How are your campaigns going?

[Daigu]

So I'm playing as Denmark in my current campaign, and it's going really well, but I think i'm doing it slightly unorthodox. I started by kicking norway out of scandinavia, conquering the rebel settlements and building up. Then I attacked Lithuania, and then started my superlong war against the Rus. So now I'm in control of the entire Russian steppes, the Rus and Mongols are destroyed, Norway is currently in control of Aberdeen, Inverness and Wick, and Turkey is down to Adana (crusade heading there now), Rhodes, Smyrna and the one to the west of Smyrna.

So here's the unorthodox part, I've been allied to the HRE since turn 1 until just now when France attacked Milan (HRE's vassal) and I broke it, I've been allied with Poland for the entire game, except a brief moment where the HRE attacked them and vassalized them, during which I seized the opportunity to grab Danzig, and then re-allied with them. I've also been allied to the Papal States, TO, France, Castile, Ireland, Scotland, Antioch, Jerusalem, Hungary, and Venice without a single break. They've kept their alliances! I am rather shocked but so incredibly happy about it.

The world at the moment is kinda funny. The HRE and France had been allied for the whole game until right now when France attacked Milan, the vassal of the HRE. Portugal is destroying the Moors, Milan hasn't grabbed a single settlement the entire game as far as I'm aware (are down to Genoa and Milan) and England is the vassal of France.

I'm so happy with KGCM, the HRE would definitely have attacked me already in vanilla.

So let's hear about your campaigns!

P.S. is anyone else as anal about watchtowers?

[Grislok]

I am as anal...especially in giant faction lands like Rus and Mongols. Have nothing going now as I am waiting to renew beta testing. I am digging your approach. What level do you play on?

[Daigu]

I play on H/H, not quite ready for VH/VH just yet, and also it just annoys me that faction standings go down no matter what I do. Since my whole thing is slow and steady, building up huge trade and then attacking, but slowly just pushing them back, I feel like I wouldn't be able to do that on VH/VH...

[y2day]

Nice game there. If you want more of a challenge without going to VH/VH set a few house rules. For one no matter what level I'm playing on I will never ally with the pope or have more than 2 allies, and I like to make them historical if I can.

[Daigu]

Yeah I do play with certain house rules like, no blitzing, balanced armies always, and in this game I've been using a fun one that has slowed down conquest massively, never attack a settlement without retraining the units to full strength. Made me use 3 full stacks to conquer my entire empire, now I finally built a modern stack because those troops were all the ones only available at castle level, but they all have gold bars. However, because I can't retrain them anymore now that there are no castles left, I have to disband them, it hurts me :-( I'll miss them...

The rule with alliances might be a fun one, just that I never expect my alliances to last anyway, until now (thank you KGCM, I love you) so I don't bother depending on them at all. One other house rule I have is, no leaving professional troops guarding a city. That means I have to build up the infrastructure until I can hold the city away from rebellion with some militia units (yeah that takes a while, especially in non-catholic lands). It's also the reason the pope hasn't been anything except Danish for the past 75 years.

Oh I did have some questions for the players who like axe wielding maniacs. What's the point of the Gotland Infantry? Their stats are lower than the Axemen and their cost is barely lower. Any advantage in swords over axes? Also, I'm sticking with my lovely Hussars over Chivalric Knights, simply for their effective against armor ability. What do you think?

[y2day]

Good rules, another I use is never convert a castle to a city, and no blitzing is just how I play. I may use one of yours it sounds interesting exspecially the retraining the units to full strength.

[Daigu]

Aah the no conversion rule might be a fun one to try out, I've converted Palanga, Oslo and Turku in this game, that was early on to keep my ratio up and my economy chugging, which it really has. But my rules make it that I conquer so slowly that my economy was ridiculous by the time I started fighting the Rus that I haven't converted any others. Hmm I think I'll try that out from now on, might make it a bit more challenging.

I just have this need to not let any settlements go to waste no matter what state my economy is in. But sounds fun :-)

[Dave Scarface]

Hi guys, you might want to check out my own ruleset here http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=256107

[Ak1980]

@Daigu
Gotland Footman using sword but they are effective against armor too with higher attack and much higher charge than axe wielding troop. Usually sword wielding infantry have more armor than axe wielding, so you can use them to absorb damage.

IMHO i consider charge, armor and speed in that order is more important in cavalary. You don't want your cavalary to trading blow with some lowly unknown infantry, they are there to make a charge. A good charge against non spearman/pikeman can eliminate 1 fresh unit just like that ^^

I like to open my battle with charge, usually AI put their missile unit in front row, after they aim at my archer, I charge them with my cavalary and retreat back to my line after that. Do properly this move can eliminate most of their archer without much casualty in my side.
That's why i never like standar archer/missile troop, most of the time they are liabilities and only usefull for defending site, except for several good one who can use bow and sword/axe like dismounted dvor and ottoman infantry.

I like my game fast, furious and aggresive, most of the time mercenary make 20% of my army. Any mercenary is better than empty unit. Using overwhelming troop against enemy = lower lose ^^

btw don't forget to use fort, help to lower upkeep. Fort = 3 free upkeep unit for 2500 gold.
Most importan rule to make game interesting never save and load. It's really game changer if you lose your elite army because some artilerry manage to do lucky shot at your general.

[Bitlaslt]

With those rules from Dave no chance to play as Lithuania.
I tried to play without alliance ,but failed.AI priests are just too strong.
For example if you not make alliance with Kiev Rusia and Mongols,final result will be 5 orthodox priests,5 catholic and even more Islam priests marching near yours citys.
Assassians fails even for 80% targets.
My first campainig ended with the war with mongols,TO,Poland,Kiev Rusia,Denmark for killing their Priests.
I tried to build best temples of pegan ,but it didn't give effect against such army of Ai priest .
I ended with 3 cities rebels against me .And I was crushed by AI armies

I have alliance with mongols in the second campaining.Together we destroyed Kiev rusia,TO.Having a suceful war against Poland .
I am marching for HRE .Mongols is going for east( i tryed to have alliance with Poland for history reasons ,but as long iam pagan ,i am at the poor relations with them).

And i would like to thank you for Dave and moders who made such a different ways to play(for example :IF you garisson alotof soldier in palanga in the begening ,TO will come to you with casefire offer)


P.S:sry for my english.

[Daigu]

Dave you have absolutely crazy rules I can't imagine playing with some of those. Some are very nice, but seriously, you play a harsh game sir.

[Dave Scarface]

Well I've been playing TW games now for so long, I find the only way that I can continue to enjoy these games is by playing with mods and very strict house rules I realise that not everyone can play with my own rules ofc, but I am sure there are some guys that play with even tougher rules than me LOL.

Dave

[Ak1980]

Is this gaming the system or not?

[Dave Scarface]

Is this gaming the system or not?

LOL, new rule: you may not build more than 3 forts in 1 region now ;\

Damn it guys, I wish I had more time to play a campaign or two and share my campaigns with you here.

But alas, I am a modder working hard on his own hoping to deliver an even greater mod 1 day.

I miss being a player as well

Dave

[The Holy Pilgrim]

That's amazing! The mongols will never make it!

[Grislok]

@AK- how did that turn out?

[Bitlaslt]

My biggest campaigning .

[Ak1980]

The Mongol managed to destroy my main army consist of 4 general and 5 army. With nearest reinforcement of 2 army still several turn away, my front line almost collapsed totaly.

They took 1/4 of fort at caffa region. While Caffa and Cherson keep training any type of army avalaible including balista and catapult to recapture abandon fort and man the fort.

Kiev, Tzernigov, Ryazan, Belo Ozerov with 6 other fort in that area all under siege and surround by more Mongol army.

Surprisingly in the edge of winning the mongol lift the siege and retreat all of their army, back to their province.
The only explanation that i can find, i saw several stack of crusading army from catholic faction (Venice, Denmark, England and Hungary) on the way to Jerusalem got lost in Azow area.

This is the second time mongol retreat happen to me, both of the time because of crusader got lost at azow area. God always protect their children ^^

[Ak1980]

The leftover from Crusade to Jerusalem army. Only 3 faction crusade army left. Hopefully they will send more after this army got pawn by mongol

[Soul Firez]

I just got my files back of a mate so i have lept into a HRE campaign as usual the first 30 turns went well but now things have turned dark very dark indeed. I am at war with all around me one by one as i grew strong they have thrown there hats in together to peg me down

I was happily destroying france and milan when denmark sicily venice hungary and poland all mov3ed in on me within 10 turns i am excomed and even worse my great hero gottfied iron hand von (to long to write) who went from gottfid the merciless to gottfied the mighty and was crushing the danish swine unstoppable in battle the victories poured as if god himself had ordained him has fallen . It was not in battle that he fell cursed with the plague he suffered for 4 turns and then at the age of 44 having commanded 16 glorious victories (4 being seige victories ) he died in his bed god has turned against me it seems

The empire that once spanned most of central and northern europe is slowly falling to these attacks from all angles and no one will call for a cease fire even on offering settlements (why would they there taking them anyway LOL) in desperation i have turned from my faith and have tied myself with the mongols having givien them land in sourthern europe and they have risen to the duty and are attacking into italy streams of these stteps men are rushing from the east to defend my southern borders but will my deal with the devil so to speak turn against me time will tell