[Community] Campaign Experience - Share Your Empire

[UMCenturion]

Ancient Empires Campaign Experience

Please use this thread to share experiences, fun battle screenshots, and campaign dominance! Feel free to discuss ideas, strategies, and storylines. (Please do not post bugs or questions about mod installation)

[bingbonger]

Defeated Hannibal in Africa, next turn an arevaci army walked up to Cordoba (walled city) and instantly captured it? Then I went bankrupt. I'm having a blast....

[AngryPolack]

As Rome, had a decisive victory at Zama. My velites made short work of the elephants, and Hannibals unit of foot was swarmed and routed. However, I can't get past turn 1. The sheer amount of reading; building descriptions, unit stats, potential governors, the history......it's glorious. This is an incredible body of work and I salute all who made it possible.

[hoho96]

quite liking it so far. However, the sheer amount of buildings with ridiculous upkeep and no clear cut income, is quite intimidating, especially when you start with a -7000 per turn income from turn one on N/N. IMO the start on deficit greatly reduce the possibilities for the players to explore how best to develop and experiment with their provinces.

Again, LOVE the ideas for the buildings themselves (allied state, confiscated land, colony,..etc), but the starting values are a little too extreme imo.

[LordKainES]

Looks like Bankrupcy is the new mechanic!!! xDDD My god... its a bit frustrating... you feel like you have your hands tied.

Defeated Hannibal on Zama... but he fleed and then I had to face him once more with another big army... defeated him again, didn´t died yet that bastard and Carthago still being a pain in my ass...

Now in Hispania, Masaessily just arrived and sieged Corduba... I have no effectives to defend, no funds to recruit an army so I will lose it... in Italy the gauls declared me war, they didn´t invaded yet but Im scared... xD

What can I say? Im living a hell!!! DD

Something I truly don´t like is the enormous amount of buildings (you don´t know what to build) and the enormous amount of effects each one has... its a bit confusing...

I understand this gives more complexity... but come on, this is a game not real life xDDD I think a bit of simplify could be nice for a better experience...

[Julio-Claudian]

I haven't been playing a campaign yet, just learning how it works. But it's giving me the feeling I always thought it would. I actually feel afraid when I'm attacked lol

Something I truly don´t like is the enormous amount of buildings (you don´t know what to build) and the enormous amount of effects each one has... its a bit confusing...

I understand this gives more complexity... but come on, this is a game not real life xDDD I think a bit of simplify could be nice for a better experience...

It isn't so 'complicated' it just requires some thought, reading and planning. If it were any simpler it'd get boring pretty quickly.

Subjective I suppose.

[Hellomynameis]

Something I truly don´t like is the enormous amount of buildings (you don´t know what to build) and the enormous amount of effects each one has... its a bit confusing...

I understand this gives more complexity... but come on, this is a game not real life xDDD I think a bit of simplify could be nice for a better experience...

I haven't really looked into them yet, but I don't mind having to read up a bit to know what I'm doing. If there's something I dislike about the Total War series, it's how superficial most games feel.

As for campaign experience, because of a tiny path-finding glitch where a couple of enemy hoplites wouldn't get killed, I was able to send my general to raise the flag on Byrsa in Carthage. After that, I paraded part of my army over the main street :p

Hannibal also is a real hero. I tried for at least half an hour to get him killed: first with my general's unit, then with another cavalry unit and finally with four infantry units. When that didn't work, I just watched him stumble away; a broken man, but still alive.

[Palaiogos]

How do you guys start with Macedon? Do you go and conquer Byzantion right away?

[klunny10]

I started with Pergamon.

Ive decided I need food and pubic order and so driving in that direction.

Seiged and took Ephesus early on as Egypt is weak in asia minor.

Seems the priority is food for first province. Going into starvation every other turn was crippling my army.

The battles play very nicely. Units perform with my expected result, unlike every other total war.

Great mod so far!

[ItsSinkingCoral]

Nabatea is insanely difficult so far. Started with -125 (or thereabouts) food, barely making money in all seasons and massive PO loss (-14 from native discontent and -22 from lack of food). Insanely difficult time trying to ammend the situation. First playthrough in the mod ended badly with the army losing men every turn, rebellion in 6 turns and still no money or food left.

Second game wqas with Armenia which struggled at first but was easily fixed.

New game with Nabatea:
- Built bunch of grain stores and fixed food.
- Acquired Gemstone resources and started trade routes with everyone.
- All neighbours are friendly, I'm making money every season, food is fixed. PO very low and declining still (I have every building and edict and governor and army garrisoned to increase but it keeps going down).
- I conquer Ma'ai since they are hated by everyone.
- PO drops below -60 on Judea province and all taxes are lost. Bankrupt in 4 turns.
- Same time, Seleucid Kingdom (which has +45 relations with me) declares war.
- Join empire with neighbouring state = less than 30 units army, no money, no PO.
- #stayinalive

[Julio-Claudian]

I've been playing things like this in the background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12HXnYNA6Cg
Adds to immersion I find. Maybe there's a better way of doing it.

[LordKainES]

I have to say that after the latest updates and a bit of patience I'm enjoying the campaign... just restarted my roman campaign and finally subjugated Carthage.

For now Im at peace and trading with the majority of surrounding factions... also economy finally works fine!!!

Now is time to develope my territories before any expansion!!!

I've been playing things like this in the background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12HXnYNA6Cg
Adds to immersion I find. Maybe there's a better way of doing it.

Hope someone release a music mod with this soundtrack in AE!!!

[mati_motorloco]

I started with Pergamon.

Ive decided I need food and pubic order and so driving in that direction.

Seiged and took Ephesus early on as Egypt is weak in asia minor.

Seems the priority is food for first province. Going into starvation every other turn was crippling my army.

The battles play very nicely. Units perform with my expected result, unlike every other total war.

Great mod so far!

I also started with pergamon, I went hell on Macedon and defeat it at Pella, but also have to struggle with food, all good so far

[zoner16]

Played a few years as Rome. Did pretty well in battle, took down Hannibal twice and beat back an invasion from the north. Definitely enjoying the combat.

The building system took a long time to figure out since there's a lot of reading to do. I eventually got the hang of it though and definitely think it'll add a lot to the game going forward.

My main issue is that my economic situation feels incredibly unpredictable. I ended one turn thinking that I was going to make a modest amount, then suddenly got docked half my treasury when the end turn sequence finished. About half a year of economic turmoil (partly due to that and partly apparently due to a barbarian invasion) later, I thought I had gotten rid of enough units and raised taxes enough to avoid bankruptcy, yet it turned out my actual deficit was four times higher than what was reported. I'm fairly used to non-exact accounting in these games, but just how far it swings here is pretty large.

This isn't really helped by the fact that Rome's starting situation has tons of public order issues, a minor deficit, and yet somehow only one and a third stacks. Remedying that while being unable to predict your income is very frustrating.

I'm going to try an Armenia or Macedon start tomorrow.

[nihilus23]

How do you guys start with Macedon? Do you go and conquer Byzantion right away?

I declared war on Rome and besieged their city in Greece right away, after that defeated the Aetolian League (the horde) and now captured Byzantion. Since Pergamons army decided to go on a cruise their city is probably the next target Ofc it's impossible to make peace with Rome now but they seem to be occupied elsewhere anyway.

[Sheridan]

Played a few years as Rome. Did pretty well in battle, took down Hannibal twice and beat back an invasion from the north. Definitely enjoying the combat.

The building system took a long time to figure out since there's a lot of reading to do. I eventually got the hang of it though and definitely think it'll add a lot to the game going forward.

My main issue is that my economic situation feels incredibly unpredictable. I ended one turn thinking that I was going to make a modest amount, then suddenly got docked half my treasury when the end turn sequence finished. About half a year of economic turmoil (partly due to that and partly apparently due to a barbarian invasion) later, I thought I had gotten rid of enough units and raised taxes enough to avoid bankruptcy, yet it turned out my actual deficit was four times higher than what was reported. I'm fairly used to non-exact accounting in these games, but just how far it swings here is pretty large.

This isn't really helped by the fact that Rome's starting situation has tons of public order issues, a minor deficit, and yet somehow only one and a third stacks. Remedying that while being unable to predict your income is very frustrating.

I'm going to try an Armenia or Macedon start tomorrow.

There's been several food & economy updates over the course of the day, and more is coming tonight, in time for your new campaign. A personal recommendation would be Parthia, as they are very complete from a balancing point of view. Armenia will also be, and Nabatea, following the update. However, the Armenian building names are bugged. This will be fixed tomorrow

[SpartanForce]

I am loving the mod, being here wanting this since early 2016. I have my raw footage as Carthage:



Playing seriously as Carthage from start to finish (well, it's part 1 but I plan on at least destroying Rome):



The Battle of Zama (as Carthage):



And my progress:

I do have to say that this mod is not for newcomers. Very very hard. Other that this, amazing work!

[Sarkiss]

Something I truly don´t like is the enormous amount of buildings (you don´t know what to build) and the enormous amount of effects each one has... its a bit confusing...

I understand this gives more complexity... but come on, this is a game not real life xDDD I think a bit of simplify could be nice for a better experience...

i think what you really complaining about is the hard-coded limited building slots - just 4 for most of the settlements (and even some of these are taken by 'essentials').

How do you guys start with Macedon? Do you go and conquer Byzantion right away?

about 30+ turns in. initial strategy is to focus on relatively weakish neighbors in Greece. my first move was to eliminate Aitolian horde. shortly after Pergamon sent their army/fleet and a massive transport battle ensued where i prevailed through sheer force of numbers. Achaeans then declared war and i destroyed the league. not sure it was the wisest move but there is 'League of Corinth' building to compensate for that. then Romans declared war and I took their settlement in Greece liberating Epirus. they responded by sending a very atypical full stack - 5 units of heavy infantry and the rest made of roughly 50/50 skirmishers and cavalry. my pikemen made short work of them. i havent had the chance to move north at all but Greece seems pretty secure with western flank guarded by Epirote allies. atm, problem is food and plunging into massive red every other turn.

quick and dirty personal impressions so far
Pros:
walled cities! absolutely gorgeous! at last the miserable 'villages' are gone and every settlements is a major center as it should be.
(still wish there was more building slots but that cant be done).

battlefield environment and overall experience (apart from a curious problem with killing generals. never had that issue in vanilla)

units and unit cards

a great variety in building choices (you can improve the road systems again)


Cons
2 tpy. not enough for a proper campaigning. characters age too soon and game progresses way too quickly.
i know the team decided 2 tpy would fit better but im not convinced. there are solid mods that start way earlier and still have 4 tpy.

campaign map looks very Attilan - grayish and depressing, which isnt particularly suited for the period imho.

[Petellius]

We'll be adding 4TPY submods. Also, with people starving in winter you need to build granaries.

[_Tyr_]

For everyone still struggling with income - Build up those resource buildings in provinces where they are available. It might doesn't seem like much help in the beginning, because in the despcription it doesn't show any income bonuses, but with a healthy amount of trade partners, it will boost your eco up insanely quickly. I went from +5k denarii per turn to about +20k income with Rome, simply by building all my possible resource buildings up from the very start and having about 12 trade partners. Check every turn for new partners, the AI's willingness to agree changes quickly in the beginning - and you can count on being able to trade with loads of greek factions, that don't like Macedon very much.