Mimimum number of stacks/armies ??

[YAKOBU]

Hi everyone http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

I'm not an advocate of just producing troops to sit around all the game but instead keep stacks/armies to a minimum with a small provincial guard to keep loyalty in check. Apart from provincial guards what is the lowest number of stacks you have won on total domination? I want to set myself a target to aim for and think it can be done with around 6 or 7 if not less http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[katank]

it's true that it could probably be done that way although the end game should probably be more epic combat rather than restricting yourself to fighting with limited troops and forcing yourself to be a tactical genius.

when you have loads of cash and facilities, you can even afford to throw away troops on autocalc.

I never tried it. could be interesting but it would make the end game so tedious.

[Neubs]

I played a whole game fighting with only one army made of all Royal Knights once. At the end they all had 9+ valor.

[katank]

really? you mean you didn't have to fight with any other units?

[Spartiate]

I have conquest armies and occupation/garrison armies.I normally attack 2 to 3 provinces at a time then replace or merge any badly damaged units, build a new garrison and move on.I never really thought of this issue before.I would say maybe 8 stacks of offensive troops striking in multiple directions but i assume Neubs was allowing for replacement of damaged units when he said one army of Royal Knights. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-stunned.gif

[katank]

replacement is a definite but only 1 army for attack and defense upon all borders is insane.

how could he keep 5-6 land borders at least (which is necesary at one point or another if you win as you must push into central europe.

[mfberg]

I spent one 100% game as Vikings with one army stack, 2 units on retraining, and 200 man thrall units as my garrisons. I only added new units to the stack when I had to (sons) and would delete units if the army became two stacks.

In MTW I can usually get by on 4 stacks in 100%, but the unit repair/retrain goes up to 8 units. Without sea power I would need about 7 or so, but I haven't tried playing the game without building ships.

mfberg

[Spartiate]

I dont know.Maybe he meant that he garrisons with other armies but only ever ATTACKED with the same army over and over again.Man that would be one damn tired army.Thats attacks by provinces by manouvreing.How many turns would that take???Respect http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/flat.gif

[YAKOBU]

I'm intrigued Neubs http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif

I would count defensive/border armies as well so how did you manage it with only 1 army/stack ??

I'm going to try a campaign and limit to 7 armies/stacks to see how it goes http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[Spartiate]

I played one campaign from early with the Novgorods(modded it) and started pumping priests and spys out of Finland to all corners of the map.Then when i took provinces they already had a religion in common with my faction at least.In this way i was using only a few stacks of troops and very few garrisons as the conquered provinces were pretty happy.Dont know how successful i was going to be because even though i managed to marry off most of my princes,none of the feckless gits managed to produce any male off-spring dagnammit. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[katank]

you don't see heirs from the prince until the prince inherits.

[Spartiate]

I know.What i mean is that even thought they were all married it went something like this.

Grand Prince whatsisname dies leaving no sons behind.
No problem.....his high stat brother inherits and he's been married since Jesus was a baby.But lo and behold when i check heirs i see that he has no sons and that the only heirs left are his brothers and some Princesses.
Not to worry.........he still has 3 brothers left and i married then all off ages ago.
He dies and his brother inherits......you guessed it..........NO MALE HEIRS except for his 2 remaining brothers.
It went on like that for a while until they all died.
I wonder was it the AI letting the Novgorod faction die out as this was just my mod and not a proper campaign. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-furious3.gif
Damn Princes and their low sperm count http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[katank]

that happens.

I had 4 sons that were alive (first two met unfortunate accidents).

somehow, two died with the next inheriting. my third son inherited and finally had his kiddo mature before he dropped dead albeit by only a year. I almost lost that game as the fourth was going to be 58 or so when he inherits

[Spartiate]

Why do i get the feeling that the afore mentioned unfortunate accidents were at your behest http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif .

This has never happened to me in a proper campaign game.I think it was just because the Novgorod are supposed to die out eventually(modded).

[G-Con Daniel]

This is easy on STW Just get around 2/3/4 Kensai against a unit of Ashigaru and you kick butt to the next world http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[katank]

STW is different. I've won easily with similar troop quality and outnumbered 5:1.

as for the accidents, I don't know http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif . they had lower stars and were probably not too bright and wandered into enemy territory without support, valiantly killed some enemies and finally succumbed to the swarms.

[RedKnight]

katank, was that the time you switched around that signpost that said battle front the one direction and brothel the other?

guess they sure got screwed, eh?

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

[katank]

nope, I think I switched the tavern and bivouac sign.

I think they were bloody drunk when their army allowed my heavy cav to ride straight into the middle of them and rear attakc their general while my other troops flanked.

even though my melee troops were out numbered 10 to 1. the enemy decided they were flanked and ran.

sure, their general got killed but come on, they must be drunk to not send spears to kill my daymio riding in their midst.

[G-Con Daniel]

What signs? Are you allowed to swear on these....... Somjebody help https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/ht_hide.gif https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/ht_eeeek.gif https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/ht_duel.gif

[katank]

it was a joke. haha