[FotS]Where to expand after Realm Divide

[arun]

In my current Satsuma campaign, I am close to the Realm Divide. The only issue is - as I started on the Western end, the only neighbouring provinces I can conquer are Tosa or other Imperial clans. I have expanded right upto Bingo to the East, but now I don't know where to expand. What do you guys do in such situations? Last time as Aizu, I didn't face this problem as far as I can remember.

[eXistenZ]

The problem with satsuma is that their home provinces (and their island), are far away from the front, and there is no railway to bring you there quickly like the eastern side of japan has.

Since its noy yet realm divide, you might pick off some weak imperial clans on the main land, and build a strong base there (artillery school and high end barracks), so you can produce new troops closer to the front. I dont know on which difficulty you play, but if you playy on normal or easy, have some troops ready near the borders between shogunate and imperial clans, cause the imperials will eat them very quickly, almost leaving nothing for you.

What you also can do (and what i did often when i needed a few more provinces): when realm divide happens and everyone is leaving their lands behnid the frontlines empty, send in an ishengimi (?), and provoke a rebellion in the province of another imperial clan. Then take the rebel province

[DeliCiousTZM]

Load a boat land at Kii and or Settsu. Take kyoto head east to Edo. Problem solved!

[Altimis]

You play on short or long or dominant campaign? I strongly recommend you play on dominant because you will have super long ass time and much less stress when you try to met conditions (Its really long and too long actually) thus the game set win conditions with 40-45 provinces captured (Fall of Samurai), that mean you can get more lands before the realm divide is occur.

When the RD happened, at that time you kinda dominant already.

And next thing is expanding, you play independence or Emperor sided or Deflected to Shogunate sided? if you on Emperor sided, you just form the alliances of all Imperial influenced clans and start overwhelms the eastern line, nothing too hard nothing to fear dude : )

[arun]

The problem with satsuma is that their home provinces (and their island), are far away from the front, and there is no railway to bring you there quickly like the eastern side of japan has.

Since its noy yet realm divide, you might pick off some weak imperial clans on the main land, and build a strong base there (artillery school and high end barracks), so you can produce new troops closer to the front. I dont know on which difficulty you play, but if you playy on normal or easy, have some troops ready near the borders between shogunate and imperial clans, cause the imperials will eat them very quickly, almost leaving nothing for you.

What you also can do (and what i did often when i needed a few more provinces): when realm divide happens and everyone is leaving their lands behnid the frontlines empty, send in an ishengimi (?), and provoke a rebellion in the province of another imperial clan. Then take the rebel province

The rebellion thing sounds good, although it has its downsides. Don't you think it is a bit sad for Satsuma that it starts off with a province that has Blacksmith and yet can't make use of it except for defensive purposes or during peacetime.

Currently, Yodo control Kyoto and two of my most skilled Ishin Shishi are converting their provinces, killing their daimyos and provoking rebellions.

You play on short or long or dominant campaign? I strongly recommend you play on dominant because you will have super long ass time and much less stress when you try to met conditions (Its really long and too long actually) thus the game set win conditions with 40-45 provinces captured (Fall of Samurai), that mean you can get more lands before the realm divide is occur.

When the RD happened, at that time you kinda dominant already.

And next thing is expanding, you play independence or Emperor sided or Deflected to Shogunate sided? if you on Emperor sided, you just form the alliances of all Imperial influenced clans and start overwhelms the eastern line, nothing too hard nothing to fear dude : )

I am playing a long campaign - I have to hold 26 provinces and Imperial forces have to hold 50 in total. I am still loyal to the Emperor - no reason to change allegiance and I love my Ishin Shishi too much to become independent.

I am already dominant, I think. I have 14 provinces while the biggest Shogun clan has 9. I am earning 16k per turn even with 2 full stack armies and 2 US ironclads. I cannot lose now, not on normal difficulty. But I didn't want to kill off other Imperial clans either. They will act as a buffer between me and the Shogunate clans - taking care of some of the annoying ships. And let's not forget agents - I can only have 5 of each.

I guess I could take a ship and take Kyoto. But I would like to get armstrong guns first.

BTW, the long distances are really painful without access to Railways. I could try to provoke rebellion in the Railway provinces and grab them. That could help a lot. Damn the AI for not building Railways

[eXistenZ]

The rebellion thing sounds good, although it has its downsides. Don't you think it is a bit sad for Satsuma that it starts off with a province that has Blacksmith and yet can't make use of it except for defensive purposes or during peacetime.


BTW, the long distances are really painful without access to Railways. I could try to provoke rebellion in the Railway provinces and grab them. That could help a lot. Damn the AI for not building Railways

Ys, those are the reasons satsuma looks great and is an excellent clan in the early game, but becomes a pain after that

[arun]

I incited rebellions in Bizen (Smithy) and Bitchu (Railway), held by my ally Tosa and they are now mine. It also means that Realm Divide has been triggered. Damn my carelessness, I had wanted to get highly upgraded Armstrong Guns first, as well as 3 strong navies to block off the upper, mid and lower access points from the ocean, but I now I will have to make do with 2. Good thing is that they will have to get through quite a bit of Imperial clans, so I have time.

Inciting rebellions is just OP, but I am glad it is there. After all, in a single player campaign, an OP feature isn't necessarily bad.