How is your first campaign going?

**Cecil XIX** · 03-16-2011, 23:30

I'm against anything that gives the so-called "Major Clans" an edge. The best part about the Warscape engine is how every province is controlled by a unique faction instead of generic rebels.

**martyshka** · 03-17-2011, 01:34

I've played about 2 dozen turns as Shimazu and it's really lovely. At one point, as I was fighting Shoni and was only a turn away from a third castle to conquer I was backstabbed by a trade partner. They showed with two stacks near my capital and in the chaos I lost all I gained except my starting province. But a few decisive battles later I had the whole of Kyushu (the southern island) to myself. I've seen AI stack it's armies, backstab me when there was an opening, even sneak in an army by sea. What I'm glad I didnt see were the silly one unit speed bumps that were so annoying in the previous games.

**Dead Guy** · 03-17-2011, 08:41

So, Chosokabe VH campaign.

Started off on the military side of the arts, gathered an army and quickly moved on the province to the north. I take it and shortly after I get hints that my eastern neighbour (Miyoshi?) is planning to invade. I build a few more units, and my economy sort of grinds to a halt.

Now I send trade ships to the trade nodes and save money to improve my economy, and switch to the economic side of the arts, going for the improved farms. Both the Miyoshi and the other neighbour on the northeast side of Shikoku have a full stack each, mostly Ashigaru to the NE, Miyoshi has cavalry too.

I spend a good deal of turns sending trade ships to 3 different nodes and build ports to trade with other clans, and I start making a profit again, building new buildings almost every turn and training katanas every now and then.

I didn't attack until the NE clan moved on the Miyoshi and got repelled. Then I immediately threw my almost full stack at their castle town and took it. I then took the Miyoshis provinces but then I had to go to bed. This is the first time I've had anything like the upper hand on a neighbour :p

The battle against the Miyoshi was really quite nice. The AI used his cav pretty intelligently, his spears bunched up a bit but nothing incredibly stupid or passive.

**gollum** · 03-17-2011, 11:34

Originally posted by martyshka
What I'm glad I didnt see were the silly one unit speed bumps that were so annoying in the previous games.

Welcome to the org martyshka, enjoy your stay.

this sounds like a substantial improvement and really good news. I haven't seen teh AI mass his forces properly since the MTW days when armies were massed due to teh 2d map.

**Squints** · 03-17-2011, 15:01

Playing as Date. Wiped out the red clan you start at war with, killed my rebel brother, and have been allies with the green clan that starts next to you since 5 turns in (they apparently start at war with Takeda, so I was luckily not pulled into that). I use the green clan as an invasion buffer, but I know I will have to turn on them at some point because they hold 2 regions I need to win. It's unfortunate, because they ALWAYS join me when I declare war. I march through them and expand, boating around Takeda and finishing off Uesegi. There's an awesome 1-city island just north of Takeda's land; it has a gold mine and is owned by a minor clan. It's their only city, so I recommend wiping them out and taking this city immediately. It made 1800 a turn at the level it was at when I got it, I upgraded it (took 7 turns!) and now it makes 2500.

**Thelne** · 03-17-2011, 17:21

First time player of any Total War game and I must say that I am enjoying my experience thoroughly. I started with Shimazu since I wanted an easier situation to learn the game mechanics. I read the forums to look at strategies and techniques so I started by becoming an ally and trade partner to my neighbor to the north and positioning my general on my borders to the east since I was at war with that clan. Since I started with a blacksmith, I refrained from training any troops until I could train them with advanced weaponry - which luckily worked in my favor. Slow and controlled build-up and execution have worked for me.

I'm about 60 turns in and I really love the immense feeling when two generals do battle with full stacks of armies (just happened on my last turn). I had the enemy castle under siege when I was attacked and little could I believe my luck when I had a perfect positioning; 2 hills, one massive and minor, both covered in forests. I set a small strike team of my samurai archers/yari on the small hill with my main force and generals on my main hill. I waited until their main army committed to the large hill and then let my samurai archers' fire arrows fly. I took about 400 troop loss since my front lines became fragmented when some of their troops routed but I chalk that up to my not micromanaging.

I really like the ninja in the game. I enjoy having a 5 star master assassin that I can send to remove worrying generals. However, I'm not really sure if I'm using the market unit (the one that specializes in counter-espionage) correctly. Basically he's just sitting in one of my newly acquired castles to improve happiness since the religion is Christianity and I am not.

But as I said, love the game. Can't wait to try something harder once I finish this one up.

**gollum** · 03-17-2011, 17:23

Welcome to the org Thelne, enjoy your stay. From what you post sounds like a fun campaign.

**Barkhorn1x** · 03-17-2011, 17:42

Originally Posted by Thelne

However, I'm not really sure if I'm using the market unit (the one that specializes in counter-espionage) correctly. Basically he's just sitting in one of my newly acquired castles to improve happiness since the religion is Christianity and I am not.

Welcome to the Org. We are the more mature fans of TW. You mean your Metsuke. The Metsuke has many uses:
- Use him as you are doing to pacify the populous
- Use him to apprehend and hopefully execute enemy Ninjas and Metsuke
- Use him to travel with your Diaymo or generals army to protect them from enemy agent activity
- Establish a "crime syndicate" to earn extra income

I kinda like the Metsuke :)

**andrewt** · 03-17-2011, 17:49

Originally Posted by Cecil XIX

I'm against anything that gives the so-called "Major Clans" an edge. The best part about the Warscape engine is how every province is controlled by a unique faction instead of generic rebels.

I think some minor factions start with 2-3 provinces at the start so they may have an advantage. The second minor faction I fought also had a 3-4 star general with 2-4 experience units near the start so there might be some bug giving them the edge.

That said, I do like seeing the minor factions being able to compete with the major ones. In my normal Chokosabe game, Oda died during the first turn. During the next 20 turns, Shimazu, Mori and Uesugi died as well, with Shimaze reappearing then dying again. Hojo eventually got killed by a minor faction after being in war with the Takeda and too many other factions. The most powerful factions right now are me, the Shoni and the Yamano. I've been trading with the Shoni for a while and I attacked the Yamano after they went to war with each other.

Also, the Kanto plain yields might have been nerfed from Shogun. The eastern part used to have the richest provinces. Unless the factions there are just behind in developing, the yields there are not noticeably different than the lands near me.