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 Trondheim wrote:

 djones520 wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
Well they seem to have fixed the aggression problem with the AI. I nearly got overrun by Persia and other assorted eastern friends.

Combat AI is still sub-par but they make it up in numbers.

My biggest problem with the combat AI is #1 Numbers, and #2 Improbable happenings. I'm sick and tired of my veteran Spartan Hoplites getting crushed by spear warriors with no upgrades...

Then clearly you are using them wrong, secure the flanks with cavarly and employ the phalanx ability. Also plant your general in the middel of your lines. Soften the enemy with peltasts also helps. So far with both Sparta & Macedon I have yet to loose a battle against Barbarian hordes using said troops. Although those damned Romans have prooved a bit harder.
I like what the last patch did with the game, fianly the AI goes on the offensive, and it reall can be felt when you have three full stacked banner armies bearijg down on you and your trusy soldiers. Its at those moment veterancy & the resarch really helps.

See, I crushed the Romans with no difficulty, it's the barbarians that have given me the stiffest fights. I guess your mileage may vary.

It's not as bad a game as I had heard, its probably not as good as Rome but in reality its a completely different.

I have played 4 games now (to various stages) so around 30 hours all told. The Strategic AI is much improved over previous games (but its still not amazing), the diplomatic AI is finally functional and while the Tactical AI isn't exactly stellar at least its not as bad as previous games.

The balance seems a little off though, the Romans in particular. Principes are all but unkillable, I was able to capture a city using nothing but 3 units of principles and a cavalry bodyguard suffering a grand total of 12 casualties in the process. Barbarian battles seem to be quite a lot more interesting.

For Hoplite armies I use the strategy that I perfected in Rome:TW. A core of the best Hoplites/Pikemen that you have available (at least 7 units) which are set up in a line in phalanx formation with the 2 end units in a square and slightly behind the main line to catch any flankers. 3-4 units of the best skirmishers that you can field set up immediately behind your hoplites with a further 3-4 units of bowmen behind them, all with skirmish turned off. Your general (I always use cavalry) and a couple of units of heavy cav are stationed behind your lines to act as a fire brigade and to drive off enemy missile units once their melee units are engaged. Skirmishers in Rome 2 are quite poor so I have started to replace at least a couple of units with ballistas which are set up behind the archers.

It doesn't work well attacking as its quite hard to micromanage but defensively it is all but impregnable if you set up somewhere where you can't be flanked (I often use the corner of the map).

 djones520 wrote:

 Trondheim wrote:

 djones520 wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
Well they seem to have fixed the aggression problem with the AI. I nearly got overrun by Persia and other assorted eastern friends.

Combat AI is still sub-par but they make it up in numbers.

My biggest problem with the combat AI is #1 Numbers, and #2 Improbable happenings. I'm sick and tired of my veteran Spartan Hoplites getting crushed by spear warriors with no upgrades...

Then clearly you are using them wrong, secure the flanks with cavarly and employ the phalanx ability. Also plant your general in the middel of your lines. Soften the enemy with peltasts also helps. So far with both Sparta & Macedon I have yet to loose a battle against Barbarian hordes using said troops. Although those damned Romans have prooved a bit harder.
I like what the last patch did with the game, fianly the AI goes on the offensive, and it reall can be felt when you have three full stacked banner armies bearijg down on you and your trusy soldiers. Its at those moment veterancy & the resarch really helps.

See, I crushed the Romans with no difficulty, it's the barbarians that have given me the stiffest fights. I guess your mileage may vary.

I think barbarians tend to have better basic stats due to having less unit choices, at least that seems to have been the trend in Total war games.

Do you have to manually download the patches?

 gianlucafiorentini123 wrote:
Do you have to manually download the patches?

Nope, steam does it automatically for you.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Palindrome wrote:
For Hoplite armies I use the strategy that I perfected in Rome:TW. A core of the best Hoplites/Pikemen that you have available (at least 7 units) which are set up in a line in phalanx formation with the 2 end units in a square and slightly behind the main line to catch any flankers. 3-4 units of the best skirmishers that you can field set up immediately behind your hoplites with a further 3-4 units of bowmen behind them, all with skirmish turned off. Your general (I always use cavalry) and a couple of units of heavy cav are stationed behind your lines to act as a fire brigade and to drive off enemy missile units once their melee units are engaged. Skirmishers in Rome 2 are quite poor so I have started to replace at least a couple of units with ballistas which are set up behind the archers.

It doesn't work well attacking as its quite hard to micromanage but defensively it is all but impregnable if you set up somewhere where you can't be flanked (I often use the corner of the map).

My hoplite army is pretty similar. I generally have 6-7 hoplite/pike units. I'll then have 6-7 slingers. 2-3 Citizen Cav, and 2 Greek Ballista.

Slingers range just trumps everything IMO. Sure arrows do a lot more basic damage, but slingers are also armor piercing, so they'll penetrate shields, where arrows don't. So better range, better penetration, wins out over better damage.

Can slingers fire over friendly troops in Rome 2? In my Iceni game most of my missile troops were slingers and i was less than impressed by their damage output.

 Palindrome wrote:
Can slingers fire over friendly troops in Rome 2? In my Iceni game most of my missile troops were slingers and i was less than impressed by their damage output.

Not as effectively as archers. I usually maneuver them to the flank once melee starts in earnest.

 djones520 wrote:

 Trondheim wrote:

 djones520 wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
Well they seem to have fixed the aggression problem with the AI. I nearly got overrun by Persia and other assorted eastern friends.

Combat AI is still sub-par but they make it up in numbers.

My biggest problem with the combat AI is #1 Numbers, and #2 Improbable happenings. I'm sick and tired of my veteran Spartan Hoplites getting crushed by spear warriors with no upgrades...

Then clearly you are using them wrong, secure the flanks with cavarly and employ the phalanx ability. Also plant your general in the middel of your lines. Soften the enemy with peltasts also helps. So far with both Sparta & Macedon I have yet to loose a battle against Barbarian hordes using said troops. Although those damned Romans have prooved a bit harder.
I like what the last patch did with the game, fianly the AI goes on the offensive, and it reall can be felt when you have three full stacked banner armies bearijg down on you and your trusy soldiers. Its at those moment veterancy & the resarch really helps.

See, I crushed the Romans with no difficulty, it's the barbarians that have given me the stiffest fights. I guess your mileage may vary.

Well yes, Barbarians can be damned hard if they get the momentum going, or they outnumber you by a large margin. However they do tend to have somewaht poor moral for their cheap troops like levy spearmen and club levy. Hit these with fire attacks and repeated charges with ligth cav from the rear. Also It never hurts to have a sword or axe units on hand to support the phalanx.

Wasn't sure if it deserves its own thread, so I'll just leave it here!

First paid expansion, with bonus reference to WH40k.

Caesar in Gaul.

Total War: Rome 2 will add its first paid expansion, Caesar in Gaul, next week. The expanded map includes "Gaul and Southern Britannia," which for those of us in the modern era is known as southern UK-dia and Franceland.

"We've released a number of DLC packs and free content updates for Rome 2, but this is our most substantial so far," said Total War Creative Director Mike Simpson. "We've also improved the game considerably since launch, and that process continues as we move onto substantial feature and gameplay improvements."

Caesar will march upon Gaul on December 12 for $14.99 (£9.99/€14.99). The game also includes Vercingetorix, chieftain of the Arverni, which is just the coolest name you'll get outside of a Warhammer 40K game

I want to be excited, but I burnt out on this game fairly quickly, compared to previous Total War games. I'll probably still purchase it , to see if it re-ignites my interest.

Thats good news, and well I am still playing this game often. the last few patches really worked magic as far as I am concernd. Also I look forwards to killing Gauls

I'm still playing regularly. I just can't seem to finish the game up. I just again started a new campaign yesterday...

This sounds like a neat expansion, and I'll most likely pick it up.

 djones520 wrote:
I'm still playing regularly. I just can't seem to finish the game up. I just again started a new campaign yesterday...

This sounds like a neat expansion, and I'll most likely pick it up.

I know how ya feel, I got something like six or seven different ones running at various stages. The one I have gotten the longest is my Macedonians, but seeing how invading Turkey was a somewhat bad move of mine with all the various hot heads in that part of the world it will take some time. Pontus, Sardes, and all the other "greek" states are dead though.

Trondheim wrote:
the last few patches really worked magic as far as I am concernd.

Indeed, although they kinda screwed Phalanx vs Phalanx up a little.

Trondheim wrote:

 djones520 wrote:
I'm still playing regularly. I just can't seem to finish the game up. I just again started a new campaign yesterday...

This sounds like a neat expansion, and I'll most likely pick it up.

I know how ya feel, I got something like six or seven different ones running at various stages. The one I have gotten the longest is my Macedonians, but seeing how invading Turkey was a somewhat bad move of mine with all the various hot heads in that part of the world it will take some time. Pontus, Sardes, and all the other "greek" states are dead though.

Sparta is mine. I've got the greek peninsula, italian peninsula, egypt, most of the selucia/persian region, and am now conquering Gaul. I just started an Athenian one up. I kinda wanted to start a fresh greek campaign, but didn't want to have to waste time conquering athens to unlock trading with other factions.

 Grey Templar wrote:

Trondheim wrote:
the last few patches really worked magic as far as I am concernd.

Indeed, although they kinda screwed Phalanx vs Phalanx up a little.

Well yes, but that is something I can live with, and beside. battels seldom last more then 15 minuts for me, cavalry charges from the rear works wonders. Particulary Sarrisa cavalry or companion cavalry.

I'm currently doing pretty well as the Selucids. I've had the same game going for 2 months.

I've got Egypt, Mesopotamia, most of the Arabian peninsula, and am beginning to get into Asia Minor.

Took me the first month just to get my former eastern satrapies off my back. Somehow they actually got the stones to team up and invade me.


Meanwhile, the Etruscan League is kicking Rome's arse. All they have left is Syracuse.

Rhodes has taken over everything between Carthage and Egypt.

I'm currently at war with all the Greek states because of some alliances with the Asia minor factions I'm currently taking over.

Yea, those satrapies can be a real ballbuster sometimes. Particulary if they get togetter as you said, they always seem to mess up my start up phase whenever I get a game going with the Selucid. Well until you get the proper army going and what not, and yes, Rhodes seems to go into overdrive in my games too.

Once you get armored Indian War Elephants, Hellenic Cataphracts, Syrian Archers, and Silver Shield Swordsmen its all good


Now the only real serious problem with the game is that battles are way too fething short. It takes longer to load the battle than to win it.

I sort of miss my 30 minute slug fests from Rome 1.

Haha yea...Those units do clean house it seems, I have had the same experience with the Royal peltasts for Macedon. Those really do slaugther just about anything, and yes. The battels should really be longer and more challenging, but I suspect that its more to with the poor quality of much of the levy troops and what not

Nah, even elite troops seem to cut and run quicker than they should.

In Rome 1 I could rely on elite units not breaking till they had suffered at least 75% casualties. Often more.


And Royal Peltasts are ok, but they really suck as a general's Bodyguard. Especially when all your generals start as them.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Nah, even elite troops seem to cut and run quicker than they should.

In Rome 1 I could rely on elite units not breaking till they had suffered at least 75% casualties. Often more.


And Royal Peltasts are ok, but they really suck as a general's Bodyguard. Especially when all your generals start as them.

Well yes that may be the case, indeed Rome 1 really had some good mechancis when it came to actual combat. Yea they are good when you get to train them but not as general bodygard. But then again upgrading armour, weapons and shields dose wonders for how long your troops hold out. Same goes for the army traditions you give them(although I suspect that you know this)

With the Seleucids, I just wait a few turns and then drop all my satrapies except cyprus or whatever. If you try to keep them their only options are - declare war on you or remain loyal, and their starting hatred is so high you probably can't keep them loyal. If you drop them then they maybe declare one or two at a time instead of all at once.

I did that, but dropping them only seemed to piss them off just as much as keeping them.

I think it's the balance for how strong the faction starts out. Selucia amazing me with how broken it was the one time I've tried it out.

They are in a good position, but then again they need to be that strong because they're sandwitched between the aggressive eastern factions, Egypt, and the various desert factions. Plus all the greek states. Especially with the Eastern Culture diplomatic penalty they have.

One thing I will say, Diplomacy really matters in this game. Which is something the Total War games have had problems with in the past, diplomacy was always a meh thing till now. Trade agreements are VERY important.

Shogun 2 was the first to have trade be important but I think Rome 2 finally brought it up to speed.

Yeah, I really like the diplomacy system so far. Rome 1 always annoyed me when some podunk one territory faction would as for an alliance, and I the worlds super power would be benevolent and grant it, and the next turn they declare war on me.

Made no sense...

Its also the first time I've ever had a faction offer to become a client state.

In all other Total War games the AI never EVER offered to do anything even remotely close to that.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Its also the first time I've ever had a faction offer to become a client state.

In all other Total War games the AI never EVER offered to do anything even remotely close to that.

Yeah! That's happened to me as well. It was odd cause they were on the other side of the world, I had no territory near them, but I figured what the hell, it's cool of them to offer that.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Its also the first time I've ever had a faction offer to become a client state.

In all other Total War games the AI never EVER offered to do anything even remotely close to that.

yea I was somewhat suspicious when that first happend to me, but then I realized just how nice its to have a few of those acting as a bufferstate between me and anything hostile that happens to come along. And beside the tribute they pay also helps the wheels go around a bit better.

CA just opened up the Baktria faction for play, for free today. Damn them... a new faction I want to start now.

Anyways, Facebook is a hoot. Such a hate storm on there. Someone told me I like to lick CA's butthole because I simply pointed out that people are hating on them for giving us free stuff.