Teutonic Campaign

[MaDmAn_1988]

Ok, so ive started a campaign playing as the teutonic order on VH/VH,

I knew that they were not an easy faction to play as because of there financial shortcomings but i think i have really screwed it up, im 18000 in the RED, which is terrible managment on my part but hey, this is what i did..........................on my first turn i spent all my money on troops, every settlement recruited as many as there pools allowed, so my troop numbers went straight up, then with all these i created 1 army lead by the hochmeister(full stack) and another just under full stack lead by sm1 else(forget who) then i take the fight straight to lithuania, my full stack beseiged and took the lithuaniun castle near the coast (full stack vs full stack.....AWSOME SCRAP) this was with minimal casualties as my forces are far superior to the pagans, then my other near full stack army cruises round lithuanias lands attacking their armys,

this was going great however i come back to my monatary problems.....i started to run out of troops so i had to pull back and go on the defensive which is no helping my cause..........lithuania are now most powerful military force which has mad them very aggresive,

then you would think it a blessing BUT NO charles cam on a crusade from england and my upkeep skyrockets and my funds drop again, im still playing but on the decline........i havent lost any settlements that you start with but very soon i will as they are beseigeing thorn and magdeberg with two full stacks and im defending with under half stacks.

i would like some ideas from how other people have played there teutonic campaign as the teutonic is by far my fav as there soildiers are just so cool and i enjoy playing with the heavy armoured slow moving jaggernaut which is exactly what the teutons play like

[pwijnands]

Focus on economy more at the start of the game. Once you are creating a surplus, think of training troops and expanding. Don't churn out all the troops you can at the start of the game (although it's tempting) and go on a rampage.
Also make a few alliances and get trade rights with as many factions as you can and trade map info for money.

[Sacc]

^agreed

[raphealray]

I agree with this campaign,

I've played all the total war series and have finished most all factions in Kingdoms. I beleive I have the strategy down.

But for some reason, I can't make my money work playing Teutonic. I've even started the campaign doing all the usual money upgrades, (roads,markets, trade, merchants, etc) and almostly compeltly dispanding my army and I still can't make my money work.

The only way I finished this campaign was resorting to using "cheats".

I think this campaign is flawed.

[Monsieur Alphonse]

The campaign isn't flawed but you have to kill the Lithuanians ASAP. Capture their regions and kill them and go on. The strategy of the OP was sound but he should have used his second army to conquer as well. The openings moves of the Teutons is a blitz strategy (how ironic ) . I used every unit I could spare to capture Lithuanian settlements. I also got in the red but when the Lithuanians were gone I received some 10,000 florins from Charles and because my armies were depleted my upkeep was so low that I was starting to make a profit again. Once the accountants could report black figures again I could build up my economy. Off course very soon I was attacked by the Poles, Novgorod, the HRE, etc but with my economy booming they were easy meat.

[renegade]

I made alliance with Poland, and they give one of their city to me, I guess Danzing then a evaquated the north all of the settlements disarmed every soldiar.
Then I could start the war from the south. And I won.

[Bob The Fearless]

I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with this campaign and only 8 turns in.

I started with upgrading/establishing farms etc to produce ecomonic growth but the Charles and his buddies have put pay to all the good work that I have done, cheers AI.

Have started to take the Lithuanian provencies but they have allied with Novgorod who has just turned up with a full stack and laid seige to the provence being with "Rig(something)" the most profitable one I have.

At the moment I can't even raise a stack to take on Novgorod and certainly can't afford to fight on two fronts as well.

I'm going to have a long hard think about my next move as I believe now is probably make or break time.

[Treeslayer]

Mmm, I have the Teutons running real smooth (now). I resorted to "automatic" and watched problem areas. The advice about trade rights is sage. Go to far west edge and rake up resources with 4-5 traders.

I also lucked out and got a heavy paying visitor as I was beginning my
1st 'crush Lithuania campaign.'

I ate Novgorod up with the 2nd visitor. No money but I got the free use of his army

Now I guess it is Mongols- the Liths have accepted religion and only have 3 places left so I'll use them as an ally.

(bless those assasins)

[whpsh]

I've just started the Teutonic Campaign but here's what I've learned.

The first turn I build nothing but roads then check the expenditures/gains list. It will be negative (of course) but you should at least be able to see your income.

The next turn I empty out all the town defenders from the towns that can build additional troops and rush the Lithuanians. Then I buy troops in those towns and it should get you back to yellow (maybe blue) morale and still only cost what you've got left.

I picked my targets at random, one in the north and one more or less in the middle. As half-a-dozen full blue stacks were closing in (I guess that's AI on hard ... free units for everyone but me), I paid the price and assaulted early. I was hoping to kill enough of the enemy to force them to pause <<side note for later contemplation>> and let me rebuild a bit. Much to my surprise, I'd picked the leader and heir starting cities. One click of the execute button and by turn 10, Lithuania was all grey and I could engage them at will.

[Bob The Fearless]

I've now got something of a "Plan" for this ongoing turn at least.

It'll leave me a bit thin on the ground but Ive got the equivilant of 3/4 of a stack standing next to my Novrogod foes, however it is spilt into 3 smaller stacks. Do you think the AI will allow all three to be present on the field when I attack ???

Its leaving me very open in the north. To the south of the Pagans I can still muster 2 armies to take on and gain Pagan 2 provenices in two turns.

Hopefully worst case is to loose Riga but gain two other regions, I would be happy with that.

I could do with Charles and his mates going home, anyone know how long they tend to stick around for ???

[Theseus1234]

ive learnt that as the teutonic order, you NEED the haneastaic league, not want, NEED, NECESSARY TO LIVE, REQUIRED
the improved trade will help GREATLY

you already have riga in your grasp, and its a short boat ride to visby
the only thing remaining would be to try and convince poland to give you danzig

[homefry]

The key to winning as the Teutonics is not to build too many buildings.

I'm ~50 turns in and am at war with pretty much every nation on my border... even Poland.... those dirty bastards.

With castles, you already get powerful units without building any military buildings... Mighty Spearman and the Christ Knights... all you need.

Don't build except for obvious stuff... basic farms, basic ports, church.... and just recruit.

[Gallus Anonymus]

The main problem with the teutonic order is there lack of a good economy. However this can be improved by trading thorn for gdansk when you ally with Poland. Add into this the income boost from selling all your buildings in Thorn previously, and the Order is left with a much improved economic situation.

[Bob The Fearless]

Unfortunately I have only managed a couple of turns in as many months due to other commitments taking priority.

I still believe in the basic that "Wars cost money" so a good income is required before going on the rampage. Maybe there is a optimum time to launch your assault, I certainly believe I started to soon.

Riga never fell after, Novgorod went north next turn but has since come back.

Currently sieging that coastal castle of the pagans however I have no seige engines so are sitting it out a bit. Sweating a little as there is a full pagan stack within 2 turns march but seems to be sitting tight at the moment.

[~Ghost~]

The main problem with the teutonic order is there lack of a good economy. However this can be improved by trading thorn for gdansk when you ally with Poland. Add into this the income boost from selling all your buildings in Thorn previously, and the Order is left with a much improved economic situation.

good post i will try that. +rep when i can.

[Rurik]

Could someone post some tactics for Novgorod? I can't get enough forces for a good war and my economy turns red before my small villages grow big enough to generate good income. Should I go to war early or build my economy first?

[Drago Fett]

The main problem with the teutonic order is there lack of a good economy. However this can be improved by trading thorn for gdansk when you ally with Poland. Add into this the income boost from selling all your buildings in Thorn previously, and the Order is left with a much improved economic situation.

Good Idea!!

[Drago Fett]

its very easy to getting a decent economy going byjust building roads at turn one, as weel as establishing trade routes. build merchants. every time i play the tuetons, the foreign countries tend to build a surplus of merchants. every time you acqcuire, or attack a foreign merchant, it will give you a "bonus" income of about 1000 +.
(ive also edited the desc_strat kings purse to be from what was 1500 to 2500, try that if you get too frustrated and then restart)

[Heavy_]

secure alliances with neighbors to the west (HRE, POLAND, DENMARK,) consolidate your forces and then go into the pagan and orthodox lands and pillage, loot and destroy buildings.

1. you will grind down the morale of your eastern enemies
2. you will only have to focus on the eastern front
3. you will make enough money to keep up with the war

remember, dont be shy with sending all your forces out
because the more dead soldiers of yours, the more money you will get
if they win and loot a settlement then you, again, make money

[Rapier117]

The Teutonic Order in the Teutonic campaign is probably my favourite in the entire expansion.

The secret is the strength of the Teutonic Order's units. Your troops are far more powerful, have better morale but have higher upkeep. A half stack of your troops will defeat a full stack pagan army.

When I read that people are using full stack Teutonic armies early game it is easy to understand why they go bankrupt. Only late game do I use full stack armies.

You need to "do more, with less" as the Teutonic Order.