worlds without the borders

[apoger]

If you get into a situation where you are surrounded by many strong opponents and you aren't strong enough to take them out, nor are strong enough to hold your borders... you are in bad shape. It's very hard to recover from that.

In future games try to create artificial borders by:

- Keeping troops on the border
- Pumping up province defense in border provinces
- Building fortifications along the border

Furthermore try to develop some armies that can move fast, so they can respond to an intruder.

The computer tends to attack weak spots. Make sure that your provinces look strong, and it will choose other battles... at least for a while.

If the computer penetrates an area, pump the province defense in front of it, and hire mercs near the area.

[Gandalf Parker]

I think I have figured out that the computer will declare war on me if I am in the lead. Even if he doesnt know where I am (or maybe he knows thru scouts and spells but in any case cant reach me yet)

I have done really well by sending help to whichever nation MY nation is likely to have the least trouble with. Such as helping Marignon hold off Ermor, Ctis, Jotun by sending herald lances (which my troops will laugh at later).

I even milked Ctis once after I killed his god and was seiging his castle. I let it take worthless provinces from me so it would stay high on the scoreboard. I kept worthwhile ones but didnt tax them heavily so that I wouldnt show high. When Pythium started moving heavily on Ctis I cranked taxes, swarmed the Last of Ctis provinces, positioned myself all over the borders (since Pythium didnt feel itself at war with me) and mass-destructed Pythium.

OK not a strategy that works as something you would plan from the very beginning of the game but if you fall into it then it can be a surprise.

--
If you cant beat 'em, join 'em.
If you cant beat em or join em,
then at least try to surprise them.

[alexti]

Originally posted by apoger:
In future games try to create artificial borders by:
- Keeping troops on the border
- Pumping up province defense in border provinces
- Building fortifications along the border

The problem with any of these is that these problems start to happen around turns 15-20 and I don't have enough money (to make enough armies, pump-up defenses or build fortifications). Playing Jotunheim I usually get defenses to 5-10 everywhere, 20+ in important provinces. It works against annoying "call something" spells from AI and minor raiders, but it does nothing against strong army. I'm wondering if building "el cheapo" armies and keeping them in border provinces for apperances could help.


Furthermore try to develop some armies that can move fast, so they can respond to an intruder.

I have quick armies to respond which can take care of AI invasion, but I don't have enough of them to deal with 3-4 invasions at the same time. Besides, sometimes it's hard to catch AI army.

[alexti]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
I think I have figured out that the computer will declare war on me if I am in the lead. Even if he doesnt know where I am (or maybe he knows thru scouts and spells but in any case cant reach me yet)

You are probably right about it. I've seen AI declaring war on me even if they were all the way across the map and without any remote access capabilities. And all my problem start to happen when I'm in the lead (typically by provinces and gold income). That gives me an idea to only capture big provinces and use them for blood hunting ;->

[apoger]

>and I don't have enough money (to make enough armies, pump-up defenses or build fortifications).

No offense intended...
You just aren't expanding your economy fast or efficiently enough. If you had better resources, then everything else falls into line. With more game experience you will develop that extra efficiency/economy needed, and will find things easier.

Let me ask... how many provinces are you holding on turns 15-20? What nations do you play, and how do you set them up? More info is needed if we are to give you more direct advice.

[alexti]

Originally posted by apoger:
>and I don't have enough money (to make enough armies, pump-up defenses or build fortifications).

No offense intended...
You just aren't expanding your economy fast or efficiently enough. If you had better resources, then everything else falls into line. With more game experience you will develop that extra efficiency/economy needed, and will find things easier.

Let me ask... how many provinces are you holding on turns 15-20? What nations do you play, and how do you set them up? More info is needed if we are to give you more direct advice.

I'm playing Jotunheim on inland map, indy 6, otherwise standard, around 12 impossible AI (pretty much everybody except water nations and Ermor). I haven't played any other nations on wrap-around maps though.

Typically, I would get around 20 provinces by turn 15-17 (usual schedule is about 1 province per turn from turn 3 to turn 9 or 10 and 2 provinces per turn afterward). After that I'm getting stalled though, because I'm reaching enemies on all sides and that's when my borders start to fall apart.
Actually, in a recent game I seem to do better if I expand slower and keep low income indy provinces intact. Anyway, they're of little use until I can start searching actively, but while being independent they provide some sort of protection from AI. One of the problem with the income is that Jotuns suffer very few casualties, so there's a lot of troops to maintain and I have something like 700-800 income and 300-400 upkeep costs. That's why I was thinking about trying to use more cheaper troops. Another alternative I thought about is to use maintenance-free summons, but I can't find anything attractive at that stage given my limited gem quantities. So far the best I could come with is Horde from hell, because no gems are required, bloodhunting eats into my income though, but I'm trying to counter it by hunting in good border provinces which I have to defend anyway, and it also gives a job to wounded units.

[Endoperez]

Undead should do well, especially as some of them are undead GIANTS... And you get 2 undead for every gem you use, and it is only enchantment-1. But as always, limited gems are a problem.