New Strategies for a more difficult game

[Killer Kitten]

Lately, it feels like the game has gotten harder, and not in a good way. Now, I don't have a problem with the theory of making it harder. The game was entirely too easy. And I really love many of the improvements. The fact that I can order my soldiers to attack the main unit instead of a random horseman on the other side is great.

My issue is that I don't think they went about it the right way. I've had about 40 troops that were decent levels. Not everyone was top-tier, but many of them were, and I got crushed by a group of 20 bandits.

It feels like they just decided to handle the "too easy" issue by buffing soldiers to insane heights. And they did nothing to fix the broken workshop system. In fact, they made it worse. Instead of passive income, which is what I assumed it was supposed to be, I now have to babysit my workshops otherwise they make no money and end up costing me.

But this is only how I feel.

My question is here:

1. How do you make the workshops, well, work in the game? What are some strategies to employ so they don't become money pits?
2. How can I actually win battles? I have not won a single battle when I outnumbered an enemy 3-1. And I get there's times when they have top tier troops and they'll stomp any low level troops. The problem is that they ALWAYS have high level troops. And my troops keep getting crush, even at higher levels. Is there a stat that I'm neglecting?

 

[Penn]

Lately, it feels like the game has gotten harder, and not in a good way. Now, I don't have a problem with the theory of making it harder. The game was entirely too easy. And I really love many of the improvements. The fact that I can order my soldiers to attack the main unit instead of a random horseman on the other side is great.

My issue is that I don't think they went about it the right way. I've had about 40 troops that were decent levels. Not everyone was top-tier, but many of them were, and I got crushed by a group of 20 bandits.

It feels like they just decided to handle the "too easy" issue by buffing soldiers to insane heights. And they did nothing to fix the broken workshop system. In fact, they made it worse. Instead of passive income, which is what I assumed it was supposed to be, I now have to babysit my workshops otherwise they make no money and end up costing me.

But this is only how I feel.

My question is here:

1. How do you make the workshops, well, work in the game? What are some strategies to employ so they don't become money pits?
2. How can I actually win battles? I have not won a single battle when I outnumbered an enemy 3-1. And I get there's times when they have top tier troops and they'll stomp any low level troops. The problem is that they ALWAYS have high level troops. And my troops keep getting crush, even at higher levels. Is there a stat that I'm neglecting?

Never had any of the problems you are describing

 

[saittam]

Current i have 2 workshops. Both give 300 each. Don´t seem to go higher. Every now and then i travel the map and buy grapes and olives to stock them up. Not sure if it breakes even.
Find caravans to be alot better. But more risk. They usually give over 1000 each once the caravaner is leveled enough.

Are you using mods to buff the bandits? Do you upgrade your troops?
I think you miss out on formations. and the golden f3-f1 for archers. Use shield wall and never chase cavalry. They will come close sooner or later. If you for example is faced with cavalry and have low tier troops. Use f2-f5 to form a square formation. Very few cavalry survive long rushing into that.
5 looters is enough to kick any knights ass.

 

[Killer Kitten]

I just found the problem. My tactics was insanely low... oops.

Yeah that stat is kind of important...

 

[Penn]

I just found the problem. My tactics was insanely low... oops.

Yeah that stat is kind of important...

If you auto resolve, no wonder you dont win any battles

 

[SudianX]

My question is here:

1. How do you make the workshops, well, work in the game? What are some strategies to employ so they don't become money pits?
2. How can I actually win battles? I have not won a single battle when I outnumbered an enemy 3-1. And I get there's times when they have top tier troops and they'll stomp any low level troops. The problem is that they ALWAYS have high level troops. And my troops keep getting crush, even at higher levels. Is there a stat that I'm neglecting?

1. I do not think that is possible. Try an olive press in Jaculan. Build and forget about it, but it is not exactly great and micro-managing does not seem to add any benefit. Just be aware: If you are ever at war with the faction housing your workshops (as a mercenary, vassal, whatever) you will immediately lose them, turning them into "money pits" and most likely overall losses. This is the most important factor to turning a profit with them: ensure peace between you and those locations (best if you are part of a faction that is strong... so more of a mid to end game thing).

2. Make sure you have top tier troops. Use the medic skill, rest in town between fights (use your companion's health as a rough gauge), and level up your own troops until you aren't fielding armorless wimps anymore. As you have noticed: quality is better than quantity. You can be the one taking on much larger forces once you have all top-tier troops. If you rest to heal up your troops before the next battle the biggest concern becomes $$.

Also: if $ is no longer a problem, consider the steward perks "paid in promise" and "giving hands." You can forgo loot profit for troop XP. While it is still far less troop XP than just fighting battles, it can be helpful in bumping up low tier troops to lower their chances of dying in battle before getting leveled up.

 

[Killer Kitten]

If you auto resolve, no wonder you dont win any battles

Lol! No kidding! Lol.

 

[Ananda_The_Destroyer]

What are some strategies to employ so they don't become money pits?

Just don't buy them

How can I actually win battles?

Horse archers. Move them yourself to were they shoot enemies from 2 sides, then move them around so the enemy doesn't catch up them. You can defeat much larger forces with little or no loss this way. If you retreat to refill arrows you can take down any size army once you have 200 good horse archers. When you have less you just need to be more picky about what you fight.

 

[Count_Morfetico]

Horse archers. Move them yourself to were they shoot enemies from 2 sides, then move them around so the enemy doesn't catch up them. You can defeat much larger forces with little or no loss this way. If you retreat to refill arrows you can take down any size army once you have 200 good horse archers. When you have less you just need to be more picky about what you fight.

is this valid on 1.2.9? I haven't tested myself yet...

 

[Ananda_The_Destroyer]

is this valid on 1.2.9? I haven't tested myself yet...

Yeah I've done it. Also, if you get the banner that give plus 20%-30% troops movement speed, fians can move so fast you can do this stuff with them too. You can also just put fians in a really long line manually at the back of the map and they will thin down the approaching enemy (because they come in the middle where the fians start to be able to shoot their sides), then retreat and do it again. Eventually the enemy wont charge and you put them in the long 2 man deep line and put them on advance for the same effect, just retreat before the enemy clashes with them too much, until the enemy is closer in size then they can just slaughter them. I killed a 1k+ army with 120 fian champions doing this in 1.2.9.

 

[Count_Morfetico]

haha nice! Thx!