Tips for playing Scotland, late era?

[M2TWRocks]

I love pikes and muskets, so I thought I'd give Scotland a shot. Late era is a lot more restrictive, because there's not much room to breath. My economy is ok, at best, and I'd have to go to war to England right away to get any real land. What should I do?

I've tried jumping to that Western rebel settlement, but get beat to the punch by both England and Ireland. I've also tried running for the mainland, but get beat out by either Germany or England. I even tried shipping a large army out to Eastern Norway to grab those rebel settlements, but the Danes declared war on me.

Can someone who's played Scotland during the late era give me some tips? I can't seem to find a way to make them work.

[nosjo78]

You can get that rebel with your faction heir if you get on the boat right away with whatever troops are with your faction heir. While your faction heir is in route take the rest of the troops you have and march down there to meet up with him while he is already sieging. After you take that rebel settlement (caernavon)sp? retrain for a turn or 2 and take Nottingham. You must have Nottingham since it is the best castle on the british isles. After that the pope may make you cease hostilities but thats ok. The english wont stop attacking you and will get excommunicated. While your holding the english off at Nottingham and once England is excommunicated build a half stack of spearmen in Edinburgh and take York. After that it should be a cake walk to finish off the english.

Almost forgot convert everything except Nottingham to a city.

[M2TWRocks]

You can get that rebel with your faction heir if you get on the boat right away with whatever troops are with your faction heir. While your faction heir is in route take the rest of the troops you have and march down there to meet up with him while he is already sieging. After you take that rebel settlement (caernavon)sp? retrain for a turn or 2 and take Nottingham. You must have Nottingham since it is the best castle on the british isles. After that the pope may make you cease hostilities but thats ok. The english wont stop attacking you and will get excommunicated. While your holding the english off at Nottingham and once England is excommunicated build a half stack of spearmen in Edinburgh and take York. After that it should be a cake walk to finish off the english.

Almost forgot convert everything except Nottingham to a city.

Cool, thanks!

[Sarpedon]

I go for a sea-strike against Ireland, surprise one of their settlements with a catapult and big army...bam, Ireland goes down, kill their counterattack defending the recently conquered settlement then hit them by sea in the other settlement with catapult...boom, problem solved and the immediate attacks removes any papal complications.
Next If the english garrison in IReland isn't too bad, then repeat with catapult while simultaneously attacking a (hopefully) scantly defended Nottingham while keep a good defensive garrison at Edinburgh. Nottingham is the linchpin of England, take that and the island is yours, don't concentrate on Wales until England is on their knees.

[AirnetSnake]

Sorry for off-topic, but when does Williame Wallace appears for Scotland?

Oh, thanks DrunkNIrishMan.

[DrunkNIrishMan]

Sorry for off-topic, but when does Williame Wallace appears for Scotland?

He appears when England takes Edinburgh.

[shenryyr]

Sorry for off-topic, but when does Williame Wallace appears for Scotland?

there are some conditions

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

;-------------- WILLIAM WALLACE --------------; 1290


declare_counter wallace_spawned

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType scotland
and I_TurnNumber = 130

set_counter wallace_spawned 1

terminate_monitor

end_monitor

;trigger Wallace when England attacks
monitor_event GeneralCaptureSettlement I_TurnNumber > 90
and FactionType england
and TargetFactionType scotland

set_counter wallace_spawned 1

terminate_monitor

end_monitor

;trigger Wallace when Scotland is weakened
monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType scotland
and I_TurnNumber > 70
and I_NumberOfSettlements scotland < 2

set_counter wallace_spawned 1

terminate_monitor

end_monitor

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType scotland
and IsFactionAIControlled
and I_CompareCounter wallace_spawned = 1

spawn_army
faction scotland
character William Wallace, named character, age 20, x 53, y 250, direction SE, battle_model Wallace_General, portrait wallace
traits ScotlandHero 1, GoodCommander 2, LoyaltyStarter 1, BattleChivalry 2, NaturalMilitarySkill 2, Loyal 2 , Just 2
unit Highland Nobles exp 4 armour 0 weapon_lvl 1
unit Highland Nobles exp 2 armour 0 weapon_lvl 1
unit Highlanders exp 3 armour 1 weapon_lvl 1
unit Highlanders exp 3 armour 1 weapon_lvl 1
unit Highlanders exp 3 armour 1 weapon_lvl 1
unit Highland Pikemen exp 4 armour 1 weapon_lvl 0
unit Highland Pikemen exp 4 armour 1 weapon_lvl 0
unit Highland Pikemen exp 3 armour 1 weapon_lvl 0
unit Highland Pikemen exp 3 armour 1 weapon_lvl 0
unit Highland Nobles exp 3 armour 0 weapon_lvl 1
unit Highland Nobles exp 3 armour 0 weapon_lvl 1
unit Noble Highland Archers exp 1 armour 1 weapon_lvl 0
unit Noble Highland Archers exp 1 armour 1 weapon_lvl 0
unit Noble Highland Archers exp 1 armour 1 weapon_lvl 0
unit Highland Rabble exp 3 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit Highland Rabble exp 3 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit Highland Rabble exp 4 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit Highland Rabble exp 4 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit Border Horse exp 2 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit Border Horse exp 2 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
end

historic_event scotland_wallace event/william_wallace.bik

terminate_monitor
end_monitor

[TWmadman]

now scotland is overpowered : mortars (nothings better to take/defend forts/cities/castles with minimum loss), noble pikemen are madness and kill everything at foot or at horse, SCOTS GUARDS (best archers for ever, own any elite muskets easly)


Scotland is USA TODAY :p

[M2TWRocks]

now scotland is overpowered : mortars (nothings better to take/defend forts/cities/castles with minimum loss), noble pikemen are madness and kill everything at foot or at horse, SCOTS GUARDS (best archers for ever, own any elite muskets easly)


Scotland is USA TODAY :p

Teehehe. Thats why I think giving them Scots Guards is a bit overpowering. But I'm not gonna complain. I just like fighting with giant pike armies.

[shenryyr]

As already been posted, antagonize England but wait for them to get excommunicated before pressing forward with the attacks. Do the same with Ireland, France, etc... expand as if factions are any old rebels, but keep the pope on your side at all times and it's hard to stop you.

[Iscariott]

I found scotland early era to be one of the most depressing games i'd played. And i was winning

Good to hear they get more interesting in the late game.

[DanMLee88]

I found that adding scots guard to scotland, contrary to intuitive arguments, seems unrealistic, because these units come with partial/full plate. I am sure the scots employed longbows, but it was the french court who had the power and resources to equip them with best armor available and make them the royal guard. I think instead of scots guard, scotland should be given just a duplicate of english basic longbow named, 'scottish longbowmen'...or something like that.

[Iscariott]

I found that adding scots guard to scotland, contrary to intuitive arguments, seems unrealistic, because these units come with partial/full plate. I am sure the scots employed longbows, but it was the french court who had the power and resources to equip them with best armor available and make them the royal guard. I think instead of scots guard, scotland should be given just a duplicate of english basic longbow named, 'scottish longbowmen'...or something like that.

Or perhaps "longbowmen" with a scots skin?

[cannon3231]

I found that adding scots guard to scotland, contrary to intuitive arguments, seems unrealistic, because these units come with partial/full plate. I am sure the scots employed longbows, but it was the french court who had the power and resources to equip them with best armor available and make them the royal guard. I think instead of scots guard, scotland should be given just a duplicate of english basic longbow named, 'scottish longbowmen'...or something like that.

Perhaps they are returning from service for the French Court and brought their custom armor back with them, lol.