How do you manage all the cities?

[Levy]

Hi,
First I want to say that this is not a criticism of the game. I have already pre-ordered, and I am really looking forward to play.

I have been playing almost all versions since the original Shogun, but I have only completed about 5 campaigns. I really like the games at the start, but when I get to about 7 or 8 cities there is just too much micromanagement for me. Checking and remembering what improvements to build in each city, deciding which units to build to get good army compositions, and moving reinforcements to the front is a lot of work... I just get bored and start a new game.

I hope that the new "legion" system will make it easier to keep the armies organized, but instead there are so many more cities on the new campaing map. I like more cities to conquer, I just dont want to manage them all.

One solution would be to just focus on about 8 core cities and more or less ignore newly conquered cites. But that does not feel right, and if all reinforcements are built in the core cities then it is too tedious to move them to the front.

So, for all of you that actually manages to complete campaigns, how do you do it?

[GussieFinkNottle]

It sounds to me like TW just isn't for you. That is the game, take it or leave it, but don't change it, they've already been dumbed down enough

[Adreno]

It sounds to me like TW just isn't for you. That is the game, take it or leave it, but don't change it, they've already been dumbed down enough

what exactly has been dumbed down in the years? i have a hard time coming up with examples

[Fanest]

what exactly has been dumbed down in the years? i have a hard time coming up with examples

no more population as important factor in city development, less buildings, no more caste/city difference between settlements etc.

[ToxicKilla]

Keep an eye out for the floating hammers above cities, that indicates something can be built. As for defences, I usually set up a standardised system. For example in Shogun 2 I'd usually have 2 yari and one bow (or matchlocks if I had the tech) ashigaru in every castle, but on castles that share a border with a possible threat I'd have something something like 3 yari and 3 bow or matchlock ashigaru, maybe a few samurai units too if I were at war with the clan across the border. Upgrading fortifications in the latest TW games is very helpful too as this provides extra garrison units for free.

[Dude with the Food]

It'll be easier because you don't have to remember as much. Instead of each city, it'll be each province and there you manage all cities. Also, you don't have to move armies to reinforce because you can recruit units wherever you are in your empire or mercenaries outside.