How do I capture the Emerald Isle??

[EatYerGreens]

There's a regular poster here who used to have a whole tagline based around

"How do I trade?"
"How do I get to Ireland?"
"Why is the pope such a bar-steward"
Chorus: Viking_mobilise.wav

...so I'm guessing you're the 5,437th person to come here and ask this. No matter.

You will need the following:-

1 castle up to keep level
1 port in the (coastal) province where this keep is
1 shipbuilder (4 yrs build)
'n' ships in a connected string of sea areas from your port to any sea area adjoining Ireland (3 yrs to build each ship)
0 ships owned by enemy factions blockading these sea areas (sink them, wait for them to move out of your way, eliminate the faction entirely, or obtain a ceasefire - if you can - to end the blockade)
1 army in the province with the port, ready to ship out and invade (pick up the stack: Ireland should light up indicating a valid move, drop the stack on Ireland to do battle).

Do NOT take your king on this expedition. I did, successfully, but others report mouy mal things happening afterwards. Search for threads on factors affecting province loyalty and/or causes of Civil War.

You cannot get agents into Ireland to assess the size of the rebel army there unless they go whacko and build a port (normally they're too skint). I don't wish to spoil the surprise by telling you the size of the army you're up against, nor the troop types.

I will, however, warn you that although you can beach-land troops without a port to receive them, some twist of logic dictates they cannot get back into the same beached ships they climbed out of. They will not be able to return to the mainland until you have 1) won the battle, 2) completed the siege 3) built another port. Make sure your garrison size back home will be up to scratch after they depart for the invasion.

Needless to say, the absence of a path of retreat means that the army will be lost in its entirety if you lose the battle. I won, so I don't know what the Irish policy on return of prisoners is but ransoming may get some to rematerialise back home, should the worst happen.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[EatYerGreens]

That one took me so long to write that there were no replies when I started and two other replies by the time I'd finished!

It's a pity that you've ruined the surprise a bit by blabbing about one unit type he might get to meet. He did say it's his first attempt at this battle.

Anyway, the essence is that Ireland isn't just an empty province that you can grab by plopping 60 Urban Militia into it. It appears empty only due to absence of agents. Border watch in Wales or Scotland can't see into it either.

Funnily enough, ships can act as roving border watch towers, to some extent. When your first ship is ready, move it into the Irish Sea zone and, in the following turn, you should be able to see the troop disposition there - numbers as well as quality - and some info about the province.

It goes almost without saying that any troop type which you can build, which other factions cannot even get access to, is an advantage to you since it gives them a problem in finding effective ways to counter it. 'Cheapnis' is another benefit too...

[Uesugi Kenshin]

The other reply was there before I wrote, otherwise I probably wouldn't have thought to mention the Gallowglasses.

For VI Ireland gets a big upgrade (VI campaign only), full faction and some neat and very effective units.

[edyzmedieval]

One problem:

Even if I have a fleet to Ireland, unblocked, i still can't assault Ireland....

[bretwalda]

One problem:

Even if I have a fleet to Ireland, unblocked, i still can't assault Ireland....

You have to have a port in the province you start from and uninterrupted chain of ships toward the Irish sea.

[edyzmedieval]

You have to have a port in the province you start from and uninterrupted chain of ships toward the Irish sea.

I have that also...but nothing.....

[bretwalda]

I have that also...but nothing.....

Try pressing V to see if it is really unblocked. And post a screenie!

[Maeda Toshiie]

There's a regular poster here who used to have a whole tagline based around

"How do I trade?"
"How do I get to Ireland?"
"Why is the pope such a bar-steward"
Chorus: Viking_mobilise.wav

...so I'm guessing you're the 5,437th person to come here and ask this. No matter.

The full original post:

"viking mobilize 1" is a very stirring piece with interesting lyrics:
(chorus)
How do I trade?
How do I get to Ireland?
(end chorus)
Vikings really had horns!
(chorus)
How do I build footknights?
How? How? How?
Why is the Pope a #@!&%?
(chorus x2)

The (post) lyrics were originally composed by Motorhead, who has unfortunately disappeared (from here and .com) since the end of last year.

[EatYerGreens]

That's the one!

Thanks, Toshiie.

Or is it Maeda? Forename last for Japanese, isn't it? Oh it's so confusing...

[PittBull260]

There's a regular poster here who used to have a whole tagline based around

"How do I trade?"
"How do I get to Ireland?"
"Why is the pope such a bar-steward"
Chorus: Viking_mobilise.wav

...so I'm guessing you're the 5,437th person to come here and ask this. No matter.

well some ppl (many) dont feel like searching for it for hours.....

[EatYerGreens]

well some ppl (many) dont feel like searching for it for hours.....

That I can understand.

Also, the thing which draws you to a support forum in the first place is the seemingly insoluble problem, which this is a classic example of.

Either an inbuilt limitation in the forum software being run here or the moderators in their infinite wisdom <fawn,fawn> means that, ironically, the one thing which new members cannot do, until they've done enough posting, is use the search facility!!! <cough>

"Don't plost unnecessary duplicate threads", say just about every forum I've ever visited but this restriction on search until you've contributed X postings is worryingly commonplace. Result: - we get the duplicate postings anyway because the item of knowledge required is the only thing the noob can think of to talk about until they've got that problem licked.

EDIT: typo in bold lettering and it still took me over a day to notice!

[Fabolous]

That I can understand.

Also, the thing which draws you to a support forum in the first place is the seemingly insoluble problem, which this is a classic example of.

Either an inbuilt limitation in the forum software being run here or the moderators in their infinite wisdom <fawn,fawn> means that, ironically, the one thing which new members cannot do, until they've done enough posting, is use the search factility!!! <cough>

"Don't plost unnecessary duplicate threads", say just about every forum I've ever visited but this restriction on search until you've contributed X postings is worryingly commonplace. Result: - we get the duplicate postings anyway because the item of knowledge required is the only thing the noob can think of to talk about until they've got that problem licked.

Hehe, really the search function should be available to everyone, even those who have not posted. Maybe even those who are yet to register.

[EatYerGreens]

Hehe, really the search function should be available to everyone, even those who have not posted. Maybe even those who are yet to register.

No, not for guest users. The main purpose of the restrictions is typically about protection against web-bots and other malicious attacks.

Searches are, apparently, very intensive on the servers, compared to basic posting activity. If a forum is run on rented servers, instead of owned ones, then bandwidth useage affects the monthly charges and searches eat bandwidth. A determined nerk could launch multiple, robotically controlled searches, all anonymously, until the forum crashed. Registration means a valid email address has been given and presumably cookies can track forum activity, so anything detrimental can be traced. Traceability keeps us all honest and well-behaved.

Guest status has to let you see enough forum content to realise it's worth becoming a member but restrict what you can do to read-only as a way of motivating you to register in the first place, otherwise few people would bother to do that and that would make it a very quiet place...

[Fabolous]

No, not for guest users. The main purpose of the restrictions is typically about protection against web-bots and other malicious attacks.

Searches are, apparently, very intensive on the servers, compared to basic posting activity. If a forum is run on rented servers, instead of owned ones, then bandwidth useage affects the monthly charges and searches eat bandwidth. A determined nerk could launch multiple, robotically controlled searches, all anonymously, until the forum crashed. Registration means a valid email address has been given and presumably cookies can track forum activity, so anything detrimental can be traced. Traceability keeps us all honest and well-behaved.

Guest status has to let you see enough forum content to realise it's worth becoming a member but restrict what you can do to read-only as a way of motivating you to register in the first place, otherwise few people would bother to do that and that would make it a very quiet place...

True no one would ever sign up if we gave everything out to guests. And it could be a security concern.
I do think that all registered members should be allowed to use the search function.

[Ace of Spades]

Problem solved. I connected the Irish Sea with some boats and after a turn or two, I was able to view their army. About 300 men, kerns & gallowglasses. Shouldn't be too hard to take.