SS Grand Campaign [estrategy and save games]

[Ataegina]

Welcome to Stainless Steel 5.1
Grand Campaign

About:

This is a Grand campaign wich allow each player to lead this campaign at his own, but following missions set by another players and follow the estrategy approved by the majority (by votes).

Settings:

20 turns each player (except if the player not obey the council of lords aka "another players")
level : vh/vh
campaign: late era
faction: teutonic order

Requirements:

SS 5.1 installed
Unofficial mini mod (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=131898)

Save game (below)

[Americanus Supremus]

A few things I think we should get down in writing before we start. A general working strategy for Diplomacy, Military, and the Economy. Remember these are a working draft and not set in stone. Tell each other your style of play.

1. Each player will play in rotation a ten year stint (20 game turns) as overall leader of the Teutonic Order.
2. All major decisions should be discussed in the forum and gather a general consensus for the actions to take
3. Keep everyone informed of how you are progressing thru your stint as leader
4. Have Fun
5. No cheats

As I've been nominated to start off this crusade. I will plan and scheme for a little while and get my game setup and post my plans.

[Ataegina]

you've said everything !!

i believe we should sent diplomats to get trade rights, on first place and also get alliance with poland,also sent our spy to lithuanian lands.

[gr33kp1mp777]

cool!

[Okocim]

If Lithuania holds one province... wipe them out and be done with them. I'm not part of the game but thats how I'd proceed. Wipe them out ASAP.

[Ataegina]

If Lithuania holds one province... wipe them out and be done with them. I'm not part of the game but thats how I'd proceed. Wipe them out ASAP.

No, on late era (wich we're playing) lithuania owns two regions, but if vilnius fall (wich is a castle) , they're are going lose some militar power, even if they remain with 1 small town.

problem is theres no rebel regions closer, except visby, so we must get ready before, then our neighbours invade us, but for my experience if polland become a ally, and if we own lithuania,novgorod i'll not attack us so soon, they're going invade sweden and enter in war against norway or denmark... :hmmm:this ill give us time to raise a good army !

also we can sent spies to novgorod cities near of your borders, and make them revolt and become rebels, so we can after attack them 1 by 1 without declare war on novgorod... (kinda sneaky war against novgorod)

[Americanus Supremus]

Well I think we should try to ally with Poland, Hungary, and HRE. As the HRE is a good balance to the Poles thinking of backstabbing us. and hungary does the same thing. We should accept all offers of trade rights. Offered Alliances should be something we discuss but should only be with Catholic Nations imo.

Visby is going to be targeted by Russia as well as Denmark from the start. But so are the rebel provinces in Scandanavia. So no matter what we are going to be at war sooner rather then later. With is dictated by chance but I usually find myself at war with Denmark first. Poland if I dont secure an alliance fast. Then Novgorod always pokes around. Lithuania seems dormat in most of my games with the order. So I say we attack all rebel provinces possible without strecthing ourselves to thin for the inevitable counterattack. I will not attack a faction first, unless we are in a dominant position short term as well as long term.

From a economic and building front, we need to build or economy as it doesnt support a large army or mass construction. As well as we need speedy military buildup to keep our dream alive. So I will build economically in cities and militarily in castles. As I also want to turn my turn over to the next person in the best possible hands, I will spend wisely and try to get the best bang for our buck. I also believe we need to have more castles to start. So if I attack Visby I would like to change it to a castle. As well as a last ditch defense if the bottom falls out of our campaign.

As far as the army buildup this will have to happen quickly but smartly. This area I will need to look into more. But a good mix will be necessary. As we will face different challenges on different fronts.

EDIT: just noticed that you didnt change the timescale to 2 turns per year, to acurately age characters. If its cool I will change it. Well if I change that I need to know all the settings you want it on. ie unit scale and stuff.

EDIT2: After having a quick look at our situation. It looks to be a very inactive on the building front as we need to build our economy and promote population growth to reach the next level and reactive on the military front as we cant afford to get into it early with anyone big cause we dont have the resources or the availible manpower to survive.

Quick update of the situation as of the Summer of 1230:
1 Castle - Konigsberg population 6700 first building choices either port* or farms
1 City - Riga population 6300 building choices farms* or leather tanner
2 Armies
- Under Grandmaster Gunther with 2 units of Order Spearman, 2 units of Sword Brethren, 2 units of Prussian Archers
- Under Maximilian with 2 units of Christ Knights, 2 Units of Prussian Archers, 1 Order Spearman, 1 gaggle of Clergy (Does anyone really use these guys)

On opening turn cant build any military units or naval. I will build a diplomat (since we dont start with one) we also have the choice of recruiting a priest and/or merchant
Three rebel settlement are in our area of current operations. None accessible directly from land, quickest route is thru the sea. The settlements are the Island city of Visby, the city Stockholm, and the castle Upsalla. All three seem similarly garrisoned. And all will be targets of Russia and Denmark.

[Moretz]

Consider 2 strategies. I will post from my previous ss 5.1 experience.
Denmark, Norway, Poland and Rus WILL be coming at us very shortly. However we dont want to ruin relations with the pope but we cant afford to defend for too long as our resources are not good enough to sustain a constant war with more then 2 factions.
1. Send a spy to Lithuanian capital, keep a STRONG army 1 year away (with catapults or ballistas). Strike when the guard is down and sack the captal. Expand from there, with the money raised.
2. Send a spy to novgorod. Concentrate on building a strong army and no building upgrades. Load the army onto a boat or two and make it to novgorod. Have enough siege equipment to take the city in 1 year so that the enemy cant bring reinforcements. We can sack ALOT of $ that will aid us in development tremendously. Plus being BIG city novgorod will be easier to defend. If this means giving up our own capital then I think the trade off is worth it. (I have done this before in my vh/vh campaign) This is risky but very doable with good planning.

[Americanus Supremus]

So dont build any buildings just build units? The lithuania plan sounds good, especially since the movement points are so low. I think early game with slow economy and small army going adventuring to Visby or Scandanavia is probably not a good idea. Eyes on Lithauania and Russia. If your lucky you may knock Lithuania out real quick. I will look at the finance situation as getting to the next level of walls/castle I think is very important.

[Gill]

Hmmm, I never played with the teutonic order yet, so my strategies will probably come while playing the grand campaign.

By the way, shouldn't we have a list of who's playing and also the order we play in?

Also, do we play with or without the 'supply-traits'?
Because I took them out..

[Americanus Supremus]

As for the order Im really not sure about it but I agree there a few things we need to get straight before we kick this thing off. On the supply traits, I personally like them, but it doesnt bother me either way.

[Gill]

Well I think it's necessary for an order we play in.
Otherwise we could get that someone has played 3 times 20 Turns while someone else is still stuck with 1 time.

And also not too many people who could join, otherwise it might get a bit boring. Don't think anyone would like it if you play 20 turns and then have to wait 300 turns before you can play again..

But that is just my opinion of course.

[Americanus Supremus]

No i agree with you. I think we have 6 total players. Though Im not sure, if we get more players we can always change how many turns before changing command.

[Moretz]

also how long are we going to take to play 20 turns?
what about battles? are they autoresolved?
we have to define "important" decisions that have to be voted on

[y2day]

Just keeping track of you guys. Sounds like you are formulating quite a plan. I've seen this in other forums and just to give you a heads up. You arre going to run into problems getting answers to "quote" important decisions. In my experience the person actually playing the game will become impatient with waiting for everyone to make it here to vote on the decision. So just alittle advise. Save Save Save. Save before you begin a turn and before you end a turn. Make seperate saves everytime. And good luck I can't wait to get Kingdoms So that I may join in.

[hellfire15]

Take ou lithuania ASAP and get ready for a all front war.
build up economics and military in new regions.
also do not attack Visby, denmark and Novgrod will fight for it

[Ataegina]

to prevent 1 player to wait 300 turns, thats why we've a limit of players

if theres no battles, 20 turns i'll be faster, also we should avoid fight for now another catholic factions, we must stay friendly with the pope, autoresolve battle you lose alot, this is extremely unfair trust me its better we play the battles except if you've a army of "1200" and you enemy its just the general with bodyguard

i defend we must build economic builidings before start a bloodywar with our neighbours, also we need money above everything !! so diplomat seems for me a better choice for now, and on last case just a raid in vilnius to push them back, far of our capital !!

also i agree we must keep a eye in russia (novgorod), but visby would be hard to keep it under control, also we can't keep a navy for now (quit expensive) !

so for now we must make our economy grow / settlements, and make trade rights, alliances with poland and papal states!

[y2day]

Remember the person playing is the ruler of your country. Think of yourselves as noble advisors. If not you might find yourself becoming angry with the person playing at the moment. Remember you will have your chance all you can do is advise the current player and try to shape your country into something truly great for your people.

[Skibbles]

Jump on Lithuania, they are quite easy, especially with the kind of cavalry we can field. Also, Visby may be worth considering early, because that city can pull in upwards of 5k eventually, and is extremely easy to defend with it being an island.

Get the support of any catholic faction we meet, especially the pope, an alliance with him will surely increase our standing in the world.

[Ataegina]

well i think isn't necessary nobody become angry, this is just a game

y2day said right, we're advisors, ill be always good rulers and bad rulers, its a fact, so thats why we advise them

also if we're going raise a army (stack) we need conquer some city to pay the upkeeping !

also if we need war, i suggest a orthodox faction, and make raids just on huge towns, break the enemy economy ! also we've advantage of call crusade and in the end receive some money and points on pope ranking

about lithuania,i've tested and in 2-3 turns its possible conquer vilnius, spy even with 50% he can open the gates, also on 1-2 turn some lithuanian troops are out remaining just 4 units (wich one its the gran-duke)