Ironworks Gaming Forum - Medieval

This game ticks me off to no end.. its easy to get a lesser victory, but virtually impossible to "take" everything. (and its why I like Shogun MUCH better.)

Note: my experience is only starting with the early period, so be forewarned that what is below may not be true of other periods).

Key things to note when starting an Early Period Game:

1. Some provincies will always be rebellious without HUGE stationed armies: Portugul, the Slavic country just south of Novgrod, one of the Norwegien countries (I think), Scottland, "Popeland", (and prob. a few others I can't think of right now).
These countries really aren't worth taking - just place armies in surrounding nations of a larger than normal size to make sure they don't try to invade. (and usually its only 2 countries you have to do this in.)
Note there are a few countries that revolt without a sizeable army garrisoned, but these are NOT the ones I'm talking about.

2. Christians have a HUGE advantage over the Muslim countries (though its prob. not what you think it is). At a certain point in the game (not unlike the Horde invasion) your ruler WILL die without an heir.. then you get to watch almost every country, FORMERLY under your control, revolt. At this point its pretty much the end of the game - so don't choose a Muslim country to start in.

3. This game has a "tidal" like way with finances (even if your developed to the "hilt"). It starts with slow growth untill you get several years with substantial income (the peak of the wave) and then the wave drops off the abyss, and if you haven't stockpiled cash you will be so deep in the red that you can't do anything. I'm guessing this monsterous dip in capital is the Dark ages - and it happens several years after the Horde invades. Really the only way to combat this problem is to.. well.. combat. Stockpiling cash is good, but you'll likely need to have several armies ready to roll over your opponents when the dark ages hit. I typically find that just to stay a-float cash-wise, I must take a country every round for at least the next 15 rounds.

3. Your base countries will start getting soft after a while and threaten to revolt - keep your eye on this. Typically the longer you have that country, the more ripe it is to revolt. Lower your taxes at the appropriate time. Other countries you have taken along the way will be less inclined to revolt if you don't make a habit of killing prisoners. Timing for this typically conincides with #4.

4. Make sure that countries with shores do NOT have ports - even ones that can make a substantial profit trading. It will be a while before technology progresses to where your opponents have the ability to make a non-port attack. During this time these portless countries will typically not require garrisoning. Additionally, once your opponents do get the technology to attack w/out ports you will find that they only attack certain countries - make sure you garrison sizeable armies for them at the proper time.

5. If your taking a christian country then take all of that nations countries as quickly as possible. This will remove any problems associated with excommunication. (practically speaking this usually means you can only take a christian nation with 5 or fewer countries - taking one or more countries each round.)
Tip: sweeping south into muslim countries at, or near, the start of the game is usually a VERY good idea.

6. If your in the Horde Neighborhood around their time do NOT occupy all of the countries boardering the east edge of the map. Then you can stock sizeable garrisons (though not overly large) at each eastern edge country you control. When the Horde shows up it will only attack the weaker eastern counties.
TIP: If your sweeping countries from the south then stop b4 Horde time at the nation east of the baltic sea (the horde will then sweep the north east); Alternativly if your sweeping from the North, again stop at the country east of the Baltic sea (and the Horde will show up in the south east). This effectivly allows you to garrison a large force at this country next to the Baltic sea without having to worry about the Horde attacking your other countries.

7. Try to ally with a neighbor where you only have 2 countries to defend - (near the beginning of the game). If those countries are taken next to your two boarder countries then ally with the new nation that is your neighbor. Now head in the opposite direction of them and take as many countries until you wind up facing off against them latter (essentially the map is a circle).

[ 05-23-2004, 02:42 AM: Message edited by: ScottG ]