A guide to Lithuania (RR/RC) Updated 21 februari

[JorisofHolland]

Since I promised (and I'm a man of my word) to write a guide for Lithuania, here it is. I will be uploading it in bits and pieces, uploading if I have played a few turns and have the time.

Before I start, just one note: I'm playing RR/RC (Real Combat / Real Recruitment) by Point Blank. It is one of the greatest mods for SS I found so far. As a result, this guide might not apply for all players out there.

Lithuania

Being the last Pagan kingdom in the area leaves Lithuania in a rather surrounded poisition. However, this is not a problem for now. You are surrounded by rebels on all sides, which gives you many opportunities to expand and prove your fledgeling nation to be a true Kingdom, lasting through centuries of peace & warfare alike. For now, warfare seems closer than peace.

Let's have a look at the faction selection screen.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Attachment 73985

As you see, Lithuania has to defeat both the Russian factions, as well as seizing control of Rome and Varad (Hungary) and many settlements much closer to home.

I recommend you pick your own difficulty, I'm not telling you what you should do (no one would listen to me, so why would I?), but I'll play VH/VH. Also, I prefer Long campaigns above short ones, as this gives you more (and quite often, harder) victory conditions. But again, you are free to do what you want.

Strategy

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Taking most (pagan) rebels around Vilnius will give you a base from which you can launch attacks and defend yourself, if needed be. Riga, Palagna, Hrodna and Mensk are the most logical settlements, but Reval is also good to take. I don't recommend going further west for now, as Poland will most likely try to take those settlements, whether they belong to rebels or to you. And I don't think it is a good move to get into a war with Poland early on. You'll have to fight for every step you make into their lands, and their lands are rather poor, not really worth the battles you'll have to fight. Rather, try to form an alliance with Poland, so you can concentrate on your eastern problems first.

In the east lie to rich settlements: Novgorod and Kiev. However, they are the core lands of the Republick of Novgorod and the Grand Principality of Kiev, respectively. Going to war with these factions is inevitable, even if you do not fight them, they will fight you. However, getting into a war immediately isn't a good option either. Together, they might be able to keep you in check and even take one or two settlements. On top of that, Kiev isn't developed yet. So the best option is to attack Novgorod, and defeat them in a quick war, to prevent Kiev from joining the fun and killing valuable soldiers. If you have secured your new lands, your economy should be good enough to have several armies around to take Kiev down.

I for my self wouldn't go into Russia further than necessary. It takes ages to move your armies around and the land is rather poor, not worth taking. After you took Kiev and a few surrounding settlements, make peace with them. They will be finished by the Cumans. If not, you can always return later on.

Now, with your eastern border secured, you can look westward and southward. Buy any settlements your victory conditions demand and then march south, to take Hungary. If you are taking over Hungary, better ensure you have good relations with the Romans, otherwise you have the risk of facing both the powerfull Roman army and a crusade at the same time. After Hungary has fallen, try to obtain a port in the Adriatic sea, if you don't have one already. Use this port to launch your attack on Rome and the rest of Italy.

Now, with Italy, Hungary, parts of Russia and all of Lithuania answering to one mighty pagan king, who could possible stop you?

Starting Position

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

If you have a look at Lithuania's position, you will see a rather poor faction surrouned by rebels on all sides. This means you will not be able to trade anything at all, but you are able to expand in many directions without facing wars on all fronts at the very beginning.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As you see, Lithuania starts with only a wooden castle, a spy, a priest and a large army. The family tree is also rather small, which brings a greater risk of defeat early on

The worst thing about your starting position might be the fact you don't have a diplomat. This means you won't be able to form trade agreements and alliances by yourself, but you will have to wait for others to come to you. And since all towns around can't build town halls yet, this handicap is not very likely to disappear in the near future. Your family tree is also very small, so you should never risk both your King and Prince in one battle, as this might result in a defeat. In fact, you cannot afford to loose even one of your leaders, as this will considerably weaken your military.

However, not everything is bad. Your army is quite big for such a small nation, and the rebel settlements around you are rather weak. Hrodna, for example, cannot hope to resist an organised attack and is very close, allowing you to capture it on turn three. Most other towns are also easy prey for your well-organised attacks.

First Moves

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No doubt your first movse should be to unite the pagan tribes around you by force, as diplomacy is not an option unless you want to spend your entire fortune for one settlement. Now, there are two ways to take the areas around you:

1) Lay siege to all settlements you want to take with a minimal army, starve the defenders and be triumphant.
2) Gather your army, lay siege to all settlements around you one by one, using brute force, skill at arms and your cunning to take them.

The first option might seem a bit easier, but you can easily be beaten by an (unexpected) army of bridgands, losing your entire army if you are unlucky.
The second path will probably be a bit more bloody, but is a lot more secure. On top of that, your generals will pick up better stats when they fight all the battles themselves and gain more chivalry this way.
I recommend you do it this way, but of course don't let me tell you what to do. If you have a better idea, please post it in the thread.

Your first target should be Hrodna, because it is the closest settlement. Simply gahter all your armed forces, leave your king in Vilnius and march. You can lay siege to it in your second turn, build siege equipment and assault on turn three. Congratulations, you just doubled the size of your Grand Duchy. Some pictures and siege tactis in the spoiler.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This is how I deploy my troops in most sieges: on ram and a few supporting units heading for the gate, the others more to the left and right, forcing the enemy to split up. All archers on one line, spread out formation and using flames (this way they do morale damage, and they will probably be more effective against the light troops)

Temples

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Lithuania is a very special faction when it comes to religion. They are the only faction that has several lines of religious buildings. Not even their fellow pagans, the Cumans, have this ability. This is a factor of strategic importance, as you are able to specialize your settlements more than most factions. However, they are unable to build a theologians guild. As a result, their priests will be of a lower level. But who cares about high piety anyway: there is no college to be elected into, nor can they call Jihads. All they have to do is converting those hostile christians around you.
The powerfull units the temples will unlock are easily compensating this; in fact these units are some of the most fearsome and powerfull units you will have. In castles, the altars (only one tier) all unlock the Lativan Crossbow unit. But in cities, every line leads to a different powerfull religious unit.

Perkanus

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Perkanus is the Lithuanian god of lightning and the patron of weapon smiths. More important; his line of temples gives a health and population growth bonus, which makes those perfect castle builders, since castles often lack in growth. This is, of course, also very usefull for cities.
In cities, the Followers of Perkanus will be available. Unlike the other temple lines, they are recruitable from Large Towns, rather than Large Cities. This makes up for the low quality of the unit, when compared to Dievas Guard and Giltines Chosen.

Dievas

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Dievas is the supreme God of the Lithuanians. His temples make the people happy, but also increase law. This is in particular usefull for just conquered regions that are hard to control. If you don't intend build Dievas Guard from that settlement, simply destroy the temple when you hve a solid grasp on the region and construct one of the other lines.
The special unit, Dievas Guard, are among the most powerfull cavalry Lithuania can field. One single band of these men can decide the outcome of a battle. Although they can't defeat the most heavy Chrisian knights, they will kill anyone but the best standing in their path.

Giltine

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Giltine is the godess of death, and she has only few worshippers among the Lithuanians. Here temples increase law through fear and give an extra morale bonus to units trained in the settlement. Your armoury (the settlement where you upgrade the armour of your troops) should always build this temple, because the units won't have to travel to yet another settlement to get the morale bonus. The Giltines Chosen are very powerfull heavy infantry, usefull against both horse and foot, as long as they don't have to absorb a cavalry charge.

Military

Lithuania relies on a wide range of troops, not favoring any weapon over another. They have good shock troops (mostly wielding axes) strong spearmen, good archers, mediocore swordsman and very good cavalry, using javelins, spears, swords and axes. They also have gunpowder units, both hand-held and artillery.

Early Game Units

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Lithuanias early armies will include many Lithuanian Axemen and Baltic Spearmen. Even when better units are available (i.e. Ducals) they will still make up a major part of your armies.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Baltic Spearmen are merely levies. However, they are quite strong levies, available at start and free-upkeep. They can fight on equal foot with other lightly armoured troops, but against weel disciplined infantry formations they will not do well. Available from both cities and castles

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Lithuanian Axemen are very poorly armed and armoured, and are rather weak. They make up for this by being cheap and being numerous. Like Baltic Spearmen, they will do well against other light troops, but will melt away in combat against heavier targets. In short, excellent cannon fodder, available from cities and castles

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Peasants are peasants. No matter how well you will equip them, they will remain peasants and run from every fight. They are, however, even cheaper than Lithuanian Axemen and are good garisson units. Available from castles

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Levy Archers will be your only archery units early on. They wil inflict many casualties on unarmoured troops and flaming arrows do well to break morale, but those guys cannot hold their own in a fight. Even when fired at from a large distance, they will die en mass

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Lithuanian Cavalry are among the best units available from wooden castles. Although unarmoured, they are equally skilled with their bows and swords. Excellent cavalry units, still usefull later on to run down archers and lure away cavalry from the main army.

Unit cards and more units to follow

[Concrete]

Great work mate. I love reading guides about factions I havn't played as, they motivate me.
Looking forward to seeing the completed guide. +rep

[Souka]

In my Lithuanian campaign i migrated to Ireland, it took me 18 turns to get there but it's worth it in the long run. But i would suggest you go to Scandinavia and capture all the rebel settlements and you will only have to fight Denmark & Norway. Both these options substantially lowers the difficulty but it's way more fun than waging war with Novgorod, Kiev & Poland.

[meese]

Great start! Look forward to the rest!

How frustrating, it won't let me give you rep even though I just gave some to someone else...

[JorisofHolland]

In my Lithuanian campaign i migrated to Ireland, it took me 18 turns to get there but it's worth it in the long run. But i would suggest you go to Scandinavia and capture all the rebel settlements and you will only have to fight Denmark & Norway. Both these options substantially lowers the difficulty but it's way more fun than waging war with Novgorod, Kiev & Poland.

Well Poland I won't be warring with. And Novgorod and Kiev are only two of the many wars to follow. And I think it will be really fun to go south and face the mighty Hungarians, and then face a crusade while I'm uniting Italy.

[meese]

Poor Russians..you better strike early or we'll beat you down when the chance presents itself!

[JorisofHolland]

No, you won't. You can only beat factions down that are AI controlled. Against humans you will need some kind of advantage (no, I didn't pay his neighbours to attack him )

[JorisofHolland]

Updated first post

[PerXX]

Suggestion: Make it less "Do this, then do that", and more about Lithuanias strenghts and weaknesses. What are good and bad units. How to utilize the 3 temple system and so on.

[Mr. Tornado]

Does Lithuania ever get the chance to convert in the campaign?

[JorisofHolland]

@PerXX: Yes, I was thinking of that too, but I won't remove this thing (yet)

[RootsKW]

Suggestion: Make it less "Do this, then do that", and more about Lithuanias strenghts and weaknesses. What are good and bad units. How to utilize the 3 temple system and so on.

I think for the early turns it is fine the current way.

Awesome guide so far, I will probably try Lithuania my next campaign.

[PerXX]

@PerXX: Yes, I was thinking of that too, but I won't remove this thing (yet)

I wasn't thinking of removing anything. What you've done so far is great. I'd just want to throw my ideas of how to improve it even more

[DeMolay]

Yes , nice guide Joris , well done mate

[Emperor Charlemagne XII]

the faction chosing screen looks so cool!

[Concrete]

Then get RR/RC mate.
*tactics
I like it so far, my suggestions would be a section regarding the military forces. As well as some map diagrams to accompany moves on the campagin map.

[JorisofHolland]

I'll do the military soon, but I don't have much time right now, probably I will have time tomorrow (and otherwise, I'm free on Friday and after that one week holiday )

[Point Blank]

Nice guide, Lithuania is uniquely challenging and the gameplay is a lot of fun.

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

Nice guide, Lithuania is uniquely challenging and the gameplay is a lot of fun.

To add to that....first rate production. Thank for this...+Rep

[JorisofHolland]

Thanks for the possitive reactions (and +rep)!

Updated first post with Military & redone layout