Which era do you play most?

**Matrim** · 07-08-2008, 20:59

I start Early 80-90% of the time. I never really liked the VI campaign, but it is interesting now and then. I've recently started a couple in High, and one in Late. I should probably branch out a bit more, learn some new tactics.

**Roark** · 07-11-2008, 05:10

When I first started playing MTW, I invariably played Early for the same reasons as everyone else (crafting an Empire "from the ground up") as well as the fact that I didn't like the idea of gunpowder in a Medieval game.

Then, as time went by, I decided that High was more fun (bigger unit roster, Horde).

Now, I almost always play Late! I like the time limit factor, and the idea of actually FINISHING a campaign at 1453 in GA mode, haha... Plus, I dig polearms. I think they give the weaker factions a bit of an advantage against rockstar knights, and make the challenge more worthwhile. The starting buildings for opponents are also improved, which enables them to train other quality troops, resulting in better army composition for battles.

I can't imagine going back to Early now and starting with... err, a fort. I find that all a bit tedious now (too much coffee maybe).

The only thing I do miss are Swabians, Avars, Kerns and the like, which are phased-out by Late.

**Ciaran** · 07-20-2008, 13:36

I agree with Roark, maybe apart from the point of missing the phased-out Early era units. They´re exotics anyways and my armies are highly standardized (you could call them "boring"), straight from Frogbeastegg´s Beginner Guide. I´m very conservative.

**caravel** · 07-20-2008, 23:26

Early would be the best era but the amount of construction required per province is ridiculous. Every single province should start with at least a fort, a port (for coastal provinces) and maybe one or two other basics such as a spearmaker, horse farmer, town watch or bowyer. It's bad enough with developed provinces getting razed to the ground and you having to rebuild anyway without also having to start entirely from scratch in a province. There's also the matter of those provinces that aren't really worth developing such as the Sinai or Cyrenaicia.

Luckily most of this can be resolved through modding, but then that's not the point is it?

**Ironsword** · 07-21-2008, 03:02

Started playing late/expert recently. Quite a different experience, had a lot more battles and the AI is much better equipped. In fact, the first time I played as aragon, I lasted 15 turns. (But took the spanish king with me...)

**Empirate** · 07-21-2008, 11:25

Actually, Sinai and Cyrenaica are very much worth developing, for excellent Mamluk Horse Archers and Saharan Cavalry, respectively. When I play Egypt, I find myself finishing the castle in Sinai before anywhere else to get my hands on some great mounted archers. And Valor 2 Saharans are scary, fast and deadly. Fantastic medium cav and very, very cheap, and available to all Muslim factions.