Originally Posted by
Ptolemaios Soter
Epirus is an incredibly fun faction, but many folks say it has a hard start. That can certainly be true as you're tangling with Rome from turn 1 and AI Rome benefits from a wide variety of advantages. But it doesn't need to be! The trick to beating Rome is to defeat them quickly, and specifically, to capture the city of Roma. Here's a step-by-step guide to do it. While every playthrough may be slightly different, the this should work in most games.
Turn 1:
Trade with Athens, Aetolians, Antigonis, Ardaiei
Move Phrrhus to the bridge bordering Consentia
Recruit 2 slingers, 1 pike, 1 peltast
--> Rome: Primas Inter Para attacks Pyrrhus (player wins the battle by holding the bridge and circling around with elephants and slingers - 80 casualties)
Legion I moves to Roma, recruits
Turn 2:
Pyrrhus. Promote proven leader skill track, attack Consentia (player wins the battle with 23 casualties, loot the city). Promote army tradition Spearmen. Hire mercenary hoplites, swords, and cavalry. Recruit 3 levy spearmen.
Amphidamos. Recruit 1 pikemen, 2 thesprotians.
Move fleet to Appolonia, recruit transport.
Trade with Ligurgia.
Turn taxes off in Italia. Marry Pyrrhus.
--> Rome: Rome moves Legion I toward Taras, recruits general at Beneventum
Ligurgia declared war on Etruscans.
Turn 3:
Pyrrhus moves to the bridge, recruit 3 levies.
Amphidamos boards fleet and sales toward Taras.
Organize games in Macedonia.
--> Rome: stays put. Carthage moves fleet to Ionium, declares war on Syracuse.
Turn 4:
Merge armies to Pyrrhus, send extra levies part way back toward Taras (still within range of Beneventum. Attack Legion I near Beneventum (retreats)
Fleet to Asculum, raid, hire one persuit thihemiolia
--> Rome: Legion I attacks Pyrrhus with garrison reinforcing (player wins battle, 490 casualties). Asculum admiral and garrison fleet fights (player wins)
Etruria besieges Roma (this isn't really relevant, since they're going to lose without inflicting many casualties)
Turn 5:
Pyrrhus Legion I surviving general North of Beneventum, then moves to back toward Benevuntum within reinforcing range.
Fleet to Arimium, hire 1 liburna, attack Roman admiral and garrison fleet (player wins), then raid.
Recruit an army in Consentia and recruit 1 levy
--> Rome defends the city against Etruria, Venetii declares war on Rome.
Turn 6:
Amphidamos takes Beneventum with Pyrrhus reinforcing (99 casualties), loot.
Pyrrhus attacks and captures Roma.