Americas, Worth it or Not?

[JJRimmer]

Just a quick topic for discussion.

What is your opinion on the America's? Is it worth traveling to. To be more specific, does it help your campaign at all? Are there any realy benifits?

I have been playig M2TW since its release and i have never travelled to the americas, never had the need to. But im finding the map to be a little boring so what could i expect from traveling to the americas? Also how would i get there, do i just sail over that fog of war to the left of the map?

[dtjw]

In terms of winning the game, America isn't really worth it. It's composed of 6 regions, 5 (3 in Mexico, the Carribean, and Florida) of which are easy to reach from the Mexican landing site, as you can only disembark your ships on the northern coast of the Yucatan peninsula and Brazil is a little too far away. There are some lucrative trade goods there and sacking the Aztec cities yields an incredible amount of gold, but it takes so long to reach that by the time you do conquer the Aztecs the campaign is already practically over; there's little time with which to take advantage of the loot. In fact, by the time America opens up in the game you should already be swimming in gold. In terms of completing game objectives I would only sail for the Americas if you're just 5 or so settlements short of winning the game and are stymied for some reason in Eurasia.

On the other hand, the Aztecs are a _lot_ of fun to conquer, as they start with large garrisons and large armies out in the field. In a typical campaign game I end up playing a lot of sieges - which are boring and which I usually autoresolve anyway - and very few field battles. This is a shame as field battles are probably the most exciting part of the whole game. In Mexico, you *will* get into a lot of field battles as the AI starts with large stacks out in the jungle and also seems to like to send new armies out as well. Also, the Aztecs are fun to fight in a punching-bag sort of way as they are composed entirely of large units of high-quality infantry. This presents a largely static force against which you can exercise your tactical brilliance (IE, heavy cavalry charges to the rear!) In fact, I think that conquering the Aztecs is probably my favorite phase of the entire game. I usually have my campaigns wrapped up by 1300, but I play my campaigns out to that point just to experience the Mexican conquest all over again.

To get to America, just head west and north. The map is distorted to emphasize Mexico and the Aztec conquest. Sailing due northwest from Spain will hit the Eastern coast of Mexico (on which you cannot beach, you have to sail around to the north). Sailing due west from England will hit the Caribbean and Florida, which are lightly defended rebel settlements and easy grabs if you're short a few settlements for victory conditions, but not as much fun as Mexico. Generally I land in Mexico and then immediately load some native mercenaries onto ships to sail for the Caribbean and Florida. You can get a "preview" by using the toggle_fow cheat and scrolling the map "off the edge" of the minimap to the left.

In terms of what to bring, to be safe you should bring two general-led stacks in two separate fleets, so you don't get wrecked by a single storm. Also, using native mercs as recruits is a big part of succeeding in Mexico, as they're your only replenishable force. Think Cortes. For this reason you absolutely need at least one general to survive until the end of the conquest. In terms of what forces to bring, I would emphasize a large group of Heavy Cavalry, some high-defense missile units like Pavise Crossbows to screen your forces from Aztec archers, and a small core of high-quality melee units like Dismounted Chivalric Knights or Sword and Buckler Men to serve as a reserve. Once you get to Mexico, recruit all the natives you can to serve as your line. They're basically just there to keep the Aztecs busy and take the casualties while your cavalry charges (or arrows, if you have a horse archer faction) to the rear do the real damage. If you do it right your losses will be mostly among the natives, which spawn for further recruitment rather quickly. Artillery siege equipment is optional. It's nice to not have to build battering rams every time you lay siege, but their slow movement speed will slow your Atlantic crossing substantially so I don't know if they're worth it. You also want to bring at least one spy and some priests. Merchants will let you trade in the very profitable chocolate, tobacco, and gold, which can give you over 1k per turn, but by this time you probably have more gold than you know what to deal with anyway.

[Cybugger]

It is pretty worthless. You have to build at least 2 full stacks, send them into boats for like 10 turns doing nothing, and then you get onto a bit of land for 5-6 regions. So it isn't sensible.

But i'm not sensible. So i always go. Nothing better than beating vaste stacks of native-american infantry into the ground. And then stomping on them... And then exterminating their populations... And plundering their gold, etc...

[irishterion]

well i actually have to build 3 full stacks but then when you own the america, your merchant are gonna bring you a lot of money.
the only merchants in America were making me earn between 2000 and 3000 of golds every turn.

[Heldelance]

I don't know why everyone has so much difficulty taking on the Aztecs. I sent in 2 generals, 3 command stars each.
Infantry wise, I send in lots of crossbowmen backed up by some great Cavalry and solid infantry. Playing as the Milanese, I sent in 2 armies of about 10 stacks each excluding the general. 3 Genoese Crossbows, 2 Knights Hospitaller, 3 Dismounted knights (Can't remember what type)

Even outnumbered I still won (Hard mode BTW) Cavalry EASILY rapes the Aztecs.

[Renco]

The Aztecs are nothing. The main reason you go is for the excitement of conquering the new world, and gold. The Aztecs as fighters pose lttle threat to your advanced might. I love the Spanish conquistadors just carving up america whilst the Great Carracks destroy the rest of Europe and their puny Carracks... HAHAHAHA

[hammer93]

i was disapointed with south america coz i thought there would be waaaaaay mmore settlements, atleast there was gold, tobacco and chocolate shame my european cities didn't trade with my south american

[Black Prince IV]

In my campaign I send an entire agent fleet so I can convert, trade, and spy/assasinate. I think you should get trade rights with the Aztecs so you get more merchant money. Then with your other armies take the rebel settlements and make them castles. Then, when you want, kill all the Aztecs.

[TWoxy]

Informative post dtjw; +rep. Very useful for anyone who hasn't been to the Americas before. BTW, I myself believe it is worth going to Mexico, you'll get some really good battles in the atmospheric jungle.