Early game Monk & Metsuke query!

[Sugarkills]

Well im one province short of my Chosokabe campaign being finished and I cannot help but feel I didnt use Monks well enough. I didn't even build a monistery until I ran into the Christian provinces in the northern Shimazu region and by then I didn't have any oppertunity to level them up and get the Chi bonus. So my question is should I aim to build some monisterys as soon as possible and level them asap? Same for markets should I alternate between building markets and monisterys in provinces that won't be used for troop production so I can get the max Monks and Metsukes on the go quickly?

Thanks

[CTD_or_Bust]

As Chosokabe I only recruited 3 monks, and only to convert christian provinces, afterwards using them to cheer up towns I conquered, freeing my army to continue smashing face.

As Uesugi, my current game, I have 3 monks ranked 5th, 4th and 4th and its only '51.

Chosokabe I used ninjas, Uesugi I use monks. I think it just depends on who you are and what you need.

[Slanderbot]

I take it you are playing on hard med or easy difficulty, as in the highest two difficulties utilizing your agents to the fullest is pretty much mandatory, or at least monks and metsuke. Depending on your clan and how the campaign runs out christianity can either not show up at all, or run rampant through the majority of Japan, I find it is usually the latter on Hard+. The monks help relieve the spread of Christianity into your own provinces and allow you to convert newly conquered ones. You need the mesuke to fight back the army of enemy agents from overrunning your own provinces. On Legendary I see an average of 10+ agents PER CLAN, it's CRAZY! And that's only including the ones I can detect!

The more I play shogun, the more I realize how powerful the agents are and how much they contribute to the game.

[Stil]

To start demoralise 1 stack armies every turn for fastest XP I find, then incite revolt when you can pull em off more

[iMohedon]

Well im one province short of my Chosokabe campaign being finished and I cannot help but feel I didnt use Monks well enough. I didn't even build a monistery until I ran into the Christian provinces in the northern Shimazu region and by then I didn't have any oppertunity to level them up and get the Chi bonus. So my question is should I aim to build some monisterys as soon as possible and level them asap? Same for markets should I alternate between building markets and monisterys in provinces that won't be used for troop production so I can get the max Monks and Metsukes on the go quickly?

Thanks

Up to hard you "could" get away not using agents, altho they make it much more easy. Monks could cause uprisings, 2 or 3 of them at high level could turn half of japan into one region rebel states, making the realm divide a non issue. They can also give your army a massive moral boost. Think about a scenario where 2 of your enemies are fighting it out and you want one of them to win, just send your monk in to the stack you want to loose and demoralize it.

2 high level ninjas can bring a full stack of elite units to a complete standstill for multiple turns for example, giving you a chance to respond.

You need metsukes mainly to counter enemy, and friendly, agents.

I usually have at least 1 of each agent within the first 20 turns.