expansion
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expansion [2020/04/16 18:46] taorec created |
expansion [2022/12/12 17:59] (current) charmide added high level blurb on top of existing guide (should probably move it?) |
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| - | ==== A Short Expansion Guide ==== | + | ====== Expansion ======= |
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| + | **Expansion** refers to the initial phase of the game where players are mostly fighting [[independents]] and quickly taking unclaimed territory. | ||
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| + | Depending on the size of the map or the efficiency of the players, it might last around 10 or 20 turns. There is no strict definition, but it might end around when the first player versus player wars start, or when the harder-to-take [[thrones]] are the only independent provinces left to claim. | ||
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| + | Because it's easy to test in singleplayer game quickly and repeatedly, and it follows consistent and predictable patterns, it will often be a very finely tuned phase of the game when it comes to veteran players. | ||
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| + | **Expansion** involves strategic tradeoffs: nations that are good there but might be comparatively weak late on will look to gain an early edge and snowball out of control, while more greedy strategies might try to make the most of it. | ||
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| + | Players can make a number of choice to tilt that balance, such as investing in an awake [[pretender]] that can be used to help accelerate their expansion, or [[scales]] to help accelerate their initial troop production. | ||
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| + | For more indepth information, | ||
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| + | ===== A Short Expansion Guide ===== | ||
| There are several factors that influence how many troops you will need to field to take acceptable losses while maintaining a fast expansion. On the one hand, you you want expansion parties to be as small as possible, so you can churn out more of them. On the other hand you want them so big that they take few casualties. This is a difficult balance to strike and I recommend doing 5+ test games from turn 1 to turn 12 where you get comfortable with the units of your chosen nation and their performance against different types of independents before you join a multiplayer game. The minimal goal should be 12 provinces by turn 12, but ideally you want 15-20. Several factors influence how hard expansion will be, among other things | There are several factors that influence how many troops you will need to field to take acceptable losses while maintaining a fast expansion. On the one hand, you you want expansion parties to be as small as possible, so you can churn out more of them. On the other hand you want them so big that they take few casualties. This is a difficult balance to strike and I recommend doing 5+ test games from turn 1 to turn 12 where you get comfortable with the units of your chosen nation and their performance against different types of independents before you join a multiplayer game. The minimal goal should be 12 provinces by turn 12, but ideally you want 15-20. Several factors influence how hard expansion will be, among other things | ||
| - | =====Your troops:===== | + | ====Your troops==== |
| Depending on your troops, expansion can be quite easy or very difficult. Especially none or lightly armored troops with low HP (e.g. Xibalban Zotz bats, Rlyeh Lobos Guard) take a lot of attrition and need finesse to deploy them. The heavier armor gets, the fewer losses you will take and the more provinces an expansion party can take before it needs to get reinforced. | Depending on your troops, expansion can be quite easy or very difficult. Especially none or lightly armored troops with low HP (e.g. Xibalban Zotz bats, Rlyeh Lobos Guard) take a lot of attrition and need finesse to deploy them. The heavier armor gets, the fewer losses you will take and the more provinces an expansion party can take before it needs to get reinforced. | ||
| If you are a newer player, I recommend starting with MA Ulm Plate Infantry, EA Vanheim with Barskin Vanhere or Mekone Spartan Gigantes for this reason and work your way to lower protections. If you experiment with your bless avoid Charged Body like the plague, as it will kill your own units. Note that while (glamoured) cavalry is often strong against smaller forces, they can get surrounded and picked apart by larger armies as their high defense gets lowered by the many attacks and their glamour fails to take so many hits. | If you are a newer player, I recommend starting with MA Ulm Plate Infantry, EA Vanheim with Barskin Vanhere or Mekone Spartan Gigantes for this reason and work your way to lower protections. If you experiment with your bless avoid Charged Body like the plague, as it will kill your own units. Note that while (glamoured) cavalry is often strong against smaller forces, they can get surrounded and picked apart by larger armies as their high defense gets lowered by the many attacks and their glamour fails to take so many hits. | ||
| - | =====Your Pretender:===== | + | ====Your Pretender==== |
| Super combatant pretenders [SC] are often used to increase early expansion significantly. They generally have high HP, high protection and Regeneration / Recuperation / Awe to mitigated damage and afflictions. While they are very tough, they can still fall to dangerous enemies with high damage attacks. Larger numbers of Lizard Warriors, Knights and barbarians should be avoided (see this [[https:// | Super combatant pretenders [SC] are often used to increase early expansion significantly. They generally have high HP, high protection and Regeneration / Recuperation / Awe to mitigated damage and afflictions. While they are very tough, they can still fall to dangerous enemies with high damage attacks. Larger numbers of Lizard Warriors, Knights and barbarians should be avoided (see this [[https:// | ||
| Titan pretenders (Dominion 3 category) often need equipment or spells before they can take on larger groups of enemies (e.g. Great Mother needs armor) which is why many players prefer monster pretenders (Dominion 2 category) with high natural protection instead for expanding. | Titan pretenders (Dominion 3 category) often need equipment or spells before they can take on larger groups of enemies (e.g. Great Mother needs armor) which is why many players prefer monster pretenders (Dominion 2 category) with high natural protection instead for expanding. | ||
| Generally, pretenders should buff themselves two or three times with only the most necessary spells or just hold three times in the back and “Attack Closest” to not build up too much fatigue and avoid crits. Dragons are special as most can fly and they have a breath attack. While it can be tempting to hold two times and attack the rear to kill enemy commanders, if they fail to kill the commanders fast enough they can get bogged down and surrounded. Specifically enemy nature mages can be dangerous to them with Vine Arrows which entangle pretenders and make them easier to kill for enemy troops. Generally, it is easiest to let Dragons hold twice in the far back & “Fire Closest”, so they can use their deadly breath attack once or twice to thin enemy ranks. | Generally, pretenders should buff themselves two or three times with only the most necessary spells or just hold three times in the back and “Attack Closest” to not build up too much fatigue and avoid crits. Dragons are special as most can fly and they have a breath attack. While it can be tempting to hold two times and attack the rear to kill enemy commanders, if they fail to kill the commanders fast enough they can get bogged down and surrounded. Specifically enemy nature mages can be dangerous to them with Vine Arrows which entangle pretenders and make them easier to kill for enemy troops. Generally, it is easiest to let Dragons hold twice in the far back & “Fire Closest”, so they can use their deadly breath attack once or twice to thin enemy ranks. | ||
| - | =====Enemy troops:===== | + | ====Enemy troops==== |
| Another major factor are the troops you are facing. They fall into two categories: normal and difficult. Let's start with the normal foes: | Another major factor are the troops you are facing. They fall into two categories: normal and difficult. Let's start with the normal foes: | ||
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| As the reports on enemy troops in a province are quite vague and can display from 50% up to 200% of the actual force each turn, you should watch their numbers over several turns to get a good estimate. The more numerous a unit type is the earlier it will be named in the report (i.e. [Militia, Archers, Heavy Infantry] will likely have a lot of Milita). For dangerous provinces and especially thrones, you can use scouts to attack and immediately retreat (called pinging) the province to get an accurate report on enemy numbers. As you should recruit lots of scouts in conquered provinces outside your forts anyways, this trick can help reduce your losses. | As the reports on enemy troops in a province are quite vague and can display from 50% up to 200% of the actual force each turn, you should watch their numbers over several turns to get a good estimate. The more numerous a unit type is the earlier it will be named in the report (i.e. [Militia, Archers, Heavy Infantry] will likely have a lot of Milita). For dangerous provinces and especially thrones, you can use scouts to attack and immediately retreat (called pinging) the province to get an accurate report on enemy numbers. As you should recruit lots of scouts in conquered provinces outside your forts anyways, this trick can help reduce your losses. | ||
| - | ===== Protecting commanders | + | ==== Protecting commanders ==== |
| Oftentimes expansion can fail not because your troops lost, but because the commander was killed and the troops routed. This can have many causes: | Oftentimes expansion can fail not because your troops lost, but because the commander was killed and the troops routed. This can have many causes: | ||
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| - | ===== Where to expand to? ===== | + | ==== Where to expand to? ==== |
| There are several considerations when planning the route you want to take your forces on. Generally, you want to get to strategic choke points and rich farmlands before your neighbors and fortify them with castles as soon as possible. | There are several considerations when planning the route you want to take your forces on. Generally, you want to get to strategic choke points and rich farmlands before your neighbors and fortify them with castles as soon as possible. | ||
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| Another consideration is taking over the provinces next to your capital, especially resource heavy forests and mountains. This unlocks more resources to recruit additional armored troops in your capital and will allow you to churn out more expansion parties. This is very important for nations that rely heavily on resources for their troops like MA Ulm and EA Mekone. | Another consideration is taking over the provinces next to your capital, especially resource heavy forests and mountains. This unlocks more resources to recruit additional armored troops in your capital and will allow you to churn out more expansion parties. This is very important for nations that rely heavily on resources for their troops like MA Ulm and EA Mekone. | ||
| - | ===== Battle Simulations | + | ==== Battle Simulations ==== |
| If you want to test out and tune your response to specific encounters, I suggest creating a test game on a map with two human players. Once you scripted your expansion party against independent forces, you can “Save game and quit” then go to the save file location (Main Menu > Tools & Manuals > Open User Data Directory) and go to the folder “savedgames”. There you can make a copy of your game and then load the game and let the battle play out. If you want to test different positioning, | If you want to test out and tune your response to specific encounters, I suggest creating a test game on a map with two human players. Once you scripted your expansion party against independent forces, you can “Save game and quit” then go to the save file location (Main Menu > Tools & Manuals > Open User Data Directory) and go to the folder “savedgames”. There you can make a copy of your game and then load the game and let the battle play out. If you want to test different positioning, | ||
| - | ===== Further Information | + | ==== Further Information ==== |
| *[[https:// | *[[https:// | ||
expansion.1587062771.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/04/16 18:46 by taorec