Rome: Total War is Out

[Main_Brain]

I think the Fog of War affects the Spawn of Rebels.
I have some small Provinces with 2 Watchtowers and Rebels never spawn there (Instead the Spawn near my Capital ;=) )

Raise taxes; raise Trade (ports); capture smaller settlements and let them pay for your big Production Centre's ?

[Kassiopeia]

Your largest cities are vastly in the negative, because the running costs of your armies are deducted from each city's turnly income relative to the size of the city. So your biggest city may be churning out 4000 of profit a day without your armies, but with the running costs it'll go down to -2000.

Barring disbanding most of your troops, there's nothing you can do about that - but since your smaller cities will in comparison be making hordes of cash, you need only worry about the finances sheet in the faction summary window, and just ignore the income of a single city when you start to have lots of them.

[The diplomat]

What are some good strategies for playing the Carthaginians?

It seems like you start off pretty weak. So my first thought was to conquer the coastline (Numidians, Egyptians etc) but then I was spread out too tin when the Romans came knocking on Carthage's front gate. So, I thought it might be better to confront the Romans right away but you don't seem to have enough armies to confront the italian mainland right away. So I guess you need to slowly secure the mediterrean areas, secure the shipping lanes and grow your power until you can confront the Romans directly?

[Kassiopeia]

How about the Iberian peninsula? Historically the Carthagenians advanced there and from there they took on the Romans, IIRC. Coastal cities are good with all that sea trade, yes.

[Jagdtiger]

As Carthaginians, try to take all of sicily quickly. Scipii only have 2 cities so it will hurt them badly. You will also probably lose Sardinia to the Julii and Cordoba to the Iberians/gauls. Leave them alone, and go for the numidians who will hit you from behind sooner or later anyway.

When you finally land in Italy, have a spy with you. The Senate likes to leave their two or three full stacks in the open and only garrison Rome with two ot three cavalry units. With a Spy you can assault the city in one turn and reap mad cash from all the looting, not to mention cutting off the snake's head and leaving a few stacks of roman rebels for the Julii to deal with.

[Flip McWho]

If you can take out the Scipii (or hurt them severly) in the early part of the game then that might make you life easier, as the Scipii are the Romans that concentrate on the Carthaginians, as the Julii concentrate on Gaul and the Brutii concentrate on Greece.

Possibly try to get a alliance with Spain as once they come into conflict with the Julii you can help them without opening up your own territories for attacks.


I was wondering another thing. What happens if I decided to attack another of the Roman factions before I'm outlawed? I suppose I get outlawed but if not it might be prudent to take on one of the Roman factions at some point prior to your outlawing?

[Kassiopeia]

You get outlawed the moment you declare war/attack a Roman faction, be it the Senate or any one of the two other houses.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Kassiopeia
You get outlawed the moment you declare war/attack a Roman faction, be it the Senate or any one of the two other houses.

Thus become a Rebel Leader yourself

[Flip McWho]

Blast. Well I suppose you could make life harder for them by supplementing their enemies treasuries and so on. Generally by being a ***** to them diplomatically.

[Kassiopeia]

Originally posted by Grandpa Troll
Thus become a Rebel Leader yourself

No, "outlawed" just means that all of the Romans are in war with you. AFAIK as long as SPQR stands, it's not possible to sign peace with the other Roman factions.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Kassiopeia


No, "outlawed" just means that all of the Romans are in war with you. AFAIK as long as SPQR stands, it's not possible to sign peace with the other Roman factions.

Ok, thanks

[Main_Brain]

Combine this:
Barbarian Faction cannot build Real Siege Equipment.
+ Roman Factions in Italy will rush to lift a Siege on Rome
+ Best Distance Unit: Elite Bowmen
+ Best Siege Equiment: Ramming Support
+ Romans pouring Oil on it

How are my chances vs Senatus Populusque Romanum ?

[Kassiopeia]

I'd try to overwhelm with numbers, attach your best general and autoresolve it. I find that by autoresolving, as long as you have at least one ram and enough units, you'll win. Sieges can be a pain in the neck.

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Main_Brain
Combine this:
Barbarian Faction cannot build Real Siege Equipment.
+ Roman Factions in Italy will rush to lift a Siege on Rome
+ Best Distance Unit: Elite Bowmen
+ Best Siege Equiment: Ramming Support
+ Romans pouring Oil on it

How are my chances vs Senatus Populusque Romanum ?

Use the ram as a distraction. Take the walls, you dont need the gate. Once you have a piece of the wall its tower works for you. Repeat as necessary. The gate and its oil works the same way. Try retreating some troops through the gate, if they follow they'll become 'crispy critters'.

[Kassiopeia]

Of course, the gate must be in your possession. But I agree, a good strat is to go up to an empty slab of wall and start fighting on the walls themselves. The AI usually places its archers on the walls, so even your barbarians should be able to kick their collective butts.