Frustrating 9-star general

[mbrasher1]

OK, I love playing the Spanish. Lancers, iron, great provinces, alot of flexibility as to Med/Atlantic navy, defensible provinces.

In the BKB mod (where almughavars are buildable --drool), Valencia is a playable faction with a 9 star king. Navarre is also playable. So instead of only having to contend with Almohads and those pesky Aragonese, you have aggressive Valencians and Navarrese as well. I tried focusing on Valencia last night and that 9-star king is tough.

Fighting against him makes his Spanish javelinmen fight like demons. With the 4 extra valor coming from his generalship, they tear through my units. Even though I outnumber him, he is tough.

On one battle (it takes me several to wear him down), he was isolated from his army -- far out in front, near enough to my army that his army could not help. I charged him with 6 units of jinettes and 3 units of spears. He singlehandedly wrecked these, killing over 400, even as 4 archer units pelted him with arrows. Nothing seemed to work. Bear in mind that this was my entire field army. Wrecked singlehandedly.

Then the Aragonese attacked me in Castile. Finally, defending on a hill, I can whip somebody with the remnant of my army.

Fighting 9-stars with a decent army behind them is a wonderful challenge in this game.

[SpencerH]

Yeah, its pretty silly watching one of these invulnerable characters carve up an army. I hope its fixed in RTW.

[Sun Tzui]

Perhaps you should PM BKB about this... could be a bug that needs fixing

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

I know Cid is really annoying playing against him but there in a tough position and i thought them having a good general would make them last longer but it is the same when your playing the Swiss in late

[Xecthilor]

Nine stars? Good lord. In the words of noble Arthur, king of the Britons, Run away, run away

[mbrasher1]

The 9-star is not a bug -- and I am not complaining. The game is made SO much more balanced between factions because of it. Cid 9-stars serves to make Iberia MUCH more stable and difficult to dominate. It delays my conquests by at least a decade or two -- you have to guard against him, cuz if you attack another party, you are left open to the remaining factions. Essentially, there are 4 equal powered factions on the Iberian peninsula. The only rebel province is Portugal, which, as we know, is a morass needing huge numbers of troops to pacify. It makes planning very important.

[SpencerH]

I didnt read that it was a mod

I still dont like surrounding some general with 100 spear-types and losing half to kill him.

[katank]

well, what's really bitchy is the morale they give +1 for every star if within 75m and +2 for every star elsewhere.

the valour boost is also crazy.

the morale boost by the general, if including leader vices can be huge. combine this with expert mode +4 and you have an unroutable army.

[katar]

nine star generals?

if you ask me, that`s what javelins and arrows were invented for, just stand back and let him feel the force.

[SpencerH]

I read that tactic here quite a while back and use it when possible (it just irks me to have to do so).

[mbrasher1]

Javelins

I did use javs. I saw him separated from his army -- way out front, and immediately charged him with 6 jinetes. One jinete engaged him while the other hucked javs. He still whooped me. And when my spear has run up to take the place of the jinnies, he still was unstoppable.

It is so nice in the modded games to be reminded how to lose -- carefully.

[katar]

Quote[/b] ]way out front, and immediately charged him with 6 jinetes. One jinete engaged him while the other hucked javs. He still whooped me. And when my spear has run up to take the place of the jinnies, he still was unstoppable.

don`t engage him physically at all, put your jinetes on hold formation / hold position / fire at will OFF and micromanage them.

manouvre your jinetes so that he is surrounded (at a distance) and let fly with the javelins, he will either stand still, withdraw or attack, if he tries to attack one unit just make that unit move away from him ASAP while the other units keep firing at him, NEVER engage in hand to hand combat with him, you`ll loose every time.

if that still doesn`t work for you, do what i do; attack in overwhelming force, make him retreat to his castle and starve him out (you might not think that is fair, but it gets the job done).