Re: [SUBMOD: a Slower Paced DeI Campaign] TESTUDO v.1.6.1 + Custom Packs [upd: dec.01/19]
Yoooo Jake! Been awhile but I've got some feedback for you in regards to 1.6.1 Rome Huge! Just did 500 turns and I gotta say....it's been awesome! I'll list the pros and cons:
PROS:
- Pacing is fantastic, it really feels immersive as you really have to plan things out tactfully and it really feels like I'm ruling an empire. The years in-game match up with what seems pretty realistic in what could've been real life (not rule half of the Mediterranean in "20 years").
- The economy is difficult BUT if you're good at micromanaging individual provinces/governors, you can make it! So it's difficult yet not impossible. For instance, I was able to field 4 full stacks, a couple garrison armies, and 2 full stack fleets by owning only about 4 1/2 provinces.
- Campaign AI is pretty good, particularly for the enemy AI. They will get aggressive and bombard you with army after army. I particularly remember a 16000 vs 11000 fort defense battle. It was glorious! Yet, although they are aggressive, if you manage to win, you can have some breathing room to replenish IF you manage your forces well. Difficult, but not impossible.
- Allied AI isn't perfect, but there have been times where they actually aided me in battle a few times. I found setting targets help them along better.
- Politics is good. I did find that I didn't utilize the intrigue options much but in the early game, I found some of them incredibly important. For instance, I was in 2 wars on two fronts (Epirus and barbs up north). I used the military admin ability several times in order to replenish my forces quickly enough to keep up. Although there was a public order impact, I just had to compensate by other means. I made sure to accumulate a bit of a war chest before declaring war.
CONS:
- I did not like the pop-up for when a general/admiral died. Although the quote was cool at first, I quickly became annoyed because it couldn't tell me WHO died. So I had to write my forces down on paper in order to know who was doing what and where in case they died during a turn.
- The AI would get stuck in between large cities. I think this is more of an engine thing though. For instance, the Triballi were at war at Macedon but then they peaced out. Yet, there forces were still stuck in Pella and had been standing there for 400 turns.
- I found there was a bug with building some industrial buildings. Trying to build a quarry without any resources had some really messed up stats, like -400 public order and no income. This may have been intentional though, I don't know.
- I kind of wish the bread and games edict was more powerful. There's too many cons for just +4 public order. I mean, I managed it well enough I suppose but it did suck.
- Diplomacy was kind of meh. Although, I think it was just because all of the weaker nations had been killed off and the stronger factions remained. After awhile it seemed like they had trouble expanding, but again, I think this was just circumstantial. I'm sure another playthrough would have another experience.
OVERALL:
This submod is a fantastic piece of work! I love practically every aspect of it and I will continue playing this campaign. It certainly makes the game harder because there is more micromanagement involved, and the AI is more aggressive. But the beauty of it is that it's not impossible! I remember the older versions of Testudo were incredibly difficult, too difficult indeed. But I think you've come across a well-balanced difficulty this time in my opinion. One can't play this submod like they would in vanilla, shoot not even in vanilla DEI. This submod will require you to be much more tactful and strategic. If you develop a good plan (and with a little luck from the AI), you'll make progress. Slowly, but surely. If you are too hasty, or make a bad decision, you'll feel it and it could start you down the road to a rage-quit. This submod definitely lives up to what you were trying to envision I think, and I am a big fan of this type of gameplay. It doesn't feel like I'm playing a game; it feels like I'm ruling an empire. So thanks again for your amazing work!
P.S.: This is also a good way in being able to play a video game while doing something else productive, like homework! You'll be spending the majority of your time pressing enter
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Originally Posted by Jake Armitage
