The Norsemen strategies

[molenmer]

Hi!
I´ve been trying so hard to achieve something with one of these factions, but I always get crushed a few turns in... I want to play as either the Jutes or the Danes; first conquer the home province, then raze/sack the main coast and then invade Brittania. Do you have any starting moves for one of these factions? Preferably Danes or Jutes?

PS: Which faction do you enjoy most of the Norsemen and why?

Thanks!

[WelshDragon]

I took a different tact as the Jutes... made NA pacts with the other Norsemen, eventually TAs and alliances... then I raided and settled southern Britain. Then to make money, sent a fleet and one stack down the coast of Gaul and Spain, raiding and sacking everything, making TAs with the African kingdoms. Once I got my economy stong and upgraded units, I went back and took Frisia and Gothiscandza. So there you have 4 provinces, and should be good to go.

The first few turns are key, and you have to be patient and smart... don't' overextend or get too many enemies at once.

[Xelathur]

Reunite Scandza within 10 turns and 1.5 fullstacks of Nordic Band infantry Easy-peasy!

[aedn]

As danes, you basically have two active enemies, along with geats who will attack you if your weak due to wars. To counter then basically get the jutes to like you, dual marriage with them on turn 1, trade agreement & sign NA or DA agreements with them by turn 2-4, subjugate the rugians south of you when possible, typically as soon as they move there armies away from town(turn 3-4) if you want to avoid fighting directly. At this point, take over or subjugate the other tribes city(varianians?), depending on what your long term goals are. Conquer geats to get you a solid base of operations, and then expand as you please. Unless you want to conquer the mainland germanic tribes, i recommend subjugating since it allows you access to other units you cant get, along with cash flow from tributes and early trade agreements after relations improve. Long term they will rebel, but it gives you a solid unit roster to fill in your weak early game, and provides a barrier of barbarian fodder so you can ignore the huns completely.

For very early game, rely on the starting spears, build a farmstead to get ranged infantry, and build what you cant get from your subjugated tribes. Typically the germanic tribes will give you light melee cav, germanic warband & improved spears, so i tend to research for sacred king to get hirdmen which are your mainstay unit through most of the early game. Nordic axe warband are really good to counter heavy infantry with the bonus AP on javilins, and axes. however they are really a flanker and not a front line unit, although they can be used as such if needed. Slingers are OP against cav due to the bonuses, and skrmishers crush non shield wall infantry.

Long term the norse/germanic barbarian tribes all play the same to be honest, you basically capture brittannia , push south through western europe, and into italy/africa if you want to get the victory conditions. your major weakness is fighting against large numbers of cav, so avoid the huns, unless you have an established empire and can afford the higher tier units. As an alternative if you want to migrate just start with extra armies, and go wander around. I have two campaigns where i migrated just for kicks, one to hispania, and one towards the ERE to play as varingians.

[Ritterlichvon86]

aedn is right, he's giving good advice.

As he said, first unite Scandza, burn northern Germania, keep a Homeguard that can train to full strength in one turn, then build an army (!) that sets out to raid along the Canal and inwards into Britannia. If needed, escort it with a few ships (if you are Dane -> no escort needed). Always Loot & Conquer towns - it gives more money and new, local targets to the AI.

That way you won't have 10 angry stacks knocking at your door at home after 40 turns of acquiring treasure.