Newbie campaign woes

[Beirut]

Howdy,

I got M:TW seven months ago and only played with the custom battle editor. A few days ago I played the campaign mode and got addicted very, very fast (up 'till 2am on a worknight). Here's the problem - on easy, I won 75% of the "world" in about ten hours or so. On Normal, I get creamed into cheese sauce in less than an hour. In both cases, I am letting the computer resolve almost all of the battles. Why so much of a difference?

One thing, how do I make my generals more loyal if I don't have chicks to offer them? is there another way?

Thanks.

[katar]

the computer gets more money on "normal", and auto resolving battles in campaign just sucks, you will be a lot better off if you play them out.

autoresolve is mostly just a numbers game, get your hands dirty and you will get better results. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif


giving generals titles does help with loyalty.

when you start the game make sure that you put a unit with good loyalty as the first unit in the stack (that means he should automatically get assigned as leader for that stack).

when that stack wins it`s first battle the chosen leader (with the high loyalty) will get the first star rank.

there is also a heirarchy as to which unit in a stack will get assigned leadership.

if the stack is full of peasants and knights,and none of them have command rank, the knights will get to be in charge every time, no matter their place in the stack.

[Beirut]

Thanks.

I know it's not great to use auto resolve, but to be honest, I just don't have the time to strategize AND fight the battles. By the time I get home from work, eat, talk, tuck in the kids, etc, I have about two or three precious hours at most to fart around. If I play the full game, a campaign will last weeks. I'm not that patient. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

Thanks again. I'll be back with more questions soon.

[The_Emperor]

Auto-Resolving I would advise against unless you don't care about the outcome of the battle... It doesn't always produce the result we hope for, and it does seem to be more of a shot in the dark.

Personally I Auto-resolve when I have a great numerical superiority, I also auto-resolve Castle assaults that I can't starve out... But for those key battles when your forces are evenly matched with your opponents I would sugguest you play those battles yourself.

Sometimes a little tactical flair is enough to decide the rise and fall of Empires http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[Doug-Thompson]

Quote[/b] (The_Emperor @ Dec. 30 2003,20:37)]Personally I Auto-resolve when I have a great numerical superiority,
That makes sense, and so does the opposite approach when you are outnumbered.

A strong force of 16 good units can whip much larger armies if you resolve battles personally, because reinforcements can only dribble in.
For instance, I once had a force of tough AUM's and archers vastly outnumbered by Egyptian peasants and unarmored Nubian spearmen. My AUM's were absolutely exhausted by the end of the battle and the archers ran out of arrows long before the battle ended, but the Egyptians were massacred, The main army was beaten and then each reinforcing unit was whipped in turn as it arrived on the map.

[Beirut]

Sadly, I'm still auto-resolving 99% of the time in this campaign. But at least things are going well. Except for Portugal - they revolt at the drop of a hat. Any hat.

Like I said, I realize I'm missing out by using the auto feature, but it's simply a question of time. I have none. At least with auto-resolve I can stay up an extra hour or two and really feel like I've played (most of)a game, not just a match. Ends up being like Risk of steroids. Great fun.

[WarHawk1953]

Beirut,
My preference is play each battle, I know it takes time. I tend to stretch out the campaign. Right now I playing English on normal/Med units. It is 1103 and France is dead except for two provinces and one is holding out against a band of bandits with 4 spearmen in a fort. England is the richest on the board right know and the other factions are looking me over like prime rib for Christmas with all there emissaries and brides all over the English lands. Either the Spain or Arragon will attack soon or the HRE. If things stay stable for atleast 15 more years let them come.

What I will do in the future is post a story line the next time I play the English from the perspective of a family of court-Steward/Scribes who are secretaries to the crown.

[L`zard]

Beirut;

Take the time to read Lady Frostbeasteggs's Guide, eh?

Most definatly worth it if you want to get the most out of the game

Welcome to the monkey house http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[MiniKiller]

Don't auto resolve, its to random. If ur outnumber even by the slightest u can loose very easily with auto-resolve. It doesn't seem to take into affect quality troops etc.

Maybe u can autorresolve some but fight most of em. and hey makes the campaign longer, so u can get more replayablility in it.

[Beirut]

Believe me, I realize that you guys are right on the money. The battles should be played out. Like I said, it's simply a matter of time.

***New question***

I'm playing as the Mongols (Yay http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif ). I started out in the East, built up, then went scorched earth and moved my Horde to England in one mass, leaving nothing behind, abandoning all lands and destroying all buildins. Good fun By the time I hit England, I had almost 200,000 florins.

The problem is that I can't get any good untis. I own Britain, have castles and every conceivable building in every country, a ton of money, five star generals, and my options limit me to training peasents and a few milita types. What's the deal with this? How come I can't train the top notch stuff if I have all the buildings and so much money?

Thanks.

[Bezalel]

Minikiller, It isn't random. I've auto-resovled a battle many times, and got almost exactly the same numbers. I do auto-resolve on battles that I know Im going to win (when I have a really good general, and I outnumber them), otherwise I like to play them. Beriut, practice makes perfect, and this game is fun to practice:)

[Black Arrow]

"Up to a point milord"

Sometimes the auto-resolve is still a lottery. I've been playing an english campaign and having secured the routes into France I thought it was high time to thrash those naughty Scots who kept assasinating the Dukes of Northumberland. I sent in The Grand Chancellor of England with a nicely balanced selection of archers, hobilars and billmen. outnumbering the rebels about 3:1 Pressed the autoresolve as I wanted to get back to the French front and watched in horror as he was royally reamed and I got a bill for 200 florins for the returns. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-furious3.gif

[insolent1]

Autoresolving is not random
When autoresolving don't even bother with most missile units as attack & defence is all that matters. Best units for autoresolving are CFK's, gothic footknights CMAA etc
Basically any unit with a good attack & defence

[insolent1]

Quote[/b] (Black Arrow @ Jan. 19 2004,07:20)]"Up to a point milord"

Sometimes the auto-resolve is still a lottery. I've been playing an english campaign and having secured the routes into France I thought it was high time to thrash those naughty Scots who kept assasinating the Dukes of Northumberland. I sent in The Grand Chancellor of England with a nicely balanced selection of archers, hobilars and billmen. outnumbering the rebels about 3:1 Pressed the autoresolve as I wanted to get back to the French front and watched in horror as he was royally reamed and I got a bill for 200 florins for the returns. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-furious3.gif

The problem was you brought archers who have have useless melee stats & hobilars aren't to good either(stats wise).

[SirGrotius]

One of the first questions was how to ensure the loyalty of your generals. Judging by your success in the Mongols campaign, I wonder if you still are seeking advice on these matters. But I'll give what little I know anyway.

Generals are loyal to your King. The King's proximity to his generals matters. More important, be sure to build, build, build. This will give your King favorable traits and your generals will be more loyal for it. The other comments on giving disloyal generals paltry stacks are equally valuable. Finally, I've never had a general rebel, and I play on Hard. And, I'd just consider myself an intermediate player.

As to your other question, I don't know why you can't build better units. Some nations have different units available to them (e.g., I believe the Empire is the only faction able to build swiss pikemen, could be wrong, though), and it'd be a very sad day if the Mongols could only build peasants and other like crap.

[kiwitt]

RE: Auto-Resolve

Except for Bridges Attacks (Not Defences), I always hit the battlefield. Tactics are not taken into account (e.g. Flanking moves)

[insolent1]

Regarding general loyalty I use a a little trick when they are disloyal. If he is a good general & you want to keep him take him out of the stack let him sit in the same province but in his own stack by himself. He has no army to lead the revolt with. I have been able to avoid countless civil wars because of this & if the province is invaded he still commands. Also the more battles he wins the more loyal to you he will become. If you need to attack with him just put him in the province as the army he is to command but keep him in his own stack by himself. Its a bit cheesy & tbh I don't use it much anymore.

[Drucius]

Of course you can offer generals chicks What do you think princesses are? Drop a princess on a disloyal general and watch his eyes light up.