How is your first campaign going?

[Zarky]

The title says it all, how are you doing in your first actual campaign (let's say +15 turns in case someone decided to switch)?

I started up Mori on normal to try things out, I thought the campaign would be much more navy centric, but I've actually only had 3 naval battles where I've faced more than 1 enemy ship (I'm 60 turns into the campaign). Also not having any specialty land units made first 20 turns a real pain. I'm at war with Ashikaga Shogunate and neighboring them from north, I'm allied to Shimazu who hold their entire island and friendly with Chosokabe who also border Ashikaga and are turning into a powerhouse.
I'm literally rolling in cash (10K income) because I control all trade nodes except 1 and I should really put that money to use hiring armies to protect my borders from inevitable betrayal of Shimazu and to deal with Chosokabe, though Shimazu could be contained only using navy.
I'm just putting together fresh army to take on Ashikaga, all Samurai + Siege units with improved accuracy for bows, greatly improved melee attack for katanas and charge for cavalry.

I'm definitely going to see this campaign through, but next campaign I'll probably start somewhere near Philosophical Tradition so that I don't run out of things to build like I did in this campaign, or I could just start far away from trade nodes.

[gollum]

I'd move against the Shimazu if i were you. It makes you have only one way to go and so easy to concentrate all resources on one front. Even if you beat the Ashikaga you might get sandwitched by Chosokabe, Shimazu and whoever is strong on the other side behind the Ashikaga.

[Zarky]

I'd move against the Shimazu if i were you. It makes you have only one way to go and so easy to concentrate all resources on one front. Even if you beat the Ashikaga you might get sandwitched by Chosokabe, Shimazu and whoever is strong on the other side behind the Ashikaga.

I'm currently thinking about preparing full naval blockade against them and then sandwiching them from north and south with naval invasions, forcing them to spread their forces so that I'm unlikely to face a single full stack.

[gollum]

Sounds like a good idea. I'd go after them first and get Kyushu (their island), before moving towards Kyoto. I'd bust the Chosokabe next too :)

Then the road would be clear and can move forwards undisturbed.

[Zarky]

Since I'm playing long campaign, I pretty much HAVE to capture Shikoku and Kyushu, otherwise I risk running into the strongest AI faction in my present game: Takeda. And I don't want to face them in mountainous plains and very large provinces when the distance between my best recruiting regions and frontlines grows.

[gollum]

That's right, on top of that imagine the Shimazu or Chosokabe turn on you, as they will. Hence, crush them in one front and then move on the other :)

[Cecil XIX]

Played two campaigns, both an legendary: Uesugi and Chosokabe. Both times I lost without taking a single province, I think for the same reason: I focused first on developing my income and spurned recruitment. Either that, or I should have waited until I recruited a full stack. I'm going to keep trying with the Chosokabe and hopefully I can at least unify Shikoku.

[gollum]

Probably Cecil. I would expect that a strong rush at the beginning is essential.

[Cecil XIX]

Probably Cecil. I would expect that a strong rush at the beginning is essential.

I've heard the opposite actually. It looks to me like if you're too aggressive early on you'll get worn down quickly.

[gollum]

Right, don't take my word for it, i haven't the game yet.

[Dead Guy]

I got it installed at 10PM yesterday, when I normally start heading to bed :p

Started a Chosokabe campaign (VH), took the province to the north and a turn later got a warning that the guys to the east are likely to invade soon because of my weakened state. Hope I can hold them off somewhere where I can take advantage of the terrain, and then go into build-up mode for a while.

I think recruiting Samurai Archers might have been a really bad idea. They're so much more expensive, fewer men per unit and cost more upkeep. I bet the ability to envelop even with ashigerus would be worth more in the field.

Once again, being at work is being in hell... =)

[Zarky]

I've heard the opposite actually. It looks to me like if you're too aggressive early on you'll get worn down quickly.

I guess that depends on the circumstances. Though I haven't played on legendary, I've taken a couple of provinces by letting 2 enemies wear each other down, or capturing a castle that was just captured by someone else. Just have to be really careful about betraying your allies, it doing so too early in game can cause serious loyalty and happiness issues on top of the relationship penalties.

[gollum]

Once again, being at work is being in hell... =)

Unlike hell it doesn't last forever. Weekend is coming ;)

[Daevyll]

I've heard the opposite actually. It looks to me like if you're too aggressive early on you'll get worn down quickly.

That is what happened to me (Hard setting); now I am faced with a need for multiple armies for defense and expension, but I cannot afford both because I dont have the economic infrastructure to support them.
I cant build up my economy in existing provinces because I need the funds to maintain my military, so I need to conquer additional provinces. But I cant conquer new provinces because I cant afford the extra units without leaving myself wide open on the other front.

So in all I'd say I'm dying a slow death; I can keep what is mine, but make very little progression while other clans are making much greater progress. Soon I will be hopelessly behind in development and killed off no doubt.

Loving it.

[LordKhaine]

Well I went for the Shimazu clan. A reasonably fast paced attack at the start to grab a few provinces, but nothing too excessive. I seem to be managing my finances fairly well, while keeping what appears to be a fairly decent sized army. And then a neighbour (who hated me, it wasn't exactly too surprising) attacks from the north. He appears to have a similar income to me and a fairly substantial army that matches mine... time to prepare for war!

Next turn, a full stack of enemy troops, higher quality than my own, appears out of no-where on a fleet of ships far behind the front lines. No possible way to get enough troops together to hold that stack at bay, considering it would be a fairly good match for both my armies combined. And those are both needed to match the enemy forces in the north, and are too far away to help in time.

Bugger.

[Liberator]

Well I went for the Shimazu clan. A reasonably fast paced attack at the start to grab a few provinces, but nothing too excessive. I seem to be managing my finances fairly well, while keeping what appears to be a fairly decent sized army. And then a neighbour (who hated me, it wasn't exactly too surprising) attacks from the north. He appears to have a similar income to me and a fairly substantial army that matches mine... time to prepare for war!

Next turn, a full stack of enemy troops, higher quality than my own, appears out of no-where on a fleet of ships far behind the front lines. No possible way to get enough troops together to hold that stack at bay, considering it would be a fairly good match for both my armies combined. And those are both needed to match the enemy forces in the north, and are too far away to help in time.

I have played two times on hard, 15 rounds with the Uesugi and currently with the Date.
In both campaigns the Shimazu where killed within 3-4(!) rounds!

And other "major" clans are hardly doing better in my Date Campaign... I have reached 1567 and only my Date, the Hojo (weak) and the Chosokabe have survived the onslaught.
Leaving out the Chosokabe, who are still only located on their island, and out of 9 major clans only 2 have survived...

And it is not because of me; I have 7 provinces right now and annihilated 2 minor clans, but aside of the Chosokabe the rest of the map is domineted by 3 strong "minor" clans

I have noticed a huge turnover of provinces right at the beginning of both campaigns, with clans dying and (re)emerging everywhere, a huge contrast to the first Empire campaign I played 2 years ago, where there was one big stalemate within europe throughout the game.

If there is anything to complain, I would like to see more rebels and less "minor" clans to emerge, giving a bigger weight to the "major" clans

[antisocialmunky]

Maybe there should be a short period of turns where the major clans get a bonus against rebels and go after neighboring rebels beforing going after each other. It sounds a little unstable right now.

[Cecil XIX]

I'm against anything that gives the so-called "Major Clans" an edge. The best part about the Warscape engine is how every province is controlled by a unique faction instead of generic rebels.

[martyshka]

I've played about 2 dozen turns as Shimazu and it's really lovely. At one point, as I was fighting Shoni and was only a turn away from a third castle to conquer I was backstabbed by a trade partner. They showed with two stacks near my capital and in the chaos I lost all I gained except my starting province. But a few decisive battles later I had the whole of Kyushu (the southern island) to myself. I've seen AI stack it's armies, backstab me when there was an opening, even sneak in an army by sea. What I'm glad I didnt see were the silly one unit speed bumps that were so annoying in the previous games.

[Dead Guy]

So, Chosokabe VH campaign.

Started off on the military side of the arts, gathered an army and quickly moved on the province to the north. I take it and shortly after I get hints that my eastern neighbour (Miyoshi?) is planning to invade. I build a few more units, and my economy sort of grinds to a halt.

Now I send trade ships to the trade nodes and save money to improve my economy, and switch to the economic side of the arts, going for the improved farms. Both the Miyoshi and the other neighbour on the northeast side of Shikoku have a full stack each, mostly Ashigaru to the NE, Miyoshi has cavalry too.

I spend a good deal of turns sending trade ships to 3 different nodes and build ports to trade with other clans, and I start making a profit again, building new buildings almost every turn and training katanas every now and then.

I didn't attack until the NE clan moved on the Miyoshi and got repelled. Then I immediately threw my almost full stack at their castle town and took it. I then took the Miyoshis provinces but then I had to go to bed. This is the first time I've had anything like the upper hand on a neighbour :p

The battle against the Miyoshi was really quite nice. The AI used his cav pretty intelligently, his spears bunched up a bit but nothing incredibly stupid or passive.

[gollum]

Originally posted by martyshka
What I'm glad I didnt see were the silly one unit speed bumps that were so annoying in the previous games.

Welcome to the org martyshka, enjoy your stay.

this sounds like a substantial improvement and really good news. I haven't seen teh AI mass his forces properly since the MTW days when armies were massed due to teh 2d map.

[Squints]

Playing as Date. Wiped out the red clan you start at war with, killed my rebel brother, and have been allies with the green clan that starts next to you since 5 turns in (they apparently start at war with Takeda, so I was luckily not pulled into that). I use the green clan as an invasion buffer, but I know I will have to turn on them at some point because they hold 2 regions I need to win. It's unfortunate, because they ALWAYS join me when I declare war. I march through them and expand, boating around Takeda and finishing off Uesegi. There's an awesome 1-city island just north of Takeda's land; it has a gold mine and is owned by a minor clan. It's their only city, so I recommend wiping them out and taking this city immediately. It made 1800 a turn at the level it was at when I got it, I upgraded it (took 7 turns!) and now it makes 2500.

[Thelne]

First time player of any Total War game and I must say that I am enjoying my experience thoroughly. I started with Shimazu since I wanted an easier situation to learn the game mechanics. I read the forums to look at strategies and techniques so I started by becoming an ally and trade partner to my neighbor to the north and positioning my general on my borders to the east since I was at war with that clan. Since I started with a blacksmith, I refrained from training any troops until I could train them with advanced weaponry - which luckily worked in my favor. Slow and controlled build-up and execution have worked for me.

I'm about 60 turns in and I really love the immense feeling when two generals do battle with full stacks of armies (just happened on my last turn). I had the enemy castle under siege when I was attacked and little could I believe my luck when I had a perfect positioning; 2 hills, one massive and minor, both covered in forests. I set a small strike team of my samurai archers/yari on the small hill with my main force and generals on my main hill. I waited until their main army committed to the large hill and then let my samurai archers' fire arrows fly. I took about 400 troop loss since my front lines became fragmented when some of their troops routed but I chalk that up to my not micromanaging.

I really like the ninja in the game. I enjoy having a 5 star master assassin that I can send to remove worrying generals. However, I'm not really sure if I'm using the market unit (the one that specializes in counter-espionage) correctly. Basically he's just sitting in one of my newly acquired castles to improve happiness since the religion is Christianity and I am not.

But as I said, love the game. Can't wait to try something harder once I finish this one up.

[gollum]

Welcome to the org Thelne, enjoy your stay. From what you post sounds like a fun campaign.

[Barkhorn1x]

However, I'm not really sure if I'm using the market unit (the one that specializes in counter-espionage) correctly. Basically he's just sitting in one of my newly acquired castles to improve happiness since the religion is Christianity and I am not.

Welcome to the Org. We are the more mature fans of TW. You mean your Metsuke. The Metsuke has many uses:
- Use him as you are doing to pacify the populous
- Use him to apprehend and hopefully execute enemy Ninjas and Metsuke
- Use him to travel with your Diaymo or generals army to protect them from enemy agent activity
- Establish a "crime syndicate" to earn extra income

I kinda like the Metsuke :)

[andrewt]

I'm against anything that gives the so-called "Major Clans" an edge. The best part about the Warscape engine is how every province is controlled by a unique faction instead of generic rebels.

I think some minor factions start with 2-3 provinces at the start so they may have an advantage. The second minor faction I fought also had a 3-4 star general with 2-4 experience units near the start so there might be some bug giving them the edge.

That said, I do like seeing the minor factions being able to compete with the major ones. In my normal Chokosabe game, Oda died during the first turn. During the next 20 turns, Shimazu, Mori and Uesugi died as well, with Shimaze reappearing then dying again. Hojo eventually got killed by a minor faction after being in war with the Takeda and too many other factions. The most powerful factions right now are me, the Shoni and the Yamano. I've been trading with the Shoni for a while and I attacked the Yamano after they went to war with each other.

Also, the Kanto plain yields might have been nerfed from Shogun. The eastern part used to have the richest provinces. Unless the factions there are just behind in developing, the yields there are not noticeably different than the lands near me.

[andrewt]

Welcome to the Org. We are the more mature fans of TW. You mean your Metsuke. The Metsuke has many uses:
- Use him as you are doing to pacify the populous
- Use him to apprehend and hopefully execute enemy Ninjas and Metsuke
- Use him to travel with your Diaymo or generals army to protect them from enemy agent activity
- Establish a "crime syndicate" to earn extra income

I kinda like the Metsuke :)

I use them to increase the tax rate on my richest provinces.

I thought the last one was for the ninja?

[Zarky]

I use them to increase the tax rate on my richest provinces.

That's essentially all I do with my Metsuke, if I can't recruit them from a province with philosophical tradition (+1 or more experience level) I send them wandering around bribing and apprehending until they gain a rank and retainer. Though just having them in castles "overseeing" slowly gives them exp, it's so little you probably won't reach 3 star level starting from 1 even during an entire game.
stationing Metsukes in provinces with gold mines + market really brings in the money.

[Barkhorn1x]

I use them to increase the tax rate on my richest provinces.

I thought the last one was for the ninja?

Good call and I gotta check on that last one as you may indeed be correct.

[Gregoshi]

My Mori campaign is still going after 7-8 years. Thought I was a goner as I lost Aki but my capital switched to Iwami - my only other province. Surprisingly, my war with the Amako is still going on. Neither of us can get a knock out blow on the other. I've taken Iwami from them and that is as far as it goes. Amako fails to take back Iwami and I can't take Izumo. The Amako have sued for peace twice, but smelling blood and their weak army, I've declined the offer. The first time, my army made it to the Izumo castle to besiege it and the Amako sallied out and beat me because I rushed to the seige without waiting for trailing samurai units to catch up.

One thing I've noticed is that the AI does not protect its capital well enough - but honestly, I haven't either. I witnessed a double knock out in my campaign. the Kikkawa sent their whole army against me and I had one or two paltry units to block their march to Aki castle. Thought I was done for. Suddenly, during the AI moves, their army disappeared and I noticed the clan on the opposite side from me was occupying the Kikkawa castle. By the end of the AI moves, that conquering clan was eliminated as well and the Hattori banner was flying above the Kikkawa castle.

I have to say, I was punch drunk for a while with all the fighting. I just wanted the fighting to stop so I could build something - an army, buildings...anything. There always seemed to be 2-3 clans at war with me leaving no opportunity to build the economy or an army. Fortunately the clans in my area aren't much better, though the Amako have recently shown signs they are out-teching me. I need to eliminate them soon - very soon. Personally, I think I'm doomed at this point, but I'll tough it out and see how long I can last.