How much do personal politics factor into your campaign?

[Aelwyn]

So I've been playing more STW recently in my spare time, and I've noticed a bit of difference in how I've approached the game, not sure where it came from.

I notice now that if an ally breaks an alliance more than once, I have more tendency to turn down offers for a ceasfire/alliance from that faction. I used to always say yes to everything, no matter what, thinking that I would rather it be me that breaks the alliance than the other side. Now that I think back on it though, it was usually 50/50. Since my change in personal politics, it seems there's a slight difference in the outcomes, and amount of times I am attacked. I know its all in my head, but still interesting.

So, how many decisions do you make based on what is logical vs what you feel like doing?

[Dexter]

Making and braking alliances does affect the game .. make them carefully... and it does help to now why A hastes B , B hates C but is ready to work whit C to defeat A ..
I don`t know exactly how, but this playas a major part in the game, as i played Takeda i was forces to fight hordes of Oda and Hojo c`use there were allies .. newer exepted to see the emissary .. :P .. so that was there anser ...
It`s all hardcoded into the game, so i dont know exactly how this works, but it`s there, not just in your head.

Have fun playing !!!

[Mithrandir]

I just started playing again (damn I miss the camels in STW ) but don't really bother with alliances anymore, I just turn everyone down...

they'll die anyway ~:D

[Martok]

I'll still accept alliances, especially early on when I don't have a whole lot in the bank yet. The extra 200 kokus per year from an alliance can definitely help in the beginning!

That said, I'm still careful about who I ally with. I'll happily ally with most clans as long as we're not very close together, but I generally avoid making friends with my immediate neighbors. And of course, I *never* form an alliance with those Takeda dogs.

[Mithrandir]

..oops.... you get koku for alliances?

I really should learn more about STW than just warmongering...

[Suraknar]

I usually like to play the Mori or the Shimazu, and I too avoid alliances with neigbors and only accept alliances with non neigboring clans.

Also, It depends if I choose to deal with Portuguese or not, in campaigns that I do then I try to limit alliances with Christian clans, if not, I limit them to Budhist clans.

[Martok]

..oops.... you get koku for alliances?

I really should learn more about STW than just warmongering...

Yep. You get 250 koku per year per ally -- so if you're allied with 3 clans, you'll get an extra 750 koku a year, etc.

I should caution, however, that I've been playing the Warlord Edition for some time now. I don't remember if the alliance income is in the original game as well.

@Suraknar: Bah. Since religion is the opiate of the masses, I'll ally with whomever I choose. That said, I might limit myself to Buddhist allies were I the Mori or Takeda, but I've never played as them.

[Mithrandir]

I checked yesterday and playing as the Uesegi I even get 250 per alliance ~:D. Ofcourse, playing as Uesegi you really don't need extra cash....

[Noir]

I was about to say...

you get 250 koku/year/alliance.

[caravel]

As with Mithrandir, I can truly say that I never knew that.

[Noir]

It helps clans such as Mori at the early game, and become less and less significant as the list of potential Shoguns shortens...

[Martok]

As with Mithrandir, I can truly say that I never knew that.

As a money-grubbing Hojo/Uesugi/Oda player, I notice these things. (Even if I had the wrong amount stuck in my head.)

[Mister Write]

I go for an historically accurate (at least in theory) approach. Don't ally with anyone you plan to attack in the near future. Do ally with everyone else. This means planning your expansion but that's not difficult. For any position on the map, there's an optimal pattern of expansion based on keeping the front lines as short as possible. Depart from this pattern and your expansion will suffer, maybe even grind to a halt as you spend all your koku on garrisons and maintenance.

Shimazu has it the easiest because he's got just one opponent in the early game. Imagawa and Takeda have it the worst, but even they can hold their targets to no more than two clans in the early game.

In general, the penalty for breaking alliances is negligible--so when in doubt, ally and get the 200 koku bonus. Early on it makes a huge difference.

I actually enjoy having the computer break an alliance because it gives my *poor quality* ashigaru garrisons a chance for serious beatdown as the enemy advances uphill. If you hold your garrisons to 1/2 the numerical strength of any potential invader, and remember to throw in a yari samurai or two to hold critical points in the line, it can make for some great "desperate actions". There is nothing like watching the daimyo's second son hold out against incredible odds and inflict heavy casualties on enemy elites. Or rescuing said son from the castle after he, along with a handful of survivors, escapes to fight another day. Only STW can generate war stories like these.

I also play a variant where I let diplomacy dictate the shape of my expansion. There is always one enemy I can attack (my choice, in a moment of peace) but I must offer alliance to everyone else. Anyone who declares on me becomes an additional target but only until they again offer peace. Any diplomatic offer must be accepted and respected unless it would leave me with no one at all to attack, i.e. at peace with everyone. Very challenging because of the "optimal expansion" issues described above. Expect that sort of game to last a long, long time.

Three more points to make about diplomacy:

As Takeda, your diplomacy will suck because everyone secretly hates you and wants to gang up on you. That's hard-coded. Deal with it as best you can and remember why it is so: your troops really ARE the finest in Japan. Use them aggressively and to hell with diplomacy.

It's worse if you play Oda in the 1580 campaign. Everyone--even the rebels--will gang up on you early and refuse to back off. Oda also starts overextended and undermanned, and it's my belief that Creative Assembly intended this to be a kind of "ultimate challenge" for the game. If you play Oda in 1580, expect every alliance to be broken right away.

Next, if you want your alliances to last do NOT stick out your nose where it can be cut off. If the AI thinks that by taking one of your provinces it can isolate another, or cut your position in two, it will be strongly inclined to do so regardless of diplomacy. When you're in that sort of configuration you will need twice as many garrison troops to convince the AI not to attack.

Finally, one of STW's unique joys is having an ally join your invasion and then sitting back and doing nothing, or taking potshots with archers, while he pulps his main force against the enemy and advances your agenda of one-man rule. Even more gratifying is the rare occasion when you know he'll be next and so you sneak up behind his units to backstab them in their moment of victory. It's little things like this that make everyday life worthwhile.

But you can't have them unless you nurture and respect your alliances first.

Happy massacring,

Mister Write

[Togakure]

Thanks for your contribution, Mister Write, and welcome to the Org.

Your monicker is well chosen, and had you chosen Mr. Right instead, I'd still be nodding, smiling and sending a 'thumbs up' your way. That was a very refreshing read.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I actually enjoy having the computer break an alliance because it gives my *poor quality* ashigaru garrisons a chance for serious beatdown as the enemy advances uphill. If you hold your garrisons to 1/2 the numerical strength of any potential invader, and remember to throw in a yari samurai or two to hold critical points in the line, it can make for some great "desperate actions". There is nothing like watching the daimyo's second son hold out against incredible odds and inflict heavy casualties on enemy elites. Or rescuing said son from the castle after he, along with a handful of survivors, escapes to fight another day. Only STW can generate war stories like these.

Agreed, these are my favorite battles.

Finally, one of STW's unique joys is having an ally join your invasion and then sitting back and doing nothing, or taking potshots with archers, while he pulps his main force against the enemy and advances your agenda of one-man rule. Even more gratifying is the rare occasion when you know he'll be next and so you sneak up behind his units to backstab them in their moment of victory. It's little things like this that make everyday life worthwhile.

But you can't have them unless you nurture and respect your alliances first.

Happy massacring,

Mister Write

I can never resist doing this, even if it's in my best interest to keep the alliance