Am i missing something here?

[DigitalDilettante]

This is getting really annoying, I cant keep hold of a damn castle! Every time I take a castle with minimal losses, I fill it with as many men as I can, just constantly hiring mercenaries, training recruits, putting them all into this castle... and then the castles previous owners just come with like 5 different armies and just take it back again. I just finished what i thought was the best try yet, I had the castle, had around 100 of my units in and that knight dudes 100 or so... then the previous owners show up with the biggest army ive ever seen, the knight dude just runs out of the castle and attacks a group of 300, a group of 300 attack the castle. I kill all of them with 30 men left not killed or wounded. The knight guy dies and the rest of the army now at around 600 attacks the castle... 30 v 600... am i missing something, is there some way that i can get an army together that can actually hold off a force like this?

Sorry about the rant but that was like my 4th time trying to hold on to a castle

 

[vergol]

Never rely on your Lords for anything.  The strategic AI is retarded.

Factions usually focus on one castle/town at a time, what's why you see such large attacking armies.  The calculation of a battle that you don't participate in is rather simplistic, mostly relying on sheer numbers of troops.  When your character fights alongside the AI, you can easily overcome overwhelming  odds.  So my suggestion is that you personally join to defend any castle the AI attacks.

Secondly, size does matter.  The number of troops determines your advantage/disadvantage in battle.  If you're defending a castle with 100 troops against 800 enemies, the game cannot display all the units at once, and instead gives you waves of attackers and waves of reinforcements.  But the 8:1 ratio is still there.  So you'll have a wave of like 12 guys against enemy waves of 60-80 (depending on your tactics skill).  It's smart to hold large numbers of troops garrisoned in castles and towns.  300-500 would be a good number.  This way the attack waves won't be so ridiculous.

That said, no one wants to pay for 500 elite troops for every castle you own.  So don't max them all out, just the 'top-most' in the list.  The number is what really counts.  And if you have trouble paying for them, fill the castle or town as you see fit and give it to one of your lords.  Lords generally don't alter garrisons and instantly cover all the costs.

 

[biznatch]

i've heard that kingdom's AI choose the castle/town to attack by determining the weakest castle/town at the time.
and AI determining what castle is the weakest is by calculating the garrisoned troops in the castle.
so, if you don't want your castle to attacked, never let yours to be the weakest castle.

 

[D_akbar]

600 isnt the biggest army yet

i was constantly getting 1000nordsmen atacking my lands (maybe because my relation was -100), after that 300 rhodoks and a similar number of vaegirs

 

[Vaelius Noctu]

The Best you can do is give the Fiefs to your Lords. Your Vassals Build Garrison Troops by there own and Pay them.
A good beginning was attack a faction there have two Enemies (at war).

Swadian was at war with Khergit and Nords. The Swadians Conquer a Castle in the Land of the Nords, now Besiege the Castle and take it. The Swadians now at war with you too. But all troops come to your fief were Attacked by the Nords Lords. Now Build Troops and Garrison them in your Castle. At the moment you have hundred good Man search the Swadian Lords an hunt them down. The Nords can say you how many Lords left. Have there very few Lords Left, attack there fiefs and give them your Lords.

So I defeated the Vaegirs and have freedom with the other factions.

You can too make a Peacequest on a City from your own Kingdom and make Peace with the faction at war with you, so you have time to regenerate.

My English is Bad but I hope I can help you.

 

[TheGreatest]

what are you playing btw? native?

 

[Vaelius Noctu]

Lords and Realms.

 

[DigitalDilettante]

Well just got back from my 5th try at taking a castle, took it with an army of about 90 swadian knights, went down with like 2 killed. I then procceed to fill the castle with about 105 swadian knights and around 60 other random units... then when im on my way around getting more units... the castle is attacked by an army of 800... wtf am i supposed to be doing!   

On a side note Rhodoks are waaaay overpowered

 

[Vaelius Noctu]

Yes the Rhodoks are to overpowered. They can be only defeated with tricking them with Peacequests.
I can only say you make it the way I said before it works to me. And I have the same Problems before. And at Last I Conquered the Complete Map.

 

[supraliminal]

Never rely on your Lords for anything.  The strategic AI is retarded.

Factions usually focus on one castle/town at a time, what's why you see such large attacking armies.  The calculation of a battle that you don't participate in is rather simplistic, mostly relying on sheer numbers of troops.  When your character fights alongside the AI, you can easily overcome overwhelming  odds.  So my suggestion is that you personally join to defend any castle the AI attacks.

Secondly, size does matter.  The number of troops determines your advantage/disadvantage in battle.  If you're defending a castle with 100 troops against 800 enemies, the game cannot display all the units at once, and instead gives you waves of attackers and waves of reinforcements.  But the 8:1 ratio is still there.  So you'll have a wave of like 12 guys against enemy waves of 60-80 (depending on your tactics skill).  It's smart to hold large numbers of troops garrisoned in castles and towns.  300-500 would be a good number.  This way the attack waves won't be so ridiculous.

That said, no one wants to pay for 500 elite troops for every castle you own.  So don't max them all out, just the 'top-most' in the list.  The number is what really counts.  And if you have trouble paying for them, fill the castle or town as you see fit and give it to one of your lords.  Lords generally don't alter garrisons and instantly cover all the costs.

I may be tripping, but I thought this mod did something to the troop pulling?  At least, in the few huge battles I've had using this mod (just started playing it a week ago) it randomly pulled units, even those buried 200 down.  Although it pulled more from the top units... in any case, so the stacking with weenie units and keeping elite units at top wouldn't totally work anymore...?  If it's not the mod, I'm glad something is doing it, makes it more interesting

 

[vergol]

Well just got back from my 5th try at taking a castle, took it with an army of about 90 swadian knights, went down with like 2 killed. I then procceed to fill the castle with about 105 swadian knights and around 60 other random units... then when im on my way around getting more units... the castle is attacked by an army of 800... wtf am i supposed to be doing!   

On a side note Rhodoks are waaaay overpowered

You're not doing anything wrong.  I'd do the same in your place. 

Rhodoks are a bit overpowered at present time, but the authors have already begun re-equipping the other factions to compensate. 

Those 800 enemies attacking your newly acquired castle is just bad luck.  However, you should keep in mind that to repel the attackers you don't have to kill all of them.  If you and your garrison can withstand a single run on your walls (usually 5 waves of attackers), the enemy army will once again "lay siege", meaning they will hang around your castle for a few days before attacking again -- time you could be using to exit the castle and get more men.  There's also a good chance that if sufficient numbers of the attackers are dead after the first assault, the AI may reconsider the siege altogether and leave shortly after.  They either realize they can't win without reinforcements or just get distracted by some other vulnerable target on the map.  I can't read minds, or code for that matter.

So stick with it; lower the difficulty a bit if you need to.  Saving and loading is not heresy either.

I may be tripping, but I thought this mod did something to the troop pulling?  At least, in the few huge battles I've had using this mod (just started playing it a week ago) it randomly pulled units, even those buried 200 down.  Although it pulled more from the top units... in any case, so the stacking with weenie units and keeping elite units at top wouldn't totally work anymore...?  If it's not the mod, I'm glad something is doing it, makes it more interesting

Based on what I've personally observed, it's generally safe to assume that the first guys in action will be those from the top of the list.  I'm 99% sure it's true in regular battles, and I'm 75% sure it's true in sieges.  There may be some occasional shuffling, especially if your party is assisting an existing garrison.  Though I can't be certain what the AI is conjuring up when you're not personally involved in a battle or siege.

 

[biznatch]

Based on what I've personally observed, it's generally safe to assume that the first guys in action will be those from the top of the list.  I'm 99% sure it's true in regular battles, and I'm 75% sure it's true in sieges.  There may be some occasional shuffling, especially if your party is assisting an existing garrison.  Though I can't be certain what the AI is conjuring up when you're not personally involved in a battle or siege.

agreed. but i think the companions are always show up in the battle except they are wounded.

 

[DigitalDilettante]

OK, I think ive figured out my problem. I think the reason im having such problems is because my relation with Nords and Rhodok are both at Vengeful... everytime I get a castle either one of these two just come at me with everything they've got to rip it down. Im gonna restart and try not to piss anyone off too much, ill report back in a while!

 

[vergol]

agreed. but i think the companions are always show up in the battle except they are wounded.

That depends.  Try moving all of your companions to the bottom of the party list.  They continue to provide skill bonuses, but rarely (if ever) show up as first-wave attackers.