I'm asking because I just "discovered" it and I'm loving every bit of it, but all the threads, and I've read about 45 pages worth of them to learn about the game, are about 6 years old on average. Except for the two or three at the top wishing for Rome 2 (count me in, by the way!).
I've played just about every other Paradox title but for some reason or another, this hidden gem managed to elude me. It's my favorite period of history and there aren't really all that many (as in "any at all") alternatives covering grand strategy in this era that truly catch the "feel" of it in my opinion.
I enjoy playing the Total War Romes, both of them, because I love the battles, but neither really hit the sweet spot when it comes to historicity, to say the least (seriously? Fighting the Etruscan Wars in 272 BC? Are you KIDDING ME???), and there are any number of wargames that do individual campaigns and battles very well indeed, it's just that I can't really find any that really make you feel like you're "building Rome" like this one does. Except for the pretty much ancient "Annals of Rome", which is the only game about this period I can think of that let you play from the early days of the Republic all the way to the Fall. I loved that game. Unfortunately, no heir to it has appeared. All of the ones that came out since that one either deal with the early days up until the Empire (and then they end whether you like it or not) or the period around the Fall.
I'd like to just once be able to play a game about Rome that covered all of it. From the struggling early days of the founding until the end centuries later. Starting out as a fledgling nation, becoming big and strong, then trying to stave off defeat (or even preventing it) towards the end.
I don't have a particular interest in games where you're always the underdog or always the baddest mofo on the block. I prefer games where you go through both phases.
I've played just about every other Paradox title but for some reason or another, this hidden gem managed to elude me. It's my favorite period of history and there aren't really all that many (as in "any at all") alternatives covering grand strategy in this era that truly catch the "feel" of it in my opinion.
I enjoy playing the Total War Romes, both of them, because I love the battles, but neither really hit the sweet spot when it comes to historicity, to say the least (seriously? Fighting the Etruscan Wars in 272 BC? Are you KIDDING ME???), and there are any number of wargames that do individual campaigns and battles very well indeed, it's just that I can't really find any that really make you feel like you're "building Rome" like this one does. Except for the pretty much ancient "Annals of Rome", which is the only game about this period I can think of that let you play from the early days of the Republic all the way to the Fall. I loved that game. Unfortunately, no heir to it has appeared. All of the ones that came out since that one either deal with the early days up until the Empire (and then they end whether you like it or not) or the period around the Fall.
I'd like to just once be able to play a game about Rome that covered all of it. From the struggling early days of the founding until the end centuries later. Starting out as a fledgling nation, becoming big and strong, then trying to stave off defeat (or even preventing it) towards the end.
I don't have a particular interest in games where you're always the underdog or always the baddest mofo on the block. I prefer games where you go through both phases.
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