Campaign with the next build on VH

**tornnight** · June 21, 2007, 07:20 AM

So I started a new Byzantine campaign on Very_Hard/Very_Hard with the latest build.

It didn't start out well, Sicily sieged and captured Dyyrachium (Durrazo) during the first couple turns. At that point I decided that I needed to build up some infrastructure before trying to tackle this two sided war.

Unfortunately Sicily had other ideas. After about 6 turns, the one of the top generals, Beomundo and a half stack sieged Thessalonica. I was outnumbered and I wasn't be able to get a relieving army there in time. So I lost it.

A few turns later I sent a small force to recapture the city. I was able to defeat the Sicilians but not without a hard battle. It ended with Peasant Archers in melee against Sergeant Spearmen.

By now I was really beaten, -1500 in the treasury and a weakened army.
So I start on the process of rebuilding. This time, the Turks had a different idea. My spy shows me that the Turks are sending a full stack towards Constantinople. Given that I have nothing in the treasury, I try and move all available forces from the other cities to my Capital.

They siege and the ensuing battle was bloody leaving me with a badly battered army and a strong enemy at my doorstep.

I wonder if I made it too hard?

**Pelican Man** · June 21, 2007, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by tornnight

I wonder if I made it too hard?

can't wait!

THE P-MAN

**Pitus** · June 21, 2007, 08:47 AM

Never is too much hard!!!

I need to try

**andrey_90** · June 21, 2007, 10:24 AM

I hope it is as hard as you say.

**Creslin** · June 21, 2007, 10:43 AM

I think thats good, I mean, iirc the only reason the Byzantines weren't overrun during this period was the Sicilians were recalled to Italy after they took durazzo to fight the HRE.

If you wanna make it a little easier on them I would look at making constantinople a more fortified city if its still only starting with the basic stone wall... its to bad making it a citadel would kill its income cause i believe it did have two layers of walls.

**mb.** · June 21, 2007, 04:04 PM

I hope the new difficulty settings don't result in constant backstabing and ultra aggressive AI.

I find those games are just annoying.

**Rex Inanimatus** · June 21, 2007, 04:46 PM

best way to tackle byzantium problems on VH/VH is to build stables and have 1 mobile force of 4/5 units of horse archers commanded by a top general and stack your towns full of free upkeep units. Let them siege you and attack the invaders from behind with an surprise attack. You can wipe whole jihading armies out with them while your military upkeep is no more than 600 a turn. So it leaves you enough money to build an economy. Since AI doesn't seem to bother to create missile units....