Rome: Total War siege guide: spies, blockades and city assaults
Prepare siege equipment, inspect the defenses and coordinate agents and fleets.
Edition covered
The original 2004 Imperial Campaign and its PC rules. The cover advertises the later Collection. Pictures show the base campaign in Feral Interactive's mobile port, with touch controls and interface differences. Barbarian Invasion, Alexander and Rome Remastered rules are outside this guide.
Inspect before the assault
Check walls, defenders and available equipment. A spy provides information and may help open gates, but that possibility is not a reliable replacement for a siege plan.
| Tool | Purpose | Inspect |
|---|---|---|
| Battering ram | Break a gate | Defenses on the approach |
| Ladders | Reach suitable walls | Infantry support after climbing |
| Siege tower | Carry infantry to walls | Safe approach and usable wall |
| Spy | Inspect the settlement | Infiltration chance |
| Fleet | Blockade the port | Enemy ships |
Choose how to cross the defenses
Rams attack gates; ladders and towers offer routes over suitable walls. The available equipment and fortification type determine which approaches are usable.
| Question | Useful check | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Are reinforcements nearby? | Scout surrounding roads | A relief battle changes the plan |
| Is there another entry? | Inspect gates and walls | Several approaches divide defenders |
| Are missiles exposed? | Position infantry nearby | Protect against a sortie |
| Must the city fall now? | Compare urgency and supplies | Waiting may avoid an expensive assault |
Watch the campaign outside the walls
Relief armies can arrive while you wait. Scout nearby roads and avoid exhausting the army against a target that the enemy can easily reinforce.
Use fleets against coastal trade
A blockade harms a port's income. It does not occupy the settlement, so coordinate naval pressure with the army if conquest is the objective.
A blockade harms a port's income. It does not occupy the settlement, so coordinate naval pressure with the army if conquest is the objective.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Rome: Total War publisher listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Original PC manual | store.steampowered.com |
| Licensed picture gallery | www.feralinteractive.com |