Imperator Rome: Best Nations to Play as a Newcomer

Imperator Rome is a grand strategy game all about reshaping history and leading your nation to victory over all others. This can be done militarily, economically or diplomatically, and even on the easiest difficulty setting is no mean feat.

Of the hundreds of ancient civilizations you have to choose from, not all are made equal. It can be hard to know who to play is, which is where we come in. Without further ado, here are the Best Nations to Play as a Newcomer in Imperator Rome.

Best Nations to Play as a Newcomer in Imperator Rome

Rome

I mean, it’s in the name, right?

Rome is featured in the tutorial for a very good reason. Playing as the nascent Republic is very forgiving, and you really do have some room to make serious errors before you are in too much trouble.

Situated in the heart of the Italian peninsula, Rome begins the game surrounded by no less than four vassals and possesses an incredibly robust manpower limit for its size. You also begin with 15k soldiers at your command, which is a considerable force.

What this means practically is that you can pick fights with virtually any of your neighbors. and your vassal states will swarm them like a pack of terriers. You can then march your legion right down their throats and sack their major cities, and if anything goes wrong you have plenty of able-bodied men back home to continue the fight.

Couple this with a robust economy, a strong government and the ability to expand in any direction, and you can see why Rome is the perfect nation to play the first campaign as.

Egypt

Egypt in this time period is one of the successor states of Diadochi. When Alexander the Great died, his top generals carved out empires of their own and immediately begin to try and murder one another.

Commanded by Ptolemy I Soter, the people of the Nile are another fantastic option for players new to Paradox games. Incredibly wealthy with an enormous population, and a position that is easily defendable, Egyptian players will have a strong power base from which to expand.

Normally I wouldn’t recommend playing as the larger nations, as it can be quite overwhelming. However, Egypt really only has a single threat to worry about: Phrygia. Situated to the northeast, Phrygia is a massive land power, but they are quite often wracked by civil war and rebellion, and so are very rarely able to bring their full power to bear on you.

As your flanks are covered by your own vassals and the uninhabitable deserts of northern Africa, you can learn the game at your own pace, and expand when you feel comfortable.

Sparta

Sparta is but a shadow of its former glory, and the days of Leonidas and the Three Hundred are a distant memory. But there is some of the old blood left in them, and the Spartans can be a devastating force with a little guidance.

While a small state, with a very small population, Sparta may not seem like an intuitive choice at first glance. But their location, in the southern part of Greece, is very well defended. Like the Three Hundred before you, with a well placed elite force, you can hold off armies many times your own size.

Playing as the Spartans will allow you to see the game at a slower pace. Rather than starting with hundreds of provinces, you start with three. This means you will have time to integrate any new lands and understand what a single city is worth, at least when it comes to your own economy.

Try these factions out for yourself, and see what works best for you. The beauty of Paradox games is that no two are the same, so if it first you run into trouble with a particular neighbor, they may be your best friend next time around. Experiment, and don’t be afraid to reload if things go pearshaped!

Be sure to search for Twinfinite for more tips and information on Imperator Rome.