Making Viking raids

[Seafarer]

Hi folks,

Hope this isn't a dumb question, but I cannot even start making progress when playing the Vikings in MTW:Viking Invasion as I cannot see how to make Viking raids. I've consulted the game manual but it does not seem to provide specific information on how to make a raid using Viking longboats and armies.

Could someone offer simple step-by-step instructions on how to launch on raid on a coastal province when playing the Vikings?

Thanks alot :-)

Cheers, Ed

[Demequis]

Sure thing bud. Build several longboats. 3 should do it. Assemble an army of vikings with a reasonable general in one of your provinces (I suggest not using king).
Place one long boat in the sea square directly surrounding your province with army.
Place another longboat in the square connecting the britannia coast to your coast (it should be a big ocean type thing, forget what it's called).
Place a third longboat in any ocean square adjacent to this big ocean (should also border britain).
End turn.
New turn (longboats already in place), click and hold on army, drag to any highlighted province in britain.

If you've got a big enough army you can usually get the enemy to retreat in front of you as you raze their provinces to the ground.
I suggest picking on whichever faction is the most powerful, to even things out for when you take over britain directly.

The key here is you need to have a chain of ships linking your homeland to the coast of britain.

Hope this helps

[Si GeeNa]

Welcome Seafarer,

As Demequis has already pointed out, that is just the way.

The advantage of being a Viking is that you don't need a port to despatch your armies from. You can jolly well attack a province that has no port and still evacuate from there in the event that things might turn ugly for you.

For example, you are most likely to attack Northumbria( the Yellow Faction), in the first 5 turns, usually Lothian, because they have a Abbey. (Note: Abbeys are very Good for Raiding, they turn out a huge income for Pillage and Plundering.)

After a successful invasion of Lothian, you can swiftly evacuate your army and pull them elsewhere, either another invasion of the Coast or back to your Home Provinces to refit, if need be.

Hope this helps...

[Revenant69]

Yeah the Viking raids are fearsome. Even when the faction you are about to raid has huge armies, you can still catch it off guard when they are maneuvering their armies and raid them. In short, it is very very hard to protect from Viking raids - just too many seaprovinces.

Oh and the fact taht Vikings do not need a port to launch their raid or return with their loot, makes them even more fearsome.

From the Fury of the Norsemen, O Lord, Deliver us http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[The_Emperor]

I find that the best use of Viking Raids is to attack well-developed provinces with a lot of buildings in them, as these always seem to give the best returns.

Of course always look out for provinces with an Abbey in them as these tend to make for a rather nice haul as well.

Also always try to raid new provinces as often as possible, and try to avoid revisiting old raiding sites for a few years, otherwise the returns won't be as profitable.

[Seafarer]

Thanks very much Demequis That sure helped alot. I've found it to be very fun playing the Vikings, even if it's not as easy as you think it will be.

Very addictive this game....

Cheers, Ed

[PseRamesses]

Quote[/b] (Seafarer @ Jan. 08 2004,18:02)]Thanks very much Demequis That sure helped alot. I've found it to be very fun playing the Vikings, even if it's not as easy as you think it will be.

Very addictive this game....
Yup, loosing hrs of sleep every darn night but loving every hollowed eye minute of it. Welcome to the club

...and don´t forget to raid, raid and keep on raiding and your coffers will soon turn you in to a little capitalist viking

[Gregoshi]

Welcome Seafarer http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

IIRC, eat cold steel described the proper way to raid a province. The first part is as described above. Once the province is conquered, the second part to raiding:

1) raze the taxes to very high
2) raise the buildings in the province...

Uh, correction:

1) raise the taxes to very high
2) raze (destroy) the buildings in the province
3) abandon the province

It is that third step I always have problems with - giving back the province.