Why do I Suck?

**Spartan156** · July 17, 2012, 11:45 PM

I have literally been outsmarted by a set of 1s and 0s. Get this:

I will constantly start, get about a quarter through, then rage quit a campaign. There is always some region I forget, or some ally goes rouge or gets conquered by a random minor nation that decides it wants to suddenly kick ass.

Im playing as the Tsu, in the FOTS campaign. Im doing pretty good, collecting territories, allies, and vassals, until I have a nice chunk of central Honshu, including Tokyo. Im almost ready to complete my best move Ive ever done in a TW game, a three pronged invasion of the Obama. I send my only three generals through their territory, taking ever last city they have. Pretty happy with myself, I make two vassals out of some conquered regions, and place two of the armies in spots to easily push back Obama's two allies that joined in.

Out of nowhere, a trade partner/same alliegance in the south gets conquered, and three full stacks come through my territory. I had all my major forces in the north! I move the closest army to intercept the horde; and suddenly another enemy pours out another full stack right where I just left.

As if to be my saving grace, an ally and vassal move to intercept the three stacks, within three turns they are both completely decimated. Ive already lost three regions, and if I move I will lose more, if I dont I will keep losing.

I rage quit the game, and Im pretty sure I will not pick up that save again. Am I just terrible at this game?

**hagagaga** · July 17, 2012, 11:47 PM

A three-pronged invasion from the Obama? Are you sure you're playing as the Tsu, not the Afghans?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

**wealthmonger** · July 18, 2012, 01:36 AM

Some things that might help

Try not to leave any territories completely undefended, keep at least a few cheaper units in each province along your borders.
Send out agents to see them coming in advance.
I tend to move units around individually, shipping them up to the front in small numbers. It's alot of micromanagement but it allows you to divert those troops to blunt an invasion if needed.
Defend the castle their attacking the best you can. That is to say, deal them the highest number of casualties that you can so at least they won't be at full strength for their next attack.
Sabotage them with your agents. Dealing with 2 attacking stacks is better then dealing with three.
Diplomatic manipulation can go a long way. Like keeping your enemies to a minimum, trade agreements, alliances, getting another clan to join the war against them, which will hopefully draw some of the heat away from you.

**NicolaiR** · July 18, 2012, 09:07 AM

You should download a mod, in the vanilla version the AI keep to spawn full stack armies out of nowhere

**BeastG33** · July 18, 2012, 11:02 AM

Yeah, I'd try Darthmod. He gets rid of the AI cheats I believe.

**C.I.F** · July 18, 2012, 11:21 AM

For the OP:
Taking Kyoto will cause the AI factions to see you as the biggest threat and cause them to try and remove you as their highest priority. This is the "realm divide" mechanic. To get around this try leaving Kyoto until later in the game when you are prepared for the onslaught from enemy factions

Hope that helps.

For others:
There are no AI cheats on Normal difficulty. In fact the player has the advantage. Enemy units can hide in forests and not be spotted by the player. They aren't spawned from nowhere. Not even on higher difficulties. Only Ronin, Pirates and Rebels are spawned and they are precursored with a warning for the player that unrest is high in the relevant regions.

**Colonel Mallard** · July 18, 2012, 11:35 AM

Well, you had all your forces in one place; you're never going to need more than a 2.5 pronged attack anyway. Presumably, you didn't enough anyway. Holding from at least Tokyo to at least Iga would leave you rolling in cash, provided you upgraded buildings and ignore navies as much as possible, so you should have had more armies out, and fortified the choke-points at the far rear, even if there was no obvious current threat. Just stay in castles, they can even the odds immensely.

**Awake** · July 18, 2012, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by BeastG33

Yeah, I'd try Darthmod. He gets rid of the AI cheats I believe.

^This.

Plus Darthmod increases the number of units that are garrisoned so you don't have to waste time and money keeping units in all your provinces as much. You won't have to worry about a 5 unit army randomly attacking an outskirt town of yours and taking it.

The AI is forced to field larger armies to take provinces, but likewise so are you, so the trade off is equal.

**Alkaline Earth** · July 18, 2012, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by C.I.F

For the OP:
Taking Kyoto will cause the AI factions to see you as the biggest threat and cause them to try and remove you as their highest priority. This is the "realm divide" mechanic. To get around this try leaving Kyoto until later in the game when you are prepared for the onslaught from enemy factions

Hope that helps.

For others:
There are no AI cheats on Normal difficulty. In fact the player has the advantage. Enemy units can hide in forests and not be spotted by the player. They aren't spawned from nowhere. Not even on higher difficulties. Only Ronin, Pirates and Rebels are spawned and they are precursored with a warning for the player that unrest is high in the relevant regions.

Lol reread the OP please

**Phillyphries** · July 18, 2012, 07:47 PM

Play out the battles maybe?

**Blackwolf** · July 19, 2012, 02:32 AM

If you get the balls ehm I mean the strength ( :p ) to attack & besiege the Obama clan's cities (or any clan's cities) I'd recommend you hold the siege & force them to come out or face starvation. So this will help with a few things like you will get to defend, you get to chill outside of the enemies castle drinking sake, you don't have to attack & hit an onslaught of gunfire & climb the walls, and more.
Unless you wanna see project spiderman in action & watch soldiers get mowed down while spidey climbing up the walls then nevermind friend...

btw, in every game I've played of FOTS campaign, the Obama has always wiped out the Tsu, but sometimes another clan saves the Tsu by killing Obama first. Oh, & when I tried the Tsu the Obama were the most difficult clan for me to beat during that campaign so your not alone.

Before I leave off with that note... Practice makes perfect as well!

**daniu** · July 19, 2012, 04:14 AM

Originally Posted by wealthmonger

Try not to leave any territories completely undefended, keep at least a few cheaper units in each province along your borders.

This was my first thought when reading the OP.

Keep two or three ashigaru in all your castles (up to say 1 yari 2 bows, or in your case of FotS 1 spear 2 levy) and when the enemy starts invading, draw them together into a single point of defense, reinforcing as needed. That is relatively cheap while providing a good cover for your provinces (with some few lost provinces you will be able to reconquer fast once the enemy force is defeated).

**Huberto** · July 19, 2012, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by C.I.F

For the OP:
Taking Kyoto will cause the AI factions to see you as the biggest threat and cause them to try and remove you as their highest priority. This is the "realm divide" mechanic. To get around this try leaving Kyoto until later in the game when you are prepared for the onslaught from enemy factions

Hope that helps.

For others:
There are no AI cheats on Normal difficulty. In fact the player has the advantage. Enemy units can hide in forests and not be spotted by the player. They aren't spawned from nowhere. Not even on higher difficulties. Only Ronin, Pirates and Rebels are spawned and they are precursored with a warning for the player that unrest is high in the relevant regions.

He's playing FotS.