Ironman R:TW Rules - Post em if you got em.

[ChaosLord]

As with M:TW we've found expert or very hard really isn't all that hard so while we wait on patches/mods to try and correct that, how about some good old fashioned Ironman rules? These are of course set themed(mostly) restrictions to play the game by, heres a few to get things going.

The Royal Family: Since you're building an empire you should start treating your faction as one, by acting as if you had a royal family. What this means is that the first-born son of your faction leader always becomes heir, or his younger brothers if he dies, uncles, then cousins, etc...

In addition to this you do not assign the best family members to wherever you want. The closest family members get given the most authority(the current faction leaders sons, uncles, brothers, then step-brothers, then cousins). So commanding an army or governing the capital would fall most likely on his brothers or sons.


We don't need no stinkin' maps: Your King wisely declares the trade of maps(either way) as an act of heresy against Bob, the god of Misdirection. What this means is no trading maps to AI civs, or asking for them, you go blind.


My horse for a kingdom...: When playing one of the non-Eastren factions you wisely realize you have no place on a horse and make sure to use them only sparingly. IE, no Roman armies with mass cav. The exception to this would probably be Numidia/Carthage, and maybe Spain.


Beating the Clock: You have perhaps an extremely paranoid or cautious King who dislikes long sieges and orders the attack the moment the siege equipment is prepared. What this means is...no starving cities and a maximum of two turns spent building siege equipment.


The Honorable Warrior: Your head general is of an honorable sort, preferring pitched battles to the dastardly ways others practice. What this means is pretty broad, its no exploiting the AI. No using archers to wipe out city squares or units wandering back and forth behind the gates, no mass cav archers/heavy cav armies. Pretty much trying not to exploit the AI, meeting it on equal terms. This doesn't mean no flanking or anything of that sort, just no abuse.


Parallel worlds are for sissies: Your King in a fit of madness declares the alteration of time illegal. What this means is no reloading, no matter wether you made a stupid mistake or not.


Fortify this!: Your engineer union goes on strike, preventing you from building any forts. What this means is just what it says, no forts. The AI seems to have trouble dealing with them anyway.


The one true god: In a move sure to displease Bob, the god of Misdirection your King declares that the first temple built shall become the god of the state religion, and all temples thereafter will be dedicated to said god. What this means is you pick one temple and stick with it the whole game. It also includes demolishing all foreign temples apon capturing the city so you can bring them the true faith.


Paying through the nose: Growing ever madder your King once again makes a decree. He delcares that only rebels/brigands shall be bribed, and that no foreigners shall lay hands on our gold. What this means is no more bribing enemy armies, only the small stacks of brigands/rebels. Why I allow this is because is even more of exploit to fight them and gain easy command stars.


Scurvy be damned!: In an effort to put on a display of their strength your Admiral orders that ships only be allowed to stay in harbors when resupplying(retraining). What this means, is no more hiding in harbor except to retrain, otherwise your ships have to be out on the seas.


-Hmm, thats all I can think of for now. Post here if you've got any to add or if you've tried out some of the ones I posted. I'd like to see how the game goes. :)

And one last thing, don't post here to whine/complain about X part of the game, theres plenty of other threads for that.

[Loopy]

Try fighting battles from the perspective of your general (down at ground level). I've only tried it a couple of times just for kicks and found it too hard, but it's certainly more realistic. Once you deploy your troops all commands have to be given without the use of the overhead perspective.

[ranpiz]

I too find it fairly easy after the initial money crunch on vh/vh.

i'm thinking of starting a game and hitting end turn 20 times before i take any action whatsoever. and if thats too hard then try 10.

[Silver Rusher]

Bring me my peasants!: Only train peasants into your armies and nothing else. Town watch is occasionally acceptible.

[Sin Qua Non]

"Now go away, or we shall taunt you a second time!": When besieged, you cannot sally from the city until the last turn before surrender. Any rescues must be made from outside forces. No siege equipment may be used in defense of a city.

"What if we built a giant wooden badger?": When besieging an enemy city, you are allowed 1 turn to build siege equipment. You must then assault or lift the siege.

Great topic, Chaoslord!

[Silver Rusher]

'If I say we shall all live in squalid, unadvanced hellholes then we shall!": Make sure that all towns and cities stay at the level they were at at the start.

[Quillan]

"One of us is the equal of five of them!" No army can contain more than 10 units.

[Cheetah]

Commanding the battles from the general's point of view would be tremendous fun if the battles would be slower.

Back to ironman rules:

No more rebel hunting with family members. Rebels are unworthy opponents for your noble family line, send your captains to do the task.

Family members shall fight only other family members. That is, if an enemy army lead by a captain then you shall send a captain too (and autoresolve!).

Diplomats shall not be used to "defend" chokepoints, bridges.

You can bribe only family members, or troops lead by family members. After all who wants unworthy barbarians when you have the best soldiers of the word (playing a roman faction that is).

No more mass extermination. You can exterminate only 1 newly councuered city out of 10. And of course, no more tricks letting one city to rebel only to recapture and exterminate.