Anybody else think that their faction's marshall is STUPID?

[michaelvillena]

Currently aligned with the Swadians.  Count Klargus is incredibly stupid.  He's got the entire Swadian army (90% of the lords) following him aimlessly around the map because idiot King Harlaus decides to wage war on three fronts(Vaegirs, Rhodoks and the Nords).  So I'm stuck following this buffoon while our enemies are picking off thinly manned castles in opposite corners of the map.  Guess these guys never read Sun Tzu's basic tenets of war; Concentration of Force and Maintenance of Objective. Thinking of bailing out and starting my own kingdom now.   

 

[Cero]

Sounds like a good time to go rogue, what with the three-front war and all. How's the strategic situation looking, fief-wise?

 

[bakters]

When with a faction, I largely ignore marshals.  Generally I wait for him to give me a quest (cows or scouting), fulfill it and *do not* talk to him.  This way I do not have to follow him and I can wage my own war.  Also, there are ways of controlling AI army without being a marshal. 

For example you can take a castle, but you can't really reinforce it alone, so you leave one wounded looter in the garrison.  Enemies can't just take it, they must mount a siege and because defenses are so weak, they will try to do it over and over again.  You can farm weaker lords for honor or relations and sooner or later your marshal should appear near by to defend a besieged castle.  Then you can talk to him and suggest a better target.  With decent relations he will follow your advice. 

Don't forget that even with a very weak army you can influence the outcome of major battles.  AI tends to be overly cautious, but they will join a battle in progress.  If you are smart and manage to split the enemy a little, then attack, you may be able to create a situation where most of your army is facing only a fraction of the enemy forces.  It works best at night.

Of course if you are already considering striking out on your own, it may be a good time.  But in case you don't feel like it yet, it should be possible to win against three factions.  To do that you must destroy the majority of enemy forces to the point that they will resort to raiding instead of conquest.  Then you ignore beaten foes and concentrate on the strongest enemy.  Be aggressive and take their land.  If they take it back, no biggie, just retake it over and over again. 

I don't start on my own until I have high engineering and companions levelled up to the point where they become effective trainers.  Medical skills are also quite crucial.  It's not a bad idea.

Good luck.

 

[michaelvillena]

Sounds like a good time to go rogue, what with the three-front war and all. How's the strategic situation looking, fief-wise?

I'm thinking the same thing.  Fief-wise, I have been awarded Hrus castle and one town.  The problem is when I reported to Marshall Klargus, we were right smack in the middle of Swadia (middle of the map) and they have just conquered several Nord, Vaegir, and Rhodok castles & left them with very tiny garrisons.  Thus Klargus the Knucklehead will try to rush to one castle that's being threatened, waste a day's march trying to get there only to have another Swadian army closer to the besieged castle rush to it's aid.  Then we return to the middle of the map towards the original objective only to repeat the same scenario, over and over again.  The game date is around early July.  I had spent the early part of the game going solo and building up relationships with various faction's lords and factions by rescuing their imprisoned lords, saving their caravans and farmers from bandits and performing ass kissing quests.  The most lucrative venture is rescuing their imprisoned lords which are numerous because of the constant multi-front wars raging in the early part of the game.  I check the faction listings in my factions relation report which shows how many of a faction's lords are "P" (prisoners).  Then I find out who they are by reading the game log and where they are imprisoned.  I do a background check to find out who their wives and/or mothers and then I travel to them and ask them if I could win their favor which gives me a rescue quest.  Then I break the lord out of prison, travel back to the wife/mother and collect relationship points and lots of honor.  I also score relationship points with the lord and any daughters/sisters they might have which makes it easier to court them later after I have land.  At this point I have a lot of "friends" in various factions.  Yes, it's time to give ole King Harlus the bad news and strike out on my own. 

 

[michaelvillena]

When with a faction, I largely ignore marshals.  Generally I wait for him to give me a quest (cows or scouting), fulfill it and *do not* talk to him.  This way I do not have to follow him and I can wage my own war.  Also, there are ways of controlling AI army without being a marshal. 

For example you can take a castle, but you can't really reinforce it alone, so you leave one wounded looter in the garrison.  Enemies can't just take it, they must mount a siege and because defenses are so weak, they will try to do it over and over again.  You can farm weaker lords for honor or relations and sooner or later your marshal should appear near by to defend a besieged castle.  Then you can talk to him and suggest a better target.  With decent relations he will follow your advice. 

Don't forget that even with a very weak army you can influence the outcome of major battles.  AI tends to be overly cautious, but they will join a battle in progress.  If you are smart and manage to split the enemy a little, then attack, you may be able to create a situation where most of your army is facing only a fraction of the enemy forces.  It works best at night.

Of course if you are already considering striking out on your own, it may be a good time.  But in case you don't feel like it yet, it should be possible to win against three factions.  To do that you must destroy the majority of enemy forces to the point that they will resort to raiding instead of conquest.  Then you ignore beaten foes and concentrate on the strongest enemy.  Be aggressive and take their land.  If they take it back, no biggie, just retake it over and over again. 

I don't start on my own until I have high engineering and companions levelled up to the point where they become effective trainers.  Medical skills are also quite crucial.  It's not a bad idea.

Good luck.

Brilliant and timely strategy and tactics.  I will certainly apply it.  Thank you! 

 

[pye266]

I'm with the Rhodok's, Count Raichs was marshall, He kept sending for me and the other vassal's , But he had no army, so he just stayed in Yalen for ages with all the Vassal's camped at the castle, It done my head in, When he did appear he had 25 troops and got whacked straight away and taken prisoner, It was joy.... Not to mention that King Graveth seen's to throw feast's as were attacking a castle..

Now it's count Reichsin , but at least he dose attack castles can't complain.

 

[JosieJ]

Idiot marshals happen more often than not, really.  I've only really been impressed by one marshal, and that was during one specific game--in all other games, he was an idiot.

I'll generally show up to the marshal's call, but then wander off on my own after that and ignore the "Count So-and-So wants to speak to you" summons.