In Total War: Rome II, managing your cities and provinces effectively is critical to sustaining a powerful empire. One of the most frustrating yet essential mechanics that players must deal with is squalor. This game mechanic represents overcrowding, poor sanitation, and general unhappiness caused by population growth and urban expansion. If left unchecked, squalor can cause public order issues, leading to revolts and even the loss of entire settlements. For many players, understanding how squalor works and how to counteract it is a vital part of long-term success in Rome Total War 2 campaigns.
Understanding the Squalor Mechanic
Squalor in Rome Total War 2 is a penalty applied to public order within a settlement. Every building and city upgrade can have different impacts on squalor, and its effects increase with settlement development. Generally, the more advanced and populous your city becomes, the more squalor it generates. Squalor contributes directly to unrest by decreasing public order.
How Squalor Is Calculated
The game calculates squalor as part of the building system. Each building contributes a certain amount of squalor per turn. When squalor exceeds sanitation (or a region’s ability to handle it), it translates into a public order penalty. The larger the gap between squalor and sanitation, the more severe the public order hit will be. This system encourages balanced growth rather than rapid urban expansion without planning.
Consequences of High Squalor
Ignoring squalor has real consequences. Public order starts to fall, unrest builds, and eventually, the city may erupt into rebellion. Rebellions can create enemy armies in your territory and disrupt your economy and supply lines.
Signs of Excessive Squalor
- Negative public order trend in city details
- Warning icons on the campaign map
- Frequent revolts or bandit spawns near the settlement
- Citizens’ unhappiness that leads to rioting or destruction
Monitoring your settlements regularly is key to catching squalor before it becomes a serious threat.
Buildings That Generate Squalor
Most economic and population growth buildings contribute to squalor. The more powerful or profitable a structure is, the more likely it is to add squalor to your region.
Common Squalor-Causing Structures
- Farms (especially upgraded versions like Cattle Pens and Grain Pits)
- Industry buildings such as Mines, Tanneries, and Workshops
- High-level city centers and forums
- Ports, especially trade ports
These structures are essential for your economy, but without proper sanitation support, they quickly lead to squalor overload.
Managing Squalor Effectively
Controlling squalor doesn’t mean avoiding development. Instead, it means planning your expansion wisely and incorporating buildings that offer sanitation bonuses to balance out the negative effects.
Sanitation Buildings
Every culture in Rome Total War 2 has access to buildings that reduce squalor or improve sanitation. These include:
- Sewers and Aqueducts (Roman factions)
- Sanitation Shrines (Barbarian factions)
- Public Baths and Latrines (Hellenic and Eastern factions)
These buildings should be prioritized in regions where economic growth is a focus. Always try to pair high-squalor economic buildings with sanitation buildings in the same province.
Province Planning Strategy
Divide your provinces into functional roles. For example:
- Economic provinces: High income, high squalor; must include multiple sanitation buildings
- Military provinces: Low income, low squalor; focus on barracks and recruitment
- Cultural provinces: Low squalor; focus on temples and public order
By planning province development with these functions in mind, you can maintain stability even with aggressive economic expansion.
Technological Solutions
The tech tree in Rome Total War 2 offers technologies that reduce squalor or improve sanitation indirectly. Prioritize these upgrades if you’re facing widespread unrest:
- Civil tech branches often include sanitation improvements
- Infrastructure and construction techs can reduce squalor per building
- Some faction-specific techs grant additional public order bonuses
Governors and Agents
Placing a skilled governor in a province can mitigate squalor. Look for traits that boost public order or sanitation. Similarly, champions and dignitaries can reduce squalor effects through their presence and abilities.
Faction Differences and Squalor Handling
Each culture in Rome Total War 2 has unique advantages and challenges when dealing with squalor. Knowing your faction’s strengths can help you adapt your strategy.
Roman Factions
Romans benefit from advanced sanitation infrastructure and strong civic buildings. With proper investment, they can manage high-squalor cities better than most factions.
Eastern Factions
Eastern cultures often rely on massive urban centers and face high squalor, but they have access to temples and bathhouses that counteract it. Managing squalor is harder, but rewards come in the form of powerful economic provinces.
Barbarian Factions
Barbarians deal with less squalor early game due to simple building chains. However, they may struggle in the late game if urbanization is rushed without sanitation infrastructure in place.
Tips for Avoiding Rebellions
Preventing a rebellion is much easier than responding to one. Here are some practical steps:
- Keep an eye on the public order tooltip in each province
- Build sanitation as soon as economic growth begins
- Recruit a governor with public order traits
- Use temples and entertainment buildings to supplement sanitation
- Station armies in unrest-prone provinces as a temporary fix
Revolts drain your resources, force you to divert armies, and can unravel your campaign progress. Staying ahead of squalor helps maintain stability and allows you to focus on conquest instead of suppression.
Squalor in Rome Total War 2 is a constant presence in any growing empire. It challenges players to think strategically about city planning, expansion timing, and infrastructure balance. By understanding how squalor is generated and how to counter it with sanitation buildings, tech upgrades, and skilled governors, you can ensure that your empire grows strong without being undermined by internal unrest. Mastering this aspect of campaign management is essential for any player aiming for long-term dominance and a stable, thriving population under their rule.