Someone teach me about religion?

**Taiwan Legion** · 10-03-2005, 22:52

Can someone give me a walkthrough about religion? I am currently playing as the Eastern Roman Empire. In the begining of my campaign, I basically tore down all pagan temple in the empire and built churches. I don't understand how religion work. Does the convert rate translate into the percentage of your population that would follow the religion? What about the religion of the general? And how do you change the official religion of the empire?

And I also heard that different religino gives me differnet tech tree and units, is that true for the Roman factions also or is it just for the barbarians?

Thanks.

**Taiwan Legion** · 10-04-2005, 05:48

bump

**Bob the Insane** · 10-04-2005, 17:34

Check out this thread:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=55030

And read the BI manual, it explains it pretty well...

For the specific question... The conversion rate deterine which direction your settlement is going and how fast. Even if you have inflences from all three religions only the higest influence counts (at least according to the manual)... So if you have +10% Pagan, +25% Christian and +10% Zor(whatever) then you end up with your present religion balance being converted to christianity at a rate of %5 (I think, the manual was not that clear)...

The rate of converstion is governed/influnced by the religion of surrounding provinces, the religion of characters (including diplomats and spies if the have the appropriate traits) in the province (not necessarily just in the settlement) and by any religious structures you build.

**Zatoichi** · 10-04-2005, 17:54

Originally Posted by Bob the Insane

The rate of converstion is governed/influnced by the religion of surrounding provinces, the religion of characters (including diplomats and spies if the have the appropriate traits) in the province (not necessarily just in the settlement) and by any religious structures you build.

Yeah - this is something I've just run into - my Christian governor died in a 100% Christian settlement containing a church, where unrest wasn't a problem even after his passing. About 5 turns later, enter Hun Horde stage left. They proceed to besiege this settlement with a bunch of stacks, containing several family members and spies. 3 turns later, I have serious religious rioting as the population is now 85% Pagan, and the happiness is down to 30% as a result of them being at odds with the minoriy Christians.

I was surprised at the swiftness of conversion, so it's definitely a new tactic to play around with in the future.

**Bob the Insane** · 10-04-2005, 18:45

That is almost funny and could be a bit of a gameplay issue... It seems a bit odd that a settlement can be converted so fast when at peace let along when the proponents of the new religion are besieging your home...

But I think it does work overall and it is reasonable simple to defend against, you simply need to ensure that you have constructed a large enough religion building to counter the influence of unwashed barbarians...

It does create a bit of an issue for hordes and more of a problem with letting them onto your lands. They not only cause unrest and devistation but act as a storm of religious conversion as they travel the world...

Perhaps a fix similar to the one that stopped spy spamming in MTW, make only the general with the highest conversion rating apply for each faction in each province...

At least you know how to convert a troublesome province to your religion of choice. Just gather up the generals of the appropriate religion and sent them there for a couple of turns. Call it the conversion caravan and send it around the Kingdom!!!

The more I think on it, this really should be altered to enhance the gameplay...

**Magraev** · 10-05-2005, 08:19

Normally a character adds 5% to the conversion, so it has to be quite extreme to go to 85% in a year. I suppose it's possible though, especially if some of the huns are extremely adept at conversion.

**Kekvit Irae** · 10-05-2005, 08:35

Originally Posted by Zatoichi

Yeah - this is something I've just run into - my Christian governor died in a 100% Christian settlement containing a church, where unrest wasn't a problem even after his passing. About 5 turns later, enter Hun Horde stage left. They proceed to besiege this settlement with a bunch of stacks, containing several family members and spies. 3 turns later, I have serious religious rioting as the population is now 85% Pagan, and the happiness is down to 30% as a result of them being at odds with the minoriy Christians.

I was surprised at the swiftness of conversion, so it's definitely a new tactic to play around with in the future.

Remember the Spy Rush tactic of MTW? Now we have the Diplomat Rush in BI

**lars573** · 10-05-2005, 15:12

Originally Posted by Magraev

Normally a character adds 5% to the conversion, so it has to be quite extreme to go to 85% in a year. I suppose it's possible though, especially if some of the huns are extremely adept at conversion.

They probably gave them some options;
1.Whorship Chigulu.
2.Get ripped apart by our hounds.

Which one would you choose?

**Zatoichi** · 10-05-2005, 15:31

It's possible when I look back at the events I described above that the Horde had been lurking in my territory out of my sight, causing a more gradual conversion than the rapid 3 turn blitz. One of my watch towers was temporarily housing some bandits, so the Huns could have been picnicking in the fields for a while unnoticed. So I may have missed the conversion as I had no real need to check that city out until the horde knocked on the gates.

Still, that said, with some of the new artifacts and traits you can get now do make the Religion Rush (TM) a viable tactic!

One other bit of fun from my ERE campaign is the fine line between the benefits of having a faction heir of the majority religion versus disinheriting a different religion practicing heir. You get an overall unrest hit to your cities if he's not the same religion when he assends to the throne, or you can risk disinheriting him and have a rebellion when his loyalty drops through the floor. It's one of those lesser of two evils situations.

All good fun though!

**Celt Centurion** · 10-25-2005, 01:59

Originally Posted by Zatoichi

Yeah - this is something I've just run into - my Christian governor died in a 100% Christian settlement containing a church, where unrest wasn't a problem even after his passing. About 5 turns later, enter Hun Horde stage left. They proceed to besiege this settlement with a bunch of stacks, containing several family members and spies. 3 turns later, I have serious religious rioting as the population is now 85% Pagan, and the happiness is down to 30% as a result of them being at odds with the minoriy Christians.

I was surprised at the swiftness of conversion, so it's definitely a new tactic to play around with in the future.

I have learned that the best time to break a siege is immediately! The only exception being if there is a possibility of bringing in reinforcements in time. You are as strong as you are going to be when they first attack. Your army will suffer attrition, and you are not going to be able to replenish them until the siege is over. The enemy is also least prepared to deal with you when they first attack.

There have been a few times that I forgot a city was under siege, and almost lost one of them. (I have never lost a stone walled city) With one turn remaining, I noticed that they were still under siege. I managed to drive them off, thanks in large part to the enemy chasing my General around the wall, and my tower picking them off as they gave chase. My archers on the wall helped. Then my infantry and cavalry went after the rest, but believe me, they were all down to about 45%. It was close! Never again! Chase them away as soon as you can!

Then, they will not be stirring up trouble with your population.

Strength and Honor

Celt Centurion

**Ignoramus** · 10-25-2005, 02:08

I am assuming you are talking about original RTW. The AI is exceedingly better in BI.

**Thon** · 10-25-2005, 02:19

i dunno, whenever i've defended a stone wall or better, the AI hasn't been stellar. the huns sat back with their cavalry as their infantry walked right by the towers of the wall from one side of the city to the other, where the siege equipment is. most of the time, they never made it to the ladders. they moved one unit of spearmen at a time, untill they had no infantry left.

this is on H/H btw.

**dismal** · 10-25-2005, 15:13

Originally Posted by Celt Centurion

I have learned that the best time to break a siege is immediately!

Celt Centurion

This is what I do as well.

Put archers on the walls, try to lure the enemy in close. If they won't come, taunt them with your general and harass them with archers until they do. Then run back close to the walls. Often times the AI will send one unit at a time after your archers, which you can ride down from behind with your general as your archers skirmish away.

It takes a while, but I can usually break a full stack siege with 2-3 cav units and 3 or so archers. Obviously, more is better.

Oh, and the beauty is the enemy has no siege equipment yet, so if thing look grim you can always run inside the walls and take a draw. Fresh archer ammo and bigger general's unit next turn. If you break the siege, you can completely rebuild your force and train another unit. I have had the AI send maybe 10 stacks after at a single city and fought them off with more men standing at the end than at the beginning.

**Yukon Cornelius** · 10-27-2005, 04:14

Originally Posted by lars573

1.Whorship Chigulu.

I laughed the first time I read this. Then I read it a second time and understood what you said. At first glance it looked like "worship Cthulhu." Best idea for a new BI religion ever.