Anno 117: Pax Romana

We can focus on striving for economic growth, bet on diversity and adopt the Celtic tradition, introduce a strong hand rule and forcefully spread Roman culture, or focus on warfare.

Army and battles with enemy forces

One of the biggest innovations introduced in Anno 117: Pax Romana are the optional land battles. Although the construction of fortifications may be enough to defend against some attacks, over time it may become necessary to equip ourselves with a real army.

The game allows us to recruit units such as slingers, infantry, gladiators, or cavalry, and then send them into battle to defend our territory or attack areas occupied by our enemies. The combat system is reminiscent of RTS games, allowing us to have direct control over the soldiers.

Religion

The second new gameplay element introduced in the game are deities and their blessings. The gods grant us blessings in exchange for dedicating islands to them and honoring them (reflected through accumulated faith points).

For example, Mars provides us with various military bonuses, Ceres can make crops more abundant, while Neptune ensures that our sea expeditions are more successful. The Roman gods are complemented by Celtic ones, like the forest deity Cernunnos or Epona watching over our cavalry.

Roads and technology tree

The developers have focused on roads that can be not only perpendicular to each other, but also set at a 45-degree angle, which slightly increases the realism of the cities we create. To avoid wasting space, individual buildings can be rotated, adjusting them to the layout of the roads.

The game also implemented a complex technology tree, through which we can adapt the gameplay to individual preferences. We will find mechanics related to economy, society and military on the tech tree. Although in theory it is possible to unlock all the available inventions, in practice it may be a better solution to specialize in a specific field.