RFRE - mod: Roma Victrix!

I have a promise to keep, so here we go!

Chapter XXI: The Fall of Rome?

Year: 379 AD

I now gain the 375 AD tech. It makes the Vallum Hadriani, Renovatio Diocletiani, Opus Imperator-Soldati and Crisis of the third century obsolete.
For the barbarians this tech is very important, allowing several new units, especially for the Scythians, who from now on represent the Huns...



The Incursio Vandalorum equals the Incursio Barbarorum, but for the Numidians, who now represent the Vandals. Their Equites Numidici are now upgraded to Equites Praedabundi, who will launch hidden nationality attacks at my african holdings. Until now, an Eques Praedabundus could only be spawned.

By the way, the loss of the Renovatio was quite a hit:



Year: 383 AD



The Moenia Theodosii increase the defence of Constantinopolis by 200 % and spawn a Comitatenses Legio every five turns.

Year: 387 AD



The Goths will stand no chance in the long run, but i'm kind of happy that i'm not the first who is on the germanic's list. They are moving their army through Dacia and i can tell you, it wouldn't take much more to make me cry...

Year: 389 AD



This tech does... urm... nothing.

Year: 401 AD

The last years haven't seen much change. The germanics are still killing every goth that is leaving behind his super-defenders and I'm still preventing the Persians from reaching armenian cities. But you might have noticed that I entered the fifth century, the last of the western roman empire. Hopefully my unified empire will prevail, which probably is more a question of "if" not "how" an attack from the Huns and Germanics will happen.

Year: 403 AD

Just a picture where you can see how much my borders mean to the germans:



Year: 413 AD



This tech does the same as the last, which is nothing but costing research time. A good prospect, though, and kind of a ne experience in these times: The next techs will actually improve things!
The background of this development is of course, that the troublesome western empire is no more, while the eastern empire retains a degree of stability and power.
By the way, you see I'm ahead with techs some decades now, as the end of the western empire in reality happened in 476.

Year: 427 AD

A day of mourning has come for every true roman: The Barbari have stopped to fight each other!

Year: 429 AD



I have received the 425 AD tech, which renders a number of improvements obsolete, namely Census, Triumphus, Amphitheatrum and Catasta. This is a hit against my economy and production. Especially frustrating is the low production potential of Constantinopolis, where I have to build some Wonders in the near future.
Additionally the germanics are now able to build Castra Saxonis, which spawns a Praedator Saxonus regularly. To represent the saxon raiding parties this unit has paradrop ability and can show up all over Britannia and in a considerable part of Gallia.

Year: 437 AD



This tech makes the Castra Foederatum obsolete, but it enables me to build Imperium Belisarii, which spawns a powerful army, the Hagia Sophia and the Codex Iuris Civilis.
These wonders will take ages due to the low production rate of the city. Anyway, I use a prebuild for Imperium Belisarii to make sure I'll get one without delaying research.
A note on possible research paths: The arrows in the science advisor are outdated: Intelligence is now a later research and I have only one option here.

Now that the Triumphus and the Castra Foederatum are obsolete I can train Veterans or upgrade only in Constantinopolis and Roma.



Year: 455 AD

A plague has broken out in some cities.

Year: 457 AD

The plague spreads. A Legio Belisarii has been spawned, an army that can consist of four units. Four cataphracts are probably the most efficient choice.

Year: 461 AD



Now I can produce the mighty cataphracts, which until now only received through the Hippodromus in Constantinople. The Cataphractus can take on even the Clibanarius, sadly he is considerably more expensive.
The Cataphracti replace the Comitatenses cavalry, but these can't be upgraded.

I think I have detected a bug, because while the Comitatenses and the germanic cavalry can't be upgraded, the Miles Alarius Germanicus can, which means I now have a rescue team consisting of 90 units that are upgradable to cataphracts. This is probably not intended.



The Hagia Sophia decreases the number of unhappy citizens in the empire by two and spawns an Auxilia Palatina every 8 turns.

Year: 465 AD

Now I've really been caught by surprise: The Brits declared war on the germanics, which caused the Huns to declare war on Britannia... Didn't see that coming.

Year: 477 AD

In reality one year ago the last western roman emperor had to resign, but in my game Roma still is united in all her glory. I know many of you are disappointed for the storm has not come yet, but I have to admit I'm glad.

Year: 479 AD



This timer tech makes several roman wonders obsolete, like the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, Opus Ovidii and Constitutio Antoniana.

At this point the chapter shall end with the histograph:



You can clearly see the impact of the war between Germanics & Scythians against Goths.
In the recent past the plague probably has killed some Animi Barbarorum, which could have slowed down their power growth.
 
Chapter XXII: The Byzantine Era

Year: 485 AD



This advancement changes the face of the roman army, as the standard infantry unit now are the Stratiotes. It is a decent defender with a value of 7 and it doesn't cost support and is cheap enough that the previous units can be upgraded at zero costs. The modernisation will require some time due to the lack of upgarde facilities, though.
A new building of that type is the Thema. It acts like a barracks and it allows cities to grow to city size 3, but it requires greek goods in city radius, which means that it mostly is confined to the eastern part of the empire.
It also reduces corruption and increases tax revenue, which makes the Thema a very valuable building.

This year also the plague has gone away after 30 years (15 turns).

Year: 493 AD

The war between the Britons and the Germanics has come to an end, after the saxons have conquered one of the pictish settlements.

Year: 507



The Vandals dare to attack! General Belisarius immediately sails to Carthago.
Pax Romana has lasted long. Let's see if this one of our feared enemies is powerful enough to defeat our forces.

Year: 509

It's time to enter a new age:





With this advancement receives the roman navy her best warship, the Dromon, and pots of greek fire that can be thrown on attackers. It is not a bad idea to have a good number of these at your border settlements. However, they can not be moved, except by fast travel, so be careful where you build them.



With the Corpus Iuris Civilis the growth rate in the empire is doubled, due to good governance.
Just in case you don't know, it is really impressing how developed the roman law has been at their time.

Year: 511 AD

The war is going on. A main advantage on my side is that the AI obviously doesn't want to attack a full health Cohortes Imperatoriae. Thus I have a tool to lead him where I want, while picking the Incursores one after the other with my catapults, Legio Belisarii and Cataphracts. Some Comitatenses and germanic cavalry can take care of weeker units.
Another advantage is speed, as the roads and my ships allow me to defend the libyan coast with much less units than I would need without them.

Year: 513 AD

Now the whole Limes from Britannia to Arabia is defended by Stratiotes. The last remaining Limitanei and Legio Merc are on their way to be upgraded.

Year: 515 AD

I have destroyed a lot of Incursores, but there are so many!
Here is a screenshot of the Vandal horde in 515:



Year: 521 AD



I have no pressing interest to continue this war, so I approve. The Vandals have been beaten back with little losses, infact I may have gained units, because I enslaved a lot of Foederati. The infrastructure of the province has suffered most, it seems...

Year: 529 AD



This tech makes the Libri Virgilii obsolete for me and the great Incursions for the barbarians.

Year: 533 AD



This advancement allows me to build the Latebrae Speculatorum, an Institution that enables espionage mission. I think it will be interesting to know the exact size of my (potential) enemies' forces.
The Speculatores are invisible hidden nationality units. There is not necessarily a need for them, but I have one, as I recently lost about 30 servi to a numid Eques Praedabundus ('cause I didn't pay enough attention) and I'd like to get them back without preticipating war.
Additionally now I can trade maps, if I want to.

It is the last roman tech. Now I would be able to research the next timer tech to speed up the waiting time for the Byzantine Empire Victory buildings, but I won't do that. I have the great advantage of not facing a barbarian invasion by now, so I see no need to end this as soon as possible.

Year: 545 AD

Germania has declared war on the Britons.

Year: 551 AD

The germanics have destroyed the british celts.



Now that I'm able to plant spies I'd like to share some information with you. The Numidians now have a nice number of 125 Incursores, while the Scythians possess 72 Equites Hunnici, 45 Bellatores Hunnici and 2 Copiae Attilae. The Germanics seem to be world leader in weapons of mass destruction with 893 Incursores.
I didn't succeed in spying the Persians and Goths.

Year: 563 AD

Another plague is about to start. This is annoying.

Year: 579 AD



Now I can take on the Byzantine Empire Victory, the only possible way to win the game. The Byzantine Empire Victory is a space race victory and requires the construction of five components that represent important provinces: Italia with Roma and Ravenna, Africa & Hispania with Carthago and Carthago Nova, Moesia with Thassalonica and Constantinopolis, Aegyptus with Alexandria and Asia & Syria with Antiochia and iirc Trapezus.
It doesn't really matter where I build these, only Italia has to be build in Roma.



Year: 581 AD



Year: 583 AD





Year: 585 AD



And after I had the pleasure to watch the victory video:



And a last Histograph:



The last hit has be due to the plague, I have no other explanation.

Of course this could have ended very different, but honestly I don't have the nerves to try. Those 893 germanic Incursores are clearly more than my military units alltogether, so now I say, thank you, I'm done and the empire stays:

Roma Victrix!

The End

A special Thank You! to all who have commented and to all who have contributed in making the mod what it is.
 
Yay, Stazro's back... oh wait, it's over. :lol:

Impressively played game. I would assume Byzantine victory is similar to space race victory.

Nice job pulling off the win before the barbarian hordes overtook you!:goodjob:

Yes, it is a space race victory. Perhaps I should have made myself a bit more clear in this point (I'll add an explanation).
I have thought about loading a game somewhere in 400 AD and declaring war on all other civs to see how it works out, but I'm really not that motivated. I'm just glad I have finished the thing now. It is actually the first time I went all the way to the end.
 
Great job Stazro! Fun game, even though you didn't experience the might of the barbarians. COuld you post a save such that people can play the 400ish part and wage war against the horde?
 
OK, I have attached an archive with three savegames:
365, which should be the year when I researched Roman Decadence,
427, which is the year in which the war between Goths and Germanics ended and
533, a late game save after research of the last roman tech.

I haven't checked if the savegames have been correctly named, so maybe this information is not absolutely correct.

Just that you remember: I'm using RFRE 1.323 275 Easy biq, unmodded, on Consul difficulty with most aggressive setting. Please don't bash me for inefficient city and unit management, in the ADs my motivation for thoroughgoing work has deteriorated.

I'd be honored if some of you continue the savegames in whatever way you prefer and post some screenshots and reports here in this threat, as I'm not needing it for any more updates.

I have noticed that some of my screenshots aren't showing up properly, but I hope this is just a temporary problem of Imageshack, 'cause I don't have all of them left.
 

Attachments

  • Stazro's RFRE savegames.rar
    2.2 MB · Views: 395
Just a note to say thanks Starzo! I'm just now getting around to reading it and now I see its over. =\ S I think so far (starting chapter 3) its a great story and doubles as a pretty cool tutorial. :goodjob: Oh, and I didn't have any trouble with any of the screenies in the chapters I was reading...

Thanks for uploading the saves too. :)
 
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