Basic "Caesar in Gaul" guide ( playing as Rome ) for beginners
I already got to complete a campaign in Caesar in Gaul as Rome. And this is a guide for people who never tried Caesar in Gaul as Rome yet ( This guide applies only to vanilla version. No mod ):
It is very important to take into account these details so that you don't forget them during the campaign:
- The garrison that the roman non-walled cities provide is not enough to stop an enemy's army attack ( Not even an army composed of just 6 units). The units provided by a non-walled city ( specially if it's not a coastal city. You know that a port provides some more units ) are: 2 plebs and 1 vigile. No matter the level the city is upgraded. What to do in order that the city is capable of decently defending itself from an attack? You should try to build two barracks in each non-walled city located in your frontiers ( where you think it is a strategical location and most likely to be attacked first ). You have access to 2 kinds of barracks: the Roman barracks and the Auxiliary barracks. Maybe you should build one of each type. The amount of garrsion units provided by one barrack is: 1 unit if it's barracks level 1, 2 units if it's upgraded to level 2, 3 units if it's upgraded to level 3. However, in spite of doing all of that it is better to leave at least one single general unit there just in case. And when an enemy army is approaching, you can hire mercenaries to have some extra units for the city defense.
- The snowy winter makes your armies suffer attrition seriously. Be careful of that. When winter comes it is better to garrison your armies in cities or to put them in the camp stance. In order to avoid that the snowy winter surprises you, you should check in what month the winter starts so that you are beforehand prepared for a next winter and so that you plan things carefully without your plans are interrupted.
- In the early stage of the campaign it is better to sign at least a temporary non-agression pact with some barbarian factions if you can ( specially those that have a green or yellow face towards you in the diplmacy section ). Also try a non-agression pact with those that are near your coastal city in the west ( Narbo Martius ). You'll buy time to prepare ( such as building a bigger army, upgrading the city, etc ) in that zone for likely future attacks. For this I'd recommend training an extra general in one of your starting provinces to recruit units to then give them to your general that is in Narbo Martius.
- It is very important since the campaign begins, take care of your valuable starting units that Julius Caesar has. I mean, try even the impossible not to lose them. At least try not to lose any of your legionaries, your cavalry units and your two siege weapons ( those units are vital for your success in the early stages of the campaign ). For example avoid at all cost autoresolving battles because even if the prediction odds are too high in your favor, you could lose units that are crippled ( I found out that by experience ). Just fight the battle manually. And if you have several units seriously crippled, just keep them away from the battle.
- Don't be afraid of losing Julius Caesar in a battle when you have no choice and you have to risk him. He can't be killed during the entire campaign. He can only be wounded. And it takes 2 or 3 turns to have him available again.
-You'll inevitably have simultaneous rebellions in each province in gallic areas. I mean, a full stack barbarian army will show up in each province controlled by you that is of gallic territory once you reach the maximum Imperium level. In order to be ready, you should have at least one army ( at least of half stack that you can later reinforce it with mercenaries ) stationed in each province and the cities upgraded ( with their barracks included ) up to you can afford. Very important: some of the blue color technologies that you research give you more imperium. So, be careful in your decisions.
- Once you have the technology for upgrading the Roman barracks to level 4, you can't recruit veteran legionaries ( and not even cohort legionaries ) just in any province controlled by you. Those units can be recruited only in your two starting provinces: Liguria and Insubria. Or in one of them only.
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EDIT:
-Speaking of reasons why trying to not to lose any of your valuable Julius Caesar's starting units in the early stage of the campaign is for example when you attack a walled city, there is no need to first besiege the city because you already have artillery for destroying towers and opening a breach on the wall.
-And when you start the campaign, your first objetive should be taking the Helveti's city. But before that it is better to get rid of the Helveti army that you can see east from Julius Caesar right when the campaign starts. Then go for the city. Don't waste time in besieging it. Start the battle immediately because you have artillery at your disposal. If you can, you should hire two or three mercenary units to use them as cannon fodders for the battle.
Once you take the city, your next target should be the yellow gallic faction on the east that is also in the Helvetia province. After this, you should go for the German factions. After the Germans, go for the Nervii.
-Another important thing for getting a bit of more legionary units for Julius Caesar as soon as you can is by recruting an extra general in Insubria right in the first turn of the campaign. Recruit some and then head to where Julius Caesar is to give them to him as soon as you can.
-Maybe you can recruit both cohort legionaries and veteran legionaries in Narbo Martius, too. I don't remember. You should find it out later.
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EDIT:
- As to Julius Caesar's special skills ( Loyalty of the 10th and Presence ), don't use them too soon in the battle. Just wait until the late part of the battle specially when things are getting tougher because those abilites last only 60 seconds and you can use it just once during the whole battle.
NEW EDIT:
Another viable option is disbanding the army that is in Narbo Martius and abandoning the western front until you can bring at least two full stack armies to reopen that front.
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