Hi all
I am not that experienced at TW; about 5 months on and off of RTW, Barbarian Invasions and Medieval 2 (still think RTW is the most complete) but have faced a very similar situation in 2 different campaigns. I thought I would share my solution with you.
The first campaign where I faced this problem was when playing as Hungary in Medieval 2. Having conquered Greece and the Venetians and made a few other minor European conquests I took the first towns on the western Turkish coast. I then realised that the Mongols had ALL the rest of the east (Armenia to Egypt in RTW terms).
The second time a similar problem occured I was playing as Pontus in RTW. This time I had nearly all of Asia Minor (not Tarsus) and Armenia down to Susa. The Egyptians had the rest of the east.
Both times I had to defend the western front and deal with an enemy superior in numbers, land mass and money.
You will no doubt be aware of the presumed advantages of working on 'interior lines' but let me refresh this real life theory just in case: The Axis forces in WW2 (and the Central Powers in WW1) were said to have an advantage by being able to work on 'interior lines' ie. troops could be switched from the Russian to the Western/Atlantic front without any hazardous boat journeys or passing through enemy territory. Granted this is limited to the ability of the rail network (in WW2 terms) but in theory it should alow faster deployment of troops to the place they are needed most. Well in both my TW scenarios, particularly the second, the Mongols/Egyptians could be said to have this advantage of working on interior lines.
So here is my solution! You contol the islands and conduct a raiding policy! In both cases I took Rhodes first and then Cyprus where a raiding force was based. First you ship off spies to see where is weakly defended and then you need a naval force stong enough to land a few units without getting bashed on the way. In the Pontic campaign I was down to about 5000 gold when I landed on Cyprus. Next you conduct something akin to a Viking raiding policy; land take the town, loot it and get back to the boats, with any luck they end up fighting rebels. You get richer and they keep having to go back.
In the Pontic campaign I took Tarsus first (had 3 units in it) with a raiding of force of General and 5 units. When they moved up a full stack I destroyed everything upped the tax to maximum and shipped off - leaving them to fight rebels which again weakens them. Raiding force then went back to Cyprus and collected 3 extra units (profits from Tarsus) and onto Jerusalem (held by 1 unit of theirs) again sacked and waited for them to come before destroying all and making the city rebel - 9 units back to Cyprus - add another 4 units and back to Tarsus, sack it again and destroy everything - didn't wait just left - it rebelled they marched north, I went back to Cyprus, added three more units and landed in Egypt, where I stayed and made units to march on Isreal etc...
In this way I was able to defeat both these superior enemies and in the Pontus campaign followed up my conquest of the East by taking Crete first that alows 2-3 possible routes for invasion of Greece and again numerous raiding objectives if you need quick money.
I am just finishing the Pontus campaign (think I have 39 areas) but when finished will try this theory in Barbarian Invasions as WRE; retreat to Sicily and let the rest rebel, then raid them first before landing in reconquest.
Anyway I hope others will benefit from experience.
I am not that experienced at TW; about 5 months on and off of RTW, Barbarian Invasions and Medieval 2 (still think RTW is the most complete) but have faced a very similar situation in 2 different campaigns. I thought I would share my solution with you.
The first campaign where I faced this problem was when playing as Hungary in Medieval 2. Having conquered Greece and the Venetians and made a few other minor European conquests I took the first towns on the western Turkish coast. I then realised that the Mongols had ALL the rest of the east (Armenia to Egypt in RTW terms).
The second time a similar problem occured I was playing as Pontus in RTW. This time I had nearly all of Asia Minor (not Tarsus) and Armenia down to Susa. The Egyptians had the rest of the east.
Both times I had to defend the western front and deal with an enemy superior in numbers, land mass and money.
You will no doubt be aware of the presumed advantages of working on 'interior lines' but let me refresh this real life theory just in case: The Axis forces in WW2 (and the Central Powers in WW1) were said to have an advantage by being able to work on 'interior lines' ie. troops could be switched from the Russian to the Western/Atlantic front without any hazardous boat journeys or passing through enemy territory. Granted this is limited to the ability of the rail network (in WW2 terms) but in theory it should alow faster deployment of troops to the place they are needed most. Well in both my TW scenarios, particularly the second, the Mongols/Egyptians could be said to have this advantage of working on interior lines.
So here is my solution! You contol the islands and conduct a raiding policy! In both cases I took Rhodes first and then Cyprus where a raiding force was based. First you ship off spies to see where is weakly defended and then you need a naval force stong enough to land a few units without getting bashed on the way. In the Pontic campaign I was down to about 5000 gold when I landed on Cyprus. Next you conduct something akin to a Viking raiding policy; land take the town, loot it and get back to the boats, with any luck they end up fighting rebels. You get richer and they keep having to go back.
In the Pontic campaign I took Tarsus first (had 3 units in it) with a raiding of force of General and 5 units. When they moved up a full stack I destroyed everything upped the tax to maximum and shipped off - leaving them to fight rebels which again weakens them. Raiding force then went back to Cyprus and collected 3 extra units (profits from Tarsus) and onto Jerusalem (held by 1 unit of theirs) again sacked and waited for them to come before destroying all and making the city rebel - 9 units back to Cyprus - add another 4 units and back to Tarsus, sack it again and destroy everything - didn't wait just left - it rebelled they marched north, I went back to Cyprus, added three more units and landed in Egypt, where I stayed and made units to march on Isreal etc...
In this way I was able to defeat both these superior enemies and in the Pontus campaign followed up my conquest of the East by taking Crete first that alows 2-3 possible routes for invasion of Greece and again numerous raiding objectives if you need quick money.
I am just finishing the Pontus campaign (think I have 39 areas) but when finished will try this theory in Barbarian Invasions as WRE; retreat to Sicily and let the rest rebel, then raid them first before landing in reconquest.
Anyway I hope others will benefit from experience.