England

[where's yur troosers]

With respect England does so well (H/M) because:

1) you have a secure financial powerbase once the British Isles are secured
2) you can expand across the coast from Caen without immediately going to war as the neighbouring settlements are rebel
3) simultaneous expansion into Scandinavia is possible - the Danes can be delayed by placing a ship on one of the land bridges from Denmark
4) longbows are fantastic - easily obtained, reasonably cheap, long range, armour piercing, can fight in a pinch and lay stakes. What more do you want? With Yoeman and Retinue Archers to come it just gets better and better.

[dzidek]

I don't say English Longbows are bad... just that there are better

[Myth]

I don't say English Longbows are bad... just that there are better

Examples and justification, please?

[dzidek]

Scots Guard - better stats but no stakes

[Myth]

Hmm I'm not sure on the stats of SG vs Retinue Archers, haven't been playing M2TW for that long. However, on England's start:

I've found out that it is indeed more beneficial to just play with some historical accuracy in to account. Don't go slaughtering your Catholic neighbors right off the bat - this isn't RTW. I started by sending my diplomat on turn #1 to the French princess, selling Alliance/Trade/Map info/Marriage for Map info/1900 Florins. That's the best deal she'd accept at this point.

I married my own princess to the HRE faction heir. I got alliances with the Danes, Spanish, Milanese, Venetians, Polish and Hungarians. The Pope was overjoyed, naturally i got one with him as well. I got tons of money after all these alliances (the more nations you have as allies the more expensive your furhter alliances become).

At turn #9 i had taken Bordeaux and only given up Dublin and Iverness to the Scotts (let them develop the cities for a while, i have no alliance with them and wea are already at very bad relations due to my stream of spies coming from York). I can't wait for them to declare war, get excommunicated so i can march on to Edinburgh. Anyway, at turn 9 the Pope was singing Beyonce's "Crazy in love" any time he saw my diplomat. It was time - we (I) called for a most holy Crusade on Cordoba.

Well a bit prematurely as i lost Bordeaux to revolt (it seems it's not Cahtolic enough at the start) when i removed my general, but i'll just retake it later. I was the only one who bothered joining this crusade, and i went straight for the target (in retrospect i think it wiser to take out the other moorish town along the way). Naturally there was no real resistence to be had.

My general, who i have bread as a good commander and a chiv leader, got both Templar and Hospitalier retinues, and the other usual benefits for winning a Crusade, which i liked a lot. I decided to keep Cordoba, as it's a good launchpad for my invasion of Africa. And i will be invading Africa soon, since every Catholic nation is palying nice now that i'm the big peacekeeper and defender of the faith of the Western world.

Well except for Scotland, but I have my mind made up for them - I'm not leaving any liabilites at my back before i march towards the Holy Lands.

[dzidek]

Yeah.. i like to play England the same way.

I'm in the middle of a 100 years war now :D

Destroyed the Scots early (sorry William) and started a long campaign in France.

I own all of Britain and western France including Bordeaux (turned to city), Rennes, Caen, Touluse, Angers.
The French are down to 3 provinces and i prepare for the final attack.
Sadly Milan as always starts to be a pain so i will have to raid/sack their towns in the near future.

Got excom lately so i wait now for the Pope to die, as he is over 60 already.

I'm really glad as all my Castles in France got the swordsmiths guild so now i'm flooding Europe with swordsmen and longbows.

I made the isles all city, i don't need castles there. If something goes wrong i have a military heavy city in Notthingham with all militia units + military academy for the Demi Lancers.

All my "French" castles are now producing Armoured Swordsmen + Yeoman Archers + Feudal Knights.
After i crush the rest of France i will be able to produce Retinue Longbow + English Knights.

I've signed an early marriage alliance with the Spanish and the have kept it since then so i have no trouble in the south, that allows me to concentrate on my eastern front.

I don't make big cash but it allows me to maintain 3 full stacks all the time + some castle garrison.

Usually if i have to fight several battles in one turn i make a little logistic trick, like in real war.
I fight with one stack, usually it allows me to win easili in a 1:1 fight, after the battle i come with a 2nd nearby stack and replenish the ranks, this way i train my main army and the 2nd stack allows me to replenish the fallen soldiers quickly often more then 1 time).

As the tactics goes i'm not a genius, i place archers in the front with stakes in 2 rows, behind them are the swordsmen, the flanks supported by spearmen and billmen and some cavalry for flanking support.

In the beginning i made a little Zerg spam. I produced masses of Levy Speramen, really even the most finesse 1000 troops can't hold a 2000 meat wave. Got some gold chevrons on those spearmen already :)

[Seamus Fermanagh]

....

In the beginning i made a little Zerg spam. I produced masses of Levy Speramen, really even the most finesse 1000 troops can't hold a 2000 meat wave. Got some gold chevrons on those spearmen already :)

Subtle.