Western Roman Empire (RTW:BI Faction)

Western Roman Empire (RTW:BI Faction)
Name:	The Western Roman Empire
From Game:	Barbarian Invasion
Religion:	Christian/Pagan
Culture:	Roman
Playable:

The Western Roman Empire is one of the playable factions in Barbarian Invasion.

By the time of Barbarian Invasion, the Roman Empire is well and truly in decline. The Western Roman Empire is the larger, but poorer part of the old Empire. It is most at risk from the oncoming Barbarian Hordes. However, all is not lost. The WRE can still field an impressive army, and a skilled player can bring the Empire to new heights - including reunification with the East.

Game Play

Starting Position

At the beginning of the game, the Western Roman Empire ranges from the British Isles in the north to the deserts of Africa in the south. It is the largest faction in the game, controlling Italy, Gaul, Illyria, Pannonia, Britain, Spain and a small part of North Africa. The Empire borders the Celts in the north, the Franks and Alemanni in the northeast, the Eastern Roman Empire in the east and the Berbers in the south.

Your empire is also divided between Pagans and Christians. Your faction leader and heir are Christians, as well as Carthage, and Southern Italy, but the rest of the Empire is Pagan.

Win Conditions

In order to achieve victory the Westerm Roman Empire must control 34 provinces, including Northern Italy (Rome), Africa (Carthage), Taraconensis (Tarraco) and Thracia (Constantinople).

Units

The Western Roman Empire is a defensive infantry focused faction, with some great support options. Their Infantry is the backbone of their roster, and gets progressively more powerful as the faction develops. Their early infantry are spearmen with high defense but low attack and shaky morale; later on their Comitatenses and Plumbatarii fill the more traditional Roman Legionary role, but still aren't as brave as Caesars legions. The Comitatenses First Cohort, the elite infantry of the Western Roman Empire, are as brave, are available everywhere and are probably the strongest Infantry unit in the game. The Western Roman Empire also has access to an excellent Spear unit, Auxilia Palatina, and while they lack the elite Cataphracts of their Eastern Cousins, they do get a basic Horse archer and the Sarmatian Auxilia, an excellent unit that is also available fairly early in the game. For missiles they get standard archers, all the siege units, a Crossbow unit, and the very vulnerably but extremely deadly Carriage Ballista.

Infantry Units

• Peasants
• Limitanei
• Foederati Infantry
• Comitatenses
• Auxilia Palatina
• Plumbatarii
• Praeventores
• Comitatenses First Cohort
• Catholic Priest

Ranged Units

• Archers
• Bucellarii
• Onagers
• Ballistae
• Heavy Onagers
• Repeating Ballistae
• Carriage Ballistae
• Scorpions

Cavalry Units

• Foederati Cavalry
• Sarmatian Auxilia
• Equites Sagitarii
• Scholae Palatinae
• Imperial German Bodyguard

Strategy guides

Playing as the Western Empire is the toughest challenge in the game. There are several serious problems. The Empire is poor; having only 1000 denarii, there is a lot of religious strife, most of the generals are not very good, the settlements are not well developed, and public order is very bad in many regions. There is the threat of a civil War if any settlements rebel; which is hard to prevent. In addition to all that, powerful hordes are approaching the Empire, each with several stacks. However, there are ways to deal with this.

RTW: The Western Roman Empire Empire Walkthrough, [1].

With the WRE you need to destroy the Celts and Berbers, exterminate their cities as your economy is in tatters. Settlements you must keep hold of are Rome, Ravanna, Tarraco, and Carthage, as these four on there own make up the majority of your income in the first turns of the game. Spain will lose you a lot of money so sort that out asap. Attacking the barbarian factions is all very well, but in reality it simply speeds up the time when the hordes attack you. What I did was simply build loads of camps on my frontier with the barbarian and repel any invasions. The Hordes will appear soon enough and weakened. while you are waiting for them take Africa and start assulting the Sassanids and the ERE. Once you have defeated the hordes you now have vast amounts of men to swarm the Barbarians with. The ultimate destruction of all of these peoples will be quick and easy. Leave garrisons and head east. Destroy and maim anyone whom you come across. By now the in the East your legeasily to rebelsions should have reduced the Sassanids to nothing and you can perform a pincer movement through the ERE.

The world is yours and the WRE has been restored to its rightful place! More importantly however, you have completed Barbarian Invasion with the most difficult faction on the game!!!

History

Barbarian Invasion Factions
Eastern Roman Empire | Western Roman Empire | Huns | Goths | Sarmatians | Vandals | Franks | Saxons | Alemanni | Sassanids | Celts | Burgundii | Lombardi | Roxolani | Berbers | Slavs | Romano British | Ostrogoths | Eastern Roman Rebels | Western Roman Rebels | Rebels