Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate This Thread
Hop To
Page 2 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
#4378759 - 09/09/17 08:48 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Forward Observer Offline
Senior Member
Forward Observer  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Central Arkansas,US of A
Originally Posted by DBond
Great post F/O, thanks much. You and PM have been very helpful.

I want to ask how you know what the construction is like in Constantinople? How do you see the buildings in settlements you do not own?

It sounds like you are further along than I am in your Saxon run right? What sort of army composition are you running with? I am mostly using Nordic Spears with a mix of Nordic warriors and Hearth Guard and a mix of skirmish/light/lancer type cav.. I do have a province that can recruit the Heroic cavalry, spears and infantry, but it is the northernmost one in Scotland. And they are too expensive to use in all armies. I have just one 'elite' army and the rest are Hearth Guard sort of caliber.


If you look at a city on the strategy map that is not obscured by the fog of war, you can see the type of architecture. The Roman cities have tiled roofs and white stucco type walls while the barbarian settlements will be dark brown being made of logs with thatched roofs. However, if you have an agent close by, you can look at the individual structures. All you have to do is click on the settlement and you will see the typical province panel, but no individual structures. There is a little round circle with a line drawing of an eye to the left of the name of each settlement, That is your gathered intelligence button. If your agents or any army has been close enough to gain this information, click on the button and it will bring up a panel of the current structures which the faction has completed or has under construction.

This preview can be pretty handy when inspecting a settlement you are about to attack for occupation. If the current faction has something under construction or even more important--being converted from a Roman structure to one you can use, you may want to hold off taking the city until they get it completed. This can save you some substantial funds by letting your enemy pay for the construction or conversion. Repairing these structures is still cheaper than building them form scratch.

Here's a few screens to illustrate what the strategy map can show.

Constantinople as part of the ERE. Note the orange-brown tiled roofs and white walls

[Linked Image]


Constantinople now owned by the Visagoths--note log buildings with thatched roofs with the exception of the church


[Linked Image]


Bringing up the intelligence screen panel for non owned settlements. The church is still Greek Orthodox and when I scroll over it on the panel, it states that the city is 60% Greek Orthodox which is probably giving the Visagoths a public order problem--either that or they are trying to convert from paganism.

[Linked Image]

As far as my army mix, mine is about the same as yours, but I also always have at least 3 onager batteries, so:

1 general (melee)
4 spear Nordic
4 melee Hearthguard mostly
4 missile (3 archers and 1 javelin)
3 cavalry (medium and light missile)
3 onager

This leaves one space open, which will be either another cavalry or infantry according to whether I'm fighting infantry or cavalry heavy units. Many times I run my full armies a unit or two short and take a chance that I can hire what I need just before a battle and then dismiss them immediately afterward. It sounds wasteful that way, but I'm usually not fighting with most of my armies more than I am, so if I go 5 or 6 turns with a couple of slots short, the maintenance costs I save--more than make up for the cost of recruiting a couple of merc units for only a single battle. Since I'm going to dismiss them right after the battle, I won't pay any maintenance on them and don't have to worry much about keeping them out of trouble. Of course if I have an army that is in the thick of it a lot, such as my faction leader's force, I tend to keep them at full strength.

If I haven't mentioned this before, there are several reasons I always have siege equipment---even in a field battle. There is a mechanic in all the TW games since Medieval 2 that forces the A.I. to always go on the offensive---if you have artillery and they have none--or at least you have more than they do. This will happen regardless of which side initiates the battle. This allows me to initiate a battle by attacking, but on the battlefield, I can set up a defensive position on the best ground of my choosing. Then the enemy will come to me even if they are vastly outnumbered.

Since I am approaching the area that the Huns operate in, I need to build the structure to recruit the giant onagers. Almost every Hunnic army I have fought in the game has one or two giant onagers. which have about 40% more range than the regular versions and do a lot more damage. They can seriously mess your armies and your regular onagers up before you can do anything about it.

Cheers

P.S.

Here's my current Saxon empire. I may forego fooling with Constantinople and going for the Franks who are now along the western part of the north coast of Africa.

[Linked Image]


Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4378836 - 09/10/17 02:59 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
What year is that last shot in? I see you never left Frisia right? Good job to hold that and still expand as you have.

Thanks for the explanation, that's good stuff.

I survived the final drop in fertility, though I had several turns of famine. Iberia is a mess, with everyone hating me and declaring war, and I will have to take the whole peninsula it would seem.

I see that if I want to achieve a victory, I'll need to retake Frisia. Is there a turn limit in this game? I have a long way to go. I said earlier I had 16 regions, but it was only 12, now 14. I brought Gaul back from the dead and I'm trying to help them take France. I needed at least one ally.

When does Attila die? Is it scripted? Once he is dead, do the Hun stacks stop spawning? They have razed everything from Aquitania to Constantinople. Crazy.


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4378870 - 09/10/17 06:58 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Forward Observer Offline
Senior Member
Forward Observer  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Central Arkansas,US of A
That last shot was taken in the same turn as the previous shot or winter 428 AD. I pretty much played the Saxons as a normal faction, and did just enough sacking to get the bonuses. However, I overlooked one thing and that was raiding. I haven't done any, and to qualify for any of the victory conditions, I have to have 5000 gold from raiding.

Yes, Attila does die. It's announced in the last or next to last chapter video. I don't remember if they give a cause. I've read that in real life, his death was a bit of a mystery, It happened on his wedding night. He had spent the night feasting and drinking and was found dead in his bed the next morning--having choked on his own blood. Poison, bad booze--nobody knows.

Anyway, at that point in the game, the Huns do stop spawning and will gradually weaken from battles or attrition. Their armies don't get the massive upkeep bonuses that they do while Attila is alive.

However, Attila can be killed before that, but it's difficult. It's one of those deals where you wipe out his unit, but then get a message that he was only wounded. I heard you usually have to go through this several times before he actually dies. For some reason, as the Saxons, I've had no contact with Huns other than to assassinate one of their agents that wandered into my territory. They were mostly responsible for razing all the desolate settlements that I am now resettling, so I've got a good buffer of deserted lands between them and me.

I'm just a few turns away now from completing chapter 3 at the end of turn 432 AD summer. I think Attila doesn't doesn't die until the end of chapter 4, which is Spring of 445 AD. it may even coincide with when he died historically in 453. There are 5 chapters in all. The five chapter videos plus the intro and victory video match up to the seven signs or seals of the apocalypse from the book of Revelation in the Christian bible. Most of the narration for the game chapters is taken almost verbatim from the New Testament.

Many religious and thus superstitious scholars at the time saw Attila's birth and ascension as leader of the Huns as part of this biblical prophecy for the end of the world. The first four seals match up to the famed four horsemen of the apocalypse--the white, red, black, and pale horses equating to conquest, war, famine, and death. After all, Attila was known as the "Scourge of God"

I don't think there is a turn limit on completing the various victory conditions--just that you have to survive to the date given. If you lack some of the conditions at that point, you can play on until you get them. The minor victory screen hits at turn 425. I missed that date since I overlooked the raiding goal I mentioned. I'm assuming I'll still get the screen if I hit the goal before I get the the major victory video, but those also require the raiding income goal. Of course once you achieve any of the victories, you will be given the option to play on.

Cheers




Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
#4378966 - 09/11/17 01:54 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
Awesome, thanks again. I had completely missed the 'gathered information' button. Thanks for pointing it out.

I'm a little further along than you, and a little further behind lol. I've managed to take the northern half of Iberia, but I'm at war with so many factions that I have to be careful, and not overextend, leaving what I already have unprotected. But it's a slog. I've not reached a point where I've felt really secure. In other TW games that point always comes. In my most recent Nappy and Shogun 2 runs I had a million ducats half way through and nothing could stop us. In this game I feel like I'm always one invasion away from disaster.

I've heaped praise on Attila, but there are things I see that I don't like. The sorts of things that only become apparent once you've sunk considerable time.

One example is the fact that the AI clearly doesn't have food and sanitation requirements. The first 120 turns were spent taking mostly different culture lands, Roman and whatever the 'Arab' sort of stuff is. So plenty of dismantling and converting. But finally I went to war with the Seubians for the southern half of Iberia. I thought great, finally I will be taking a large tract of Barbarian land and the assimilation should be much easier. But as I looked at their cities as they fell, I realized these should have been revolting (in both ways) cesspools of filth and famine. So it's back to dismantling in order to solve the sanitation and food issues. Instead, their cities had only order and money buildings

Money cheats for the AI? OK. Morale cheats? Fine. But I think they should have the same sanitation and food requirements and penalties.

But still I am enjoying the game and I find it's the most challenging TW game. As I alluded to, it's the first one that makes me feel everything is finely balanced throughout. I have yet to feel invincible. I'd also argue that the CAI is the best in the series. They form large stacks and they work together. They raid, sack, pillage and plunder. They use their agents effectively. They don't seem braindead which is nice.

As for that Attila dude.... I have yet to fall afoul of him and his fearsome hordes. But they have been just over the border many times. They attacked my ally Gaul and I was all like, no thanks, you're on your own. Hated to do it, but that's politics. I then allied them again next turn but without having to join the Hunnic war. Shady. They died.

One turn I was watching the AI's moves and suddenly one Hun stack emerged out of the fog and moved in to one of my regions, but before I could utter the F word they turned around and left. Whew!


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4378989 - 09/11/17 04:23 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Forward Observer Offline
Senior Member
Forward Observer  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Central Arkansas,US of A
I do agree that the game still has a few warts here and there--especially the strategic side of the A.I. Attila also did not get the follow up attention in the way of corrective patches that Rome 2 did. This is due to several reasons. First of all it was released in much better shape than Rome 2 was. But also--due to the stigma surrounding the release of Rome 2, Attila didn't sell nearly as well even though it is much improved over the previous game. Lower sales volume means less follow up attention for fixes. Besides, CA was moving most of their resources over for the launch of the new Warhammer series by then.

With another historical DLC and what CA now refers to as a "saga" game to be released in the near future, there's hope that they may still come back with some corrective fixes including optimization updates for Attila. However, whether any of this would help the A.I. or not is a big question mark. I think we will see those two releases within the next 12 months with a completey new historical title to be released in 2019.

It's unclear as to whether the DLC and/or the saga game will be more related to Rome 2 or Attila though. They are using the term "saga" to describe a game such as FOTS, which only covers a fairly short historical time span. They previously referred to such a game as a "flashpoint" game.

Keep us posted on your progress and do ask questions. Hopefully, either Panzer or I will have an answer. I plan on getting back to my campaign tonight, so I'll do the same.

Cheers


Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
#4379016 - 09/11/17 06:19 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
You guys have had all of the answers so far, so yeah, I'll keep asking biggrin

One other thing I wanted to touch on when talking about what I don't like, but which I completely drew a blank on when composing the previous post, is fertility.

It's sort of ridiculous. Not the concept. Maybe there was a noticable loss in fertility during Atilla's timeframe. Was there? I googled inconclusively. But the extent to which it happens in this game seems way over the top. In about 30 years Europe goes from very fertile to a wasteland. This is outside of the razing mechanic. Sure, razed land would struggle to produce bountiful yields. But Britain is as fertile as barren rock. Seriously? The only relatively fertile land is Egypt and North Africa? OK.

I'm surprised there is anyone still living in England lol.

I'm OK with the mechanic, and it's rather interesting, but at most the effect should have been half of what it is. I can't imagine playing this game and not knowing this was coming. I read about it so was forewarned and took measures to mitigate it. Even then, I've been through a half dozen short famines. Some guy who picks this game up and plays without this knowledge would see his empire implode.

So what's the deal with this historically?


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379046 - 09/11/17 10:10 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Forward Observer Offline
Senior Member
Forward Observer  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Central Arkansas,US of A
There was is some historical basis for climate change in Europe around 300 BC and then again around 300 AD. The first date is associated with Celtic expansion and the second credited to the start of barbarian invasions. However, there really was no major climate shifts during Attila's time. The next cooling period happened around the start of the 6th century. The game developers just borrowed those climate change ideas for the time frame of Attila as a graduated and constant challenge mechanic to make it harder to stabilize your empire and start steamrolling too early in the game. Attila was promoted as a game of survival more than any previous TW game.

Here's a short article on the early historical climate change that I gleaned those dates from:

Climate change has guided 2,500 years of European history


Yeah, it's over the top in Attila, but in small doses spread over time, it's still more palatable for most players than the Realm Divide mechanic in the Shogun 2 games or even the sudden massive empire wide civil war like was first used in Rome 2. Fortunately they tamed that down to where it can be prevented in the reworked Emperor's edition.

Even the French revolution is attributed to climate change. Crop failures in France caused famine which in turn drove the people to revolt against the nobility.


Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
#4379142 - 09/12/17 01:18 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
Yeah, good point about Realm Divide. I didn't like that either! It's another thing that you have to know is coming or you're screwed. First time I played Shogun 2 I ended up stopping when that happened as I wasn't aware nor prepared. In this game it is mentioned in an event pop up, but the player has no idea how many more of them they'll get, nor the extent of it's effect. Unless you read about it on the interweb, which folks like us are sure to do.

I fully accept that climate is not only a huge factor in the sustainability of a civilization, but possibly the most pivotal, in agrarian ones at least, and since the industrial age was still more than 1000 years away, in this game's time frame it is very important. It seems the devs compressed several hundred year's worth in to a few decades though and that is a bit jarring. But it is a sign of the times, and one of the driving factors I'm sure behind the hordes and migrations that are a central theme in Attila. I'm fine with the mechanic, but as said I think it's over the top, particularly in such a short time span.

I'm nearing a victory. It's 444 and I've been waiting for Attila's death to venture forth in to Frisia. That's all I need to complete the minor or short victory or whatever it's called. I own all of Iberia now and North Africa west of Oran.

Another thing about this game that I find really cool are the armies. I mentioned it earlier, but the traditions is a very cool mechanic, and I absolutely love the names of each force. Such a seemingly small, insignificant thing that has more value for me than would seem appropriate. I eat this stuff up.

I have seven armies

The Spirit of the Forest
Icicles of Blood
The Bloodsworn
The Thunderbolts of Thorr
The Wolves of War
Winter's Mist
The Serpentslayers

F/O, as you are also playing as the Saxons are yours all using the same names? Just curious. I imagine that the two starting armies share the same names, but maybe not. Curious if the armies the player raises use a set order?


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379152 - 09/12/17 01:55 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
PanzerMeyer Online centaurian
Pro-Consul of Florida
PanzerMeyer  Online Centaurian
Pro-Consul of Florida
King Crimson - SimHQ's Top Poster

Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
Miami, FL USA
I absolutely hated the Realm Divide in Shogun 2 and also the civil war divide of Rome 2. With Shogun 2 you basically just have to stop expanding right before you become "legendary" and then make sure you stock up on money and armies before you set it off since you'll be losing all of your trade agreements and everyone will declare war on you except for your staunchest allies who you've managed to give a daughter or two to.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4379159 - 09/12/17 02:25 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Forward Observer Offline
Senior Member
Forward Observer  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Central Arkansas,US of A
I've got eight armies, but one is only a general and a few units setting back in Frisia. Some are the same as yours, but others are different. I assume they are randomly generated. You know you can rename them by going to the army panel and left clicking on their name. I renamed one, but I think it may be too obvious

[Linked Image]


Fixed the spelling of Munchkin










Attached Files munchkins.jpg
Last edited by Forward Observer; 09/12/17 04:30 PM.

Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
#4379201 - 09/12/17 03:52 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: Forward Observer]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
Originally Posted by Forward Observer
I renamed one, but I think it may be too obvious


Yes, a bit, a bit smile

Thanks for that. So obviously it uses a list and picks them at random. Yes, I realize the name can be changed, but they're already so cool. I had planned to rename all of my cities too, but I can never really decide quickly. It's like when I start a new RPG, I spend way too long choosing my character's name and it doesn't matter anyway.

Good to see ya Panzer, hope you weathered the storm OK.

I got a minor victory in summer of '46. Attila is dead and his hordes sit east of our recently resettled homeland of Frisia. But at least now I know they won't respawn. And they are mostly mercs anyway. Few of those Devil's units that I can see. I noticed earlier that when Attila was alive they got a -100% upkeep bonus which seems to be gone now. They'll be hurtin' for certain. I'm finally brave enough to take them on lol.



No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379283 - 09/12/17 11:04 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
PanzerMeyer Online centaurian
Pro-Consul of Florida
PanzerMeyer  Online Centaurian
Pro-Consul of Florida
King Crimson - SimHQ's Top Poster

Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
Miami, FL USA
Originally Posted by DBond
Good to see ya Panzer, hope you weathered the storm OK.





Thanks! I got off lucky. I only lost power for a couple of hours on Saturday and my ISP was down most of Sunday. No damage to the cars or house though!

I forgot to answer your question about Attila and yes, you can actually kill him in combat but only after about the year 445 or so. If you destroy his army before that time, he just comes back with a new stack.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4379358 - 09/13/17 12:31 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
Glad everything turned out OK.

I read that Attila can be killed but you have to do so like 4 times. Then he stays dead.

I was wrong about the decline of the Huns. I've taken Corsica and Sardinia and can see 4 full Hun stacks rampaging through Italy, razing everything in their path. And there are at least two more stacks in northern Germany. I am attempting to resettle western Europe as I'm going for a military victory now and just need another 15 or so regions. Concurrently I have armies sweeping east through Africa and we've taken Tunisia.


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379378 - 09/13/17 02:33 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
Hey F/O, what did you do about religion? Did you stay Pagan?

I thought about flipping to Christianity, but the upkeep on the religious buildings is high. What is the Christian bonus? Pagans are an extra recruitment slot.

I see it's not that simple. Here's a handy link to answer my question

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=400449944

In retrospect, I probably should have flipped to at least Celtic when I could have easily done so. An extra recruitment slot might help when you need to rush-build a new army, but how often is that? I would have done better with a different religion I think

Last edited by DBond; 09/13/17 02:51 PM.

No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379580 - 09/14/17 01:52 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
I finally went to war with the Huns, in 453. They had surrounded my city on Sardinia, and were raiding me. So I attacked them using two armies and a navy, all full-stack. Destroyed four of their stacks in two turns and now everyone loves me. Diplomacy was a problem, but the positive relations from attacking the Huns has made me many friends, and opened up trade agreements that were impossible before. The Huns went from the 4th power to the 8th. They still exist and are active, but they've not come near me since.

The Sassanids and I have been at war since I invaded Iberia. We never actually engaged in battle though. Matter of fact, I have yet to even see them. I've been slugging it out with the Garamantians in North Africa for control of Carthage/Tunisia and Libya. Sassanids went to war with them as well and that improved relations enough to get a peace and a trade agreement with the Sassanids. All looks good at this stage.

I happened to look at the objectives for a Cultural victory and saw all I needed was one Mead Hall, so that is being built.

For Military victory I still need two buildings (just takes time), another 7 regions (no trouble) and another 7 nations that I destroyed (much more difficult)

A couple more things I want to mentioned that I really like in Attila. I like the garrison system. It frees my armies and makes for a lot less management. Before starting Attila I had been playing M2 with Stainless Steel 6.4.. I talked in another thread about how involved it was managing armies and garrisons, of replenishment and upgrading. It's all so much more streamlined and easier here. I like it. My armies feel like armies, and not police or defensive garrisons.

I like how victory objectives require holding certain regions. Nothing new there. But in this game your allies can hold them and it still qualifies. That's really cool, and adds a very welcome element to alliances. Now I actually want to help my allies, as opposed to nefariously undermining them because I know that eventually I'll need to turn on them. This is the best TW game for alliances. They work, they help sometimes and it's cool.



No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379761 - 09/15/17 04:54 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
Attained a cultural victory as the Saxons and decided to halt the campaign there, at least for the time being. I've been harping on about not reaching the point of invincibility, but yeah, I've reached it. I still would like to continue to get a Military victory. But since smashing the Huns and continuing to do so (they are now 19th-ranked and fading fast), I have good relations with most everyone, a flush treasury and a dozen full stack armies. So the challenge has gone and only personal goals remain.

So I started a H/H campaign as Ostrogoths in The Last Roman DLC. Probably not the best choice (I suppose it's geared for playing as the Roman Expedition), but worth a punt. Have yet to get a handle on it. Spent the first 10 or so turns trying to quell unrest and get sanitation and food production positive. The Roman Empire is in Byzantium or thereabouts and have at least five full stack armies and hate me a little more each turn. I have yet to go to war, just fighting off rebels, but if the Romans were to attack I would be in a poor state indeed. Anyone play this campaign? Cool, detailed map anyway.

Part of me wants to have a go at the WRE in the grand campaign, but from my Saxon campaign I saw how the deck is really stacked against them. Would be a hard campaign I think. But having had one successful run I understand the game better so maybe worth a shot? The plan I've been formulating while I am working today lol is to abandon all but Italy and Spain and maybe Carthage and then building back up from there. I can't see me being able to also hold Britannia and the rest of Africa plus Gaul. Has anyone played as the WRE?


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379883 - 09/16/17 02:44 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
So I did indeed start a new run as WRE. Anticipating that it would be a hard campaign -- it is, I believe, the first start ever labeled as Legendary difficulty in a TW game -- I chose Normal difficulty this time. I made it 12 turns in and it's all gone far better than I had hoped. I mentioned abandoning Britain, North Africa and Gaul to their fates, with the idea of pulling it all in and defending my interior, particularly Iberia, Italy the Med islands and possibly holding on to Carthage as my breadbasket. The WRE is beset on all sides, so I thought I would need to accept losses while trying to survive inside my shrinking borders. Instead my WRE has not only survived, but thrived. Here's what I did.

On turn one I burned every church in my empire. The ones that were above level 1 got burned again the next turn. I will probably flip to Paganism anyway, but the main reason I did it was for cash, and to free up building slots for fountains, waterworks and farming. Doing this gave me a treasury of over 40,000 for turn two. This was used on farms, sanitation and some troops. That would soon pay dividends as aside from all of the enemies, public order, sanitation and food shortages are a major issue. The WRE seems to have been in a state of neglect for many years and it needs to be turned around quickly. Despite this massive investment in infrastructure, I've still suffered a number of rebellions and civil war through the turns. But in Attila, rebels start weak. They grow by four units per turn. So if you are in position to react right away, they are easy to handle. Rebels popping up in places you can't quickly reach can become a big problem.

Also on turn one I paid the Franks to attack the Saxons. I knew from my previous run as the Saxons that they start with a stack at sea, ready to invade Britain. Paying the Saxons made them sink that stack on the first turn. Money well spent. That would keep the Saxons out of my fight through all 12 turns. Haven't seen them since.

I decided to kind of wait and see what happened before withdrawing my armies from the frontiers. I moved the two Gaul armies closer together and combined the Danube front armies in to one and disbanded the left over general. I moved the Africa Legion and the one in Spain closer together in Algeria. I went in to diplomacy and had a look at the leader traits from the small nations I border in Africa. These guys could really put a spanner in the works, since if there is anywhere in my empire that I would be hard pressed to reinforce it's Africa. But they were mostly passive, defensive and indifferent to large empires. Perfect! So I got trade agreements and NAPs with them. That helps to ease the worry on that front, though they could back-stab at any time.

The crap Emperor Honorius was given an army. Either to get him killed off or to hand him impressive victories to boost his stats.

One of the main challenges a WRE player faces is the fact that there are many hordes in and around your lands. This is a bit of a wild card as you can't know where they're going, if they will attack, or simply raid you. Are they just passing through? Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Seubians, Vandals. The potential is there for a crisis. On turn two I just gave the Seubians Romagna or whatever it is in Normandy. I thought I'd be losing it soon anyway, so why not get an ally and trade partner out of it? They have yet to agree to an alliance, but a trade and a NAP is fine for now. Sure beats chasing them around while they sack my cities. I also anticipated losing Britain and if so would suffer from raids and sacking from that direction and having an ally with a port on the Channel front would be valuable.

In Britain my Legion would have to do they best they could. I couldn't afford to shift another army there, or my interior would be at risk. And the plucky bastages have more than held their own. Constant raids from the Geats and other viking swine in Kent have been repeatedly fought off with the four-unit garrison and the lone garrision ship with a band of 48 marines. The Legion was needed to fight the Caledonians and Picts. The Caledonians DoW'd me first turn. Making heavy use of mercs we managed to vassalize them. The very next turn Picts declared on me. SInce one turn had not passed, Caledonia was still negative relations and refused the call, and the way it works in this game, if they refuse to join you they have to fight you. So that hard won vassal was my enemy again the very next turn. What joy.

So I crushed them again and vassalized them again. Good grief. But by now this army was thoroughly mangled and in dire need of a rest and refit. So I pulled them back and fortified them against the snow and ice. A couple of turns later we vassalized the Picts. So now I have two vassals in Britain and only the Ebdanians? (Irish/Celts) remain. This really could not have gone better. I thought I would be abandoning Britain and fighting off raids for years. Instead, I've almost taken the whole thing. The key was the ability of the Kent garrision to fight off big landing stacks. Here's how I did it. The one garrison ship with the marines is always ordered to attack the enemy general while still aboard his ship. It's 48 against 120, but the enemy is seasick and the marines always manage to kill the general. So the rest of the stack lands seasick and wavering due to the loss of their leader. The garrison of one archer, one spear, one melee and one light cav then manage to rout the whole landing force, with a lot of help from the towers. We've done this over and over. Those guys rock and have essentially saved my British lands. If any of these vikings had managed to gain a foothold I would have been hard pressed to fight off the barbarians to the north and these invaders to the south.

On my eastern front along the Danube it's been all-out war with Ostrogoths and others in and around Pannonia. I managed to vassalize the Quadians that we start at war with by sniping their city while they were off attacking one of mine. Sucks to only have one doesn't it lol? Another horde that starts with the letter "I" took one of my settlements on the border so I vassalized them as well. Having vassals on the frontier is good thumbsup

And that's where it stands. If you've read all of this thanks very much haha. I continue to deal with internal strife and civil war, but that's relatively manageable unless or until I am forced to commit all of my Legions, of which I already have 8. Those eastern vassals are doing a good job of reacting to the rebels that pop up. But food, and public order are soon to be put right, and sanitation is already green throughout the realm.

From here the plan is to take Ireland to remove any remaining threat from Britain and then concentrate on the barbarians and hordes around Gaul while defending along the Danube. I want to get stone walls in as many settlements as I can along my borders before the Huns arrive in force.

Frankly I am shocked this has all gone so well.


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379899 - 09/16/17 05:33 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Forward Observer Offline
Senior Member
Forward Observer  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,802
Central Arkansas,US of A
I've been putting off playing the WRE since I got the game and I guess it's about time to give it a go, so I'm quite interested in your experience and strategies. From what I've read, corruption is really heavy also. I read somewhere that initially when the game was first released, it was like 90%, but there were so many player complaints that they lowered it to 60 or 70% to start. dismantling all your churches was a novel idea, and the amount you garnered was is impressive. It just seems that the negative public order from religious unrest would be too difficult to deal with.

I'm still slugging through my Saxon campaign and have only been playing a few turns per session. I did finally achieve the raiding goal to get the minor victory and am presently at the year 440 AD. That's about 40 turns to the last year to have to survive too, but I've got to decide whether to go for the military or the cultural. One or the other will be good enough, and then I'll give the WRE a try. I've also got to decide which way to expand. I've got buffers of allied factions in the east between me and the un-friendlies, but in west on the border of Iberia I have trade partners who seem to have grown to hate me. The only problem with attacking them is the massive trade hit I will take. Decisions, decisions!

Cheers


Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
#4379908 - 09/16/17 06:08 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
We will see what happens with the religious unrest. I keep getting events however for +10 Christianity for several turns so thus far I'd say the net effect is nil. The ampitheater line gives a pagan bonus anyway, and you're going to use lots of those. Roman Paganism gives +2 sanitation which is quite nice, the Blessing of Minerva edict gives +4 public order AND another +2 sanitation! and costs so much less than the upkeep on all of those houses of worship and my people can pray to rocks that don't cost much.. So my plan is to flip when I can. Might be painful for a while, but should be able to keep a lid on it, especially on normal. Famous last words right?

In my Saxon game I went in to Africa as you might have read. Perhaps you can continue your Iberian expedition through to Carthage. I also took the Balearic, Sardinian and Corsican islands. Parma had a top-level miiltary port which was nice. The province, Insulae Occidentalis, is a three-port one obviously, so well worth taking if it fits in your plans. Taking these helps with the piracy modifier in any regions you hold that border the western Med so can be a boon to your economy -- 3 ports, less piracy, win-win.

I apologize as I don't seem to be absorbing the Latin names this game uses. I tend to think in present-day place-names.

Reading 'round the 'net I see people refer to wonders. For example I can see Stonehenge. How do I see what effect these wonders have on my regions?

Last edited by DBond; 09/16/17 07:48 PM.

No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4379913 - 09/16/17 07:39 PM Re: Attila and Age of Charlemage plus The Last Roman too [Re: DBond]  
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond Online content
Strategerizer
DBond  Online Content
Strategerizer
Veteran

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
Oh yeah, I forgot to add... one of the main reasons I want to flip is that Latin Christians get a -10 morale bonus against the Huns. I could do without that little bonus smile


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
Page 2 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

Moderated by  Meatsheild, RacerGT 

Quick Search
Recent Articles
Support SimHQ

If you shop on Amazon use this Amazon link to support SimHQ
.
Social


Recent Topics
Carnival Cruise Ship Fire....... Again
by F4UDash4. 03/26/24 05:58 PM
Baltimore Bridge Collapse
by F4UDash4. 03/26/24 05:51 PM
The Oldest WWII Veterans
by F4UDash4. 03/24/24 09:21 PM
They got fired after this.
by Wigean. 03/20/24 08:19 PM
Grown ups joke time
by NoFlyBoy. 03/18/24 10:34 PM
Anyone Heard from Nimits?
by F4UDash4. 03/18/24 10:01 PM
RIP Gemini/Apollo astronaut Tom Stafford
by semmern. 03/18/24 02:14 PM
10 years after 3/8/2014
by NoFlyBoy. 03/17/24 10:25 AM
Copyright 1997-2016, SimHQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.6.0