My progress with Eriador Hard/Hard

**Matamelcan** · June 16, 2015, 10:19 AM

So, about a month ago I picked up Third Age Total War after two years which I quit due to not having a mouse on a crappy laptop.
Now I have a mouse on the same crappy laptop, and been enjoying the game so much.
I'm 149 turns into Eriador, I destroyed Gundabad in 50 turns, Orcs of The Misty Mountains in another 50, and about the last 30 turns been slugging it out with isengard. Aragon had a single army of 1800 and he took byrig, Duneard, Tharbad, Ginead and Talsir and defeated 26 Isengard armies, 14 of which were fullstacks. (And I killed that Saruman bugger when he was isolated.

) without reinforcements, and had about 800 at the end. I had originally had 2 full stacks, but I had to call back my other due to an invasion being called upon Moria. That army came around through fangorn and took Isengard with the loss of about 600 men. About the last 10 turns, I've been replenishing my two armies to launch a two prong attack and wipe those bast***s from the face of the planet.
The only battle I've lost was a lone hobbit unit ambushed by bandits in the very beginning...
I'm making about 42000 every turn and about to turn into Arnor...
All done without cheats, or reloading, or anything. I want to try Very Hard/Very Hard next time, its been a bit easy on these settings.
PS: How much money does it take to buy North Tharbad.
PPS: Will a faction declare war on you if you attack their vassal state?

**Ngugi** · June 18, 2015, 04:29 AM

Good you enjoy it

PS: A lot.

PPS: Not for sure IIRC (as you might found out alread), they may break the vassalage instead.
Appears vassalge is somewhat broken in TATW mind you, had a case as High Elves where I attacked Orcs of the Misty Mountains [OotMM], who had been made vasalls of Silvan Elves. It broke my alliance with Silvans but then I could never reforge it, even when they no longer were lords over OotMM, by some odd reason.

**Steward Denethor II** · June 18, 2015, 07:17 PM

Good work, Eriador on Hard/Hard was my first victory.

Anyways buying regions is expensive but your economy is powerful enough to handle it, I believe a few ten thousands will be more than enough. One very dirty trick you can use is to offer a huge regular tribute to an A.I. faction for the region. They will accept, and you can just cancel the payment! Your reputation will take a hit, of course, if your reputation was mixed it will become dubious, but them reconquering the city would cause a much larger reputation loss to them.

Note that if the faction has only a few regions, 3 or less, I believe, they wont sell their land no matter how much money you throw at them.

**Matamelcan** · June 18, 2015, 08:27 PM

Thanks, guys! I've read these forums for a long time and I really respect you two!
I'm about turn 189 now, and arnor. I eliminated Isengard, it broke the alliance between them and High elves, and eliminated them in 5 turns, then a dang invasion got called on Isengard and my garrison of 800 militia men slaughtered 1800 orcsies and men before dying. Then I starved them out waiting for the House Of Kings to built.
Started a Silvan campaign on Very Hard/Very Hard, should be interesting!
And I bought North Tharbad for about 15000, and then bought foldburg for another 12000 gaining a highly advanced military complex with high dunedain culture right on their border...

Most hilarious thing was I moved my diplomat to buy fangorn, offered Map info and 11000, they refused only wanting 7580...
It was my best full star diplomat, so maybe that had something to do with it.

**Matamelcan** · June 23, 2015, 12:49 PM

Attacked Rohan, taking the Hornsburg, Limlight, and Entwade with my old Eriador armies while my arnorian ones build up. Lost the alliance with Gondor.
Aragon's really old (83) and I'm trying to transfer his retinue to Araphor and Gandalf before he kicks the bucket. But it won't let me. Any thoughts?

**Steward Denethor II** · June 23, 2015, 09:43 PM

Attacking Rohan? You have become power hungry, well done. I suppose you will try to take Gondor from the Stewards and reunite the Kingdoms before too long.

Anyways many retinues are not transferable, and each general can only have eight retinue. However, don't worry about Aragorn. Generals in Third Age Total War live to be at least 120, and can survive until age 150. By then most of the world will be yours, or you will have moved on.

**Matamelcan** · June 24, 2015, 09:17 AM

I will March on Gondor and take it was fire and sword.

**Matamelcan** · June 24, 2015, 09:13 AM

Haha, thanks. It was either them or the Silvan Elves, and I don't think I will attack the Elves until I have full elite Anorian armies.
Starting some new campaigns on VH/VH with some personal conditions. Any army I capture must be released, no matter what. And several others to make it more challenging.

**Steward Denethor II** · June 24, 2015, 02:11 PM

Gondor will never fall to a Dunedain from the north of a house long bereft of Lordship.

**Matamelcan** · June 24, 2015, 09:19 PM

You deny the rightful King of Gondor?

**British empire** · June 25, 2015, 06:53 PM

Eriador is the most fun faction imo, nice job, remember my first victory as them enjoyed it so much I did it again lol

**Matamelcan** · June 25, 2015, 09:12 PM

Yeah, its epic. I've conquered three nations, and working on my 4th with Breeland Militia, Woodland hunters, a smattering of bodyguards, rangers, and lumbermen.
Its been epic. But Rohan is tough. Had to withdraw Aragon. He killed their best army and generals (Literally all 3 gold stars, and a full star general) About 1800-1900 with 1300 men. Lost 500, had to withdraw to foldburg.