Back on topic -- in EVERY game like Warband (for example, the total war series) -- I ALWAYS get to a point where I feel like I'm on the "downhill" path to winning. Ie., you win the early battles, setup and defend, expand, and then finishing the game becomes a process of just rolling downhill, which isn't nearly as fun as the uphill climb. As a result, I almost NEVER win these types of games or play them to completion - I always restart to get a different challenge going