Scottish Tactics

[Samuel Adams]

So I started a Scottish campaign, for various reasons...

HRE was getting dull and as much as I like hearing Italians and Frenchies pleading for their lives after massive battles where they have no survivors except those I captured, my massive great economy was being depleted by war with Venice, France, Denmark, and the attempt to hold the middle east.

Also, it's as close to a celtic type faction you can play without a mod, and you start out on an island which I like because it prevents early game backstabbing and you only have to worry about the English.

Now, what's the best strategy to go with? I've taken York, that castle up north, and ireland. I've defeated all the rebels in my provinces with a strong enough army spread through the celtic states to defeat any rebel army that emerges, and repulse the first wave of any english foray into scot lands.

Now I'm building my economy one step at a time, and I've got a fairly profitable one in place.

So what's next? I want to wait to expand until I'm above 20,000 florins, so I can support a large field army, but where is the best place to start, and what's the best early period Scot army makeup? I was thinking Denmark, that way I hold property both to the far north of the map and the far west. Also, if I am repulsed it will be harder for Denmark to retaliate if they have to sail to the Isles than for say, france or spain or England (although I will attack them when the time comes).

Ideas?

[AdmiringtheEnemyeh?]

Take the 2 belguim provinces before the english do. Its a great way to get a foothold in northwest europe. Make sure you bring a good army because those cities have ALOT of troops. From there you have a path to the swiss rebel castles where you can look towards the italian city states.

[ReichMaster420]

a bit off topic but, i just started scottland campaign after starting the game playing strictly HRE, recently with TLR mod

after getting to my 200th turn in my recent hre campaign, i was vastly superior to everyone else and decided going any further would be no challenge, this is vh/vh too

well scottland has given back the playable enjoyability i had when i first got the game! new units, start with 1 region! great, a new challenge


scottland rules, so does medieval 2

[Samuel Adams]

Yeah I've made it to turn 33 or something and the English and I are still at peace; the only faction I'm at war with is Spain cause I have a 100% papal rating and he sent me on a mission to blockade toledo. Of course my uber small Scottish navy was owned by the spanish naval superpower. I'm looking for a "Spanish Armada" type thing now.

Other than that, my 33 turns have been spent building my economy, a harder thing with Scotland than say, the HRE due to a limited number of ports and diplomatic opportunity. Fortunatley the Pope died around turn 20, and I got trade rights to all the catholic nations.

Anyways, the only losses I've incurred were two expeditions at the early game, one against Dublin (I severly underestimated the Rebel Garrison, but attacked anyway) and Oslo, neither of which were under the command of generals. Now I'm the #1 economy with the 12th military ranking, so alot of work to be done yet, but still trudging. It's gonna be a blitz, methinks, one day just up and strike at England, wipe them off the Isles, and then land in Normandy and take that, too... Then all of europe will taste Scot Broadswords!

[tommo_312]

take Caernarvon and hem in the English also take Rennes, Antwerp and the other Belgian region

[Pyrrus]

A bit off topic but it seems HRE is the faction everyone always seems to play? Personally ive never tried them, preferring to start with lesser powers like Poland or the Byzantines, is it an exciting campaign?

[Revan The Great]

It can be considered exciting because, whilst powerful, you're completely surronded by enemies with no great natural barrier like a sea, or impassable forest to protect you, so you'll easily be attacked on several fronts.

It's also a bonus to have your faction leader have the prefix "Emperor".

[The Mongol]

Not to mention the badass German accent.

[VinxVince]

I originally beat the short campaign with England, and I have played as Sicily and Venice. I just started a new short vh/vh campaign as Scotland and I must say its the most fun I have had. BBB and knights and knaves have also made the game more enjoyable since I got it 2 weeks ago.

So far I have Inverness, and York and of course the starting capitol. The english has launched 4 sieges on York but everytime I have crushed them, even when outnumbered. I only lost one family member (controlled by AI was my mistake).

I definetly recommend everyone to play Scotland!

[Spartan 043]

I am on a Scottish campaign now, I have taken msot of Europe, the new world, and msot of Egypt! I left the rest alone, wanting it to last and to have a super war at the end, maybe the Turks will fianlly see me as a threat?

[Asmodius]

Pretty much the same tactics as any of the other factions except the muslims ones

[Metzgershund]

I have so far only played up to the point where I've taken Inverness, York, Dublin, and Caernarvon (SP?) really fast before the English could take any, and have just unlocked the nobles. I use rabble to soak up arrow fire, and in case of a siege to push rams, then follow up with highlanders, then spears, then archers, then general.

[Samuel Adams]

what do you mean unlock the nobles?

[Gerin]

He means the noble units ex. "Noble swordsmen".

[Samuel Adams]

ah ok yeah those are badass. I thought there was some way to unlock recruitable generals i.e. "Nobles" at some point, and I need good generals!

[Metzgershund]

Generals are overrated IMHO. The only reason I even put them with an army is to prevent them from being bribed on the campaign map.

[Mythlacar]

What I myself did was take the settlement to the north of Edinburgh and then York ASAP. After that I build up a quick militia force to garrison the two new towns. Then I take Nottingham from England with the leftovers from your original forces (The ones you used to destroy the rebels) Then if you need, get a few militia units to back them up and take London!

I wiped England off of the Isles in 22 turns, though they still had Caen for another three or four. After the Isles are all yours, invade Denmark or Europe, either one is a ripe conquest.


As far as battle tactics, I use my usual army makeup. Four bowmen, Four Heavy Infantry with two-handers (Preferably Armor Piercing) Four Anti Calvary (Spearmen or Pikemen) Four Heavy Infantry with Shields, and then four Cavalry.