H/H Campaigns

[Saidin]

Hey there...

If I am doing everything correctly, what should I be ending up with for finishing the long campaign ( 45 Regions/Jerusalem/Bye bye France) ?


Right now for my first H/H Long campaign ( I have done numerous short ones ) I am ending at

Turn : 175

Year 1428

Regions Controlled : 45

Cities: 30

Castles : 15

Turns Remaining : 51


Not bragging whatsoever, I want to see how well others do in similar circumstances ( H/H ) -- so I may improve on mine.

[econ21]

Welcome Saidin - I think this thread may get more responses in the Citadel, where it belongs. I'm moving it over.

[ReiseReise]

It all depends on how you play. It appears you played slowly and probably built up your economy real good. If you are going for speed, playing a more aggressive military based game it is not too hard to win in 50 turns. I believe the record for a long campaign is under 20 turns playing HRE, there is a thread around somewhere. That is an amazing feat though.

Speed doesn't necessarily matter though, its whatever is the most fun for you. If you play a fast game you don't get to use a lot of the unique late units or gunpowder.

A few tips if you want to get a good start:
Play fast at the beginning. You want to get as many regions under your control in the first few turns so you have a good economic base.
The first 10 turns are the most important. Use all your units to take as many rebel territories as possible. The AI shouldn't attack you right away so just leave 1 or 2 units in each city to control happiness. Using 2 small armies to take 2 different rebel places is better than using 1 large army to take one, so leave the heavily garrisoned rebel cities like Bruges, Antwerp, Bern, Vilnius, for later, you don't have time for long sieges at the start of the game. Mercenary spearmen are your best friend, you will mostly be fighting against militias so merc spears will be the best troops on the battlefield. Use the money from sacking cities to buy more of them.
Build roads first to help you move your armies about.
Usually you start with some peasants in your cities, replace them with free-upkeep militia units asap, and either disband the peasants or use them to push battering rams in your sieges against the rebels.
Build ports to get your trade going. Send your diplomats out to get as many trade agreements as possible. Convert most of the captured small castles (motte and bailey or wooden castles) into towns to make more tax and trade money.
Avoid fighting other factions until you have a good economy built up unless there is a really easy rich target (for example Venice usually leaves their capital undefended....)
If you are catholic try to keep the Pope happy, but thats a whole different thread, it really helps to have the pope on your side when you are fighting other catholics.