Originally Posted by Haruchai
Greetings!
First off, let me say thank you for the wonderful discussions and ideas in these forums – I have learned more about the game by reading the posts here that I could hope to any other way.
But now it is time to break cover and ask some questions which I haven’t seen answered.
I bought MTW some time after release as my computer then could not handle it. I enjoyed playing very much – I started out with the Spanish, learning a good deal about game mechanics and winning a couple of times on the conquest/normal setting. However, I got distracted away and have only recently installed again – this time, on the advice of an acquaintance, with VI and the XL mod. I wanted a bit more of a challenge, and to indulge my interest in role-playing as well, so I chose the Cumans – I’ve always had an fascination with steppe peoples.
I had to dismiss many pre-conceptions from my earlier days, and have had enormous fun learning how to deal with such a disadvantaged faction. Endless stretched borders, aggressive neighbours, weak resources and steppe tactics – not to mention a preponderance for pervert heirs and no-star generals with no loyalty save to their own black scheming souls. I’ve now run two ‘training’ campaigns with them, both ending in annihilation between the Horde and Byzantium, after I was bled dry by the Russians and Novgorods (my spellchecker wants to replace them with No-goods, which is rather encouraging but sadly inaccurate) – both of whom ally very effectively with the Lithuanians, it seems.
Now that I understand the capabilities of my troops better, and have seen the terrain I have to fight for (who knew, for example, that Wallachia, a province I had long planned to simply give up if it was attacked in favour of protecting Moldavia from covetous Byzantines, was such a defensible valley?) I am about to start a new campaign. It will be on GA but I am not really playing to ‘win’ but to preserve the Cuman way of life and forge a nation amongst the fractious tribes – and if blessed by the Sky gods, find a governor who can count without removing his boots and prefers the tender ministrations of women to those of goats. I already hear the clangour of javelin on shield as my bashkorts salute the return of their Khan.
Before the off, may I ask if anyone has had experience of the Cumans, particularly in the tech tree/units available? I can’t find this information and since I have yet got much past 1250, I don’t know if bashkorts and heavy steppe cavalry is all I get. For example, Avar nobles are not available in Moldavia despite being a region specific unit, so I imagine the XL mod changes things significantly in this regard.
On terrain, I have found that the battleground changes depending on the direction of invasion – in Lesser Khazar, I made this fateful mistake. To begin with, Lithuanians invaded from the north and there were bridges, upon which they broke and died like ocean waves. Feeling secure, I left a bridge defence army there until the Byzantines came from the east, to find myself defending a flat open plain with two leafless shrubs and a startled rabbit as cover for my flanks. Is this true of all provinces and is the only way out to test each province with an army from each direction till one learns? I think one would know the terrain of one’s own provinces fairly well, so I can justify research on this.
Finally, I have read several posts that use the verb ‘to turtle’. I can’t work out what this means from the context (unless it means to hunker down and tech up) so I would appreciate an explanation.
I have read with interest the reports on people’s developing empires and would like to share my campaign with everyone. Should I put it into the existing Main Hall empire thread or start a new individual thread – what’s the expected etiquette for a report that will be worded like a history?
Thanks again for all the info – I finally know how to march my entire army in one direction without them all falling out of formation!
