Rome II

[Sir Slash]

That's probably a good a plan as any Martok as far as I can recall. I didn't get far as Carthage before loosing interest because like you said, it's tough to play. I think culturally you're closest to the Iberians so this would be easiest to assimilate.

[JasonPratt]

5.)  ? ? ? 

6.)  Profit!

Carthage would approve!  :bd: :hide:

[undercovergeek]

I had difficulty with these guys when the game first came out and googled a strat guide and there was a turn by turn guide for the first 30 turns on what to do - iirc it involved heading south and tidying up Africa first, I think there are some rich provinces on the way

Venturing into Spain and across to Rome was the last thing

[Destraex]

As I recall Carthage has missions from the get go in spain.

[Nefaro]

Crap, Carthage is as hard a faction as I remember it being.  I forgot just how scattered its starting territories are, and how that...complicates things when playing as them.  If anyone has useful tips/advice, I'm all ears. 

I try to get non-aggression pacts with those bordering the east side of my territory on turn one, as Carthage.  Definitely the African states, and some of those nearby notables in the Med where possible.  Rome will inevitably declare war on you.  Even if you somehow manage to get an NA treaty with them, it will only delay them a bit. 

Getting nice with at least those on your North African border, at the start, is essential to avoid a two-front war in the beginning.  You may also be able to get a foot in with Syracuse, which would also be ideal.


In my last start, I let those Iberian vassal states get into wars with their neighboring Iberian tribes, and ideally let the enemy conquer them.  Then I could move my armies in and take them as my own, instead of having them as vassals, and continue on through Iberia.  Vassals generally aren't very useful IMO, even despite being able to designate a military target for them (way too slow to move & cheap units).

Sometime during that Iberian conquest, Rome will DOW you.  They may dick around for a few turns afterward since they're probably also fighting on the Italian peninsula or near the Alps, but you'll have to give serious thought on your overall strategy from that point. 

After a Rome DOW, hopefully you've had enough success in Iberia that you can get peace treaties for awhile, or quickly finish off whomever you're at war with before Romans come sniffing.  Then the tough slugfest comes with Rome.  I'd try to just win enough against Rome to ensure I can get an easy peace deal before my previous Iberian peace deals expire.  Then just bounce back and forth, nibbling away at each in turn.  If both ends are out of the peace diplo cooldown, you'll be fighting on two fronts and that's the last thing you want. 

At some point, if you can keep the alternating momentum going, you'll have conquered Iberia.  Then it's time to focus on Rome. 

[Sir Slash]

For me, Carthage is at a disadvantage if she tries to operate in the deserts of N. Africa unless she has troops that don't attrite away in the heat there. Of course the same goes for just about anybody.  She's much more able to operate in Iberia or the Med where the culture is closer to her's. Just my take. Either way, she damned hard to play. Pontus or even the Germans was way easier for me.

[Gusington]

IIRC I really enjoyed playing as Carthage, and I may have even won the campaign.

[Martok]

Thanks for the input, everyone.  Much appreciated! 

I try to get non-aggression pacts with those bordering the east side of my territory on turn one, as Carthage.  Definitely the African states, and some of those nearby notables in the Med where possible.  Rome will inevitably declare war on you.  Even if you somehow manage to get an NA treaty with them, it will only delay them a bit. 

Getting nice with at least those on your North African border, at the start, is essential to avoid a two-front war in the beginning.  You may also be able to get a foot in with Syracuse, which would also be ideal.

Yep, I've been signing nonaggression treaties and (where possible) trade agreements with pretty much whoever is willing.  I have been especially focusing on my African neighbors, however, particularly those to the south and east.  (In addition to securing those borders, it would be nice to keep a buffer between Egypt and myself.) 

In my last start, I let those Iberian vassal states get into wars with their neighboring Iberian tribes, and ideally let the enemy conquer them.  Then I could move my armies in and take them as my own, instead of having them as vassals, and continue on through Iberia.  Vassals generally aren't very useful IMO, even despite being able to designate a military target for them (way too slow to move & cheap units).

While I have no desire to conquer Libya (my client-states to the east), I have been thinking it would probably be preferable if Neo-Carthage (my client-state to the west) was under my direct control.  Of course, most of their lands are in Africa, so maybe I goad them into war with Gaetuli (if possible)... 

Sometime during that Iberian conquest, Rome will DOW you.  They may dick around for a few turns afterward since they're probably also fighting on the Italian peninsula or near the Alps, but you'll have to give serious thought on your overall strategy from that point. 

After a Rome DOW, hopefully you've had enough success in Iberia that you can get peace treaties for awhile, or quickly finish off whomever you're at war with before Romans come sniffing.  Then the tough slugfest comes with Rome.  I'd try to just win enough against Rome to ensure I can get an easy peace deal before my previous Iberian peace deals expire.  Then just bounce back and forth, nibbling away at each in turn.  If both ends are out of the peace diplo cooldown, you'll be fighting on two fronts and that's the last thing you want. 

At some point, if you can keep the alternating momentum going, you'll have conquered Iberia.  Then it's time to focus on Rome.

Thanks, Nefaro.  Sounds like it ultimately come down to how much progress I've made in Iberia before Rome comes after me, which honestly is what I suspected would be the case.  We'll see how well (or not) I do here.  :P 

IIRC I really enjoyed playing as Carthage, and I may have even won the campaign.

How did you do this?!?  TELL ME YOUR SECRETS. 

[Gusington]

Listen...are you listening? My secret is...






















ASSCREED

[Martok]

That's it, I'm sending my war elephants after you. 

[Gusington]

^That said I have been wanting to play a Seleucid campaign forever. There's not a lot of companion reading to go along with it, though.

[Martok]

Well my Carthage campaign has already been shot to hell. 

Less than four years in, the world suddenly went mad, with most of the known factions (and a few I hadn't even encountered yet) declaring war on each other.  Thanks to my client-states and an admittedly ill-advised defensive alliance with Epirus, I suddenly found myself at war with a half-dozen antagonists...including Rome.  They wasted no time in going after me, and immediately took Palermo (or whatever my settlement on western Sicily is called); I tried to rush reinforcements there, but the Romans intercepted & sank them.  Uff-da! 

^That said I have been wanting to play a Seleucid campaign forever. There's not a lot of companion reading to go along with it, though.

Yeah, I can't help you with reading material on them.  A pity. 

[Hofstadter]

Caved and bought rome 2

Im so SICK of being a barbarian faction!

[Gusington]

^Perfect...play as the Seleucids!

[Nefaro]

Well my Carthage campaign has already been shot to hell. 

Less than four years in, the world suddenly went mad, with most of the known factions (and a few I hadn't even encountered yet) declaring war on each other.  Thanks to my client-states and an admittedly ill-advised defensive alliance with Epirus, I suddenly found myself at war with a half-dozen antagonists...including Rome.  They wasted no time in going after me, and immediately took Palermo (or whatever my settlement on western Sicily is called); I tried to rush reinforcements there, but the Romans intercepted & sank them.  Uff-da! 

Epirus?!  Are you mad!?

They're the worst start in the game.  Everyone dogpiles on Epirus early on.  Anyone nearby, early on, and it just keeps getting worse.  For some reason it's the most AI-loathed faction in the game, at the start.

Needless to say, don't play Epirus unless you're a Total War campaign masochist.