Are all of these for Ulm or another nation? The problem is the complexity and the variety that can be encountered by midgame, including circumstances.

I'll give you a few generalizations that if you can't think of anything; you can fall back on.

1.) Depending on the situation I constantly produce research/combat casters or scouts in every territory that I deem the caster worthy (any territory that makes one, for scouts). If you have so many commanders, or mages that you don't know what to do with; then you've already more than likely won the game.

2.) Priests depend on what you are doing with them. By and Large it's nice to have more than a few preists. Primary reasons to make/create a priest are 1.) For Blessing and Sermon of Courage (and their betters, Fantatism etc). 2.) Preaching up dominion in a particular province. Most of the time this is preaching out the dominion of an opponent hiding in a castle. Preaching your dominion up for new territory you've just taken. Countering high dominion of non-aggression enemies or those with disruptive dominion (heat/cold/ermorian (carrion wood) death). 3.) Fight undead

3.) Ulm has access to earth. Look along the various magic schools for good Earth spells. Construction holds quite a few good ones as well as Conjuration (for gem using spells). Magic is something that you best discover on your own and is one of the fun aspects of the game. As a side note, Ulm does very well with Blood.

4.) Castles should be built to either defend key points, or for the creation of more units. I don't have a set pattern here, except for frequency. This is usually determined by what castle type you pick when you play. Most of the time if I plan on building a plethora of castles (to fit the nation/style I'm playing) I'll choose a Wizard's Tower.

5.) This really depends. Cavalry on flanks near the front. Archers/xbow behind a strong center. Usually a rear-guard or a few units to distract 'attack rear' or fliers away from commanders.

It' all really depends. Later in the game most of my turns (outside of finding scouts) are comprised of adjusting my forces placement and commands based on new information, attacking/defending a particular threat/province, or exploiting the AI's weakness of placement.

It's best to watch your replays to see how and why people/nations attack you and how to try to gauge and take advantage of their tactics and use them against them.

6.) My personal preference and suggestion is in the beginning you should try to make the game hard yet not too hard to beat, this makes in my mind for a more satisfying game, others might object or want to always 'win' but I don't feel you learn as much about the game that way. I'd say 2 or 3 under the 'maximum' setting of a map. This should give you a little breathing room; but you'll more than likely be embroiled into a conflict sooner than you are 'ready' forcing you to think more or try things without having things 'exactly' how you want them.

[ January 12, 2004, 08:41: Message edited by: Zen ]