Diplomacy, Agents and Campaign Map AI

[wraithdt]

I find that all 3 agents types are useful and use them on all total war games I've played. The Assassin's role is the pretty much the same in both MTW and RTW; killing other agents and characters/generals. Spies were slighty less effective in RTW cuz they don't increase public order like they do in MTW but still usefull cuz they have huge "line-of-sight" for exploring and a high level spy can cause serious unrest in a rival's settlement.

Now Diplomats, on the other hand, I find very useful in RTW. If you're you're a filthy rich kingdom with lots and lots of cash to burn then your diplomat can be a deadly weapon. I've bribed away countless stacks of armies that I would otherwise have problems dealing with cuz my armies were elsewhere fighting. Also, who said that money can't buy friendship? If you offer huge sums of money you can often secure alliances you normally wouldn't get. I also found it very usefull to fund other kingdoms who are enemies of my enemies. That way my opponent will be distracted trying to subdue the other kingdoms while I pummel/bribe the rest of his armies to dust. I also rescued a number of factions on the brink of oblivian by giving them hordes of cash this way and most of the time they end up with decent a decent sized kingdom and armies to annoy my enemies after that. Just watch out though cuz they might turn on you if they become too powerful lol.

[Aracnid]

Yeah well I prefer to use my money to build up my empire or cut taxes, rather than splurge money to my future enemies (everyone is a future enemy after all).

[wraithdt]

Well thats true but I always find myself with a huge surplus of cash. I could just keep it but theres a downside to it; governors and generals will become corrupt if you start hording money. I think it makes the campaign a bit more interesting if you spread some wealth around with your diplomats.

I hope to do this again in M2TW. Eg. Playing as the French and funding Scottish insurgents.

[Polemists]

Yes plus as we know from video's this time I see a couple brand new ways to use assassins. One I can use him to assinate the other canidates I don't like for pope hat so I can get a pope who is mine or one of my allies. Secondly if there's a certain general my princess I would like to coherce and assasin can make sure no other princesses get there first

Diplomats are going to be unique this time around I think because supposedly computer remebers more things. So if I see my ally start to buff up his borders I definetly want somebody to talk him out of it.

Spies I love for same reasons others said. I mean you thought Rome was bad, I've a good chunk of demo battles but they cost alot of men, and that wasn't even against a 3 ring wall tower of doom hammer. So if seige weapons fail and I have no spy my men resort to