Building a General

So, what do people like to spend their General talent points on? What retainers do you really value?

In my first game I stacked +command talents, but I'm not sure now that was a valuable approach.

In my current game I've maxed out movement (which I'll probably always do now) and picked up, "stand and fight." Other than that my talent points are sitting mostly unspent because I can't bear the thought of wasting them!

I typically give at least one or two generals the siege reduction talents (assuming I get generals leveled that high) and they become my city breakers.

I'm torn on making a "defensive" general and giving him the siege lengthening talents. It seems too situational and is reliant my ability to predict where the AI will consistently attack. Defensive battles are pretty easy anyway.

In the late game I tend to go with samurai or monk armies primarily because they're more interesting than ashigaru and at that point I'm playing for the "sandbox" value. If the campaign was still tight and I fielded ashigaru armies I might pick up those talents though.

As far as retainers, my Daimyo has the fear inducing sword. I thought I saw a difference with this in the early game, but I suspect that the impact is no longer significant as the game progresses against samurai troops. One of my generals has a + accuracy to bows retainer which I quite like given how strong archery is. Other than that I have a mixture of +command retainers and other random stuff which I'm uncertain has a significant impact on the game. Somehow I haven't seen the retainer this game who increases replenishment (surgeon I think?), but I like to pick that one up also.

How about you guys? What do you like to do with your generals? Anyone experiment with the fear inducing talents? Was the difference noticeable?

I agree on the movement increasing talent and stand and fight; also on siege expert. They just leave room for stealthy, for the ability to fight night battles. This can really help in the later game if you face multiple stacks. A ninja can achieve the same result, by sabotaging the army but they are not always available nor successful, and sometimes even if successful, sabotaging the army does not stop it reinforcing.

Now I have settled on the above, I find it very hard to justify any other build. However, I did try a pirate/admiral for my navy - getting a cannon bune meant it felt a bit redundant though.

Debate or Mutual Admiration?

Movement (always) Stand & Fight (best of the bunch) Night Fighter (situational but priceless when you need it)

Early game, what do you think of the +Bushido line? I like the extra research but max'ing stand and fight asap seems a better choice.

Nature & Nuture
Daimyo goes for honour retainers where possible. A bit of melee defense and +bushido if I have spare generals.

In the Mori campaign I'm playing the Daimyo has two younger brothers and the youngest became a general before the middle one. A fierce good looking potrait and youth, made him the commissioner for warfare. Essentially the Daimyo conquers the younger brother then goes forward whilst the Daimyo replenishes.

Leveled up after defending against a counter attack in the plains. Obvious path for him is melee, not so obvious was his choice of retainer. He could a) chose the +5% bow retainer to help his four bow units OR b) the foxy mistress who reduces campaign movement by 2% and increases field defense by 1. Let's just say the young youthful general is scouting out all the haystacks in the field.

I love getting Stand & Fight. Daimyo sitting on their director's chair thingy waving the signal paddle thingy around is one of the first images that come to my mind when I think about the Sengoku battles. I only wish you could still use inspire and rally and whatnot.

Other than that, anything that increases land battle command. Siege defense is so easy that the extra stars aren't needed.

I never ever get the traits that buff the general's bodyguard unit. In Empire and Napoleon I developed a tendency to be very very stingy about using my general in combat.

I go first for the movement, then straight for night battles. By that time you're likely to be facing multiple stacks, and attacking them one by one is vital. In my last Shimazu campaign, when I neared Kyoto there were about 3 Yamana stacks, 6 Takeda ones, and a stack of Hojo or 2. The Takeda especially were just moving along slowly in a tight clump... I had to gradually attack them when one got somewhat separated from the others, so the + movement and night battles were vital. I ended up gradually whittling them down, but it was a real struggle.

I give my Generals Mistress and War bonuses.

If there is rumors of betraying my clan.I do not kill them.It is far better to keep Generals than to waste them.That way,My Generals only think of the clan and are loyal to the clan.

I generally find bonuses to morale are the most important things a retainer can give. Most of the + attack and defense stuff is covered by your traits, so if you build your general smart in that regard, you can turn your troops into killing machines. What I normally look for is the morale boosters, and maybe the fear inducing stuff. Though like other posters have said, once you hit the mid-game that almost becomes a non-factor. :shrug:

I also make it a note to build more generals as fighters than as tacticians. Typically I have one man who is my "military genius" he is built purely for stategy, adding bonuses to units and, sometimes, the poet line for the boost to research. Everyone else gets used for the charge :grin2: