Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

I've decided to organize a new FAQ since the last one was no longer functioning.

I've organized the FAQ into chapters:

I. Tactical Usage of Units
- 1. How do organ guns work best?
- 2. Is there any way to get my archer units to pull out their swords and charge the enemy before they run out of ammunition?
- 3. is it possible to dismount cavalry?
- 4. Some cavalry can be dismounted others can't, does anybody know which kind can do what?
- 5. is there a way for feudal knights to dismount and become feudal foot knights?
- 6. how do you load people onto boats?
- 7. how do i use boats?
- 8. My archer (and AI archers) don't work. They NEVER shoot. The archer cursor only red, never green. Why don't the missiles units don't shoot?

II. Training/Building of Units
- 1. How can I train Alan Mercenary?
- 2. I'm playing as the rebels but I cannot build ships and special troops. What am I doing wrong?
- 3. why can't i build blacksmiths in all provinces?
- 4. I've captured Wales and want to train the longbows there but even after I built Bowyers guild I can't train them. I don't understand why.
- 5. When can I start training Longbowmen?
- 6. How do you make Lancers?

III. Game Options
- 1. how do I change the unit size?
- 2. Is there an option somewhere to turn on 'unlimited men on battlefield' like in RTW?
- 3. Is there a maximum number of men per unit in MTW like there is in RTW ???

IV. General Questions about the Game
- 1. Can somebody please tell me what the starting dates are for the campaigns in MTW and the Viking Invasion expansion?
- 2. What are all of the Important Dates to Know?
- 3. What are the Hotkeys for the keyboard?
- 4. What factions are playable in Medieval 1 (vanilla)?
- 5. How do I make non-playable factions playable?
- 6. How do I enable the Cheats?

V. Technical Questions
- Check out Justinian's Guide to CTD's
- For all other Technical Questions, please post your questions in the Technical Help Section

I will update this as necessary...

I. TACTICAL USAGE OF UNITS
1) How do organ gun work best? (can't use it in assaulting castle)

Quote:

Originally Posted by morble

Organ guns pretty much suck, because their range is something like 2 cm. :rolleyes: The only place I've found the slightest use for them is in a bridge defense, where I site them near my end of the bridge. Even then, their range is so short they won't even cover all of the span of the bridge. Organ guns are basically a ruse and a waste of money. Wait and spend your money on serpentines and culverin-types.

2) Is there any way to get my archer units to pull out their swords and charge the enemy before they run out of ammunition?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trobalov

When your archers aren't out of amunition and you want to charge them in melee to help your rest troops, you can just press the Alt key and point with your mouse to the enemy unit you want ot charge and (double)click it. So Alt+click is the way to force your archers to melee. (double click will be even better caue they will run towards the enemy ;) ) Finally have in mind you can also use the upper buttons while having selected the archer unit. You can change their skirmish situation to "hold position" or "engage at will" so they wont try to keep a distance from the enemy.(useful when handling javelineers)

Cheers -_-

3) is it possible to dismount cavalry?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galenus da INXS fan

yes it is [luthanian cavalry for example] i only know that you can dismount them before a battle :blush

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trobalov

And as it has been answered in the past, some units can only dismount when defending a siege. :)

4) Some cavalry can be dismounted others can't, does anybody know which kind can do what?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trobalov

Ok the ones that can dismount generally are Druzhina (become Feudal foot Knights), Chivalric Knights (Chivalric Foot Knighs) , Mongol horse Archers (Mongol warriors) nd a few more. The rest can generally dismount only when defending a siege like for example Hobilars dismaunt to peasants so as you can see most times it isnt worth to dismount except for some of the above cases. :smile

5) is there a way for feudal knights to dismount and become feudal foot knights?

Quote:

Originally Posted by therussian

Yes. Before the battle, where it says to set up your units, right click on the feudal knights icon, and there at the bottom of the popup menu it will say mount/dismount. Click on that

6) how do you load people onto boats?

Quote:

Originally Posted by misplacedgeneral

You don't! :p

Notice how the seas are broken up like provinces?

Place a ship in the seas next to each other until they stretch from where you want to go and where you are leaving. Make sure there are not enemy ships in any of the seas you are moving through, as well.

Thus, with sufficient naval strength, you can launch an attack as the Danes on Egypt without touching the Med with your provinces.

7) how do i use boats?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martok

You need to have a "ship chain". That is, you need to have at least one boat in each sea region between your province and the "target" province, *and* you'll need to have a port built in your province as well. This applies to both invading and trading with a province. To be specific with each....

Invading a province: You must first make sure that the faction you intend to attack doesn't have any ships of its own in any of the same sea regions as yours. If there are, you will need to sink & destroy that faction's ships before you can invade.

Once you've done this, then simply pick up an army stack from your province and drop it on the target province. If you win the battle that next turn, then the province is yours.

Note: Invading a province by sea can be risky, as there is *no* retreat. If you lose the battle, your entire invasion force will automatically be captured, even if they escape off the battlefield. Even if you win, you still won't be able to withdraw your army in your newly-conquered province until you build a port there.

Trading with a province: The target province you wish to trade with must also have a port (just like yours does). In addition, your province must have some sort of Trade Goods, and you'll need to have built a Trading Post/Merchant/etc. there as well.

Note: If you're at war with a faction and they have a ship in the same sea region as one of your ships, this will interrupt your trade network and prevent you from earning trade income. (So you'll have to sink & destroy the enemy vessel, or at least drive it off).

8) My archer (and AI archers) don't work. They NEVER shoot. The archer cursor only red, never green. Why don't the missiles units don't shoot?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaidonni

If the arrow cursor features a small red arrow on one corner, it means the target is out of range. As soon as it goes green, it's in range.

II. TRAINING/BUILDING OF UNITS
1) How can I train Alan Mercenary?

Quote:

Originally Posted by morble

You can only get an alan merc as a mercenary, not a regular trained troop of any faction.

2) I'm playing as the rebels but I cannot build ships and special troops. What am I doing wrong?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trobalov

Playing as rebels has some disadvantages. SOme of them are that you cannot build ships and no special units. You aren't doing anything wrong. It is just supposed to work that way. Nevertheless you can enjoy a lot the game as rebels by taking advantage of the large armies that revolt in certain provinces and by civil wars(yes they do happen many times). ;)

3) why cant i build blacksmiths in all provinces?

Quote:

Originally Posted by stalhandske

You can build blacksmith only in provinces which got iron as resource.(Sweden or Aragon for example)

4) I've captured Wales and want to train the longbows there but even after I built Bowyers guild I can't train them. I don't understand why.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nellup

AFAIK, you can't train them at all in the early era campaign.

5) When can I start training Longbowmen?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martok

They'll become available to you in 1205 (when the High era begins). You just make sure you have the necessary buildings in place when that time comes.

6) How do you make Lancers?

Quote:

Originally Posted by happyho

...it's Master Armorer, Master Spearmaker and Master Horsebreeder that is necessary to train Lancers. Baronial Estate is for Gothic Knights, Spain and Aragon are unable to build Baronial Estates.

III. GAME OPTIONS
1) how do I change the unit size?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trobalov

As for changing unit size you can do that(among others) in Game options. ;)

2) Is there an option somewhere to turn on 'unlimited men on battlefield' like in RTW?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scar Face

No, sorry, thats not in the game. Max you can have at one time is 950 (Or 930?) men.

3) Is there a maximum number of men per unit in MTW like there is in RTW ???

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaidonni

It's 166 spear on large. Huge would be 200. I believe...100 sword on large, also.

IV. GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GAME
1) Can somebody please tell me what the starting dates are for the campaigns in MTW and the Viking Invasion expansion?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martok

In the main campaign, Early period games begin 1087, High period games start in 1205, and Late era games begin 1321. The Viking Invasion campaign begins 793.

2) What are all of the Important Dates to Know?

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogbeastegg from totalwar.org

The early period starts in 1088
The high period starts in 1205
The late period starts in 1321
The Mongols invade in 1230
The game finishes at 1453 (1066 for the Viking campaign)
The compass is invented in 1170
Gunpowder is discovered in 1260

NB: When the compass is discovered you must also wait until 1205 before you can build a shipwrights guild. You also need a cannon foundry before you can build the shipwrights guild, the reason for this is unknown, as it is not listed on the tech tree or in the game.

3) What are the Hotkeys for the keyboard?

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogbeastegg from totalwar.org

Battlemap
P = pause
G = Group
Backspace - Halt (cancel the given order)
R - Rally (use this to avoid hitting the wrong button on the interface - rout is right next to it)
C - Close formation
L - Loose formation
W - Wedge formation
S - Skirmish mode (apply for skirmish troop)
F - Hold Formation
E - Engage at will
H - Hold position.
A - Fire at will (apply for skirmish troop)
Control+W = withdraw
Control+R = rout
SHIFT + DOUBLE CLICK = waypoint with the unit running.
Alt+hold right mouse button = Change troop facing
Multiple units selected and Alt+RMB = Change facing for all units while maintaining formation.
Multiple units selected and ALT+left click = Move all units while keeping formation, spacing etc
- and + on numpad to change camera angle
Mouse wheel to zoom (camera elevation).
Press Escape while dragging out a formation will cancel the action.

Campaign map
V = display sea zone status
C = hide castles
Shift = display province loyalty
Space = skip tour
Mousewheel = zoom
1 and 3 keys on the numpad to zoom if you don't have mouse wheel
M = merge armies/merge units
Escape = main menu
Enter = end turn
Ctrl + A works on the camp map to select all units in the unit review panel

4) What factions are playable in Medieval 1 (vanilla)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Korinthos Hoplites

The factions are:

Italians
Germans
Egyptians
Almohads
Turks
French
English
Spanish
Byzantines
Polish
Danes
Russians

5) How do I make non-playable factions playable?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Portuguese Rebel

Ok go the ..../medieval total war/campmap/startpos/early.txt

Make a backup of this file before you do anything.

Search on that file for something like this:

SetActiveFaction:: FN_ALMOHAD FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_BYZANTINE FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_EGYPTIAN FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_ENGLISH FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_FRENCH FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_GERMAN_HRE FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_ITALIAN FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_POLISH FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_SPANISH FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_TURKISH FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_DANISH FT_MAJOR

SetActiveFaction:: FN_ARAGONESE FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_HUNGARIAN FT_MAJOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_SICILIAN FT_MAJOR

SetActiveFaction:: FN_NOVGOROD FT_MINOR
SetActiveFaction:: FN_PAPIST FT_MINOR

Change FT_MINOR to FT_MAJOR and you have it. Next time you start medieval you'll have the new faction in the early campaign.

You can't play GA campaings, only total domination this way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkKnight

Also don't play glorious achievements with a minor faction that you modded to major.

6) How do I enable the Cheats (i.e. "deadringer")?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun

to type in cheats, i.e deadringer for 1 000 000 money, all you need to type is ".deadringer."(without quotes). If it works you will hear the treasury sound, you know the one that sounds like money being dropped.
But be warned, if you type in cheats, the AI factions also get them, so if you type in the monet cheat, the AI factions also get money, and this works for every cheat.

V. TECHNICAL QUESTIONS
- Check out Justinian's Guide to CTD's
- For all other Technical Questions, please post your questions in the Technical Help Section

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

As to the Organ gun question, they can be useful in sieges.

Also, I suggest you add the common question as to what mod you can get without MTW VI Viking Invasion. Though there is a thread about it right now.

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

In medieval total war , I play the Almohad faction and have Ghulam BodyGuards.In small size,1 group is 20 men.After many battles , group started to lose men. Finally , there are 3 men left but the leader 's command is 8 stars .In Ghulam intro, it said " Additional units can be trained at a high cost " . Can I train supply men ?

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

Yes, you can train more Ghulam Bodyguards, and/or retrain your existing 3-man unit back to full strength. You need the proper building requisites, however (which I believe is a Royal Court in your case).

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

If I build a Royal Court , I can train full team 20 man . But I don't know how to refill my 3-man group. Did u mean that I can train a new team 20 man , and then replace existing leader by the 3-man leader ?

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

To "refill" your Ghulam Bodyguards back to full strength, here's what you do:

1.) Make sure your Ghulam Bodyguards are in a province that can train them.

2.) Open up that province's training/recruitment parchment.

3.) Click on your army stack with the Ghulam Bodyguards.

4.) Left-click on your Ghulam Bodyguard unit, and then drag it up onto the training/recruitment parchment. Drop the unit into the left-most training slot.

5.) End turn.

5a.) The next turn, your Ghulam Bodyguards will appear in the province (on the campaign map) with a full 20 men again. :)

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

thanks so much , I thought I would put him deep inside the country forever . :D

Another question . Why my Alims / Priests / etc are "no star" ? I let them travel around , go to others religious provinces to preach but no star appear .

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

Quote:

Originally Posted by archmonde11

thanks so much , I thought I would put him deep inside the country forever . :D

You're welcome. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by archmonde11

Another question . Why my Alims / Priests / etc are "no star" ? I let them travel around , go to others religious provinces to preach but no star appear.

For the most part, the only way for religious agents to gain stars is by surviving assassination attempts (unfortunately). There are a couple exceptions, however:

Catholic bishops -- By dropping them directly onto a faction leader, you can use them to propose cease-fires and alliances with other Catholic factions. If successful, they will gain a star. (I believe the same may apply to Alims and Orthodox priests as well, but I used them so rarely for that purpose that I don't really remember.)

Inquisitors and Grand Inquisitors -- By dropping them onto a general, Inquisitors and GI's can try the man for heresy. If they obtain a successful conviction, they will gain stars.

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

thanks for help .

I've found that emissaries want to gain stars , they can propose alliances , case-fires or survive assassin .

Alims / Bishops want to gain stars , they can propose case-fires , survive assassin too , or propose alliances ( In propose alliance , it must be same religious - alim on alim , bishop on bishop )

I haven't played any faction have inquisitor , but he never try on Muslim generals . So if we play Muslim factions , we can forget about him. Did anyone here try to assassinate him ?

I continue my play to find some problems . :D

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

Quote:

Originally Posted by archmonde11

Alims / Bishops want to gain stars , they can propose case-fires , survive assassin too , or propose alliances

Ah, so Alims *can* do that. I thought so, but I couldn't remember for sure. Good to know. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by archmonde11

( In propose alliance , it must be same religious - alim on alim , bishop on bishop )

Yep, they only do so with factions of the same religion. That's their main limitation in this regard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by archmonde11

I haven't played any faction have inquisitor , but he never try on Muslim generals . So if we play Muslim factions , we can forget about him. Did anyone here try to assassinate him ?

Inquisitors can be assassinated, but it's infernally difficult to do so. I personally don't try killing inquisitors unless the assassin has *at least* 3 stars, preferably more. Otherwise you're probably just going to lose a lot of assassins!

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

I've found that if you want your assassins gain stars , you can let them kill each others . 2 assassin kill each others , you will not lose them but they gain stars . You can do this until they are 2-star assassin . From now kill = lost 1 of them .

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

Another way to valour up assassins is to let them capture enemy spies & assassins. To do so, just dismantle your border forts and then let your assassins do the work. (You can valour up spies this way as well.) :)

1 Attachment(s)

Re: Medieval 1 Total War FAQ

FYI I can no longer visit the totalwar.org forum and the reason I did this today was this CTD fix for Medieval Total War Gold Edition for computers with Nvidia video cards for the PCI-Express graphics than the old AGP graphics.

http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...h-End-Cards%29 (all download links are broken)

It seems the totalwar.org site had a temporary downtime the other day and now it's working.

I had already downloaded the CTD fix for Nvidia video cards for Medieval Total War Gold Edition as soon I came aware of this CTD fix. You can also download this CTD fix here just in case the attachment doesn't work.

Attachment 306744