How to start playing

[mistery_17]

Hello everyone, it's my first post here.

I just installed this awesome mod and Baron Samedi's Submod Compilation... now, which faction do you suggest I start with? Consider that I am not very good at strategy games, and I just want to have fun... maybe later I'll improve my skills. I'd prefer humans or elves. Also if you have some tips for a beginner I'd like to hear them.

(I always played the Total Wars at n/n and I didn't have problems, but this mod seems harder).

[Ngugi]

Welcome!
Go with High Elves then. Safest location (only Imladris/Rivendell that is danger, least for a long time), good economy if you focus on economical buildings in the beginning (and move the capital to the west between turn 2 to 5, it will cost 5000 but is wort it soon enough because of less corruption), smaller but very good units (dont build to many in the beginning either or you'll go broke fast) and its easy to expand along the coast. Good luck

[KW.]

To have an easy game I would recommend starting with the elven factions. Turn off the stackspam so you don't get swamped by foes. (one of the Barons midimods). Elves mow down enemy armies with arrows and outmaneuver foes easily, but you can really play them anyway you want. If you prefer melee they are perfectly good at that too. If you wanna enjoy the higher tier units eather play with total recruitment or make sure the regions you get your special troops+high tier recruitment buildings have low taxrate and a general with high chivalry or high population growth bonuses, that way you don't have to wait ages to get cool units. Use spies if your not familiar with the map go discover places with them, you will see nice cutscenes, and get a general idea about the world. Be aware of trolls, they are hard to kill, even your elvs will take casualities. Oh and if playing Silvans at some point I recommend paying a visit to Moria, you might awaken something quite cool..

[Ahlerich]

sure the elves are easy enough for starters. but if you are a starter that is cool, you play rhun.

[Syanur]

Go with Gondor or Dale !!!!

Ok, I was kidding, High elves or Rhun... Be carefull, thet say elves, i think they mean high elves. The silvians are not that much easy...not for a "not good at strategy" starter

[zorphon]

Go with Gondor or Dale !!!!

Ok, I was kidding, High elves or Rhun... Be carefull, thet say elves, i think they mean high elves. The silvians are not that much easy...not for a "not good at strategy" starter

What makes the Silvan's that much harder? (I too am relatively new to TATW)

[mistery_17]

Thank you very much!

I had already started once with the High Elves, but I had gone bankrupt after 15 turns... now I started again and did as you suggested: now I don't have many troops but my economy is strong and I am beginning to conquer some towns.

[Mhaedros]

They have great units, but lots of potential enemies

[Old War Horse]

and a ton of spider ambushes in mirkwood.

[lolIsuck]

Nothing hard about Elven campaigns.

[Shocked]

Nothing hard about Elven campaigns.

Can be hard if you're a beginner and don't know how to play to their strengths

[mistery_17]

Does anybody have a map that shows which cities I need to control to rebuild Lindon?

[dannyalex]

this

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

;#####################################################################
;############### Baron Samedi's Elven Reforging script ###############
;#####################################################################
monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType egypt
and I_CompareCounter go_reforging = 1
and I_LocalFaction egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Mithlond = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Harlindon = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Forlindon = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Imladris = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Emyn-Beraid = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Eregion = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Druwaith-Iaur = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Enedwaith = egypt
and I_CharacterExists elrond1
set_event_counter start_building 1
historic_event lindon_notification factions { egypt, }
terminate_monitor
end_monitor
monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType egypt
and I_CompareCounter go_reforging = 1
and I_LocalFaction egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Mithlond = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Harlindon = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Forlindon = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Imladris = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Emyn-Beraid = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Eregion = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Druwaith-Iaur = egypt
and I_SettlementOwner Enedwaith = egypt
and I_CharacterExists elrond1
and FactionBuildingExists >= m_gwaith_i_mirdain_guild
and FactionBuildingExists >= gm_greek_history
historic_event reforged true factions { egypt, }
terminate_monitor
end_monitor
;----------------- accept ------------------------------------
declare_counter high_king_noldor
declare_counter lindon_anc
monitor_conditions I_EventCounter reforged_accepted = 1
historic_event reforged_accepted factions { egypt, }
set_event_counter high_king_noldor 1
set_event_counter lindon_anc 1
set_event_counter lindon_completed 1
terminate_monitor
end_monitor
;------------------ reject ------------------------------------
monitor_conditions I_EventCounter reforged_declined = 1
historic_event reforged_declined factions { egypt, }
terminate_monitor
end_monitor
;#########################Woodland reforging script
monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType mongols
and I_CompareCounter go_reforging = 1
and I_LocalFaction mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Lothlorien = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Celebrant = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner West-Mirkwood = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Deep-Mirkwood = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Central-Mirkwood = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner New_Mirkwood = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Elven-Mirkwood = mongols
set_event_counter start2_building 1
historic_event woodland_notification factions { mongols, }
terminate_monitor
end_monitor
monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType mongols
and I_CompareCounter go_reforging = 1
and I_LocalFaction mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Lothlorien = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Celebrant = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner West-Mirkwood = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Deep-Mirkwood = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Central-Mirkwood = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner New_Mirkwood = mongols
and I_SettlementOwner Elven-Mirkwood = mongols
and FactionBuildingExists >= m_greek_flora
and FactionBuildingExists >= gm_greek_dance
historic_event reforged2 true factions { mongols, }
terminate_monitor
end_monitor
;----------------- accept ------------------------------------
declare_counter king_of_woodland
declare_counter woodland_realm_anc
monitor_conditions I_EventCounter reforged2_accepted = 1
historic_event reforged2_accepted factions { mongols, }
set_event_counter woodland_completed 1
set_event_counter king_of_woodland 1
set_event_counter woodland_realm_anc 1
terminate_monitor
end_monitor
;------------------ reject ------------------------------------
monitor_conditions I_EventCounter reforged2_declined = 1
historic_event reforged2_declined factions { mongols, }
terminate_monitor
end_monitor
;------------------ dol Guldur name-change --------------------
;declare_counter Dol_Guldur
;monitor_conditions I_SettlementOwner Deep-Mirkwood = mongols
; and I_CompareCounter go_reforging = 1
; and I_CompareCounter Dol_Guldur = 0
; set_counter Dol_Guldur 1
; change_settlement_name Deep-Mirkwood Amon-Lanc
;end_monitor
;
;monitor_conditions not I_SettlementOwner Deep-Mirkwood = mongols
; and I_CompareCounter go_reforging = 1
; and I_SettlementOwner Deep-Mirkwood = england
; and I_CompareCounter Dol_Guldur = 1
; set_counter Dol_Guldur 0
; change_settlement_name Deep-Mirkwood Deep-Mirkwood
;end_monitor

or just read like aragorn Elrond ancillaries...

[lolIsuck]

Not if I give them my EDU.

[Dwarven Berserker]

Not if I give them my EDU.

You know, i'm actually quite curious to how your EDU looks like... Upload it

[lolIsuck]

Sure bro, here you go.
Attachment 206842

[Dwarven Berserker]

Ooh it's not even that bad Did you do anything but add AP to the archers?

[lolIsuck]

I changed stats (quite a lot actually), increased cost, resized some units but that's about it I think.

[Granmaa]

I'm just downloading this now, I played 1.4 to death ages ago until my computer died a horrible and slow death, can't wait to see the changes! Problem I had playing HE was the distance to enemies, so I use to play the Silvan Elves because of their great position and unbeatable archers. Watching 10 woodland sentinels destroy full stacks of orcs before they got near was so satisfying...
Are the Silvan Elves harder to play in this patch?

[lolIsuck]

Yes, there are spiders in Mirkwood that will eat through your archers.
Ow and taking Dol Guldur might be a bit harder since it's a small fort on a steep hill now archers aren't that effective when shooting up hill.