Any HRE experts out there?

[Grifman]

Any body play these guys. I started off early, got crunched, then started off high, did fairly well up till the late 1200's. I controlled Germany, northern Italy, France, Denmark, southern England. But there are just too many enemies everywhere - only the Poles have been straight with me, God bless their souls http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I've got the Danes resurrected in Sweden and Scotland, pounding on my doors, I've got the Pope stabbing me in the back in northern Italy, I've still got part of England unconquered and threatening, the Hungarians are massing on the borders of Bohemia, and the Elmo Horde has just launched. If I could concentrate on one or even two borders I could stand off Elmo, but I can't be everywhere http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

Oh, and I am in these wars because they ALL attacked me http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif The only offensive war I waged was against France, taking advantage of their war with England. Other than that, they started it all. Kind of frustrating - I don't ever see them gang up on an Elmo or Egyptian Horde http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

Any idea where I went wrong?

Guess I'll have to go back to my English and Byzants - I know how to play those guys . . .

Grifman

[hoom]

Well I have that part of the map too and I have no problems...
Even if I do lose a big battle, I have the production capacity to easily rebuild quickly.

OK so at first it was a #### of a hectic struggle. Ballancing sub max armies around between borders and building loads of urban militia because I couldn't build anything better...
But once I had southern england, my armies on that whole border area was free to relocate and strengthen.

I am now at a point where I can safely hold my position and just build up my empire at about 1170 http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[fenir]

Hey Grifman,

What do you need to know?


fenir

[Grifman]

Well, how about giving me an overview of how you play them - that's a good start.

Grifman

[insolent1]

HRE are one of the most enjoyable factions to play as you start off as teh biggest faction & you are surrounded on all sides.
First Franconia & Bohemia have iron so use these 2 provinces as your main troop prod provinces. Switzerland tech for the swiss pike. Saxony & brandenburg give a +1 to gothic knights so tech these 2 up aswell. The rest of your starting provinces ain't worth much so don't defend them to much.

Firts move I make when playing HRE is take Venice with your king & 2 spear(austria & tyrolia). If you do this first turn the Italians will retreat which means you now have a wealthy province that has access to the med & if you are lucky the shipyard will not be damaged.
You will get excommunicated for this but its worth it as no factions are able to crusade that early & your king will die in 15-20 turns. Once you send the Italians off to their pitiful islands you can then turn your attention to the danes(do it quick before they attack). The French will be at war with the english so you will have an opportunity to take ille de france which will cripple them. The biggest problem I had with teh HRE is the lack of good generals & low loyalty.

[Grifman]

Yeah, I've played the Byzants, English and Russians, and the HRE generals are the worst - a one or two star general is a great one for that empire. And yeah, the loyalty is bad also. I end up saving the king's daughters for that, and it works pretty decent. Sometimes I wait as anxiously for a daughter as I do an heir http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Grifman