Hordes and you.

[bbcrackmonkey]

I'm playing BI for the first time since it came out. I know, I know, but my computer was having problems. Anyways, I'm a RTW, MTW, and even a STW veteran so I know how to play a mean game of Total War, and I decided that I really like Saxons so I started out playing as them with Atilla's Reloaded mod.

Well, the Franks attack me, and I promptly obliterate their army and then launch a counter-attack against their one measly province whilst expanding further into Western Germany and France at Rome's expense. I'm kicking ass and taking names, but when I finally destroy the Franks after a very very bloody siege in which I barely won, they horde and 5 massive Frankish armies fly out and into the eastern section of Tribus Franki. This... was a surprise.

What do I do now? I saved the game on the turn that they horded, and I don't know if I can fend them off while the Romans keep sending their armies against me in France. I only have 2 operational field armies. Is the Frankish Horde going to crash straight into my lands or is it going to bypass me and attempt to take France or something? I'm building a diplomat to try and make peace with them because right now they are scaring the crap outta me.

[General4Hire]

the trick was not getting involved in multiple wars right off the bat heh. I am playing a BI 1.6 campaign with the Saxons on Hard Campaign, Medium battles and came to an almost identical situation...You can't be at war with 2-4 factions all at once, because right...in BI hordes can appear out of nowhere.

[rickyw59]

ive got a trick up my sleave if they attack u do auto_win defender and if u attack them do auto_win attacker and u can take those hordes with 1 guy

[John I Tzimisces]

Its most likely the Franks will flee and head into adjacent territories, usually not yours, unless you completely surround them. Hordes can really get distance.

[bbcrackmonkey]

HAHAHAHA! The very turn after they horded, their allies, the Lombardii, asked me for an alliance, and I accepted, thus through proxy ending the war between me and those foolish Franks before their hordes even got a chance to move. Now they are off my land and on Alemanni land to the South. Looks like they might be headed towards smashing the Alemanni or, if I get lucky, the Western Romans.

I just drove a Frankish horde into somebody else's lands, and it feels like Christmas.

Praise Thor!

EDIT: Can these guys Horde multiple times?

[sera]

The horde ability is massively overpowered. With it you can take Rome and Constantinople quite easily in the start of any campaign.

[Habelo]

Hmm, weird. When i destroy franks they always go somewhere else then into my empire so they aint a problem. When it comes to the huns/vandals i always horde up and go deep into the roman empire and let them take the hits
Then i rule their low units with my uber ones...=)
Though try to resist them with the army you got if they attack you...

[Boudicca]

Just don't trust the Barbarian alliance (or should I rather say the AI's tendency to spoil alliances)...

But be assured, after third time of wiping out their last village, they won't disturb you any more.

[hellheaven1987]

Well, I think Horde is a bit too powerful... although in history is was true...

[Boudicca]

I don't reall know. I too often play as the Romans. And once I restabilize my empire hordes usually don't cause me much worries any more. It is more difficult as a barbarin faction though.

[Habelo]

I think the hordes aint to powerfull neither to weak..
And if you cant handle them you just gotta play on a easy....

And when it comes to diplomicy..... ARGH hate it!:@

[Shadows]

Regardless of faction I usually don't have a problem with the Hordes, unless I'm Samartians or Goths, then I usually have to fight off either the Vandals or Huns, sometimes both, Thats hard to do. When I play either Saxons or Allemani and turn the Franks into a horde they usually go west into Roman lands instead of bothering anyone else. I have had them stay around for a few years though, scared the crap out of me, thought they were going to attack me at any time.

[King_Azzole]

You mean... *gasp* A human might actually LOSE to the AI? Woah...

[Sitarus Originalus PM-30+]

well hordes greatest power on battlefeald is number! they are usually just greater in number, but i dont consider them too strong. sure they can be hard to beat, but on the long run they dont have chance to recrute more units unless they capture a city. you just have to face them on the teritory where you have advantage. i like to use armies on bridges. that way i can easily defend my lands against hordes that would cross my bridge. i always try to win, but when i see i dont have a chance i fight them with startegy in which hordes will need lots of losses to beat me.

[General4Hire]

Well, I think Horde is a bit too powerful... although in history is was true...

Was it? I mean were they really the equivalent of like 5 or 6 full stacks (what hordes are to start) that really have nothing to do but just eat up land?

I have yet to play as a horde, but I've obviously seen them all over the place...all seeing them does is make me want to play as one (probably vandals) after I finish up my RTR 6.0 gold campaign (starting it in about 20 minutes). I can't wait to see how powerful they really are once I get to use them...

As for taking Rome and Constantinople easily at the beginning, from what i've seen so far that doesn't look far fetched at all. I kinda wondered "what's stopping them?" when I was playing BI last week.

[Sitarus Originalus PM-30+]

Was it? I mean were they really the equivalent of like 5 or 6 full stacks (what hordes are to start) that really have nothing to do but just eat up land?

I have yet to play as a horde, but I've obviously seen them all over the place...all seeing them does is make me want to play as one (probably vandals) after I finish up my RTR 6.0 gold campaign (starting it in about 20 minutes). I can't wait to see how powerful they really are once I get to use them...

As for taking Rome and Constantinople easily at the beginning, from what i've seen so far that doesn't look far fetched at all. I kinda wondered "what's stopping them?" when I was playing BI last week.

i am with you on that... hordes have better potential as AI is able to use it. I havent tried to play them but i know that more offencive AI could crush all factions that are not hordes. AI also likes to use pesands as a weapon and it is just a matter of time when AI hords will be too weak to continue looting. hordes attack citys too fast and they dont even try to wait (well mostly) untill city will surrender. when they attack they have lost even up to 6000 men to get my city.

[guyyug]

in my allermari campgain i smashed the franks in quickly and without cheating i had nightfights with each memeber of a horde so i didnt face a whole 1 buy with a 3 stack army they go to spain and take a settlement, i take it for my empire and they turned on me (think they liked that city ) sadly 2 say i lost cause i had 5 units there

[hellheaven1987]

Actually, horde really appeared on history. The most famous one probably was the Goth horde during Valens time (shortly before Battle of Adrianople). There was a record I have read three days ago which said that "thousands Goth appeared infront of Danube frontier, which made the soldiers afraid when this group of people would attack the frontier." It shows that how horrible a horde could be. (and after Roman let the Goth came in, the Goth revolted...)

[Sitarus Originalus PM-30+]

You are absolutelly right... hordes in history were scary to other contries. People imaged them as bloody barbarions who look for fight and so on. Also it must have been scarry if 100.000 people is walking through your country, maybe steal and kill people on the way. They could also take all that was growing on the feald, kill animals in the forests of original inhabitants... must have been great shock for the people when they heared about it and i understand why also some other nations run away from hordes from East and eventually also they become hordes.

[General4Hire]

You mean... *gasp* A human might actually LOSE to the AI? Woah...

This would happen with MUCH more frequency if people didn't cheat. Yes, reloading the game AFTER you lose a major battle or province and "trying again" is flat out cheating.

I mean I don't care what someone does with their own game...just saying, this is really not as unusual occurrance as it seems...it's just that a) nobody admits it b) they just cheat to circumvent it when they see it happening.