RFRE - mod: Roma Victrix!

[Stazro]

Mod: Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
Version: 1.323
Biq: 275 BC Easy
Difficulty: Consul
Aggression: Most aggressive

Introduction

After discussing the usefulness of making an AAR (After Action Report) about the latest version of RFRE in the Mod's main thread to help newcomers getting started, i decided to give it a go.
I've chosen the easy setting because of several issues:
- I'm not a great micromanager and tactician myself, after all those years playing civ3 still learning new things.
- Higher difficulty tend to be more time consuming and i don't want to spend more time on "managing" than necessary.
- The mod is hard enough at these settings anyway
A word on difficulty: Probably the choice of biqs affects the difficulty more than one or two levels, as the production of the dangerous units is mostly from autoproduction and the other civs usually have low production.

I'm trying to give a general overview on how things work in RFRE and how to beat it, so i'll probably won't write great stories. I don't know how regularly i'll update, as i have several other things to do (doing exams, playing other mods, playing other games, having a life and things like that), but at least i'll try.

Houserules:
I'm not using any explicit houserules at the moment (except maybe not trying to avoid fighting Hannibal or Mithridates). I'll even save and reload the game and advice to so, when playing RFRE. You'll spend a lot of time playing and you can easily ruin the game, when losing an army other something similar (if you are good enough to compensate for it, don't let me hinder you, it's just that i am not).

Getting started:
I'm beginning with trying to build up my production by mostly building fabricae respectively a ferraria in Capua. The units i'm starting with should be sufficient for initial challenges and i need the population i'd lose by building units (in RFRE most units require population, an early legion for example takes three population). The only units i'm starting to build are an aditional CUmba in Pisae and a Miles Socius in Roma. The Miles Socius has less hit points than a Legio, but the same A/D stats and uses only one population point, the Cumba i may need to ship some units to Corsica in case of a war with Carthage, while the two i already have will be needed to provide quick supply to Sicily.

Overview of chapters:

Chapter I: The Battle of Beneventum and the pacification of the south (this post)
Chapter II: The first Punic War
Chapter III: Campaigns against Cisalpine Gauls and Western Greeks
Chapter IV: Conquest of Illyria and Campaign against Iberians
Chapter V: The Second Punic War
Chapter VI: Conquest of Africa and Iberia
Chapter VII: The Macedonian Wars and subjugation of Greece
Chapter VIII: The Syrian War (part 1) and pacification of Cantabria
Chapter IX: The Syrian War (part 2)
Chapter X: The Mithridatic War and gaul invasion of northern Italia
Chapter XI: The conquest of central Gallia and the defeat of the Ptolemies
Chapter XII: From republic to principate and the conquest of Egyptus
Chapter XIII: Final defeat of the gauls and Year of Four Emperors
Chapter XIV: The Dacian War and campaigns along the Fluvius Rhenus
Chapter XV: The Transalpine Campaign and the Golden Age of Rome
Chapter XVI: The Conquest of Britannia
Chapter XVII: A belated Jugurthine War
Chapter XVIII: Persian Succession
Chapter XIX: Crisis of the third Century
Chapter XX: From Diocletian to Theodosius and to the roman decadence
Chapter XXI: The Fall of Rome?
Chapter XXII: The Byzantine Era

Chapter I: The battle of Beneventum and the pacification of the south

Pyrrhos, King of Epeiros and a heir to Megas Alexandros' Empire, has been called by the greek city of Taras to help against the growing might of the roman republic. After fighting some battles against Rome and campaigning on Sicily Pyrrhus' army is drained. Now in the year 478 ab urbe condita the first time it seems possible to end the war: For a last decisive battle Pyrrhus of Epirus and the Consuls Manius Curius Dentatus and Lucius Cornelius Lentulus have drawn their battle lines near the town of Beneventum:

To end this war as soon as possible, i have to eradicate the enemy force in the first turn. Although Pyrrhus has some decent troops with him, this battle can be won without loss and without sacrificing momentum in the campaign for Tarentum and Croton.
I use one consular Legion to defeat the elephant unit, than attack with the legiones and milites socii which are around, using velites and equites to finish fast units.

Pyrrhus' army is defeated and he decides to return to his kingdom, while i have enough units left to pose a thread to both Tarentum and Croton in the next turn. You may notice that i used the legions which were positioned to the south in direction of Croton. I'm going not to need them for Croton as i'll try to take it with fast units which will be protected by the damaged but still intact consular legion which defeated Pyrrhus' elephants.

After removal of Pyrrhus army the roman forces advance:

The roman fleet in Neapolis is send to Messana. In the north some spare legions begin to build a road from Pisae to Ariminum to ease an eventual defence. My Servi will work concentrated to maximize their worth, as a single terrain improvement takes a lot of time for them to complete (irrigating grassland takes 16 turns, most other actions have a base of 25, so i'm aiming at using stacks of 16 or 25 servi in the future when i have more of them).

Without their protector the southern italian greek cities are easy prey for the might of Roma.

Here i have to explain another thing: If you build a unit which needs population and the population the build unit uses is foreign, this unit won't need support. This way you can recruit legions which work without cost (as they technically are considered slaves). In this case the population of the captured settlements is so low that it wouldn't pay off. Of course this can be considered an exploit and maybe i'll have a houserule which prohibits Legiones with non-roman citizens, so only Milites Socii and Auxiliary and such may be build from foreign citizens (please remind me when you see i'm doing it ).

Now i start preparing for the inevitable war with those child-murdering, despicable, greedy, [insert random insulting adjective here] Punics on sicily by sending troops down there. In the meantime i sell some right of passage treaties to fill my treasury, as i now have completed my easy conquests in the begin. Everything from now on will increasingly be more work.

The inevitable war seems to come earlier than suspected:

Of course roman pride can never accept this insult...


Please comment!

 

[CCDK]

Very nice form you have found there - a rather full storyline to go with the battle - adding thoughts ideas and remarks on ways to do certain things - I'll tell you one funny thing - I have never used the armies yet in my battles as I am unsure about being able to upgrade the legions/units thrown into the armies later.....I simply cant remember - I might add that I have only recently taken up playing civ3 again after years of neglect.....the failure to use the armies might be the reason why I am having such a hard time in the field....and I didnt know about the selling of right of passage.....nice way to help the budget....

I will follow this eagerly - well done.

you surely have my vote for the next term of consul

 

[Stazro]

Very nice form you have found there - a rather full storyline to go with the battle - adding thoughts ideas and remarks on ways to do certain things - I'll tell you one funny thing - I have never used the armies yet in my battles as I am unsure about being able to upgrade the legions/units thrown into the armies later.....I simply cant remember - I might add that I have only recently taken up playing civ3 again after years of neglect.....the failure to use the armies might be the reason why I am having such a hard time in the field....and I didnt know about the selling of right of passage.....nice way to help the budget....

I will follow this eagerly - well done.

you surely have my vote for the next term of consul

Thank you!
I'm working on the second chapter at the moment (which will be a lot longer than the first) and i have not decided how the style of the report will be when it continues but i'll certainly stick with giving hints on how to do some things which are special to this scenario, because i'm doing this to a certain degree to make it easier for first time rfre players.
Regarding the armies: The units in an army can't be upgraded. But it pays off to put the early legions in. It takes a lot of time until you'll get the next legions and until then you'll miss the armies which are of use especially against special units with high hitpoints or to protect your legions on the march (remember the low defencive values!). One day you'll be able to upgrade the army and the units you put into it will be free then

 

[CCDK]

I see!! - and upgrade sets them free again!!! - Thanx you very much for pointing that out! - Just got utterly butchered again by Carthage - those über-units have me screaming like a madman...and the city with Hannibal is always at 1 pop so even if I manage to beat that force and take the city ill not even get it but just ruin it...damned irritating (tried and early attack on carthage you see)

well I dont wanna fill up your fine AAR with my tales of failure..

good luck!

 

[kingfire87]

Yes! I love stories based on mods! *Subscription!*

 

[Stazro]

Thank you for your support!

Chapter II: The first Punic War

Year: 273 BC, CDLXXX AUC

War! The Poeni don't want to take our refusal and approach Messana on Sicilia.

However, their vanguard is no match for roman cavalry. While our troops have to be replenished and supplied, the navy spots enemy ships approching.

Our navy reports enemy ships approaching. We are able to sink some and now the complement of one of our ships has gained enough experience to be considered being among the best.
However our fleet is not numerous enough to hold off the whole of carthages minions and they were able to launch an amphibious attack on Messana, in which we lost Legio XI and a detachment of allied hoplites.

Year: 272 BC, CDLXXXII AUC

At least we have been able to take out the intruders in a counterattack, before the Poeni were able to retreat their ships.

But another threat reaches the coast of Italia:

Year: 271 BC, CDLXXXIII AUC

Attack after attack has to be fought back, lead by the libyan mercenaries and the dreaded numidians, perhaps the finest cavalrymen in the world. But soon Roma will be ready to strike back...

After some skirmishes around the notheastern tip of Sicilia in Spring Consul Caeso Quinctius Claudus leads his Legions, assisted by a large contingent of Velites and some Cavalry to the west in an atempt to sack Panormus, which succeeds with some losses among the Velites.

As the roman generals have learned that due to the massive carthaginian navy the libyan mercenaries are able to strike anywhere, they take care not to expose troops in the open near the coast.

Year: 270 BC, CDLXXXIV AUC

The punic counterattack could be repelled in a close fight (the fleet east of Panormus is the one which first was spotted near Roma, they sailed south along the coast).

In Pisae the Legiones V, VIII, IX and XIII board newly finished ships to sail to corsica.

Year: 269 BC, CDLXXXV AUC

The Legiones leave the ships south of Aleria and beginn to prepare for battle.

(Forgot to save the screenshot)

In the meantime the small roman navy around Sicilia is successful in executing quick strikes against the Poeni, everytime savely returning to the portus before the enemy can react.

Year: 268 BC, CDLXXXVI AUC

The strikeforce on corsica conquers Aleria and with it gains control over the complete island. I realise i can build the Pharus and switch production in Pisae. I think it is a good position for a "great harbour" (works like an airport), beeing something like my northern pillar at the moment, and it is the only coastal city ready to build it.

My troops on Sicilia seem to be ready for further advance, so i proceed in direction of Agrigentum.

Year: 267 BC, CDLXXXVII AUC

Capua completes its Ferraria. The Senate decides to grant the funds to reenlist Legio XI (SPQR Wonder has spawned a Legio the first time).
Agrigentum falls before the might of the roman legions. Now the poeni reign on Sicilia is reduced to the western region, where a young carthaginian general named Hamilkar Barca has been given command, a proud and cunning man whose family belongs to the first in Qart Hadasht, how they call their city, and claims decendancy from Dido, the queen who spoke a curse on Aeneas when he had left to continue his search for a new home.

Year: 266 BC, CDLXXXVIII AUC

But the Poeni have not lost their teeth: The counterattack on Agrigentum, launched from sea, as the usual tactic seems to be, brought two consuls with their legions near extinction. Roman discipline was the only thing standing between them and a crushing defeat.

Year: 264 BC, XD AUC

After a period without major confrontations new battles are coming up. Four Legions have been shipped to the north of Sardinia. Some carthaginian troops which made the long journey from Hispania will soon reach Italia.

And on Sicilia the Consuls prepare to face Hamilkar on the battlefield.

Year: 263 BC, XDI AUC

A succesful, oh!, a glorious year for the sons of Mars, the heirs of Aeneas! From this day noone shall dare to treat a roman less than equal!
Roman valour prevails, the Intruders are slain, Hamilkar is defeated and flees the field of battle. Carthage has lost her last stronghold on Sicilia and half of Sardinia, too!

Another hint: Lilybaeum has an improvement called "Portus Mercatorius" preplaced. This improvement acts as a "great harbour" which equals an airport in this mod. If this portus mercatorius is destroyed when taking the city you won't be able to build a new one, as you usually need a navalia as prerequisite, which in turn needs lumber in city radius which Lilybaeum does not have. So, if you want to retain the great harbour in Lilybaeum you could save before taking the city and reload if it has been destroyed.

Year: 261 BC, XDIII AUC

Year: 260 BC, XDIV AUC

Carales has fallen, Sardinia is roman.

Year: 258 BC, XDVI AUC

An expeditionary force of four Legiones lands on the Baleares.

The Poeni have found friends among the pathetic greeks! This shall not bother us much...

Year: 256 BC, XDVIII AUC

The Baleares are now under roman law and will supply the legions with valuable Slingers, deadly warriors in ranged combat.

Capua completes the Ferraria Magna and Pisae the Pharus:

The Pharus allows trade and safe travel through sea tiles, acts as a great port and increases the movement of my ships by one point (not to forget its support is expensive).

Year: 255 BC, ID AUC

Finally the Senate decides to give peace to Carthago after payment of some gold (i had a screenshot of this, too, but i reached the image limit and had to delete one).

I did not have any war weariness yet and still had the resources to continue the war, but there is little to gain at the moment: In spain i'd have to stop in front of carthago nova, because it gets a massive 900 % defence bonus until 225 BC from the Hasdrubal Dux wonder which will spawn Hasdrubal Barcas army. Mediolanum is protected by the Hannibal Dux wonder which will spawn Hannibal. And at last, though i'm not heading for absolute historical accuracy, i'm not going to conquer africa before spain, so now it is time to let the conflict rest and think about what is to come.

 

[againsttheflow]

also subscribing...

 

[pinktilapia]

Good story Stazro, well illustrated. If you and Christophoros can bring these games well into the ADs, I will link them in the front post of the mod, so as to be become real tutorials. Keep going!

 

[Stazro]

Good story Stazro, well illustrated. If you and Christophoros can bring these games well into the ADs, I will link them in the front post of the mod, so as to be become real tutorials. Keep going!

Thank you. It will take some time until then but i'd appreciate that.

 

[Christophoros]

Good story Stazro, well illustrated. If you and Christophoros can bring these games well into the ADs, I will link them in the front post of the mod, so as to be become real tutorials. Keep going!

I also thank you, for I am glad to contribute in whatever small way to what I think is the greatest mod for Civ 3.

I'd also like to commend Stazro as he is taking the time and putting in the efforts needed to write a good, readable story with screenshots and not a simple tutorial like me. Ave !

 

[Stazro]

A small note before i start the next chapter: I'm playing quite aggressively in this game (what you will see in the following chapters III and IV), so don't think it is absolutely necessary to catch up with my expansion. In my oppinion it is possible to do two wars at a time, as long as you don't fight one of the major opponents and i'm trying to use my units as much as i can.

Chapter III:

In the following years i continue improving my cities and begin gathering troops for a campaign against the cisalpine celts. I'm ignoring Aetolia for now, as i don't want to have units bound to greece for two cities when i'm engaged elsewhere.

Year: 252 BC, DII AUC

The next tech will be Cisalpine and Illyric Wars.

Year: 250 BC, DIV AUC

After the southern and western borders of the res publica have been widened in the long and bloody war with carthago, the senate now has come to the opinion that the northern border should be secured from incursions of barbaric celts, living in Liguria and the valley of the river Padus. Thus the Consuls are send to lead a campaign against the Liguri, Umbri and Veneti.

Year: 249 BC, DV AUC

The Mare Nostrum will regularly spawn Corvi, which are slow, but can enslave ships, which is very useful, as the captured ships don't require support. These are quite weak, but can be upgraded later.

As the Aetolians have to fear the might of Rome, they agree to sign a ceasefire on Rome's conditions.

Each Consul leads an army of which one marches in direction of Genua and the other in direction of Ravenna. Both the Liguri and Umbri show less resistance than expected and are brought down with ease.

In the siege of Ravenna a new weapon is used: the Ballista. Artillery is an important factor in this scenario: Rome will face a lot of special units with many hitpoints, which will give you high casualties if you don't have sufficient artillery to soften them up.

Year: 246 BC, DVIII AUC

After defeat of the Veneti the last remaining major tribe in cisalpine gaul are the Insubri, who for now shall be subject of Rome's watchful eye, but not her swords.

Year: 240 BC, DXIV AUC

Year: 238 BC, DXVI AUC

The volcano Mons Vesuvius has erupted! Luckily the eruption did not harm the nearby city of Neapolis. The Augures take this as a sign in favour of actions that are to come.
Knowing this, the senate approves of the plans for several other campaigns to enhance the security of the roman republic. These plans include radical measures against the Samnites, who regularly revolt against roman hegemony, and the integration of several greek colonies along the shores of the western and central mediterranean.
The republican forces are deployed in four armies. One, under command of one consul, will proceed against the Samnites. The second Consul leads an army to finally subdue Hiero of Syracusae. Four Legions assisted by two allied legions of Milites Socii and two detachments of Funditores will start an attack at Saguntum, while a huge legionary corps marches west from Liguria to occupy the cities of Massilia and Narbo.

Saguntum and Bovianum fall in 237, Syracusae in 236 and Massilia, after the consular army from Bovianum arrived, in 235:

The western Greeks don't offer much resistance, i think they were broke and had to disband some units. For example, i saw a samnite peltast in Bovianum, but he disappeared in the next turn and i never had to fight one.

Year: 234 BC, DXX AUC

With Narbo, the last target of the campaign is taken:

Now the roman republic has access to gallic goods, which will help to enhance the quality of life.

At this time the main body of the army consists of 17 roman (Legio) and 12 allied (Miles Socius) Legions.

The western and central part of the res publica in 233:

Year: 229 BC, DXXV AUC

To complete the supply route down to Saguntum we need Tarraco, too. Too bad that the Sedetani don't want to join the republic.

Year: 228 BC, DXXVI AUC

They better had!

 

[CCDK]

bravo - well done!

as for being on the warpath all the time where you can - the more one can manage to get into the fold as soon as in ANY way possible the more you have when you really need some gear, money and fair maidens.....or whatever Gaul products are or Greek products for that matter....

 

[Lord_Megahertz]

subscribing

 

[D'Artagnan59]

Very good.

Try not to use thumbnails. Use the Image tags. For example: Say the URL to the image is Roma Victrix. Instead of creating a thumbnail, use

.

 

[Stazro]

Very good.

Try not to use thumbnails. Use the Image tags. For example: Say the URL to the image is Roma Victrix. Instead of creating a thumbnail, use

.

Thank you, i'll try that. Chapter IV will be up soon, V later this day.

 

[Stazro]

Chapter IV:

Year: 227 BC

This tech enables me to build the Praetor wonder, which fights corruption. On the other hand, it costs a lot of maintenance, so i'll probably don't build it yet, because it wouldn't pay off now.

My war against Iberia continues. I plan to take Numantia and Toletum in this war, build roads and kill off their attacking armies until i can sign a ceasefire. As i won't need all my forces in the west i'll start another war. Use the units you have!

Year: 224 BC

Pirates have been a nuisance in the Mare Adriaticum for the last decades. Many of them have their hideouts along the illyrian coast, so the senate decides to fund a campaign in that region:

I use Cumbae from Ariminum and Barium to deploy my forces on three spots in Illyria, so i don't need to march along the whole coast.

Year: 221 BC

Some aetolian ships were suspiciously sailing through roman territory, so i asked them to leave:

This allows me to sink the ships before i they had the opportunity to attack, but my forces in the east are a bit depleted by the war with illyria, so i let another one do some of the work for me:

Year: 220 BC

The war in Hispania comes to an end, Tarraco, Numantia and Toletum are roman. Now it is time to prepare Spain for a second Punic War.

Year: 219 BC

The subjugation of the illyrian pirates is complete, which means i can concentrate on Aetolia now.

The east in 219 BC:

Year: 218 BC

With the assistance of the Macedones our troops capture Ambracia:

Year: 216 BC

The Macedons capture Delphi and destroy the Aetolians, but they have lost a lot of units including Philip's Elephants, so a future war against them will be considerably easier.

Year: 215 BC

This tech will allow me to build the Imperium Scipionis wonder which will spawn a Legio Scipionis, an army unit which represents Legions under leadership of Scipio. The Imperium Scipionis will go obsolete with Slavery tech, so if i research this i will get one Legio Scipionis. You can research Education first, so you will get another one, but i have decided not to do that in this game, but to try to get Marian Legions as soon as possible and use Education for another Legio Caesaris, which will become available later.

The Portus Campaniae in Neapolis has spawned a Navis Actuaria. This is an excellent transport ship with high capacity and speed. You can't build any of them, as they are autoproduced only. One spawns from the Portus Campaniae before it becomes obsolete and later they can be spawned by the Portus Migrare. In order to build the Portus Migrare you need four Navaliae which in turn need fine lumber in city radius.

Year: 214 BC

The Circus Maximus makes two citizens in Rome and one in every other city happy.

 

[kingfire87]

Woot! It's a whole lot easier to read with image tags....

 

[Stazro]

Woot! It's a whole lot easier to read with image tags....

Yes. I've edited the other chapters, too.


Teaser: Next chapter will feature a fight against Hannibal Barca, though not as spectacular as you may hope

 

[Stazro]

Chapter V: The Second Punic War

Year: 207 BC

I think i am ready for the next war against Carthago and my forces are positioned for preemptive strike. In preparation for this war i have gone for the first time beyond the free upkeep limit which is 55 units in republic with easy biq. However, this will hopefully be only temporary. If i'm not losing "enough" units, i'll disband some soon. In republic i have to pay 8 gold for every non-free unit above 55!

Northern Italy:

Spain:

There is an exploit which allows you to avoid fighting Hannibal by taking Mediolanum, the only city of the barcid civilization. This is, of course, not intended by the designers of this scenario, who have put a lot of work especially in making Hannibal to attack Italy. Thus, i will fight him before taking Mediolanum (of course i'm not going to let him wreak havoc, but do my very best to stop him).

Because of the higher war weariness when starting a war yourself, i make the enemy declare on me:

Now i attack the carthaginians on their territory, so the barcids will declare war, too:

The first goal is the defeat of Hannibal. To do this i have build a huge force of Ballistae (the units which exceeded the free upkeep limit) which open the fight, followed by the funditores. This bombardment ends with Hannibal beeing redlined:

An elite Miles Socius is enough to beat him:

Hannibal is history and i haven't lost any unit, which is something i really haven't dreamed of.

Hasdrubal has to be dealt with without artillery, but he is not nearly as dangerous and can be taken by a consular legion.

Without Hannibal there is no way for Mediolanum to resist for long.

Ten of my Legions which did not see action board the Navis Actuaria waiting at Pisae and land in Tarraco, ready to reinforce my hispanic operations.

The following years are spend with naval battles around sicily and breaking the carthaginian attacks in spain.

Year: 203 BC

Slavery allows the building of Catastae. These enhance a city's production and spawn servi, but they increase the risk of slave unrest (= pollution). The only units which are effective at fighting slave unrest are legions and equites, so you have to be careful where to build catastae.
I usually use equites who quickly can be where slave unrest strikes, due to their two movement points. If you are using Equites just for the purpose of fighting slave unrest, you should not upgrade them to Eques Legionarius when these become available, because they are not as good at fighting slave unrest.

Year: 202 BC

Finally i can shift to offence in Hispania:

Year: 200 BC

Year: 199 BC

Year: 298 BC

Year: 197 BC

Whenever it has been possible i used the Navis Actuaria to speed up the advance.

The spanish campaign is completed, the barcid holdings now become the roman province of Hispania.


This is as far as i have played right now, so it will take some time to the next update. As Christophoros is ahead of me in his parallel AAR i think i have to be careful what to do when i don't want to look like an imitator

 

[Christophoros]

An imitator ? No worries, you have shown bold tactics and have done several good moves, like the quick strike against Illyria. You're already outpacing me conquest wise. Keep up the Roman Eagles high and proud !