How to win with Spartacus ?

[dag]

Hello,

I am a new player and I need some help please. I start with the spartacus scenario because it looks less intimidating than other "big" scenarios ...but I just can't win with spartacus (with Rome it seems far too easy).
Among my problems :

- Most of the cities in the objective list have fortifications > 2, and so are almost impossible to take
- Although I paid the pirates, they never help me.(maybe it's to respect history ...)
- Crassus and his legions

Any help, tips, will be appreciated

[hannibal128]

1. take the unfortified(or 1 fort) areas you get more troops the more you hold these
2 make a decision. north or sicily
3. run until you think their national moral is low enough
4. hit them hard with all you got once they have split
5. pirates well only disturb sea movement i guess don't activelly get into land battle
6. Go for the jugular. hint

[dag]

Thanks for the advice.
In my last games, I take the objective cities (Rhegium, Metapontum...) with fort 1 and then decide to go to Sicily but then I was trapped on the island (also I had supply problems). I think that I am suppose to escape by the sea but how ? The objective cities in Sicily are fort >2...

[hannibal128]

The AI will smash you once he has the troops to do so.So avoid concentration in one area (sicily or just metapontum).spread like a disease. until the ai doesn't know which fire to put out first. Once you have metapontum and an aliance with the pirates you can get victory points by choosing a political option. Use the release prisonners(gives you money) and facke gladiator games (reduces NM). Once you have spread and expanded (just like a rebelion really) and the NM is low go for the jugular.