So yeah, after playing a dozen or so games as Byz to figure out how to start as them I'm deciding I will NOT being playing as them in MP.

They simply are not viable in multiplayer, particularly as there will be an expansionist timurids. I can't count on the ottomans and the tims being locked in an endless war long enough for me to expand in anatolia, and even WHEN that works in SP there are still dozens of things that could go wrong and ruin me. In my most successful game in 1412 I had consolidated in anatolia and won my 1st war with the ottomans (who would only give up 1 province the miserable bastards), my income was still only 8 per month and I had 5 inflation and counting with 0 hope of stopping its rise much less bringing it down. And then the Mamluks decided they hated me and declared war and it was GG.

Some newer player should take the Ottomans imo while I take holland.

Nope, byzantines

So this is how you prepare for an MP game, and you want us to let you have a country that you've bragged about already being super awesome with??

How does this work? Doesn't taking non-core countries in the HRE = bad news?

If I can't make them work in SP I'm not going to be as them in MP, sorry.

Actually, Holland was not on my list at all. My top 3 were TO, Byz, and Austria. But apparently I can't be TO cause Auts is in poland for some reason, DO took austria, and Byz is just not playable in MP.

Byz may have worked prior to DW, but now all the muslim countries start several techs ahead and have access to far superior trooptypes, like 3-5x better than the initial troops byz has access to. It's a coinflip for me to even successfully expand against the Anatolian minors.

I vassalized them

Pulling off a list we generated in hamachi:

Austria: Nonfiction/DrunkenOne
France:: Jim
Castille: goofy
Portugal: Viva
England: Tiny
Muscowy: Selim
Poland: Auts
Naples: Nicho
Hansa: Skrittak
Venice: Ranok

Notable areas currently empty: Netherlands, Timurids, Ottomans

Players without countries: djstu, Daer, bannana

Possible solution: Selim takes over Timurids, Bannana takes over ottomans, Daer takes Holland, I take Muscowy

Byz are totally, you're just being a real whiner about them. I'm not switching to Venice if there's not a competent Byz who could use the hand.

Just for fun I started a game as Mutapa last night. Swahili DOWs me instantly and I get raaaaaped. Figuring that they must have the advantage, I started a new game as Swahili. Mutapa instantly DOWs me and I get raaaaaaped.

Am I just terrible at this game?? This was on Normal difficulty. Both nations have manpower issues, in both games I built an extra ~4 regiments (max available) to add to the 2 I started with and it just wasn't enough.

What were the terrain modifiers like? Did they convert their ruler into a general? For a few extra (temporary) regiments, mercenaries an option. Mercs are something I would only use when starting as a particularly low manpower country though.

welp I guess you aren't being Venice then. Cause I'm not playing Byz, you're welcome to if you feel that strongly about them being viable. I'll even refrain from multiple "I told you so"'s after the first session.

I'd have to try again to see. Good idea w/ mercs, I've never used them before.

After that I tried starting another game as Mali and got raaaaaaaped by revolts. Not having forts is seriously annoying.

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...t-Tutorial-AAR

this helped me immensely with all warfare aspect of the game goofy

Thanks, I'll take a look!

I want to join too, but I still don't know what to play...

Chronicles on sale download on Amazon for 18$ with 5$ credit towards any 2011 bestselling game downloads.

sorry doom, dunno how I missed you.

Imo, try out the ottomans. They're an easier country but have a lot in common with France gameplay wise, so you'll be able to put your prior experience to good work.

Updated list:



Austria: Nonfiction/DrunkenOne
France:: Jim
Castille: goofy
Portugal: Viva
England: Tiny
Muscowy: Selim
Poland: Auts
Naples: Nicho
Hansa: Skrittak
Timurids: Ranok

Notable areas currently empty: Netherlands, N. Italy, Ottomans, India, Scandinavia

Players without countries: djstu, Daer, bannana, DooM

Sure, gimme the ottomans

WEEEEEEEE they bumped the price down further. chronicles for 12 bucks and 5$ off best selling 2011 game there's honestly no reason to not buy it now I'm gonna play the computer for a bit before I ask in your guys games

Hi, I'm still here, I'm just playing through the remaining country options to see which one suits me the best. I'm leaning towards vajandararararar India at the moment, even though it would be a bit lonely.

depending on who plays where you could get europeans in India by around 1440

Banana I believed you were interested in Venice? Imo you should be them and lets not have a Naples because Naples sucks and there are much better options imo. If you (or someone else) is Venice, Austria would be willing to negotiate some very favorable deals for both of us, like splitting the Acquelia gold mines.

Yeah I assumed because there was a Naples they would want to form Italy and so we might be bumping heads a lot and both end up as small powers/eliminated. As Venice I could go elsewhere, but haven't played enough to know how that turns out.

If Naples person does want to switch to another Italian power he can have priority over me and I'll go elsewhere.

Nicho should switch to Milan or Venice. Both are much much stronger than Naples