A Guide to Great Britain

[Incontinenta Buttox]

This is a good guide and helped me a lot as I am early into my first ETW campaign. Playing with darthmod DMEC6.2

On the second turn the Hurons attacked and overwhelmed my Hudson bay territory. No matter.

My first offensive action was to gather all the troops in the Carribean and capture Antigua and Trinidad & Tobago. I did this quickly and eliminated the pirates, and never had to fight any naval battles against them.

The Barbary states were a nuisance, occasionally sending a single galley to trash Bristol. I solved this by sedding a fleet to block the straits of Gibraltar, and auoresolving every battle against their single galleys. After 6-10 such victories, the Barbary states sued for peace.

So I have had quite a long period of peace to just build up my economy and trade.

I have been trading techs with anyone who will do a deal.

I have been gathering an army in Jamaica, for an invasion of Georgia and the Cherokee, when France declared war on the thirteen colonies. It's 1708!

In reply, I have declared war on France, and an sending this army to invade New France. The Cherokee will have to wait. Meanwhile my European fleet is blockading the trade route from France to the America's. This should draw the French fleet into a decisive battle.

This could be risky as my fleet isn't as big as it should be by now. I am franrtically building 4th raters. the biggest ship I can get at this time.

This should be a good war. I am liking ETW a lot!

I don't now where I can recruit Hessian line infantry. Can anyone help me with this?

[ftjrwrites]

First campaign I played was the short one as Britain, starting several times before going the distance, just to get a feel for the game. Each time, I encountered something I didn't see mentioned in this guide: The Iroquois immediately attacked the 13 Colonies and I got dragged into the middle of it. If I knew this was coming, I could respond quickly by diverting a small stack from the Bahamas to either New York or New England where the strike would fall. The 13 Colonies are not well-defended at first, so an Iroquois ambush is highly successful. However, deploying a stack with a good mix of infantry, cavalry and artillery won for me ever time and lets the mother country recapture and keep the province. Then it's a simply matter to push back after a few turns of build up. I combined this effectively with a early buildup strategy in my Hudson Bay colony and usually could send stacks against Quebec and Montreal simultaneously from opposite directions to tackle French Canada, with Acadia falling easily as an afterthought and Newfoundland optional. I could then get France to go to peace for a while until I finished erasing the Iroquois. And after that the strategy depends on what's happening in the world. I tried this basic strategy several times without difficulty. (I restarted so many times because I kept having trouble with an early India strategy. Once I put that off until the 1840s, I was good.) The one time that I didn't divert an early stack to help the 13 Colonies, they became the U.S. within a short number of turns.

Why has my experience with the AI been so different from what others are reporting? Is it a settings issue or something?

[ftjrwrites]

I don't now where I can recruit Hessian line infantry. Can anyone help me with this?

In the Americas. Not sure what tech or buildings you need first, but you can get them fairly early. There is a limit on how many of these mercenary units you can deploy at once, so build your Hessians where you'll most want solid infantry units with full bayonet and formation capabilities. I've been successful using them as a core infantry unit for my big stacks to take out France's toughest colonies, especially since the Hudson Bay colony should be able to build them soon. I tend to get one of the 13 Colonies' territories they lose to the Iroquouis early back as my own, and build Hessian units there.

[AngryTitusPullo]

I'm planning to play GB next on VH campaign. Any useful starting tips ?

[capturedeagle]

Great guide. Played my first campaign as GB but I wimped out and played it on Medium. I ended up clearing the new world, taking India then I went after India and Gibraltar. Couldn't figure out how to get Spain off my back so I ended up taking them out. One thing led to another and pretty soon I had all of India and France was on its last legs. Before it was all over I had everything but Russia, Sweden and Hanover. Lots of fun. I am now in 1737 playing Prussia on HH.

[MarKusDib]

It was really cool start attacking NEw France , but i think start attacking Georgia , and take the opposite way ( instead of down , up the Mississipi river ) would be easier ...
Have you tried that yet ?

Markus

[MarKusDib]

Great guide !!!!

I´m in the middle-game right now , practically conquered all north-america and central america ( sparing only the Inuits ). i´m trying to conquer all the caribean islands , my economy is starting to bomb. i have 2 full-stack armies that are reducing Spain to pieces , and 2 half-stack armies that are bothering the Urons and New Spain in the rest of the colonies in america ... and wiped out the pirates of the game .
my next step is to conquer India , bt the problem is that i´m in peace with Maratha Confederancy , and , as a trade partner , i´m receiving a lot of profit coming from India .
Does worth a try to declare war against Marathas ?

TY

[Funshine]

Always fun trying to get a foothold in india just make sure you have enough navy units to take out there's once that is done and you got all there ports blockaded you can try to land your troops .

[Draeger]

in my game, when george I ascended to the throne, i decided to make things accurate an 'incorporate' george's native hannover into my european holdings. this was my first territory grab in mainland europe in this game, and i have to say, it felt GOOD.

[FlaviusJulius]

Anyone ever recruit a guard stack (6) and change governments and then try to recruit a republican guard stack (6)? I am curious as to whether you can keep both stacks this way?

[Fire-dweller]

Recruit in the Americas for the Hessians.

[Indiana_Jones]

Started a new game last night as GB and borrow a few tips from here, mainly the tactic of blockcading more to get peace.

Had a war with both Spain and France, Spain sued for peace after I took Cuba off her and was still hounding her shipping.

France hasn't asked yet, but am slowing picking off her American assests and dare say after a quick raid into Paris she might be singing a different tune

-Indy

[Ladamyre]

Try this on for size. Eliminate all land troops except the dragoons in Nassau and the 3 generals. Take a sloop and move Masseau to Edinburgh then scupper it and all the other ships except the 3 admirals. Churchill goes to London and MacDowall stays and starts building 8 colonial line infantry (they can be replenished in the field in that theater). Research canister shot after sending Newton to Cambridge and build two 12 pounder foot artillery for Kevin's army as soon as the research is done in winter 1701. MacDowall then sets out with 8 colonial line and the 2 cannon, picks up the dragoons in Nassau and takes Savannah on the next turn. I did it in the summer of 1702. You have to build an ordinance factory in London to make the 12 pounders in the European theater, so time it so as soon as it's finished you can build two of them for Churchills army which should consist of 6 line infantry and one regiment of horse at that time. You'll be building 2 line infantry and the two 12 pounders there and two more horse in Edinburgh. Transport this army to France and take Paris on the next turn. I did it in the summer of 1704.

Back to the all important turn one, as was said by another, sack the church in Oxford so you can build another university there, burn the weavers in Cork and build a church there to convert those pesky pope-worshippers in Ireland, and convert the sugar plantation in Jamaica to coffee. This is because you want to try to monopolize all the trade theaters if you can and sugar prices are gonna drop when you get 50 to 100 indiamen in the coast of Brazil. Drop the talk about fisheries, every port builds indiamen every two turns until all trade theaters are full-up. Even if the price of ivory drops to 5 per, the price/cost ratio is still profitable. After that we can think about converting some of those less profitable trade ports into fisheries, maybe in the smaller provinces. By that time population control is gonna be more important in England, France, Spain...

And about those admirals becoming four-bottle men. I can understand one or two, or even three or four, in the trade theaters where all they do is sit there in case pirates show up. All the rest of them should be working, bringing in income by capturing enemy ships. Let me regress...back to turn one.

I sell Rupert's Land to the Prussians for 8,000 or so after I've disbanded those troops. They could be a problem in Europe after I take France, Flanders and Alsace-Lorraine, so a little distraction there can't hurt. I also sell the seasoning technology to France or Spain, doesn't matter which, for 2000 or so, then the other will only give 500 for it. A bunch of other countries will buy it too, I can get another 2000 or so. I strike trade agreements with the Maratha, Mughals, Ottoman, Austria, Prussia, and Denmark. On turn 1 I build 6 indiamen and one admiral's flagship 5th rate, ironworks in Birmingham, weavers in York, peasant farms in Lincolnshire, cobbled roads all over Britain, governor's residences in Nassau and Dublin, government council and conservatorium in Edinburgh and a Great Parliament and Opera House in London. "Wait a minute!", you say. "There's not enough money to do all that when you're playing on very hard campaign." (and very hard battles, no time limits. I did mention that, no? Well I just did.) Yes, there's not enough money..., unless you....

...ATTACK! This is why I regressed to turn one. On turn one John Leake captures those pirate ships off Hispanola and Edward Russell captures the French fleet near Brest. "But why do you scupper all those ships that could've helped you do that?", you say. Well that's easy, your assumption is false. Those ships can't help me, they can only distract me, maybe even hurt me. You see not only am I likely the reincarnation George Patton, it's also likely he was the reincarnation of Lord Nelson!

First thing to remember about this games' AI when it comes to naval combat is, even when it has 10 ships up against your one, they are all gonna play follow the leader until the leader is sunk, routing or dis-masted. And even then they will have to come around him and likely foul up each others' attacks. Which brings us to rule 2: Forget all the talk about "having the wind at your back". I want the wind at my enemies back, that way his sails are unfurled and very vulnerable to my chain shot. As I retreat from their line leader I come hard about first one way then the other, sending broadside after broadside of chain into their sails. In this way I have captured 9, 10 even a dozen enemy ships. You have to be careful to keep your distance from the galleons and other warships that have forward facing guns, but sloops, brigs and indiamen are no problem. I have two saved files of battles where I captured 9 and 12 enemy ships with a single A.F. 5th rate. If somebody will tell me how to post them here I will.

Anyway, that's where the extra money comes from. And that's also why I like to play England, doubly very hard and with no time limits. Gives me time to do all those gratifying naval battles. One time I captured five 3rd rates led by an Admirals 1st rate! Took me four hours though...

[Heinrich71]

Excellent writing on an excellent strategy, Ladamyre !
I most often play the great TAR mod, so a three digit number of Indiamen is a fading memory. But the key here - as you said - is a flourishing trade with 2nd hand ships. I even sack industrial buildings in my homelands to replace them with schools for military research. You might loose some important early income (e.g. 600 from a workshop), but you are rewarded with the edge over your enemies troops. In the end, you get the sacked buildings back quickly when you conquer territories with your superior armies. Concentrate on your biggest/hardest enemy first by conquering 2-3 of his regions. They will come - or you ask them - for peace, but for a price. I usually press on trade agreement, technologies (that I haven't researched yet due to military) and/or oversea territiories, which as a side effect helps increasing my trade income. The negotiation outcome might differ, depending on what is at hands. Repeat that.
This works for ANY faction that has a homeland large enough to do so.; e.g England, France, Russia, Spain (the big 4), but also with Poland, Prussia, Sweden, Maratha and even UP. Never played the Ottomans nor the Mughal but I assume. Damnit, that even worked for Italy.
The absolute monarchies quickly find themselves with civil unrest due to the lower classes getting enlightened. Let it run, I say. Decapitating a government here and there won't do for the worst, does it ? Democracy (or const monarchy at least) is the key. Not only makes it civil unrest something your neighbors have to deal with, it also makes rebel uprisings in freshly conquered regions a lower risk. The result is lesser or no garrison troops in your core regions (= lesser upkeep) and the possibility to literally roll up your enemies without worrying too much about what you left behind.
Ok, what was the topic ?

Frank

[FlaviusJulius]

Good post. I settled on 8 line per stack myself. I put artillery in the middle with 4 line strung together on each flank. I delete most starting units except Generals, Admirals, 6th rate and above, line, and the Bahamas stack which I deploy to PA to prevent the creation of America after the Iroquois conquer one of the colonies and lose it to rebellion. I torpedo the textile building in England and the metal one in Ireland for more schools. You ever get a British Isles town to increase in town wealth? It seems stuck due to the ports.

[Ladamyre]

Yup Frank, research is the key, and the military get priority at all times. However with the 4 universities I get before 1720 (the two at home and the ones in France and Spain) I find taking the hit on unrest from additional schools not worth the trouble. I build Church schools in the catholic and islamic provinces instead. Using this start I have often taken all of the Atlantic coast territories except Norway and have my strong Imperial Army in Savoy prepared for the finishing blows on Spain (which usually gives up Sardinia for peace after I take Carlos' homeland), and have completed my mission for the 13 absorbing those provinces, having that army ready to take on the Huron which likely will declare war after the fall of Quebec. I have made a small force of rangers and howitzers and finished off the pirates in the Mediterranean because they think forts are good, and all that before 1720. I give all assistance to the UP by trading away all my technology to them, getting as much from them as I can, this usually keeps them strong enough to keep the front against the Prussians in the north, who are often dogged pretty badly by the Austrians and/or the Polish. I will break my alliance with the Austrians in favor of the Prussians and most of the time I am able to finish off all of the provinces in the northern New World territories with the colonial army except Rupert's Land, which the Prussians usually don't have any troops in except the home garrison (flintlock armed peasants), so unless they've gone to war against the UP peace with them is probable. Then the fleet takes the army or they just move down through upper, then lower Louisiana and I'm ready for war with Spain again. When I do go to war with Spain, I finish off the New World territories first, fighting a defensive action in Savoy, unless Carlos has managed to take Tunis (which he often does) which will be his Alamo. I've left Algeria alone because it will likely be occupied with the Swedish, but even if the Barbary are still there, neither is a threat to Morocco. By 1730 the trade theaters are full (usually by 1725) and real economic development is in full swing, the New World is completely subdued with the possible exception of Rupert's Land, Oh, and the UP's possessions if they're still around. That army can now be transported to the Indian theater, battle-hardened colonial veterans able to recruit in the field there, and the economy will be able to support the loss of my biggest trading partner, the Maratha. Ivory will be down to 5 or 6 by that time but the new tea trade will make up for that.

This is just some of the most likely variations, but adjustments to some of the more probable events are easy to make. If the Prussians do well and turn west against the UP, break your alliance with them in favor of the UP. Make two defensive armies and send them to defend Flanders and Alsace-Lorraine, which you should build improved fortifications in. You'll wind up getting Curacao and the Indies, excuse me, Guyanas, but do not try to gain ground against the Prussians. Let those two armies get better and better, the important theater is in Italy. When you come to the "underbelly of Europe", as Winston Churchill called it, head north and the Prussians will be hog-tied.

But usually by 1730, world domination is just a forgone conclusion. Oh, and one more thing, if all this has gone well, you have your 50 territories for a game victory before you go to India.

[Ladamyre]

Good post. I settled on 8 line per stack myself. I put artillery in the middle with 4 line strung together on each flank. I delete most starting units except Generals, Admirals, 6th rate and above, line, and the Bahamas stack which I deploy to PA to prevent the creation of America after the Iroquois conquer one of the colonies and lose it to rebellion. I torpedo the textile building in England and the metal one in Ireland for more schools. You ever get a British Isles town to increase in town wealth? It seems stuck due to the ports.

Yeah, that's the line formation I use and it does pretty well against the early Cherokee armies that don't have a lot of horses, but as soon as howitzers are available I retire the cannon in all theaters.

I don't see a need to prevent the US from forming, once I've turned north and finished off the Iroquois, I follow them all the way to Maine, which I may let them keep for one more turn if Quebec has decalred war, which they probably will after the Iroquois go down. I go take Quebec, then finish off the US.

And no, I haven't seen a BI town increase, we should all know about the port thing by now. This is why I concentrate my economic development elsewhere where there are better towns, oh and high tax rates.

[hawk1000]

Great thanks
helps

I always play Great Britain and take denmark first for some reson.

[ninjaskill]

I stand on the bridge in flanders to stop the french and the spanish from attacking up then i take flanders get peace with spain capture alsace loraine then paris with another army helping the take the french rebeled colonies in north america

[Sevas Tra]

Pretty sweet guide. I didn't follow it exactly, and a couple of things went a bit differently than I'd expected, causing me to eventually be overwhelmed by all of the natives coming after me. I managed to kick France out of North America, but I must have had every native faction gunning for my territories up there, the Iroquois caught me off guard while I was fighting off what was left of the French and some more natives further north. I suck at managing my funds, so I didn't really have the money to build much of a force, I also had to build up an army in England to retake Scotland from Mysore (I know ). After a while I dragged everyone I could back to England and have somehow actually been bringing in a lot more money than I was when I was competing for America. I think I'll build up a couple of armies, and either march all over France towards Spain, or send them back out to America on an enormous fleet I'm building up. Or, I could always build up an army in India, as I've managed to buy a region out there off of the Marathas. Decisions, decisions. I think I'll try and stick to the guide more next time I play as Britain.