Tips for Byzantine's Blitz Campaign?

[Romaios]

First of all,is anyone aware of an AAR regarding a blitz campaign using the Byzantines? (I didn't find anything in my small search)

If not,do you have any tips?(I'm a seasoned player)

I'm going to use vanilla

And yes I know it's damn difficult without a mechanism such as jihads or crusades.That's the point

Thanks in advance.

[Lambretta]

Some things that I've learned from my own (failed) attempt at a blitz campaign:

- Convert your provinces on Cyprus and Rhodes to cities, you'll need the money.
- As the Byzantines you have horse archers, these guys make winning a battle easy.
- Don't always fight battles with your general in command. Try to fight battles with armies against overwhelming odds to adopt generals.
- Take full advantage of what little cavalry you have.
- Use mercenary boats to maximise the usage of your movement points.
- Constantly recruit soldiers in your border cities and transport them via ship to your front lines. You'll ideally need generals for this (to buy mercenary ships)

totalwar_legend's tips for assaulting cities and castles:

1. The Draw Out - If there is an army just outside the settlement and you attack it, the garrison of the settlement will reinforce it. If you destroy both armies there is nobody left in the city and its yours to take and move on.
2. The Forced Draw Out - Harder to pull off, but satisfying when done right. If there are no armies near the settlement, but one in the province, you send you worst unit (peasant) to siege the city and the rest of your army to fight the other army. You don't want to destroy this army however. Just get it to 84% or leave just the General and 1 bodyguard alive and it will retreat to the city. But since it is under siege it will not enter it. You then drop the siege and attack the army you just beat and the garrison will reinforce it. Destroy both armies for the city and continuation of blitz.
3. Underwhelming Sally Out - Assaulting cities can be a real pain, especially if you still had movement points to burn before arriving at the city. However, there is a little trick you can use to speed this along. As you are moving past the city send a couple of troops, or even just 1, preferably light cavalry or horse archers, to siege the city, and simple have the rest of the army leave them behind. Even if they are on Jihad. The garrison will get overconfident and sally out at end-turn. If you beat them, you get the city. No assault. No slow down. However, if the troops were on jihad you'll probably lose them a turn after to desertion. Sometimes you just gotta accept your losses. There are plenty of mercenaries to replace them.

[Aeratus]

You don't need a crusade or jihad to blitz.

Watch totalwar_legend's videos, and it gives you a good idea.

[totalwar_legend]

I've blitzed with the byzantines before. Whilst its not as fast as a catholic or muslim faction, it's still fun. The biggest problem you'll face is lack of funds. The trick to blitzing as fast as possible is not always pushing your border. Sometimes its faster to bypass a city for an further one. Remember that you're not trying to get as many cities as you can per turn, but get to the edges of the map as fast as possible. It will generally mean that you'll be taking more cities per turn at the second half of your campaign.

Missle cavalry and general bodyguard are the best units for blitz. Try not to bring any infantry at all. Every single city can be taken with just cavalry if you use them right. If you follow this you could get the blitz done with the byzantines in about 25 on VH/VH. Maybe even faster.

[AnthoniusII]

All though i haven't play vanilla campaign for ages i remember something that helped me alot...
Byzantines can NOT make Blitz war...
Instead they can have access to the wealthiest cities in game.
Advice...Keep growing your cities and build everything gives you money.
If you will manage to keep the two sides of aegean sea and have your ports upgraded WEALTH will be your greatest weapon.

[totalwar_legend]

All though i haven't play vanilla campaign for ages i remember something that helped me alot...
Byzantines can NOT make Blitz war...
Instead they can have access to the wealthiest cities in game.
Advice...Keep growing your cities and build everything gives you money.
If you will manage to keep the two sides of aegean sea and have your ports upgraded WEALTH will be your greatest weapon.

The byzantines can blitz. It's harder and not as fast as other factions, but they certainly can. What you're suggesting here is turtling, which is not what he asked for.

Also, in a hotseat campaign this strategy would see you lose, so it is by far from being the best in regards to winning. Blitzing is all about winning, in my opinion.

[shikaka]

With Byzantium, I would go for:
1. Durazzo - Sofia - Caffa - Smyrna (1 general with mercs for Durazzo, the emperor with the rest to Sofia, the Nicean troops can take Smyrna)
2. Iraklion - Rhodes - Nicosia (1 general and 4-5 spear militia can do this)
3. Iconicum - Caesarea - Adana - Trebizond

I kept only Sofia and Caesarea as a castle from these.


You can do 1 and 2 at the same time, and defeat the Turks when you can have a half stack ready (don't wait for too long)

[totalwar_legend]

actually, if you want to blitz as fast as possible, you'll bypass smaller settlements like Smyrna and Rhodes and get them later. You'll want to spread as far North/South/East/West as fast as possible. The last thing you want is to have 105 regions and then take another 10 turns getting to Arguin or Bulgar. Plan your route to them at turn 1. Remember to purchase troops first, and only if you have money left over do you bother with buildings. Cavalry over infantry.

[shikaka]

actually, if you want to blitz as fast as possible, you'll bypass smaller settlements like Smyrna and Rhodes and get them later. You'll want to spread as far North/South/East/West as fast as possible. The last thing you want is to have 105 regions and then take another 10 turns getting to Arguin or Bulgar. Plan your route to them at turn 1. Remember to purchase troops first, and only if you have money left over do you bother with buildings. Cavalry over infantry.

When I mean blitz I do not mean "take over the whole map fast" but rather "take over enough regions in the first turns so that I am set for the rest of the game".
Having the balkans, Anatolia and the eastern med islands is a very strong and easily defendable core region.

[totalwar_legend]

When I mean blitz I do not mean "take over the whole map fast" but rather "take over enough regions in the first turns so that I am set for the rest of the game".
Having the balkans, Anatolia and the eastern med islands is a very strong and easily defendable core region.

if that's the case then yeah, you're right.