Rome - Total War
Discussion
After recently finding this gem in the cheap aisles of Asda, I've become addicted to it.
I'm currently playing the Brutii and have won all of the lands to the East but now wish to concentrate on the South East. The trouble I'm finding is I'm tying up loads of troops just to keep my towns happy.
Does anyone understand the mechanics of town management? I need to keep them happy with as little troop presence as possible.
There are some towns that are happy with just a few units in them and others that are only content unless I put a whole squad in there. I've tried running them with and without a govenor, tried different troop combinations, built arena's, have low taxes and even daily games, but I just can't keep them happy.
BTW, I usually just exterminate the populace, is there any benefit to enslaving or just occupying?
I'm currently playing the Brutii and have won all of the lands to the East but now wish to concentrate on the South East. The trouble I'm finding is I'm tying up loads of troops just to keep my towns happy.
Does anyone understand the mechanics of town management? I need to keep them happy with as little troop presence as possible.
There are some towns that are happy with just a few units in them and others that are only content unless I put a whole squad in there. I've tried running them with and without a govenor, tried different troop combinations, built arena's, have low taxes and even daily games, but I just can't keep them happy.
BTW, I usually just exterminate the populace, is there any benefit to enslaving or just occupying?
I can't remember too well how I looked after big empires in Rome, been a while since I played it and I'm not up to the same size empire with Medieval 2 at the moment to compare.
I know I used to move governors around and did a lot of troop movement, keeping any eye on the cities welfare (green faces) and the taxes. Are you able to set any to automatic management (giving the Governor in residence a free reign to look after taxes and building works?) If they are a central based city under no threat set to something like cultural growth, closer out the the edges of your empire use population growth more and military growth on the edges. I also kept 2 governor/armies on the move as troubleshooters using ships to move them greater distances than on land to areas they may be needed to boost morale, fight insurgency. However you need a large number of ships in case you meet a rebel/enemy fleet, either that or make sure you hug the coast off loading your army at the end of each turn.
Trade feeds the empire, keep ports open and trade with as many other countries as possible to maintain the money needed to keep your empire going, build up a military reserve that can move into new areas without reducing your home/city army defenders and enough troops in nearby cities that you can pick a few out from each to create a new army without reducing city morale.
On your empire edges where you might be looking to expand try to do the same, build up troops from nearby cities and bring a few out of each merging them into a new army and move it alongside your Generals army, giving you double the force (and getting round the army limit) the rebels and enemy armies so this also.
I'm sure there are other things as well.
I know I used to move governors around and did a lot of troop movement, keeping any eye on the cities welfare (green faces) and the taxes. Are you able to set any to automatic management (giving the Governor in residence a free reign to look after taxes and building works?) If they are a central based city under no threat set to something like cultural growth, closer out the the edges of your empire use population growth more and military growth on the edges. I also kept 2 governor/armies on the move as troubleshooters using ships to move them greater distances than on land to areas they may be needed to boost morale, fight insurgency. However you need a large number of ships in case you meet a rebel/enemy fleet, either that or make sure you hug the coast off loading your army at the end of each turn.
Trade feeds the empire, keep ports open and trade with as many other countries as possible to maintain the money needed to keep your empire going, build up a military reserve that can move into new areas without reducing your home/city army defenders and enough troops in nearby cities that you can pick a few out from each to create a new army without reducing city morale.
On your empire edges where you might be looking to expand try to do the same, build up troops from nearby cities and bring a few out of each merging them into a new army and move it alongside your Generals army, giving you double the force (and getting round the army limit) the rebels and enemy armies so this also.
I'm sure there are other things as well.
Know what you mean, I played as the Macedonians, then stopped, played as the Britons, then stopped I only ever played a long campaign as a Brutii (green Romans IIRC) and then did the old save at end of time and reloaded the save game to continue after the allotted period had ended. Spent most of my time setting up battles, downloading historical battles and generally killing things.
My empire, sometime yesterday but not quite at the end.
A tough battle won (me as Hannibal), the day before.
Mopping up British resistance. This was an ambush battle when my troops are marching in line and are attacked from both sides by overwhelming numbers of Britons (bit like the German Forest battle) I had to deploy my troops as they were being attacked keeping them tight and supportive, then turning on the meat grinder to work my way though them.
My empire, sometime yesterday but not quite at the end.
A tough battle won (me as Hannibal), the day before.
Mopping up British resistance. This was an ambush battle when my troops are marching in line and are attacked from both sides by overwhelming numbers of Britons (bit like the German Forest battle) I had to deploy my troops as they were being attacked keeping them tight and supportive, then turning on the meat grinder to work my way though them.
I have played allot of Rome Total War and the add-on Barbarian Invasions now.
What I would say is it should be a last resort to have to keep a large number of troops stationed there.
First priority to maintain order is to make sure you have a governor's building suitable for the settlement size.
Second invest in sewers and public baths. If you click on the happyness details you will see that the biggest reason for discontent in large cities is squalor.
After that look at Temples, academies etc.
Check also that your capital is located near the heart of your empire.
What you will find however is that with a very large city (20K plus) even with all the required buildings detailed above, you will often need a low tax rate to keep order.
What I would say is it should be a last resort to have to keep a large number of troops stationed there.
First priority to maintain order is to make sure you have a governor's building suitable for the settlement size.
Second invest in sewers and public baths. If you click on the happyness details you will see that the biggest reason for discontent in large cities is squalor.
After that look at Temples, academies etc.
Check also that your capital is located near the heart of your empire.
What you will find however is that with a very large city (20K plus) even with all the required buildings detailed above, you will often need a low tax rate to keep order.
Rome is a truly great game, and VERY addictive – my wife at one point calling herself a ‘Rome widow’!
To counter squalor, you need to try and keep the population down, especially as you reach ‘Large city’ and ‘Huge City’ status. I only ever build the first tier of farming options, and then leave it at that, seems to work for the most part.
I am currently on a Lusted TE 5.1 (mod) campaign, and still love it to bits. I bought Medieval 2 thinking I’d love it just as much as Rome, but after the first few hours of play, I realised that, although it is a very good game, it didn’t seem quite as deep, and the battles not as satisfying as the Rome game, despite better graphics and, on the face of it, more involving gameplay – the latter not delivering what Rome delivers in spades, although future patches may rectify some of the more annoying aspects (inquisitors, desertion on crusades, useless assassins etc)
I love Rome so much that I have now convinced my employers that I need to design a Roman Trireme kit, with all the ballistas/onagers etc!
To counter squalor, you need to try and keep the population down, especially as you reach ‘Large city’ and ‘Huge City’ status. I only ever build the first tier of farming options, and then leave it at that, seems to work for the most part.
I am currently on a Lusted TE 5.1 (mod) campaign, and still love it to bits. I bought Medieval 2 thinking I’d love it just as much as Rome, but after the first few hours of play, I realised that, although it is a very good game, it didn’t seem quite as deep, and the battles not as satisfying as the Rome game, despite better graphics and, on the face of it, more involving gameplay – the latter not delivering what Rome delivers in spades, although future patches may rectify some of the more annoying aspects (inquisitors, desertion on crusades, useless assassins etc)
I love Rome so much that I have now convinced my employers that I need to design a Roman Trireme kit, with all the ballistas/onagers etc!
The most challenging faction I have found to play is The Western Empire in the Barbarian invasions.
I'm starting to turn the tide on that one and reconquer lost provinces but it was a struggle.
Barbarian Invasions is probably a less balanced game than Rome because heavy cavalry dominate the battlefield (perhaps partly due to stirups?, though that would depend on whether the game developers had gone with the possibility, not certainty, of their use by the Huns etc) and even the better Roman infantry units are not very good.
I'm starting to turn the tide on that one and reconquer lost provinces but it was a struggle.
Barbarian Invasions is probably a less balanced game than Rome because heavy cavalry dominate the battlefield (perhaps partly due to stirups?, though that would depend on whether the game developers had gone with the possibility, not certainty, of their use by the Huns etc) and even the better Roman infantry units are not very good.
FourWheelDrift said:
Spent most of my time setting up battles, downloading historical battles and generally killing things.
Funny I do virtually the exact opposite. I've barely played the historical battles because they seem meaningless. It is when you are fighting a campaign that a battle can seem vitally important to me.
I like setting up and re-inacting real battles as they were fought, try to change history. Trying to control a huge multi-cultural army like that of Darius III at the Battle of Gaugamela over a smaller Macedoinian force of Alexander the Great, trying to get the unwieldy Darius's forces to actual work. Or taking control of a smaller force against seemingly unstoppable opponents.
Or with Medieval 2, fighting the Battle of Hastings as the Saxons and changing the outcome.
Don't have too much time for long campaigns, especially as I ended up playing it till 3am one night. It makes hours disappear.
Or with Medieval 2, fighting the Battle of Hastings as the Saxons and changing the outcome.
Don't have too much time for long campaigns, especially as I ended up playing it till 3am one night. It makes hours disappear.
chris watton said:
I bought Medieval 2 thinking I’d love it just as much as Rome, but after the first few hours of play, I realised that, although it is a very good game, it didn’t seem quite as deep, and the battles not as satisfying as the Rome game
Know exactly what you mean, I'm playing through the Rome Total realism campaign as the Gauls, finally wiped those pesky Romans out on VH/VH at the weekend. I actually prefer Rome,though it isn't as pretty,but then my computer is struggling with the large city seiges in MTW2.
Edited by HAB on Tuesday 6th February 17:39
HAB said:
chris watton said:
I bought Medieval 2 thinking I’d love it just as much as Rome, but after the first few hours of play, I realised that, although it is a very good game, it didn’t seem quite as deep, and the battles not as satisfying as the Rome game
Know exactly what you mean, I'm playing through the Rome Total realism campaign as the Gauls, finally wiped those pesky Romans out on VH/VH at the weekend. I actually prefer Rome,though it isn't as pretty,but then my computer is struggling with the large city seiges in MTW2.
Edited by HAB on Tuesday 6th February 17:39
It was Medieval 2 that made me realise that the eyecandy counts only for about 5 minutes playing the game, after that, if the game is nigh on perfect in terms of gameplay, like Rome, the immersion sets in and pretty graphics take a back seat, and that's not to say that Rome still doesn't look good, it does, plus it has every unit that obeys your dirct orders, unlike ME2!......
FourWheelDrift said:
Don't have too much time for long campaigns, especially as I ended up playing it till 3am one night. It makes hours disappear.
I know what you mean, had a 2am stint yesterday and got wrong off the missus. I told her if she'd give me that level of entertainment, I wouldn't be sitting on the pc all night
My strategy at the moment is, when a town goes red faced, take all the troops out, demolish all the buildings, when the town revolts, march back in and take it over again and exterminate all the populace. The town might have a lot of troops, but they'll be peasants and are easily conquerable.
Since playing this morning, the senate has now declared I'm an enemy of Rome and the bloody Julii are giving me grief
FourWheelDrift said:
I like setting up and re-inacting real battles as they were fought, try to change history. Trying to control a huge multi-cultural army like that of Darius III at the Battle of Gaugamela over a smaller Macedoinian force of Alexander the Great, trying to get the unwieldy Darius's forces to actual work. Or taking control of a smaller force against seemingly unstoppable opponents.
Here's a good example of me fighting a Historic battle and changing the outcome. Played the Battle of Pharsalus as Pompey Magnus's forces (Purple - Captain Marcus) against Julius Caesar (Red - Captain Gaius) and reversed the outcome. Historically Julius Caesar won, but I did this time.
Yes I had more men, as Pompey did, but a large part of my army were weak, against Caesar's battle proven Heavy Legions, I also had a large number of light Spanish mercenaries (which I stuck on my left flank alongside the river), they are the green units you can just make out behind the result box, they were the only ones still fighting any resistance at the end. I think the result was conclusive
byff said:
Does anyone understand the mechanics of town management?
To answer your question - Try this - Its on Town Management http://db.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswi
Been playing this on Steam the last couple of days, think I first played it about 13 years ago when I was 11/12!
Started as the Britons and I am heading South to try and take out the Germans and Gauls.
Are there any other Total War games that are as good as this? Seen quite a few but never bothered playing them due to not having a laptop that could handle it.
Also seen their latest release Thrones of Britannia, which is based upon the early ages of Britain and focuses on taking each major town and city at a time rather than a whole country.
Started as the Britons and I am heading South to try and take out the Germans and Gauls.
Are there any other Total War games that are as good as this? Seen quite a few but never bothered playing them due to not having a laptop that could handle it.
Also seen their latest release Thrones of Britannia, which is based upon the early ages of Britain and focuses on taking each major town and city at a time rather than a whole country.
Edited by Leicester Loyal on Tuesday 8th May 10:45
Leicester Loyal said:
Been playing this on Steam the last couple of days, think I first played it about 13 years ago when I was 11/12!
Started as the Britons and I am heading north to try and take out the Germans and Gauls.
Are there any other Total War games that are as good as this? Seen quite a few but never bothered playing them due to not having a laptop that could handle it.
Also seen their latest release Thrones of Britannia, which is based upon the early ages of Britain and focuses on taking each major town and city at a time rather than a whole country.
I've just started playing Total War : Medieval II again. It holds up really well, runs nicely on an average laptop.....seems to have a hefty bunch of mods / community extensions available too.Started as the Britons and I am heading north to try and take out the Germans and Gauls.
Are there any other Total War games that are as good as this? Seen quite a few but never bothered playing them due to not having a laptop that could handle it.
Also seen their latest release Thrones of Britannia, which is based upon the early ages of Britain and focuses on taking each major town and city at a time rather than a whole country.
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