Rome start is very difficult

[Nats]

The situation Rome finds itself in at the start of Rome vs Carthage is very difficult. Being stuck between two enemies. I lost my first game after struggling for several hours. Going to try again though

[Kaysoky]

Indeed. I find that the fate of Rome depends mostly on what the Etrustcans do. If they focus on northern expansion, then Rome can focus on the Samnites and usually win (due to better economy and more starting military). But if you are attacked from both directions, you have much worse chances.

Sometimes, you can get Masilia to help out though.

[Kube Games]

Rome is not easy indeed and it wasn't easy for them in that time as well. They were very close to destruction actually. It is certainly possible and it mostly works out but the start is not easy for sure.
If you find it too difficult, I suggest to lower the game difficulty and you get certain bonus (in stockpile resources and units) to have the start easier.

[n0kn0k]

It's certainly doable. Survived on medium difficulty two times during testing.
Try to become friends with one of them. And perhaps play a bit more defensive?
Roma Victor!

[a_delo3]

Rome has a rather interesting early game.
You are stronger than Etruria or Samnites, but on the mid term they can "out-produce" you.
For the early game I suggest to quickly defeat one of your enemies (I tend to opt for Samnites first. You know, Caudine Forks and all that stuff...): your greatest advantage is that, being in the middle, may mass quickly your units against one of the foes, wipe away their units (you should have 3 peltasts, they just one), storm Naples, leave one unit to besiege the capital and rush back the other two to fight Etruria (their military is weak, they train mostly nomads which are easy kills for your peltasts once try to invade the flat lands around Rome).
If are struggling remember that Massalia is your ally and may ask them for a joint strike (but beware that you want to take for yourself most of the Etrurian lands).
Last, remember to use the morale boosts: I am especially fond of the "prophecy" option but a general helps too.
The military victory objective unlock the uber-powerful milites, so I tend to take this as my first mandatory objective (if Rome is idle when kill the last unit it will start to build for free the milites upgrade!): if the Greeks or Carthage turn hostile a couple of those guys will quickly teach them a lesson about the might of Rome.
You should not need them to deal with Etruria or the barbarians, but in any case take note that the milites are deadly against cities too

[Nats]

Well I have been struggling. I couldnt take the last Samnite City in time before another faction got it and the Etruscans are quite strong with a least one highly trained Peltast although I am now starting to get some of their lands and captured Geneva. And thats whilst being in a Confederation with Massalia who have had their own problems with barbarian clans. But its an enjoyable game to play, I've not been destroyed yet even though Carthage have landed some troops to help out their ally on occasion. The AI certainly provides a stiff challenge in this game even on Normal.

[Kube Games]

I would just like to point out, that the starting conditions differ per difficulty. On medium (normal) Rome starts with only one active peltast and another peltast in reserves.
On easy you get one additional nomad, on beginner (on top of that) another peltast and on noob another peltast.

This can highly change the initial balance of power in Italy.

[Nats]

Yeah I appreciate that, but I never like to play games on easy difficulty unless I am really new to the game.

[Mr. Goblin]

I am playing Rome on Medium difficulty.

It is certainly a hard start!

On my first play through; I was at war with both Samnia and the Etruscans; within the first 10 turns. The, both. The Etruscans were giving me hell; while I defended against the Samnites.

Finally Massalia went to war with the Etruscans; which gave me some reprieve. I defeated the Samnites very quickly. After they also went to war with Hellas for a brief 15 turns or so! Before Peace. My war with them raged on; and I took 90% of all their starting lands (while Hellas got the other 10%).

I fuaght 'tooth and nail' into the north. Invading Etruscan lands. It was very difficult. The Etruscans were making good gains in Massalia (my allies).

Finally I broke the Etrusscans; and they immediately accepted a Federation from Carthage.

That surprised me... and pissed me off.

I wanted those northern lands. So I went to war with Carthage!

That was an even more difficult battle! As they had Hoplites and sent over ships with units to invade my lands!

Massalia joined me; but they were all exterminated by the Carthaginians.

After 'some time'; finally; I pushed every last Carthaginian off the Italian Boot; as well its north. Pushed them back into sea! I won the war.

I offered Carthage a Peace Treaty and they took it.





Many turns later. Rome, now holds all of Italy; and fights into northern Spain. Rome also occupies all the Frankish and German Lands leading up to Britain. The Burgundian's and Gauls and Celtic Tribes, all fell to my rule.

[n0kn0k]

Nice one Mr. Goblin!

[Mr. Goblin]

Originally posted by n0kn0k:

Nice one Mr. Goblin!

Haha. When that game completes. I will try to upload my end-game map screen. :)

[Vektor T]

Sup! Dunno if any one still needs helps on this topic, but playing this game for the kinda second first time (played just a little of vanilla Sparta) and I think I find a good and functional simple strategy for Rome early on that worked like a charm on medium. So I will give my tips:

- You need four Peltast at least early on. You start with one, remeber there is another one on reserve in Asculum and you should call him back in turn 2. Start recruiting another one right away in Rome.

- This is very important: train ALL your Peltast in Assault AND Defense. Consider them useless or highly unprepared without it. Think like they take 6 turn to train, not 4.

- After you have two trained Peltast, send one south of Asculum or Rome to protect from the Sammites and keep another one up north to protect from the Etruscan. You be playing a defensive game early on until you have your 4 trained Peltasts. A good place to fortify those two is in the Stone Mine near Asculum and the other one on the Coal Mine south of Asculum. Let them attack you, they will get demolished. Be careful when attacking back to finish off their unit, they may have another one. You should take few casualties and Self Heal whatever possible.

- Meanwhile, improve your relations with Massalian and probably the Hellenic League. Sign teatries with team, trade. You will be lacking resources early on, especially gold, iron and stone. Do not be afraid to trade your influence or knowledge away.

- When you get your 4 trained Peltasts, keep one up north protecting against the Etruscan, send the three others after the Sammites. Grab the mines firsts, advance into good defensive positions firts, let them come for you and Self Heal a unit whatever you can and use the others to cover him. The Sammites shouldn't stand a chance and you will be steamrolling them.

- In my playthrough, I crushed the Sammites and the Etruscan kept probing up north but where unable to push through. Cartaghe declared war on me when I finished the Sammites and they had conquered the Hellenic League cities on the south of Italy. I thought that was bad, but the Etruscan really couldn't match my single defensive Peltast and I send my other ones against Carthague and Carthague couldn't stand against me too.

- Plus, at this point I finished taking all the cities in southern Italy and recruited and trained two more warriors and I'm moving against the Etruscan now, who asked for peace multiple times and lost a couple of units already. They are easy picking now and my position in Italy is undisputed now.