"Punic" Tricks

[nalivayko]

This thread is not about the Punic Tricks cards. This is a discussion about strategems and tactics. What dirty tricks do you have up your sleeve to help you succeed against Roman AI. I'll list a couple of my own:

Live and Let Live

When a besieged Roman general decides to sally out on the last turn of the siege I never pursue when victorious. This way I get two cards and not just one (one for victory in battle, one for successful siege/death of general). Sometimes it's very tempting to let all your numerous cavalry loose on a couple of helpless Roman legions. It pays to restrain yourself.

Generosity that Pays

It is tempting to snatch both Asculum and Ancona in Umbria and recruit two units per turn. However, when you do this you forfeit one of the best traps for Roman armies - Asculum. Instead, you should seize Ancona early on (when Romans are less afraid of Hannibal) and bait the enemy by camping outside. Any time you defeat a Roman army, they will take refuge in Asculum. Now, if you have numbers, you can afford to besiege them there and have another army guarding against relief. If your numbers are still on the low side, you can continue camping in the field, preventing the Romans from uniting their forces.

Asculum has been the graves to so many Roman armies in my games that I have lost count. The few legions the Roman AI managed to recruit in the province were dwarfed by the losses I imposed on it later on (combine this trick with the first one for maximum effect).

[lavanpk]

nalivayko,

Interesting stuff. I'll have to try your tricks my next game. Not sure I have anything to offer but the obvious stuff but here's one strategy that I've used with some success:

Sicily for Syracuse

If Syracuse becomes an ally of Carthage I will immediately direct their army to take minor cities of Lilybaeum and Messana on Sicily. Why? Since victory point values of these minor cities are higher (4) than other major Italian cities (3) it usually will prompt a Roman army to invade Sicily to re-take them. That's one less Roman army/general available to chase Hannibal around Italy or invade Spain or Africa. If you have the resources you can also reinforce the Syracuse army with a Carthagian expeditionary army and use the combined force to destroy the Roman army there. One downside: this may prompt a Roman siege of Syracuse if the army they send is powerful enough.

[nalivayko]

Good reasoning. Then here's another similar one:

Mi Casa Es Su Casa

Romans are always welcome to Africa. I hardly ever offer combat in the open unless I outnumber their general 2 to 1. Make it more if the army is led by Africanus (really bad experience there, don't ask). I allow Utica and Hippo Rhegius to fall and wait for the Romans to besiege Cirta or Carthage. Then using either Numidian or Carthaginian I raise the siege (plus one card) and then, provide the odds are right (see above) try to attack. Attacking in Africa is easier for two reasons: harder to decline combat and my general is usually an unknown to the Roman AI. Sometimes Romans leave unmolested (takes nothing to capture back two minor cities), which I consider a victory (less Romans in Italy for a turn or two, no harm really done to my cause).

Of course, in order to use this trick, one should leave his shores undefended.

[nalivayko]

Just pulled another one off...

Denial of ports

Just what the name says. After skirmishing with Macedonian ships Romans ended up with 2 ship squadrons in the Adriatic. Their much larger navy (15 squadrons) was blocking combined Carthago-Syracusan fleet at Messana Strait. I controlled all of Sicily, Romans retained control of Rhegium.

Seeking to drive the Roman navy off, I stormed Rhegium, expecting the enemy ships to retreat north. Instead, they decided to consolidate with Adriatic detachment in the east. It did help the Romans to transport the armies between Cis. Gaul and Umbria, they controlled Ancona, Patavium and Brundisium, so the move looked rather logical at first.

Umbria, at the time, served home to the largest Roman army, usually under command of either promoted Africanus or Nero. The army was too large to attack at camp, but did not pose a threat to Hannibal, who was operating out of Etruria. Hadsrubal hanged back in Genoa, while Himilco held Tarentum.

Naturally enough, a thought creeped into my mind... what if? I send Hadsrubal to take Patavium, Hannibal - Ancona and Ariminium, Himilco - Brundisium. The Romans are neutralized in Umbria by Hannibal's presence, their other, much smaller army remaining at Rome. Well, the cities are taken, the storm doesn't come, but the loss of all ports prompts Roman expedition from Rome to Brundisium, which is taken with minimal loss. Africanus also attempts to take Ariminium and is intercepted and heavily defeated, forced to take shelter at Asculum. I retake Brundisium and next turn the entire Roman navy is sunk by the storm.

Alexander would be so proud

I did not understand why the Romans chose to linger at Adriatic, but were they to move to Messana Strait, I still would have a chance to see their navy sunk there, since all the ports of Sicily and Bruttium were in my hands.