Nagasaki Nap
08-05-2001, 10:46
Let me start off by stating that this may be the greatest strategy game I've ever played, which is saying a lot because it's my favorite gaming genre.
I've only had the game for a week, but I've quite literally played it non-stop and have played out at least a dozen Shimazu campaigns at normal setting. I started with Shimazu simply because they were the first clan on the choices screen. I plan to play them all, but I'm beginning to wonder if there's some glitch with the Hojo clan. No matter how well I do with Shimazu, by the time my expansion to the east meets up with Hojo, they already have their "horde" of about 10,000 to 15,000 troops stacked up on the border. No amount of economic buildup or military might can defeat that (that I can see), especially because Harima is about as far east as I get before running into them and I don't have the prime real estate that the east offers.
Personally, I think the "horde tactic" is an AI flaw. Makes no sense that Hojo would sit at their border with 15,000 troops and only send in 1,000 at a time.
I finally defeated Hojo earlier today by using a cheap tactic.... I deliberately attacked the province their daimyo was in with an inferior army (300 vs. 10,000... lol). Then at the start of the battle, I sent my own daimyo and his heavy cavalry waaaaaay off to the side and out of sight. As the Hojo army descended on my hapless samurai I circled my Hatamoto around and surprised the enemy Daimyo with a rush attack from behind with my 11 heavy Cavalry.
By the time they knew what I'd done, their daimyo was unable to retreat, and I ordered every unit on the field to focus on the daimyo until he was killed, even if I had to sacrifice my daimyo.
I did this twice, killing the original Hojo Daimyo and then two turns later his only heir. While I succeeded in eliminating the Hojo clan, I felt a bit cheap about it, especially when he had more land, bigger income, and ten times the military strength.
While some would say that I used a smart tactic (I guess I did), it still bothers me that Hojo is so powerful. Seems like there's nothing I can do to stop their "horde" since the Shimazu clan starts so far away.
Any comments on the Hojo AI and horde, and how to defeat them in a somewhat more "fair fight"?
Thanks
I've only had the game for a week, but I've quite literally played it non-stop and have played out at least a dozen Shimazu campaigns at normal setting. I started with Shimazu simply because they were the first clan on the choices screen. I plan to play them all, but I'm beginning to wonder if there's some glitch with the Hojo clan. No matter how well I do with Shimazu, by the time my expansion to the east meets up with Hojo, they already have their "horde" of about 10,000 to 15,000 troops stacked up on the border. No amount of economic buildup or military might can defeat that (that I can see), especially because Harima is about as far east as I get before running into them and I don't have the prime real estate that the east offers.
Personally, I think the "horde tactic" is an AI flaw. Makes no sense that Hojo would sit at their border with 15,000 troops and only send in 1,000 at a time.
I finally defeated Hojo earlier today by using a cheap tactic.... I deliberately attacked the province their daimyo was in with an inferior army (300 vs. 10,000... lol). Then at the start of the battle, I sent my own daimyo and his heavy cavalry waaaaaay off to the side and out of sight. As the Hojo army descended on my hapless samurai I circled my Hatamoto around and surprised the enemy Daimyo with a rush attack from behind with my 11 heavy Cavalry.
By the time they knew what I'd done, their daimyo was unable to retreat, and I ordered every unit on the field to focus on the daimyo until he was killed, even if I had to sacrifice my daimyo.
I did this twice, killing the original Hojo Daimyo and then two turns later his only heir. While I succeeded in eliminating the Hojo clan, I felt a bit cheap about it, especially when he had more land, bigger income, and ten times the military strength.
While some would say that I used a smart tactic (I guess I did), it still bothers me that Hojo is so powerful. Seems like there's nothing I can do to stop their "horde" since the Shimazu clan starts so far away.
Any comments on the Hojo AI and horde, and how to defeat them in a somewhat more "fair fight"?
Thanks