Your Byzantine Strategy

[THE_IMPERIALIST]

Ive resently started a new campaign as Byzantium, and so far ive managed to take Smyara, Rhodes, and Crete, and i am about to attack Sofia. My plan is to expand into Asia minor and secure Greece, but id like to ask you fine people what you would do in my position, what armies you would use, and other things like that. My economy is solid, and im currently not at war with anyone, but thats about to change. Thanks for any information.

[Wegen7 die Große]

Rearm your military(if you have not already), get rid of the militia and bring in the Byzantine infantry and archers as well as better cavalry, other then that you are doing every thing the same as most TW gamers.
Also do not forget to take Sicily(nation) is a good venture, both economically as well as pissing of the pope(both good and bad if you know what I mean).

[Ishan]

Try to make your generals as chivalrous as you can that way they will increase the population growth rate in castles and that will allow you to upgrade them to fortresses and citadels quickly.
They provide the high tier army that will rip the enemies apart.

[Xellos_Moon]

Just mass Vardoratoi and nothing will stop you...

[Silverheart]

A well-balanced mix of solid/heavy infantry (Byzantine infantry, Varangian Guard, Dismounted Latinkon, spearmen), archers (Trebizond Archers, Guard Archers), lancers (Byzantine Lancers, Latinkon) and horse archers (Vardariotai - very good HA!) will make you invincible.
In my last Byzantine campaign, one army like that was enough to crush almost 5000 papal troops in one turn.
If your economy allows, you could build up two such armies - one to send against the Turks, one to send against Venice or Sicily. Bring Generals who can increase morale, and you have an unstoppable fighting force (against european factions and early age Turks, at least)

[shikaka]

Byzantium is very suited for a horse archer maniac like me.

You can destroy full stacks with 8 horse archers. (well, 8, if there are a few who can melee like vardar-valley guys)

It is not a bad idea to completely skip infantry...

[Haakon]

Byzantine is easy mode, even on very hard. Ally with Hungary, Venice and the Turks and you are free to turle your infrastructure while you raid other places. Eventually the Turks will become hostile to you, but by then it is already too late.

When it comes to units, all you really need are Vardariotai and some infantry with armour. In my latest Byzantium campaign I had the most amazing victories, using a stack with mostly Vardariotai and a few infantry units.

1. Shower enemy with Vardariotai arrows.
2. Use melee hit and run tactics with Vardariotai after they run out of arrows
3. Use your infantry to take care of any spear units your arrows did not kill.

[nhinhonhinho]

Byzantine in vanila and kingdom can mass use foot archer (Trebizond Archers, Guard Archers). So the core of your army will be archers including some spearman to protect them. Add some HA (Vardariotai is the best choice) and you can overcome most of the enemy.

Of course the army of Horse Archers is good too

Try to conquer Italy starting from Sicily. Byzantine is the Roman Empire after all.

[... where did it run?]

I would use Vardariotai + Cataphracts instead of infantry.

Kill everything you can with arrows. Use cataphracts to charge remaining armoured arrow rain survivors. Vardariotai simply doesn't have the mass of Dvor who can do everything on their own (even with them I use Tsar's Guard). Cataphracts will also help to kill annoying foot archers who kinda like to step a bit too far from their main line of spearmen.

[Pericles of Athens]

crush kill destroy

[zcylen]

watch out for the jihads!
from time to time, islamic armies will flood into Europe and you dont want
to see those armies outside your walls
secure asia minor, the best way to be safe from jihads

[nhinhonhinho]

And watch out for Crusader army too since they often move through your Empire (both land and sea) to reach Holy Land

However I'm kind of afraid Crusaders more since I'll most likely the target because i will move into Europe and take back the Roman's land

That said: What belong to Ceasar have to return to Ceasar

[Valandur]

I always keep about 5 units of horse archers near Constantinople, so when the Muslims start clling Jihads on Constantinople, which is extremely likely, I just hit and run the horde by killing the General in command of the Jihad. Then the army disbands /

[THE_IMPERIALIST]

Thank you for all your tips and tricks. My byzantine campaign is currently at turn 91, and I currently control 23 provences. Jihads on Constantanople were a bit of a problem, but an overly large garrision of spear mitia dealt with them easily(plus some generals which realy helped), crusades never been a problem, I belive crusading armies connot attack Cristian settlements. A important note to building armies is to always maintain a strong cav force, a mix of hev. cav and missle cav., can put a dent in just about any army. The Mongols for some reason just wander aimlessly, and I belive I am not the only one.

[Dave Strider]

I belive crusading armies connot attack Cristian settlements.

You'd be wrong. They can't attack CATHOLIC settlements, but Orthodox ones are fair game.

[Ishan]

You'd be wrong. They can't attack CATHOLIC settlements, but Orthodox ones are fair game.

Also one should know that crusade gets over if an orthodox faction takes the crusade target first.