Spartan: Feedback for Slitherine/Matrix

[lordhoff]

Apparently I am the only person playing this fine game and due to being some four years old and in a niche area, I have my doubts [8|] that there is any desire or plans for sequels/upgrades but ---

- a mistake: on episode 7: the coming of the Persians, on the "new game" selection map, the difficulty levels are reversed for the Erythraeons (change from hard to easy) and the Aetolians (from easy to hard).
- Game play would be improved if all movement by the AI were hidden unless the correct diplomatic action has been successful. This would require a more careful and realistic garrisoning of cities since one cannot do interceptions.
- There should be a diplomatic method to gain possibly limited control of a nation (ie, an alliance. In a thread, vassalization was mentioned but I do not believe that is possible unless a mod is out there.
- It might be better if it cost more to create regiments - too many "five" armies running about during the later stages.
- A historic option for most scenarios - one where the nations are already built to their historic level at the start.
- Sea warfare control: the AI is bloodthirsty - units when controlled by it always sustain higher casualties then they would under human control.
- An up-to-date manual: the unit creation costs are all wrong, some ethnicities are not listed as being able to make certain types of regiments that can, etc.

Anyway, I'll be playing this game for at least another month until I attack the next one on my backlog. I hope it isn't a total disappointment like "Crown of Glory", though. I have to check my pile; I think I have "Chariots" in there somewhere waiting to be played. BTW, is "Chariots" the same engine as Spartan?

[anarchyintheuk]

Assuming you have a qualified diplomat, met the alliance rating and have the cash vassalization does work.

[lordhoff]

Maybe the correct way of asking this is: what is the maximum number of stars a diplomat can get? It has been a while, but mine had five (I believe) and started at the beginning of a very long game. Diplomatic builds in the diplomatic (rather then espionage) branch was maxed. Alliance level was way below the 99 I was at. There was simply no option presented (and not grey meaning not enough silver or whatever). The only other possibility is that an alliance (vassalization) is an espionage feature but that doesn't make a lot of sense. I purposely played the game with the aim of vassalizing my way to victory to see how it works. Oh well, I saved the game - maybe I can build the espionage string to see if it comes up that way. If it is there outside of a mod, strike that one from my list.

[anarchyintheuk]

Max is 5, but a 4 should also work for vassalization. I usually go the diplo build route as well. Vassalization should work under either tho. I'll try to look at a saved game tonight.

[anarchyintheuk]

Loaded up an old game. Athenian 5 star diplomat, above the alliance level, highest level diplo building, enough cash and the Samians were vassalized effective next turn. Don't know what to tell you.

[lordhoff]

Loaded up an old game. Athenian 5 star diplomat, above the alliance level, highest level diplo building, enough cash and the Samians were vassalized effective next turn. Don't know what to tell you.

What is the term that you clicked on to do this?

My guess is that there is a patch or a mod that I don't have loaded. Or, maybe it only works with historic leagues (I was playing the Thracian Bessi). It seems strange that no option to do this came up in my game.

[anarchyintheuk]

Don't remember offhand. It was either Vassalize or Vassalization. Was one of the first options on the list.

[lordhoff]

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

Don't remember offhand. It was either Vassalize or Vassalization. Was one of the first options on the list.

There lies the problem - no option came up for me. I don't think it will aid directly in victory (I think VCs for Athens is to accumulate silver) but I'll try playing Athens by building diplomatic missions to see if it is an ethnic group difference. If not, then I'll have to assume it is a patch/mod/game version difference.

[anarchyintheuk]

IIRC Athens requires 30 cities and 4 or 5 in particular.

The last diplo building advancement is at 6 or 7 in gold.

[lordhoff]

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

IIRC Athens requires 30 cities and 4 or 5 in particular.

The last diplo building advancement is at 6 or 7 in gold.

IIRC Athens requires 30 cities and 4 or 5 in particular.

The last diplo building advancement is at 6 or 7 in gold.

Thanks. Haven't made it to Athens yet and many of the victory conditions were similar with past scenarios so I guessed it was silver again. That should make it quite a bit more interesting when I do the test.

[anarchyintheuk]

Let me know what happens. If it still doesn't pop up, I could probably send you an old saved so you could see where it is.

[lordhoff]

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

Let me know what happens. If it still doesn't pop up, I could probably send you an old saved so you could see where it is.

Well, played thru twice with Athens - once using the diplomatic chain and the other the espionage chain. Neither provided an option for vassalization. Oh well. Maybe the MATRIX version differs from the original. Seems strange I can see all movement when there are diplomatic options to make them visible too. Can't have everything, I suppose.

[anarchyintheuk]

I just remembered that vassalization only works on Gates of Troy not Spartan. I've played on GoT since it came out and forgot about the differences between the two. Sorry about the mistake.

[lordhoff]

No problem at all. I'm glad the mystery is cleared up and I don't have to search for non-existent mods/patches. [8D] I don't have GoT and I suppose "Chariots", being older, doesn't have it either but I do have (and haven't got to it yet) "Legion Gold" which may or may not use the same engine.

[anarchyintheuk]

Legion Gold came out after Spartan/GoT, so it should have the most advanced diplomatic options. Let me know if it does, I don't have it as of yet.