Completed SIGNA FERTE or Let's Play A Legionary's Life

[Endemic]

To make a typical counterexample, even if the "death-dealing sword" is well-present in Homeric Epic, the primary weapon is the "long-reaching" "gleaming in bronze" spear, and rightly so. Poetically then, usually it's the shield who gets the focus, both for the Homeric archetype of Achilles' shield and the Latin copycat (Aeneas' shield). We simply aren't used to think of the spear as a "heroic weapon", but that's cultural. I bet my pants, I dunno, maybe the Chinks or someone considered the bow the essential noble weapon or something (I don't know a thing about Eastern literature).

Celtic mythology has a few notable spears. Lúin Celtchair and Gáe Bulg, for example.

Anyway, excuse the off-topic. You should try another playthrough of this when you have time

 

[Storyfag]

I bet my pants, I dunno, maybe the Chinks or someone considered the bow the essential noble weapon or something (I don't know a thing about Eastern literature).

Not them. A bit futher north...

 

[Azira]

So, if you're extremely patient, and a bit lucky, it's possible to survive against, and kill the five spearmen:

 

[Darth Roxor]

Extremely patient and lucky? I killed them without even getting hit once with my turbo-shielding

Anyway, finally managed to see a legionary through to the end yesterday. It feels pretty appropriate that the 0 virtue scumbag became a senator.

Also, can you believe I was passed up for promotion SIX TIMES because there were no open slots? I laughed when at some point the game started suggesting I make a spot for myself, and I probably would have done that if this weren't my best run so far.

Also2, I got TREMENDOUSLY butthurt when I missclicked in the event against Da Bulwark and accidentally declined his challenge, because I'm dead certain I would have whooped his ass

 

[Azira]

I offed the bulwark in my current run. Turtling made him easy. With no time limit, you simply let the opponent tire himself out.

 

[Dayyālu]

Anyway, finally managed to see a legionary through to the end yesterday. It feels pretty appropriate that the 0 virtue scumbag became a senator.

I tried an optimized build to get the Grass Crown, failed due to terrible rolls to off the Phalangitai. Guy managed to become Aediles, I guess it's enough for a do-gooder that managed to become Centurion in Hispania (70+ Int and Cha work wonders, I guess).

Pity for the Grass Crown, but that one is I guess a tad too RNG, or you need godlike stats (90+) to chop up the FINAL BOSS and the Phalangitai just after. If you lose a couple rounds to get your footing back you lost the chance.

Ah well, fuck I dumped 20 hours more in this. By the Gods.

 

[CappenVarra]

good lp, game - the gods will surely take notice

 

[Galdred]

I offed the bulwark in my current run. Turtling made him easy. With no time limit, you simply let the opponent tire himself out.

He trounced me. He really hits like a truck. How did you tire him out? feint + respite in defensive mode? How do you sidestep the morale penalty?

 

[Dayyālu]

He trounced me. He really hits like a truck. How did you tire him out? feint + respite in defensive mode? How do you sidestep the morale penalty?

You have no morale penalty for three turns of consecutive defense.

Then you need to switch to balanced approach or offensive approach for a turn or two, then you can have three turns of consecutive defense again. The Thracian Machine has crazy high physical stats, and if you aren't a good character there's a good chance that you get tired if you are unlucky (as he has top recovery and respite chances). Don't feint, it chops your stamina down crazy, wait for him to tire down eventually, pray that your defensive skills are high enough. Arm hits for tiring him are useful.

Of course, this is with a baseline or barely-improved character, but he's some kind of boss after all, you aren't supposed to kill him easy. He's even somewhat resilient to the murdercombo of knock+charge with shield just because crazy physical stats.

 

[lightbane]

That was a fun read and convinced me it's worth a try... Later, once my backlog is slightly smaller. I like that the divination thing may fail if your character is smart because he overthinks it, instead of the dev using liberal modern thinking that "religion is for dummies HURR!".
Also, no "stronk warrior women!", of course.

 

[Andnjord]

Finally bought the game, what a little gem.

First attempt: killed by the second mercenary in the citadel assault. Got cocky when I almost killed the first one.
Second attempt: killed on the ladders trying to help the centurion.
Third attempt: actually got selected for the sneak attack, survived the citadel assault and got immediately promoted to Tesserarius. Onward!

 

[Andnjord]

Oooof, just managed to save that Ovidius Velites that our Gaius Kommunus failed. That was one hell of a fight!

 

[Andnjord]

Wooooo!!! And Hostias III managed to reach the endgame and survive the war! Final score was 3379 and rank of Centurio Posterior, is that a good result or did Hostias III barely scrape by?

In the end, I killed Himlico, the Nimble Agema Peltast, and chopped up the phalanx in small pieces once I realised that the shield push is very effective (even got the gold Armilla for that). Chickened out on the bulwark I'm afraid, but my proudest claim has to be...12 peasants.

Oh, and that was with baseline stats, kinda impressed with Hostias III considering only 6% of the players got the achievement.

 

[Dayyālu]

Wooooo!!! And Hostias III managed to reach the endgame and survive the war! Final score was 3379 and rank of Centurio Posterior, is that a good result or did Hostias III barely scrape by?

Scape by, but baseline characters aren't that hot. I haven't played since the last rebalances, but breaching the Phalanx is already a good job.

Now go and try to become a Senator. I dare you!

 

[Andnjord]

New run, enhanced makes one hell of a difference I gotta say. Hostias III was basically a dumber version of our Gaius, so this new run with much better mental stats has been able to train properly very quickly due to people actually liking him.

This time I didn't chicken out against the Bulwark and just baaaaarely managed to beat him. He got me down to 4hp before he finally collapsed from exhaustion and I was able to kill him.


EDIT: Final result, score of only 3184 but made it to the rank of Quaestor this time, so...yay?

Query: do enhancement points get spent with each playthrough where you spend them or do they accumulate after each game regardless of whether you use them or not?

 

[Dayyālu]

They accumulate.