How to Horde: A Horde Mechanic Tutorial for Those Who Need It

**Ashu-Siralis** · February 20, 2015, 06:13 AM

So I think some people were struggling with the basics of how hordes function. I made a small five minute vid to help those that are having a difficult time with it. Hope it helps! I think I'll be making a bunch of these five minute tutorial vids about the different aspects of the Total War franchise.

**freemangfa** · February 23, 2015, 04:28 AM

ha ha ha

**M2TWRocks** · February 28, 2015, 08:25 PM

Well done, concise, sufficient, and effective.

**Bramborough** · March 02, 2015, 01:26 PM

Excellent video, but doesn't sufficiently address Integrity. One passing mention about encampment increasing Integrity, but that hasn't been my experience.

Tried to go Horde with Ostrogoths. Just couldn't deal with the Integrity losses. Encamped or not, Integrity kept dropping, even when I moved armies far enough apart to avoid the Rivalry penalty. So I had to keep fighting and winning for the "won battle" integrity buff...but didn't feel like I had enough breathing room between battles to replenish a bit in encampment mode (which also didn't get me to positive Integrity trend). The encampment buildings also had "- Integrity" traits. I grabbed Sirmium to just become a normal faction; things have been going decently enough since then. But I still think I missed something essential mechanics-wise in maintaining a longer-term Horde existence.

**Ashu-Siralis** · March 10, 2015, 06:22 AM

Haven't played the ostrogoths yet, but a good way to see what is affecting your integrity is hovering over the integrity bar next to your general portrait and examining the numbers. Encampment gives a +5 integrity bonus, and general/army traits increase that significantly!

**Duram** · March 16, 2015, 10:52 PM

I've started almost 10 VHard huns campaigns and each time between the years 400-420 I end up getting stack attacked by 3 - 4 factions and losing my hordes.

What can I do? If I vassal they declare independence and come after me. If I don't hunt down the last remaining brigand on the map from a faction they form stacks and come after me. If I enter anyone's lands they come after me, if I stay somewhere to long they come after me.

Force march to Britain and hide?

**Slaists** · March 17, 2015, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Bramborough

Excellent video, but doesn't sufficiently address Integrity. One passing mention about encampment increasing Integrity, but that hasn't been my experience.

Tried to go Horde with Ostrogoths. Just couldn't deal with the Integrity losses. Encamped or not, Integrity kept dropping, even when I moved armies far enough apart to avoid the Rivalry penalty. So I had to keep fighting and winning for the "won battle" integrity buff...but didn't feel like I had enough breathing room between battles to replenish a bit in encampment mode (which also didn't get me to positive Integrity trend). The encampment buildings also had "- Integrity" traits. I grabbed Sirmium to just become a normal faction; things have been going decently enough since then. But I still think I missed something essential mechanics-wise in maintaining a longer-term Horde existence.

General's skills, traits and attributes improve integrity. Each point in zeal above 3 improves integrity too. Then, there are horde buildings that improve integrity as well (lavish tents is the first thing you should build as a horde). Army traditions also improve integrity. Finally, not least, priests embedded in the army improve integrity. Regarding buildings: you should balance what you build there are many horde buildings that consume integrity.

**Vaxx** · March 17, 2015, 04:25 PM

Loved it. Quick, to the point, but full of good basic info.

**ggsimmonds** · March 20, 2015, 03:25 PM

Great work. Most tutorial guys could learn something from this.
Though with the Dragon Age reference you have forever changed my image of Attila.

**AK47** · March 20, 2015, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Bramborough

Excellent video, but doesn't sufficiently address Integrity. One passing mention about encampment increasing Integrity, but that hasn't been my experience.

Tried to go Horde with Ostrogoths. Just couldn't deal with the Integrity losses. Encamped or not, Integrity kept dropping, even when I moved armies far enough apart to avoid the Rivalry penalty. So I had to keep fighting and winning for the "won battle" integrity buff...but didn't feel like I had enough breathing room between battles to replenish a bit in encampment mode (which also didn't get me to positive Integrity trend). The encampment buildings also had "- Integrity" traits. I grabbed Sirmium to just become a normal faction; things have been going decently enough since then. But I still think I missed something essential mechanics-wise in maintaining a longer-term Horde existence.

Thats why I heavily moded the Horde function, I removed the rivalry penaltys completely & the annoying -integrity from buildings.

**Slaists** · March 23, 2015, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by AK47

Thats why I heavily moded the Horde function, I removed the rivalry penaltys completely & the annoying -integrity from buildings.

I guess, it depends what faction you're playing as. Playing as Huns, you have no problem with integrity since you get a ton from the multitude of wars you're at all the time; especially if Sassanids declare war on you.

**LestaT** · March 15, 2016, 09:10 AM

As Ostrogoth's horde, why can't my stack move after I sacked Antioch (the first settlement that I sacked) ?

Is it a bug or some features that I don't know about ?

**wealthmonger** · March 16, 2016, 03:59 AM

I'll assume it's a zone of control issue.

1) Observe the red area around the city before attacking(enemies zone of control)

http://i.imgur.com/b6ZuzD0.jpg?1

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

2) Sacking doesn't use any additional movement(action points)

3) If you sacked Antioch and can't immediately move, it means you used all your movement getting to the city

4) The zone of control is gone the turn you sack the city

http://i.imgur.com/rfcjPNc.jpg?1

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

The zone of control returns on the next turn, providing the garrison has replenished somewhat(land/sea). If your within the zone of control you won't be able to move until you sack the city again

http://i.imgur.com/rRwG6CN.jpg?1

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

5) If you don't want to be stuck in the zone control the turn after sacking, you should make sure there's enough remaining movement to get clear of that area after sacking. One quarter remaining movement should be sufficient, maybe a little less. If your remaining movement is low, you'll have to use your best estimate and hope you have enough left over to get clear

http://i.imgur.com/Wg8IuLB.jpg?1

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**LestaT** · March 16, 2016, 08:36 AM

Damn. Is that a bug/feature ? I just ended a turn and found that I can't move.

I guess this time I'll just burn the city to the ground..

Antioch would not be good for my capital anyway since the other 2 regions in the province already belong to Tanikhids which is currently my ally.