The Romans are strong in attack and defence alike, and build a field and a building at the same time. Their wall has one of the highest bonuses, but their troops are expensive and slow to train.
Attack Defence Speed Easy start
Strengths
- Double building: they build a resource field and a village building at the same time.
- A balanced army: strong units for attack and others for defence, on foot and on horseback.
- The Senator lowers loyalty more than other tribes' administrators.
- City Wall: one of the walls with the highest defence bonus.
Weaknesses
- Their troops are expensive and train slower than the Teutons' and the Gauls'.
- Their merchant carries only 500, at 16 fields an hour.
Their own buildings
- City Wall: raises the defence of everyone in the village.
- Horse Drinking Trough: needs a Rally Point at level 10 and a Stable at level 20. It trains cavalry faster by its level in percent, and lowers their crop by one: the Equites Legati from level 10, the Equites Imperatoris from level 15, the Equites Caesaris at level 20.
Troops
These are the Romans' ten troops as the game has them, each with what it is for:
| Unit | Attack | Def. vs infantry | Def. vs cavalry | Speed (fields/h) | Carry | Crop upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LegionnaireA balanced soldier that attacks and defends. Good against cavalry. | 40 | 35 | 50 | 6 | 50 | 1 |
| PraetorianThe infantry defender: tough against footmen, slow and no good for attacking. | 30 | 65 | 35 | 5 | 20 | 1 |
| ImperianThe Romans' strongest attacking footman. The core of their attacks. | 70 | 40 | 25 | 7 | 50 | 1 |
| Equites LegatiA fast scout that finds out what a target holds. Does not fight. | 0 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| Equites ImperatorisA fast attacking rider that carries a lot. Great for raids. | 120 | 65 | 50 | 14 | 100 | 3 |
| Equites CaesarisThe Romans' strongest rider: high attack and good defence, but expensive. | 180 | 80 | 105 | 10 | 70 | 4 |
| Battering RamKnocks down the wall before your army reaches it. | 60 | 30 | 75 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Fire CatapultWrecks buildings and fields in a normal attack. | 75 | 60 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| SenatorThe administrator: lowers a village's loyalty until it is yours. | 50 | 40 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| SettlerFounds a new village. You need three. | 0 | 80 | 80 | 5 | 3,000 | 1 |
Base values before upgrades. Speed is in fields per hour on a ×1 world and is multiplied by the world's troop speed.
The Senator and conquest
The Senator is the Romans' administrator. Every Senator that arrives in a normal attack and survives lowers loyalty by 20 to 30; other tribes' administrators manage 20 to 25. Details in the chapter on your second village.
Who they suit
Players who want to learn attack and defence together and are in no hurry. They are a little harder than the Gauls at the start because their troops cost more.
Tips for the start
- Always build a field and a building together; it is your biggest edge in the first days.
- Legionnaires are enough for defence and small raids at the start.
- Don't train a big army before your economy is strong.