very hard game now. But i like it. You really have to make plans what to do next.

And the mixing up all your armies with different type of units thing sounds great for me. I'll try this.

Thank for the answers.


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[Anesthetize]

Sorry for hijacking the thread, but while we're talking about beginner tips; What buildings should I prioritize early game? I've mostly been prioritizing trade ports and temples for the extra income/happiness, but I have an inkling I should be upgrading the town level first. Which actually gives more income?

[Garbad]

Sorry for hijacking the thread, but while we're talking about beginner tips; What buildings should I prioritize early game? I've mostly been prioritizing trade ports and temples for the extra income/happiness, but I have an inkling I should be upgrading the town level first. Which actually gives more income?

Priorities in a new area you take over should be:

1. Stablize the area (prevent revolts) by using religion, gladiator, baths, etc.
2. Generate enough food to run a surplus (in most places I have either farm + grain or temple + grain)
3. Upgrade town centers as much as 1 and 2 allow.

Industrial and other moneymakers are rarely worth it, as town centers + food + happiness trumps any other combination.