Is Venice the toughest faction to start out as?

[Cadmium77]

England and Spain are easy at VH/VH, but Venice, OMG....I just get crushed and crushed and crushed and crushed....and playing as Spain or England even the AI gets crushed playing Venice. It's in a terrible position, surrounded by a host of enemies on all sides. It's going to be assailed by everyone, and the minute it shows weakness before the assault it will get devoured.....

[Sitarus Originalus PM-30+]

i would say HRE is the hardest to start with...

[Sunday213]

ive completed a VH/VH Campaign on venice its quite easy i just wait like 20 turns on defence building barracks and other building s . i make a bunch of trade agreements then i start attacking , i already have V Heavy infantry by the time . Only attack rebels etc .

Some guy did HRE ON VH VH Click link

http://www.youtube.com/profile_video_blog?user=Attila16

[Dunecat]

Venice is easy.

Russia I think would be the hardest. Hungary, if you can barricade yourself from either the west or the east, can handle a war with a major power. Plus the get the three junk territories just east of them, which are perfect for farming and income because of their fertility and coastland.

Russia is nearly ALWAYS at war with Poland, and sometimes the Hungarians/Turks/Danes. They have a short, crappy unit roster in the early period(limited's probably the best word to use) except for a few jewels, like bodyguard and HA, and are poor as get-out to begin with.

That's why they're on my top 3 campaign armies! I love 'em to death.

Nothing feels better then to control the equivalent of western europe as your backyard.

*EDIT*- Don't be swayed from doing VH/VH. It's a nice challenge, and a must (at least once) for any M2TW gamer. Ex:

Now, I didn't blitz, but it doesn't look like I'm doing too shabby, does it?

*EDIT2*: Also, an early battle in that campaign (one of my first ever in M2TW):


I have played the TW series since it was first produced, though, so also take that into account.

[Imperator_Maximus]

Venice isn't too hard, or at least not as hard as other factions. The problem comes with your long border. In my mod I gave the Byzantines Crete and gave the Venetians Zara (R&P mod) so now they are closer to home.

[PorT_Lobo]

mmmm Ronec

By your screensave i think you had the same bug than me as Spain with England...... how many turns that english army stays there still without move and trying to get Leon? In my game they landed there and did not move for more than 20 turns!!

[kapow32]

^thats weird, im playing a spain campaign(turn 130 or so) right now and have never seen a british army come close to spain

[Dunecat]

British AI goes nuts because they are forced to naval invade everything, but they bug out (like many other naval factions do) and squat for a few years then leave.

I left that army there alone, but about 15 turns later they invaded Bordeaux and I was force to converge my 3000 Chivalric knights (M and DM) on their ass.

Along with other units, of course.

But honestly, when you have 3000 CK's... Who cares what else you have!?

[Count of Montesano]

As an HRE player, I can testify that all the Italian city states have some powerful early unit games. Italian militia always seem to give my spear militia a run for their money. You also have powerful crossbow units that if utilized correctly (read not by the AI) can do some damage. I would try to sign an alliance with at least one neighbor (probably HRE) and spam cheap infantry.

Once you can take out Florence as a rival, you'll be in good shape financially. Also keep in mind the germans need to come down narrow passes to get to you - forts might be a good idea.

[awisler]

Venice isnt that tough, follow these steps, I have won three VH/VH campaigns as Venice, going different routes each time, but the start is always the same. First off, grab Zagreb. On the first turn, you must also buy Bologna off of the HRE for map info, trade rights, alliance, and 6000 florins. Disband some of the crossbow mercenary units from bologna and send some militia to bologna from venice. then mount an assault on florence ASAP. Turn Florence into a castle. Wait for a war with Milan or a point where you can simultaneously siege genoa and milan, then do so. You know control northern Italy. take ajaccio and cagliari, the two islands. Then, make an army in iraklion to take rhodes. from here, I would move to eliminate Sicily.

You now own all of Italy except for Rome, and four islands, with two provinces near the adriatic sea. Now, make spies in northern italian cities, many. france and the HRE love to piss you off with their spies.

This part is optional, but I always do it. Take Rome. First, gift the papal states rhodes, or sail up and take some rebel russian province to gift to them. I usually do this when I can field an army of venetian HI, venetian archers, a good general, and some cavalry. then throw in a militia army that has been experienced from previous wars. kill the pope and take the city at the same time. Now, a new pope is in and you are reconciled, also, you have Rome and the papal states armies are forever where you gifted them the territory.

By now, you have zagreb, iraklion, possibly rhodes, ragusa, and all of the Italy. Ragusa will supply your eastern armies, and Florence your western ones. I would build a strong fleet, and block the land bridges connecting turkey to greece. Also blockade all byzantine ports. Then swiftly move in through durazzo and on to thessalonnica, finally reaching constantinople. make a small force on iraklion to take corinth.

From here, do what you want. You have the wealth of italy and greece - access to the black sea, the western mediterranean and the eastern mediterranean, with many factions to trade by road travel. You should also have skilled generals. Constantinople can be lightly garrisoned too, since the landbridges are black by your navy and only your troops can cross.

Follow this correctly and you really can not fail.

[AdmiringtheEnemyeh?]

Venice is VERY tough if you make the following mistake in the begining (which i did);
- Launch an assult from crete to the middle east and the byzantine empire. It is an inevitable loss when the mongols come and your venitian homeland will become LOADS harder protect. This is when milan becomes a WTF?PWNER superpower, hungary attacks zagreab, and the Sicilians come up with full viking dude stacks.

Be quick to defend venice, your going to have at least 5 major enemies at your gates if you arent quick.

[Dunecat]

I never play a Venetian campaign where I don't get rid of Crete in the first turn.

Evar.

[dad_savage]

I've played the Venetian campaign many times, in many different ways. I don't find it particularly hard. I always start my campaign by quickly taking Milan and Sicily out of the game which makes the early turns fairly hectic, but not hard.

I guess it depends on your style and whether you've got a good start plan. I mean, I find England to be an annoying faction to start out with (not hard, annoying) whereas most people love their start.