I would just like to hear how others manage their character's political careers.
For me 200 turns in, I think I've found a system that works but will soon run into trouble as I expand further. Right now I've conquered all of Sicily, N. Africa, all western med Islands, South Gaul, Illyria and planning on moving into Greece next.
I find that fighting on 2 fronts is extremely undesirable in this mod above all others, certainly manageable but causes more problems than it's worth.
I will school all coming of age characters in a city that has at least a 2nd tier academy. From 16-21 they complete their education without leaving the settlement. Initially this school was just Rome but after years of expansion this now includes Capua, Ariminium, Arretium,Luceria and even Carthage and Massalia as characters come of age in far off lands. The traits I look out for are 'man grown', 'cultured' or 'bureaucrat' (is this a trait gained through education?)before beginning their military careers. If a character gets the 'unschooled' trait I relegate them to govern an unimportant settlement with a ludus until they show signs of improvement.
At 21 years old my young educated Romans get stationed with the legions and complete tours of Sicily fighting rebels or partake in campaigns wherever the fighting is more intense. The army will always have a (Pro)/Consul or (Pro)/Praetor leading, with 2-3 characters simply gaining experience for their political careers. It''s expected that they stay on the move until the age of 26/27 at the least and hopefully be engaged in battles that give them experience but do not put their lives at risk. I will usually avoid full stacks when multiple characters are in the army and will only use their cav very carefully. Usually only to mop up routers to capture as slaves.
By 25/26 they have usually become tribunis militums and and many are eligible for questership. However when hovering over the trait many still do not have enough experience. This means they will stay with the army until maybe 30 by which time when hovering over the trait it says their experience will help them to advance far. Then it's time to race back to Roma in time for the elections.
Italy is the hotbed for Characters who have begin the cursus Honorum. Every governor is a quaester, aedile plebis/curilis/ tribunis plebis or praetor while the Consuls are outside Italy leading the campaigns. Sometimes the Praetors will lead young characters and the army within Italy fighting rebels or even fighting off any random incursions such as the hording Boii in search of a homeland and so forth. However some characters I have not got them engaged in the cursus honorum and they govern cities that are too far from Rome to be running to every winter, but they still become good governors.
The election process often means that most winters there is a scramble towards Rome leaving some cities ungoverned for one turn while characters are partaking in the elctions. Once they begin their political careers they do not partake in the military again until they reach praetor or consul.
If a character becomes consul in his early 40's I would consider allowing him run for consul twice if he was a particularly gifted General. However the main goal is for each consul to achieve significant victories against the main enemies and receive a Triumph in Rome. Then they retire to become the Provincae Rectae or provincial Governor of Sicilia, Cisalpine Gaul or wherever. This means they don't become permanent governors until 50 years old usually, however with the 4tpy this means they have usually at least 60-80 turns as Provincial Governor. Only the faction leader stays in Rome and I always elect an older character nearing the consulate and preferably patrician to be heir.
I have always made territories Roman provinces but now I'm thing of making Spain and Greece free states when conquered, so that I can elect client rulers, allowing my FM's to remain within Rome and engage in politics. Later I'll probably convert some key settlements to Provinces to allow a former consul to become Provincae Rectae of that region. However I'm finding some regions difficult to get the provincial governor (PG) ancillary. I'm guessing I might have too many ancillaries and will need to transfer them to younger characters before getting the PG trait and thus finishing their cursus honorum and military careers, allowing them to retire in the provinces. Could anybody also direct me to a link that explain what cities and traits are linked to the Provincial Governor ancillary? Thanks and I'd like to hear how you all mange it too!
This is such a great mod once you get the hang of the traits, so immersive. Two criticisms I have though is the stability and the battles. I'm getting far too many crashes unlike other M2TW mods and I'm afraid my latest one is game breaking over 200 turns in and I can't get the error log to tell me what's wrong. I'm awae this is still unfinished though. And the battle formations feel very out of sync. The enemy will usually divide their cav very far away from their infantry and it feels more like an error than a tactic. Just my opinion. All in all though great stuff!