Archived: Campaign description 1004e-VI/English/Veteran

Hi to all,

inspired by Cyprian2`s AAR I´d like to contribute something in my own style.

Having had difficulties with CTDs I completely installed anew, making the changes Axalon suggested.

Here some details of a typical daigaku-approach in an English campaign. As told in "strategy and hínts", no troops used of the feudal/royal line (except the few already being there at beginning). ScottishNobles and EnglishKnights (used because of regionality) set to 40 men (to stand a chance against those fine FeudalKnights being heavily used by the French), the prerequisite(?) for "TownMilitia" set to "Castle10" (I never understood this "hole" between Keep and Citadel), nothing else changed. RoyalKnights only coming from heirs.

The Beginning

Because in "Veteran" the French always attack Normandy, normally about 735, everything is tore down, taxes on minimum, and a spy placed. This way it´s hardly attractive to attack, and if, due to spy the province stays rebellious.
Advantage: Right at the beginning some money to build up the island.

Attachment 12113


Year 757

Rebels bribed, first Wales, then Northumbria, Scotland just taken. Not a single man recruited till here, just the ships to secure borders, and agents to keep inner security/happiness/stability.
Not a single year stopped building up due to lack of money, Wessex and Mercia farms 100%, the rest being built up to that.


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Year 773

Ireland taken by bribe as well, still nothing recruited, just the bribees fit with according commanders. Money heavily coming in, every single province being built up as fast as possible.


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Year 790

French die out due to lack of heir, but will respawn soon. Still only ships and agents recruited.


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Year 817

French came back, took Normandy and building it up heavily. Soon time to take it back from them (with help of a rebellion of my dear followers coming). Wessex and Wales being built up to my needs on Keep level, first men recruited, EnglishKnights and EnglishForesters from Wessex, Longbows from Wales. During suicide attack accidenly taken Flanders, tore it down to barren ground for the French to spend lots of money to build it up again ;-))


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Year 846

Took back Normandy, with intact keep and some other infrastructure. French busy building up heavily in Flanders. HRE becoming really big. My provinces nearly built up on Castle level, some recruiting or retraining happening, but not heavily.


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Year 873/actual state

Every single province built up to my recruiting needs, only some stability buildings and last few farm/security upgrades in the line.
Taken Flanders from the French for the money, and Cyprus from rebels for ship production in Mediterranean Sea.

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Here some examples for suicide attacks.

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The unwanted heir isn´t killed always in the first try, but second works most times ;-))

I never had a single year with too little money to build. It´s just a question of priorities, and mine are money and naval security ("splendid isolation"). The Norse, who can become a real nuisance if getting rich enough to tech up their already bad-to-fight infantry, are kept low by sinking every ship leaving Skagerak. The HRE might be fun to fight (I want some of those lithuanian provinces for the cavalry), but I fear they will break soon due to internal rebellions (as so often). The rest will be no problem, even desert warfare is covered - Mercia, having no iron, is left to troop production of everything possible there, without armor upgrades.

More to come!

greetings, daigaku

Sorry for not saying this sooner, @daigaku, but what a pleasant and concise campaign description. I like your style; there's certainly nothing wrong with keeping things simple. ~;)

I love that a "suicide attack accidentally take[s] Flanders." How exactly? Did you bribe a small rebel stack to go against a larger one? Just curious. For myself, I love getting Flanders early in my English (or French, or HRE) campaign. Those Flemish spearmen are tough cookies. Also, Flanders is probably one of the best provinces in northern Europe for trade. All those textiles! You were right to take it eventually. Get a citadel built there and you'll be golden.

Your wars seem contained to the age-old French vs. English paradigm so far. Can't wait to see things heat up against the Spanish and/or HRE. Also, I'm curious to see how things will go against the Norse. They are certainly OP in veteran. Their infantry, of course, is the bomb, but their cavalry should not be underestimated. They are as dangerous in the saddle as on the ground. The Poles often learn that lesson too late...

Nice to see you recreating Lionheart's little conquest of Cyprus. Hopefully it will serve as an outpost in the coming religious wars/crusades. Can't wait to see what the next years bring.

Great stuff. :bow: Keep it up, friend.

Hi @Cyprian2,

Quote:

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I love that a "suicide attack accidentally take[s] Flanders."

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Wanted to get rid of a heir and plunged him into Flanders with his 10 men. Had 9 valour (!), and all those morale/weapon/armour boosts on Castle level. Cleaned out some 550-600 rebels, their last unit still not believing what happened were killed in a little forest (had them dismounted, a nice trick against these FeudalKnights in forests). So I stood there, at this point of time unwanted Flanders in hands, an unwanted heir still alive - so I tore down everything (giving quite some cash) and send the guy into the next province wit about 1.200 Frenchies. There he got killed at last, taking with him iirc about another 450men.....

Cyprus: I always go for one or two islands in the mediterranean for ship production (and keeping upkeep a bit lower), and Cyprus was the only Rebel one. So I took it...

Norse: As known, my all-time-favourites. Their cavalry has the big plus of being of exceedingly high morale. The other stats aren´t too bad either, but what I really love about those Norse is that nearly every available unit has "great morale". So small armies do the work of twice or thrice the men normally needed - they simply never break/rout, but keep fighting till the tide turns to their favour....

Will report more, but dealt with another game this weekend, so a bit patience is needed ;-))

greetings, daigaku

I never really play England since it seems like a turtler's dream. You can sit tight there with a huge navy taking rebel provinces with ease, turning them into trade super-provinces. And come on, razing the local infrastructure in spite? Kinda lame. Not that I don't enjoy turtling myself however, but I think you get a more challenging game playing a continental power, France, Spain, Poland.