which faction and mods?

[Bombasticus Maximus]

I am getting this game in a few days time and was wondering who would be a good start off faction and are there any mods?

[King Kurt]

There are loads of mods, but, currently i haven't indulged, but plan to try XL when I finish my current campaign. The best faction to try for starters is either the Spanish or the Byzantines. The muslims need a bit of experience so are ideal for a second or third campaign. Both start next to muslim factions so no need to go looking for enemies!! Also the Byzants don't have to worry about the Pope/ excommunication etc and the Spanish have a convienient muslim enemy for starters in the Almos so no Pope problems in the begining. Finaly, have a read of the faction guides within the forum before you kick off - they give you a style to play with as well as useful starting moves to get the best start. So enjoy and prepare for long nights of just one more turn.

[caravel]

I would say the Spanish as well. Though I do think that the Egyptians and the Almohads are ok for starting out also.

[Stormcrow]

How about the english?
They're reasonably safe on their island .

[Ludens]

Compared to R:TW, M:TW has a rather steep learning curve so I would recommend you to start with the vanilla game, as most modifications increase the difficulty even more. Good factions to learn the game with are the Byzantines (rich, strong generals, initially powerfull units), the Spanish (strong units, potential to become very rich, nearby enemy ripe for crusades) and the English (good position, strong units once you hit high), all three in early. If you also got the expansion, you should try the Vikings: they have very powerful units, can loot-and-run with impunity and are generally a very fun faction to play with.

Once you have gotten the hang of the game, I recommend installing MedMod v2.14: it's a balance patch that improves A.I. performance without changing overmuch. If you are looking for something different but still want to stay in the medieval theme, there are three mods available:

1. VikingHorde's Medieval XL: one of the most popular mods, based on the concept that Land is Power.
2. Blind King of Bohemia's Supermedieval: a more historically-oriented mod, perhaps slightly less popular but generally held to be just as good as Medieval XL.
3. WesW's MedMod v3 or v4 beta: the most challenging M:TW mod available, introduced the homelands concept and has the best A.I. performance.

If you want a different setting, you could have a look at Napoleonic:TW, Shogun for M:TW/VI, Hellenic:TW or Pike & Musket: TW.

[caravel]

How about the english?
They're reasonably safe on their island .

In game terms (unless you've modded it) it's not an island as it's joined to mainland europe via the Wessex/Flanders "landbridge". So it has a chokepoint, though not a particularly good one, but isn't a true island such as Malta, Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus, Ireland or Sardinia/Corsica.

I have modded out all of the landbridges, except Denmark-Sweden from my MTW/VI.

Also the English campaign throws you pretty much straight into war with the French, with all of the hassle from the Pope that comes with it.

• WesW's MedMod v3 or v4 beta: the most challenging M:TW mod available, introduced the homelands concept and has the best A.I. performance.

I need to get around to trying this one.

[DisruptorX]

I found the Egyptians to be a great starting faction. Desert lands are hard for non muslims to invade, and you start off next to two weaker muslim factions that are easy to invade. You get rich mediterean provinces off the bat which will bring you in tons of gold once you set up shipping routes and get access to many great anti-cavalry and anti-armour troops.

[Ciaran]

I agree with Ludens, in the case of MTW I´d start with vanilla. Although, maybe XL would be good for starting as well, since you gain way more income from the lands you hold and have to rely less on the long and difficult trade setup. But it´s also a matter of the faction you choose. I have so far only played with catholic factions, so I don´t know about the muslim or Orthodox ones, but Spain has proved so far a relatively easy one - your provinces are rich in trade goods and farm income, they have iron, you can wage a war against the Almohads without the pope screaming at you and you have easy access to both the Mediterrean and the northern sea regions, which eases trade buildup.

However, as a beginner do NOT, under no circumstances, try and start with the HRE in XL. It´s big, it´s weak and it´s surrounded by factions all too eager to grab your lands. You won´t be able to secure a single alliance at the beginning even if you play on Medium. I´ve managed to finish a XL HRE game - after five tries, and survival was by mere chance. It´s less extreme in vanilla, if I recall correctly, but it´s still a tough nut.

England is pretty easy in vanilla as well as the only non-English provices (Scotland and Wales) on the actual island of Britain are in rebel hands and can be bribed into your realm (Wales should be bribed, anyways - that gives you Longbows in Early, way before they regularly can be trained). In XL it´s a bit more mixed - you get more protection of your English provinces, due to the removed landbridge between Wessex and Flanders (a very rich and therefore tempting province, consider taking it as soon as you can afford to go to war with France) but that also cuts you off your continental holdings unless you can build ships.

And read both the Beginners Guide and the Unit Guide of Frogbeastegg. They´re more than helpful, even for those who have played RTW before trying their hands on MTW (they also contain a lot info that can be put to use in RTW, it´s just a matter of seeing where the similarities lie)

[Deus ret.]

However, as a beginner do NOT, under no circumstances, try and start with the HRE in XL. It´s big, it´s weak and it´s surrounded by factions all too eager to grab your lands. You won´t be able to secure a single alliance at the beginning even if you play on Medium.

To further generalize this: Don't EVER play a HRE game as a beginner. It's labelled as medium difficulty but in fact it's the hardest overall....no-one likes you regardless of what you do and everyone attacks you sooner or later once they get the chance to do so, stripping all their other frontiers bare just to attack YOU. Needless to say, if you don't just play sitting duck it's you who will get excommed quickly....and this applies for all mods I've played so far. Even in Pike&Musket where the HRE doesn't exist as a faction anymore the unlucky faction which got their slot (I think the Hapsburgs) regularly tend to be everyone's scapegoat due to the built-in hostile stance most factions take towards the HRE.

Another good beginner faction in vanilla are the Hungarians. Much land nearby to expand into and pretty good units (that is: Szekely) already in early.

The Danes in vanilla / early are also a viable option. Easily manageable with neighbouring, rich & strategically safe provinces ripe for the taking. Plus, they have truly supreme units (in early that is - there is a reason for the existence of a thread about overpowered Viking units).

edit: typos

[Bombasticus Maximus]

So English or Byzantines.

The English have long bows what do the Byzantines have like an elite unit?

I have shogun total war and you have to buld castles on each region to keep it do you do that in this one?

[DisruptorX]

So English or Byzantines.

The English have long bows what do the Byzantines have like an elite unit?

I have shogun total war and you have to buld castles on each region to keep it do you do that in this one?

In this one you build different buildings to recruit new troops and bigger castles let you advance to a higher tier of buildings. You don't need castles per se, but I always build up all my provinces, so I never have problems with unrest or civil wars. Watchtowers reduce discontent directly, to prevent revolts on newly captured areas.

To answer the other question, everything Byzantine is elite. Its a boring easy mode faction.

[Bombasticus Maximus]

Right ok I may be them then be the English.

[Csargo]

So English or Byzantines.

The English have long bows what do the Byzantines have like an elite unit?

I have shogun total war and you have to buld castles on each region to keep it do you do that in this one?

English have longbows but you can't get them til 1205 they also have billmen which I really like.

The Byzantines have Kaphoraktai(I can't spell it) and Vavarian Guards(can't spell that either) I'm sure there are more but I can't remember them.

[DisruptorX]

English have longbows but you can't get them til 1205 they also have billmen which I really like.

The Byzantines have Kaphoraktai(I can't spell it) and Vavarian Guards(can't spell that either) I'm sure there are more but I can't remember them.

Regular Byzantine Infantry is equivalent to high/late period infantry, and is completely overpowered versus early units. Its effectively an elite unit.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Byzantines exclusive units are Byzantine infantry, Varagian Guards, Kataphracts, Pronai Alligon and i think Trebizond archers but the latter i think some others might be able to train but i'm not 100 percent sure

[Ludens]

Byzantines exclusive units are Byzantine infantry, Varagian Guards, Kataphracts, Pronai Alligon and i think Trebizond archers but the latter i think some others might be able to train but i'm not 100 percent sure

Trebizond archers are Byzantine-only, as are Byzantine lancers and cavalry. The Byzantines have a quite unique units roster with many good, though somewhat low-morale units that unfortunatly get outdated as the game progresses. Their elites are Varangian Guards (heavily armoured, armour-piercing infantry) and kataphractoi (slow, heavily armoured cavalry). The latter are somewhat overrated in my opinion: their stats aren't that high. However, Byzantine Royals often have high command and some valour-conferring virtues, turning their Kataphraktoi bodyguards into seemingly unstoppable monsters.

[Sensei Warrior]

I think I jumped in too late to give a vote, but what the heck I'll throw in my 2 cents anyways. The best starting factions in order.

1. The Spanish. They have good units, good income, really good income when you figure out trade, nice starting location, and a built in enemy to whomp. You can go the Almohad, Egyptian, Turkish route for years and never ever hear a peep from the Pope.

2. The Byzantines. Incredible money (think of being the medieval version of Bill Gates), great units and no Pope to worry about. These guys would have gotten the top spot if it wasn't for the units half-life. The units become outdated after awhile. I would think that even a beginner would end the game way before this becomes a problem, but it has the potential to become a problem. The Spanish don't have this problem, they continue to get great units all the way through.

3. I know this is going to throw a couple of people. The Italians. These guys are another great money-maker, they have some great units (Light Italian Infantry), but their position is only so so. However, if you become a great naval power that won't really matter. These guys might take a little planning but I believe they are the next easiest.

After that, I would say the English (they are my fav Catho faction), the Danes (who get even better if you have VI), and any of the Muslim ones. I seemed to have a natural aptitude for the Turks, but you may not.

A couple of stay away froms. The afore mentioned HRE. These guys are the toughest faction to play, evryone wants to have a piece of the HRE puzzle. Stay away from the Russians in High. With the Mongols breathing down your neck it takes alot of planning to survive the first 30-40 years.

[Shaun]

Actually, the Byzantines arent a good starter faction.
They have quite powerful enemies all around them, and only thier elite units are anything to shout about, Byzantine infacntry are crap!

[R'as al Ghul]

I have shogun total war and you have to buld castles on each region to keep it

What makes you think that?
Is your loyalty low? Try to lower the taxes, use Shinobi, etc.
Keep some Ashis as garrison.
You don't have to build castles if you don't want to.

[macsen rufus]

I generally agree with most of the advice given here. My very first game was with the Almohads and managed to win. I do really like the English and the Turks, and the Russians were fun (despite the Horde!) I'm trying HRE/early for the first time (I've had the game 3+ years now, BTW) and it is by far the hardest campaign I've played so far. Admittedly I now play on 'expert' setting whereas I started my first Almos on 'easy' just to learn the ropes.... Being HRE almost inevitably means conflict with the Pope every time you sneeze, and the neighbours hate you from the start.

I've not tried the Italians, Sicilians, Hungarians, Poles or Danes yet. I think I did the French once..... unmemorable if I did

Definitely recommend VI for a change of scenery, where I've played everyone but the Saxons - the Vikings themselves being quite easy as long as you work out their economic model. VI gives the option for lots of mods too. Can recommend Hellenic, Napoleonic, Pike and Musket and Samurai. The different eras give very different tactics etc, and as they say, a change is as good as a rest (as in "No, dear, I'm not still playing 'that silly Mediaeval game'...." )

Of course, you can always start more than one campaign and compare different factions straight away. I'd suggest one Catholic and one Muslim faction, in early era so you work your way through the tech tree from the bottom up.

Let us know how you get on. Enjoy.

[Sensei Warrior]

Actually, the Byzantines arent a good starter faction.
They have quite powerful enemies all around them, and only thier elite units are anything to shout about, Byzantine infacntry are crap!

If your refering to the Byz in Early, then I will respectfully disagree. The only nearby powerful enemy is the Egyptians, who have the tendancy to spam camels and peasants. The Turks have the potential to be powerful, but are rather small at this point, and easily handled.

All of the Byz regular units (not elite) are slightly more powerful in Early than the other factions counterparts. Byzantine Infantry, statwise are on par with FMAA, except there are 100 of them, which means alot more killing power. There is also a large amount of tactical flexibility. You have the ability to tailor armies to a more Catho or Muslim style or a mix of the 2. And if that wasn't enough the Byz spawn some of the highest star generals I have ever seen. Even if the Byz units leave a little to be desired, being led by a 6* or 7* general will more than level the playing field.

Military aside the thing that makes the Byz easy is money, your provences are all rather good, cash-wise. Lots of cash means the ability to generate and maintain large armies if needed. You also have quick access to the majority of the richest provences in the game.

The Byz downside of their military becoming outdated is somewhat overrated. Whenever I have started a campaign (domination, I have yet to play a Byz GA game) in Early I have finished somewhere soon after the appearance of the Horde. The Byz was the 3rd Campaign I ever played (the Almos and Spanish being the first 2) and I didn't have any trouble beating the game at all.

Now outside of Early, I'm not sure how the Byz will perform. I've never played them outside of Early.

[littlebktruck]

Another thing in the favor of England and Spain is that they have decent melee cavalry immediately available. Cavalry aren't as powerful as in RTW, but their speed gives you great flexibility early and can mask some of the inevitable inexperienced errors.

[Alexios]

I have modded out all of the landbridges, except Denmark-Sweden from my MTW/VI.

Hmmm... interesting. How does one go about modding out all the landbridges? I've considered doing this myself, as the landbridges tend to make the game less realistic in my opinion.

[caravel]

Hmmm... interesting. How does one go about modding out all the landbridges? I've considered doing this myself, as the landbridges tend to make the game less realistic in my opinion.

The landbridges are a personal thing. I prefer the game without them, some people think they're necessary to game balance, except the Sweden/Denmark one. There is also a landbridge that should exist, and that is the Sweden/Finland one. These are joined together off the map, so they should be linked.

The downside of this is that reckless AI crusades headed for norh african provinces will now go via eastern europe, asia minor and the holy land (the long route) instead of hopping across via the cordoba/morocco or granada/morocco landbridges at gibraltar. If this is a problem you may want to leave gibraltar connected, and only disconnect, i.e, wessex/flanders, sicily/naples and sardinia/corsica.

I will post a guide about landbridge removal later today. It's really very simple.

On Topic: Another good faction to play as is the Novgorod. They have to be modded as playable from the early startpos file. They have horse archers, boyars, druzhina cavalry, vikings (+1 valour in norway), rus spearmen (early only), +1 valour woodsmen in lithuania and easy access to steppe cavalry and steppe heavy cavalry. What more could you want? I'm currently on a novgorod campaign myself, and it's so long since I'd played them I'd forgotten just how good they were. It's difficult to get started but if you persist in invading and holding provinces every time an heir matures (boyar's upkeep is expensive and saps your already poor economy) you can pull yourself out of the red and end up as the strong baltic trading faction with a strong economy. So far I've taken all of russia, scandinavia (including denmark) and given the poles a serious kicking and taken poland and moldavia. The Byzantine also broke alliance and invaded khazar but lost badly, but I'm leaving them alone for now, even though I have some particularly legendary generals (ex princes) and enough of a military to take them on and wipe them out. The vikings, boyars, druzhina and steppe cavalry have ensured that I haven't lost a single battle so far. Now I'm going to wait for the GH to arrive, only a about 20 years to go.

[Sensei Warrior]

I just started a Campaign in XL as the Scottish. Its my first time playing a mod. So far its a lot of fun. Its nice to Campaign against a faction the uses more than Peasants, Archers and Spearmen.

I would cast my vote for the removal of land bridges. It took me awhile to realize that my huge army sitting in Wessex was not protecting me from the French in Flanders. Although the one minor downside is it is incredibly hard to get your island faction off of your island.

With all the boats hanging out in my section of the world I might have to contentrate on being an island trading faction for a bit.

I always wondered if when you edited out the land bridge if you had to erase the lines that indicate the landbridge from the map or if it just disapears on its own?

Eagerly waits for Caravel's instructions.

[caravel]

As always back up any changed files before proceeding. If you mess up a file with a syntax error it can be hard to trace the fault.

Ok in the location where you installed MTW/VI go to this path:

\Medieval - Total War\campmap\startpos

You'll see files of this sort:

early.txt
high.txt
late.txt

Personally I only play the early period anyway so I haven't modded the others but it works exactly the same way.

1) Open the early.txt file with the notepad text editor
2) Find the "SetNeighbours" for the region you want to disconnect. Next to this you'll find a list of other provinces e.g.

SetNeighbours:: ID_WESSEX	     ID_FLANDERS        ID_MERCIA	ID_WALES	ID_ENGLISH_CHANNEL	ID_IRISH_SEA

from this line, if you wanted to stop stacks and agents crossing directly to flanders without a port and fleet you would have to change as follows:

SetNeighbours:: ID_WESSEX     ID_MERCIA	ID_WALES	ID_ENGLISH_CHANNEL	ID_IRISH_SEA

After this you would need to find the line:

SetNeighbours:: ID_FLANDERS	ID_WESSEX       ID_NORMANDY	ID_ILE_DE_FRANCE	ID_CHAMPAGNE	ID_LORRAINE	ID_FREISLAND	ID_ENGLISH_CHANNEL

And change it as follows:

SetNeighbours:: ID_FLANDERS       ID_NORMANDY	ID_ILE_DE_FRANCE	ID_CHAMPAGNE	ID_LORRAINE	ID_FREISLAND	ID_ENGLISH_CHANNEL

This stops stacks and agents crossing back in the other direction.

The next thing is to remove the little descriptions you see when you open the info parchment for, in our example, flanders when you have that parchment open and mouse over wessex. You see the "armies meeting here..." terrain type info.

Find:

SetBorderInfo::	ID_FLANDERS	ID_WESSEX	8600	8184	0	LUSH	AT_WESTERN_EUROPEAN	COAST	FLAT	NO_RIVER

Replace with:

//SetBorderInfo::	ID_FLANDERS	ID_WESSEX	8600	8184	0	LUSH	AT_WESTERN_EUROPEAN	COAST	FLAT	NO_RIVER

The two "//" comment out the line so that it is not parsed (read by the compiler) so that border info line won't have effect.

Next you need to do the same for wessex:

SetBorderInfo::	ID_WESSEX	ID_FLANDERS	9208	8568	0	LUSH	AT_WESTERN_EUROPEAN	COAST	PLAINS	NO_RIVER

Change as follows:

//SetBorderInfo::	ID_WESSEX	ID_FLANDERS	9208	8568	0	LUSH	AT_WESTERN_EUROPEAN	COAST	PLAINS	NO_RIVER

Britain is now a four province island.

Other provinces you may wish to disconnect using this method are sardinia/corsica, cordoba/morocco, granada/morocco and sicily/napes. don't forget to comment out the borderinfo for both directions and remove the neighbours for each direction.

-Edit, oh and I almost forgot, the little 'cosmetic' links on the campaign map graphic won't disappear as the whole thing is just one big .tga image. I had photoshopped these out myself a few years back (and did a pretty good job of it if I do say so myself!), and I use this all the time now. The only visual landbridge not erased is the denmark/sweden one, because I don't actually remove that anyway. I would host it but the "MapTex2.tga" file, as it's called, is near 37MB so that's not an option for me.

[Sensei Warrior]

Caravel, I take back all the bad things I ever thought about you. Your a true Prince. I always like to see the info so I don't have to rip my hair out trying to figure out what I forgot.

I knew about the first part, but totally forgot the part about commenting out the battlefield setup. Thanks for clearing up the strategy map question, I always wondered about that.