Rhye’s and Fall of Carthage

UHV

Carthages unique historic victory conditions are:

Secure 3 dye resources by 350 AD
Control 7 coastal cities in the Mediterranean in 350 AD
Be the first to circumnavigate

Carthage UHV2

Unique Power

Mercenaries: Mercenaries hire and maintenance costs halved.

Mercenaries are crucial for achieving the Carthaginian UHV. Otherwise I don’t hold mercenaries in high esteem: They’re deprecated after the middle ages, so why level these units? They’re expensive (except for Carthage) and the initial promotions they come with aren’t that powerful. Bottom line: Carthage is the only civ I hired mercenaries with. In not one single game other than this did I bother with them.

Unique Building – Kothon

unique building

The Kothon is an extremely valuable boost to your economy as it provides an additional trade route very early in the game.

Unique Unit – Numidian Cavalry

Rhye's and Fall Carthage Unique Unit Numidian Cavalry The Numidian Cavalry is extremely powerful! It replaces the horseman and has +50% attack against catapults AND melee units. It starts with flanking and can retreat from archers in cities. All in all the Numidian Cavalry hugely supports your UHV playing Rhye’s and Fall Carthage.

Carthaginian Strategy

Carthage is a great civilization to play! Challenging Unique Historical Victory conditions, one arc-enemy (Rome!) and the potential for bringing this civilization into the modern age!

At first I had problems, figuring out where to get my dye-resources from. What helped me a lot was this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARJPcU_lU1Y

Here’s as quick summary:

Your 3 dyes are in NW Egypt and close to Babylon
Ship troops east to Athens, 1 settler and archer go to Egypt
Get mercenaries in Athens, conquer the independent cities at the Phoenician coast (which is pretty close to the origins of Carthage)

Rhye’s and Fall Carthage – Failed attempts

Rhye's and Fall Carthage Settle Rome Birds view — Settling Rome and Europe

First I thought settling Rome before Rome does might be a good idea. What better way to cripple your arc enemy early in the game? Of course you’ll have to do this before founding your capital. Otherwise Rome will get Rome (created by your settler) while spawning! There is only one sequence of steps to do this and you must not waste one single turn. Unfortunately even if you do found Rome exactly one turn before they do this is not the way to achieve the UHV.

Rhye's and Fall Carthage Settle Rome Barbarian Armies — Barbarian forces on the Iberian peninsula

With Rome in your hands you can start expanding across Central Europe from there, while settling Northern Africa from Carthage. This probably makes for an interesting game, but here’s why this spoils your UHV: There is no dyes in Europe!

Aside from that you won’t have much fun in early Europe: Barbarians will take too much of your attention, while Romes power is growing. It has to be the other way round: Rome needs to deal with these Barbarian hordes, while you grow your power across the Mediterranean Sea!

Rhye’s and Fall Carthage – Achieving the UHV

Follow the Carthaginian strategy described (and linked above) and you can create an empire covering entire Northern Africa, including Egypt, the Middle East, Turkey, the Balkans and Greece! Your culture, technological progress and military power will convince civilizations on all continents to join your empire as vassals.

Here’s how it went for me and how it looked in the 20th century: