sell me on the French or Almos

[NewJeffCT]

I only play single player and always start on early. What reason do I have that I should play the Almohads or the French? The Almos have a good starting position, but don't get any cool troops after the Almo Urban Militia in early - and, they don't have access to some of the cool, versatile troops that other Muslim factions get like Nizari or Futuuwas. The French also have a decent starting position, but have no unique troops types unlike the English with Billmen & longbows / Spanish with Jinettes / Italians with Italian Infantry / Danes with Vikings ...

I have played every other faction at least once (English 3 times, Byz & Turks twice)

[mystic brew]

well, for the french you have a parlous starting position. You face the HRE and the English, and the Aragonese can often field up to 100 knights in a few short years and so they'll looking to pick off Toulouse.

Add in the Pope and you can have a little fun. If you add in the GA achievement to build a citadel in Outremer and you have a certain cachet.

I'd play to start to re-unite France and protect Ile de France.

The French situation is quite fun - but I agree about the troop types. Though it could be argued that +1 chivalric knights are close to being a unique unit

As for the Almohads, dunno. But if you play them in high or late then apparantly they are tough to win.

[mystic brew]

If I were to play the French I would really concentrate on the whole flower of Chivalry angle. Few quality infantry, but xbows and militias, backing up a huge force of heavy horse.

[o_loompah_the_delayer]

PLay almos in Middle or High. You dont have suitable units to deal with the crusading knights so it can be tricky

[The Wizard]

Aragonese with a 100 knights in a few years? Gotta check that... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[NewJeffCT]

Quote[/b] (Wizzy @ Oct. 22 2003,14:45)]Aragonese with a 100 knights in a few years? Gotta check that... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif
I'm guessing due to lots of princes, well at least 4, which would give you 101 (if you count the kind and his 21...)

[mystic brew]

yeah, s'right. The Danes can as well, but it seems the Aragonese are much more aggressive. i've often been attacked by them as either the Spanish or the English.

But 100 knights? Thank god they don't really manouvre in force too often

[Doug-Thompson]

I'd rather have my unique unit in the beginning rather than the end, frankly.

Almohads are for early, agressive fighting.. They're perfect for that.

They're Muslims. They don't have excommunication to worry about.

Almohad Urban Militia slaughter early age "cheap" units like spears and peasants and are practically immune to early era archers. Desert archers are better than run-of-the-mill early archers, too. Bonused dhows from Tunisia allow them an early grab for control of the Mediterranean.

Almohads get bonused Almohad Urban Militia from Granada, bonused Berber Camels from Morocco, bonused dhows from Tunisia, and bonused Saharan cavalry from Cyrencia.

[Martok]

Another point for the Almos is that they have a very decent income. Not only are their lands generally quite fertile, but 4 out of their 6 starting provinces also have a gold or silver mine. In addition to that, both Spain and Egypt have many fertile provinces as well; so no matter which direction the Almohads expand, they have quick access to rich territories, adding to their already considerable treasury. And of course, since the Caliphate sits on the Mediterranean, there is always the option of getting a little trade going http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[The Wizard]

Quote[/b] (NewJeffCT @ Oct. 22 2003,15:18)]
Quote[/b] (Wizzy @ Oct. 22 2003,14:45)]Aragonese with a 100 knights in a few years? Gotta check that... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif
I'm guessing due to lots of princes, well at least 4, which would give you 101 (if you count the kind and his 21...)
Strangely enough when i play the Aragonese I never get that... >_

[Brutal DLX]

France: Lots of options, really. They get Gendarmes (not truly unique, but I build them anyway). If you play France, definitely play a GA campaign. You could try to focus on the crusade goals first, but that requires you to start a very early war vs. the English to drive them off of the continent. Or you could build up your provinces, do the church building GA's, sometimes it's even possible to ally with England and concentrate on playing a defensive game, building shipping, fending off attacks by Aragon, Spanish, Almohads, HRE or England. So in short, if you play as France, you'll have a lot to do for sure.

Almohads: Not so great as a GA campaign, due to very few GA goals. Have an excellent position, can even ally with Spain in some cases. After you take either Spain or the Egyptian lands it get rather easy as you will make a lot of money.
Not many special units indeed, but can build lots of them due to low upkeep costs. Quantity over quality here. AUM still a good unit later on, but preferrably need armour and weapon upgrade from northern Spanish provinces. In short, good choice if you want an easy and laid back campaign for a change (only possible challenge is defeating the Spanish Jinete/crusade wave).

[el_slapper]

Both need a strong & violent start, unlike Danes or poles, for example. Kicking the Brits/Almos out of the continent in less than 20 years is mandatory to thrive. That's tricky for France in early, for Almos in middle & late, but highly rewarding.

That's not builder's civs. You kill, then you build.

[HopAlongBunny]

French and Almo's need to play aggressively in my experience.

Playing the French, I have never been able to get anywhere w/o first eliminating the English; after that it can dissolve into Total War as the HRE and Spanish decide to take a run at you. Very challenging http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Almo's get a lot of advantages EARLY. Just need to end the game before the other factions can get even http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[NewJeffCT]

Thanks, just started playing as the Almos in Early and have conquered all of the Iberian peninsula in about 30 years. The Spanish fell quickly, and then I bribed El Cid to my side to get Valencia, whipped the feudal knights and the rest of the Portugese and then moved into Aragon a few years later, all the while cranking out AUMs every year out of Granada...(hmm, when I played as the Spanish, he refused my repeated attempts to bribe him....) My goal is to see how fast I can conquer - hopefully I can get through France (& push the English off the mainland) and make a dent in the HRE and Italy by the end of the Early era.

Now, just rest a year or two and then on to Toulouse. Meanwhile, the Egyptians seem to be massing in Egypt.

[HopAlongBunny]

When Egypt gets in the game just remember your AUM don't like the desert. Prepare for that and you're ready to take over the world http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Daevyll]

Play France in Late, GA. Then it is quite a nice game, trying to juggle your crusade-gotten-gains with your continental european position is good fun.

Cant say anything for the Almos, they are the least attractive faction to me as well.

[The Wizard]

There is something about me with the East - in that area are my favorite factions: The Byzantines, the Turks and the Egyptians. The Almohads are the only Muslim faction I don't like...

Other factions I like are the Spanish, Aragonese and the HRE.

The Hungarians are ok, as well as the Italians and English, I guess..

[econ21]

NewJeffCT: try reading the Almohad VI campaign thread in the PBM section of the org. I inherited it around the transition from early to high and it was an amazing ride. Yes, the Almos can use AUM to steamroller Western Europe but that could leave the Byzantines free to do the same in the East. When the Byzantines came for me, they were very hard to stop. They have high command generals and access to great heavy cav, which the Almos find hard to counter. One seemingly fair battle in particular I confess I re-loaded again and again, but found it impossible to avoid being steamrollered so I gave in and autoresolved.

My problem with the French campaign is that if you rush the English to unify the country, you quickly become very powerful. I guess you could try for the Krac de Chevaliers GA. Or try to avoid the rush, but that requires a lot of self-restraint as the divided early starting position is pretty intolerable. BTW, I am finding now, post VI, that the French are often a power to beat - in early, they can wipe out the English, Germans and Danes if left alone.

[Fragony]

France may not have the most interesting roster, but it sure as hell is an interesting campaign. If you go for the GA points you are constantly strapped for cash, while your enemies are teching up. I always dread the moment I see the first militia/feudal sergeant, cause the only counter I have at that point are royal knights. France does get gendarmes in late, which are pretty decent heavy cav. In late it is easy to build a lot of them. You will be teched for pikemen in most provinces, add a master swordsmith and you have nice superheavy cheap horses. But if you want to win as france you have to kick out the english asap, I always attack first turn.