Starting advice for Rome (economy & diplomacy)

[Whitey McKnightey]

I'm terribly sorry if such a thread exists already. I didn't find anything overly precise, and at any rate I hope to set up a thread that could act as an accessible source of advice for newcomers like me in the future.

I have read the awesome manual provided by Mithrillian, but as always with manuals, while it does a great job explaining the core concepts of the mod mechanics, it doesn't really help one understand how things relate to each other. I realize the differences with different sort of governmental set-ups for example, but this doesn't help me in deciding what kind of policy is the best in developing Hispania for example.

My main problematic has to do with not being able to get trade agreements even with neutral factions, and getting bankrupt within the first few turns no matter my building policy. So, specifically my questions are as follows:

1) Economy

A) How should one go about developing the different provinces at game start? So far I've deducted based on fertility rates, that the Italian provinces are good for agricultural development, Sardinia & Corsica is a good trade province and Hispania is good for special resources with its gold mines and what not.

B) What kind of building set-up - roughly speaking - is good for each province? For example, I've set about turning all my ports in Sardinia & Corsica (and that other island... Palma?) into trading ports. What other buildings should I build to boost up trade.

C) What kind of governmental buildings are best for each province?

D) How should one secure food supply for provinces with poor fertility?

2) Diplomacy

A) How should one go about securing difficult trade agreements? Is it worth spending money on this?

B) Should I just ditch my allies in the early game in order to avoid a war with all of Hispania in the early turns?


That's it mostly. If we could get some good answers and discussion, I'll edit this OP and gather some sound starting advice as to avoid similar threads in the future, and help other newcomers get the hang of it faster. I'm also starting a new campaign right after writing this, so I'll also update this if I have some Heureka! -moments.

[Mithrillian]

QUESTION 1A/B/C/D
I've found, at least with a large power like Rome, it works well to make a blueprint-version of a province setup which is extremely stable and can be used everywhere. After that I strip and change some parts based on the region itself. THis isn't a perfect way to go at it, but is easier to manage. My last playthrough I went for the following blueprint:

CAPITAL
MAIN Civitas Foederata line
PORT Commercial for money, if possible a fishing port instead
1: Aqueduct (fertility)
2: Granary (winter food)
3: Public roads (commerce & army movement)
4: Public land (Villa, summer food)
if no port: Government mint (additional taxes)

MINOR SETTLEMENTS
MAIN Civitas Foederata
PORT Commercial for money, if possible a fishing port instead
1: Public Wells (sanitation)
2: Public Land (Villa, food)
if no port: Government courts (for lower corruption)

If any province has a special resource building swap out the public land (CAPITAL/4 and MS/2) for the resource building.

QUESTION 2A: Sell out on trade agreements. You're a big party, so people will want to trade with you. Don't offer money, but take everything you can.
QUESTION 2B: No. I ditched my allies when they got attacked, but didn't ditch them before that. You will lose the trust of the world and everyone will declare war on you.

Hope to have helped. Good luck! (Oh and get the north-westernmost town in spain, it has another gold mine!)

If you want me to add anything to the gameplay guide, please feel free to drop suggestions in the thread. I am currently working on explaining economy!

[Whitey McKnightey]

QUESTION 1A/B/C/D
I've found, at least with a large power like Rome, it works well to make a blueprint-version of a province setup which is extremely stable and can be used everywhere. After that I strip and change some parts based on the region itself. THis isn't a perfect way to go at it, but is easier to manage. My last playthrough I went for the following blueprint:

CAPITAL
MAIN Civitas Foederata line
PORT Commercial for money, if possible a fishing port instead
1: Aqueduct (fertility)
2: Granary (winter food)
3: Public roads (commerce & army movement)
4: Public land (Villa, summer food)
if no port: Government mint (additional taxes)

MINOR SETTLEMENTS
MAIN Civitas Foederata
PORT Commercial for money, if possible a fishing port instead
1: Public Wells (sanitation)
2: Public Land (Villa, food)
if no port: Government courts (for lower corruption)

If any province has a special resource building swap out the public land (CAPITAL/4 and MS/2) for the resource building.

QUESTION 2A: Sell out on trade agreements. You're a big party, so people will want to trade with you. Don't offer money, but take everything you can.
QUESTION 2B: No. I ditched my allies when they got attacked, but didn't ditch them before that. You will lose the trust of the world and everyone will declare war on you.

Hope to have helped. Good luck! (Oh and get the north-westernmost town in spain, it has another gold mine!)

If you want me to add anything to the gameplay guide, please feel free to drop suggestions in the thread. I am currently working on explaining economy!

Thank you kindly, I'll try this out. And sorry, I hadn't checked the author of the guide I was referring to, I assumed it was the same as the OP of the sticky. I'm changing it right now!

[Nihahs]

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...2#post15594202

Hope that helps as well