Rome, under the leadership of Trajan, is a civilization practically engineered for expansion. Analysis on forums shows that many players consider Rome one of the most straightforward and powerful civilizations for learning the game’s core mechanics, particularly those related to empire building and domination. This guide provides a definitive, in-depth look at mastering Trajan’s expansionist strategy, drawing on insights from the player community and professional gamers.
The Roman Advantage: A Foundation for Empire
Understanding Rome’s unique abilities is the first step toward leveraging them for rapid growth. These advantages are not just powerful; they synergize to create a snowball effect that can quickly become unstoppable.
Trajan’s Column: The Engine of Early Culture
Every city founded by Trajan starts with a free Monument. This is a cornerstone of Rome’s early-game dominance. A Monument provides +2 Culture, which is a significant boost in the opening turns. According to the player community, this early culture is not just a minor perk; it’s a strategic game-changer. It accelerates your progress through the Civics tree, allowing you to unlock crucial policies and governments far ahead of your rivals.
This cultural momentum means you can adopt powerful policies like Agoge (+50% production toward Ancient and Classical era melee and ranged units) and Colonization (+50% production toward Settlers) much earlier. This early access to production bonuses is a key reason why a Roman expansion strategy is so effective.
All Roads Lead to Rome: Unmatched Logistics
Rome’s second unique ability, “All Roads Lead to Rome,” is a logistical masterpiece. Every new city, whether founded or conquered, automatically has a Trading Post. Furthermore, any new city within Trade Route range of your capital automatically gets a road connection. This has several profound implications:
- Rapid Troop Movement: The automatic road network allows for the swift deployment of your military units. This is invaluable for both offensive campaigns and defending your sprawling empire.
- Economic Boost: Your Trade Routes earn an extra +1 Gold for passing through your own cities’ Trading Posts. As your empire expands, this bonus can become a significant source of income, funding your military and infrastructure.
- Effortless Integration: Conquered cities are immediately integrated into your logistical network, making it easier to reinforce them and quell any loyalty issues.
The Legion: An Unstoppable Force
The Legion is Rome’s unique unit, replacing the Swordsman. It is a powerhouse in the Classical Era. Many professional gamers suggest that the Legion’s primary strength lies not just in its combat effectiveness but also in its accessibility. It has a higher combat strength than the Swordsman it replaces and, crucially, does not require Iron resources to produce. This is a massive advantage, as it allows you to field a powerful army even if you have an unlucky start with no access to Iron.
Furthermore, the Legion has a single build charge that can be used to create a Roman Fort. These forts provide a defensive bonus to any unit occupying them and can be strategically placed to create chokepoints and secure your borders.
The Bath: Fueling Population Growth
The Bath is Rome’s unique district, replacing the Aqueduct. It provides +2 Housing and +1 Amenity, which is a significant boost to population growth. A popular strategy is to build Baths in all your cities to ensure they can grow large and productive. This increased population translates directly into more districts, more yields, and a more powerful empire.
Early Game Strategy: The Relentless Expansion
The first 100 turns are the most critical for a Roman expansionist strategy. Your goal is simple: found as many cities as possible.
Initial Build Order: A Blueprint for Growth
Your opening build order should be laser-focused on expansion. A popular and effective build order is:
- Scout: Your first priority is to explore your surroundings. A Scout is essential for finding Tribal Villages (which can provide valuable bonuses), discovering Natural Wonders, and identifying prime locations for new cities.
- Settler: As soon as your capital reaches a population of 2, start building your first Settler. Thanks to Trajan’s Column, you don’t need to waste precious early production on a Monument.
- Slinger: While your Settler is being built, produce a Slinger. This unit is crucial for defending against Barbarians and can be upgraded to an Archer later.
- Second Settler: After your first Settler is complete, immediately start on a second one. The goal is to get your first few cities down as quickly as possible.
City Placement: Strategic Settlement
When it comes to city placement, be aggressive. Don’t be afraid to settle your cities relatively close to each other. The Colosseum, a powerful wonder that provides Culture and Amenities to all cities within a 6-tile radius, is a perfect fit for a compact Roman empire.
Prioritize locations with the following characteristics:
- Fresh Water: Cities with access to fresh water (rivers, lakes, or oases) can grow larger.
- High Production: Look for tiles with high Production yields (hills, forests, and certain resources). Production is key to building units and districts quickly.
- Luxury Resources: Each unique luxury resource provides +4 Amenities, which is essential for keeping your population happy as your empire grows.
Mid-Game Strategy: The Legion Rush and Consolidation
The Classical and Medieval eras are when your expansionist strategy truly comes to life. This is the era of the Legion rush.
Preparing for War: The Roman War Machine
Before you unleash your Legions, you need to lay the groundwork.
- Technology and Civics: Your research should be focused on reaching two key technologies: Iron Working (to unlock Legions) and Political Philosophy (to unlock the Oligarchy government). Your free Monuments will be instrumental in accelerating your progress toward Political Philosophy.
- Oligarchy: The Oligarchy government provides a +4 combat strength bonus to all melee units. This makes your Legions even more formidable.
- Agoge Policy: As mentioned earlier, the Agoge policy card provides a +50% production bonus to Ancient and Classical era melee and ranged units. This is essential for building a large army quickly.
The Timing Push: A Wave of Steel
A few turns before you unlock Legions, switch your government to Oligarchy and plug in the Agoge policy card. Start producing Warriors in multiple cities. The moment Iron Working is complete, upgrade all your Warriors to Legions for a reduced cost. You should now have a powerful and numerous fighting force, ready to sweep across the continent.
Declaring War: The Conquest Begins
Identify a nearby neighbor and declare war. Your Legions, supported by a few Archers and a Battering Ram, will be nearly unstoppable in the Classical Era. Your goal is to capture as many cities as possible. Thanks to “All Roads Lead to Rome,” these newly conquered cities will be immediately connected to your empire, making them easier to manage.
Consolidation and Continued Growth
After your initial wave of conquest, it’s time to consolidate your gains and continue to expand.
- Baths and Commercial Hubs: Build Baths in all your cities to fuel population growth. Construct Commercial Hubs and Markets to increase your Trade Route capacity and generate more gold.
- Internal Trade Routes: Use your Trade Routes internally at first. Sending food and production to your newly conquered cities will help them become productive centers more quickly.
- Roman Forts: Use your Legions’ build charges to strategically place Roman Forts. These will help you defend your borders and secure loyalty in your new territories.
Late Game Strategy: From Empire to Victory
By the late game, your sprawling Roman empire should be a global powerhouse. Your focus now shifts from rapid expansion to securing a victory.
Victory Paths: A Multitude of Options
A successful Roman expansion strategy provides a strong foundation for any victory type.
- Domination Victory: This is the most natural victory path for an expansionist Rome. Your large, productive empire can support a massive, technologically advanced army.
- Science Victory: Your numerous cities can each have a Campus district, generating a massive amount of Science per turn.
- Culture Victory: While not the most obvious path, a wide empire with many cities can generate a significant amount of Tourism, especially if you build wonders like the Colosseum and the Great Library.
Key Late-Game Considerations
- Loyalty: As your empire grows, loyalty can become a challenge. Be sure to use Governors, policy cards, and military units to maintain loyalty in your cities.
- Amenities: A large population requires a lot of Amenities. Make sure you have a diverse portfolio of luxury resources and build Entertainment Complexes in your major cities.
- Diplomacy: While you may have a powerful military, it’s always wise to maintain good relationships with at least a few other civilizations. This can prevent you from being the target of a world-wide coalition.
The Eternal Empire
Playing as Trajan’s Rome is a masterclass in expansion. By leveraging Rome’s powerful unique abilities, you can build a sprawling and prosperous empire that can dominate the world. The key is to be aggressive in the early game, relentless in the mid-game, and strategic in the late game. The player community consistently ranks Rome as a top-tier civilization, and for good reason. With this guide, you have the blueprint to forge your own eternal empire.