Mid Game - Newb in Need

[OG_Gleep]

It is now close to turn 70, and although I have a huge domain, and by far the largest army, I am on the ropes, or atleast it feels like it.

I have about 6 or 7 provinces with forts, and all I can do is put an army together to replace one that just got destroyed. My Dominion is really spread out, so I am fighting everyone. And I can't advance. I have armies stationed at the border...but if I use them to take a enemy territory, the AI attacks the hole in my lines that just opened up.

My north eastern terriotories are all in danger, as I lost every border province and the armies defending them, and the AI is romping through very lightly defneded, or vacant provinces.

It sure is fun =)

Couple new questions:

1) As the game progresses, you gain access to indy mages with different paths. What is the best way to go through and search for magic sites? It is really painful to have to start the search all over again each time you get a new type of mage, especially when your dominion is huge.

2) As I mentioned before I am having a little bit of a problem kick starting an offensive on the border. What is the best strategy for advancing? This is a bit of a vague question, so I hope this narrows the focus, if I can explain it correctly. Many times an enemy can have 4 of its provinces bordering one of yours. If you launch an attack into one of those enemy provinces, you are still left with 3, and now instead of an army glaring back over the border, there is only local militia. This is what its like all over. Even with 7 provinces pumping out units every round, I am losing the war of attrition. Every time I get an army made, I have to park it in one of the border provinces, or send it to take back one of my provinces, and then park it there because the previous garrison was overrun. That and I am running out of gold every turn. Atleast one or 2 production centers are left with a surplus of resources because I have run out of gold.

3. SuperCombatants - after reading the replies in thsi thread about the subject, I scowered the forums and got a much better idea about the concept. Does anyone know of any specific threads that goes into more detail? I can't tell from the spell lists what summoned aren't and are. Also I understand that the list for items are huge, but normally in these types of games, some items while appearing equal to other items "on paper" (or in this case "in the description"), turn out to be uber tide turning items that every commander that has an applicable use for it, must have it. Even items you just particularly like.

4) Battlefiled Orders: I thought the system was fairly simple at first, especially since I am playing Ulm. Place HI w/Shields at the very front, then place spear/flail to each side. Place archers in the back somewhere. Then after seeing my defense force (value 30) win because my crossbows were deeper that got me thinking that there may be more to it then I thought.
Generally, what orders would you give to an army of this composition, and where would their starting positon be relative to back middle or front:

a) Block of Ulm Infantry Shield
b) Block of Ulm Infantry 2hnd Axe
c) Block of Ulm Infantry Spear
d) Block of Xbow
e) Block of Xbow
f) Block of Heavy Calv
g) 2 Ulm Smiths
Assume there are vanilla Ulm commanders as well.

Thanks again

[PvK]

My Ulm commanders include some who stand back and command (and hold army-useful items like supply generators or morale improvers, and/or magic ranged weapons), and others who wade in and hack, and often get up to being very powerful fighters, equipped with magic items etc.

The "wade in" type always have a bunch of bodyguards so they don't get isolated and overwhelmed in battle. The bodyguards should mostly have at least as much battle speed (action points) as the commanders, so the commanders don't out-run them. That's can be a problem with overly-fast commanders (e.g. unicorn-riders like Hildegard and Barthulf).

I didn't see mentioned one of the most important points when arranging an Ulm battle force: include some cannon fodder! Put them in their own squads, so when they die, the main Ulm HI doesn't rout too. Ideally, have at least one group of cannon fodder arrive before the HI, and one group of cannon fodder arrive after the HI - this will keep your HI alive much longer, and multiply their effectiveness, and your chance of winning, even if the fodder hardly does any damage itself. You don't need a lot of fodder (and watch the supply level), but you should have at least some.

Also, when something nasty shows up that your armor doesn't help against, avoid fighting it with your HI - send something else to deal with it (mercs, tribals, pretender, summons, whatever). Examples of such ways to lose all your HI to no purpose include: poison gas, psychic attacks, and soul vortex.

PvK

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by OG_Gleep:
1) As the game progresses, you gain access to indy mages with different paths. What is the best way to go through and search for magic sites? It is really painful to have to start the search all over again each time you get a new type of mage, especially when your dominion is huge.

To ease MM and save mage time, you can reveal all sites in a province (bar holy/unholy sites) with the low-level scrying spells you get in the Thaumaturgy, Conjuration, Evocation and Blood schools. Most require a level-2 (sometimes 1) mage to cast, and 2-3 gems. Voice of Tiamat reveals all elemental sites underwater, and Acashic Record reveals everything (including holy/unholy) but is costly and requires an astral-3 mage.

2) As I mentioned before I am having a little bit of a problem kick starting an offensive on the border. What is the best strategy for advancing? This is a bit of a vague question...

Well in MP you can try the guess/outguess game, but the AI is so unpredictable... I fear I have no good tip for you. Although you can count on the AI moving his armies every turn - so if you want to force a battle, it's often better to attack where he isn't yet.

3. SuperCombatants... items you just particularly like.

Look for magic resistance, regeneration, elemental resistances, luck, protection, defense, aura items, life drain (also gives you reinvigoration), and reinvigoration if you trample and aren't undead.

4) Battlefiled Orders: I thought the system was fairly simple at first, especially since I am playing Ulm. Place HI w/Shields at the very front, then place spear/flail to each side. Place archers in the back somewhere. Then after seeing my defense force (value 30) win because my crossbows were deeper that got me thinking that there may be more to it then I thought.
Generally, what orders would you give to an army of this composition, and where would their starting positon be relative to back middle or front:

a) Block of Ulm Infantry Shield
b) Block of Ulm Infantry 2hnd Axe
c) Block of Ulm Infantry Spear
d) Block of Xbow
e) Block of Xbow
f) Block of Heavy Calv
g) 2 Ulm Smiths

I avoid Xbows with heavy infantry/cavalry (unless I've an air mage to cast Wind Guide).

Basically if the enemy has more firepower or magepower than you, deploy far ahead and attack, with the shielded HI in the middle (attack closest) and the knights on the flanks (attack rear/archers) with the other HI in between. Sometimes it's best to leave the shields on hold/attack (diverting enemy fire) while the unshielded attack with their better 2-handed weapons.

Otherwise deploy in the rear with hold & attack. As simple as that. Use the smiths to cast Legions of Steel and Strength of Giants on your shock troops. And Weapons of Sharpness if you can.

[PvK]

Originally posted by OG_Gleep:
...
Generally, what orders would you give to an army of this composition, and where would their starting positon be relative to back middle or front:

a) Block of Ulm Infantry Shield
b) Block of Ulm Infantry 2hnd Axe
c) Block of Ulm Infantry Spear
d) Block of Xbow
e) Block of Xbow
f) Block of Heavy Calv
g) 2 Ulm Smiths
Assume there are vanilla Ulm commanders as well.
...

Infantry in middle, slowest types in front, about the middle of your start area.

Xbow and Smiths behind the infantry - cast spells to improve morale and armor, if any, and Blade Winds if available.

HCav on extreme left or right flank (about as far forward as inf, or a little behind them), with orders to Hold and Attack Rear.

Any tough magic-equipped commanders given some same-speed guards on Guard Commander, with commander on Attack Nearest, placed on flank of infantry perhaps opposite the Hcav.

Main problem with this army: NO CANNON FODDER!!! Add cannon fodder, and your losses to your good troops will go way down. Only engage enemies you think you can probably defeat.

When facing the AI with multiple enemy provinces with enemy armies, and you go take one of theirs, have a force move in to protect the province you vacated, on the turn AFTER you vacated it. It should hold and embarrass the counter-attack, while your first attacking force can go romping through weak enemy back territories. Use spies and scouts to see where the large enemy armies are, in advance of your own armies. Or, if there are large armies ready to take the province you vacated, step back to your vacated province with your main army, and fight the main enemy as it moves in to attack you defenses, but now with both your defenses AND your main army.

PvK

[aldin]

Originally posted by OG_Gleep:
a) Block of Ulm Infantry Shield
b) Block of Ulm Infantry 2hnd Axe
c) Block of Ulm Infantry Spear
d) Block of Xbow
e) Block of Xbow
f) Block of Heavy Calv
g) 2 Ulm Smiths
Assume there are vanilla Ulm commanders as well.

Just one more slightly different take:
-Combine the Xbows into a single block centrally on one flank with orders to fire closest.
-Put the Cav on the other flank slightly forward of the XBow position with Hold and Attack Rear.
-Infantry in the center slightly forward of the cav position and cheated a bit towards the XBows and away from the Cav with Hold and Attack Closest.
-One Smith behind the infantry and one behind the Cav, both casting Legions of Steel.
-I like to arm vanilla Ulmish commanders with Xbows and orders to fire.
-This army would greatly benefit from the prophet coming along to cast Sermon of Courage.

~Aldin

[Snoop]

What works for me...

1. Long spear group. Have a large troop of long spear or Pikemen setup on the botom flank and out in front so the enemy will target them first. {attack closest}

2. Cav troop. Have a Cav troop of 10 to 25 men setup at the VERY TOP but just a bit behind the long spear/pike troop so they dont get engaged by the enemy first. If archers in ememy army {hold and attack archers} If no enemy archers {hold and attack rear}

3. Light inf group. Have barbarians or fast moving infantry typs 20+ setup to flank the enemy inf. Set this group UP TOP right next to your Cav group so they dont get engaged just like your Cav. {attack rear}

For the rest of your army have holy casters cast moral boosting spells and mages casting spells that buff your troops. I stay away from mages and archers that hit my own troops. If I use archers I use a different army setup so my archers dont hit my own men.

good luck