Cicero 1.2 Update 4 is now live!

[schultz]

I don't mind there being a starvation mechanic.
But in its current form, it's way too OP.
There ought to be a threshold, beneath which pops will no longer suffer from starvation, as they would be growing food to feed themselves.

Slaves would starve first, followed by citizens, as they no longer have slaves to grow food for them.
Last to starve are freemen and tribesmen, as they are both capable of engaging in agriculture.
Freemen do more than just sit around waiting to be recruited into armies.

There can also be occupation stances.
The kindest stances inflict more attrition damage on your troops, but reduce the starvation malus.
The harshest stance can severely reduce population through foraging/pillaging, but will result in increased aggressive expansion penalties and diplomatic hits.

 

[TheMadEmperor]

I don't mind there being a starvation mechanic.

I agree.
They just need to fix the depopulation mechanic, that's annoying!

Spoiler: ...

The year is 600 AUC and half of Anatolia is uncolonized land D:

 

[cristofolmc]

I agree.
They just need to fix the depopulation mechanic, that's annoying!

Ive said it many times:

1. Leave slaves out of the demotion mechanic.

2. No pop type will migrate to a city if that is going to provoke its demotion.

 

[Ragu]

Ive said it many times:

1. Leave slaves out of the demotion mechanic.

2. No pop type will migrate to a city if that is going to provoke its demotion.

but demotion isn't depopulation

problem is that in occupied province max food set to 0 - so all territories start starvation with -5% pop grow

 

[Alaclis]

Very good alpha, can't wait to play the release version, ..., oh wait

 

[Manst]

Very good alpha, can't wait to play the release version, ..., oh wait

Close, it's a beta. If you want to play the current "finished" game just go play 1.1

 

[apg]

Very good alpha, can't wait to play the release version, ..., oh wait

I agree with and understand the sentiment, but the game is so much better with 1.2 than when at release. I think it is going to turn out to be an excellent game on it current development trajectory.

 

[Waverunner]

Thank you. These are the only times i play without being able to get achievements.

 

[sr999]

I haven't played the latest patch yet but mercs were almost entirely not worth using in the previous beta, and this is a time period during which at least one major state had the majority of its military forces from mercenaries (and ally / client states).

A very slight balance issue but due to the new invention cost system very small states (such as Greek city states) can get inventions basically for free, this seems probably not intended? Perhaps a small additional base cost to inventions would make sense (much as states get base income and manpower).

Agree completely on mercs, but I would add there's now the additional disincentive of mercs giving you a penalty on military tech. So they've rethought it completely, to the extent mercs are a no-brainer for many circumstances in the short term, but equally you don't want them around in peacetime. Which hopefully will strike the perfect balance by motivating people to replicate Diadochoi policies.

As for inventions, I endorsed the change early and haven't changed my position. What the devs are doing in buffing the small states is indirectly penalizing the big ones. Which makes the smaller ones more survivable against the odds and of course de facto replicates the relative stagnation of the big ones. Especially think of the historically surprising examples: Syracuse, Rhodes, Epirus, Galatia, Bithynia, Pergamum, etc. Anything that gives them an edge has to be good!

 

[sr999]

It seems hard for tribal nation.
It is requiered to modify a law to build cities.
This law can be modify when centralization is about 50 !
I convince it's realistic but means we will see only field and forests in our territories for 50 years or more ?

As a general game-play (and even marketing point) point I'm dead set against sets of laws the majority of which are tech-barred (or in this case centralization-barred) per se - especially for the beta where the updates are coming so fast it's sometimes difficult to get into a position to try them out! It;s just frustratung for the players IMV some kind of "diluted starter law" should still be available from day 1 even if you don't satisfy the requirements for the "premium" law.

 

[sr999]

Has anyone noticed that reinforcement may be erratic in update 4? Lots of my units are in need of reinforcement but it's simply... not happening. Even for a unit sitting quietly in a city back home, it might reinforce 100 men in one turn, and zero men the next, despite having nearly 100k manpower. What am I missing?

 

[dunka2]

Has anyone noticed that reinforcement may be erratic in update 4? Lots of my units are in need of reinforcement but it's simply... not happening. Even for a unit sitting quietly in a city back home, it might reinforce 100 men in one turn, and zero men the next, despite having nearly 100k manpower. What am I missing?

I had a similar thought actually but thought perhaps it was doing that thing that EU4 does where it prioritises armies higher in the queue for replenishment. Perhaps there is something funny going on though. It does seem slower, but that may mean nothing.

 

[Ragu]

Has anyone noticed that reinforcement may be erratic in update 4? Lots of my units are in need of reinforcement but it's simply... not happening. Even for a unit sitting quietly in a city back home, it might reinforce 100 men in one turn, and zero men the next, despite having nearly 100k manpower. What am I missing?

i think you have heavy infantry and you haven't access to iron (or similar with other units)

 

[AnExplorer]

The provinces depopulating into unocuppied land is NOT because of war.

I'm playing as kush, and my neighbor to southeast of me (forgot nation name, its that small one next to aksum), his provinces randomly de-populate for no reason even though they haven't been at war at all. I noticed that randomly throughout the world.

Another weird thing. One of my provinces as Kush lost a freeman but gained a slave (or maybe freeman turned into a slave?). But it showed the population growing and no lack of food. So I dunno what happened. Maybe something similar to why my neighbor lost his provinces for no reason despite being positive on food.

The only other explanation to this, is because of the Gladio et Sale mod that I'm using. But I don't think that touches food. Though could be doing something weird to provinces randomly losing people or gaining slaves or turning into slaves. But I think its more a patch bug. But I'll post it in his mod thread just in case.

 

[Ragu]

Another weird thing. One of my provinces as Kush lost a freeman but gained a slave (or maybe freeman turned into a slave?). But it showed the population growing and no lack of food. So I dunno what happened. Maybe something similar to why my neighbor lost his provinces for no reason despite being positive on food.
.

freeman demoted to slave when they % more than desired ratio (and food don't affect this)

 

[AnExplorer]

freeman demoted to slave when they % more than desired ratio (and food don't affect this)

Ah didn't realize that. Well that part is solved I guess. But still my neighbor lost his provinces for no reason even though not at war or losing food. Unless gaining food isn't showing properly on the province screen and he was actually not making food. Or its the mod, but don't think so.

Was kinda annoying cause now can't actually take the territory since its blocked by unoccupied land

 

[Achiles]

Has any fought a war against an overseas empire on this update? I had a game as Etruria that I lost because my ally Macedon wouldn't use their navy to transport over their army.

 

[Kurgon999]

I just want to tell you guys that you are doing great work. I liked the game at launch, but you guys have really improved it in impressive ways.

I look forward to the future of this game, and I look forward to throwing money at you for more content.

I don't post on your forums much, but you deserve to hear from people who love your work more often.

 

[Grosbill45]

New update yesterday evening ! there is no more pop screen and you cannot move slaves anymore. You have a number of pop evolution in the place of the button. Why not, but I need the screen showing the evolution of my pops because I don’t know if they assimilate or not. I play Carthage and the tribes at the south are really difficult to assimilate.
Continue your work, I really like it.

 

[Alaclis]

I agree with and understand the sentiment, but the game is so much better with 1.2 than when at release. I think it is going to turn out to be an excellent game on it current development trajectory.

Maybe, but seriously this game was released in an alpha stage, and still is. I played ck2, eu4, hoi4 and stellaris when they were released and it was much better.

I'm invited in a lot of closed alpha and internal access and this game wasn't ready at all. It's bother me a lot. I hope for a commercial gesture for people who pre-ordered, like a free first dlc, because this game won't be good until 2020. I don't like testing when i'm not paid for, it's like working at home for me.

And don't tell me to play previous version ...