India - easy mode?

[Michael^]

Well, my unexplained love towards Asia, and in particular, Japan and India forced me to try out Maratha Confederacy. Seeing as they're pushed far in the bottom (historically, India was a ground for religious war between hinduism and islam, which remained till our days?), I expected it to be hard. Ha, no.

I steadily keep going forward in battles with VH, I have no problems with money, since I managed to make my cities soar from the very starting turns of trade with the majority of EU factions, which only increased after Spain (Eternal luffs for that) took over Portugal and let me take yet another trading port.

Though, Mughals nearly killed me when they started blocking my sea routes, I turned out to be without money, with incredibly high army upkeep expenses, and since I was striving for developing the country - Exempting the taxes, working on developing the cities, it turned out that without trade, I end up with debts instead of gain.

European powers are often in war, though trade with them is stable (they seem to be blocking all trade paths but those connecting with me), they don't even have an idea to invade India, and the question is-...

What is hard about India campaign? Is it plain easy?

As mentioned before, Mughals nearly took me out of the war, forcing to remove some troops (to lower the upkeep cost), throwing armies onto my defenceless cities (though I luckily managed to defend all of 'em without losing one), though they seem to have found a key - all trade routes were blocked, ports were repeatedly destroyed every turn, I had no navy at all and they kept killing my only income - trade - with just some sloops and brigs.

Technically, I was close - on the edge, but they accepted temporary cease fire and it got me far ahead as well - Estabilished trade just gave me money for yet another war that's coming right now to finish off the remaining northern cities (that I have checked, a lot of them are vulnerable).

Or is the difficulty about invading Europe?

[Ashu-Siralis]

(historically, India was a ground for religious war between hinduism and islam, which remained till our days?)

*coughoutdatedorientalismcough*

To my knowledge, there was no cross-theatre invasions by the AI pre-1.5. But now there are, and the Brits show a very keen interest. And you should be happy: Indian troops can't stand against the best of the Europeans. Add the ridiculous bonuses the AI gets in VH, and all of a sudden you have a death situation.

[Morrowind3]

*coughoutdatedorientalismcough*

To my knowledge, there was no cross-theatre invasions by the AI pre-1.5. But now there are, and the Brits show a very keen interest. And you should be happy: Indian troops can't stand against the best of the Europeans. Add the ridiculous bonuses the AI gets in VH, and all of a sudden you have a death situation.

Sooo... does that mean People will attack england too? awh i thought it was save ):

[Michael^]

Oh f-...

Taking my words back. Britain declared war and I can see their ships coming. D:

[Ahlerich]

use chainshot

[Condottiere SOG]

LOL...and close with grapeshot. Sweep and board.

[Ashu-Siralis]

DO A BARREL ROLL!!!!!!

[Aetius]

In my game the British AI conquered the entirety of India, including Afghanistan. Mysore is the only kingdom remaining.

Playing the late campaign though.

[Michael^]

British AI failed so far as soon as I got him into naval war with Spain, greatly sorting out his fleets and frequency of attacks.

[soloman1129]

I agree that its kinda easy. Although I wasnt on Vh difficulty. My biggest probelem was the civil war and my depleted revoloutianary forces had to take the capital. But i did it eventually and now my government is a republic and my flag looks like the modern day Indian flag

[Ashu-Siralis]

I'm working on a Mughal mod that should accurately represent the Mughal military a bit more. Let's see how weak sauce they remain.

[Michael^]

Mughal generally sucks when it comes to land battles. All they can do properly is to keep Maratha confederacy without trade (with fleet) and actively defending, plus spamming religious agents. That is, if it's not AI playing 'em.

Britain failed to invade India twice or so. Their troops are not much better tho.

[Ashu-Siralis]

I'm playing the Mughals (with DMUC) on VH/VH for an AAR (link in sig, shameless self-advert), and I have the Marathas in a very precarious spot right now. When I played the vanilla Mughals, I had them beat in less than ten turns on VH/VH. But the Mughal military was really dumbed down in this game (and for good reason. Scholars can't really agree on why they fell, but they did. So CA was like...yeah...we don't know what to make their weakness...so we'll just make their military sucky and their lands really undeveloped).

[Gerald The Herald]

Well, my unexplained love towards Asia, and in particular, Japan and India forced me to try out Maratha Confederacy. Seeing as they're pushed far in the bottom (historically, India was a ground for religious war between hinduism and islam, which remained till our days?), I expected it to be hard. Ha, no.

I steadily keep going forward in battles with VH, I have no problems with money, since I managed to make my cities soar from the very starting turns of trade with the majority of EU factions, which only increased after Spain (Eternal luffs for that) took over Portugal and let me take yet another trading port.

Though, Mughals nearly killed me when they started blocking my sea routes, I turned out to be without money, with incredibly high army upkeep expenses, and since I was striving for developing the country - Exempting the taxes, working on developing the cities, it turned out that without trade, I end up with debts instead of gain.

European powers are often in war, though trade with them is stable (they seem to be blocking all trade paths but those connecting with me), they don't even have an idea to invade India, and the question is-...

What is hard about India campaign? Is it plain easy?

As mentioned before, Mughals nearly took me out of the war, forcing to remove some troops (to lower the upkeep cost), throwing armies onto my defenceless cities (though I luckily managed to defend all of 'em without losing one), though they seem to have found a key - all trade routes were blocked, ports were repeatedly destroyed every turn, I had no navy at all and they kept killing my only income - trade - with just some sloops and brigs.

Technically, I was close - on the edge, but they accepted temporary cease fire and it got me far ahead as well - Estabilished trade just gave me money for yet another war that's coming right now to finish off the remaining northern cities (that I have checked, a lot of them are vulnerable).

Or is the difficulty about invading Europe?

Considering that the only real threat facing a Maratha player at the start would be the nigh extinct Mughals (For Mysore is practically a state beholden to you, ripe for annexation when you deem it), I guess establishing a foothold on the entire Indian subcontinent is rather easy. Having said that, I think the only real danger in playing the Maratha's is its relative backwardness, especially in terms of its military capability in relation to the European- and, to a lesser extent, Ottoman- Empires. Having played a Maratha campaign on H/VH to conquer both Europe and India, I can safely say that a Republican/ Consti. Rep Marathan empire is the best way to keep social order in check when you expand out of India. Whilst campaigning against the more technologically modern powers, one has to rely on logistics and overwhelming numbers, soviet style. Simply spam armies (which your 80+k per turn economy should be able to handle) and blitz the Mid-East, paving the way for a land-invasion of Europe.

[Michael^]

soviet style.

That killed me a bit. ;|

[Ashu-Siralis]

That killed me a bit. ;|

It's true, though. The going joke was that if a machine gun has a thousand bullets, the Soviets will send a 1001 men. What were the Polish war casualties? Like 250K to 14K or something?

[Michael^]

It's true, though. The going joke was that if a machine gun has a thousand bullets, the Soviets will send a 1001 men. What were the Polish war casualties? Like 250K to 14K or something?

Don't get me started about it. And don't turn it into a discussion about second World war.

Armed populace is something that happens everywhere, and it's not about having more in numbers, really.

[Ashu-Siralis]

^ just about covers it. One tip: your Sikh Warriors unit can be your MVP if used well. It is devestating when flanking. Reg line infantry don't stand a chance. You can role an entire flank with a well timed charge.

[Ashu-Siralis]

Don't worry, I don't think the Russians or the Nazis get a fair shake in the conventional WWII narrative (no, I'm not a neo-Nazi, just think they deserve props for what they were able to accomplish militarily in WWII)

[Michael^]

Meh, looks like VH is a stupid mode with no realism. Austria kept staying in war with all "One against the world" with just one region FAR away from the starting area, refusing my peace offers.

I'm staying as united India, just waiting to hit 1750 and build a perfect system, though there're repeatedly rebellions raising (had too many universities, lol). Income is just crazy, I'm on the first place (as usually), about to hit the end of enlightment techs and land military techs.