Grifman
09-07-2002, 09:09
Ok, this is my strategy to blitz with the Byzants. Seems to work after three separate tries on hard . . .
1) The key is Rum - it is the Turkish heartland, seat of their production. Take it and they are eventually doomed.
2) In contrast Constantinople is invincible - a few troops can hold it forever
3) First off, upgrade the Big C's agri to 20%. Then build a horsefarm. This allows you to build a key unit, horsearchers.
4) While doing 3 above, use the Big C to pump out Byzant infantry and Trebizond archers. If you feel luck take some troops and in the first couple of turns, take and hold Serbia - some nice mines, agri and trade there for later.
5) Take all other Byzant infantry and T archers and send to Anatolia to join up with the Emperor. There will be your attacking army. Withdraw troops in Georgia to Trebizond and Lesser Armenia to Anatolia.
6) In the Big C, do nothing but build troops: B infantry, and horsearchers once you get em. No agri upgrades, but you can do any upgrades which make your troops better - mainly morale boosting.
7) All other provinces, do nothing but agri upgrades. Nothing more. These tend not to be destroyed - which you will see why in a minute. Keep this up to 40-60% for all provinces. Don't worry about trade and ships yet - you want the agri high - setting up trade takes too long for the purposes of the Byzant Blitz.
You'll amass a large amount of cash. Hire all the decent mercs you can in Trebizond for several turns to get a large army.
9) Now you ought to have 2 decent sized armies, maybe one small/med one. Invade Rum with everything you have or if you are feeling luck keep a small army in Treb, while you attack with your two largest ones. Don't worry about counterattacks - you don't care. He can't take your troop production away in the Big C - while you are striking at his.
10) Now you will have Rum. The Turks may counterattack and take a couple of provinces, but who cares - he can't replace his army so he can't hold them. Most likely - it's happened everytime so far - Rum will still be able to produce horsearchers after you take it. Start pumping them out, and switch the Big C to Byzant infantry.
11) The Turks may have another start up production site, or try to build another, but it's too late. You can outproduce them at a minimum of 2 to 1 if they have anything at all. By pure attrition, they are doomed if you do nothing else but fight them evenly the rest of the way.
12) Now it's just a matter of time to build up additional forces to slowly cover your provinces and force the Turks out of what they have. You can eventually back them into just Syria and Edessa, then with 3 to 4 armies wipe them from the face of the earth
13) Your only risk now - the Egyptians. No more buffer with the Turks and I've never seen the Egyptians and Elmoheads go at each other - ever. So you have to stay sharp and keep pumping out troops to protect your new border. You should be able to get to Byzant cavalry fairly quickly, and also by now you should be raking in the cash. Shouldn't be hard to pump out enough troops to make the Egyptians realize that they'd be better off fighting their Muslim brothers than messing with some bad infidels
14) Now just take your time, build up your provinces, and prepare for the long haul.
There it is, all shaken, mixed and stirred. Enjoy.
Grifman
1) The key is Rum - it is the Turkish heartland, seat of their production. Take it and they are eventually doomed.
2) In contrast Constantinople is invincible - a few troops can hold it forever
3) First off, upgrade the Big C's agri to 20%. Then build a horsefarm. This allows you to build a key unit, horsearchers.
4) While doing 3 above, use the Big C to pump out Byzant infantry and Trebizond archers. If you feel luck take some troops and in the first couple of turns, take and hold Serbia - some nice mines, agri and trade there for later.
5) Take all other Byzant infantry and T archers and send to Anatolia to join up with the Emperor. There will be your attacking army. Withdraw troops in Georgia to Trebizond and Lesser Armenia to Anatolia.
6) In the Big C, do nothing but build troops: B infantry, and horsearchers once you get em. No agri upgrades, but you can do any upgrades which make your troops better - mainly morale boosting.
7) All other provinces, do nothing but agri upgrades. Nothing more. These tend not to be destroyed - which you will see why in a minute. Keep this up to 40-60% for all provinces. Don't worry about trade and ships yet - you want the agri high - setting up trade takes too long for the purposes of the Byzant Blitz.
You'll amass a large amount of cash. Hire all the decent mercs you can in Trebizond for several turns to get a large army.
9) Now you ought to have 2 decent sized armies, maybe one small/med one. Invade Rum with everything you have or if you are feeling luck keep a small army in Treb, while you attack with your two largest ones. Don't worry about counterattacks - you don't care. He can't take your troop production away in the Big C - while you are striking at his.
10) Now you will have Rum. The Turks may counterattack and take a couple of provinces, but who cares - he can't replace his army so he can't hold them. Most likely - it's happened everytime so far - Rum will still be able to produce horsearchers after you take it. Start pumping them out, and switch the Big C to Byzant infantry.
11) The Turks may have another start up production site, or try to build another, but it's too late. You can outproduce them at a minimum of 2 to 1 if they have anything at all. By pure attrition, they are doomed if you do nothing else but fight them evenly the rest of the way.
12) Now it's just a matter of time to build up additional forces to slowly cover your provinces and force the Turks out of what they have. You can eventually back them into just Syria and Edessa, then with 3 to 4 armies wipe them from the face of the earth
13) Your only risk now - the Egyptians. No more buffer with the Turks and I've never seen the Egyptians and Elmoheads go at each other - ever. So you have to stay sharp and keep pumping out troops to protect your new border. You should be able to get to Byzant cavalry fairly quickly, and also by now you should be raking in the cash. Shouldn't be hard to pump out enough troops to make the Egyptians realize that they'd be better off fighting their Muslim brothers than messing with some bad infidels
14) Now just take your time, build up your provinces, and prepare for the long haul.
There it is, all shaken, mixed and stirred. Enjoy.
Grifman