I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this mod Eothese!
So far my campaign as the Parstan Empire is going well, though I had some hiccups along the way.
During the first few turns I started to build up my economy so I can support a standing army. I was already wealthy but I wanted more. So i started to wage a financial war with the Kedos but most of my merchants were run down quickly trying to take their markets. Eventually I gave up and started to invest in my own territories, raking in almost 2000 florins!
A little after my economic success, the Cultists came with a HUGE army...2 stacks near the walls of Parstan, my capital. Unfortunately my forces were spread thin liberating the nearby villages that were in the hands of the cultists. They came fast and hard....I only i had a small garrison (4 units) comprised of mostly the town guard and local militia. They fought valiantly and slaughtered about 1/4 of their army before being overrun completely.
With the loss of my biggest hub of income and later the merchants were starting to lose their markets to foreign merchants as well, I started to lose my profits quickly....I had to act fast. Emperor Aldear with a full stack of militia, archers and swordsmen, started to 'B-Line' it to Parstan. It would take a full 4 turns to arrive which gave the Cultists enough time to prepare and raid other towns as well.
As soon as I arrived with the Emperor, I layed siege to Parstan and followed with an assault on the next turn. It wasn't a very hard battle as the cultist were cut down by my mercenary Iron Fist legions.
Parstan was taken back and started to gain lost money. This is where things started to get interesting.
I requested a crusade on the city of Shodan, and followed with three stacks of the best troops I could muster. Next turn, Tarn, Ethania, The Warden of the Gate, The Iron Fist, and Me were at the walls of Shodan preparing to take it by force. The Shodan had a full stack garrisoned within the city...and looked tough with a few units of Ancestral Warriors at their side. The Elves had already been beating them senseless by taking four of their settlements already. This was going to be the final nail in the coffin.
As we were besieging the city, out of nowhere the Elves betray Ethania by attacking one of their outlying settlements and sacking it causing a chain reaction of alliances being broken. The motives are unknown and I continue to investigate the cause .
Here are the sides that are being taken so far by the 'Kingdoms Below The Mountains':
The Great Alliance (Those that kept the alliance with Ethan and The Warden of the Gate).
-The Warden of the Gate (Leader of Alliance)
-The Parstan Empire
-Ethania
-Marl
-The Gnomes
-The Dwarves
-The Iron Fist
-The Bronze Circle
-The Tulkan Tribes
-The Askan Tribes
The Eleven Alliance (Those that broke from the great alliance and sided with the Elves).
-The Elves (Leader of Alliance)
-Tarn
-Kedos
-Degos
-Ritos
-Galan
-Valan
-Hetos
Looking at these odds, I decided to end this tension before it took off into a full scale war. The Elves are the ringleader of the Elven Alliance and are conveniently located on my southern borders . I wanted to take them out and bring the rest of the nations back in line as the Twice Damned were advancing rather quickly, already taking settlements in the north.
I prioritized the situation at Shodan and lifted the siege and headed into the Holms of the elves. I attacked the elves quickly, besieging two settlements, taking another, and defeating one of their standing armies.....War had broken out between the Parstan Empire and the Elves. Soon after the Warden of the Gate, Marl, and Ethania joined in.
Right now I just got done fighting a bloody battle between the High Lord of the Elves and Emperor Aldear. It was a victories battle, but one of great loss, I lost 3/4 of my army and one of my generals was slain on the battlefield. The Elevs outcome was grizzly at best, losing their beloved High Lord and their whole army routing before me.
The other nations haven't come to the aid of the Elves....yet. I can see an armistices between Ethania and Hetos about to tip over into full scale war. If that happens, this war will expand throughout Eothese and the Twice Damned along with its allies will claim victory over us without lifting a sword.
So far this campaign has me hooked! I can't stop playing because I want to see what events play out in this world of yours . I'll continue to give updates of my campaign if you want.