How to turn off the era timer as well increase follrins?

[drone]

Strictly from a roster standpoint, the Vikings are probably 4th-best, behind the Mercians, the Saxons, then the Northumbrians. Viking cavalry is weak, and they get no missile units. They make up for this with their heavy infantry, huscarles and landsmenn are excellent. The Anglo-Saxon factions get huscarles as well, plus have a more diverse roster and improved cavalry so they get the nod.

But strategically, the Vikings are the easiest faction to win with. You control the seas at the start, with the ability to move troops without ports, so you can pick off coastal provinces with raids. Jump on any province that builds a port, keep the AI factions out of the water. The key is to never let the Anglo-Saxon factions get too powerful, when they start generating huscarles it will get more difficult. For occupation, I usually take Ireland first. The Irish have lots of armor piercing missiles, and without cavalry it will cost you if you let them get too big. Plus Ireland gives good income and is safe from attack. Then I move on to the main island.

You don't have to move fast in occupation, but you can't sit back and let the other factions grow. Your troops are more advanced at the start, so they should easily win most fights. Land, kill a few units, take what you want, and move on.


The Scots, not so much. It takes a while to push down the map, and it costs a lot of blood. Armored spears are the only thing that makes it possible.

[LordK9]

, and they get no missile units.

Are you sure? Its been several years since I played VI but I seem to remember viking archers (and archers, IMO, are the key to easily defeating the Irish).

I think they are over powered - they have armor an almost nobody else does plus every unit for the most part is elite with high moral (unless you like making peasant/slave armies) but, how else would a game designer simulate their success with such small armies that they used historically? Their ships gave them the ability to hit anywhere, outflank an enemy, and launch major attacks before an enemy could mobilize. That is near impossible to simulate - better units can do so easily.

[drone]

Are you sure? Its been several years since I played VI but I seem to remember viking archers (and archers, IMO, are the key to easily defeating the Irish).

My bad, they do get archers, I just never build them. But the lack of useful cavalry still puts them behind the Anglo factions roster-wise.

All this talk has me itching for a VI campaign...

[Brandy Blue]

My bad, they do get archers, I just never build them. But the lack of useful cavalry still puts them behind the Anglo factions roster-wise.

All this talk has me itching for a VI campaign...

Me too. I'd say one thing that really helps the Viking roster is that their royal unit is huscarls and they get plenty of princes. Its a free super army, maybe a third of a stack, that you don't have to tech up to. But maybe you'd rather have royal bodyguards, as it would make up for the crummy light cavalry.

[LordK9]

Me too. I'd say one thing that really helps the Viking roster is that their royal unit is huscarls and they get plenty of princes. Its a free super army, maybe a third of a stack, that you don't have to tech up to. But maybe you'd rather have royal bodyguards, as it would make up for the crummy light cavalry.

Also a curse - two fairly poor provinces are hard taxed to keep up their support. Raids must be quick and often.

[Brandy Blue]

Well, that's no problem at all if you are the playing the Vikings. If you are talking about the AI, then yes, the Vikings tend to run out of steam after a while. I assume its because they have no cash and the AI for some reason makes bankrupt factions passive. If I had time and inclination, I'd mod the game so that there are two Viking era campaigns to pick from. In one the Vikings are unplayable and the Viking huscarls are much cheaper, so the AI will keep the Vikings going. In the other, all factions except the Vikings are unplayable, and Vikings have to settle for a weaker royal units - maybe nerfed huscarls or something. Doubtless other tweaks would be needed to improve AI Vikings and weaken player controlled Vikings.