So I joined the Empire early in the game when they still had all their towns and castles. Then the D'Shar started invading our lands from the west and the Sarleons from the north leading to the Empire having only Cez left and me without a single fief, but only 20+/50+ relations with the lords. What's more is that the Snake Cult keeps us pinned down at our Capital keeping our lords' party size at the 30s. The D'Shar now have 6 towns, and the rest of Pendor is about the same as they were in the beginning. What should I do taken that I have spent the whole game (20+ hours) improving my relations to the lords, but haven't been as time-efficient as I could've been (and all the orders want me dead for leaving the Shadow Legion xD). Should I join an other faction, capture all the Empire lords as a renegade and watch them get consumed by some other faction or should I just start a new game >.>
Empire sucks - what should I do?
- Thread starter smigze
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smigze said:
Keep playing, the relationship build up will remain there and will help you in the future once you have your own Empire and try to recruit lords. I see no reason to see your game deleted.
You could actually try to make the Empire be reborn by taking any castle or city anywhere in the map and instead of going rogue with your own kingdom declare your allegiance to Marius, and boom! the Empire will have a new base, perhaps deep in Noldor/snake free territory (try Ravenstern Lands) if you are not pledged to the Empire Already.
You can always gain relation with orders by whacking Snake Cult parties and being lucky with Tome Drops, since these IIRC increase faction with them.
You still can save your game without the need to delete it IMHO.
Is Empire still at war with D'Shar or Sarleon? Since you have good relations with the Empire Lords you can ask them to follow you and capture a recently lost fief (should have a small garrison).
Also if you are friendly with the Noldor capturing a fief close to the area they patrol is ideal. If you take a fief you can then stick with the Empire or go Rogue King. Empire will try to hunt you down but since they will be weak you should be able to deal with them along with your Noldor buddies.
If you go Rogue King you can then slowly recruit the Empire Lords with whom you have good relations and slowly expand your Kingdom.
Also if you are friendly with the Noldor capturing a fief close to the area they patrol is ideal. If you take a fief you can then stick with the Empire or go Rogue King. Empire will try to hunt you down but since they will be weak you should be able to deal with them along with your Noldor buddies.
If you go Rogue King you can then slowly recruit the Empire Lords with whom you have good relations and slowly expand your Kingdom.
Cornelius Sula
Veteran
Empire if get steam rolled by D'shar and Sarleon in 99% need help of player. I was able to restore Empire when it was down only to Chez. Fight enemy lords, if they start siege of fort or city Empire cant defend attack one of enemies near by forts, that usually gets them distracted. Rela keep and Calradian castle are two most cirtical forts for Empire if those forts fall to enemy and Empire isnt able to get them back it usually spells disaster for Empire.
Here are some more ideas. Snake Armies can be used by you to break enemy sieges. Kite an army to where the siege is taking place.
Many of the Empire castles are awesome defensive fortifications and you can wipe out entire armies in a defense. Depending on your settings (number of troops allowed on field, number of reinforcements allowed, etc.) you'll need to have around 1/3rd of the attacker's troops for a guaranteed successful defense.
As others have said, if defense is not an option, go on the offensive by counter-sieging an enemy castle. You don't have to actually attack, but you need to have enough troops to make the siege credible. You can keep on sieging and breaking off when the enemy comes and then do it again. Eventually the enemy campaign will end.
When out in the open, look for battles where you can help out and defeat enemy lords. Unless your relations are too low, you can help out adventure companies and so forth against enemy lords as those companies have a number of powerful units.
Finally, if your enemy is fighting another faction in addition to the Empire, you can go and help out with defenses of that faction also. The auto-calc is very forgiving to attackers, but with you there, you can defeat entire armies in a siege defense weakening the attackers. This is also a great way to gain renown and exp.
Many of the Empire castles are awesome defensive fortifications and you can wipe out entire armies in a defense. Depending on your settings (number of troops allowed on field, number of reinforcements allowed, etc.) you'll need to have around 1/3rd of the attacker's troops for a guaranteed successful defense.
As others have said, if defense is not an option, go on the offensive by counter-sieging an enemy castle. You don't have to actually attack, but you need to have enough troops to make the siege credible. You can keep on sieging and breaking off when the enemy comes and then do it again. Eventually the enemy campaign will end.
When out in the open, look for battles where you can help out and defeat enemy lords. Unless your relations are too low, you can help out adventure companies and so forth against enemy lords as those companies have a number of powerful units.
Finally, if your enemy is fighting another faction in addition to the Empire, you can go and help out with defenses of that faction also. The auto-calc is very forgiving to attackers, but with you there, you can defeat entire armies in a siege defense weakening the attackers. This is also a great way to gain renown and exp.
Hmm, maybe it's a little late now, but here's my advice:
1) General Warfare Strategy
___________________
2) Decoy + Distraction
3) Hit & Run Tactics
4) Big roundabout way of saving the Empire
Hope any of my advice helps...
1) General Warfare Strategy
-bump yourself or a companions' tactics + surgery + first aid
-stick with 1 stronger lord (150-250 men), or your marshall
-if it comes to battle with the enemy army train, wait until 1 initiates, then immediately join, before others do.
With your tactics skill the battle advantage should be around 1:1, so you and your companions should make the diff.
Now, even if you lose the 1st wave, as long as the enemy lords are knocked out and you recover, in the 2nd battle the battle advantage should be in your favor.
Just fight and kill as many as you can...even if you lose and you're all KO'ed, you can still leave the battle, since you're only a helper.
Now, if you win, your surgery will show it's miracles...your lords will recover wounded men faster than dead, so in 1-2 days, your lords should be steady bumping up their power again.
Even if it's a battle lost and the lord gets captured...the entire battle should have cost the enemy faction a lot of troops, so they will interrupt the campaign in order to rebuild their armies.
THEN, it's your job to snoop around and single-target enemy lords you can beat (weak ones, or ones who need to rebuild their army). Once you beat enough enemy lords, the tide of war changes, even if maybe most of your faction's lords are still captured. Don't push too much, until your faction dominates...if the war tide is balanced, it'll end in peace soon.
One city is not too horrible...if it all happened in 1 war, then your faction's lords should still be around mostly. Also, it makes army assembling for Marshalls easier.
-stick with 1 stronger lord (150-250 men), or your marshall
-if it comes to battle with the enemy army train, wait until 1 initiates, then immediately join, before others do.
With your tactics skill the battle advantage should be around 1:1, so you and your companions should make the diff.
Now, even if you lose the 1st wave, as long as the enemy lords are knocked out and you recover, in the 2nd battle the battle advantage should be in your favor.
Just fight and kill as many as you can...even if you lose and you're all KO'ed, you can still leave the battle, since you're only a helper.
Now, if you win, your surgery will show it's miracles...your lords will recover wounded men faster than dead, so in 1-2 days, your lords should be steady bumping up their power again.
Even if it's a battle lost and the lord gets captured...the entire battle should have cost the enemy faction a lot of troops, so they will interrupt the campaign in order to rebuild their armies.
THEN, it's your job to snoop around and single-target enemy lords you can beat (weak ones, or ones who need to rebuild their army). Once you beat enough enemy lords, the tide of war changes, even if maybe most of your faction's lords are still captured. Don't push too much, until your faction dominates...if the war tide is balanced, it'll end in peace soon.
One city is not too horrible...if it all happened in 1 war, then your faction's lords should still be around mostly. Also, it makes army assembling for Marshalls easier.
2) Decoy + Distraction
If your faction really is having trouble defending even your last town, then go raid far away villages. 2-3 should suffice. If you can muster enough men (100 should be ok), then go siege a weaker castle. If you're good enough to endanger the castle, that's enough disruption. If not, then make 2-3 attempts and reduce the garrison as much as you can.
If need be, use sacrifical pawns (troops you don't need, or like to keep), do keep yourself and your companions at good health however, so you can still escape the failed siege.
The key point is, that if you pose enough danger to an enemy fief, the marshall is forced to protect it.
Raiding villages is a less effective way, but if you raid a few they can't ignore you. At the very least, a few lords usually part of the enemy army train will leave because they want to defend their properties.
If need be, use sacrifical pawns (troops you don't need, or like to keep), do keep yourself and your companions at good health however, so you can still escape the failed siege.
The key point is, that if you pose enough danger to an enemy fief, the marshall is forced to protect it.
Raiding villages is a less effective way, but if you raid a few they can't ignore you. At the very least, a few lords usually part of the enemy army train will leave because they want to defend their properties.
3) Hit & Run Tactics
This is a little similar to 1). If there's an army train, or just a powerful lord you can't beat, then try to reduce his troops. It'll mean losing a lot of troops and losing the battles, but if you break off after the 1st or 2nd wave, you should still be able to escape from battle.
As player, you should be able to recruit and rebuild your little warband faster than the target lord.
As player, you should be able to recruit and rebuild your little warband faster than the target lord.
4) Big roundabout way of saving the Empire
This is probably the least favorite way, but it works:
-Retract your oath to the Empire.
-Become a mercenary for the enemy faction OR take up the "provoke a war" quest from a dishonorable lord of the enemy faction (you'll know which one it is, from the tavernkeeper: "___ has some work")
If you become a merc, then start getting negative relations to 2-3 other factions, so they'll think of declaring war.
If you do the quest, it's easier because you can do it several times with no cooldown.
-Wait until your merc contract expires, then sign up with the remaining neutral faction (or the Empire) as merc, which should reset all former hostile relations.
Even if you're merc, you can still go give your oath to Marius Imperator again.
This method costs some relations with Marius Imperator, but it's the sure-fire way to save a faction. I've done it before, it works, you just need to be patient for about 2 game months.
Good thing is, that the "empire's enemy" faction might soon get a big retaliation from being in a war with 2 other factions, which gives you as re-newed Empire lord the opportunity to take back a fief or two.
-Retract your oath to the Empire.
-Become a mercenary for the enemy faction OR take up the "provoke a war" quest from a dishonorable lord of the enemy faction (you'll know which one it is, from the tavernkeeper: "___ has some work")
If you become a merc, then start getting negative relations to 2-3 other factions, so they'll think of declaring war.
If you do the quest, it's easier because you can do it several times with no cooldown.
-Wait until your merc contract expires, then sign up with the remaining neutral faction (or the Empire) as merc, which should reset all former hostile relations.
Even if you're merc, you can still go give your oath to Marius Imperator again.
This method costs some relations with Marius Imperator, but it's the sure-fire way to save a faction. I've done it before, it works, you just need to be patient for about 2 game months.
Good thing is, that the "empire's enemy" faction might soon get a big retaliation from being in a war with 2 other factions, which gives you as re-newed Empire lord the opportunity to take back a fief or two.
Hope any of my advice helps...
IlluminaZer0
Sergeant
The status of the Empire is not necessarily tied to your character's long term well being. Even if the Empire dies, you still have the high relations you gained while serving as a vassal alongside the experience and renown gained from battles. The neat thing about fighting for weak factions is that there is usually little downtime when it comes to battle.
The lord relations, experience, and renown will all help if you decide to create your own kingdom later on.
The lord relations, experience, and renown will all help if you decide to create your own kingdom later on.