On which note, is it by any chance you who's responsible for the 5850% (yes, that is the correct figure) increase in visits from the Lisbon area in the last month?
Nah...
I suspect Philadelphos is right about not over-doing Sardinia... hard to know how to get Carthage to focus hard enough on the sea, perhaps give them slightly cheaper cut-price biremes or some such to make naval domination a more natural starting point?
"Adding the second province to Sardinia is, I believe, warranted by both history and game balance. Settled early by the Phoenicians (c. 750BC), Sardinia soon boasted a group of Phoenician settlements in its south-western corner. The Magonid generals Hasdrubal and Hamilcar reduced the native Sardinian tribes to obedience in around 500BC, and thereafter Sardinia was an important province in the Carthaginian domain. Thereafter Punic-Sardinian relations (c. 500-238BC) appear to have been largely peaceful. Sardinia is reported as having been a source of mercenaries (Diodorus Siculus 14.95.1). Constitutionally, Sardinia appears as the foreign region closest to Carthage herself, with local magistrates, including sufetes. Economically, Sardinia provided rich agricultural lands for grain production, had rich silver and lead mines, and was a key point in the trade routes across the western Mediterranean.
The surrender of Sardinia to Rome in 238BC at a moment of acute weakness for Carthage was a great blow to Carthaginian wealth and prestige. Rome was forced to fight tough military campaigns throughout the period 238-231BC in order to subjugate Sardinia. Three triumphs were celebrated during this period. In 216-215BC the Carthaginians sent an expedition led by Hasdrubal the Bald to Sardinia, and fomented a revolt of the natives there led by the Punicised-native leader Hampiscora. The revolt was a failure – but its attempt at such an important time is an indicator of what a strategic priority Sardinia was for Carthage.
The map below reveals that Sardinia should acquire some new features – with a recognition that most of its settlements and infrastructure should be found in the south-west.
Carthage’s determination to defend Phoenician holdings in Sardinia and Sicily throughout the period 550-215BC underscores the strategic role these two islands play in the Carthaginian maritime empire. Both islands were integral to Carthage’s Tyrrhenian trade. While Sicily was the lynchpin with the Aegean trade, Sardinia was critical to the protection of Carthaginian trade hegemony in the valuable metals trade in Iberia".
Hannibal Barca, RTR developerPersonally, I think he makes a very compelling case.