[Feedback] Questions, Critiques and Requests

[Ptolemaios Soter]

Intellectual trait required a library. Other skills an ancillaries may increase the random variable, but library is essential (with current version). Age is also highly critical. I've dedicated a lot of time to this and have been able to upgrade a few ranks, but it's way too difficult in my opinion. Even spending 15-20 turns on a dedicated philosophical hermitage doesn't generate a meaningful difference.

[Dresden]

We are also going to make it so that the minor town medicus buildings can act as a library as well in the next update.

[Beedo83]

Will the agents be getting a once over? Their traits and other effects are still balanced against the 'old rules', pre-CA overhaul. For instance, champions can no longer perform single combat and so any bonus boosting that old ability is useless now.

[Dresden]

I thought I changed all of those in the last update. I may have missed some, if I did then you can list them and I will check it out.

[Beedo83]

Sorry, I checked my only active save game and my champion was wounded so I couldn't look at his info but I know for sure that the champions have a trait that affects old abilities. I'm not 100% about the spies but I think I saw one or two pop up that had to do with certain assassinations and manipulations that are no longer present. In addition, their traits and skills that boost army sabotage are all positive instead of negative (False Supplier for example +5 to army equipment on sabotage, +4% to army movement range on sabotage, etc) they just need to be switched to negative. Governors seem to be fine, haven't noticed anything wrong with their traits.

[Augustus9260]

Hi guys,

Just something I was wondering yesterday while playing is how historically accurate it is for almost all sword infantry (Libyans, Iberians, Gauls, Germans, etc.) to have throwing javelins in their kit, that they throw before charging much like the Romans. I don't know much at all about how other cultures fought, so I was curious as to what extent this was true outside of the Roman army. I had previously assumed that this was something quite unique that only Roman infantry did, which may have later on been adopted post-contact by other cultures. Or that this was something only Romans did consistently due to the standardisation of equipment.
Of course skirmisher units must have existed dedicated to just throwing them, but are there any writings by ancient historians or someone that describe the above?
It wouldn't suprise me too much if it is the case, but it would be nice to have it confirmed or learn about any little differences or intricacies between how they were used (if there are any).

[Dago Red]

Yes everyone had javelins. The Romans invented very little, but rather adapted and polished/perfected from others. Humans were throwing javelins since at least the Paleolithic age, and not just by hand (the atlatl is at least 30,000 years old). The Iberians and Celts are documented having infantry with javelins. The Greeks and Illyrians are obvious and may have honed their techniques from the Thracians, and on and on. In the game heavy peltasts are represented in the skirmisher formation, but even in that there are several types that are just very heavy infantry who are more flexible.

Think about it, you want to avoid contact with the enemy if you can. If anything, missiles are under represented. Men would throw rocks, anything, to kill, maim, or at least gain some advantage before contact with an opponent.

There are also numerous vase paintings depicting hoplite style infantry throwing javelins, as evidenced by the overhand position and little throwing loop clearly illustrated on the shaft.

Xenophon specifically talks about his contingent of Rhodians whom he had lighten their armor load so they could be reformed to use their slings in a dedicated role against the numerous ranged units of the Persians -- this means that they were hoplites (or some other type of heavy/medium infantry) armed with slings before they took off some of their armor "kit" so they could run around where they were needed.

[KAM 2150]

From a practical point of view, it helps a lot with AI as I changed behaviour of infantry that has ammo, meaning AI does not bum rush in DeI and will skirmish and manouver against player before actual melee starts. To balance it out, only Romans and Iberians really benefit much from javelins on melee and spear units. Iberians had two distinct types of javelins that were used before melee, soliferrum and falarica.

[volleyfire]

This civil war thing is really screwy. I am barely Imperium 4 and already suffered one secession. Even though on the politics page the chance of civil war is only 8%, the real probability is like more than 50%. And there is no end to this because once you killed off other factions, new ones will spring up to take their places. The chance of civil war should not be linear. It should be low in low Imperium levels and increases exponentially when you reach level 7 and 8.

[Augustus9260]

That's interesting, thanks. Didn't know about the Iberian "pilum", or hoplites also throwing javelins. As you say, it's logical you'd want to inflict as much damage as you can from a safe distance before closing in. I just wasn't sure how prevalent that was amongst the heavy infantry, as in throwing javs then immediately charging. About the hoplites, it's interesting how the Chigi Vase seems to depict them in phalanx formation also throwing javelins (though this is from Wikipedia), really cool. It's dated around 650 BC, so javelins perhaps faded out of use in phalanxes by around the game period?
I realise I may be trying too hard to make things neat and classified, when in reality things were likely a lot more fluid as you mentioned with Xenophon.

When you mention Romans and Iberians benefitting more Kam, is that like an AP bonus to them? That's awesome if so, really appreciate all the thought you put into this.

[~Seleukos.I.Nikator~]

This civil war thing is really screwy. I am barely Imperium 4 and already suffered one secession. Even though on the politics page the chance of civil war is only 8%, the real probability is like more than 50%. And there is no end to this because once you killed off other factions, new ones will spring up to take their places. The chance of civil war should not be linear. It should be low in low Imperium levels and increases exponentially when you reach level 7 and 8.

The 8% chance of the civil war isn't that low when you think about it. That's 8% every time you click the end turn button, so sooner or later you will get that rebellion.

From my own experience, the politics are not that difficult to control if you pay good attention to it and use frequently various political events at your disposal to keep the loyalty of other parties in check.

[KAM 2150]

That's interesting, thanks. Didn't know about the Iberian "pilum", or hoplites also throwing javelins. As you say, it's logical you'd want to inflict as much damage as you can from a safe distance before closing in. I just wasn't sure how prevalent that was amongst the heavy infantry, as in throwing javs then immediately charging. About the hoplites, it's interesting how the Chigi Vase seems to depict them in phalanx formation also throwing javelins (though this is from Wikipedia), really cool. It's dated around 650 BC, so javelins perhaps faded out of use in phalanxes by around the game period?
I realise I may be trying too hard to make things neat and classified, when in reality things were likely a lot more fluid as you mentioned with Xenophon.

When you mention Romans and Iberians benefitting more Kam, is that like an AP bonus to them? That's awesome if so, really appreciate all the thought you put into this.

Outside of better damage, Romans and Iberians also can disrupt ranks with their javelins as I have added small knockback chance for them. For example you can march your Romans very close to phalanx, throw your pilum and charge them right away as they are trying to reform or get up.

[chadwicknight]

I came back in Rome II and DEI after 2 or 3 years. Just wow, you guys did a brilliant job! I will sink another 2000 hours of gamplay without even noticing. Cheers DEI team!

[Jurand of Cracow]

I came back in Rome II and DEI after 2 or 3 years. Just wow, you guys did a brilliant job! I will sink another 2000 hours of gamplay without even noticing. Cheers DEI team!

this is a good choice because

From a practical point of view, it helps a lot with AI as I changed behaviour of infantry that has ammo, meaning AI does not bum rush in DeI and will skirmish and manouver against player before actual melee starts.

The DeI features the best BAI for any Total War I had played

[NeptuneUK]

Could we get the famous diamond formation back for the Thessalian cavalry? I think they also had a couple of javelins, too. Could we not get an upgraded or alternate Thessalian unit? I'm sure reducing the armour or other stats could balance the unit...

[KAM 2150]

I am testing diamond for them but cavalry can have only one formation on them as AI often bugs out it it has two and will try to switch from one to other for no reason or even get stuck in place while doing it. At this point I think Thessalian cav has already fully switched to lances instead of javelins.

[Lt_Kapout]

I don't really think it is possible but I always wanted for client state to be able to join my empire

For example. I am Rome and I take over Massilia. But instead to conquer it I subjugate them for reasons. After some turns, I want to have that city for me. And after some diplomacy, they "join" me instead of me breaking treaties, crushing their armies and retaking the city.
How I think it could be implemented ? I think by using the confederation system without changing the name of my faction. I also think that their armies should disband because of cross culture possible issues and after some requirements like a number of turn or some amount of my culture in their town

By the way, why if Carthage does not own Carthage, it is a generic model for the city?

[Jake Armitage]

It will be possible as soon as i,ll implement the transfer region feature via script

[Goffredo85]

I know that DLC campaigns are not the main focus for the team but several technologies in CIG campaign should be rebalanced. They mainly provide an imperium bonus which makes sense in vanilla but it is actually a malus in DEI, as increasing imperium in CIG only brings negative effects. It could be good if this negative effects was counterbalanced by adeguate positive ones but it is not the case right now.

[volleyfire]

The 8% chance of the civil war isn't that low when you think about it. That's 8% every time you click the end turn button, so sooner or later you will get that rebellion.

From my own experience, the politics are not that difficult to control if you pay good attention to it and use frequently various political events at your disposal to keep the loyalty of other parties in check.

This is like coin toss problem. The nite before, I reloaded the turn 6 times, I got 3 times of Secession. And last nite, I did the same experiment 8 times, I got 3 Secessions. So the first set, the probably is 8%^4=0.000041, the second set is like 0.000512. Wow I guess I am the unluckiest man in the world. I only have between 3-4 imperium. Imagine how this gonna be like when I have lvl 7. Probably civil war everyday.