Matrix Games Forums

One minor change to the game would be nice to have: notification when Syracuse decides to change alliances. I don't mean after you play a Syracuse option card or when Rome plays theirs, but when Syracuse decides to join Carthage/Rome "spontaneously" (presumably this is influenced/triggered by the current point total favoring Carthage or Rome). In some of the first games I played Syracuse switched sides and I didn't realize it until after 1) I tried to play a Syracuse Revolt card only to learn it had already switched, or 2) when Rome tried to play their own Diplomacy in Syracuse card. Now I use the game overview screen to check whose side Syracuse is on.

Anyway, since Syracuse switching sides is important info (and would likely have been front parchment news in Carthage) maybe a notification via the "Important News" message pop-up could be added?

I believe there is a notification, it just gets buried under the other stuff.

There should always be a notification when Syracuse changes sides. I believe that the game somewhere implies that Syracuse might switch sides due to the ebb and flow of victory points, etc. But this is not true. I have never implemented that. Syracuse only changes "spontaneously" due to specific triggers:

1. The death of Hiero
2. Revolution in Syracuse (Carthaginian Option Card)
3. Diplomacy in Syracuse (Roman Option Card)

When and if Hiero dies there will be a dialog announcing it. But you have to read the dialog for the details. Because the new ruler (Hieronymous) may switch to Carthage or he may remain allied with Rome. Probably this happened and you closed the dialog without seeing the notice of the changeover.

Of course if Syracuse is captured outright or falls to siege then the results are communicated differently but this is something different from your question.

So, if one is to capture Syracusae by force, does it simply change sides or is it permanently conquered and recruited units are free to leave the theatre?

If you capture Syracuse by force it is no longer independent and you will raise Italian units there. Those units are free to leave the theater. However, note that any existing Syracusan units will be removed (unlike when the city changes loyalty).

Syracuse can regain its independence through the successful play of the "Revolution in Syracuse" or the "Diplomacy in Syracuse" option cards.

Mercenarius,

Ah, OK I get it now. Thank you for clarifying my confusion over Syracuse. My problem was that after seeing the same "Change in Syracuse" pop-up message the first few games I thought it was the same message every game. I see now that last part of the 3rd sentence in the message changes to say who Syracuse is allied with while the message title and other 3 sentences stay the same except for the ages of Hiero and his grandson. Too subtle for me obviously.