spanish tactics!

[Lord_PH]

i want to play as the spanish, but i don't know what tactics to use, and what regions to conquer.

desperately need advice

[hrvojej]

A couple of general tips, notyhing too indepth I'm afraid... I assume you are asking for strategy tips, but I'll throw ina few tactical ones as well.
1) Smash the Almohads early on, or they'll smash you with the sheer power of their numbers.
2) Crusade against Almohads, since they'll send out jihads after you.
3) Don't bother to make peace with Almohads, since they won't bother to make peace with you. Even if they do, the point 1 is still a problem.

Ok, and now a few less important ones:
4) Bribe the rebels around you. Some good generals may be around.
5) Garrison Portugal extensively. It might be too much of a cost to try to hold on to it at the beginning.
6) Be prepared to take out the Aragonese in two turns, so you don't get excommunicated because of them.
7) You have provinces with iron. Use them.
8) Your starting income is huge. Develop it further. Also develop gold mines in the North Africa after dealing with points 1-3.
9) Be preprared for desert combat, since it might be a better option to go all the way to the holy lands after you've dealt with points 1-3, than going into Europe straight away.
10) Develop your navy, especially if you're going for North Africa, since you'll have a long coastline.
11) Think where you'd like your borders to be before stopping to tech up further with iron provinces. Iberian peninsula is very defensible from attacks coming from Europe, and you'll have only one province border in Africa. It might be susceptible to sea invasions though.
12) Make use of javelins, both jinetes and foot javelinmen. Jinetes are one of the best units in the game after some practice (fast, can hold their own, have javelins).
13) If you're so inclined, make use of the inquisitors, since you have a bonus on them.
14) Have fun http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Portuguese Rebel]

Try to conquer Marocco as soon as possible. This province, if well defended will cut of granada from reinforcements so you can squash it later on. Spanish jinetes are pretty decent light cavalry wich can throw javelins, wich are the deadly to the almohad militia early on. The almohad militia must be your main worry in the battlefield, kill on sight, use skirmishers to avoid head on confrontation. Don't worry to much about the french, they will be killing of the english as usuall. Later on you will have to worry though...
Hope this helps http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[DrHaphazard]

Definetly take over North Africa as it is easy to defend with only a one province border. I would take that all the way to the holy land since Tripoli and Antioch are HUGE money makers. To exploit that though you're going to need a navy.

Stay friendly with the italians and the Byz, the Byz cuz they have many provinces youll want to trade with, the Italians because they usually get a big navy and you don't want to mess with them early on. Of course, always keep an eye on rival navys becuase its only a matter of time before they turn on you.

The spanish are actually in a very strong position once they overcome the almohads.

[Urban Legend]

The Spanish doesn't get the bonus to inqusitors. Maybe the Aragonese will have it.

[Knight Keimo]

At beginning, you may let Almos to take Portugal. They can´t hold it, but will try and loose many men when fighting rebels again and again.. When going to war against Almos, watch out for Aragonese, they usually try to expand to your lands.

[Knight Keimo]

Quote[/b] (Urban Legend @ July 12 2003,23:48)]The Spanish doesn't get the bonus to inqusitors. Maybe the Aragonese will have it.
Inqusitors get 1 valour at Valencia. No matter who holds it, but it´s spanish province at beginning.

[frogbeastegg]

Here's one I'm surprised no ones mentioned (although it fits into hrvojej's bribe the rebels) bribe El Cid, he's an excellent general for the start of the game. If someone else gets him you will regret it

If you plan on attacking the hot desert regions owned by the Muslims before taking on the other Catholics don't spend your money or time upgrading to armourers beyond what is necessary to get knights. Armour upgrades work against you in the desert so the money would be better spent on more troops or other buildings. Don't skimp on the attack upgrades, make use of all that iron.

The Spanish are in a really good position to take advantage of the Pope with crusades, inquisitors and religious conversion so don't kill him off. Let him declare a crusade and use this as an excuse to conquer the province cheaply (no need for the 'bribe' when targeting the crusade). Also expect to get plenty of handouts for fighting the infidel and converting the masses. Because you're such a good Catholic the Pope should support you against other attacking Catholics, when he excommunicates them you can crush them without trouble. By the time you have a large empire however the Pope will be less friendly so you can be more aggressive towards him in the mid game. Also the Pope has the occasional burst of PMT (Papal Moronic Tendencies) and hates you no matter what you do. If the Pope is like this in your game just keep assassinating him.

[Urban Legend]

Quote[/b] (Knight Keimo @ July 13 2003,00:56)]
Quote[/b] (Urban Legend @ July 12 2003,23:48)]The Spanish doesn't get the bonus to inqusitors. Maybe the Aragonese will have it.
Inqusitors get 1 valour at Valencia. No matter who holds it, but it´s spanish province at beginning.
The Almos/rebels hold Valencia at the beginning my friend. And it doesn't say it gives the bonus. Spanish starts with Leon and Castile, Castile says it gives a bonus to inquisitors, but it didn't gave a valor to my inquisitors that I created in Castile. I heard the bonus goes only to Aragonese.

[SeveredSoul]

The Spanish are one of my favorite factions. Just a few tips....

-Bribe El Cid (Rebel General)
-Some of your provinces have Iron....upgrade soliders ASAP
-Ally with Aragorn for a while...because you'll be fighting the Almos probably, and you don't want a 2 front war early in the game
-Go on the offensive with the Almos as soon as you feel you can. Regardles of ally/at war status. Allied? Break it.
-It's been said already but take northern Africa for the gold
-Remember that Catholic troops don't do very well in the desert...For your North Africa campaign have a very high valour army or a high dread general leading do most of the fighting.
-Shoot for the Holy Land....Antioch is a $$$$$$$ maker with the right Governor and a Master Merchant.


Follow some or all of these tips..I don't care http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif
By now you should be well on your way to European domination http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Knight Keimo]

Quote[/b] (Urban Legend @ July 13 2003,09:27)]
Quote[/b] (Knight Keimo @ July 13 2003,00:56)]
Quote[/b] (Urban Legend @ July 12 2003,23:48)]The Spanish doesn't get the bonus to inqusitors. Maybe the Aragonese will have it.
Inqusitors get 1 valour at Valencia. No matter who holds it, but it´s spanish province at beginning.
The Almos/rebels hold Valencia at the beginning my friend. And it doesn't say it gives the bonus. Spanish starts with Leon and Castile, Castile says it gives a bonus to inquisitors, but it didn't gave a valor to my inquisitors that I created in Castile. I heard the bonus goes only to Aragonese.
Okay, you´r right.. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif

I really, really did meant Castile but.. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

[Sam Adams]

The spanish, once you take all of spain, have the greatest strategic position of all factions except byzantium.

You have 4 regions with iron. And your lands are easily defensible, with only one border province to the south and 2 to the north. Your provinces are rather rich as well. With 4 iron provinces and all that money, you can make the most elite armies possible.

Taking spain at first isnt too bad. The first thing I do is secure the 2 iron provinces that you dont start with. This also conviently gets rid of the aragonese. Build up your troops and crush the almohads.

[HindSight2020]

The Spanish and Byzantines have great positions, but don't forget the Egyptians

Much of my strategy with the Spanish has been covered, so I'll just reiterate some things:

1) Bribe El Cid.
2) Bribe Portugal. Place a good sized group in Portugal, and keep the tax low to very low.
3) Build up your forces to the north.
4) Attack the Almohads. Then attack the Egyptians. Then attack the Turks.
5) Make your way through Asia Minor to Constantinople and up to Georgia.
6) By this time you should be building up a navy. Use your navy to set up trade routes with the other Christian factions.
7) Send emissaries to bribe any rebels that are still around.
8) Eventually one of the Catholic factions will attack.

That should give you a winning game. The Spanish have some special units -- especially cavalry. It is good to keep these in mind. However, having Egypt and the Turkish provinces will enable you to build and train at a high rate. And by the time you take Constantinople and Georgia, you will have a strategic advantage for the rest of the game.

[Magraev]

Lots of good tips here. I'll just add some of my own.

1) I wouldn't bribe Portugal. Let them remain rebel until the almos are no more - it's simply too much work to keep them subdued.

2) El Cid in turn 1 (bribe), Cordoba in turn 2 and Morocco in turn 6-8 at the latest. Then you're set.

3) Don't take Navarre until you have Aragon - keep that northern front narrow. Often the English will grab it, but you can always get it back.

4) I'd ideally stop my immediate eastern expansion at Antioch/Syria Narrow front again). Often the Byz have a thing or two to say about that plan though... Alternatively Sinai gives you a 1 province eastern border.

Go Get 'em tiger.

[Portuguese Rebel]

Quote[/b] ]The spanish, once you take all of spain, have the greatest strategic position of all factions except byzantium.

Eeeeer, i think you mean all the Iberian Peninsula?



Quote[/b] ]1) I wouldn't bribe Portugal. Let them remain rebel until the almos are no more - it's simply too much work to keep them subdued.

You bet, we will have your puny garrisson for breakfast...

[Lord_PH]

thanx for all this help just recapping on everything so that i get everything in order...

1. bribe el cid. let almos take portugual. start traning jinettes
2. when rebels appear in portugal, launch attack on cordoba. devestates almos.
3. conquer argonese...
4. conquer the rest of the islamic states while keeping a close eye on the north of the chrisitan factions.
5. all this while, keep upgrading and training units.