Campaign Guide#
Western Roman Empire Campaign#
Starting Situation#
| Threat |
Severity |
Location |
| Barbarian invasion |
★★★★★ Extremely high |
Rhine and Danube frontiers |
| Internal rebellion |
★★★★☆ High |
North Africa, Britain, Spain |
| Economic decline |
★★★★☆ High |
Empire-wide |
| Eastern Roman rivalry |
★★★☆☆ Medium |
Balkans, Italy |
Campaign Flow#
| Turn |
Action |
Purpose |
| 1 |
Recall scattered legions and concentrate them on core provinces |
Prevent the barbarians from destroying them one by one |
| 3 |
Sign a trade agreement and defensive alliance with the Eastern Roman Empire |
Focus on the western front |
| 5 |
Build defensive fortifications in Italy |
Protect the core territory |
| 8 |
Put down the North African rebels |
Restore sources of tax revenue |
| 12 |
Sign a ceasefire with the Franks |
Reduce frontier pressure |
| 15 |
Train a second legion |
Expand military strength |
| 18 |
Improve public order |
Reduce the risk of internal rebellion |
| 20 |
Assess the situation and draw up an expansion plan |
Prepare for the second phase |
| Key Decision |
Options |
Recommendation |
| Rhine line |
Heavy defence vs. abandoning part of the territory |
Abandon Britain and concentrate force on holding Gaul |
| North African policy |
Rapid suppression vs. negotiated settlement |
Pacify the revolt and restore the economy |
| Danube line |
Strike out proactively vs. defend passively |
Defend passively and bleed the barbarians down |
| Objective |
Priority |
Reason |
| Gaulish barbarians |
★★★★★ |
Recover the richest provinces |
| North African rebels |
★★★★☆ |
Restore food and trade |
| Reconquest of Spain |
★★★☆☆ |
Rebuild strategic depth |
| Reconquest of Britain |
★★☆☆☆ |
Low priority, can be handled later |
| Task |
Objective |
| Economic reconstruction |
Restore all imperial cities to level 3 or above |
| Military modernisation |
Train elite legions to replace obsolete troops |
| Technological completion |
Finish all military and civil technologies |
| Diplomatic integration |
Build a vassal network |
Hunnic Campaign#
Starting Situation#
| Strengths |
Weaknesses |
| The strongest mobility |
No fixed income |
| The finest cavalry |
No city buildings |
| Can raid for resources |
Supply difficulties |
| No territory to defend |
Lack of stability in the later game |
Campaign Flow#
| Turn |
Action |
Purpose |
| 1 |
Defeat the nearby Ostrogoths |
Remove the closest threat |
| 3 |
Raid Eastern Roman border cities |
Obtain starting funds |
| 5 |
Train more cavalry units |
Expand military strength |
| 8 |
Move west, looking for more raiding targets |
Widen the range of operations |
| 12 |
Establish trade relations with Sassanid Persia |
Obtain stable trade income |
| 15 |
Defeat the Gepids |
Control the lower Danube |
| 18 |
Prepare to enter Roman imperial territory |
Prepare for the westward push |
| 20 |
Choose a settlement or remain nomadic |
Decide the long-term strategy |
| Objective |
Priority |
Reason |
| Eastern Roman cities |
★★★★★ |
The richest raiding targets |
| Visigothic territory |
★★★★☆ |
Controls the corridor into Gaul |
| Western Roman frontier |
★★★☆☆ |
Probe the Roman defences |
| The Alamanni |
★★★☆☆ |
Eliminate an intervening power |
Hunnic Unique Mechanics#
| Mechanic |
Notes |
| Migration |
You can move all your armies as one body |
| Raiding |
After taking a city you may choose to raid rather than occupy |
| Tribal loyalty |
Successful raiding keeps tribal loyalty up |
| Attila’s succession |
A specific turn triggers the Attila succession event |
Sassanid Persian Campaign#
Starting Situation#
| Strengths |
Weaknesses |
| Powerful heavy cavalry |
Surrounded by hostile states |
| The tribute system provides extra income |
Internal religious conflict |
| East–West trade node |
Standoff with the Eastern Romans in the west |
Campaign Flow#
| Turn |
Action |
Purpose |
| 1 |
Consolidate relations with tributary states |
Secure tribute income |
| 3 |
Build military structures and train heavy cavalry |
Strengthen military power |
| 5 |
Establish peaceful relations with the Huns |
Remove the northern threat |
| 8 |
Expand into Mesopotamia |
Acquire rich land |
| 12 |
Sign a trade agreement with the Eastern Romans |
Obtain trade income |
| 15 |
Train a second full stack |
Prepare for the westward push |
| 18 |
Assess Eastern Roman strength |
Formulate an attack plan |
| 20 |
Begin applying pressure to the Eastern Romans |
Probe the eastern defences |
| Objective |
Priority |
Reason |
| Eastern Roman Syria |
★★★★★ |
Wealthy trading province |
| Eastern Roman Egypt |
★★★★☆ |
Centre of grain and trade |
| Asia Minor |
★★★☆☆ |
Strategically vital ground |
| Arab tribes |
★★☆☆☆ |
Control the south |
Key Historical Events#
The Rise of Attila#
| Turn |
Event |
Impact |
| 50-60 |
Attila becomes leader of the Huns |
Hunnic army effectiveness rises sharply |
| 70-80 |
Attila invades the Eastern Roman Empire |
The Eastern Romans face enormous military pressure |
| 90-100 |
Attila invades Gaul |
The Western Roman frontier collapses completely |
| 100-110 |
Attila invades Italy |
Rome itself comes under direct threat |
| 110-120 |
Attila dies |
The Hunnic Empire fragments and the pressure eases |
Climate Decline Stages#
| Stage |
Turns |
Effect |
| Normal climate |
1-30 |
Agricultural output normal |
| Slight decline |
31-60 |
Food output falls in some provinces |
| Moderate decline |
61-90 |
Food output falls in most provinces |
| Severe decline |
91-120 |
Empire-wide food crisis |
| Catastrophic decline |
120+ |
|
Hunnic Invasion Phases#
| Phase |
Turn Range |
Hunnic Strength |
Player Response |
| Early harassment |
20-40 |
Small warbands |
Frontier garrisons |
| Formal invasion |
40-80 |
Multiple legions |
Concentrated defence |
| Total war |
80-120 |
Large numbers of elites |
National mobilisation |
| Final decisive battle |
120+ |
The strongest legions |
A fight for survival |
Climate Decline Response Strategies#
| Strategy |
Notes |
Priority |
| Build irrigation systems |
Reduce the impact of falling farm output |
★★★★★ |
| Surplus grain reserves |
Stockpile large amounts of food in advance |
★★★★★ |
| Seize warmer regions |
Southern provinces are less affected |
★★★★☆ |
| Reduce army size |
Lower food consumption |
★★★☆☆ |
| Research agricultural technology |
Raise farming efficiency |
★★★★☆ |
| Optimise trade routes |
Keep the grain trade flowing |
★★★☆☆ |
Plague System Explained#
| Element |
Notes |
| Transmission |
Spreads through population movement and trade |
| Impact |
Reduces population, lowers public order, lowers income |
| Duration |
Anywhere from 10 to 30 turns |
| Prevention |
Quarantine cities and build medical buildings |
| Treatment |
Build hospitals or wait for it to burn out naturally |
Climate Impact On Agriculture Table#
| Climate Stage |
Food Output Reduction |
Scope |
| Normal |
0% |
None |
| Slight |
-15% |
High-latitude provinces |
| Moderate |
-30% |
Most provinces |
| Severe |
-50% |
All provinces |
| Catastrophic |
-70% |
All provinces |
Eastern Roman Empire Campaign#
Starting Situation#
The Eastern Roman Empire begins with the wealthy grain regions of Anatolia and Egypt, but faces pressure on multiple fronts: Huns and barbarians to the north, and a permanent standoff with Sassanid Persia in the east. The capital, Constantinople, is the strategic pivot of the entire campaign; as long as this stronghold holds, you hold the initiative.
| Strengths |
Weaknesses |
| Holds Constantinople, an impregnable capital |
Territory is scattered and the eastern and western lines are hard to cover at once |
| Egypt and Syria have ample food |
Sassanid Persia presses constantly in the east |
| A powerful navy controlling the Mediterranean |
Religious conflict makes the interior unstable |
Campaign Flow#
| Turn |
Action |
Purpose |
| 1 |
Consolidate the defences of Constantinople |
Ensure the capital is safe |
| 3 |
Sign a defensive alliance with the Western Roman Empire |
Stabilise the western flank |
| 5 |
Reorganise the economy of Egypt and Syria |
Secure food and income |
| 8 |
Reinforce the Persian border |
Contain Sassanid expansion |
| 12 |
Suppress the religious revolt |
Stabilise internal order |
| 15 |
Train a navy to blockade the Aegean |
Control the maritime trade routes |
| 18 |
Try to defuse the Persian conflict diplomatically |
Avoid a two-front war |
| 20 |
Gather the main field army against the Hunnic threat |
Prepare for the decisive campaign |
Key Points For Holding Constantinople#
| Point |
Notes |
| Wall repair |
Inspect and repair the walls every turn so siege engines cannot simply breach them |
| Naval blockade |
Use the fleet to seal the sea lanes and cut enemy supply by water |
| Reserve rotation |
Rotate the garrison so it rests in turns and keeps its morale up |
| Ballista placement |
Site ballistae at wall corners to cover several approach routes at once |
Barbarian Faction Campaigns#
Opening Choices#
Barbarian factions have none of the Romans’ deep reserves; they usually start with only one or two armies and a small patch of territory, and must survive in the gaps between greater powers. Picking the right migration direction and the right allies is the first step toward a barbarian rise.
| Early Objective |
Notes |
| Find a secure rear area |
Migrate into the interior of Eastern Europe and stay clear of the Hunnic spearhead |
| Ally with other barbarians |
Use the shared Roman enemy as the basis for a league |
| Accumulate population and gold |
Build up strength for later settlement and development |
| Choose a migration route |
Decide whether to head south to the Mediterranean or west into Gaul |
Transition From Nomadism To Settlement#
| Stage |
Core Task |
Key Buildings |
| Nomadic period |
Raid and migrate, avoid decisive battle |
War camp, camp artisans |
| Transition period |
Find a suitable province and found a settlement |
Granary, dwellings |
| Settlement period |
Stabilise order and develop the economy |
Market, temple |
| Expansion period |
Expand outward using the settlement as a pivot |
City walls, barracks |
Common Problems In Barbarian Campaigns#
| Problem |
Solution |
| Short of food |
Take agricultural provinces first and build granaries |
| Low public order |
Build temples and entertainment structures, and garrison troops |
| Squeezed by Rome from two sides |
Concentrate force on the weaker enemy first, avoid splitting up |
| Raided while migrating |
Keep armies together and pick safe routes |
Universal Campaign Points#
Turn Cadence Planning#
| Stage |
Turns |
Focus |
| Opening |
1-10 |
Stabilise the capital and set a clear strategic direction |
| Positioning |
11-30 |
Complete the diplomatic layout and settle on allies |
| Expansion |
31-60 |
Expand steadily and raise a second and third legion |
| Decisive battle |
61-100 |
Deal with the full Hunnic invasion |
| Endgame |
100+ |
Complete the final victory objectives |
General Level And Army Experience#
The experience of generals and armies is crucial in a campaign; hardened veterans deliver far more combat power than raw recruits, and fighting battles manually will often double the speed at which a legion grows.
| Acquisition Method |
Notes |
| Manual battles |
Winning battles by hand yields more experience |
| General skills |
Some skills raise training experience gain |
| Garrison anti-bandit duty |
Clearing out rebels also grants experience |
| Veteran merging |
Merge experienced units into a new legion |
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