Rules Of Engagement

**Dave Scarface** · May 22, 2008, 04:42 AM

Do you find this mod to be challenging enough? if not it could be down to how you are playing.

Alliances: Who needs allies? since the CAI cannot betray its ally (you) making alliances with everyone is a simple way of making this mod a whole lot easier. Do you need to make powerful allies in order to overcome the AI? Make no allies, anyone who gets in your way is an enemy!

FOW off: Why does anyone play without the fog of war? This makes watch towers and spies useless. And being able to see the AI's moves against you on the map leaves no sudden surprises. The AI cannot match the strategy of a human so it needs to have advantages like these.

Garrison script: Do you ever attack a heavily defended garrison and attempt to wait out the siege rather than a direct assault? If so you are no siege expert but a coward!!! Catapults are buildable from the start as well as trebuchets are early on. There are no better battles in this mod than epic siege battles. Dont try to duck a siege battle attack!!

Difficulty level: There is only 1 difficulty level for experienced total war players, and that is VH/VH. I recommend playing on this setting for a more agressive AI, even your relationships get worse with other factions. If you want a more challenging campaign then this is definately the way to enjoy kingdoms grand campaign mod.

Of course you can play on easy difficulty if you want

These are only my own recommendations for the mod.

Dave

**Bob the Insane** · May 22, 2008, 02:35 PM

That is certainly a challenge... I for one leave FOW on anyway, and have had great difficulty making alliances in my H/VH game as England...

Even when I have bumped the relationship up to Very Good or Outstanding through a lot of expensive gifts an Alliance still remains Demanding or Very Demanding... After 40 turns I only had one alliance with Sicilly. The HRE keep asking for an alliance but they are already fighting almost everyone else. I got the Pope's relationship up to Perfect during a crusade and still no chance to an Alliance. I could only get the deal up to balanced and that is never accepted for an allaince it seems...

And even though I am only on Hard for the Campaign Difficulty my relationships drop fairly quickly with non-allied nations pretty quick to poor or very poor... And with France and Scotland it drops like a stone. It cost me a fortune to keep the French sweet while I dealt with the Scots and Irish, 2000fl a turn still maxed out the relationship at Very Good and an alliance was refused even when accompanied by a 12000fl payment!

Don't get me wrong, I like the challenge, but personally I don't like the "everyone hates you the most" mode that is VH...

**Dave Scarface** · May 22, 2008, 03:50 PM

@Bob,

I just thought it was worth mentioning that alliances are impossible to get at the start when you start off at war with a faction. The CAI doesn't want to ally itself with someone who is at war. Playing England it is not possible to get an ally at the start. Because you will not get a ceasefire out of Scotland or Ireland. However as the campaign progresses this does change and you will get offers of alliances. Playing as the Teutonic Order it is possible to get a ceasefire with the Lithuanians early on. Poland are prepared to ally with you and Lithuania then wants peace. You can then ally with who you like.

If you like to micromanage, VH/VH difficulty makes the diplomacy game an interesting challenge. It is possible to keep good relations up with certain factions, but not with everyone. Have diplomats nearby every faction (low upkeep) ready to take advantage of any change in diplomatic relations. Diplomacy in this game is not brilliant but I still find it fun trying to strike a deal.

Dave

**Kins** · May 23, 2008, 04:13 AM

I am playing on VH/VH with the Teutonic Order and I have to say not everyone hates me

.

I have a alliance with Poland (Since they we're the ones to ask me to come in the first place) and trade rights with pretty much everyone (some had to be bribed).

I had some games on VH/VH where everyone just send armies to attack you but! I find that this mod makes the AI a lot smarter so they don't just bankrupt themselves while sending stacks of peasants.

Also anyone have any tips that would like to share for the Teutonic Order on VH/VH

**Dave Scarface** · May 23, 2008, 04:35 AM

The start of the Teutonic campaign is crucial.. In my first test campaign as the teutons I started out in no hurry. As a result Lithuania were really tough to overcome. The Teutonic Order only start off small with 2 settlements. So there are two ways you can go for expansion.

1. Go straight for Palanga and capture it within the first 4 turns, before the Lithuanians have mobilised all of their armies. Then expand at Arensburg and Visby. Then target and capture Riga to cut the Lithuanians off in the north.

2. Send a detachment of men to Visby take the settlement and use this as a base to invade Kalmar and Stockholm from. Meanwhile make a very strong defense of Konigsberg and prepare for very big invasions by Lithuanian armies.

Dave

**Bob the Insane** · May 23, 2008, 07:06 AM

hmmm...

Well answer me this then, do the enemy agents still get a bonus against yours on VH?

**Logik** · May 23, 2008, 07:27 AM

dave scarface Quote Do you ever attack a heavily defended garrison and attempt to wait out the siege rather than a direct assault? If so you are no siege expert but a coward!!!

I agree with everything else you wrote. I always play on VH/VH .I leave the Fow the way it is and the most allies i keep is 3 but usually just 2 factions.Now in regards to this Quote some of us like getting straight to the point and someone like myself i base my decisions on my tactical situation at hand at the time.Most times if i can i just go for the direct assault and get it over with then i do so. Doesn't make me a coward or less of an siege expert. I say it is a 50/50 proposition for me. Some battles i got direct other times i do lay siege.Just depends the situation that i am faced with.Even though i will admit that laying siege to a settlement has its moments.And Siege battles are indeed a little more Epic.

**Dave Scarface** · May 23, 2008, 08:31 AM

@Bob,

There are no bonuses the AI gets for its agents.

@WarMachine,

My point about the garrison script is that some people will deliberately lay siege to a garrison script but not attack it. Wait it out for a reinforcement army to come in and attack, so it is not a siege battle they have to fight. Sorry but I just think that this is such a lame duck tactic. And if I ever used this tactic.. I would never admit to it. I either attack a garrison script with a proper army capable of winning a siege or I will withdraw and come back. Of course you are entitled to your own opinion. Siege battles with a garrison script are winable and not as hard as you think! Capturing a power centre from your enemy is a key event in the campaign, and should be tough battles to win. But I guess some people just like to take an easier route to win a campaign..

Dave

**Logik** · May 23, 2008, 08:59 AM

When i fight a battle any battle i always put myself at a dis advantage . I'll try and attack 2 or 3 AI armies with just one etc.I always when possible let the AI Outnumber me. By no way do i take the easy way out. When i do a direct assault is when i get impatient or have a bigger target in mind.I try to make the game harder for myself any way that i can heck i even when i get the opportunity attack the pope just so he can call crusades on me.at least then i'll face some half decent armies.Because i find the majority of mods out right now with the exception of a few the Campaign and Battle AI to be weak.And i did say that i do prefer a siege battle with multiple army's involved those are the best battles period hands down.So i don't disagree with you. Heck if i new how to mod and edit files believe me i would create the hardest Campaign and Battle Ai ever created.As a matter of fact please if you have more ideas on how i can make the game even harder please by all means share it.

**Dave Scarface** · May 23, 2008, 09:21 AM

@WarMachine,

It just bothers me when people use exploits like the one I described above to defeat the garrison script. I want this mod to be fun but most of all challenging. Of course people will play how they like and there is nothing I can do to stop it. One guy even boasted a while back about defeating Antioch within 10 turns

All he did was call a Jihad on Antioch at the start and made lots of stacks with free upkeep and basically wiped them out before the AI could do anything. Pretty funny that he felt he needed to use such an exploit to be able to come here and brag about beating Antioch in 10 turns

Back to my point about the garrison script. The challenge of the garrison script is truly epic. Because you cannot afford to lose the battle, there is no second chance! For the AI will recieve another garrison to defend it the next turn and then the next and so on. With a siege battle whereby there is a heavy garrison script to defend it. There comes a real sense of anticipation before the battle, that you may lose. I am not always victorious, indeed it took me 3 attempts to finally capture Krak de Chevaliers in my Turks campaign. Siege battles are different to field battles. I've always said that the AI has a better chance to defeat a human in a siege battle. There is no outflanking the enemy in most cases, just a straight on fight for the walls!

Dave

**Logik** · May 23, 2008, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by dave scarface

@WarMachine,

It just bothers me when people use exploits like the one I described above to defeat the garrison script. I want this mod to be fun but most of all challenging. Of course people will play how they like and there is nothing I can do to stop it. One guy even boasted a while back about defeating Antioch within 10 turns

All he did was call a Jihad on Antioch at the start and made lots of stacks with free upkeep and basically wiped them out before the AI could do anything. Pretty funny that he felt he needed to use such an exploit to be able to come here and brag about beating Antioch in 10 turns

Back to my point about the garrison script. The challenge of the garrison script is truly epic. Because you cannot afford to lose the battle, there is no second chance! For the AI will recieve another garrison to defend it the next turn and then the next and so on. With a siege battle whereby there is a heavy garrison script to defend it. There comes a real sense of anticipation before the battle, that you may lose. I am not always victorious, indeed it took me 3 attempts to finally capture Krak de Chevaliers in my Turks campaign. Siege battles are different to field battles. I've always said that the AI has a better chance to defeat a human in a siege battle. There is no outflanking the enemy in most cases, just a straight on fight for the walls!

Dave

Totally agree with you 100% As far as taking Antioch in 10 turns yeah that is a bit too quick and and calling a Jihad or a crusade is taking the easy way out in my opinion. I never join crusades if anything else i just attack rome as soon as i am strong enough just so they can call crusades on me.Now i have had my Butt handed to me on more than one occasion but i always pull through.I am all for making the game as hard as possible.It is more enjoyable for me that way.Keeps me from getting bored.And you are right most of my defeats which have been few has happened on a siege battle as the AI seems more harder to defeat somewhat..

**Logik** · May 23, 2008, 09:34 AM

I need to download your mod then.As based on what you have told me it is very challenging. Do i need the Kingdoms 1.5 patch in order for your mod to work or can i do with out it?

**Dave Scarface** · May 23, 2008, 09:44 AM

I need to download your mod then.As based on what you have told me it is very challenging.

Yes, if you want a good challenge then both Kingdoms Grand Campaign Mod and Deus lo Vult 5.6 are the two most challenging mods in the community. Welcome aboard mate!

Do i need the Kingdoms 1.5 patch in order for your mod to work or can i do with out it?

It is only recommended that you have the correct 1.5 patch installed. However it should be possible to still play this mod without patching Kingdoms.

Dave

**Logik** · May 23, 2008, 09:52 AM

Glad to be Aboard

Downloading KGCM now

**Bob the Insane** · May 23, 2008, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by dave scarface

@Bob,

There are no bonuses the AI gets for its agents.

Well you have me convinced... VH/VH it is then...

Oh and I recommend the 1.5 patch if only because the stone fort battles are sweet...

Playing as England I invest in some forts in the North and in France... Takes the heat of your settlements a little and makes for great siege battles...

**Dave Scarface** · May 23, 2008, 01:51 PM

Well you have me convinced... VH/VH it is then...

Good luck

Oh and I recommend the 1.5 patch if only because the stone fort battles are sweet...

Lol I haven't even managed to fight one single battle with the new forts yet. And they will work whether you have your Kingdoms patched or not. Because I copied all of the updated files from Kingdoms into my mod folder.

greets,
Dave