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Romans Strategy. Hardest civ to play but Best civ of the game

MorteEterna

Prince
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
332
Well, I have tried so many times romans without finding any good strategies, now I think I found it and it works as well. If you want fast tips to start playing them, search the last sentences.

Start: Republic, code of laws
Ancient: 1/2 price roads
Medieval: 1/2 price wonders
Industrial: More great people
Modern: +1 pop for new cities

These bonuses in my opinion are really strong but the last that isn't useful unless you settle islands. They could be stronger than china but I wouldn't say that so sure.

How to start most of the times:

Build 2 warriors, 5 turns needed. Build a settler and you need 5 turns, by the time you got the settler you should have about 100 gold if you are lucky enough, or maybe some turns later. However, choose a city where you have at least 2 forests, a grassland and 2 water tiles. Found the city and work on bronze working, needing 5 turns. If there are rushers instead of growing in Rome research for 2 turns needing 4 turns instead of 5.

New cities have to have at least as the first city, 2 forest, 1 grassland and 2 water tiles. You should have about 120 gold at least, rush as many settlers as possible if there aren't rushers. I suggest however in every case to build 2 archers in 5 turns. To build new cities move 2 archers, so in 3 turns or rushing you can build an army. From the heart of your empire send archers to new cities. You should have very fast 6 cities. When you reach 2 archers research IF possible and get irrigation as fast as possible and literacy. When you reach the medieval era build new cities if possible also where there is no food. You would get the irrigation and literacy bonus that means at least 4 production and science.

Now, you have a very good bonus, 1/2 price bonus, in these new cities with no food work on gold and science, you would get a lot of gold and science more. With this gold, you should get enough to build roads (in my game I've built cities fast and roads). Be sure that you will have 70-80 gold when you rush out settlers, wait at least some turns paying about 20 gold a settler.

I know it's hard to understand and it's hard for me to say how to do this, this isn't the easiest strategy, however, the KEY is to build settlers and roads very fast, having 1 archer army each city. Research IRON WORKING before democracy, you need this for the following cause:

If one uses for example arabs or other good rushers, an archer army isn't good enough. Remember that in 5 turns you build 2 units. With about 7 cities in 5 turns you can get 14 legions with only 2 pop and you can still research or focus on food. If you want you can build 4-5 legions armies very fast attacking your enemies units.

After you are have all things you need against rushers, you can continue in your tech tree, research democracy, you should have more than 10 cities that means a lot of beakers. Research monarchy if you see in the tech tree there is still the green number 1, that means you will get a great person getting it first. If you can't, go for invention and now university, getting other science (1 for literacy, 1 for university plus democracy means 3 for each city, about 30-40 beakers more). If you want, get navigation before invention, but this isn't so needed. Go for religion and Printing pres, getting +2 culture each city, remember that in the industrial era you get MORE GREAT PEOPLE, and for industrialization and corporation getting +10 gold each city. Now go for combustion and start producing tanks to kill your enemies. If you want, you can do the same with knights/religion.

If you are in a difficult way, remember 1/2 PRICE WONDERS, and remember to get these wonders in hard cases:

Oxford, 75 hammers
East india company, +1 science in sea tiles
Workshop, 100 hammers, upgrade units to pikemen and other things.

And remember that the Bank costs only 250 hammers, and the UN the same. Getting temples in all cities you could win by building the UN.

NOTE:

Tips against rushers very fast

Uhm, I think I have nothing to mention more, only ask me where you see some problems, at the moment I think this works as well against rushers, but thinking about zulu, if they are coming to you, do these things:

Build road in the new city, rush an army and fortify it. Zulu will do nothing, and you can continue expanding in other ways, still beating him in cities.

Tips against rushers that get some capitals fast:

If this happens, build some settlers before the industrial era, when you are still in democracy. Maybe about 5-6. Reach as fast as possible modern era and if you got a galleon or cruiser free, use that to build cities in islands. You would have a population of 6 and you can have some dye and whales. Build armies here to defend against this player, and you will get more science to balance his big bonus. Remember, defend as well your mainland

Each civ has his own special resource near his territory. English have dyeing, spanish have whales, and Romans start with many COWS and IRON in their territory, that's huge, 4 food or 3 production so fast means beating others in production/growth

TIPS

Build new cities with only 1 forest and 1 grassland (2 forests is better). Then, when you need 5 turns to grow means you got your 10 food to grow from 1 to 2. Switch now on production and finish the settlers.

I hope you will love this strategy, Romans are the best civ of this game but probably the hardest to play. Plus, I'm italian and why shouldn't I like them?
 
If you wanna use the Romans where they can effectively play against any civ especially the chinese. You need to get the hanging gardens, colsus, tradefair in your capital. This way youll eventually be able to do what you want early game. This all cuts down the need to sacrafice settlers for gold cities instead you can just get sci/growth/prod cities. I had a game with the romans where i had every single tech and victory ready to be done by 1800 and i couldve pretty much do w/e the hell i wanted by 1400-1500 ad.
 
If you wanna use the Romans where they can effectively play against any civ especially the chinese. You need to get the hanging gardens, colsus, tradefair in your capital. This way youll eventually be able to do what you want early game. This all cuts down the need to sacrafice settlers for gold cities instead you can just get sci/growth/prod cities. I had a game with the romans where i had every single tech and victory ready to be done by 1800 and i couldve pretty much do w/e the hell i wanted by 1400-1500 ad.

And you don't care about rushers, then..
 
Sorry let me elaborate. Usually the beggining consists of expanding and setting up defense and etc. Once your pass setting up chokes, expanding etc build those 3 wonders in your cap. It shouldnt be a ppoblem because ull have so many cities that can build so many units within 5 turns. Romans can build a quantity of units compared to the quantity of cities. So sacrafice your capital for a little bit so you can build its size and gold with the HG,COL and TF. It works trust me as long as you already have your archer armies in all your cities and effective chokes. You will be golden to do as you please.
 
Sorry let me elaborate. Usually the beggining consists of expanding and setting up defense and etc. Once your pass setting up chokes, expanding etc build those 3 wonders in your cap. It shouldnt be a ppoblem because ull have so many cities that can build so many units within 5 turns. Romans can build a quantity of units compared to the quantity of cities. So sacrafice your capital for a little bit so you can build its size and gold with the HG,COL and TF. It works trust me as long as you already have your archer armies in all your cities and effective chokes. You will be golden to do as you please.

Well, I played over 1000 games and I know what I say, and, after building 15 cities it may be ok, however:

Your capital isn't the best city, then you should choose a good gold city with whales to do it..
 
Congrats on the 1000 plus games (sarcasm DONT CARE) I built hanging gardens, colsus and trade in my cap. I was getting like 1500 gold per turn. I also noticed you didnt really put a specific way to tech. With the romans you should be teching a certain way.
 
Congrats on the 1000 plus games (sarcasm DONT CARE) I built hanging gardens, colsus and trade in my cap. I was getting like 1500 gold per turn. I also noticed you didnt really put a specific way to tech. With the romans you should be teching a certain way.

Hey, I played much less than other top players to play so many games.. However, now I'm playing maybe 1 game per week because I keep seeing noobs like kyoday in the top and while he cheats I have to win a lot of games to get 20 points while I lose 30 in one game )).

With romans you should go for irrigations and literacy, that's how to start, then, you can dominate others, unless they got a good start with a good civ.
 
i would go for currency for a free market in Rome. Than start doing the HG, COL, TF and Great Exp Combo. Get a bank, Courthouse and harbor. Basically after a market and a Col youll be able to buy what ever you want especially as you buy more Gold modifiers.
 
Okay just played a game with the Romans. The stats change when i switch gold to sci and vice versa (capital).

When Cap is put on straight gold
1.2490 Beakers
2.3537 Gold
3.527 Culture

Cap on Beakers
1.3193 Beakers
2.813 Gold
3.527 Culture

This is with 13 Cities by 1800AD. I honestly could have made more cities but i wasnt in the mood to micro manage. BTW all techs were complete too. I also had all wonders.
 
Okay just played a game with the Romans. The stats change when i switch gold to sci and vice versa (capital).

When Cap is put on straight gold
1.2490 Beakers
2.3537 Gold
3.527 Culture

Cap on Beakers
1.3193 Beakers
2.813 Gold
3.527 Culture

This is with 13 Cities by 1800AD. I honestly could have made more cities but i wasnt in the mood to micro manage. BTW all techs were complete too. I also had all wonders.


I have played online against 2 top players (not top ten but one was top15 and the other one like top20) in teams and with romans without all these things, I had like 3000 science by 1500 AD and I have still pictures. It's almost a waste of time, you should do it in ANOTHER CITY, why do you like so much the capital? You can find a city with 2 whales and dye perhaps with other bonuses.
 
Dude the point of putting it in a cap is because of early advantages.

Also you cant always build wonders on island cities quickly due too
-no gold, no great Builder, no production etc.

Your cap can always build it and fairly quickly 10 turns or less. By 500 ad you can really do anything you want once those wonders are in. By 1800 ad all my cities had every building and i had every wonder and tech. I couldve done alot better but i didnt want to micro manage.

The point of getting those wonders and gold modifiers in your cap is to have an early advantage. Being able to buy early units in masses every turn. Taking out competition that has potential to grow.

BUTTTTT im not saying there is anything wrong with ur strat. It has its own strength. Are strategies just serve different purposes. Thats why i love this game because strats can be strong and unique.
 
I agree with you now after some games. How many cities do you have before democracy. I had ten mainland and 5 settlers ready to go to island cities. So basically 15. I think its pretty impressive. Can you do a video with you playing as the romans??
 
I'm pretty sure Morte doesn't like doing videos of him playing games, because it gives away some of the things he may do off the start and such. But, I'm sure if you asked him to make a video of a certain technique or strategy (like the Chinese Horse Rush video he made) you might be able to get him to do it.
 
I'm pretty sure Morte doesn't like doing videos of him playing games, because it gives away some of the things he may do off the start and such. But, I'm sure if you asked him to make a video of a certain technique or strategy (like the Chinese Horse Rush video he made) you might be able to get him to do it.

No, the problem is that making a video is so boring.. I needed days to do the first one guide..
 
If you dont want to make a video thats fine. But I asked you to send me a friend so we can get some games and i also asked you if 15 cities before democracy is good.
 
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