There's no perfect strategy as all factions are different. Hoplites on gates has been noted many times before, and indeed it's very effective. If there is one universal truth then factions should play to their strengths, and what hoplites do best is fight an enemy head on with there being no prospect of anything getting around their flanks. So they're wonderful in all kinds of city defence, blocking gates, blocking streets, and best of all blocking off access to the plaza in the centre of the town - as it has a raised this gives them a height advantage over their opponents and so they're all the harder to break.

So strategy at the battlefield level is subjective, it depends on who you are and what you're fighting. On the campaign map though, there are all manner of things a faction must do as soon as possible, no matter who they are - improve the economy by building roads, ports and traders, and get at least one city that can produce good quality troops as fast as possible.

Most units that you begin the game with are pretty low quality, but so are those of your enemy. You could wait until you're a little more powerful before attacking them, but then they will be a little more powerful too, so nothing much is gained except the threat of your being attacked is greater. Therefore I like to blitz them in the opening few turns to hack out a region that I can defend with the fewest number of troops, then I'll go into sleep mode until I can make lots of top quality armies. I have been known to wait 30 years. Creating such a firm base is the most important part of my early game. I cannot be conquered in this position, and am just waiting until I'm strong enough to advance anywhere with wild abandon.

One campaign level strategy that always works is to take Greece and western Turkey, and coastal cities in general. Sea trade (increased by Rhodes) is vital to making money as any faction. Also, it's generally a good idea to take as many wonders (the Egyptian ones aren't as important) as you can.

List of things to do when playing RTW:

1) Knock off Britannia. I hate their chariots, and love their loot.

2) Take Italia away from those pesky Romans. Great wine and cheese, and access to a lot of ports for my amphibious assaults.

3) Visit sunny Spain and make the people there dig minerals from the earth.

4) Spend a wonderful vacation in Greece. Lots of drachmas, retsine, and clear water. A tour to Rhodos is a must for any Grecian traveler.

5) Blitz the Nile. Always a laugh. Three boatloads filled with warriors, and two escort fleets to tangle with Egyptian fishermen. Land at Alexandria and drive forward to exotic Thebes. You will wonder where all the Men of eg are. Do not worry. They will come shortly- and in great numbers, making the killing of them easier.

6) Kill anything left over that dares stay at war with me.

7) Lucky Seven. Sit back with a well-earned beer and watch my empire thrive.

[This message has been edited by Terikel Grayhair (edited 05-16-2012 @ 01:39 AM).]

nice guys, I like the ideas, it was very helpfull thanks
Keep posting

1) Always keep a mobile reserve near your core cities for Rebels and random invasions.
2) Greece- all important for massive income.
3) Although not a really big deal, the capture of all wonders can greatly help any empire.
4) Consolidate your advances.
5) Eliminate any culture penalties.
6) Sea income- massively important to your empire.
7) Build roads, paved roads, highways asap..
8) Experience and weapon upgrades can greatly help your armies..

Thanks it for now..

1. The sea is almost liquid gold. Get any region on the sea that you can.

2. The shorter the distance between trading centers (cities and ports) the more profitable the trade link is.

3. Growing pains hurt. Only make buildings which help growth in cities which are either very, very small, or in remote locations.

4. Wonders work wonders. Need I say more?

5. Chariots cheat in Auto Resolve. Always fight enemies who have chariots in battle yourself.

7. Rome, the Greek Cities, Britannia, and Egypt are usually powerhouses. Take them out first.

Some important points:
1)Never use horse archers in Autoresolve, as they are underestimated by the AI. Always fight those battles yourself.
2)Capture as many wonders as possible.
3)Trade is much more profitable than farming. Always prefer building ports to building farms.
4)Always exterminate large cities, as they tend to rebel.
5)Never capture Corduba. There is a riot there every turn.
6)Prefer low tax rate+ small garrison to high tax rate+ large garrison. It's more profitable.
7)Regions that must be captured first: Greece (amazing trade and many wonders), Egypt and Babylonia (amazing farming), Crete (awesome mercenaries).
8)Don't try capturing far away settlements such as Nepte, Themiskyra and Domus Dulcis Domus, unless they are in your victory conditions.
9)Don't try to capture the steppe settlements. Go for the central, coastal regions of the map.
10)Try to use agents for reconnaisance (spelling?) and always try to know your enemies before you attack them. Use your agents wisely.
11)Never give military access and expect not to be attacked soon, especially on hard or very hard.

That's all for now. Good luck with your campaigns

5)Never capture Corduba. There is a riot there every turn.

That's not entirely true, but there are some settlements that are inherently problematic (i.e. they have a 10-30% base unrest penalty). They are: Jerusalem, Tarsus, Corduba, and Tara (Ireland).

5)Never capture Corduba. There is a riot there every turn.

Quite an overstatement. If managed well with may happiness/ law building is is quite manageable.. However a tougher cleansing may be in order every 10-20 years..

6)Prefer low tax rate+ small garrison to high tax rate+ large garrison. It's more profitable.

Agreed except in my core cities where public order is never an issue.

3)Trade is much more profitable than farming. Always prefer building ports to building farms.

Trade is more profitable then farming but your trade may vary alot with pirates and rebels etc. But Farming can provide a nice steady income and i always build at least only the first level to get a bit of that income.

Well, What I meant Awesome Eagle is that it is more preferable to build a shipwright than communal farming... And rebel armies affect farming, too, through devastation.

I know I streched the Corduba riots too much, but all I meant is that it brings you more trouble than profit.

Actually, Shieldwall, I never had a rioting problem with Tara or Tarsus. I had a lot of rioting with Sinope though.

[This message has been edited by Alex_the_bold (edited 05-16-2012 @ 00:52 AM).]

Well, What I meant Awesome Eagle is that it is more preferable to build a shipwright than communal farming... And rebel armies affect farming, too, through devastation.

Yea, i know it is preferable, i was just acknowledging the importance of farming revenue as well..

Did I say that about riots in Tara and Tarsus? No I didn't. Phew, thought I'd been sleep-posting again... In any case I don't know about Tara but Tarsus I've had problems with before, I think it has unrest built in and gets a big population to compound the problem. The worst one, no one's mentioned it yet though, is Tanais in Scythia - phenomenally awful to maintain control of. It's in the middle of nowhere and so certain to be far from your capital, it's got huge grain resources so the population explodes, and it's got I think about a 30% public order problem on top of that.

Tarsus, Sinope, And Tanais have never been a problem for me, at least not for very long. Same for Byzantium, Cherso, Tylis, Campus Geta, and Campus Scythi, as well as Kotais. even when I max out farmlands and health buildings.

This because they seldom are allowed to live. I keep a small army of onagers and infantry on a fleet in the Black Sea. Most towns have some heavy cav based within along with their peasants. These I use for keeping the trade routes tidy and stomping bandits.

When a city goes red, I move the floating army to it, move the garrison out, and if needed, demolish the barracks. This is usually not needed as I keep most trouble-spots military free. I jack up the taxes, too, to help defray the cost of what is coming next.

Then I slaughter the city. The onagers give direct access, and the troopies enter and slay. Then exterminate. Then move the garrison back in, my floating army out to retrain elsewhere, and the problem is solved for a short time.

I also keep a spy in the area. If a plague breaks out, I send him to contract it, then spread it to the troubled cities. Works wonders!

[This message has been edited by Terikel Grayhair (edited 05-17-2012 @ 05:25 AM).]

Actually, Shieldwall, I never had a rioting problem with Tara or Tarsus. I had a lot of rioting with Sinope though.

Did I say that about riots in Tara and Tarsus? No I didn't. Phew, thought I'd been sleep-posting again...

Actually, that would be me. And I'm not necessarily saying that I have lots of rioting problems, but those cities do have a built in unrest penalty.

I find Alexandria and Patavium are also murder to keep down.

And Sidon, too. Also Rome, Leptis Magna, Corduba, Carthago Nova, Carnuntum, Jerusalem and Philadelphia in BI.

On the battle map, I use my cavalry far more extensively than my infantry.

I usually set up my infantry in a line, and have HAs, archers and skirmishers attack the 'hardest' enemy units.

I then have my cavalry go around the flanks and take out enemy cavalry/generals, archers, and other 'soft' infantry.

Then, I close with the infantry and rout whatever is left (if any). The whole time I make sure to immediately chase down a unit that routs, and always continue battle when I win. This turns a victory into an annihilation, and is much better than saying "okay, they're routing, on to the next unit".

Works with pretty much every faction. Just thought I'd share this, as most people have been talking about campaign strategies.