Teutonic Order Discussions for Version 4.3

[broodwarjc]

This thread is not a straight up campaign guide. This thread is intended to be a "what works for you" thread for people who want to play as the hardest faction in the game. You can post your experiences and any tips, tricks, or ideas about playing as the Teutonic Order.

First off I believe that the 4.3 TO is harder than 4.2 TO, reasons:
-No starting navy to protect ports
-Almost impossible to start an alliance with anyone
-Novgorod is an additional threat in the North(Poland is more hostile too)
-No starting production facilities for Order Spear-men and Prussian Archers
-Order Spear-men have lower attack than 4.2

I play on Hard/Hard with Garrison Script turned off.

My advice to is to take the Lithuanian castle Palagana first, this castle IS the biggest threat early game to the Order.

I also suggest upgrading the barracks in Marienburg ASAP, becomes Order Spear-men are still the TO bread and butter unit, especially against all the cavalry threats that Lithuania sends against you.

I find that after turn 30 Novgorod likes to start encroaching on your territory and will declare war soon after.

If Poland doesn't go to war with The Holy Roman Empire they will go to war with you.

I will try to post some more later on, please feel free to post any advice or experience you want to give regarding the Teutonic Order below.

[Data78]

TO needs to be buffed... why?
... turn 153 i'm literally surviving by spamming sword bretheran, Burger pikemen and one or two trebs....
palanga +reval captured... lost konigs and thorn to back stabbing poland...

[Henry of Grosmont]

From my own experience, the "must do" thing is to secure your western and southern border by making alliances with Poland and Hungary. At all costs. If you're unfortunate and the Polish refuse your repeated offers, just disregard their armies on your land... and keep Marienburg well garrisoned.

Btw, every time I succeeded in cutting Lithuanians from the Baltic sea, they're essentially screwed.

[Data78]

>.> another naughty thing you can do is to preset perfected alliance with poland at the start of the game and make your starting garison 19 orders spearmen and a general per city...
with 1 million florins as starting money and 10000 as king's purse... though thats overkill on poland and lithuania...

that and also make the third value for unit quota change in desc_export_building change unit production from .5 to 1 and units will pop availible like crazy...

you will make an unstoppable faction though...

[Leto Atreides]

In my current game (Grand campaign, hard/hard, garisson script on), I defeated Novgorod, Kivean Rus and Danemark, but not Lithuania.

I have been allied to Poland since turn 1, but just as I was about to give the final blow to Lithuania, it became Poland's vassal. Now Lithuania has only 2 cities, but at least 10 full stacks waiting on the other side of my border (yeah AI cheating!). Poland is also walking full stacks near Marienburg.

I'm pretty strong, but I don't think I would survive if Both Lithuania and Poland attack me. I think my only chance would be to attack Lithuania, and then call a crusade so Poland declares war on them. The I would try to make Poland an ally again.

[ErmanesTheSecond]

If thats all your genuine skill at the game then WOW!
But err, i can never do that without modifing, at the very least the descr_strat.
So how did you do it bro??

Nice Dune based name by the way, Duke Leto of the House Atreides.

[Leto Atreides]

If thats all your genuine skill at the game then WOW!
But err, i can never do that without modifing, at the very least the descr_strat.
So how did you do it bro??

Nice Dune based name by the way, Duke Leto of the House Atreides.

I guess you are being scarcastic about my skills, but I got over that little problem. Now Lithuania and Poland are Teutonic.

[valvegas1]

From my experience with the TO (and that is a lot because i play them all the time), they are one of the easiest for me...as long as you ally with poland and hungary right away you will be fine...fortify your current land and build ships to blockade lithuanian ports...this cripples there income...I always first concentrate on getting control of livonia so i can attack them from two sides...as far as money goes i just spend wisely and (especially in 4.3) take advantage of free upkeep in forts as this helps reduce the unit upkeep costs...ussually by 1300 i control the entire baltic coast and start working my way east ussually i control all of russia by 1450...but most essential is taking the coastal regions from lithuania as this cripples there income from trading and helps yours a great deal....

In my current game (Grand campaign, hard/hard, garisson script on), I defeated Novgorod, Kivean Rus and Danemark, but not Lithuania.

I have been allied to Poland since turn 1, but just as I was about to give the final blow to Lithuania, it became Poland's vassal. Now Lithuania has only 2 cities, but at least 10 full stacks waiting on the other side of my border (yeah AI cheating!). Poland is also walking full stacks near Marienburg.

I'm pretty strong, but I don't think I would survive if Both Lithuania and Poland attack me. I think my only chance would be to attack Lithuania, and then call a crusade so Poland declares war on them. The I would try to make Poland an ally again.

Sounds like the real life Poland-Lithuanian alliance happening to you...

[Olivierus]

Money, money and money. Playing as TO requires alot becouse of thier expensive heavy armored units. I have to agree with Knight Valvegas here, cutting thier trade will work.
In fights, you should use Order's Spearmen as your line infatry since they have good balance of attack and defence; and call slaughter those annoying Lithuanian cavalery fast. Use Prussian archers for a support. Later on, if you will get enough gold to your treasury, you can build those hardcore teutonic units.

For diplomacy, I would ally Polish Kingdom and Hungary ASAP and then maybe, HRE if you will want to go for Poland. One of my biggest problems while playing TO, were russians. Those Novgorod bastards always went with Litva againts me. About danes, just ally them. Denmark is fine champ' (+ Plus it is christian, that -helps- alot in the Baltics).