Those Rebels are doing something right...

**rvg** · 12-13-2005, 14:31

There is something very interesting happening in my current game (Byz, Early, Expert): the year is 1229, and the rebels on the Eastern Plains are the most developed nation on the map (besides me). Basically, I turtled after taking out Turks and Egypt, while Neither Poland nor Novgorod were able to make a meaningful land grab (Rebels still control the Prussia-Volhynia-Moldavia line, AND they have knocked PoN out of Novgorod and cornered them into Finland.
Now, the funny thing is that almost every rebel province has a citadel in it, as well as a whole bunch of men (in the hundreds). They have yet to put a ship in the sea though.
All the while most of Europe has been ravaged by non-stop warfare as powers rise, fall, only to re-emerge and repeat the cycle.

I'm sitting tight in Constantinople ready to take on the Horde, and needless to say, the situation is rather amusing.

**matteus the inbred** · 12-13-2005, 15:20

start bribing people and meddling in politics! i can never resist bribing and corrupting rebels...presumably as a 'turtled' Byzantine leader with no wars on the go you are currently rolling in vast piles of gleaming cash?

**rvg** · 12-13-2005, 15:31

Originally Posted by matteus the inbred

start bribing people and meddling in politics! i can never resist bribing and corrupting rebels...presumably as a 'turtled' Byzantine leader with no wars on the go you are currently rolling in vast piles of gleaming cash?

Hehe, not really. I spent all my cash on Fortresses + 9999999999999 Varangs (hopefully enough to last me thru the ages). I *have* been severely restricting my trading though (making just enough to maintain a positive cash flow).

Anyhow, after Mongols are dealt with, I guess I'll just kill all the Rebels.

Speaking of Trade: it's a real game spoiler.

**matteus the inbred** · 12-13-2005, 15:37

Originally Posted by rvg

Speaking of Trade: it's a real game spoiler.

how d'you mean? not a big fan?
surely more money would be good?
all those nice shiny Varangs need lots of armour polish i expect!

**rvg** · 12-13-2005, 15:42

Originally Posted by matteus the inbred

how d'you mean? not a big fan?
surely more money would be good?
all those nice shiny Varangs need lots of armour polish i expect!

If fully taken advantage of, it will bring in more money than you could ever hope to spend, making the game impossible to lose (it's difficult to lose battles if you are not VASTLY outnumbered, as the computer is a moron in tactical combat).

**matteus the inbred** · 12-13-2005, 15:54

i gots to admit, i get bored with having so much money after a while, especially as really expensive buildings take an age to build. it's worse in VI, even fewer exciting and expensive things to build, and cheaper troops too. trade does give people an excuse to commit piracy, which in turn gives you an excuse to kick hell out of them. not that i need an excuse, but i like to feel morally justified.

attempting to bribe someone's level 9 Man of Principle general while he's leading 2,000 elite troops can take care of the surplus though!

**Martok** · 12-13-2005, 19:39

Originally Posted by rvg

If fully taken advantage of, it will bring in more money than you could ever hope to spend, making the game impossible to lose (it's difficult to lose battles if you are not VASTLY outnumbered, as the computer is a moron in tactical combat).

I highly recommend downloading the XL mod. It greatly reduces trade income, although it's still worth setting up a trade network. It also improves the value of land and farming upgrades, which helps the AI-controlled factions keep up with you.