Advice needed for next move

[Odin]

Hey all,

Playing MTW 1.1 medmod 1.85 as Poland.

I started in the early period, its 1136 and I have built Poland up technologically while bribing Pommerania, Prussia, and the province directly east of poland (cant remember the name.

I am currently allied with:

Spain- Still isolated on Iberia and slugging it out with almohads, occasionally Portugal rebels but Spain holds it for now. Basically there a non factor for me.

England- They offered a royal marriage and I took it. England is at war with France and its been a slug fest, however the english do have Ireland and scotland. France is in a war with the HRE and is slowly loosing ground.

Denmark - They have built a nice little northern empire. Home provinces and Sweden, Livonia, and Finland. In addition they constantly invade Lithuania and get removed. (I was removed as well twice).

Kievens - there in a pinch, they lost Kiev to rebels, and have been trying to recapture it invein for 15+ years.

Those are my allies. Now here is they situation, the Byz empire is kicking some major A$$ and has elimiated Hungary I dont know what the turks or the egyptians are doing but I have 3 900+ Byz armies sitting in hungary...

I have been building and have 3 armies, 2 consist of 5-7 spearmen, 3-5 bowmen, 2 catapults, and one royal knight division. The 3rd army is 960 polish retainers. I constructed them with the intention of hitting the HRE as they were excommunicated and having the retainers as a supprort force when the HRE hit back. Then Hungary fell and I held off plans to invade HRE because frankly, the Byz empire looks poised to expand again, and my 3 armies might be the catlyst for them to look elsewhere.

So thier in lies my paradox, I have Kiev ready and waiting to be taken, I have the armies to do it, in addition I can probably take Lithuania. Do I go east? do I go at the HRE? or do I sit and wait for the Byz to make thier move?

If I go on the offensive and the Byz empire attack it might be end game for me, I have nominal defense forces.

Any advice much appreciated.

[bighairyman]

Built some strong castles in the border area between you and Byzatines, ally with them if possible. Meanwhile try to ally with france, and try a three prong attack on HRE, built some iquztors and emaasaries to bribe and burn those strong HRE generals. And have fun. Since HRE is often excommunicted, try a Crusade. Meanwhile, keep a watchful eye on those rebel states and Russians. when the Rebels get weaken from repeated attacks from Russians, invade, built medium castles, and grassion, with HA;s, light infantry, and Pike/Spear units. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-gossip.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-gossip.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[mercian billman]

I've never played medmod 1.85 I have 3.14.

For what it's worth I would suggest that you wait for the Byzantines to make their move. I think the province east of Poland is Vohlnia(?). The Byzantines should be bordering Poland and Vohlnia I suggest you keep your 2 border armies in place and hold your 3rd army in reserve.

Hope this helps.

[Odin]

Thanks for the reply guys. I have been holding now for a few years, I just have Kiev sitting thier ready to be plucked.

I think allying with the Byz is a good idea and then dealing with Lithuania and Kiev.

mercian billman, whats 3.14? is that for stand alone MTW? I dont have Viking Invasion and dont plan on getting it due to bug threads I read here.

Is 3.14 a stand alone mod? I went to Wes's site and downloaded the most up to date mod for sp mtw 1.1 I could find, is 3.14 something different?

Thanks,

Odin

[wanderingblade]

Hold that border and build up the defences while trying to get an alliance. Try to get a spare army or enough cash to bribe rebels, so you can make the most of what oppurtunities come, but the Byzantines can't be shown a back door.
If you have lots of spies, you might want to consider chucking a few into enemy provinces, and seeing if you can lower loyalty enough to get a resurgance...

[discovery1]

3.14 is the VI version of MedMod.

Oh, I suppose I should actually give you advice. Split that cav army into two. Then send one half and one of your other armies into Kiev. The Byz hold Moldolvia right? If so, then having a strong force in Kiev would allow you the opportunity to attack the Byz in the rear if they attack you. Of course, the Byz might be strong enough to attack both at once.

[Coldstream]

I suggest your next move to be upgrading medmod to 3.14 ;P

[Odin]

Quote[/b] (Coldstream @ Mar. 17 2004,20:39)]I suggest your next move to be upgrading medmod to 3.14 ;P
Well I dont have VI and dont intend on buying it. From what I can see it dosent add a whole lot more to the game. Sure playing the viking scenario would be fun but I am pretty satisfied with vanilla MTW.

Will 3.14 run without VI?

Also, I allied with the Byz Empire. Before doing so I send a princess south and east to see the extent of thier lands, they are way to big a fish for little old Poland to fry. I got rebels in lithuania and Kiev so I took both. Mainly peasants in Kiev, they kept coming though.

[Gregoshi]

Odin, 1.85 was the last MTW version of MedMod. You need VI to get the latest and greatest. That in itself might be enough reason to get VI if you really like the MedMod. Besides the Viking Campaign, VI adds the pre-battle screen, the ability to save between battles, adds some new units to the MTW campaign and opens up more factions to play.

[Odin]

Quote[/b] (Gregoshi @ Mar. 18 2004,10:28)]Odin, 1.85 was the last MTW version of MedMod. You need VI to get the latest and greatest. That in itself might be enough reason to get VI if you really like the MedMod. Besides the Viking Campaign, VI adds the pre-battle screen, the ability to save between battles, adds some new units to the MTW campaign and opens up more factions to play.
Thanks for the reply. Before registering my account I browsed the boards and read through a thread how many still play (I think thats what it was called). It seemed to me a lot of players didnt play due to unaddressed bugs in the VI expansion.

Frankly thats why I dont have it, MTW vanilla patched and modded is a pretty good game on hard, certainly challenging for me.

From what I have read it seems the enhancements dont outweigh the bugs.

[Monk]

Quote[/b] (Odin @ Mar. 18 2004,11:33)]
Quote[/b] (Gregoshi @ Mar. 18 2004,10:28)]Odin, 1.85 was the last MTW version of MedMod. You need VI to get the latest and greatest. That in itself might be enough reason to get VI if you really like the MedMod. Besides the Viking Campaign, VI adds the pre-battle screen, the ability to save between battles, adds some new units to the MTW campaign and opens up more factions to play.
Thanks for the reply. Before registering my account I browsed the boards and read through a thread how many still play (I think thats what it was called). It seemed to me a lot of players didnt play due to unaddressed bugs in the VI expansion.

Frankly thats why I dont have it, MTW vanilla patched and modded is a pretty good game on hard, certainly challenging for me.

From what I have read it seems the enhancements dont outweigh the bugs.
There's been a patch released since that thread was open and the main bugs have been fixed. The 56 year bug is no more, aside that i haven't noticed a major game-killing bug. So as long as you download the 2.01 patch VI is fine http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[SwordsMaster]

Well, the Byz are not catholyc either,so you can ally with the HRE, move your forces to kiev,leaving behind spies and bishops and the kind to keep huge loyalty in your province,take kiev,hit the byz in the rear, burn everything you can,and move back.

Or, you can use your army to hit the HRE, raid a few provinces, burn them to the ground, leave there your spies/inquiz, and move back.You will allow France to take advantage, gain some money to bribe the rebels sitting in kiev and you wont need huge investments if are not going to keep those provinces....

Anyway, build some castles at your border areas....

Enjoy

[Odin]

Quote[/b] (SwordsMaster @ Mar. 18 2004,10:40)]Well, the Byz are not catholyc either,so you can ally with the HRE, move your forces to kiev,leaving behind spies and bishops and the kind to keep huge loyalty in your province,take kiev,hit the byz in the rear, burn everything you can,and move back.

Or, you can use your army to hit the HRE, raid a few provinces, burn them to the ground, leave there your spies/inquiz, and move back.You will allow France to take advantage, gain some money to bribe the rebels sitting in kiev and you wont need huge investments if are not going to keep those provinces....

Anyway, build some castles at your border areas....

Enjoy
Well I have taken Kiev and Lithuania and secured them both. Youve got a pretty good idea in hitting the HRE, but for me I dont fancy building up france only because England dosent seem to be to intrested in providing them with any bit of a challenge.

As it stands now I have a nice little central base and now I have to decide how to proceed. I am inclined to build up forces and defenses as the Mongols will show thier ugly faces soon. I can always go west later, and although the Danes have a nice empire thier technology dosent seem to be up to par Im sure if I made them a priority I could take them out easily.

So Im in limbo at the moment as to where to go, kind of preparing Lithunia and Kiev for my front line against the Mongols. Each one needs a standing army so all I have in reserve are approx 800+ polish retainers.

Those retainers have to support any flash point, I have about 5000 florins and am starting to get trade money in, but I know the Mongols will hit hard and I have to build up for that. The Byz empire is still very impressive and has subdued all of the balkans and hungary. I am really anxious to see the turks or egyptians begin to expand, It seems to me Poland isnt a very strong nation, my leaders are less then stellar so I need to attack nations with multiple fronts.

(makes your HRE suggestion more attractive). In the end though I am leanning on defense of what I have, if anyone in the west gets cute and hits sliesia or pomerania I will loose lots of structures which I cant afford. In this game I am at my most vunerable, I dont know how adept the AI is in its perception of weakness in other nations, well see.

[SwordsMaster]

Hhmmm,let someone else take the hit from the mongols,say the byz....or the rebels in the worst case, but dont leave a province if theres is a river in cos you wont be able to take it back...

And you seem to rely exclusively on polish retainers,just remember that the mongols have impressive cavalry.

Good luck