questions from N00b

[xhatan]

thanks a bunch guys I will continue to use this thread to hold down the clutter. If you could check back once in a while would be greatly appreciated. Loving this game already so I am sure I will have more questions. Thanks again

[Gregoshi]

I've merged your two threads into one xhatan, so all your questions are now in one thread.

Also, welcome to the Org!

[ichi]

remember that a newb is someone who is new to a game and still learning the mechanics, while a noob is someone who refuses to learn anything.

[xhatan]

did not know the difference between N00b and newb thanks on that. Well I spent hours last night restarting my campaign, getting my but kicked and going broke. On the flip side who wants to by a game for over $50 and beat it in two hours. Some more questions if you don't mind:

1. I am having a lot of trouble taking a castle in fact even when the odds are overwhelmingly in my favor I can't keep my men from routing.
A. My solution was to try to draw him out. I had some success I killed three of his generals and kept attacking his buildings outside then he came out with a bunch of vet samuri and wiped me out.

2. This takes me to my second questions, I am assuming vets are only created through battle or is there a way to train them up?

3. Should I always have siege equipment to take a castle and if so I get them by taking them in the bushido tree right? I don't seem to get the option to build siege equipment.

4. I am having trouble finding the right blend of economics I am permanently broke. Should I upgrade evenly I tend to build the best castle I can to get the military upgrades which costs a huge amount of cash.

[Monk]

2. This takes me to my second questions, I am assuming vets are only created through battle or is there a way to train them up?

Some buildings can create units with a level of veterency from creation, if i'm not mistaken. They are normally the upgraded version of the building, and normally require some research first. Like upgrading your Yari Dojo into a Nagitana dojo

4. I am having trouble finding the right blend of economics I am permanently broke. Should I upgrade evenly I tend to build the best castle I can to get the military upgrades which costs a huge amount of cash.

Markets are very important in the early game economy. I'd keep one or two towns as your designated troop producing factories, the rest you should build markets in to start off the game. Upgrading your farms is important too. Don't even worry about upgrading your castles until you've got around 5 provinces, otherwise you're just wasting money you could spend on troops or other economy upgrades

[Zarky]

1. I am having a lot of trouble taking a castle in fact even when the odds are overwhelmingly in my favor I can't keep my men from routing.
A. My solution was to try to draw him out. I had some success I killed three of his generals and kept attacking his buildings outside then he came out with a bunch of vet samuri and wiped me out.

2. This takes me to my second questions, I am assuming vets are only created through battle or is there a way to train them up?

3. Should I always have siege equipment to take a castle and if so I get them by taking them in the bushido tree right? I don't seem to get the option to build siege equipment.

4. I am having trouble finding the right blend of economics I am permanently broke. Should I upgrade evenly I tend to build the best castle I can to get the military upgrades which costs a huge amount of cash.

1. Castles are tough to capture with the enemy archers favorable firing positions, towers and all other factors. What I suggest is archers or siege units. Fire arrows can burn down pieces of the walls so that enemy can't position troops there but you can still climb. Other option is simply siege units, if not bomb throwers then fire projecting mangonels, which can cause immense casualties with a single well placed shot to a crowded castle.
To keep your troops from routing is hard, either use morale-shock resistant units, improve unit morale through other means, don't take casualties from enemy archer fire or bring your general dangerously close to use rally and inspire abilities.

2. There are plenty of ways to get some starting experience such as some events, many techs and even some upgraded recruitment facilities give you some experience. Such as upgrading archery range to 2nd level (requires way of the bow) gives archers there 2 experience when recruited. Other way is combining already experienced but damaged units so that their experience progress isn't lowered by the fresh recruits.

3. Mangonels become available from building 2nd level siege units workshop which requires "attack by fire" tech. They're the 1st real siege units. You don't always need them but as said earlier, castles are tough to deal with.

4. I like to invest heavily on capturing trade nodes early on if I'm a faction that's near to some to get income. You probably shouldn't upgrade very high level castles early on, but specialize provinces in a manner where you hire katana samurai from province A, yari samurai from province B and samurai archers from province C. Requires much less/none castle upgrades if you demolish earlier buildings you don't need or want.

[xhatan]

First of thanks everyone for your help. This game is really complicated and not much info is listed on the main webpage or in the book you get.

Ok apprently I am missing a key part of the game. You guys are talking about different provences. I am not sure what you are refering too. Can I build more than one town on the map I am given or do I have to take over a neighbors and does taking over a neighbor mean I have to take his castle. In earlier post I understood I pick the building to build but I don't place them the map. If you could clarify how to build different provences and then how to specialize.

[xploring]

http://shogun.bitcrumbs.com/

Provinces are those different colour shapes on the map. Most provinces have different specialties which offer different bonus to the player/AI who holds the province. And yes, you need to take the castle/fortification for you to build and have those bonus. Farms in the more fertile provinces offer more income than those in less fertile ground, but the food offered by the farms are the same regardless of where they are built.

Hope that answers your questions.