Turkish campaign: advice welcome

**Brandy Blue** · 08-24-2011, 01:20

Horse archers are a great tool, but only if you know how to use them. If you don't, prepare to learn with speed.

Its been ages since I've played vanilla Turks, but don't they get Naphata throwers, or whatever you call them? They might be a handy tool for blowing up Katanks and Varangian guards, but once again you have to know how to use them. Pin the target unit with a junk unit you don't mind losing (its likely to get blown up pretty bad too), turn skirmish off for the Naphata throwers, and either send them behind the enemy unit to blow them up from there, or if that's not safe, have the junk pinning unit provide a protective screen and throw the bombs over their heads. Naphata throwers have terrible accuracy and range problems, so try to fire from close up and with a height advantage. Javelin units used in a similar fashion can also weaken uber units, but I don't think Turks get them, unless by bribery or hiring mercinaries.

**Trapped in Samsara** · 08-24-2011, 13:39

Hi

I always play from early myself, so stand by for nonsense, but given that the Horde are imminent, why not head south, take out Egypt, and let the Byz take the hit from the Mongols?

Best regards
Victor

Sapere aude
Horace

**Gilrandir** · 08-25-2011, 09:51

Originally Posted by victorgb

Hi

I always play from early myself, so stand by for nonsense, but given that the Horde are imminent, why not head south, take out Egypt, and let the Byz take the hit from the Mongols?

Best regards
Victor

Sapere aude
Horace

If you remember the map of the high period, the Byz own Georgia, and behind it there are Turkish Armenia and rebel Trebizond. As my experience proves, the Horde ALWAYS takes Georgia, and the feeble Byz garrison of Georgia is not likely to handle them. And then the way to the core Turkish lands is wide open for the Mongols. So heading south is not an option for me, Constantinople and the Balkans look more appealing.

**RRMike** · 08-27-2011, 05:50

I am still playing through the factions in early so I'm not familiar with the high starting positions but if it was me it's treb, const. In that order. The fall of const will cripple the byz, economically at least, and you will be hard pressed to get many, if any jhi built even if you had it from the start. The buildings are going to take the better part of your 25 years. I wouldn't screw around with anything else. I'd even leave treb undefended if I needed to to bring enough firepower to const.

Bring as many Saracens as you can get. Use ha to run the kats all over the map, if they will chase, rout the rest of the army off and then make a kat sammich with a couple units of Saracens.

**Gilrandir** · 08-28-2011, 13:26

Originally Posted by RRMike

I am still playing through the factions in early so I'm not familiar with the high starting positions but if it was me it's treb, const. In that order. The fall of const will cripple the byz, economically at least, and you will be hard pressed to get many, if any jhi built even if you had it from the start. The buildings are going to take the better part of your 25 years. I wouldn't screw around with anything else. I'd even leave treb undefended if I needed to to bring enough firepower to const.

Bring as many Saracens as you can get. Use ha to run the kats all over the map, if they will chase, rout the rest of the army off and then make a kat sammich with a couple units of Saracens.

In high Trebizond, Constantinople, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia are all rebel. The Byz are confined to Nicea, Lesser Armenia, Georgia and Rhodes. So taking Constantinople is not about crippling the Byz, but about forestalling them in the same conquerings and getting access to a well developed province and fortress with (supposedly) some title offices which will give some stars to my generals. But thanks for the advice.
When I began playing campaigns, I also started in early, but then I found that for about a 100 years before 1453 I have nothing to do with the whole map being conquered. So now I try to go for more challenging tasks starting from the high (the French, the Turks, HRE).

**RRMike** · 08-28-2011, 23:00

Alright then. I'd still beeline for Constantinople if it were me. I'm not sure what buildings are there in high but I'm going to assume you will need to build Master spear, Grand Mosque and MA before you can start training JHI. That's 34 years of building before you can train a single JHI, assuming that the master spear doesn't already exist there on high. Even if it does you have 26 years.

On edit: Is there a fortress there in high or just the Citadel?

**Gilrandir** · 08-29-2011, 14:29

Originally Posted by RRMike

Alright then. I'd still beeline for Constantinople if it were me. I'm not sure what buildings are there in high but I'm going to assume you will need to build Master spear, Grand Mosque and MA before you can start training JHI. That's 34 years of building before you can train a single JHI, assuming that the master spear doesn't already exist there on high. Even if it does you have 26 years.

On edit: Is there a fortress there in high or just the Citadel?

I don't remember what level of the castle is in Constantinople, but it is definitely the most developed castle in the vicinity of the Turks, so it is my priority to get there asap.
As for building JHI, I do not hope to perform it before the Horde arrives. But capturing Constantinople will bring this sacred moment nearer. Of course, Mongols are my greatest concern, but I have to rely on two wishful thinkings:
1. What if I become their ally (it happend once or twice when I played the Byz).
2. What if they direct their rage northward and move south only with a small army (well, small enough to be successfully handled).

**Gilrandir** · 08-25-2011, 09:44

Originally Posted by Brandy Blue

Horse archers are a great tool, but only if you know how to use them. If you don't, prepare to learn with speed.

Its been ages since I've played vanilla Turks, but don't they get Naphata throwers, or whatever you call them? They might be a handy tool for blowing up Katanks and Varangian guards, but once again you have to know how to use them. Pin the target unit with a junk unit you don't mind losing (its likely to get blown up pretty bad too), turn skirmish off for the Naphata throwers, and either send them behind the enemy unit to blow them up from there, or if that's not safe, have the junk pinning unit provide a protective screen and throw the bombs over their heads. Naphata throwers have terrible accuracy and range problems, so try to fire from close up and with a height advantage. Javelin units used in a similar fashion can also weaken uber units, but I don't think Turks get them, unless by bribery or hiring mercinaries.

I like Naptha but I usually use them if I'm the Byz. It is so because their main drawback is inaccuracy in shooting which can be surmounted by raising valor. As you realize, it depends on the command rating of the general which is normally high for the Byz, and is not likely to be high for the Turks. Moreover, the AI is prone to play nasty tricks when I bring Naptha to a battle: it causes rainy weather so I can't use them (well, to be just, it mainly happens in moderate climate). So, I don't think I will rely on Naptha much (at least, not against the Byz).
As for horse archers, I have them in mind, but I can't say I'm very good at using them. I believe that when attacking I should anchor most of my troops on a height and bring forward HA to pester the Kataphracts and drag them around the map to exhaust them. But that is theoretically speaking. Map is not territory, if you know what I mean. But thank you for the advice anyway.