New SS 6.4 HS: preparations thread (2 turns per week)

[sonnet]

I still say those two guys can't subb us on time. The HS will lose time.

Well guys, I don't care what you say, I am subbed by Invicta!

Very well mate, then I'll rely on your for when I'll need to be subbed.

[Myth]

I still say those two guys can't subb us on time.

Subbing can be handled by players well enough. Plenty of times I've had Nightbringer as my ally and I've trusted him to sub me. He has done so flawlessly. By the way, saying that the other mod of the TR is inactive is funny

We will handle your admin needs, you best also have a backup plan regarding subbing. Invicta seems to have the right idea. I'm running a save tonight.

[Tonno]

Very well mate, then I'll rely on your for when I'll need to be subbed.

You'll have to do a lot of subbing :D

[Gaius Octavius Caesar]

Core will sub me

[Myth]

@sonnet OK i found out why the Fo was messed up. Running the save now.

We got a pretty solid map. At turn 44 it's very balanced. Then, a Jihad on Constantinople and a Crusade on Hamburg wrecked it. Seeing if it can stabilize (the ERE got a fullstack of Scholarii to reclaim Constantinople and some of Asia Minor)

If not we can just use it from turn 44.

[Jiub]

@sonnet OK i found out why the Fo was messed up. Running the save now.

We got a pretty solid map. At turn 44 it's very balanced. Then, a Jihad on Constantinople and a Crusade on Hamburg wrecked it. Seeing if it can stabilize (the ERE got a fullstack of Scholarii to reclaim Constantinople and some of Asia Minor)

If not we can just use it from turn 44.

I had a go at this, and I personally find it that if you take a turn or two to turn a faction human, use a created stack to kick the shit out of whomever you need to be kicked, and them let if go again. They AI is stupid and unreliable to use a stack of full awesomeness to do much. :(

[yuonyuon]

@sonnet OK i found out why the Fo was messed up. Running the save now.

We got a pretty solid map. At turn 44 it's very balanced. Then, a Jihad on Constantinople and a Crusade on Hamburg wrecked it. Seeing if it can stabilize (the ERE got a fullstack of Scholarii to reclaim Constantinople and some of Asia Minor)

If not we can just use it from turn 44.

We need all castle upgraded to fortress , that s why we need to run until turn 60 ,

you can check again on turn 50 and see the scroll overview , if there is a faction in "danger" just turn it to Human control and add some units (not upgraded) then continue .. the map at turn 60 will be full of Fortress and ready to war.

[Myth]

Aye it sucked with them The AI managed to lose Constantinople with 2 free stacks of Scholarii. Jerusalem fell a few turns later without a Jihad. This game seems to be a Muslim and French stomp. Rolling again.

[Tonno]

Aye it sucked with them The AI managed to lose Constantinople with 2 free stacks of Scholarii. Jerusalem fell a few turns later without a Jihad. This game seems to be a Muslim and French stomp. Rolling again.

Wait... it takes an hour for your pc to turn 50 turns?
Daaamn.

[sonnet]

@sonnet OK i found out why the Fo was messed up. Running the save now.

We got a pretty solid map. At turn 44 it's very balanced. Then, a Jihad on Constantinople and a Crusade on Hamburg wrecked it. Seeing if it can stabilize (the ERE got a fullstack of Scholarii to reclaim Constantinople and some of Asia Minor)

If not we can just use it from turn 44.

@Myth
Now that you have a solid balanced save at turn 44, you can try from there to run it , and see if using this save as a base, you can have a solid map at turn 60-65.
So this way you can run it faster (as you'll start already from turn 44, only 15-20 turns for each run).

[Jiub]

@Myth
I would also like to say that you should try to be proactive, not reactive. Instead of giving factions troops to capture (which they obviously won't) try giving them troops in specific settlements where they might be vulnerable. Try giving them the best quality/upkeep so they don't go into debt and loose that way. Use the descr_units and search it for the faction name to get to the faction's units. Use their name in the descr notepad to learn how to spell it in console so it works. :D

Usually I've raised the garrisons for turks on the eastern border with Ottoman Infantry a little bit, I've helped HRE with Zweihanders and so fourth. You can just browse in game after turning it to human to see what would be it's best units and use those to raise garrisons in threat zones.

ALTERNATIVELY! you could just take over the faction that poses the threat and disband a quarrelsome army lol.
I've also had troumendous success also by simply taking over a certain faction and declaring war on some other factions. I was telling Invicta in a pm when I had a go at making the save that HRE got super big after giving HRE a small boost of Zweihanders right at the start of the game, well, after they got huge, I've declared war on their neighbors and in about 10-15 turns they were almost wiped off. :))

So there you go, some effective tools at your disposal to play God with. :D

[Myth]

I'm using my PC for other things as well, it's pretty solid as far as hardware goes. I can't let it just run M2TW.

I got a pretty solid result barring the fact that the HRE is divided and down to 4 provinces (England blitzed them hard) and the KOJ is basically dead. Oh, and Portugal is strong but there is no Leon-Castille, it got wiped out.

All the other factions seem pretty solid. Should we use that?

edit: ok here it is unbalanced. i'd like to know if you deem it usable before i strengthen the HRE and KOJ to at least allow them to go out with a bang.

IMO England at 14 provinces is too much. I might play it solo for a few turns to get some of its land back into the HRE fold.

[Makrell]

am i to understand i need to choose a player before or after me as a subbber? Then i choose Gaius octavianus.

[Emproment]

I say give England's Metz, Magedeburg, Groningen, and Cologne for the rest of the UK area to Scotland and let there be two AI factions in the middle of the map. Let HRE and Scotland duke it out.

[sonnet]

I'm using my PC for other things as well, it's pretty solid as far as hardware goes. I can't let it just run M2TW.

I got a pretty solid result barring the fact that the HRE is divided and down to 4 provinces (England blitzed them hard) and the KOJ is basically dead. Oh, and Portugal is strong but there is no Leon-Castille, it got wiped out.

All the other factions seem pretty solid. Should we use that?

edit: ok here it is unbalanced. i'd like to know if you deem it usable before i strengthen the HRE and KOJ to at least allow them to go out with a bang.

IMO England at 14 provinces is too much. I might play it solo for a few turns to get some of its land back into the HRE fold.

@Myth
You said on a previous post that on turn 44 the HS was pretty balanced.
Can you try to run it from there (possibly post that save on turn 44 so that we can give some suggestion more specific) with some corrections to have all the factions alive?

My suggestions form there are:
Like you said England has too many regions, help scotland giving them 2 stacks composed by "Hevay Pike Militia" with 4 exp, and some noble swordsmen with 3 exp.
I noticed that on the save you posted, Castille is dead, if on turn 44 it was still alive take control of it, and give some boost into letting conquer 2 regions from the moors and make peace with the other 2 spanish factions (if it's at war).
If Constantinople is already under jihad, then take control of ERE, donate the settlement to some other faction and get it back on the same turn to get the Jihad cancelled.
Try to rebalance the 2 scandinavian factions so that no one has the upper hand, relieving so the HRE.
Call a Crusade on the Fatmids as they seems to be close to obliterate the KoJ which lost all the special units I gave it on the descr.strat

Help Genoa against France so that Genoa keeps Milan and possibly Marseille.
Give some boost to the Mongols against Kwarezm as they seems to prevail , to rebalance the area.

[Gaius Octavius Caesar]

am i to understand i need to choose a player before or after me as a subbber? Then i choose Gaius octavianus.

Sure.

I chose Core over you because we are kinda neighbours.

[Myth]

Invicta, the turn 44 save is different from the one I posted. Please review the T44 save here. The one I posted was a second reroll which IMO turned out better than this turn 44 save which becomes a mess 15 turns later. This is the one where Constantinople falls, the KOJ gets eaten by Egypt and the HRE gets a crusade called on them and gets crushed by half of Europe.

[sonnet]

Invicta, the turn 44 save is different from the one I posted. Please review the T44 save here. The one I posted was a second reroll which IMO turned out better than this turn 44 save which becomes a mess 15 turns later. This is the one where Constantinople falls, the KOJ gets eaten by Egypt and the HRE gets a crusade called on them and gets crushed by half of Europe.

Yeah I thought that, I just missed the link for turn 44.
On turn 44 seems much better balanced as all factions are alive and no faction seems too strong and at least many settlements upgraded or are very close to.

If everyone agrees, we might use this save with few corrections to be made (some depending on the faction choice):
-TO-Lithuania player, should get 3 full stack of cost effective units (units to be chosen depending on the faction choice) + 40k of money treasure. It's the weakest block and being AR only it should get a significant boost in order to be competitive with the others).
-Castille/Portugal should also get a boost of 1 stack, but only if player of Moors/Sicily chooses the Moors.
-Jihad armies have to be disbanded, if the player of Hungary/ERE block chooses ERE.

Please everybody share your opinion. It's very important as this might be the save.

[Tonno]

I agree, and if I may I would add:

Denmark needs a boost if Novgorod TO and Poland are picked. Or we gona force Norway pick?

Plus I think we should consider slowing down Kwarzem, unless Monglos get more units later.

I didn't have a detailed look at it, so this is just out of my head that I would do.

[sonnet]

I agree, and if I may I would add:

Denmark needs a boost if Novgorod TO and Poland are picked. Or we gona force Norway pick?

Plus I think we should consider slowing down Kwarzem, unless Monglos get more units later.

I didn't have a detailed look at it, so this is just out of my head that I would do.

No one will be forced into select a faction <
But the thing for Denmark is: the player can freely choose between Denmark and Norway.
Norway seems in much better shape and it is well playable.
Player can still choose Denmark if he wishes so (because for instance he wants a super challenge), but then it's his own choice and no boost will be given.

TO-Lithuania player will get a good bost because no matter what he chooses, neither Lithuania or TO are at the level of the neighbors.
So he doesn't really have a choice.
Boost should be given only to blocks in which both faction are not in so good shape.
In this save, TO-Lithuania are not doing bad, but considering the neighbors and the fact that the HS is in AR only, the player should have assigned a good boost.

Castille-Portugal: Castille is not doing bad at all, but if Moors are chosen (something Castille's player can't control) a little boost (one stack should be enough imo) will be given of one stack to keep up.

[Lord Luka]

The save might be a bit more balanced in general but as far as ERE goes right now it is unplayable.Lost entire anatolia, not a single fortress, greece is still rebbeled and no money.ERE would need quite a buff too.

All crusade/jihad armies should be disbanded befoe start of the HS IMO.

[sonnet]

The save might be a bit more balanced in general but as far as ERE goes right now it is unplayable.Lost entire anatolia, not a single fortress, greece is still rebbeled and no money.ERE would need quite a buff too.

All crusade/jihad armies should be disbanded befoe start of the HS IMO.

You can choose Hungary, which is in better shape.
The important stuff is that at least one faction per block is "playable".
Hungary has a roaster as strong as the Byzantines.

In case of Venice/Genoa for instance, Genoa is not quite strong, while Venice is. So the player can choose Venice to an easier campaign.
This was the sense of giving a "block" choice rather than choosing directly the faction, so that the player could choose the faction in better shape as we don't know how things would turn out.
We can have the Jihad cancelled (by gifting and gifiting back Constantinople), and yes the jihads armies will be disbanded.

[Vipman]

No matter if we'll continue with this save or we'll start again I'd like to take the TO, otherwise I'd probably choose Kiev. If we continue with this save, give the TO as much as you think is enough and please cancel the vassalage, currently TO is vassal of Novgorod, I don't know much about AI but I think if it's not canceled the TO might just turtle around instead of using it's armies.

[Jiub]

I'm ok if everyone else is ok with the proposed save ;)

[sonnet]

Lord Luka said he's fine with it (he'd have to choose Hungary although he was looking forward to play with ERE).
Gaius Octavianus will check the save later.

[dur3x]

Yea, no problem, I'm agree because I want to play, also my favorite is KoJ but was kicked very well :))

[yuonyuon]

i m ok with Castile if i will get an extra stack . i really have a chance against Moors.

TO must have another 2 elite stack and money
France i think is too rich or something

the problem is in Anatolia , i really don t like how things are there , the turks are an emerging empire.

if Myth can fix a little then the save is good.

[sonnet]

i m ok with Castile if i will get an extra stack . i really have a chance against Moors.

TO must have another 2 elite stack and money
France i think is too rich or something

the problem is in Anatolia , i really don t like how things are there , the turks are an emerging empire.

if Myth can fix a little then the save is good.

The strongest faction on turn 44 is HRE.

Turks have 2 jihad armies which are to be disbanded on the first turn.
Turks have much less secure position than its muslim neighbors (which have similar power): Kwarezm (with mongols almost defeated, have south and eastern borders totally secure, and on the north the weak cumans) & Egypt (again south borders totally secure, western borders are virtually secure protected by the desert).

Turks are surrounded by all powerful factions: Egypt, Kwarezm, Hungary and likely Kiev.
I really don't get your logic.

That being said, if anyone wants to switch with my faction and can play in my timeframe I can swap with no problem, as I have being doing from the start having been the last one to choose.

[sonnet]

Yea, no problem, I'm agree because I want to play, also my favorite is KoJ but was kicked very well :))

Are you taking Egypt?
I need to know now, because KoJ has a stack of units which I added on the start that will be disbanded if KoJ turns to human (being that stack too powerful)

[Myth]

Invicta, may I add that AI Egypt eliminates AI Koj by turn 70 in this exact save? No Jihad involved.

IMO the KoJ needs some armies to remain relevant. Also, I'm a bit worried that hte save is so young, meanng the AI bonuses for grwoth didn't have time to raise most castles to fortresses IIRC.