My first go with the Turks: Volume II

[caravel]

I have 3 generals with 4 stars in the north, 1 5 star general, and an 8 star heir. Overall I am satisfied with how things went and where I stand, sadly most of my forces are dominated by THA's and AHC with sacren infantry. While this force structure served me well it wont hold up in battle against the massive army if the french.

Don't be so sure... invest in morale upgrades (religious buildings), and have two bases for training troops. A base for producing heavily armoured AHC and Saracens and another for lightly armoured ones for the desert. Don't forget that Ghazis make good flankers against those armoured european troops. Try unleashing them on the flanks of some Chivalric Sergeants.

1. A general concensus on Turcoman foot soldiers? Nice scrappy unit that I liken to bohemian bowmen. Should I invest in them?

They're cheap and cheerful, and better than archers. They're also armoured, but their morale is poor. You may as well produce these though, as produce archers, and they have a valour bonus in anatolia. Futuwwa are better IMHO, as they make good flankers. I have often decimated the AI using well time Futuwwa rushes. Turcoman Foot's armour and rabble formation means they fare better when under fire however.

2. AHC, while a nice unit they cant handle heavy horse units what should I be looking for to replace these unit? I use them mostly for flanking and occasional charges.

They're not supposed to handle other heavy cavalry, that is the spearmen and polearms/axes role. You can still use the AHC to flank the enemy cav and finish the job. When trained in Armenia with a master horsebreeder, they get +2 valour, add some armour to that and you've got one of the best cavalry units there are. You're only alternatives are Ghulam Cavalry or Khwarazmian Cavalry but those two are overpriced and still not better than AHC.

3. What units come available to me in the "middle era" ?

Once you've teched up to Janissaries you may want to replace Futuwwa and Turcoman foot with JI. These will be available in the high era (1205 - 1320)

4.Prepare for the mongols or press the offensive? The north is open, the Polish are in taters and the Bohemians are really all that is left between me and the Baltic sea. While I am inclined to press the offensive, my goal isnt to get complete conquest ASAP. The mongols are coming and while gamey (imho) I have a choke point in Georgia (fortress with lots of spears).

You'll have to secure Georgia, Armenia, Khazar, and Volga Bulgaria from the mongols. They can appear in any of those provinces, though usually always Khazar. If you don't prepare you will lose a lot of your core provinces, but it makes for an interesting campaign.

[Odin]

Once you've teched up to Janissaries you may want to replace Futuwwa and Turcoman foot with JI. These will be available in the high era (1205 - 1320)

I knew that Jannissaries would be a great replacement for the core of my armies but never having played the turks I never bothered to fathom thier cost. If I understand it correctly, there is a valor bonus for them in bulgaria, and it takes a grand mosque and a military academy to get them.

Thats an expensive unit.... I certainly have the florins, but if my assumption is correct that means they can only be built in one province.

You'll have to secure Georgia, Armenia, Khazar, and Volga Bulgaria from the mongols. They can appear in any of those provinces, though usually always Khazar. If you don't prepare you will lose a lot of your core provinces, but it makes for an interesting campaign.

Having played for years I know that the mongol event can be crippling, thus my concern for a northern expansion. I guess my question should have been, do I expend my energies for the next 25 years on prep for the mongols, or expansion north of my empire?

I can probaly do both but it would come down to my generalship, not my troop superiority should I choose both. While I am confident I can defeat the AI 95% of the time, I do struggle with the mongols, I always have.

Also I do have multiple training depots for armored and non armored units (including AHC). I like AHC they fit my style, just thought the Turks might get a better unit in 1205.

[caravel]

I knew that Jannissaries would be a great replacement for the core of my armies but never having played the turks I never bothered to fathom thier cost. If I understand it correctly, there is a valor bonus for them in bulgaria, and it takes a grand mosque and a military academy to get them.

Thats an expensive unit.... I certainly have the florins, but if my assumption is correct that means they can only be built in one province.

Expensive but well worth the money. You will a military academy as well as the usual weapons/armour buildings of the correct level. To build a military academy you will first need a grand mosque, this is unique of course which is why you can only train janissaries in one province. You can employ a cheesy strategy though. Once the Military academy is being built you can destroy the grand mosque and build it elsewhere, then build another military academy there. Rinse and repeat etc. The valour bonuses for Janissaries are as follows:
JA: Georgia
JI: None
JHI: Bulgaria

JA are simply not worth it, so it is better to build the grand mosque in bulgaria and start there.

Having played for years I know that the mongol event can be crippling, thus my concern for a northern expansion. I guess my question should have been, do I expend my energies for the next 25 years on prep for the mongols, or expansion north of my empire?

I would concentrate on teching up and wait for the mongols to pass before expanding further, though it's up to you. Try to strengthen your current positions and abandon any provinces that are not worth holding onto for now.

I can probaly do both but it would come down to my generalship, not my troop superiority should I choose both. While I am confident I can defeat the AI 95% of the time, I do struggle with the mongols, I always have.

Their weakness is their lack of good infantry especially spears. The mongol warriors aren't bad if used correctly (skirmish turned off) but the AI never does. They are vulnerable to your cavalry staging hit and run charges. This serves to lure the MHC towards you. When fighting the horde you should fight even your offensive battles defensively. Let the MHC waste themselves pinned down by saracens then send in ghazis to attack their rear. You should give them a good shooting up with your bows and crossbows (no arbs for the Turks!) before they get too close. Your archers (Futuwwa, Janissary Infantry, Turcoman Foot Soldiers) are vital for tacking the MHAs. These devils will ruin all of your plans if you don't have missiles with which to decimate their ranks with. You should have some crossbows up front to shoot exclusively at the MHCs. I have fought them in Georgia by setting up my formation, on a hill, with ghazis hiding in the trees on each wing. The saracens screen extends from one wood to another (sometimes there is only one wood available so you have to make the best of it) and the enemy must enter the woods to attempt to flank them. I have lured MHC into the woods and slaughtered them on many occasions. Many times I have held off 7-8000 mongols with my 2000 strong force, eventually with a bit of luck they will get the message and reinforcements will come on and withdraw. The following year they'll be back again, so you need to be ready!

Also I do have multiple training depots for armored and non armored units (including AHC). I like AHC they fit my style, just thought the Turks might get a better unit in 1205.

AFAIK in High the turks get, crossbows and Janissary units, as well as the updated Ghulam Bodyguards. I can't think of anything else off the top of my head (I can't remember when Khwarazmian are available from as I never use them). In late you'll get Ottoman Infantry, Sipahi and Sipahi of the Porte. The last two are nothing special. Sipahi of the porte are 20 man bodyguard horse archers, and Ottoman Sipahi are a poor cavalry unit that doesn't supersede... anything. Ottoman Infantry are ok AP attack flanker/skirmishers, they're cheap enough and get a valour bonus in Rum. They're a good replacement for Ghazis as they're more versatile but lack the Ghazis' punch.

[Kavhan Isbul]

If the Cumans aren your allies, I will not bother taking Khazar and Volga Bulgaria. It is much easier to stop the Mongols at rivers, such as in Levidia or Muscovy. Georgia will give a defensive army a serious height advantage, and it helps a lot. I would leave them a chance to establish a foothold and simply defeat army after army they send in Georgia. They usually will send the major part of their armies towards Levidia and Muscovy, so it should not be so hard to hold them in Georgia with a good defensive army with JHIs and plenty of missile troops. And the Armenians are great for dealing with the Mongol Horse Archers - sooner or later they catch up with them and then it is a massacre. Finally, Georgia is close to your production centers and replenishing you army there should be easy, compared to having to cross the steppes to get to Volga Bulgaria. I would worry more about the French, especially if they have built a huge navy, rather than the Mongols, as with the latter it is a matter of weathering the storm in a few battles, and with the former it may take a long war of attrition before you can feel your Empire is secured.

[Sensei Warrior]

I think you should continue to expand. Maybe its the roleplay in me, but whenever I sat and waited for the Mongols, they always disapoint me.

Whenever I have gone about my business, and pretended the Mongol Invasion wasn't going to happen, that's when the Mongols really shined, and livened things up.

But do what you like, either way should be interesting.

[Odin]

I think you should continue to expand. Maybe its the roleplay in me, but whenever I sat and waited for the Mongols, they always disapoint me.

Whenever I have gone about my business, and pretended the Mongol Invasion wasn't going to happen, that's when the Mongols really shined, and livened things up.

But do what you like, either way should be interesting.

I concede your point that its best to go about my business, and frankly I consider myself gamey here for prepping georgia for the enevitable mongol invasion.

That said I have taken a measure of pride in this particular campaign mainly because I fell into a lot of traps that non muslim players and still ended up achieving my goals. This empire came at a lot of expense, the Byz campaign was not an easy go, so I would like to see this empire make it until I have gotten to the point where my defeat is impossible( you know when its you and one other big player, Thats when I tend to end my games).

[Vladimir]

The Mongols are easy (gamey). Focus on taking Kazar (lesser in XL), max out the fortress (or one level lower), pack in anti-armor units (mercs if you can), and wait. Make sure you take out the occasional cannon they have and they WILL assault. A decent (but not your best) general helps too (you WILL loose him). They will assault your fortifications until your garrison starves (2 – 3 turns). Finally clean up the rabble; the horde taken out in <5 years. If you HAVE to take them on in open battle (not recommended) do so in Georgia or anywhere but the steppe.

For the different archers I recommend Turcoman foot for cooler climes and Futwas for the desert. It should be easy if you specialize your cities, however there’s rarely a need for anything other than THAs.

[caravel]

Georgia will give a defensive army a serious height advantage, and it helps a lot. I would leave them a chance to establish a foothold and simply defeat army after army they send in Georgia. They usually will send the major part of their armies towards Levidia and Muscovy, so it should not be so hard to hold them in Georgia with a good defensive army with JHIs and plenty of missile troops. And the Armenians are great for dealing with the Mongol Horse Archers - sooner or later they catch up with them and then it is a massacre. Finally, Georgia is close to your production centers and replenishing you army there should be easy, compared to having to cross the steppes to get to Volga Bulgaria.

Georgia is easily the best province to take on the Mongols. The problem is that if it does fall, they will begin expanding into trebizond and armenia. If you have valuable buildings there such as a grand mosque, this is not what you want. Another possibility is that the Mongols emerge in Armenia as well as Khazar. If this happens and you've no suitable garrison there to face them, you will probably lose your core provinces, unless you can get troops into that landlocked region asap. It can be a nightmare to stop the Mongols once they gain a foothold in asia minor.

[Odin]

If the Cumans aren your allies, I will not bother taking Khazar and Volga Bulgaria. It is much easier to stop the Mongols at rivers, such as in Levidia or Muscovy. Georgia will give a defensive army a serious height advantage, and it helps a lot. I would leave them a chance to establish a foothold and simply defeat army after army they send in Georgia. They usually will send the major part of their armies towards Levidia and Muscovy, so it should not be so hard to hold them in Georgia with a good defensive army with JHIs and plenty of missile troops. And the Armenians are great for dealing with the Mongol Horse Archers - sooner or later they catch up with them and then it is a massacre. Finally, Georgia is close to your production centers and replenishing you army there should be easy, compared to having to cross the steppes to get to Volga Bulgaria. I would worry more about the French, especially if they have built a huge navy, rather than the Mongols, as with the latter it is a matter of weathering the storm in a few battles, and with the former it may take a long war of attrition before you can feel your Empire is secured.

Quick note of intrest: There are no more russian factions, the Volga Bulgars got all the way to finland and have crushed the Lithuanians. Kiev is contolled by the cumans as they have most of the black sea, up to Volaniya and now have parts of Poland proper.

So my guess is that the volga bulgarians will face most of the mongol wrath, still I have seen on more then one occassion the mongols head south and play in the holy land.

The French have taken most of germany reclaimed all of france and have reduced the danes to scania and the home province. England is half scottish, half rebel, I am anticipating a reemergence of the English sometime and that might help to offset the french later on.

Iberia is half portugese half aragon so no real threat to the french thier and thier western borders are now touching me, the pope (who has taken all of Italy except for sicily), and a surprisingly robust Bohemian empire that expanded into the Baltic.

Its only a matter of time before a french army shows up on my door step, and with the prospect of the mongols coming in 30 years I could be in a protracted two front war.