Unwanted conquests

[71-hour Ahmed]

Everyone and their dogs seem to end up accidently conquering the world in MTW when they want to go for GAs: read the topic on world conquest.

So: I am suggesting a topic on how this might have been fixed. Won't happen of course but it is worth thinking about...

1)puppet kingdoms. When you smack someone down you can make an heir or a general a puppet ruler of some land you define. They give you tribute and trade with you, and you influence them massively. Plus they may support in wars, and act as buffers from hostiles. If you want they can be absorbed easier as well but could be a problem.

However, they remain separate, develop independently and must be watched for loyalty. A strong leader may make a breakaway from you for example.

2) more sensible AI that makes peace when threatened and sticks to it a bit more. Say - you could set an option up to decide how much the AI was a trader/conquerer overall as well as how intelligent.

Any other ideas?

[BDC]

Yeah it is a bit stupid the way MTW works at the moment, for example France was really lots of different kingdoms and stuff but is represented as one. So the whole puppet idea is really good, maybe smaller heavily influenced kingdoms (so when you are bigger rather than being hostile they become friendlier).

[Brutal DLX]

I have to disagree strongly here.

I never ended up ruling the world in any GA game. Sure, I could, but that's not the point of GA play. You are to achieve you glory goals and to make sure you end the game with the highest score for claiming victory. In order to do that, it may sometimes be necessary to cripple one of the big Southeastern powers (if you are Catholic, that is), through crusades and use of covert action. I usually conquer some provinces, enough to allow for a good defensive army. That will be all which is needed. Yes, it may sound dull, but I prefer such games over relentless (and pointless) conquest all the time. And I've won each game, even though it was close sometimes.

[powdermonkey]

I totally agree that the AI should show a bit of common sense when offered a cease fire - particularlt if they are losing heavily, but I disagree that you always end up conqueing the world in GA.
I have found that it's down to how you play - if you are very agressive, or take every oppotunity that comes your way to grab land, then you will end up conquering most of the world.
I read a thread somewhere that suggested planning an empire early on - and then trying to stick to those provinces throughout the game.
It also makes GA more challenging, because its pretty easy to win on conquest points alone.
I always do this when playing GA, and I find it makes the game more interesting because you play totally differenly than when you play conquest http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[71-hour Ahmed]

The problem I have is that they ignore peace offers and weaken you with all out assaults. You have to destroy them or die yourself, and then you end up needing to guard the new borders OR make some new enemy super strong by leaving them huge areas to take easily from rebels.

AS the Russky in Goldeneye says.. "You can't win." http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Brutal DLX]

Which faction are you playing as?
If that happens in all of your games, then you are playing too agressivly. AI never accepts peace if it's clearly losing. Peace allows you to consolidate, while prolonged war will tire you out and may cause revolts on your side.
If you have a big enough army, small factions rarely attack you, and if they do, autoresolve, after losing their attacking army they will take years to rebuild that, if at all. Usually there is always one major faction you are at war with, but by no means all of them, unless you are so obviously winning the game by having a high score and the most land etc... if you stay small and tend to your glory goals, most factions will ally with you and together you can fight any superpower. That's the way to play GA, IMO.

[Mihai Viteazu]

I like very much the idea of puppet kingdoms, Ahmed. It is historically very accurate and would make the game much more interesting. It has to do with vasality, which was the backbone of medieval society but is totally missing in MTW http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

I suggest you post this on the VI thread, it might catch better the devs attention.