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Ralegh's tips on starting a new game

 
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Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/1/2005 2:43:59 AM   
Ralegh


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Here are 10 steps I execute at the very first turn of a game, no matter which country I am: discussion welcome!

a) on the options page, turn off "always use quick combat" - then you can choose detailed combat when there are more than 30,000 mean on each side. I would also turn off "reinforce from city" - but this is a tactical suggestion.

b) on the economy screen, change recruiting to optomise morale - I set it to 21-40 year olds and 20 months of training. That will increase morale of reinforcements to 4.70. Increase draft size to maximum. Increase tax rate to 20% for now. (Do NOT play with your feudal setting - this has big ramifications and you need to be ready for it.)

c) go through the province details, setting each province to maximum production of something they are very good at, and put all the rest on something else you need. The default settings of a little from everywhere are silly. Make sure when you finish that you are producing MORE food than you need and will accumulate resources for your building program (both to your cities, and new units). Identify any resources you make lots of (and hence would be willing to trade away), and any you would be willing to trade for.
[Note that horses, wine, textiles, iron, spices and luxeries are all scarce for some countries - if you can produce some extra to use for trade, do so!]

d) go to the Set Policy screen, and adjust the trading defaults (whether you control this manually or with the adviser, set this screen - it will save you time and effort!). For example, Prussia might be willing to export horses, iron, wool, and spices and want to import money, luxeries, and wine.

e) if you are trading manually, try to make some trade offers. Caution: trade routes you propose cost you a little money to maintain (the amount varies with distance, and is less if both ends are ports): if money is a big problem, don't propose any. If you can afford it, set up at least one trade route with each neighbour - it will improve your relationship.

f) make your first treaty proposal - you can make one a month, and you should make a treaty with every country you are not at war with over the first months of the game: think of it as establishing relations.

g) now lets consider our military units:
No country in the game starts with an optimum assignment of divisions corps/armies. In this first turn, lets try to get things on a better footing. Only France starts the game with corps (and 5 neutral minors, btw), so they can get many more units into an army than anyone else - which lets their leaders have a bigger effect and assures the units don't get split up. An ideal force should be about half infantry and a quarter each artillery and cavalry: your force mix probably won't be in these proportions, but this gives you an idea how I would split things up, and what units I would be building.

If you have choice of which units to use, consider their morale and use the better ones.

Change EVERY army and corps from "use supply" to "forage". Now you can cautiously allow paid supply in rare circumstances. (Still build supply depots at key areas - they get you supply caissons in combat and preferential reinforcements.) You will take some foraging losses, but hopefully reinforcements will keep topping up the units.

Most countries forces start partially depleted (as if readiness was only just turned up to 100%). Consider transferring men from poor morale units into high morale units of the same type (ie. pumping militia into infantry). If you want the poor morale unit to get reinforced, make sure you leave 2000 men in it. If you would rather be rid of the division for good, take all the men!

CAUTION: Do not go into quick combat with infantry/cavalry divisions under 4000 men - they will rout without doing much for you. Transfer troops!

If you have spare army/corps counters, fill one with whatever you have left over, and use it to seige things. (I often call this the 'militia army').

h) make sure you move your diplomats - if nothing else, have them work on charming a neighbour, or pressure peace on an enemy.

i) consider your naval units: every nation starts with at least one merchant and a privateer - you want the merchant in a high paying sea area, and the privateer(s) in a different sea area where there is either an enemy trade route, or somebody else's merchant. Get them going.

j) last check - did you turn on all the advisers you want? They really help when learning the game. Beware that they development adviser may rearrange all the province labour allocation we set, and the economy adviser may change the economy settings - I would always turn at least these two off.

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Steve/Ralegh
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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/1/2005 3:07:25 AM   
Beorn

 

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Very helpful, thanks!

[edit to delete question answered elsewhere]

< Message edited by Beorn -- 7/1/2005 3:17:36 AM >

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/1/2005 6:22:37 AM   
Hanal

 

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I'll copy and paste this into WORD for reference...many thanks

< Message edited by J P Falcon -- 7/1/2005 6:23:33 AM >

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/1/2005 5:50:51 PM   
Zan

 

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This is how I played my first game as Prussia,except I never raised my taxes.My income was good already.
How do I transfer troops from one unit to the next or replenish in home territory?
How or why can I not cancel unit production?If this is not an option maybe you could demand it for the patch.
Why are some units built automatically?Does it have something to do with my high draft rate?

< Message edited by Zan -- 7/1/2005 5:57:30 PM >

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/1/2005 7:08:14 PM   
Uncle_Joe


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The units that are automatically built are probably your Feudal Levies. Depending on your level of Feudalism, troops are levied each April and then built. It also depends on your nation and the provinces you control.

There arent a whole lot of 'undo's at the moment. Its not very forgiving in that regard. When learning, I'd recommend a lot of saving. I believe that some form of undo is on the current wish-list though.

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/1/2005 7:41:54 PM   
Banquet

 

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Nice list, thanks Ralegh.. that helps a lot

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/1/2005 8:47:32 PM   
waynec


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Thanks. my manual is getting printed at office depot as i type. made chicker marengo the other night to honor the release of the game (ok that may be a bit strange outside of the forum).






Attachment (1)

< Message edited by waynec -- 7/1/2005 8:50:25 PM >


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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/2/2005 4:26:11 AM   
Ralegh


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Zan
How do I transfer troops from one unit to the next or replenish in home territory?
How or why can I not cancel unit production?If this is not an option maybe you could demand it for the patch.
Why are some units built automatically?Does it have something to do with my high draft rate?

a) 'replenish' is reinfrocements coming from the draft pool and is automatic - you can't control it directly. 'transfer' is done in the Military Screen: click on one unit and then move the mouse over the men in another division (it needs to be in the same province) - the pointer should change to saying 'men'
b) You can't cancel production
c) Feudal levies appear automatically. Also I believe that if your draft pool gets too big, spontaneous units appear - so that would relate to the draft rate.

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Steve/Ralegh

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/2/2005 5:11:40 PM   
Zan

 

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I put some time into looking around and found the answers to my questions.There should still be an option to cancel my own unit production though.
Thx for info.

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/4/2005 3:44:30 PM   
fgillig

 

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Thanks, Raleigh. I know your tips from doing your own steep learning curve will aid us in trying to accomplish our lernign curve and make it much easier (and enjoyable).

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/5/2005 4:09:36 PM   
munited18


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Hey Ralegh this really helped my weekend be enjoyable instead of disappointing. I didn't have a manual, but I was able to print your guide out and it really sent me on my way to glory! Thanks

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/5/2005 6:36:18 PM   
Robear

 

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quote:

Change EVERY army and corps from "use supply" to "forage".


Okay, so this is incomplete. When you do this, the individual divisions are still labeled as "supply". So do they over-ride the corps or army setting? Should I change every division to forage, or just the container units?

I notice that when I forage on campaign, I end up with very high losses, as high as 1/8 of my manpower in a province per turn. Is this to be expected, or am I doing something wrong?

(in reply to munited18)
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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/5/2005 6:43:08 PM   
Ralegh


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In bad weather, in enemy territory, with a low forage value, and with lots of divisions in the area, the max forage losses I have seen are up around the 4000 men mark (per division!). Ouch! So no, I don't think you are doing anything wrong. My 'tip' is just to make sure you control supply, rather than wrecking your economy (and hence the game) because you didn't realise what uncontrolled supply could do to your nation.

I believe the topmost container unit overrides everything below, but it might be that the immediate parent overrides - anyway, I never set this for divisions, but set all the corps and armies. (I tend to send corps off on different jobs and rejoin them etc, so it makes sense to me).

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Steve/Ralegh

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/5/2005 7:19:02 PM   
Robear

 

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Thanks so much for your guides! With this game, like the Paradox games, the initial "switch setting" phase is crucial. You've really helped with that with your guides and comments.

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/7/2005 1:27:37 AM   
Latour_Maubourg


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First off all..thanks a lot for your tips and guides.

Now for the Homer Simpson question: "where the any key?"... nah but serious where can I find the Policy screen or what is the key to enter that screen?...looked all over but can't find it

Tx.

L-M. :)

< Message edited by Latour_Maubourg -- 7/7/2005 1:31:50 AM >

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/7/2005 2:39:55 AM   
DrewMatrix


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If by the Policy screen you mean "deal with this guy or not, export this and import that"

Right click on the map to bring it (and a lot of other things) up in a drop down menu

< Message edited by Beezle -- 7/7/2005 2:40:27 AM >


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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/7/2005 2:56:48 PM   
Latour_Maubourg


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Tx, found it...

L-M :)

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/7/2005 11:10:36 PM   
dcole

 

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A quick question hopefully. It says you need to be "adjacent" to a supply depot. Do they mean in the same area or can you be in the area "next to" the area the supply depot is in? Thanks.

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/8/2005 2:48:04 AM   
sol_invictus


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You can be adjacent to an area that has a Depot in it and still be in supply.

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 7/13/2005 2:22:50 AM   
Bladesss

 

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add

Remember to put your generals in charge of your army/corps.

Recommend saving before you start moving your units. There is no undo command. But at least you can re-load.


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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 9/6/2005 6:52:21 PM   
mavraamides


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One other tip that I use in almost all conquest games:

Once you've started a certain side and implemented this excellent list of tips, save
the game off so you can use it as your starting point over and over.

For example, let's say you start a game as Austria / normal diff / normal campaing.

After getting everything set perfectly, save the game as AustriaNormalNormal. Going forward
save it under a different name.

Then next time you want to play Austria, just load that game and everything will be all set up.

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 9/6/2005 6:58:21 PM   
jvgfanatic

 

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Just picked up the game last night so this is very helpful. Didn't even see that it was sticky before and I must've looked at these boards 100 times >_<

< Message edited by jvgfanatic -- 9/6/2005 6:59:23 PM >

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 1/25/2006 1:42:22 PM   
*Lava*


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Hi!

I'd also like to chime in and thank you for your tips and guides!

That's a lot of work you put in making those documents.

Well done!

Ray (alias Lava)

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 8/6/2006 6:02:44 AM   
malichai11

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Ralegh



d) go to the Set Policy screen, and adjust the trading defaults (whether you control this manually or with the adviser, set this screen - it will save you time and effort!). For example, Prussia might be willing to export horses, iron, wool, and spices and want to import money, luxeries, and wine.



I'm feeling incrediby dense... where can I find the Set Policy screen?

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 8/6/2006 1:12:50 PM   
Clausel

 

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It on the menu that appears when you right click on the strategic map.

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 11/29/2007 6:13:08 AM   
Gil R.


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(Bumping since the last post was more than a year ago.)

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RE: Ralegh's tips on starting a new game - 9/23/2008 9:43:20 PM   
AvalonHillfan

 

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Hey folks it's some time since I played but in the past I always tried to trade "respect neutrality of province x" for a long term alliance with, say, Turkey. When Raleigh says make treaties -- this is a part of the game you must not ignore.

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