Walkthrough 04 AleaIactaEst, the Italian mod for BTS

(download from the link below)

Introduction to the mod
Alea Iacta Est mod is entirely set in Italy, and covers all its history, from the ancient ages to nowadays: its civilizations and leaders, its religions, its wonders, its great persons, and so on.
The most important people who lived in Italy in any period of its history are represented, and their goal is the Supremacy over the others. There are completely different ways to achieve victory. Even Cultural and Domination victories have been reworked, in order to reflect the Supremacy goal.
The leader you choose will set the starting period of the game, the opponents you will meet, and the technological scope the game will have. For example, if you choose a classical civilization like the Romans, you will start in the classical era, and your game will last till the middle ages, or even a part of the renaissance; so, you are the Romans, and the entire game will be set in your historical period.
Civilizations will rise and fall as the game goes on. The Romans will face the risk to fall, when the game passes the middle ages; there could be a new civilization (like the Longobards), who suddenly enters in the game and invades the Romans with a huge army. So, the more historically ancient civilizations will tend to leave it to the new ones; on the other hand, if they prove themselves tough enough to resist to the attack, thus proving to be able to stand the test of time, they could achieve a Survival victory.

Introduction to the walkthrough
There are a lot of new items, mechanics and features in this mod.
This walkthrough wants to show some games, played with different civilizations in order to show you different game periods. Most game features will be presented and described. Note: I will not show every single unit, tech, building and wonder. Just remember that, most of the times, something that exists in the standard game can have different statistics and purposes.
I'll try to give an extremely brief description of historical facts, as we face civilizations, leaders or something that needs to be quoted.
Note: I WONT describe any further the new game concepts I have already introduced in the previous walkthroughs; sorry but it would require too long; I will just highlight the new concepts, so you could look them up in the other threads as you find them.
The default settings of these games are: difficulty Prince, speed Epic, world size Standard (5 opponents), map RandomItaly (a flat map with a big continent, a couple of large islands, and a lot of other tiny islands. However, just to let you know, the mod also includes a pre-made huge Italy map).

The medieval era - Gregory the Great and the Papal States



The Papal States had a huge impact for the entire history of Italy and of the whole known world. The several Popes unified people, control countries, staked up wealth, inspired crusades, and caused a lot of other good and bad events. Gregory the Great was the one who created the Gregorian Chants, probably the most famous chant of the middle ages.

His bonuses are obviously all related to religion. His UU is a pikeman with an excellent city defense. His UB greatly decreases city maintainance, and can use a priest.

I’m playing this game in a Large world, Islands map (just to show you a different map script).
The start.



The tech tree:



I go for Civil Service and Guilds (grocer, some good units, and my UU too). Research is going to be extremely slow (165 turns!!), if I stay with a 1-sized city. No, wait a second, I can adjust my civics and go out of Despotism (to avoid its -10% research); now, it’s only 145 turns!

First meeting:



Yes, if you remember my Classical Start game, Caesar can play either on classical or on medieval. His legions are still valid units.

The nordic cult of Odin spreads to Vatican City. Of course, I want to focus on religions, but it’ll be funny to get Christianity!! I don’t convert at the moment, I wait some more turns.

This is what I’ve explored. I’m in the top-right corner, and I’m alone with Caesar! There’s a single resource of iron, and one of horses.



I want a galley as soon as possible to go exploring south. And after some turns, that’s who I find there:



A “ruthless and eccentric conqueror”, a strange guy, surely unreliable.

And also



Liutprand’s only interests are gold and military. Bad combo, very dangerous. Good he’s quite far from my island.

At the moment, I want to train some defensive units (remember my neighbor?), and to rush a third city in Visconti’s island to grab iron.

All seems to be going well… too well, in fact I receive a negative global event:

Another meeting.



The greatest sea power of Italian history. He likes ships and trades, but he also likes war somehow, so he can turn out to be either a great partner or my worst enemy.

Now, a look at the global military situation:



Liutprand is willing to declare on Caesar. Caesar, although being weaker than me (in the score panel it’s reported to be 0.7 times my power), has currently “enough on his hands” (as the fist icon says). There seems to be a war coming soon, but I’m in a good position and am not worried.

Note: I don’t know if anyone else is actually planning a war. The “We have enough on our hands” status can be hidden, if the leader has other good reasons to refuse our demand to declare war on someone else. I can only be sure that Caesar is planning a war, but can’t tell about the others.

Meanwhile, the first illustrious personalities born. Someone “steals” MY Thomas Aquinas: he would have been perfect for the type of game I’m going to play (religions).



This is my progress at the moment. Surely, the others have consumed some great people to “inspire” their illustrious personalities (this action adds 400 points).



The last meeting. All of us are here. He is a well known guy.



I discover Guilds and now I can train my unique unit:



Now I want to go for the religious path (at the bottom of this screenshot):



This, to get Christianity, to try to build the Basilica of St.Peter (the old Apostolic Palace), and to get to the Crusader (a particular mounted unit, excellent against enemy cities with pagan religions).

My first illustrious personality:



Some uneventful turns pass. I’m close to Theology, and I’ve found another city in the islands south of Vatican City. I’m also building San Michele Maggiore, to utterly increase the spread speed of my state religion (none at the moment, but I’m going to found Christianity).

My idea is that, as soon as I’ve discovered Divine Right, I’ll attack Visconti with my crusaders: a holy war!!

Meanwhile, the victory situation. Cultural and espionage are still, only domination means something:




Caesar is the closest. I can have further info about him by using spies. I send a spy to Rome for an info mission, and this is the result.



Ok, this was just for info. I keep going for Divine Right. Cult of Christ is spreading at a great speed (thanks to my trait-wonder bonus combo). The Holy War is getting closer and closer.

Finally, here it is!



I think it’s time for some “salad” for Caesar!

But before I can build up my army, there’s some news. First, a new illustrious personality in my empire.



Second… well, as you can read in the screenshot, Visconti has declared war on me. But it’s a small invasion, somehow countered, and it’s all over in few turns.

The first association is founded: Calderai, in Rome.



And after some more turns, the Cult of Christ becomes an institution, with the Basilica of St. Peter. The Theocracy of Gregory the Great is starting.

A small army heads toward the infidel city of Cumae.



I declare on Caesar, and he makes Visconti help him. Two against one! Well, I can handle it!



Note that the crusader, even unpromoted and against a fully defensed hilly city, has a 18% chance of winning. It’s incredible! I could even try to attack now. But I’ll wait a couple of turns to bombard a little. Note: I can only have a max of 5 crusaders, that’s why I don’t have more of them.



Incredibly easily, with a minimal bombardment (too sad only 5 crusaders! I attacked at 39%, 45%, 52%, 67%, 72%, and then with the other units, 1% and 2%!!!):



When the other war against Visconti is going to end, I’ve an opportunity for a free great general, but I’m too weak on that side to try to take Milano, so I forget it (at least, at the moment).



Few turns later, I get Rome as well. Note, from the hints at the bottom left, the world wonders inside Rome: Maschio Angioino (extra defense in all my cities), St. Mark’s Square (doubles the city trade routes outputs), and the Calderai Headquarter.



Caesar capitulates, and this is enough for me.



This has been a ridiculously easy war, since I’ve been able to use the full potential of the crusader. If Caesar had converted to Cult of Christ, or if this cult had spread to the city I was attacking, the crusader wouldn’t have had his huge attack bonus, so after all it’s also had been a question of luck.

Note that, now that I have the Calderai Headquarter, I could play to expand it to all rivals or to a part of them (having the same association of a rival improves relations, trade routes, and culture influence; instead, rival associations do the opposite; so, it could be a powerful diplomatic tool; you can actually split the world in two, deciding who is on which side). However, in this game I don’t mind of associations; my only interest is the Cult of Christ.

Visconti makes peace after two turns (he also dared to DEFY my resolution of peace. He shall pay for this!).

I start preparing some “holy” warriors to “convert” Visconti, and in the meantime he shows to have an excellent espionage structure: his spies are repeatedly destroying my iron mine; a patrolling spy of mine is not enough, so I also have to do some counterespionage.

I obtain my third illustrious personality, and this is just perfect for me!



And a look at the current situation (how long does it take for the next one):



After Christianity has spread to every civ, something happens:



Very close, and I still have some cities where to spread it; next time, it should be better. It’s also time to switch to Organized Religion and cover Justinian with gifts (he’s cautious with me at the moment, I hope to get him to pleased). If it’s not enough, I’ll also spread Calderai to him (to help to get on better).

Unless….





He’s stated to be at 85%. Perhaps I’ll reverse my army against him, instead of Visconti. Surely, he must be stopped.

Will there be enough time?



I’m afraid there will.



Maybe I must spread Cult of Christ to some Milanese cities. If Visconti becomes the second candidate, Justinian should vote for me, since he’s pleased, and he’s also going to be my brother Calderao.

I have a long period of spies, emissaries and missionaries, to try to let Visconti open his borders so that I can spread my religion to his cities. In the meantime, now my brother Justinian is friendly.



No way. I spread Christianity into almost every Milanese city, but now it seems it’s Justinian to be the most popular one. I can’t handle it in peaceful ways; on the other hand, I can’t attack my brother in faith.

I’ll continue spreading cult of Christ, going for an espionage victory, while training defensive troops to raise my power numbers. I’m also going to use my crusaders to attack the infidel Liutprand.

My fourth illustrious personality:



When my troops are ready, I attack Liutprand. I move from Venetian land, and I’m headed to Bergamo. I have to take a longer route, since those enemy forts along Venetian border are doing a Zone of Control, and don’t allow me to pass directly. I must move in the northern fort (where there’s a single crossbow of mine) and from there, move to the second fort (with the enemy longbowman).



A small counterattack from Liutprand, but the hills allow me an easy defense. I also discover the first kind of gun.

In the same time, my brother Justinian has an encounter:





A destructive attack against the Byzantines. Farnese is a ruthless and valorous warrior, and has the unique ability to either “steal” or “kill” illustrious personalities to the enemy.

Longobard’s Bergamo is razed, while Farnese takes Byzantine’s Adrianople and Angora, and marches towards Constantinople, which will fall in two turns.

And just to have some more fun:



There’s some fight near Viterbo against Visconti. He has some culverines (Milanese siege units are quite strong), but apart them, his units are mostly mounted, and it’s a lost fight against my Swiss Guards!! So, it’s a small issue.

There’s a bigger issue about the costs for my units (in this mod, military expeditions are more expensive than usual), and my long war against Liutprand is causing a strike. However, I’ve done with it, just the time to raze Pavia, and make peace. Oh, my valorous crusaders!



And after a long siege, Visconti accepts peace too. Meanwhile, Justinian retooks Adrianople from Farnese, but loses Thessalonica short after. Now, Farnese’s mighty army seems to have almost finished, so Justinian is close to obtain a survival point. In fact:



Whatsmore, Farnese becomes Justinian’s vassal after few turns! Excellent defensive war fought by the Byzantine. But he hasn’t still finished. War against Liutprand, and Torino is conquered.



He resisted a destructive attack, vassalized his attacker, and now moves war against the (once) second power of the game, taking one of his cities. He is a serious rival for a Survival victory. Also note that, with Liutprand capitulating to Visconti, Justinian is at the moment the only one vulnerable to a destructive attack (Papal States, Milanese and Venetians must wait the industrial era).

And just by the way, there’s some excellent news for Justinian:



Of course, he’s going to be seriously tested, before he wins (and just thanks it’s slightly too early for the Florentine unique unit: the bombard):



Antioch is taken over.



Nicomedia is the next.



Then, Trebizond.



De Medici is moving towards Adrianople with his remaining troops, while Justinian is doing an excellent job with flanking attacks and collateral damages. The battle would seem to be a bit easier for the defensors, so Justinian is really close to his second survival point and the victory.

But suddenly I realize something:



Visconti is very close to a cultural victory. I send a spy right away to investigate.



Hey, only De Medici is missing to be culturally inferior than him, and I’m sure it’s just a matter of turns.

In fact, the very next turn:

RECAP

A medieval start has a bit of everything; every feature of the old BTS, and (almost) every feature of the mod. Religions are very important, also for their influence on culture and espionage, and for the crusaders (they force nations to create coalitions even more than before). Associations are useful both for economics and for diplomacy.

In this game, we went really close to see a Survival Victory. Justinian proved himself an excellent defender. However, the superpower for the entire game was Visconti, and he could actually have won in a number of different ways (not to mention domination). About me, well, I tried a Religious Victory, which is not too different from standard BTS (apart of the number of options you have to play diplomacy); but I was never able to win in such a way, I lack in diplomatic skills . At the end of the game, I simply sat down and look at how Justinian was doing.

That’s all for medieval starts. Next step: renaissance start.