NPhard
Legionary
posted 10 November 2012 09:29 EDT (US)
I tried to play with Spain and I have to say: Good option!
Like many barbarians everything is done with 6000 people buildings.
Besides lvl2 smith for all:
Scutarii (1 turn recruitment) + 3 Exp temple is a a great unit. The special and elite unit is fine also.
Also you got the other boni similar to Gauls etc, but combined with "Carthage-units":
Iberian Inf and Cavalry + 2 Exp + 1 light weapon temple,
Slingers + 3 Missile temple
It really makes a difference, if you got the better values on these units. After playing Carthage it "feels" like playing a different game, even we talk about the same units. The starting positions is fine. Carthage in the south has no reinforments if they start an attack and handling the widespread Gauls is no problem.
Average Citizen
Legionary
posted 12 November 2012 14:37
EDT (US)
4 / 19
I have to say Spain is one of the easier factions to play on the campaign map, but not on the field (in the late game at least). All you need is a powerful navy to fend yourself off from the Romans and even perhaps Carthage.You have a single border and lots of mines to keep your economy alive without the need to expand vatly. Gaul doesn't really stand a chance against your Scutarii early on. But in the late game where you've conquered a decent swade of land you'll find that Spain's strong start will start to fade, most post marium and chosen troops will be able to defeat your bull warriors and cavarly. Thankfully Carthage will never survive long enough for it to start making sacred band which just tears spain up.
ShieldWall
Legionary
posted 13 November 2012 03:46
EDT (US)
5 / 19
I've never played as Spain before, but from what I read here perhaps I ought to as it contains many ingredients that I like. I'm always banging on about the importance of economy of force by creating an empire that can only be attacked on land across a narrow front, allowing you to guard your front line with the smallest number of armies possible thereby freeing up the rest for fighting elsewhere. Spain is custom-made for this, even if you advance into mainland Europe, into Italy and Germany and continue pushing eastwards, it's still quite easy to tie down.
Also I like factions with good temple upgrades as these can make pretty average units into rather solid ones. I do agree that Spain will suffer in the later game in a way that other barbarian factions won't - the Britons and the Gauls have chosen swordsmen, the Germans have a phalanx and axes. Bull Warriors have 2 hit points but other than that their skills aren't exceptional. But if you can wipe Rome out before the reforms come in, the game shouldn't be too tough thereafter. I'd be interested to see what round shields are like with upgrades, maybe very useful in hammer and anviling Roman infantry.
Average Citizen
Legionary
posted 13 November 2012 14:52
EDT (US)
6 / 19
When I played Julii and made my move for Spain (economy was terrible, Gaul was constantly losing money for me and the Brutii had already captured Greece) I found that although you find yourself hopelessly outnumbered by vast hordes of experienced Bull Warriors and Scutarii, a good amount of even weaker cavalry and beat them. Flavius “The Mad”, one of my more dubious generals managed to gain 3 sites of great battles around southern Spain with just a full stack of Roman Calvary. The Spanish infantrymen were running around while round shields are outclassed by most Cavalry, including the barbarian nobles. I find as Spain your best option is to tie things up with your limited cavalry and flood them with infantry rather than vice versa. A sort of “anvil and hammer”.
KorbinElorbin
Legionary
posted 08 December 2012 23:00
EDT (US)
8 / 19
i have found when playing as Spain (which is something i do alot) is that though bull warriors and naked fanatics are good, Iberian infantry with a couple xp ceverons due to the Teutatis temple are the better choice. even rounds shields with these ceverons are somewhat decent. and if you use them right, they do make for decent troops for an hammer and anvil.
Average Citizen
Legionary
posted 09 December 2012 10:27
EDT (US)
9 / 19
Iberians are outclassed in the late game pretty badly. Also I find their lack of pila unappealing. But they are very good hammer and anvil units.
MusCypricus
Legionary
posted 22 December 2012 13:32
EDT (US)
12 / 19
Every time I play as Spain, they do that.
Average Citizen
Legionary
posted 23 December 2012 14:56
EDT (US)
13 / 19
Rome vanilla always ends the same unless you change that. Julii takes Gaul and Spain(?), Brutii Greece and Macedon, Scipii the whole African area. Dacia, Scythia, Armenia, Parthia still bickering over their last few settlements whilst the green war machine destroys them all. Germanania with all of its starting lands and some of Dacia. Britons doing well with Britain and parts of northen Gaul area. Spain are either very dead or holding on to Spain and making good progress. They are doomed to die via Brutii though. Egypt holding on to its last lands as the Scipii close it. Pontus does well for some reason drawing on stupid amounts of manpower to overrun asia minor. Carthage are dead. Seluciuds and their levy spearmen are dead. Greece are dead. Macedon are very dead. SPQR still building up an egg nest and going mad and asking their allies to kill their leaders. etc. etc.
Average Citizen
Legionary
posted 24 December 2012 06:08
EDT (US)
15 / 19
Horse Archers are crazy bat**** baskets. Your only hope against them is to buy some mercenary horse archers and slingers yourself or drain their arrowfire with bull warriors.
ShieldWall
Legionary
posted 24 December 2012 11:39
EDT (US)
16 / 19
Wardogs probably would help, I don't think horse archers skirmish away from them. I wouldn't bother recruiting horse archers of your own as the mercenaries have less armour protection than those which can be recruited by your enemies, so they won't stand up in a one on one fight. You could try recruiting lots of Cretan Archers, Rhodian and Balearic Slingers, they'll be able to take them down very satisfactorily, especially if you put the Cretans on flames to encourage them to rout - fast moving horse archers have rubbish morale. The other option is to ignore fighting them in the open and instead go for their towns as they can't run away from your cavalry in the streets.
Average Citizen
Legionary
posted 25 December 2012 05:48
EDT (US)
18 / 19
Spain is quite easy to Blitzekreig, I mean Gaul are weak and you can get a lot of money looting them to buy the mines you need back home for a stable economy.
MusCypricus
Legionary
posted 26 December 2012 08:38
EDT (US)
19 / 19
I tried that ones, but as soon as I captured Nabo Martius, a huge Julii army (more than half a stack) has landed and besieged it.