Quote Originally Posted by drisos
Bash, I think you studied the AI so much you know exactly what he is going to do so you know what you must do. But in an MP campaign, it is very different. You are not playing a machine, but a thinking player.

Please don't complain about playing the Imagawa. See the things you said in our discussion here you are so much better then me in campaigns, and having a 'bad' clan shouldn't be a problem.

Anyway, I think Toga has given me a better idea. Please check the 'How to host shogun MP games' thread in 'STW MP' forum. Get your congifuration ready and tell me some time you can play some MP battles. Because as Toga said the campaign will be played in teams and maybe the different clans will give some teams advantage and others not, so some battles would be more fair to compare our skills in shogun I guess.
You answer show me - you don't understand real pleasure in playing in MP campaigns of EU2 or HoI type. I don't like to play any queue of MP battles with anyone, because I've got enough of my share in the past (I'd like to repeat - I abandoned this Forum and MP environment in the moment when I realized - I know/see/percept next possible move of my opponent, then all battle become to be not fun, but - just boredom. No, I'm not ready to say - like I won all my battles - quite contrary I was lower then middle player - as it seems (if we will take in account information - other and definitely better players were Vanja and other fantastic players of that period).
Then I spend last two years in Europe Universalis (and Heart of Iron - a bit) multiplayer environment with a lot of players interaction, web of diplomatic intrigues, intentional backstabbing of "sworn allies" and such.
But recently I became to be bored with tactical simplification of EU2 battles, then I returned to this environment - with attempt to give Shogun/Medieval necessary human interaction (scheming/cunning/diplomatic intricacies) flavor with usage of its unparralleled tactical Nature.

No, I would completely satisfied with role of "wrinkled" Imagawa, but YOU must understand - why all other clan leaders - saw him as "treacherous Imagawa". It would be shame for this devious guy to start any adventure without any bargain and getting some sort of advantage. My whining and begging - is just standard initial part of any Lord Imagawa prance, but if you saw my answer to some guy, which asked - if place is free and I suggested him to be "alter ego of Lord Imagawa" - you had to detect some other side of Lord Imagawa - quite complex personality.
Yep, I'd like to play Lord Imagawa as sort of RPG Campaign - with all usual Lord Imagawa lamentations and complaints.

Sure thing I would against AI vs AI battling, because I know quite cheating way to win these battles. If you wonder I will reveal you one weird thing about them - AI is checking presence of some sort of unit, but not actual amount of presented unit. It means - for AI - army with daymyo unit, 5 Arch, 5 YSam and 5 Ashi is the SAME like - daymyo unit, 1 Arch, 1 YSam and 13 Ashi. I'm sure you wasn't aware about this thing, then if we would play against each other - you would wonder - why my (predominantly Ashi, but numerous) armies used to beat your mounted Takeda (yep Takeda Cavalry is considered by AI as less-potent unit then YSam, sure thing Takeda Cav is considered stronger then Ashi, but in Ai vs AI battle 1/3 of my Ashi would became to be seen by AI as YSam - surprise, surprise!).
If I would like to get an advantage I would hide this knowledge from you, but I don't like to get an advantage - I'd like to have FUN - first of all.

If you like to know - what all string of Lord Imagawa complaints was about, I would reveal to you idea of it (just scetchy).

1. I've got an impression like Lord Mori has already declared his hostile intention to Oda-sama. In this case - we must realise - with notable exception of Mino province (which has common border with Uesugi Shinano province) Imagawa lands is only dangerous neighbor for Lord Oda. More then that - most important Oda province - Owari is in direct vicinity to Imagawa lands.
If Oda decline my "vassality request" he get into giant pincers of some sort. Mori open hostility on West with combined assault of Lord Imagawa on East (whose sense of dignity would be hurted - he preposed his servitude and intended Master declined this request for Eternal Friendship - Lord Imagawa must be furious - as result ;)
Yep, I know my immediate assault onto Owari is quite suicidal, but I must teach anybody - a lesson. Any proposed Agreement consist some non-said part with meaning - if you would decline me, I WILL do all opposite and non-said (very often non-speakable ;) thing - for my hurt pride and dignity.
Well, I hope Lord Oda don't like to be suicidal - I will destroy his base in Owari - yesw, by quite huge price, but his position will be corrupted to no extent.
You must realize - "Eternal Friendship" between Oda and Imagawa clans of real history was about the same - both clans could destroy each other by cost of self-destruction - then both of them preferred to be as "Eternal friends".

2. If Lord Oda start quite long feud with Mori in West lands (as in real history) Lord Takead lands wouldn't be hurted by Lord Mori activity (yep, Lord Mori can attack Oda and Takeda simultaneously, but it is sure way into Void, I'm afraid.
Then second priority for Lord Imagawa must be his relations with Lord Takeda. Yep, Suruga province of Imagawa is actually defenseless before any form of Takeda activity, but this province is poor and ... I'm ready to make this province as change coin with anyove - it lacks all interesting resources - has quite flat terrain and so on and so on. Most interesting featuire of this province is - it is defenseless from BOTH sides. As soon as Takeda will be bound in rich portal Sagami in case of Hojo activity, or would repel any attack onto Kai province - Lord Imagawa will be ready to return this province and will be glad to make Lord Takeda life - quite miserable. Fighting against pincers attack from both sides isn't good thing in Shogun environment.
Then Imagawa is ready to make a bargain - Imagawa is ready to see Shinano with it's Cavalry bonuses or all-important Musashi as Takeda lands. Both these assumptions means - Imagawa is ready to give Takead a helping hand against his eastern neighbors.
You must realize - Shinano and Musashi is more juicy lands for Takeda clan then poor-soiled Suruga or Totomi (and it is self-explainable - Imagawa would be ready to fight for Totomy be claws and teeth). Then I'm sure - Takeda will prefer to make "Eternal Friendship" agreement with Imagawa as well.
Then poor and wrinkled Lord Imagawa will get two possible course of development - in Kyushu Island vs only opponent, or through Shinano province into north rebel lands or into juicy East provinces.
Then Lord Imagawa needs an excuse for choosing his way. If someone would answer in hostile or impolite manner, Lord Imagawa will understand - where future koku for his troops is raising now ;).
Do you see?

Oh, by the way - do you remember - don't believe to any spoilers, have your own judgement. Any word from Lord of Shogun era must be taken with grain of salt, especially words from "treacherous Imagawa". Gotcha?