I'm playing Mount and Blade again until the patch is released. Since v1.2 I've played a GB, Prussian, French, UP, Spanish and recently started a Russian campaign. The only campaign i could be bothered to finish was the Prussian, as it was a short one and the first I played with v1.2. The others i achieved the victory conditions by 1750 odd (at the latest) and was un-interested in further expansion due to the AI suicides and high "maintenance" costs (in CIV terms) that make teritorial gains hard to turn into economic ones.
After taking Crimea and Ingria in 5 turns or so, I lost interest in Russia. I figured I'd done the hard bit as Poland and Austria were kicking the Ottomans and Sweden would be concentrating on Norway. The exercise of developing Russia economically seemed like too much of a Snooze fest if the (hopefully upcoming) patch is incompatible and re-writes the game rules again.
I find it quite easy to form diplomatic coalitions against my main adversaries, whatever faction I play. In most cases (except Sweden and Prussia), they are gifted as starting conditions. Maybe I'm too active on the diplomatic front and should limit my attempts? I am loathe to do this though as I despise any game that requires me to limit my own capacity to outwit it, in the interests of a rewarding challenge.
Anyhoo, the Swadians are getting a bashing so I'm off to raid some caravans. I just ahd a ratehr perverse thought, what about a MTW2 mod with M&B factions? :D
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