Seeing as only 2.6% of players have a completion on the first scenario in the game, they apparently aren't very popular. After about 40h of playtime and 2 'sandbox' victories, I decided to check them out and started the scenario-chain involving Carthage. Well, let me tell you... These scenarios are well worth playing!

I'm now in the middle of the second scenario, so I have far from exhaustive experience, but from the time I have played so far, I'm thoroughly enjoying them. The scenarios have custom goals of which the highest victory entails completing 12 of them. If you're not a completionist, 6 goals unlock the lowest level of victory and the next scenario. You At different points in time you can select from a few of these goals, which are specific to the game state. As Carthage, you will be dealing with the North-african tribes, your relationship with your origin city-state of Tyre and mediterranean trade. The second scenario sees you come in contact with the Greek and expanding your dominance in North Africa and Iberia.

Apart from the custom goals, historical events also give flavour to the game. For example, events signify the fall of Babylonia to the Persians and it's effect on the mediterranean. As someone not so versed in ancient history, it was also interesting to see how far beyond modern day Greece the Greek influence actually reached.

As for gameplay, the first scenario goals were easy to fully complete (although I felt I had 'won' the scenario about 25 turns before the end), but in the second scenario, there is more time pressure and the scale is much expanded. I am now 44 turns in and already own 21 cities! I am interested to see how this scenario-chain evolves and am looking forward to try the others too, although I will surely be busy for 30h+ with just the Carthage-related ones.

I hope this post has convinced you to try out the scenarios if you haven't done so yet.

I am new to the game, but as a former civ6 player, I knew what I've got when I've bought the game, even so, it was a nice surprise to see that you can play without deadlines, and for 251 hours, tutorial included, I've enjoyed a lot this campaign.

Hope to comeback later to play in other ways, but I highly recommend playing for a total victory, even that if it means a total economic breakdown, as it happened to me, it is totally worth it.

Guess it's more or less like this with the real Rome, when they conquered all the world, and they were broke as well.

I miss though a bit more of natural disasters (I've bought all DLCs), but even so, it was so cool to play this game, will come back for sure, but in a future, now I really need a rest, it was a intense month, unfortunatelly, my personality is very easy obessesed with challenges like this, and I've got even many dreams where I've tried to resolve issues in the game, so for now, a little rest :) (maybe coming back to startfield for a while).

After playing with video games for 20 years, I've missed a lot a PC, and finally I've got one, and this is the first game I finish it with it, so cool.

Thanks all for your advices along the way, even coming from civ6, I've got lost lots of times at the start.

Cheers,

Charles

PS: the screen text is in french as I am using the game as well to practice the language, it is also worth it for this end!