Blitzmaster Challenge

**Askthepizzaguy** · 07-03-2008, 18:24

I propose that a title be granted to all those who hold the record for a faction, and the main Blitzmaster title be granted to the one who holds the overall fastest turn number.

King of England (106 provinces in X turns, England)
Roi of France (106 provinces in X turns, France)
Sultan of Africa (106 provinces in X turns, Moors)
Fatmid Caliph (106 provinces in X turns, Egypt)
Ottoman Emperor (106 provinces in X turns, Turks)
Righ of Scotland (...etc)
Koning of Denmark
Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire
Rey of Spain
Rei of Portugal
Re of Sicily
Duca of Milan and Genoa
King of Poland
Signore of the Republic of Venice
King of Hungary
Basileos of the Byzantine Empire
король of Russia

**Ferret** · 07-03-2008, 19:14

I might go for the Russians title just because no one else will have the patience

**Askthepizzaguy** · 07-03-2008, 20:28

as a matter of fact I did a blitz run with Russia already

I only managed to get 50 provinces before I left but it was a good time. Like 30 turns.

**BananaBob** · 07-04-2008, 02:03

You guys have a crazy amount of skill. What version of the game are you using? Vanilla?

**Askthepizzaguy** · 07-04-2008, 04:27

Vanilla 1.3, in fact.

The "semi-fixed" version of the game.

This strategy relies upon the fact that if you leave/join a crusade every turn for 10 turns, you can move in any direction without loss to desertion for 10 turns.

You must have at least one general and 7 other units in order to do so.

Also, you are allowed to reload. However, there are no other breaches of fair-play allowed in the blitzmaster challenge. If you open the console, and force victory, or move characters through cheating, or any other console actions, (besides toggle_fow I suppose because you're allowed to reload anyway... its the same thing as not having fog of war) then it's not actually a challenge.

The challenge is to see what is technically possible under normal game mechanics to do with your initial starting forces, to conquer the entire map in the most efficient and shortest way possible.

**Askthepizzaguy** · 08-06-2008, 18:11

I hope the Blitzmaster Challenge isn't dead. Now that I have a new computer I will be doing some more blitz runs with factions other than the Turks.

Brave warriors, join me.

Sorry I've been absent all month... please dont close this thread just yet, o honourable moderator!

**yogol** · 08-07-2008, 02:16

Silly question... Why end the Jihads/Crusades ? If you do a Jihad on a well-selected target far, far away west, can't you keep the Jihad going for alot longer then 5 turns without loosing alot of troops ? For blitzing, I was thinking about a scenrio like...

- turn 1-4 : no jihad, get like 7 or 8 cities, have Man of the Hours so you got 7-8 Generals, buy alot of cheap troops.
- turn 5 : Jihad on -say- London, let all Generals join. Move 3-4 Generals with some HA more-or-less toward London and 3-4 Generals without any troops to remote provinces (Arguin comes to mind).
- turn 20 when all Generals are in place : buy all Mercs you can and conquer all cities.

Maybe that way, with Jihad speed all the way, you'll get everywhere faster and not "loose" 10 turns without Jihad speed ?

**Askthepizzaguy** · 08-07-2008, 02:24

1. waiting so long to join a jihad means wasted time. No jihad speed, and also, unit upkeep prevents new recruitment.

2. Cannot call a jihad on london so soon. It contains no Muslims, and is not a high priority target. When many catholics have been invaded or destroyed, deeper Catholics become priorities.

3. In order to get that many cities in so little time, 106 in 23 turns, you need almost 5 provinces taken every single turn. Good luck.

**Gajinah** · 08-07-2008, 19:04

I started up a Turks game and had a problem with moving my forces as quickly as you did. It just didn't seem that they were able to get to any provinces in the first few turns. That's probably my inexperience with the game though as I bought it very recently and found this site even more recently. So how did you move so fast?

And what do you think about declaring a Jihad on Portugal (since I did)? I scrapped the game, but I thought that Portugal would be a good target because it would be constant westward expansion.

I assume that this method relies on sacking every town to get money and what, having every city trying to pump out cash and with little to no garrison so that you can afford mercenaries? Or do you actually waste time building units?

And I started another blitz campaign as Russia and I've taken out Poland, Hungary, and Denmark and currently in conflict with the Byzantines. I think I'm in the mid 20s turn-wise. It seems I've lost momentum though because I'm running out of funds without cheap Jihad mercenaries. And the map is so huge on that side, the only that moves halfway decently is all cavalry army.

**Askthepizzaguy** · 08-08-2008, 01:40

Originally Posted by Gajinah

I started up a Turks game and had a problem with moving my forces as quickly as you did. It just didn't seem that they were able to get to any provinces in the first few turns. That's probably my inexperience with the game though as I bought it very recently and found this site even more recently. So how did you move so fast?

You must first declare a jihad. Then take your generals with the most amount of troops (in your capital and in your castle next to baghdad) and recruit mercs as soon as you exit one square outside the province. Then, join the jihad and move slowly with your general only to lay seige to baghdad. Then move all your troops to join him, and build all rams and ladders seige equipment. Move your sultan towards Nicaea. Now, next turn, do the same for your northern and anatolian troops, go for Russia and Armenia.

And what do you think about declaring a Jihad on Portugal (since I did)? I scrapped the game, but I thought that Portugal would be a good target because it would be constant westward expansion.

You need that second jihad as soon as possible, but you also need to get your troops FAR advanced by the first jihad. 7 turns of jihad speed puts you in striking distance of Russia, Africa, and middle Europe.

To do it in 23 turns, you need 7 turns or so of a second jihad to finish the whole map.

You CANNOT take the entire map in one jihad. You need two, and the second one has more generals in it. Therefore you want to make that one the longest. Bout 7 turns of jihad, followed by 10 mandatory turns of no jihad, while expanding as rapidly as possible, then as few turns of jihad as necessary to conquer the map.

I assume that this method relies on sacking every town to get money and what, having every city trying to pump out cash and with little to no garrison so that you can afford mercenaries? Or do you actually waste time building units?

Every unit, EVERY unit, within striking distance of an enemy settlement before the game is over, is a help.

Hint: Units made in Baghdad on turn 15 are useless. Units made in Paris on turn 20 might have a use.

And I started another blitz campaign as Russia and I've taken out Poland, Hungary, and Denmark and currently in conflict with the Byzantines. I think I'm in the mid 20s turn-wise. It seems I've lost momentum though because I'm running out of funds without cheap Jihad mercenaries. And the map is so huge on that side, the only that moves halfway decently is all cavalry army.

Russia has no crusades and bad troops. Your best bet is to move quickly towards the center of Europe, capture all the HRe's castles and move your capital there. Dont even bother developing Russia.

Once you control central Europe, destroying Poland en route, use the HRE's castles to build a massive horse archer army, conquer France, Italy, and Hungary. Sack everyone.

**Gajinah** · 08-08-2008, 22:16

Thanks for the help!

I see now why you need two Jihads, the first isn't just about territory as I had thought, but it's more about building a force of generals and placing everyone properly to finish the sweep.

With the mandatory 10 turn cooldown period for Jihad, do you think that it's possible to beat your score? Maybe have a longer initial Jihad by a few turns for more placement?

And I noticed that Russia was quite lacking rather early. I was disappointed that I couldn't join in Crusades at the least.

**Askthepizzaguy** · 08-09-2008, 01:02

Yes, a 22 turn victory is technically possible.

If I had one army a little bit closer to Edinburgh/Inverness and another one closer to Hamburg/Frankfurt, I could have beaten the challenge one turn sooner.

However, it IS physically impossible to do it in 21 turns. I defy anyone to prove me wrong.