Last night I started my first SP campaign as the Polish faction in the late period, expert setting, domination. Usually, I am at war with the world, but I figured playing Poland would challenge me to use diplomacy and agents instead of primarily the sword to build my empire.
All was going well and I expanded slowly from 2 provinces to 5, including Sweden, while my neighbors grew powerful warring against each other. All but the horde were my ally and the Danish have them more than occupied at the moment. When England and Hungary both attacked the HRE, I moved in to get some scraps (2 provinces), then quickly bargained a ceasefire with the HRE, who graciously complied - having their hands full with 2 larger opponents and being down to three provinces.
My problem is that it is already 1410 and now the nations around me are quite strong with huge armies. I can not affored a huge army depsite having a wide trade network from Sweden, my only province on the sea. All of my provinces require a strong garrison because each borders another factions province and judging by my 'allies' troop buildup along my borders, they might take advantage of easy pickings. I have been biding my time hoping to take advantage of another neighbor's misfortunes, like the HRE or perhaps a civil war, but it's not happening and my current nieghbors - England, Hungary and the Danish are quite strong. The horde is losing to the Danes. The horde still has one nation at my border -Moldavia, but there is several thousand troops there (as if they know my designs). If I stretch my garrisons thin I can muster maybe half their number and it'll be mostly Halbrediers and Royal Knights vs the usual horde troops. My allies the Danes and English block me from the sea to the north and west and they are 2 of the three strongest empires right now. I am pretty sure Hungary could kick my butt too plus their provinces are all land-locked like mine. Naturally, an attack by me on any of those three will result in every other nation breaking their alliance with me. The Danes have the most attractive territory, so I am thinking I might attack, despite their saving me from the horde - being a King is an ungrategul business, we must always place the ultimate good of our nation above personal loyalties.or perhaps steal one of the last pieces of the HRE - but those provinces are landlocked and would require strong garrisons to discourage invasion by other factions.
After some selective heir grooming, I finally have a half decent king (man, Poland gets no breaks!
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