On the topic of Lithuania.

[DiddlyDark]

After coming back to Stainless Steel after a long time of not playing it, (Or Total War in general.) I decided to kick off my satiation for slaughtering countless digital humans by playing as Stainless Steel's resident punching bag, Lithuania. Getting to the point, can any experienced players offer some tips on playing as Lithuania?

Note: I am also using the Royal Ladies of the Court sub-mod, the Heir Crown ancillary sub-mod, and a 12 turns per year script, if that changes anything.

[RollingWave]

If your only using that mod, then the tip is to mass as many Lithuanain Cavalry (horse archers) as possible, in the fields, just go with all cavalry armies and destroy their main host in the fields.

invade Scandinavia is usually the most logical, since their troops suck against cavalry (espeically horse archers) and it's a more secured area in general and it has a lot more region than it should have so once you secure it you should be an unbeatable economic powerhouse.

[DiddlyDark]

If your only using that mod, then the tip is to mass as many Lithuanain Cavalry (horse archers) as possible, in the fields, just go with all cavalry armies and destroy their main host in the fields.

invade Scandinavia is usually the most logical, since their troops suck against cavalry (espeically horse archers) and it's a more secured area in general and it has a lot more region than it should have so once you secure it you should be an unbeatable economic powerhouse.

So, cripple them in the fields with truckloads of horse archers (With regular cavalry as support.), then sweep in with an infantry stack or two to take their cities, seems simple enough.

[RollingWave]

yes, abandon the baltic homeland if you must. Scandinavia is much more defendable anyway. since the AI (espiecally if you took out the Scandinvian factions) are unlikely to ever sail over to you. so once you secure the whole thing you only need to defend Arhus. then have the leisure to expand back eastward.

[PapaRosario]

Scotland always attacks Norway. You either have to constantly defend against that or go over there and take them out.

[Ichon]

Lithuania usually does best by either taking Scandinavia or taking Novgorod as early as possible. Either give a fairly secure base and good income with Scandinavia being better but taking longer to fully capture. If you want a more exciting and difficult campaign expand into Poland with Rus behind you and both Hungary and HRE waiting once you are in Poland.

[DiddlyDark]

These are just a few questions to add onto this.
1: How do you get Lithuanian Regulars? Like, do they show up in the later stages of the campaign, or do I have to do something specific?
2: Due to some fortunate (For me, anyway.) circumstances, the Teutonic Order has been greatly weakened, should I leave them there until I take over Scandinavia, or should I kill them off before they become a threat again?

[RollingWave]

Regulars come pretty late yes. they're not that much of an improvement anyway.

Well if your going to invade Scandinavia your going to piss off the Pope royally anyway so if there's no real problem for you just finish off the TO while you can.

[DiddlyDark]

Regulars come pretty late yes. they're not that much of an improvement anyway.

Well if your going to invade Scandinavia your going to piss off the Pope royally anyway so if there's no real problem for you just finish off the TO while you can.

Oh, he's already very, very pissed.

[Vissewalde rex de Gerzika]

Oh, he's already very, very pissed.

I actually made an alliance with the Pope, kind of unusual, but it kept Poland at bay for some time.

I hope they simply remove the option for Lithuania to offer alliances to catholic nations in SS 7.0 if thats possible (if they do it then i guess the option to marry princeses to heir or leader also shouldnt be possible), or at least make the relations with Papal states abysymal or something like that, so an alliance isnt possible, only problem with lowering the relations might be that the other catholic nations will go after Lithuania even more when the relations with Pope will be low.

[Logios]

Are you playing early or late campaign?

[DiddlyDark]

Are you playing early or late campaign?

Late Campaign, the Teutonic Order is on it's last legs, and I've started my invasion of Scandinavia. Things are going well.

[Vissewalde rex de Gerzika]

Those are some good tactics Logios, sounds like i should defineatly give the late campaign a try, on the early campaign im just sitting on the same a bit less than average units and because im getting attacked from both west and east i cant really expand, i have to contribute to my defenses too much.

Just a side question - does the late campaign have many of the research events already unlocked and if not how long does it take to get to them? I just want to be able to have more diversity faster, its frustrating using the same units all the time.

[nikkami]

Lithuania Campaign is a tough one (VH/VH). Always stays and fights alone with the rest of the world. I gave it a try a few days ago, have 6 regions and at war with Novgorod and Poland. I did what Logios described and it is efficient in all battles. The tricky thing is that ur units are somehow 'lame' cause u can produce only milia-type. You have to capture other settlements like Turku to boost the quality a bit. Another tricky thing is Catholic priest who revert ur people. And they are sooo many of them (no assassin yet but soon).

[Logios]

The tricky thing is that ur units are somehow 'lame' cause u can produce only milia-type. You have to capture other settlements like Turku to boost the quality a bit.

The baltic spearmen/axemen are not excactly crack troops, but they are ok as bulk army. Two units of baltic spearmen surrounding an enemy general is quite effective, the axemen are good against enemy spearmen. Make sure to prioritize the upgrading of the Vilnius castle and the best buildings for more specialized units. Make the governor member of the war council and give him a professional training staff (if playing with BGR). Build a blacksmith in Hrodna or Mensk and build spearmen in that settlement and send axemen and unarmoured spearmen here for upgrading. I usually build a shrine to Perkunas in Hrodna which can provide followers if the governor is war council member.

Another tricky thing is Catholic priest who revert ur people. And they are sooo many of them (no assassin yet but soon).

If religious buildings and recruitment of pagan priests get just a medium priority they usually don't cause riots. One Inn somewhere gives one possible assasin and should be prioritized. "Sharpen" his blade on some captain led armies before targeting the chatolic/ortodox priests. I usually build Mensk as the "town of death" with the first inn, shrine to Giltine and assasins guild (say no to others)