Slow progress with Command, Dread and Piety?

[Vasquez]

Is it me or is it taking a lot longer to get increases in the above traits? I mean to gain Dread you can't execute prisoners wholesale because it kills your international rep. And releasing prisoners might help Piety, but you are just hurting yourself in the long run because they will just come back , better equipped and experienced. It's a catch 22. And Command? I seem to be fighting endless battles with the same handful of Generals and they never really get anywhere beyond 5 or 6 stars. What are your strategies for building up your Generals to some of these uber stats I am seeing around the place? Thanks!

[Valdamar]

Reform your army. Rely more on tactics that generate kills like missile weapons and cavalry charges. Never chase routers, then you can release a pitiful percentage of their army.

[Lord_Calidor]

Never chase routers, then you can release a pitiful percentage of their army.

Doesn't chasing routers & executing them afterwards, give more dread? As I understand it, he wants that, not chivalry.

Anyway, just wanted to ask tha same questions. My top dude just sacked 2 Danish cities, pursued & executed 2/3 of their complete army (3-4 full stacks & garrisons), and he's still @ 5 Command, 2 Dread, exactly the same as before he went on this killing spree.
As I see it currently, only the king can reach high dread, with assasins & spies missions.

[Vasquez]

Yeah sorry, I was looking for some key ideas on increasing dread.... oh and Command.

[Aldwen]

Yeah I have also found the amount of time it takes for ANYTHING to go up is ridiculous. Not only that but the majority of the time it is far easier to get stats to go down.

As a result though I've taken to "cheating." I don't buff generals, nor do I remove bad stats but because it takes forever for them to gain anything having the ability to increases these manually is handy. I've had one general crusading across the Holy Lands and fighting countless battles against the Turks and Egyptians and the only positive stat he ever gained from it was "Threat to the Turks." So his stats were just the same as they were when he had begun crusading.

Knowing a few of the traits though you can change this. Key one's I've use have been...

give_trait this GoodCommander
give_trait this PublicFaith
give_trait this Loyal

After my general does a certain amount of things I'll add one of these to him. Makes sense to me, and I don't abuse it so I don't see it as cheating.

[Echad]

Yeah sorry, I was looking for some key ideas on increasing dread.... oh and Command.

Chasing around prisoners and executing them is a best way - just always have some light cavalry units with around for this... This not only raises dread, but also leaves your enemies out of units. If you are going for dread, forget about reputation anyway.

Other things, without cheating are:

Adopt, or marry your princess to already dreaded general.

Exterminate - do not sack, exterminate cities... Useful, if you are to sell them afterwards, or if you are far away (like on a Crusade), but Exterminating York as England would be a bad choice, better do it to Cairo.

Dread your King - you should be likely to have dreaded kids and the chivalrius folk will stay away from you.

You can get some ancillaries, that are increasing dread - Black Steed and Dark Knight, my Robert had both, the key is still to be merciless on battlefield, and charge like mad, he may also grab "Fine with Blood" and other battle traits, that are increasing dread; command as well.

As to command - get Heroic Victories, with weaker force against stronger, and great odds on your side.

Overall - start with a decent dread/command general, fight with him, kill all the prisoners (ransom won't hurt much either, but if they fail to give it - you have gained no money nor dread), MAKE SURE to catch and grab all prisoners and have a dreaded King. Ancillaries can also be switched, so free up slots by taking out unneeded ones and stock up the best, as there are only 8 slots.

[spartan117]

Hmm.. I never had a problem with getting dread.

But i dont know if this is a good thing or not.

[Echad]

Dread makes enemy units rout faster; chivarlry makes your units not rout so fast.

[Mjr Phil]

Dread makes enemy units rout faster; chivarlry makes your units not rout so fast.

And is command of any worth if you don't use auto-resolve? What about piety?

[Inhuman One]

piety keeps your generals from being executed by inquisitors. They once massacred half my german family including heirs and kings.

I found that through battles you are supposed to loose and still win, you can get some good command stars. The heroic battles often seem to shape good commanders for me.

[Mjr Phil]

True. Inquisitors really are pain in the ass... It's quite hard to get one to be bitten by a snake, or a stone accidently fall on one's horse and self... Event the lesser inquisitors. And being with good relations with a pope doesn't seem to help. Once they set foot on your land, you're done.

[Echad]

Command... Dunno, what it gives, I view my TW Generals as Heroes in HOMM, Dread-Chivalry being the Morale, either lifting your, or diminishing their and Command being the overall level of character. Possibly BOTH raises morale of your units and lowers their.

And the thrown books really hurt!

[Lord_Calidor]

In my games, inquisitors usually hit my cardinals, bishops & merchants (?!?) with a black book (what is it, Necronomicon?).

[Mjr Phil]

In my games, inquisitors usually hit my cardinals, bishops & merchants (?!?) with a black book (what is it, Necronomicon?).

It might be "Christianity for dummies, revised & extended". This must be huge...

[Echad]

It might be "Christianity for dummies, revised & extended". This must be huge...

...Along with Torah, Talmud, and the New Testament in 4 different translations, backed up by a bonus free miniature copy of the True Cross 1:2, and a pack of authentic circumsized nails.

[Lord_Calidor]

and a pack of authentic circumsized nails

Fruit flavored!

[Mjr Phil]

Fruit flavored!

With gravy!

[Echad]

Why won't your Merchants pick up and sell these books instead?

[Echad]

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[Mjr Phil]

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