Fall of Rome conquest

[Simak]

So, I've started the fall of rome conquest. Last time I played this conquest I got my tushy handed to me by every civ in the game attacking me. And although I had eliminated the Byzantines, being attacked by 8 Civs all at the same time takes it's toll. So, with 45 turns to go, I decided to quit and try again.

So, this time around I got a better start.....by noting which cities did well and which didn't, I relocated 3 cities on square, and totally relocated 2 cities to coastal regions instead of mountainous. All good so far. Now for my questions.........How long should I go before I attack one of the Romes? Last time I waited till turn 50 in a 150 turn game. As it took 55 turns to eliminate the Byzantines, I'm wondering if I should allow more time to eliminate my opponents, or should I wait longer till I'm more advanced with the hopes of taking them out quicker with better technology?

Second......If I attack one of the Romes, how do I get another Barbarian civ to join in with me. Last time I played this scenario, everyone attacked me. How do I convince my friends to become more......become allies and squash them Legionaries to dust!!!!!

 

[HellboundHeathcliff]

You need to establish embassies so you can get military alliances.

 

[Simak]

Ummmm, yes, I already have the embassies. But, no matter what I gift to the other civs they only are polite with me, and Rome and Byzantium is annoyed with me. When I start attacking Rome and Byzantium, I don't want every other civ on the map to attack me. So, how do I get other civs to form military alliances against rome before I actually attack them. I know I need an embassy. What I'm asking for is the specifics......how do you do it? Or is the difficulty in what I'm trying to do inherent in the scenario....The fall of Rome?

 

[HellboundHeathcliff]

Just like in the epic game. Open negotiations and choose an alliance. You won't have that option if they don't know the Romans yet but i think everyone stats with the knowledge.

 

[Simak]

I must be doing something wrong. I've gifted 1gp or 2 gps to every civ other than rome and byzantium. Yet, nobody will accept a military alliance against rome nor byzantium. The Celts are 3 techs behind everyone else. I've gifted them 2 tech advances and asked nothing in exchange. Still, no alliance, and they are still only polite toward me. If another civ would simply gift two techs to me, I'd be more than just polite. I'd be freakin' ecstatic!

 

[Padma]

Are you trying to get an Alliance *before* you are at war with Rome? I haven't played this Conquest, but in the epic game it is almost impossible to get an Alliance until after you are at war. After all, the AI doesn't want to declare, on accepting the MA, and then be left holding the bag if you *don't* declare.

 

[HellboundHeathcliff]

Right, you need to already be at war to get a military alliance.

 

[Aabraxan]

. . . . After all, the AI doesn't want to declare, on accepting the MA, and then be left holding the bag if you *don't* declare.

Gee, now who would pull a dirty trick like that?

 

[Simak]

Ok, last time I played this conquest, I attacked the Byzantines on turn 50 as I was worried about their score increasing......they had 18,000 and needed 35,000 for a point victory and it was turn 50 in a 150 turn game. So, this time I decided to wait and develop more before starting the war. Less time to be invaded, more time to set up attack squadrons on my enemies boarders. So, on turn 62, what does rome do.....they send legion escorted workers into my territory and they start chopping down the trees on my plot.

So, I tell Rome, "get off my plot." And they say, "oh, we thought barbarians were in these plots. Sorry." And I'm like, "yeah, so what were barbarians." So, nect turn there they are chopping my forest down. So, I say, "hey, didn't I tell you to leave." And their like, "ummm, barbarians???" So, next turn they demand wine and world map and money. I'm like, Take a hike. They declare war.

Now, this is were things were different. This time they declared war on me. So, I go negociating, and sure enough, Sassinids join in with the agreement of RoP, world map, and the exchange of one technology for another.

 

[PJMsoccer]

I'm currently playing this Conquest. I find it one of the most difficult to win, with so many cards stacked against you.

I'm playing Monarch. I'm going to win this one - Rome and the Byzantines are both gone, but it was close. A big plus was that I got a Scientific GL when I discovered Marauding, so I was able to build the Scourge of God early.

Some strategies:

1. I like the Visigoths. They are far enough away from Western Rome so that they aren't an easy target once the wars start, but they are in range of some lesser defended cities
with VP bonuses for both the Byz and the Romans.

2. I started an early war with the Ostrogoths. They were close by, hadn't made contact with everyone, so they didn't make any alliances against me, and let me get some Elite warlords, and even a couple of armies.

3. When I felt I had enough firepower to take on Rome or Byz, I had just about completed the tech tree. I built a city just north of Constantinople, loaded it up with warlords and one of my armies, then declared war on the Byz, but DIDN'T ATTACK THEM. They sent some legionaries after me, and since they were in my territory when I dispatched them, the MPP wasn't activated, and Rome didn't attack.

4. With the few Byz cities on my side of the Mediterranean now weaker, I went after them, taking out Constantinople, and a few outliers. Luckily, the Sassanids were behind in techs due to Imperialism, and I was able to get them to join me in attacking the Byz for a couple of late tree techs. This opened a second front against the Byz, and they were gone in about 15-20 turns.

5. By this time, Rome had activated their MPP, but since I was about done techs, I moved the slider to all cash. I was able to get the Celts and Anglo-Saxons to join me against Rome for gifts of 20-30 GPT, of which I was now able to afford. The Celts are key. They have their whole army concentrated in Britain with only 3-4 Roman cities. They took them all out, making my work easier.

6. Even with all the breaks, it was still touch and go. The Anglo-Saxons must have gotten slaughtered, since Rome was at 32000 VPs, gaining about 300 per turn, leaving me about 10 turns to take 3-4 Roman cities. My second army was doing most of the damage, and I was taking a city every two turns. Then all of a sudden, Rome was in the 34000's, due to the A-S azz kicking. I had to just defeated the Byz, and the extra troops arrived in Northern Italy just in time to take out the 8th Roman city a turn before they hit 35000.

7. Any time any of the other barbs asked for something, like 20 gold and my territory map, I gave it to them. No reason to piss anyone off.

What I would have done differently:

1. Forogo the tech tree after all the barbarian techs are researched, and switch to all cash. Use GPT to get friends to help in the way.

2. Made my first alliance with the Franks instead of the Anglo-Saxons. They seemed to be stronger, but that may change in other games.

 

[Simak]

Your strategy sounds similar to what I did. I didn't start war with Ostros, and I'm glad I didn't, because they were the only civ to be competely peaceful with me the entire game. And, there territory was exceptionally close. So, after the sassinids got POed at me, and declared war, they had to cross over the Ostros territory to get at me, of which they didn't have RoP. Anyway, I did make that city just north of Constantinople. Somehow I recall a fish and wheat plot down there.....about 4-5 turns away from Constant. I finished off Western Rome and got a points victory 7 turns before the game was scheduled to end. Right now, I'm doing the age of discovery with Spain. Fun, Fun, Fun!