Map Strategy Question

das123 · #1 July 29th, 2007, 05:12 AM

I'm still finding my feet with the depth of the game and have now tried a couple of 8 player games vs AI on Easy with a couple on Normal difficulty to see what happens.

My question relates to the initial random map placement. If you are located in the middle of the map do you try to build a defensible position around your starting fortress? Or do you fight for a corner and build a secondary defense base there?

I'm finding I can fight my way across the map against the Indies (not risking war with any other nations) and into defensible positions during the early part of the game, but once the mid part of the game starts I get attacked on many fronts because I have a long border with most other nations and the AI wants their piece.

I have been raising each province to between 15 and 45 PD depending on their importance to my overall plan but these can't hold out the AI in the mid game. Any suggestions on PD? It is costing me most of my income each turn.

Sandman · #2 July 29th, 2007, 05:42 AM

In my experience nations on the edge of the map tend to do better.

Buying too much PD is a common mistake. Build forts and mobile armies instead. I believe the AI is less likely to attack if you have a lot of soldiers.

das123 · #3 July 29th, 2007, 05:59 AM

Yes, I found that I wanted Forts in strategic locations but had to save up for them because of the PD expenses.

It sounds like you suggest just developing a centralized strategy rather than rushing for a corner to keep the mobile armies in contact.

When I did get forts, my armies where all over the place and couldn't get back in time (and were too weak) to lift sieges.

sector24 · #4 July 29th, 2007, 10:50 AM

I think it depends on what nation you play as. For instance, some nations are not good at straight confrontation, like Pangaea. Other nations need time to build expensive but durable units like Niefelheim. Some nations can generate large quantities of above average troops every turn like Ulm.

You probably shouldn't be building as much PD unless you're defending a choke point or a province that is going to be attacked next turn. With all that money could be buying standing armies that can be one or two turns away from any incoming threat.

Gandalf Parker · #5 July 29th, 2007, 11:41 AM

Everything has pros and cons. I would fight for the corner and consider it to be a tactic that my capital-only units will be available at my highest PD location which is likely to become my front-line of the war. Once I have a safer back-area created then I might move important units there.