Norway is poor

[tefras14]

I was wondering if any of you have any tips on how to play Norway in the Britania campaign. I always start nice but until turn 10 i am bankrupt and even my raiding cant yield enough cash to save my collapsing economy. I tried using the army that king Haakon brings as raiders plundering coastal settlements that look rich enough but i get in the red after i end my turn.
I am playing on medium

[Kelvinator]

Some general tips would be not to keep a large army all the time and disband any uneccessary units. Use peasants for garrisoning settlements not in the borders. Increase tax as much as possible.

[Sweger]

Yes, I just played the same campaign (same nation and difficulty), As Norway, you don't need that many troops, since they're sp much better than their scottish equivalents. In worst case, you could convert some forts into citites, if they happen to be behind the front and safe, especially if they have a harbour. Sea trade is the key to a good economy, as Norway here. What I did was to keep an eye on the situation on Ireland, and then invade a settlement there, an slowly take the whole island. I got a monster economy after I seized the entire island, and most of Scotland. However, after that the campaign had come to an end, because I dominaed after that. What I'm trying to say is that the greatest challenge for Norway is to be able to fend of any Scots successfully, and at the same time be able to colonize Ireland. As norway you do not need that many troops, since they're just that much better. If your economy is bad because you have too many, you should just use them, and sieze settlements, then your problem should be solved.

[eugenioso]

ok ok first of all:

1.- capture the castle right below your capital (whatisthenamething)

2.- keep a small garrison on the castle, disband anything else

3.- make roads, markets, mines if possible and ports. the right order to build is roads, mines, ports, markets and crop buildings. leave any other buildings away from the building queue for now.

4.- lower taxes to low (well yeah duh). this brings in more people to tax in the long run.

5.- get a small force, siege and capture oslo. turn it into a city. a caste up there is worth nothing and cities give more revenue.

6.- dont start increasing your army or fleet. in fact its better to disband the starting fleet that denmark gets, if they start with one at all. get a general and make a small army. make a single ship and now you have 3 choices: head east into russia and fight the novgorodians, which considering their starting economy are just as weak as you but you are stronger, head west onto england, which is rather hard unless you capture nottingham which you can use as a forward base, or finally you can head further south and eventually get into a war with the germans, which i forcefully advise you to ignore for now.

[Avatar]

ok ok first of all:

1.- capture the castle right below your capital (whatisthenamething)

2.- keep a small garrison on the castle, disband anything else

3.- make roads, markets, mines if possible and ports. the right order to build is roads, mines, ports, markets and crop buildings. leave any other buildings away from the building queue for now.

4.- lower taxes to low (well yeah duh). this brings in more people to tax in the long run.

5.- get a small force, siege and capture oslo. turn it into a city. a caste up there is worth nothing and cities give more revenue.

6.- dont start increasing your army or fleet. in fact its better to disband the starting fleet that denmark gets, if they start with one at all. get a general and make a small army. make a single ship and now you have 3 choices: head east into russia and fight the novgorodians, which considering their starting economy are just as weak as you but you are stronger, head west onto england, which is rather hard unless you capture nottingham which you can use as a forward base, or finally you can head further south and eventually get into a war with the germans, which i forcefully advise you to ignore for now.

While this is solid advice, it appears to be more for Denmark in the grand campaign rather than Norway in the Britannia campaign.

I've never personally played as Norway (since the Welsh are way more of a challenge) but I'd suggest you stick to the viking strategy of raiding and pillaging. Sitting back is never going to be the best use of the shock troops you can field, and of course the more land you take, the easier it gets to pay for your stack.

[tefras14]

Ok thanks for the advice guys. I will restart the campaign now since im not too far in but i am completely wasted. I cant believe i kept the ships.

[Double A]

Britannia isn't long enough to do long term things like low taxes. Only do it in places where the pop is like 2000-5000 away from next level. Don't build anything unless it pays for itself in 20 turns or less.

[tefras14]

Ok i took a much more aggressive stance making good use of those catapults and now i have a proper foothold and Scotland is down to 1 city and 2 castles. Thanks for the advice

[In3x]

Sack London, devour England from the inside out.

[AJStoner]

Not to toot my own horn (both out of modesty and because I have always found that expression somewhat disturbing), but Rule Britannia allows for much longer and more complex games in the British isles. Check it out.

[Vectis]

I had trouble with Norway at first, but finally found that the best way to get a good econonmy is to take Glasgow early with the troups from your capital i.e. move them all first turn toward Glasgow. Second turn attack Glasgow, and use your catapults so you don't need to lay siege. Once captured build a port. Get an alliance with Ireland and send a couple of merchants to the silver in South Ireland. Turn all the island settlements to towns. Reduce all the garrisons to the barest minimum required, although you need to start to build an army in Wick and garrison the fort there to dissuade Scotland from attacking and enable you to capture Inverness later on.
When the first set of reinforcements arrive take the remaining island settlements and convert to towns. When Edinburgh appears unguarded use the army in Glasgow to take that as well, using the catapults as before. When the King arives take Perth, and at this time move your army from Wick to take Inverness. Once Inverness is yours turn Wick into a town.
This enables you to have a good economy, even when the King's purse is reduced.
Hope this helps.