Playing as the English on VH/VH

[painkille137]

Hi, after beating a campaign as Russia in 4 years on N/H I am looking for a challenge.

I'm playing as Great Britain and I'm having A LOT of trouble.

Okay first of all, i'm on Jan 1906 turn 26 I believe, and i've been creating trade ships as much as I can. I have about 3-4 trade ships on each of the nodes up north, but the French always send up 1 or 2 frigates and blockade my ports in the Irish Sea every few turns. I've been in 3 or 4 turns where i've been bankrupt. I've been chasing around friagtes around the Irish sea with Horatio and I had to waste about 4 turns chasing a stupid fleeing Frigate that was harassing my trade ships up way north.

Now Galabritar (sp)
I have 3 light dragoon units around every turn damaging the vineyards, farms, towns, and the one port every turn to try to cut the Spanish's income. Early in the game though a half sized stack of Spanish came down to Gib and I had to put the battle mode to Easy to hold the city. I eventually ended up getting half of stack of guys around turn 19 and I tried to go to Madrid. I kept it on Easy so I can do some damage but I had to go through 2 battles before I even was at Madrid, so that really made my army weak. I couldn't defend myself against the Stack in Madrid, so that half stack was wasted, and now theres 2 full stacks in Madrid. I only have 4-6 units down in Gib (couldn't help reinforce my army in Madrid because I was bankrupt.) There was also a spy down in Gib on turn 3 that killed my General -.-. Luckily Spain only has 4000 gold

I'm allied with Russia, Prussia, and Austria and they are holding up fairly well against Nappy. The French have taken Cleves and Belgium though

I'm making 7,000 a turn


Any tips on getting through this madness?

[The Hedge Knight]

Forget gibraltar, you can't keep and turtle up fo a few turns, invest in home infrastructure which will make you money that does not depned on ports build some 4th rates as well to combat those frigates.

[Travisk]

Wipe out the frigates and blockade their ports.

There is no such thing as hampering an enemy AI's economy on VH, they have unlimited money, don't bother raiding anything. Ever.

[painkille137]

Funny thing happened. After raiding for 10 or so turns I noticed that Spain didnt have more than 1k gold (you can check by demanding payments, it grays out if they don't have that enough money, and Im not sure if what you are saying Trav is really true, but it can.) They then sent down 3 almost full stacks down near Gib, so I took out my near stack and fought up half way to Madrid (played easy so i could actually have a chance) and after that, one of the other stacks went around my stack and took Gib, and Madrid was left nearly empty for my weakened stack)

So I took Madrid, Spain took Gib.

[HMS Empire Broadsword]

Build frigates to take out the French frigates raiding your trade. Its no use sending battleships to destroy smaller ships. Nelson and your battlefleet should be destroying French/Spanish battlefleets.

Construct the best fort defences in Gibraltar, and keep as many men their as possible. It is vital for controlling the Med.

[CamilleBonparte]

Wouldn't it make more sense to play the campaign on Hard, rather than VH and having to set the battle difficulty to easy every time you get swarmed?

[Clodius]

I've certainly held Gibraltar against repeated attacks at VH/VH - but it really does come down to whether you can sail enough reinforcements there from Britain (I just send the KGL, Highlanders, Light Foot, artillery and a couple of generals and disband everything else) before the first Spanish invasion force arrives.

If you do manage this, the trick is to build a barracks and a small star fort at Gib as soon as you can afford it - the barracks will let you replace casualties from the repeated Spanish onslaughts and the star fort means you should be able to defend it with a single artillery unit and some line and light infantry and use the rest of the army there to attack Spain and France along their Med coasts.

Raiding and blockading is not as effective at VH as at N as the AI receive such gigantic discounts on unit costs etc - even if you drive down their apparent income to a couple of thousand per year this doesn't seem to stop the Spanish from building a new stack every other turn.

Thus you would probably have done better building light or line infantry instead of light dragoons and kept them back to defend Gib rather than going a-raiding.

Also remember that the British are the best faction to fight defensively with - and fighting multiple battles in defence of Gib may seem like a dull and repetitive chore but will quickly turn your already excellent infantry and artillery into superb killing machines as they add experience chevrons.

It's also a very good idea to send several units to take the Balearic Islands and build an ordinance factory and trade port there - this lets you slowly replace any artillery losses at Gib (although shuttling guns by sea one unit at a time is a wearisome task) and to take over the North African trade nodes.

And against the AI you don't need frigates to blockade enemy ports - sloops are equally effective (or equally ineffective if they build a warship of any size there and you have to fight it at VH) and much cheaper and quicker to build.

Dropping off a unit of fencibles to hold an unoccupied enemy port will also stop them building anything at all there until they send some troops to retake it - or with light dragoons you might be able to lurk invisibly nearby and constantly re-occupy and trash it when as the AI usually does it pulls its units back out again.

On trade nodes if you concentrate only on the North Atlantic and Med ones you can keep French commerce raiders away by stationing frigate squadrons in the Irish Sea, between Ireland and the west edge of the map and at the eastern end of the Channel blockading Calais so they can't sneak ships past without fighting and alerting you.

Blocking the straits of Gibraltar with a small fleet and building sloops at Gib to blockade the Spanish and French Med ports should keep your Med trade safe enough.

The South Atlantic nodes are best ignored until you've established complete naval dominance by sinking the original French, Spanish and Batavian main battle fleets.

And remember Chatham is England's Achilles Heel - let them raid or blockade it and you'll go bankrupt very fast as all your trade goes through it and doesn't reroute if it becomes non-functional.

[painkille137]

Okay so I got lucky. After taking Madrid and losing Gib. the Spanish only had one stack left for their entire country, which was in Gib. Navarre and Barcelona were undefended so I took Navarre and liberated Barcelona. I then ended up taking Gib. Eventually I took the Balearic Islands (?) because I was dealing with France in Normandy (liberated Britnany but Nappy owned them.)

So I don't know if you can actually hinder an enemy's economy by raiding, but after the 20-30 turns that I was raiding Spain it seems they couldn't raise ANYTHING to compete with me after I took Madrid.

In France, I managed to hold through 2 stacks of sieging on Normandy, then I sent 2 stacks over to Paris and took it. Now, theres 2 stacks of French including Nappy sitting outside Paris with another stack coming. France had pushed Austria all the way to Galicia, Prussia north, but the Russians are now moving toward Vienna. I'm guessing and hoping that the French are sending all their forces at me so the Russians can push West (Turks are gone)

[Chewie]

To control the frigate problem requires planning from turn 1. Raid every enemy port on the Atlantic, and block the straight of Gibraltar with Nelson. Build merchant ships every chance you get. Horde all the trade nodes in the Atlantic; you should be able to grab all except one taken by Portuguese. On VH I was able to keep all my units in England, raised 8 units of line in Gibraltar and landed Gen. Stowell with a unit of light dragoons by the time the Spanish sent their first full stack (with a half stack French army via sea invasion!). 8 British line will cut down spanish full stacks like grass.

[Clodius]

So I don't know if you can actually hinder an enemy's economy by raiding, but after the 20-30 turns that I was raiding Spain it seems they couldn't raise ANYTHING to compete with me after I took Madrid.
)

The point there is that Madrid like Paris and London represents most of the faction's starting population, revenue, recruitment slots etc - so once you've taken it even the benefits the AI gets at VH/VH are not going to let Spain recover from that blow.

It also means you could never have anything resembling the Peninsula War - as once France or anyone else has taken Madrid its all over for Spain bar a couple of rebellions.

And IIRC they can't even produce anything other than militia outside of Madrid (I've never seen the AI change the use of a building slot) - so by raiding them all you did was deprive your troops of potential target practice opportunities.

If we could mod the map I'd definitely break up the huge starting provinces more.

[Clodius]

To control the frigate problem requires planning from turn 1. Raid every enemy port on the Atlantic, and block the straight of Gibraltar with Nelson. Build merchant ships every chance you get. Horde all the trade nodes in the Atlantic; you should be able to grab all except one taken by Portuguese. On VH I was able to keep all my units in England, raised 8 units of line in Gibraltar and landed Gen. Stowell with a unit of light dragoons by the time the Spanish sent their first full stack (with a half stack French army via sea invasion!). 8 British line will cut down spanish full stacks like grass.

How did you avoid bankruptcy without disbanding anything?

Tried pretty much exactly this strategy several times and always quickly went bankrupt before I hit upon disbanding all my starting fencible, line and light dragoon units and sending everything else to defend Gibraltar.

[Chewie]

Crap, sorry my mistake; I disbanded all the artillery in the beginning. See, I decided I was going howitzer this campaign so I got rid of them on turn 1 and later on I forgot I even started out with artillery.

I think that gave me around +1000 income. Also did the Rennes mission for 2k, and sacked Caen for 6k, and my house rules allows 1 sack in the beginning of the game!

You sent your artillery to Gibraltar Clodius?

[Clodius]

Yes - mainly because I like artillery and you obviously can't recruit any more at Gib itself.

Did load them on separate ships though to avoid slowing down the relief force.

Was also following a Med strategy and wanted to build a balanced full stack ASAP down there to take out Spain.

And as regards line and light dragoons I waited until I could build a military academy in London before recruiting more in Britain as they are greatly improved by the +2 experience.

House rule against looting but did break it and sacked Paris to resolve my financial crisis - however the mega-rebellion that set off threw me right back out of France again.

Think I might start yet another British campaign and do a proper starting moves post based on it.

[painkille137]

Yes - mainly because I like artillery and you obviously can't recruit any more at Gib itself.

Did load them on separate ships though to avoid slowing down the relief force.

Was also following a Med strategy and wanted to build a balanced full stack ASAP down there to take out Spain.

And as regards line and light dragoons I waited until I could build a military academy in London before recruiting more in Britain as they are greatly improved by the +2 experience.

House rule against looting but did break it and sacked Paris to resolve my financial crisis - however the mega-rebellion that set off threw me right back out of France again.

Think I might start yet another British campaign and do a proper starting moves post based on it.

Did you destroy all of France's buildings before you left?

I had the same situation, got in there, took it after a lot of fighting but then 3 stacks of Frenchies, 2 stacks of rank 3 experience rebels, and a stack of Swedish took turns attacking my 2 stacks at Paris and finally I had the chance to pull out and the Swedes took Pairs (lulz)

[Captain Christophe Lammypie]

Im playing GB on vh/vh, its 1809 and I have completed the battle for naval supremacy, survived the spanish onslaught on Gib and I'm going on the offensive for the 2nd time. The first time I was in a position to attack, failed quite badly. The French had overrun Pru and Austr who were out of the game but i guessed it meant a large portion of french forces were in the east. So I sailed across and liberated Holland and marched on hanover with 2 full stack armies. After capturing hanover I planned to march these two armies to Berlin and try and get prussia back in the war. However out of the fog of war marched no less than 7 french full stack armies, which destroyed both of my armies and sent Welly home injured. I fought all these battles but after winning the first I was over run.
Meanwhile on the Med front, after taking the Balearics, I landed a 3/4 stack in Italy and besieged Rome which was french. I underestimated the enemy here and this army was also destroyed. So in 2 turns I lost all my armies and GB was licking its wounds and starting over.

Now I have recovered my army strength, have 4 stacks in Gib and since the spanish made peace and ended thier alliance with Fr, Im planing to take Corsica to use as a base and start attacking the French sourthern front.

unfortunately the Fr and Ottomans have taken all but 4 regions of russia, who I gave 40k gold to hold on, not sure if this helps, but they seem to be in some stalemate for about 6 months now.

Its been a nice challenge and has plenty of options available for the next few moves, lets just hope the russians hold on.

[painkille137]

Im playing GB on vh/vh, its 1809 and I have completed the battle for naval supremacy, survived the spanish onslaught on Gib and I'm going on the offensive for the 2nd time. The first time I was in a position to attack, failed quite badly. The French had overrun Pru and Austr who were out of the game but i guessed it meant a large portion of french forces were in the east. So I sailed across and liberated Holland and marched on hanover with 2 full stack armies. After capturing hanover I planned to march these two armies to Berlin and try and get prussia back in the war. However out of the fog of war marched no less than 7 french full stack armies, which destroyed both of my armies and sent Welly home injured. I fought all these battles but after winning the first I was over run.
Meanwhile on the Med front, after taking the Balearics, I landed a 3/4 stack in Italy and besieged Rome which was french. I underestimated the enemy here and this army was also destroyed. So in 2 turns I lost all my armies and GB was licking its wounds and starting over.

Now I have recovered my army strength, have 4 stacks in Gib and since the spanish made peace and ended thier alliance with Fr, Im planing to take Corsica to use as a base and start attacking the French sourthern front.

unfortunately the Fr and Ottomans have taken all but 4 regions of russia, who I gave 40k gold to hold on, not sure if this helps, but they seem to be in some stalemate for about 6 months now.

Its been a nice challenge and has plenty of options available for the next few moves, lets just hope the russians hold on.

Funny how the campaigns can be so different. I'm in 1808 but Russia has entirely wiped out the Ottomans on their own, the French has pushed back the Austrians to their last 2 territories in the east and Russia is now taking over the lost Austrian territories. Prussia really hasn't had anything happened to them. Every turn I see them waste 5 minutes of moving their 4 full stacks at berlin and moving a million one man stacks around.

[Chewie]

Man....I have 3 stacks TOTAL (British house rule! ) and it's 1809 and the entire continent minus Ottoman is French. I think I wait too long? LOL

After liberating the low countries and parts of Rhineland, each of my 3 stacks was then tasked to liberate one of the major allies: Wellington to Berlin, Moore to Vienna, and Abercromby to Moscow.

Abercromby met minimal resistance and was able to reestablish half of 1805 Russia. Wellington's army got smacked by 3 1/2 stacks as soon as he landed in Pomerania. Managed to win, took 25% casualties, and the remnants of the army marched into Warsaw and liberated Poland (too many stacks in Brandenburg). Moore found Vienna undefended and quickly also took Moravia, but got hammered by 2 French stacks next turn and had to abandon the Austrians and flee into Poland.

So 2/3 of my entire military is in Poland surrounded by at least quadruple amount of French stacks

[painkille137]

Man....I have 3 stacks TOTAL (British house rule! ) and it's 1809 and the entire continent minus Ottoman is French. I think I wait too long? LOL

After liberating the low countries and parts of Rhineland, each of my 3 stacks was then tasked to liberate one of the major allies: Wellington to Berlin, Moore to Vienna, and Abercromby to Moscow.

Abercromby met minimal resistance and was able to reestablish half of 1805 Russia. Wellington's army got smacked by 3 1/2 stacks as soon as he landed in Pomerania. Managed to win, took 25% casualties, and the remnants of the army marched into Warsaw and liberated Poland (too many stacks in Brandenburg). Moore found Vienna undefended and quickly also took Moravia, but got hammered by 2 French stacks next turn and had to abandon the Austrians and flee into Poland.

So 2/3 of my entire military is in Poland surrounded by at least quadruple amount of French stacks

Ouch, every turn I get I create as many units in London then ship them to Europe.

And doesn't the campaign start Jan 1805? If so, how is Abercromby in the game when he died in 1801?

[Chewie]

No idea, ask CA I guess

He is highest ranked of the 3 available generals in the recruiting pool at the beginning of game. Been trying to get Picton but I think I missed the window to recruit him.

I recruited Collingwood as an admiral and he died in March 1810 of natural causes; I looked it up and in real life, this guy died March 1810 of cancer. So I guess they do try.

[Clodius]

There was another Alexander Abercrombie who served as a brigade commander at Albuera in 1811 - I suspect they may have confused them.

But if they did mean the one who died in 1801 (and his command rating suggests they do) then as a French player I want Kleber and Desaix and Hoche resurrected as well.

And come to think I'm sure I got offered Moreau in the French Grand campaign - a Revolutionary-era General who conspired against Napoleon, fled into exile and actually ended up serving the Austrians.

Shoddy research again.