>>95943759The hardest part is really finding the right kind of people to play with.
It's a game where it's very easy to fall behind. In fact, it's a rather symmetrical game (no faction powers or anything like that. In fact, there aren't any faction mechanics at all, it's just a different name for each player). But it's designed to create unbalances. Senators die. Old age, plagues, accidents. Maybe you lose someone on the first turn. Tough luck, now you have less votes, you get less money, etc. every turn. And there's no catch up mechanics.
The base of politics is mutual benefit. When you're the strongest player, you're actually weak, because everyone hates you. You need to be able to throw your weight around, to know exactly how far you can push someone into doing something they don't want to do because it's the best for Rome. When to force an unpopular vote, for example by buying a shitload of votes from NPC senators, because it'll create a situation where YOU must be given more power because only you can disarm it again. Like sending the best commander in the senate to govern a random province instead of to fight a war that has reached a "either we win this battle or it's over" stage, when you have the only other decent candidate.
And when you fall behind, you need be shrew and pathetic enough. Be so powerless and harmless that you're the ideal candidate for something good, because the other factions don't trust each other enough. Stop playing for victory: play kingmaking for a while. Demand compensation. Change allegiance if needed. Toe the line between letting yourself be abused and being an indispensable asset. Be manipulable, but in a way that still positions you better. Worm your way into enough favors, little victories, the consulate... and suddenly someone will notice you stopped being the weakest player long ago.
But not everyone can do, possibly for hours. And the "I'm behind, no chance to win anymore :( " kind is straight up incompatible with the game.
