Teutonic Order campaign guide
Well, I decided to continue with campaign guides. And Teutonic campaign is the main reason why. For the Order has a very unique one.
You don’t have any time to sit back and build your economy while defending your settlements from constant Lithuanian attacks.
First, you don’t have any economy.
And second, Lithuania has an advantage over you – they’re fighting the war on your territory.
Those who are familiar with my England guide, know that I give a detailed 10 turns script. Why only 10? Well, in case of England, 10 turns is enough to establish your economy and switch from defense to offense. With the Baltic Crusaders, it’s more complicated. I might write ten more if there will be the need.
Overall early strategy.
For the first 10 turns you have one and only goal – Palanga. Possession of that castle will give you strategical advantage over Lithuanians right away. They will have to bring their castle-recruited units from as far as Minsk. Which in its turn will give you time to defend your territory more efficiently AND slowly begin your expansion.
Important notes:
1. Do not try to sail to Visby and take the island. Denmark and Norway will arrive soon and you don’t want to get caught in the middle of a fight. Also, you won’t be able to hold the town – you can’t spare many of your soldiers and Lithuanians are very angry with you. So, don’t be an easy prey for the vultures like Denmark and, if you don’t play it right, Poland.
2. Preserve your small fleet that you get at the beginning at all costs. Lithuanians will have two/three-ship fleets cruising the Baltic sea or blockading your port. If it’s only one of them, you’ll have to gamble and protect your sea trade. Make sure that you end the turn in the port though. And retrain the crews. You’ll need it sooner than you’d think.
3. Your main advantage is your Order Spearmen. They worth their weight in gold.
Do not recruit useless units like Clergymen. And no Teutonic Knights - they’re just too expensive.
Turn1
I’m an armor upgrade proponent, so start building Blacksmiths in both, Konigsberg and Malbork (Marienburg). Some may argue that stables would be a better choice. I say that whatever cavalry you have will suffice for now, while you need your Prussian Archers to have protection.
Recruit Merchant and Diplomat in Konigsberg. You need every penny you can lay your hands on. So, trade rights is the only way early on. Recruit Order Spearmen, Prussian Archers and a Priest (I’ll explain why in a second) in Marienburg.
Combine you fleet in the port - your sea war is defensive at this stage.
Send your diplomat towards Poznan, Cardinal should stand on the crossroads on your South-Eastern border with Lithuania. Spy goes to the North-Western corner of your territories. You won’t be able to spare your money for buildings like Brothel anytime soon. Thus your priests, additionally to converting the Pagans, will act as your spies.
Send your Christ Knights and Prussian Archers to Konigsberg. The only units that will remain in the castle are your Hochmeister, 2 Clergymen and those 2 upgraded Order Spearmen. All the rest - to war. You’re here to conquer and convert those bloody pagans. So, do it.
Turn2
“Trade Rights and Map Information for 500 florins” – that’s your proposal to Poland. They’ll counter it with just Map information from you for (numbers vary, but most of the time it’s 790-840 florins). Accept and move towards Magdeburg, i.e. West. Btw, don’t think that you’ll get any money from other factions for trade rights OR map information. Thaaat’s right.
Recruit Sword Brethren and Order Militia in Konigsberg. Knechten in Marienburg. Send your newly recruited Order Spearmen (remember, upgraded units stay in the castle) and Prussian Archers to Konigsberg. Priest marches to spy, sorry convert the pagans, in Palanga. New Diplomat sets for Rome, Merchant for small Slaves resource near Minsk – it’s the best you can do right now.
Turn3
“Alliance, Trade Rights and Map Information” to HRE. They’ll accept. Which is good, because it’s quite hard to ally anyone early in the game. Then move North-West to Lubeck. Keep moving your agent and assembling an army in Konigsberg. And recruit another Diplomat.
By this time, several Lithuanian Diplomats arrive. If they catch one of yours, “Despicable Treachery” takes place.
Turn4
Recruit Order Spearmen, Prussian Archers and Knechten in Marienburg. You may get a couple of additional units for obtaining trade rights with someone. All of them are moving to Konigsberg, where you, of course, are recruiting more of Sword Brethren and Order Militia. You Priest is finally near Palanga. Your real spy moves to the Eastern bridge – no more surprises from the Lithuanians anymore. Your third Diplomat moves to sign a trade agreement with Russians. All the rest of your Diplomats are moving too. One of them, only after trade right with the Danes though.
Turn5
This is the time you start to catch Lithuanian and Polish agents. Pay no attention to them. Just as you won’t pay attention to the small Polish armies traveling or ambushing on your territory. You have to keep the peace with them at all costs, so pretend to be blind.
Build Stables in Marienburg and Communal Farming in Konigsberg. Upgrade anyone you can (Peasant Archers are supposed to be the last ones. They also, shouldn’t participate in any action. They’ll have another task soon.)
Keep moving your agents and place the Merchant on the aforementioned Slaves resource. Obtain trade rights in Russia and move your Diplomat to meet the Mongols and, after them, through Steppe and Caucasus to the Middle East.
Turn6
You do not forget to recruit every Order Spearman, Prussian Archer, Sword Brother and Order Militiaman right? Up until now, you might have a couple of skirmish battles with Lithuania. The real fun begins the very next turn.
Turn7
By now, you have no room in Konigsbrg for your army anymore. It’s time to strike.
Assemble an army of Christ Knights, all Knechten, Order Spearmen, Order Militia and Prussian Archers from Konigsberg and march to Palanga. Keep Sword Brethren and Peasant Archers in the city. It makes me sleep better, because they’ll be enough to defend it if some half-stack army arrives in Konigsberg. And I find Militiamen perfectly fit for doing their main work - cut Estonian Rebels to pieces. There are several small bands near the castle. They are your target. Attack them once and they’ll retreat closer to Palanga – that’s what you need. You need them close to but not inside the castle.
Turns8 and 9
I combined these two, because it’s absolutely up to you how you’re going to take Palanga. You can defeat small bands that already come to the rescue and lay siege on their remnants in the castle. Or you can lure the castle garrison out and defeat several armies in one battle. But whatever you do, try to attack from the sea side. Somehow you get a small high-ground advantage in those dunes.
Turn10
Palanga is yours. It’s time to regroup and retrain. And if you were lucky enough, after the great battle for the castle, you were able to adopt a great captain.
If you don’t get Pope’s mission to build a small church there, build a Range for Prussian Archers. This way, the only units you’ll need to send back to Marienburg are Christ Knights.
Very soon you’ll be ready to take a city that is ripe for conquest – Arensburg. That’s what you kept your Fleet and Peasant Archers for. And that’s why your Militiamen were the bulk of your army – to bring them closer and gain experience.
Which brings us to the Battlefield.
Early on, my most successful strategy is to uncheck the skirmish mode of my Prussians and put them in front. Lithuanians outrange them, so you want to get to the melee as soon as possible. But keep your missiles out of it until you have to commit them. And trust me, you’ll have to commit them. For one big reason – Lithuanian morale is way higher than yours. Well, except for your Spearmen. So, keep in mind that your army will rout sooner than theirs ..unless you outflank them with your Knechten. Do not underestimate those, they’re very versatile light cavalry. If you have to face an army with skirmish cavalry, you’ll have to sustain some damage with your archers while harassing them and only then send Knechten to finish the job.
Militia composes my center. It’s efficient to hold enough time, while my spearmen are dealing with Bajoria and move to crush the rest after that. At the times it won’t be enough, especially if Followers of Perkunas show up to have some fun. That’s when you throw the Archers and Knechten into melee.
Originally Posted by pwf224
