How to fight in poor terrain?

[rilos]

In my first couple of games I have overwhelmed the Senones from the start with no issues. However, this time around I couldn't capture Aemilia without significant losses, so I secured peace and moved south. Now, many turns later, Aemilia is an impregnable bastion that can't be overwhelmed or weakened by the mighty Roman empire.

Aemilia is Marsh swampy region with low frontage i.e. legions are disadvantaged and large numbers aren't as helpful. Which make sense.

What doesn't make sense it can support a 20 population city, that is mainly agricultural, with 57+ food production from working the fields and an army 21 unit (and rising) who constantly raid me. On the other-hand, I can't overwhelm them (even my best most experienced troops perish in hordes), I can't starve them (blocking their port doesn't help), I can't raid their country side or figure out anything else that could weaken them.

I had a similar issue elsewhere, but I just outmaneuvered them (i.e. waited until they move elsewhere) but this isn't an option here as I hold everything around it.

any ideas?

[loki100]

rather indirect solution - bribe them. If you get relations > 25 they will stop raiding (at the very least), if you push it higher you might get an ally/client.

[Morbio]

You may also have to take a long game approach to them, I have a similar situation in one of my games. After multiple attempts at overwhelming them and getting big losses over time I have simply boxed them in while I have built a specific army, medium infantry and skirmishers, to take them out. I'm now fighting small wars with this army and getting it up to 4* for every unit and then I'm going to come back with a 2 attack general and take the enemy down... at least that is the plan

I'm sure there are plenty of examples in history where this sort of thing happened. Sometimes it was the terrain, sometimes a great leader... or both. When the leader dies then the situation changes...

[rilos]

That is exactly what I did, I have recruited 16 med Italian footmen to fight them (and other difficult regions around). Spending considerable capital and manpower (+events). Problem is that at the time Aemilia only had 9 units, now they have 21 and 1:2 leader who is 35 years old. They have plenty of food and manpower generation.

Essentially I have an impregnable enclave in Aemilia, as saying goes all roads toward Rome go around Aemilia..

@loki100, interesting, but I am not sure its possible to bring them from -50 to +25.. I tried and only went as far as -15.

[Morbio]

That is exactly what I did, I have recruited 16 med Italian footmen to fight them (and other difficult regions around). Spending considerable capital and manpower (+events). Problem is that at the time Aemilia only had 9 units, now they have 21 and 1:2 leader who is 35 years old. They have plenty of food and manpower generation.

Essentially I have an impregnable enclave in Aemilia, as saying goes all roads toward Rome go around Aemilia..

@loki100, interesting, but I am not sure its possible to bring them from -50 to +25.. I tried and only went as far as -15.

The 1:2 leader will die within 50 years, like I say, a long game...

If your luck is like mine he will be replaced by a 2:2 leader

You may also want to consider leaving a neighbouring region with more favourable terrain open and provoke him until he comes out (I know mine does periodically) then your legions can reduce the army and maybe kill him in the process.

[loki100]

keep going, you get extra relations if you bribe the turn after an earlier bribe.

there are a couple of unit types that might help you - depends if you can access them.

There are a few HI without the clumsy malus - British, Galatian and (if I recall) Dacian. Archers have superb support values. So an army of MI. specialist HI, archers and skirmishers might do the business.

But I'd agree with Morbio, their 1-2 will die, so you can regard this as a great war leader fighting for the final gasp of their nation in a natural stronghold. If it was on the edge of your Empire you could just ignore, here you do need to find some sort of solution.