French diplomacy

[PrinceBrobex]

Hey,
Trying to play the French -hard,GA, early - and while I manage to blitz the English pretty early I always seem to get smacked by the HRE, Spanish and/or Aragon. How do I keep these guys off my back; they never seem to respond to my diplomatic efforts. Is it a question of large garrisons?

Thanks for any tips

[Maedhros]

Large garrisons are bad.

They drive fear into your foes and cause them to plot behind your back.

They may turn hostile and reject diplomacy altogether, or agree to friendship under false pretenses, only to stomp you while you are stomping elsewhere.


Try keeping garrisons just smaller than those of your rivals along your borders.

The computer probably can't beat you without numbers, amazing quality, or a god like general anyway.

Keep larger reserves in the interior of your realm where they can be rapidly deployed where and when needed to a given border.

When you are attacked they will may be unknown to your enemy and thus will make an ugly, and unforseen surprise.

If Aragon is making itself a threat then you are likely overextending yourself.

Listen to Sun Tzu....and plan according to his lesson.

OR...learn from bush and don't invade unless you have a plan.

[caspian]

hmm... I do the exact opposite. I place all my hard-core veteran SOBs along the borders. And mostly attack at multiple fronts. My most recent game was with the Danes/High/Expert. When I took all of the Germanic provinces and I have all my blood-thirsty Vikings all dressed up and no-where to go. I assembled some 5-6 armies (first 16 unit army and 5-8 reinforcements) in different border provinces and launched them in one year. I had to fight the French, Poles, Italians and Hungarians in one turn. The thing is, some of these nations were trying to get me to ally with them before I attack. This has happened to me before, my policy now is to attack prepared while intimidating others and if attacked and defeated: drop everything and try to retake the province and eliminate the SOB who messed with me.

[PrinceBrobex]

Ineresting stuff. thanks

[PrinceBrobex]

Maedhros, you're advice worked like a charm and I'm cheerfully crusading through the Empire as we speak. The Aragonese have gone to their doom after callously rebuffing my attempts to link our houses. The Spanish seem intent on following their example. Now for Krak des Chevaliers

[Basileus]

Well as the frensh you´ll always have evryone koncking at your door step http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-grin2.gif , you can cripple the english by taking wessex and then hitting/killing of aragon befor ethy hit you..then you´ll have the HRE Spanish and Italians near you..

[LadyAnn]

Advice to French Ruler:

Crusade

Annie

[Dillinger]

You guys act like Aragon is actually a threat. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-tongue2.gif
You smack England, then Aragon, then, if you're lucky Spain will not have expanded beyond is two provinces, so you can smack them then, too. Italy is a good choice after that. If you're playing GA, settle down and crusade after Spain.

[PrinceBrobex]

No, Aragon is long gone and Crusading is my chief concern. I don't even want to bother with the Spanish but if they insist, I'll destroy them.

[makkyo]

I'm too lazy and bloodthirsty to launch crucades... I always attack my neighbors. I should learn to control myself.

[Maedhros]

glad I could help

smashing a crusade is where the true joy is.

A quick note to the conquering prince:

My tactics generally require you maintain extensive inteligence networks, and remain flexible with your defense. Especially as your domain becomes large. Ports are helpful. But maintaining multiple bases and intimidating those you think may attack you while you are busy on another front with veteran troops are large phalanxes of spear is a good idea.

Spear are cheap and quickly recruited. but keep the complement of spear close. your enemy will use sword or shock troops to breach your spear line. The horse will become useful quickly.


Anybody up for rock paper scissors?