I seriously can't take the stupidity of the game any more (19 enemy lords all raiding just my city's villages at the same time)

[Midnitewolf]

I am sorry but I just can't take the stupidity of this game any more.

I am a Vassal of Vlandia and we started off at war with Battania and were making good progress. Suddenly my Empire decides, "Hey its not exciting if we have only one war going, let's declare another!" and off we go to war with the Western Empire.

Well suddenly my City being closest to the Western Empire just gets inundated with enemy lords like scrambling cockroaches. For the first few hours I manage to smash 7 Lords and capture them to try to stem the tide but they just keep coming and coming. Now I literally have 19 individual enemy lord armies on my screen at one time AFTER I have imprisoned 7 of them, groups of them just sitting around each of my villages raiding them as if they were just sitting by a campfire. The Western Empire has no big armies, they aren't trying to take any territory, nor are the attacking anywhere else in my factions lands, all of them are focused on my three little villages and oh yeah for some reason a few Battanian lords have decided it wants to raid my lands too even though they have to cross through my entire factions territory literally bypassing a dozen other villages just to jump in on the fun and raid mine.

Meanwhile my entire faction is wrapped up into three big armies sieging Battanian castles on the other side of the map. Not one single lord not in an Army and no allies to assist. I mean sure it makes perfect sense to declare war on another faction when your already at war and fully engaged with another faction, yeah that makes sense.

Oh and I can't even force a peace using my max influence because my faction has zero support for peace with either faction.

I guess the enemies tactics are working because I can't do a damn thing to stop them but I have been running around playing wack-a-mole for 3 hours straight and can say THIS IS NOT FUN!!!! There is nothing fun about this especially since my Faction had ZERO reason to start another war.

I am sorry but a faction SHOULD take into account it's ability to wage a war before declaring war. Also if it is going to declare war, the AI should have some sort of logic to mass troops at the border BEFORE declaring war not declare war while all its troops are engaged warring with another faction. Also they should never be at war with two factions at once EVER unless the other faction declares war on them and if they are in a war when that happens, they should immediately seek peace with one of the two factions so that they are NEVER at war with two factions at once if they can help it. This what is going on here is just Stupid and not fun, Stupid and Unfun enough that I am on the verge of quiting my playthrough because three hours of constant battle without stop and nothing you can do to stop it is a frustrating experience.

 

[sositehui]

i can feel ur anger thru the monitor brou. this s4it is rly fkn annoying gad demmat

 

[Antaeus]

If you were nice to those Battanian lords they wouldn't raid your lands. You can make them your friends by releasing them after battle. Seriously. I just went through a massive war with Battania as Vlandia as well. My city of Lagata didn't get touched for the whole war while I was off fighting the Sturgians.

If your faction is using up all the available parties, make some of your own. Your wife/husband, your elder brother, his wife, or any of your other siblings wives or husbands, or any of your companions with high steward all make great party leaders. I currently have my elder brother, his wife, my brother and his wife all leading parties, all in a permanent army with me of around 550. That's enough to defend most cities. I top it up with other noble parties when I go on offensive. As a bonus, each party will give you extra influence while they're in your army, and won't cost nearly as much influence as other lords. It becomes an influence earning army. Win-win.

Factions don't like being at war with two enemies unless they're really overpowered. And sooner or later you'll be able to force peace on one of them. Keep an eye on the diplomacy screen - it changes quickly after big wins and losses of other armies and cities.

I hope my advice helps, and you haven't yet smashed your monitor.

 

[Marajah]

I'd say the western empire won through psychological warfare. Pure strategy!

 

[Phwoar]

If you were nice to those Battanian lords they wouldn't raid your lands. You can make them your friends by releasing them after battle. Seriously. I just went through a massive war with Battania as Vlandia as well. My city of Lagata didn't get touched for the whole war while I was off fighting the Sturgians.

Problem is if you dont have good relations with the lords before they start raiding you, you never will, because you lose relations when they raid you, its a brutal loop.

 

[Antaeus]

Problem is if you dont have good relations with the lords before they start raiding you, you never will, because you lose relations when they raid you, its a brutal loop.

I disagree.

You gain a lot of relations by releasing them. More than you get by just fighting them. So if they look like they're going to raid you, fight them, release them. In no time your relations with their family will be way up in the 20s or 30s.

I my current campaign I'm "friends" with dozens of lords just because I've released their family members.

 

[OlderThanBefore]

I disagree.

You gain a lot of relations by releasing them. More than you get by just fighting them. So if they look like they're going to raid you, fight them, release them. In no time your relations with their family will be way up in the 20s or 30s.

I my current campaign I'm "friends" with dozens of lords just because I've released their family members.

I fully agree with your point of view.
But against 19 enemy lords... it might be a bit complicated for the op.

 

[Apocal]

Problem is if you dont have good relations with the lords before they start raiding you, you never will, because you lose relations when they raid you, its a brutal loop.

They switched that off for the player clan in 1.5.6, I think.

 

[Antaeus]

I fully agree with your point of view.
But against 19 enemy lords... it might be a bit complicated for the op.

Just got to muscle up and do a little work. OP probably wouldn't have 19 enemy lords all over them if they had released them for the first few hours. They're now seeing the results of poor treatment.

 

[jipped]

Lmao

 

[OlderThanBefore]

Just got to muscle up and do a little work. OP probably wouldn't have 19 enemy lords all over them if they had released them for the first few hours. They're now seeing the results of poor treatment.

I wrote this comment with the idea of knowing what could be a way for him to get out of it now.

Personally I don't see any I must admit, especially if the AI doesn't want to leave him alone except to desperately wait for the end of the war.

Unfortunately it might be necessary to start a game again if the relationship is too low and it becomes really too frustrating for the op.

Good luck Midnitewolf

 

[McDadden]

@Midnitewolf: While I understand a lot of your frustration with this particular aspect of the game, I don't think it's very helpful to improve anything to dedicate a thread complaining about it with no input or constructive thoughts. Even more important is this issue is currently being squashed with new patches and has been explained in detail by the dev team. You put the the time in to make this post, but you should put some time aside to read the newest patch notes or the host of videos made by content creators on them.

 

[Senko]

I agree that AI declaring war just for fun while you're in a full blown war with another faction at the same time is stupid.

I always release lords to level up charm, but i think it's a stupid way to make friends with them. They are way too happy to be released even if their entire army just got slaughtered. Not a single one will want to be your rival and get revenge, they will always be your friends.

Fighting and releasing an entire enemy faction just so they don't rape your villages at every possible moment is also stupid.

But it gets even more stupid when you see honorable and merciful lords raiding your village. It's like the traits are artificial and don't matter at all

In General the AI is stupid, relationships with lords are way too simple and unrealistic.

 

[Death2Tyrants]

I am sorry but I just can't take the stupidity of this game any more.

I am a Vassal of Vlandia and we started off at war with Battania and were making good progress. Suddenly my Empire decides, "Hey its not exciting if we have only one war going, let's declare another!" and off we go to war with the Western Empire.

Well suddenly my City being closest to the Western Empire just gets inundated with enemy lords like scrambling cockroaches. For the first few hours I manage to smash 7 Lords and capture them to try to stem the tide but they just keep coming and coming. Now I literally have 19 individual enemy lord armies on my screen at one time AFTER I have imprisoned 7 of them, groups of them just sitting around each of my villages raiding them as if they were just sitting by a campfire. The Western Empire has no big armies, they aren't trying to take any territory, nor are the attacking anywhere else in my factions lands, all of them are focused on my three little villages and oh yeah for some reason a few Battanian lords have decided it wants to raid my lands too even though they have to cross through my entire factions territory literally bypassing a dozen other villages just to jump in on the fun and raid mine.

Meanwhile my entire faction is wrapped up into three big armies sieging Battanian castles on the other side of the map. Not one single lord not in an Army and no allies to assist. I mean sure it makes perfect sense to declare war on another faction when your already at war and fully engaged with another faction, yeah that makes sense.

Oh and I can't even force a peace using my max influence because my faction has zero support for peace with either faction.

I guess the enemies tactics are working because I can't do a damn thing to stop them but I have been running around playing wack-a-mole for 3 hours straight and can say THIS IS NOT FUN!!!! There is nothing fun about this especially since my Faction had ZERO reason to start another war.

I am sorry but a faction SHOULD take into account it's ability to wage a war before declaring war. Also if it is going to declare war, the AI should have some sort of logic to mass troops at the border BEFORE declaring war not declare war while all its troops are engaged warring with another faction. Also they should never be at war with two factions at once EVER unless the other faction declares war on them and if they are in a war when that happens, they should immediately seek peace with one of the two factions so that they are NEVER at war with two factions at once if they can help it. This what is going on here is just Stupid and not fun, Stupid and Unfun enough that I am on the verge of quiting my playthrough because three hours of constant battle without stop and nothing you can do to stop it is a frustrating experience.

Execution my friend. That's how I got around this issue pre mods. Be Vlad the Impaler.

Just got to muscle up and do a little work. OP probably wouldn't have 19 enemy lords all over them if they had released them for the first few hours. They're now seeing the results of poor treatment.

That approach doesn't always work because you lose relations when your party leaders capture them. Also, in 1.5.7, I have nobles/mercs who are +19 with me that are also raiding my villages albeit with a cheeky grin when I catch them.

Is there a magic number I need to attain?

 

[Dreed89]

I agree that AI declaring war just for fun while you're in a full blown war with another faction at the same time is stupid.

I always release lords to level up charm, but i think it's a stupid way to make friends with them. They are way too happy to be released even if their entire army just got slaughtered. Not a single one will want to be your rival and get revenge, they will always be your friends.

Fighting and releasing an entire enemy faction just so they don't rape your villages at every possible moment is also stupid.

But it gets even more stupid when you see honorable and merciful lords raiding your village. It's like the traits are artificial and don't matter at all

In General the AI is stupid, relationships with lords are way too simple and unrealistic.

A very good and to the point summary. I can also sign my name under this.

 

[AndrewArt]

It's because they can't have feasts to satisfy their blood-lust and now they're rampaging animals with no self-control

 

[Magello]

I agree that AI declaring war just for fun while you're in a full blown war with another faction at the same time is stupid.

I always release lords to level up charm, but i think it's a stupid way to make friends with them. They are way too happy to be released even if their entire army just got slaughtered. Not a single one will want to be your rival and get revenge, they will always be your friends.

Fighting and releasing an entire enemy faction just so they don't rape your villages at every possible moment is also stupid.

But it gets even more stupid when you see honorable and merciful lords raiding your village. It's like the traits are artificial and don't matter at all

In General the AI is stupid, relationships with lords are way too simple and unrealistic.

The traits are just another unfinished mechanic of this game. Every lord is exactly the same and will always target the player and I don't put much faith in the devs fixing this. Heck, the thought is probably "why are you complaining about more battles?!"

I have been raided by the closest friends in this game nonstop. I doesn't matter how many you let go, which is the stupidest and laziest way to level friendship I have ever seen, maybe if they are nothing but obsessed with war they would like it. You can imprison dozens and they will just immediately raise more armies.

They need to do heavy work on the AI, which they won't, and make the traits matter. If they say they are implemented then it is obvious it isn't weighted heavy enough in their decision making, enough of the behind the scenes nonsense. Make us as players be able to notice the difference.

 

[Midnitewolf]

If you were nice to those Battanian lords they wouldn't raid your lands. You can make them your friends by releasing them after battle. Seriously. I just went through a massive war with Battania as Vlandia as well. My city of Lagata didn't get touched for the whole war while I was off fighting the Sturgians.

If your faction is using up all the available parties, make some of your own. Your wife/husband, your elder brother, his wife, or any of your other siblings wives or husbands, or any of your companions with high steward all make great party leaders. I currently have my elder brother, his wife, my brother and his wife all leading parties, all in a permanent army with me of around 550. That's enough to defend most cities. I top it up with other noble parties when I go on offensive. As a bonus, each party will give you extra influence while they're in your army, and won't cost nearly as much influence as other lords. It becomes an influence earning army. Win-win.

Factions don't like being at war with two enemies unless they're really overpowered. And sooner or later you'll be able to force peace on one of them. Keep an eye on the diplomacy screen - it changes quickly after big wins and losses of other armies and cities.

I hope my advice helps, and you haven't yet smashed your monitor.

Many of parties are already wrapped up in my factions other armies so nope. Also I did have a couple of my companions armies with me, about 400 troops total between up. However, when you have five 100+ individual lord units sitting around each of your villages like they are warming their hands at the bonfire even if you manage to bring one of the lords to battle, they other 4 would just surge in on you wiping you out. Also I can't catch the lord because their 100 man armies move faster than my 400 man army. Best I can do is scatter them at one village for a few seconds before, having to run over and try to scatter them at another village, none of which stopped them from burning all three villages to the ground. Also since my villages got burnt, my city starved, prosperity went do to below 2000 and it almost rebelled.

I'd say the western empire won through psychological warfare. Pure strategy!

Actually you would be right except it wasn't them declaring war on my faction, it was my faction declaring war on them, WHILE we were currently losing a war against the Battanians. There was exactly zero logical reason for us to declare war and bring another enemy against us. I guess I could make a huge leap of logic and say that my King, whom I had 90 relation wish, decided to betray me so purposefully declared war so that the Western Empire would do his dirty work for him and rob me of my City but I somehow don't think the AI in this game is smart enough to hatch such a plot.

@Midnitewolf: While I understand a lot of your frustration with this particular aspect of the game, I don't think it's very helpful to improve anything to dedicate a thread complaining about it with no input or constructive thoughts. Even more important is this issue is currently being squashed with new patches and has been explained in detail by the dev team. You put the the time in to make this post, but you should put some time aside to read the newest patch notes or the host of videos made by content creators on them.

You apparently didn't read my post to the end. The last paragraph outlines what the AI should and shouldn't do and most of it is simple Yes or No logic. I also have posted suggesting in other threads completed by other people. As far a patch notes, I have been hearing about them fixing this since like March or April 2020 and here we are nearly a year later and not fixed. I even seem to recall patch notes saying that had already fixed this, something about AI lords trying to not be in more than one war at once and only declaring war on neighboring factions but whatever fix that was, now that I am back playing again, it isn't fixed.

I agree that AI declaring war just for fun while you're in a full blown war with another faction at the same time is stupid.

I always release lords to level up charm, but i think it's a stupid way to make friends with them. They are way too happy to be released even if their entire army just got slaughtered. Not a single one will want to be your rival and get revenge, they will always be your friends.

Fighting and releasing an entire enemy faction just so they don't rape your villages at every possible moment is also stupid.

But it gets even more stupid when you see honorable and merciful lords raiding your village. It's like the traits are artificial and don't matter at all

In General the AI is stupid, relationships with lords are way too simple and unrealistic.

Yeah this is my problem. You Kingdom should never actually seek war with multiple factions a once. I mean it should be possible for another faction to declare war on you while your at war and thus drag your faction into two wars, but it should never be declaring war on two fronts or even if it is allowed, it should be rare.

As far as the catch and release there are numerous problems with that. First, you even besiege an enemy territory, you lose like 30 faction with the clan that owns it making it very hard to gain a positive faction with that clan again, even with catch and release. Also how many times do I have to catch and release all 19 lords before they leave me alone?

Finally I agree with you that catch and release is silly. I usually play as a vassal and it never fails to amaze me that after some time I have dozens of enemies that consider me the best of friends because I have been catching and releasing them, meanwhile most of the lords belonging to my own faction are pretty neutral to me.

 

[Antaeus]

Finally I agree with you that catch and release is silly. I usually play as a vassal and it never fails to amaze me that after some time I have dozens of enemies that consider me the best of friends because I have been catching and releasing them, meanwhile most of the lords belonging to my own faction are pretty neutral to me.

There are a number of ways to improve relations within your faction. Helping them in battle for a start, marrying into their family for another. But also you have to think about votes. If you want your allied lords to like you, be smart about votes - look at who likes you and who doesn't.

For example in a vote between :
- Lord A - your relations are +20
- Lord B - your relations are +5
- Lord C - your relations are -3

Instinct says "vote for A, because he likes you" but vote weights are different for for and against. Votes for get more relationship points than votes against lose. I would vote for lord C, irrespective of who actually wins. And the result of the vote wouldn't be about who gets the castle, but how I managed to improve relationships:

- Lord A - your relations are -1 to 19
- Lord B - your relations are -1 to 4
- Lord C - your relations are +5 to 2

Now you have positive relations with all the nobles in the vote.

 

[Death2Tyrants]

There are a number of ways to improve relations within your faction. Helping them in battle for a start, marrying into their family for another. But also you have to think about votes. If you want your allied lords to like you, be smart about votes - look at who likes you and who doesn't.

For example in a vote between :
- Lord A - your relations are +20
- Lord B - your relations are +5
- Lord C - your relations are -3

Instinct says "vote for A, because he likes you" but vote weights are different for for and against. Votes for get more relationship points than votes against lose. I would vote for lord C, irrespective of who actually wins. And the result of the vote wouldn't be about who gets the castle, but how I managed to improve relationships:

- Lord A - your relations are -1 to 19
- Lord B - your relations are -1 to 4
- Lord C - your relations are +5 to 2

Now you have positive relations with all the nobles in the vote.

Or you can donate influence. Before I start recruiting nobles, I'd have all the + influence to ruler and - influence to non ruler policies selected and ideally have a few towns.

I'd also try to give them castles only, at least in the beginning. You can accumulate a fair amount of influence fairly quickly and use that to gain relations (and charm). But it's more clicking.

Also, there's a perk that gives a chance to avoid negative consequences from voting.