defending coastline

[wailoktam]

I wonder whether there is any good idea for sp(impossible + agressive ai) games in which you start near the coast. Besides playing as MA Shinuyama, I have to restart every time if there is a sea nation in the game and I start near the coast. When they attack you, you can only kick them back but you cannot go into the sea early in the game. And the war cannot end. As the Ai playing the sea nation would not lose any province, it can keep on throwing loads of chaffs on it. So while you are fighting off the harrass from it, others are expanding like mad on land. And after a while, they would come on you and you are finished...

I think there should be a way. If there is none, this is really a bad design issue.

[Gandalf Parker]

I fix that with bigger maps.

I also try to take only one coastal province early in the game. If the water nation becomes a problem then pump up the PD since that will automatically replenish itself between fights. Knowing that the AI will attack a specific province over and over is one time that PD can be worth high costs.

[Nick_K]

I usually specify enemy nations and don't include sea nations if I don't want to have to fight one. I've never liked big maps myself, although of course if they're your thing then that might help.

I can't see a way of beating an impossible AI sea nation with a land one early in the game - perhaps something could be done with SCs?
Of course, if you keep your coastal province PD high and station troops there early then you may be able to stop them from attacking in the first place.

[Sandman]

Complaining that impossible/aggressive AIs are hard to defeat seems a bit silly.

[NTJedi]

Sandman said:
Complaining that impossible/aggressive AIs are hard to defeat seems a bit silly.

I agree if the original poster is having problems with the harder difficulty levels then it's time to lower the difficulty setting.

[Gandalf Parker]

Sandman said:
Complaining that impossible/aggressive AIs are hard to defeat seems a bit silly.

I hadnt thought of that but it does seem funny when you put it that way.

On the other hand, its also reasonable to think that there is SOME way to beat it if he only gets it down pat. So asking for hints isnt a bad thing.

[PvK]

In many games, just keeping up some decent PD and a small supporting force has tended to keep my coastal provinces relatively safe from AI attacks from the sea. When they do break through, a local army can go push them back.

But ya, if you don't want to get raided from the sea in the early game, don't set up a game with Impossible/Aggressive undersea nations on a small map...

[magemaster]

Like PvK said, load up on PD. Then continue to expand on land until you build a fortress away from the coast. Build up "land armies" there and take out land provinces. Then you need to capture the coastal provinces. Leave them ALONE until you have a fortress inland. The AI will view you as a bigger threat then independents and attack you. After capturing the provinces' load up on PD and recruit a commander. On the next turn tell him to build a fortress. This will slow down enemy armies-AI keep all units on seige and won't explore farther onto land. This way, while their seiging you, you can build up other armies in other fortresses and shove them back into the ocean. Meanwhile you need to reasearch construction and forge underwater items. To do this you need either a good water or air mage otherwise you have to empower them.

[Gandalf Parker]

If you have an earth mage then casting gnome lore (or manually going there and searching) can be a good thing. If you are lucky you might get a free fortress. I try to always check prime locations before I build there.

[magemaster]

Good Point, I've never gotten a free fortress though, but this forum seems to be going dead.