Starting Out Fresh

[Wizaerd]

Just received and installed the game, read through the manual, and played through the tutorial. Upon starting a new game, what are some of the things most people do to start the game?

[Elvain]

Welcome to Knights of Honor :hello:

it's great there are still people descovering this great game :go:

could you please specify what certainly do you mean?
there are many things to tell you, but it's hard to start from nowhere :wink:

[Dobber]

One of the first things I do is try to get a Merchant trading for gold with a good trading country, usually the Germans, Byzantines and Fatamids are good choices for the most gold in the beginning. I will use my King as a Merchant to begin with and a son as a Merchant also if I have one at the start. After a bit then I will hire a Merchant to trade with another country. After that, I start to develop my country, increasing food production and volume, getting some basic weapons facilities to train better troops(usually archers in the beginning), From that point on, I just try to make my kingdom better and stronger and when my Marshall has a full army, I will start to take some close provinces(but no mega kingdoms).

[Wizaerd]

thanx Dobber, this is generally what I had in mind... Starting out, I picked a small country, Italy I think, but in all reality I really didn't know what to do first. Being open ended is a good thing, but I really didn;t know what to do first. I guess it's just experimentation, which I'm certainly up for...

[Dobber]

You are quite welcome! I tend to choose small countries to start as well! My current game I started as Berbers(on hard)! My last game was as Jerusalem, I once started as Ulster(reunited Ireland), and once as Norway, Normandy(reunited England), (united) Aragon, Zirid(united Almohads), Wales, Khazars(reunited Golden Horde), and Novgorod(reunited Russia). As you can see, I like to play to reunite kingdoms and of course also to start as an underdog.

[Largefry07]

One thing that is a good tip to know , if you have not already have learned, is to be one your gaurd against spies. I won't tell you too much about it for I think one of the funnest aspects of gaming is to learn things for yourself. Discover new things espeacily with a new game.:cheers:

[neotropius]

Did you try the tutorials?

[Elvain]

I think that Dobber said almost everything what is necessary for the start.

There are many things that are fun to learn on run, so I think that describing them all could end in a game where you are perfectly prepared to everything AI can hurt your kingdom, but it would be no fun at all :wink:

If you really want to enjoy everything, set the game that it doesn't pause when you lead a battle and once in a while lead some battle yourself. When the battle ends, it's always great to see what all happened (enemy took your city etc :bday:)

[Wizaerd]

There are many things that are fun to learn on run, so I think that describing them all could end in a game where you are perfectly prepared to everything AI can hurt your kingdom, but it would be no fun at all

I agree, experimentation and discovery is indeed a large part of the game, but for someone who is not familiar with this type of game, it can be quite daunting. A couple of good start up steps or tips would be extremely beneficial to those of us who are "starting fresh"... :biggrin:


One thing that is a good tip to know , if you have not already have learned, is to be one your gaurd against spies

After reading practically every posting on this board, I know this is indeed a good precaution. Originally I was going to set up my Monarch/King/Ruler to be the unassigned spy to guard against other spies, but I can't see how to make my King anything other than what he starts with (A Marshall).

How do I assign a different knightly job to my King? Either a Merchant as Dobber suggested in his post, or a Spy to guard against other spies coming to my court?

One last question, to everyone, should I be tackling this game like a typcial RTS game with diplomacy added in, i.e. collect resourses, build up bases, build up army, and start attacking possibily with some alliances thrown in?

Or should I forget the typical RTS approach, and just take my time?

[Dobber]

After reading practically every posting on this board, I know this is indeed a good precaution. Originally I was going to set up my Monarch/King/Ruler to be the unassigned spy to guard against other spies, but I can't see how to make my King anything other than what he starts with (A Marshall).

How do I assign a different knightly job to my King? Either a Merchant as Dobber suggested in his post, or a Spy to guard against other spies coming to my court?



Okay, your King does not start out as a Marshall, the Marshall you have at the start is not your king! Your king sits in the court, to assign him a job as a knight, you click on an empty knight slot on the knight bar and select the king, he will be the left portrait. If there are any grown son's(prince's) they will appear to the right of him in order of age. After selecting him you then choose the duty you wish him to perform.

[Elvain]

I agree, experimentation and discovery is indeed a large part of the game, but for someone who is not familiar with this type of game, it can be quite daunting. A couple of good start up steps or tips would be extremely beneficial to those of us who are "starting fresh"... :biggrin: sure!

I meant especialy spies. It's good to prevent enemy spy action but afterall it's great fun to see one of your best marshals to appear as foreign spy who turns all your armies into mighty rebels. Though it is kinda frustrating to lose all your armies or to have your king assasinated :wink: but it adds challenge to the game!

How do I assign a different knightly job to my King? Either a Merchant as Dobber suggested in his post, or a Spy to guard against other spies coming to my court?if you don't want to risk a revolt this is the best way :go:

how to assign a merchant or spy or marshal is described in very nicely made tutorial.
But it is done very easily, via click at theroyal court and chosing a proffesion

One last question, to everyone, should I be tackling this game like a typcial RTS game with diplomacy added in, i.e. collect resourses, build up bases, build up army, and start attacking possibily with some alliances thrown in?

Or should I forget the typical RTS approach, and just take my time?
The thing I like the most on thi game is that you can play in whatever way you like.

I personaly prefere the way you described: first build up your kingdom's economy to have good military base and then expand, being backed by your allies if possible.

But it is also possible to invade your weaker neighbours as soon as possible before they'd be able to build effective defense and then stabilize the state.. or you can expand only through diplomacy and espionage (requires patience and luck but all in all I find it as much more fun than military conquest)

I try to change my kingdom's policy everytime a new king starts his rule. One is militaristic, one peaceful diplomat who builds economy...

but it's always good to have strong cities and army in case you are attacked (especialy when you play as muslim or pagan - damned crusaders!)

[Wizaerd]

Okay, your King does not start out as a Marshall, the Marshall you have at the start is not your king! Your king sits in the court, to assign him a job as a knight, you click on an empty knight slot on the knight bar and select the king, he will be the left portrait. If there are any grown son's(prince's) they will appear to the right of him in order of age. After selecting him you then choose the duty you wish him to perform.

I must've misunderstood the tutorial then... When I started a game, the royal court bar at the top had a person in it already, and he was a marshall. I assumed that was my King, based on what the tutorial led me to believe. I guess I didn't look at the portraits too closely... Played through them twice now (the tutorials), and while they are chock full of good information, the flow of them doesn't really seem to represent a game.

For any other beginners who may come to this thread, one word of advice I certainly learned... Do not start with Germany. I hadn't even started looking at my countries information yet, when suddenly and quickly my outlying villages were being attacked. Yikes, gotta find an easier country to start with. I hear England is a good starting choice...

I'm off to give it another try...

[Elvain]

Well read also my advice which you probably overlooked while writing this reply..

Maybe the most important advice:
Don't ever start your first games as too big country. 3-4 provinces should be enough, so countries like Sweden, Tunis, Castilia, Italy

but never Germany, Byzantia or Fatimids, they are too large and you won't be able to touch all the nice thingies the game offers you :go: especialy Germany and Byzantia who are surrounded by too many countries from which there is high chance one of them attacks you in the very beggining (+Byzanntia has the disadvantage that lies on 2 continents)

I think even England is little too large

[Largefry07]

Maybe the most important advice:
Don't ever start your first games as too big country. 3-4 provinces should be enough, so countries like Sweden, Tunis, Castilia, Italy

I would even take it a step further. I would start as a nation with only 1 or 2 provinces, because then you can focus your money on just one or two provinces verses three or four or more. This makes for a slower game, but that can be avoided by the plus, minus, and star key on your num pad. (+ speeds the game up, - slows that game speed down, * jumps to a games speed of 10 and by hitting it again it goes back to regular speed) Also, I would choose a nation that already has at least one prince.

[Wizaerd]

I suppose one of the daunting things, at least for right now, is the sheer volume of data. I hope to start small, as has been suggested here, but I'm unsure of who to set up trades with. Trying to come to grips with all the various screens, and trying to interpret what they mean, and how I can best use them to my advantage. It seems like I spend more time trying to figure things out than actually accomplishing things.. :eek:

But thanx to the friendly advice here, I persist, and keep trying. Thanx for all being so friendly and helpful!!
--
I would even take it a step further. I would start as a nation with only 1 or 2 provinces, because then you can focus your money on just one or two provinces verses three or four or more. This makes for a slower game, but that can be avoided by the plus, minus, and star key on your num pad. (+ speeds the game up, - slows that game speed down, * jumps to a games speed of 10 and by hitting it again it goes back to regular speed) Also, I would choose a nation that already has at least one prince.

But how do you know how many provinces a country has? When I'm in the selection screen, I etiher get a list or I can click the button and change to map view, but it doesn't actually tell you anything, such as the number of provinces, how many princes (if any), etc.?.?.?

[Elvain]

But how do you know how many provinces a country has? When I'm in the selection screen, I etiher get a list or I can click the button and change to map view, but it doesn't actually tell you anything, such as the number of provinces, how many princes (if any), etc.?.?.?that's true.

You can either ask us here or I can give you a list of states and number of provinces (with my mod but the changes are not that big from the vanilla)
1000:
1 province:
Ulster, Leinster, Munster, Highlands, Lothian, Wales, Anglia, Normandy, Brittany, Spain, Ani*, Vaspourakan*, Georgia, Zeta, Bosnia, Sicily, Normans*, Papacy, Carinthia*, Prussia*
2 provinces:
York, Wessex, Leon, Pamplona, Burgundy, Berbers, Armenia**, Croatia, Bohemia
3 provinces:
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Zenata, Zirid, Pechengs, Muscovy, Novgorod, Lotharingia**
4 provinces:
Abbasids, Volga
5 and more provinces:
France, Lotharingia*, Cordoba, Fatimids, Byzantia, Bulgaria, Italy, Khazars, Kiev, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Suzdal

1200:
1 province:
Wales, Flandres*, Brittany, Tolouse*, Aragon, Navarre, Leon, Jerusalem**, Antioch, Armenia, Cyprus, Latins, Solun, Athens, Epir, Genoa**?, Papacy, Lombardy*, Pomerania, Prussia*, Smolensk*, Sicily**
2 provinces:
Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Berbers**, Napoli**, Jerusalem*, Georgia, Trebizond, Serbia, Croatia, Venice, Bohemia, Teutonic Order*, Lithuania, Muscovy*, Volga, Suzdal*
3 provinces:
Norway, Castilia, Tunis, Nicaea, Teutonic Order**, Muscovy**, Ryazan,
4 provinces:
Sweden, Denmark, Baghdad**, Sicily*, Seljuks**/Rum*, Bulgaria, Cumans, Italy**, Novgorod
5 and more:
England, France, Almohads, Ayyubids*/Fatimids**, Hungary, Holy Roman Empire*/Germany**, Poland, Golden Horde

* holy rome mapchanges
** vanilla

[Largefry07]

Vanilla is the slang term for the orginal version.

[Elvain]

oh, yes, sorry I should not se it for newcommers...

and sorry that I don't write the list of kingdoms for 1350. I made many changes in my mod and I don't even remember the original layout so it would be confusing. Plus there's too many kingdoms :biggrin:

[Siegebreaker]

Whoa, what mod is that?
Are there mods for this game?
Where can i find them?

[Dobber]

Whoa, what mod is that?
Are there mods for this game?
Where can i find them?

Look here for mods! (http://forum.sunflowers.de/showthread.php?t=4304)