Home Trending Latest threads New posts Developer diaries

Orleans - The Ultimate Challange of The Time

Jump to latest Follow Reply
  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Avocado Aguila

Avocado Aguila

Captain
2 Badges
Jul 22, 2001
393
7
Visit site
  • Victoria 2
  • 500k Club
1.02, furious, very hard, Orlean only major

Orlean has a very very difficult situation and in most of the great campaign games it gets annexed as the first country. I'm not really an AAR writer, but i'll present you as usually the best way of not only surviving, but moreover becoming the world power.

100 year war
Initial situation of Orlean is very very difficult - they have only 10k inf and 5k cav, 49$ and 0 trade/infra levels. Additionally Orlean is at war with France and their vassals vs England and Burgundy.

England has 32k in Caux and Normandy and Burgundy has 15k in their capital - all these armies are about to attach Orleanais asap.

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/avocado/0001.htm

I feel that the proper way to survive is to attack and more important WIN !

First - find a target
Second - direct your forces
Third - kill the enemy

In the current political and military situation the ONLY suitable target has to be Bretagne !

All the money to treasury. I take a loan and order building 10k cav in Orlean, country politics set to free trade.

Army is sent to Maine and further to Mobiden (capital of Bretagne). At that time Orlean is occupied and sieged by England + Burgundy.

We smash Bretagne army in Mobiden and sieged it, the rest of the troops are sent to Armour. Armour sieged the rest of the troops (2k) sent to Bretagne to block it.

In April 10k cav is ready in Orlean and has to face 31k enemy troops - i immediatelly withdraw them to Isle de France (8,3k survive).

France somehow loses to Burgundy in Artois, so my troops on the eastern front are devided in the following way - 1,1k to Artois, Netherlands and Amsterdam to blok them. 5k to Flandres to siege it.

Some time after that we destroy in a few battles newly created Bretagne troops in Armour and eventually capture Mobiden right before England takes over Orleans !!!

England moves their troops to Maine and start to siege it. We move our troops to Bretagne and Armour, soon Armour and Flanders and captured. Armour army goes to Orlean to take over our capital and Flanders army go to Netherlands. France sends troops to Artois and the province is sieged under our banner, despite our having only 900 cav there :))

1k English troops beaten in Normandy and Orlean sieged by 6k of our troops returning from Armour.

English forces are stuck in Maine, while Berry occupies Burgundy proper, so my situation is pretty clear now.

Soon afterwards we capture Natherlands and Artois - required troops sent to Amsterdam and the rest back to Orlean.

Eventually Bretagne is captured and we make separate treaty with them taking Armour, Bretagne and money ! All the money spent on new troops. Despite stab hit we declare on Bratagne once again and siege Mobiden.

England takes over Maine and sends their troops to Wandea.

We take over Orlean and send our troops to Caux.

We capture Amsterdam and send our troops to Calais.

We take over Normandy and Caux and send our troops to Alsace and Franche Comte, in the meantime our new troops are ready in sent to Burgundy (which made peace with Berry and has no troops left).

Now we siege the rest of Burgundian provinces with them being left with no troops at all ;))

Mobiden captured and incorporated. New troops built in Mobiden.

England makes peace with France, but their troops are left in Wandea, which make them harmless.

Modiben troops moved to Poitou and Gascogne - both provinces sieged.

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/avocado/0002.htm

All time long new troops are built in Orlean.

Eventually Alsace, Franche Comte and Burgundy are taken over. After long negotiations i take over the whole low lands.

Calais is taken.

England wants Caux and Normandy back - we gather all our troops (some 22k cav) and destroy Britons both in Normandy (some 16k inf) and Caux (15k inf) losing only minor number of troops.

Eventually Poitou and Gascogne are taken over - troops sent back to Orlean to repell further English attempts.

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/avocado/0003.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/avocado/0004.htm

After a number of battles vs English desants in Calais we get 54%+ war victory and demand all English provinces on the continent, which are eventually granted.

All the money is still sent to our treasury, so we soon have enough to build tax collectors in every province and build all the army possible.

100-year war outcome
Orlean-Bretagne - full annexation (3 provinces in 2 wars)
Orlean-Burgundy - Amsterdam, Netherlands, Flanders, Artois to Orlean
Orlean-England - Calais, Caux, Normandy, Poitou, Gascogne to Orlean

More to come

Best regards,

Avocado Aguila
 
Last edited:
Wow!

I'd love to see the screenie!
 
During 100-year war Orlean became a strong country with 13 rich provinces, among which only 3 in low lands were revolting.

Scottish War
Scotland was in French alliance, but during 100-year war they were made to sign separate treaty with England. Now was time for revenge.

Scottland declared on England (+ Burgundy, Gelre, Navarra, Aragon and Cologne). All the countries from French alliance joined on Scottish side.

We sent our troops on Burgundy and smashed them + initiated sieges in Alsace, Franche Comte and Burgundy.

Troops sent to Gelre, province sieged.

At the same time our Southern Army marched on Navarra and sieged both Bearn and Navarra beating enemy's troops there.

Aragon sent their troops to Langwedoc and Guyene.

France sent 30k to Burgundy, so we have withdrawn our troops from that province (not to suffer attrition) and sent them to Poitou and further to Aragon proper.

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/avocado/0005.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/avocado/0006.htm

All new troops sent to Aragonese provinces. France beats Aragon troops in Langwedoc and Guyene.

All continental provinces of Aragon, but Rousillon (30k French troops) sieged by Orlean troops.

We decide to build 10 galeras on Atlantic coast.

Gelre taken over and annexed.

Bearn and Navarra taken over. Separate treaty signed with Navarra - Bearn to Orlean, Navarra becomes vassal of Orlean.

Alsace and Franche Comte taken. Burgundy taken by Berry. Berry signs separate treaty with Burgundy, we start to siege Burgundy proper.

Eventually France takes over Rousillon and signes separate treaty with Aragon. We start to siege Rousillon.

We take over Valencia. Our navy sent to Valencia (God bless docking in controlled provinces !). Catalunya, Barcelona (Gerona) and Aragon taken. Troops sent one by one (7k each) to Balears, Sardinia, Sicily, Messina and Malta - little if no resistance encountered.

Burgundy takes over Brabant. We sent our troops to Brabant and start to siege the province.

Later on Brabant and Burgundy proper taken, we impose peace treaty on Burgundy - Brabant, Alsace and Franche Comte for Orlean. We declare on Lorraine and sent there 30k cav to face their 35k mainly inf, win and start to siege Lorraine.

Burgundy occupied by Bourbonais and eventually annexed.

At the same time we finish sieges in all Aragon provinces and start peace negotiations demanding all their provinces, but capital (for 92%).

Orlean navy sent back to Atlantic coast.

5 war ships in Poitou (event).

Navy gathered in Netherlands. Troops embarked and disembarked in Northumbria. Next transports go to Yorkshire and Lincoln.

English navy spotted, Orlean navy retreated to Caux. English navy gone, new troops sent to Kent, Wessex, Cornwall, Berkshire, Midlands and Wales.

English troops in England proper destroyed - all English provinces in Britain sieged or blocked.

Troops sent to Meath - English troops beaten. Meath sieged.

Aragon brought to -3 stab and still does not want to give us all their provinces (for 92%) - we decide to agree to take all, but Catalunya.

Lorraine taken over and annexed.

Eventually all British provinces taken over - we demand 7 province, but eventaully agree for Meath, Kent, Wessex, Cornwall, Wales and Lincoln.

Scottish War outcome
Orlean-Gelre - Gelre annexed
Orlean-Navarra - Bearn to Orlean, Navarra becomes Orlean's vassal
Orlean-Burgundy - Brabant, Alsace, Franche Comte to Orlean, Burgundy annexed by Bourbonais
Orlean-Aragon - Rousillo, Gerona, Valencia, Balears, Sardinia, Sicily, Messina and Malta to Orlean
Orlean-England - Meath, Kent, Wessex, Cornwall, Wales and Lincoln to Orlean

More to come

Best regards,

Avocado
 
Last edited:
After Scottish war Orlean was already the major power in the region. Unfortunatelly we controlled a huge number of revolting provinces, which had to slow our further expansion for a while.

Little Wars
Somewhere in the middle of our peace talks with England France declared on Sabaudy and asked us to join - we have - Berry and Bourbonais failed !

We have immediatelly declared on both Berry and Bourbonais (both -1 stab hits), smashed their troops and sieged all the provinces eventually getting Burgundy and Cevenes from Bourbonais and Limousine from Berry.

Provance sieged Sabaudy proper and we have sieged Piedmont.

Eventually Provance signes peace treaty and we siege Sabaudy. At the end Sabaudy vassalized (i don't know why i haven't taken Piedmont - doesn't matter).

Now if you remember during last war vs England we have been given Lincoln (a separate province without connection with the rest of my province in Britain). Lincoln revolted and i let them :)) Eventually they did what i wanted them to ! They swithed to England giving me casus belli.

I have immediatelly declared on England (only -1 stab hit) and asked allies to join - all, but Scotland failed ! Navarra and Aragon joined on English side.

English troops have been immediatelly smashed (40k cav in Wessex for fighting rebels + desants).

Navarra and Aragon have been taken over - Navarra annexed, Aragon had to cede Catalunya.

In the meantime we have cancelled our vassal status with France )(-3 stab hit). Somewhere at that time 5-year peace treaty with Berry and Bourbonais has ended, so we have declared and each of them. Among others Luxembourg popped into one of the wars.

Eventually Berry, Bourbonais and Luxembourg annexed (each annexation +1 stab :)).

At the end England offered us the rest of their provinces, but capital ;))

Little Wars outcome
Orlean-Sabaudy - vassalization of Sabaudy
Orlean-Berry - Limousine to Orlean in the first war and full annexation in the second one
Orlean-Bourbonais - Cevenes and Burgundy in the first one and full annexation in the second one
Orlean-Navarra - full annexation
Orlean-Aragon - Catalunya to Orlean
Orlean-Luxembourg - full annexation
Orlean-England - Berkshire, Midlands, Northumbria, Yorkshire, Lincoln and one more, the name of which i don't remember (only captial left)

More to come

Best regards,

Avocado Aguila
 
Now we were ready for unavoideable.

First French War
We declared on France (Klewe and Hessen joined on their side). Enemies' armies smashed asap in all the provinces. All the provinces taken over - we get Cologne (part of Klewe) annex Hessen and Leinster (in Ireland), Munster, Maine, Guyene, Lyon, Nivernais and Picardie from France.

Second French War
5 years later we declare once again - France is backed by Scottland, Klewe and Castille. All the enemies' troops smashed easily. We annex Klewe, take Grampians, Highlands and Scath sth from Scottland, all French provinces, but Isle de France amd Canaries, Granada, Giblartar, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia from Castille.

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/avocado/0007.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/avocado/0008.htm

It's now Februry, Anno Domini 1468. Which means that all these conquest have taken me less then 50 years.

The country is already too strong for it to be any fun. I'm not about to play any further ;)) All in all 1,6k VPs, Timurids have some 700, from European countries Austria (+ Mantua) has 400 and Venice (+ Papal State and Siena) 300.

Other happenings - Greece has Morea and Albania, Parma and Tuscany are Turkish, Mecklemburg - Swedish, Friseland - taken by Norway, Muscovy taken most of minor Russian provinces (but Novogrod) - nth really interesting.

--- the end ---

Best regards,

Avocado Aguila

ps. i'll try to give ya some screenies tomorrow
 
Last edited:
That is frighteningly effecient. I'll never look down my nose at the Orleannais again (mind you it won't stop me from annexing them at the first opportunity:D). So tell me AA, what country (if any) do you consider a challenge?
 
I'd imagine there's got to be some ROTW country that's not too easy...

Amazing, Avocado, and most impressive. However, I have to ask: what part did luck play in your ability to survive the beginning of the first war? It certainly played a big part when I survived the first time I played (4 or 5 subsequent tries using the same strategy have produced annexation :().

I've seen several world conquest aars, both from EU1 and EU2, but none have impressed me as much as this. And I'm sure the screenshot will only serve to increase my respect :)
 
Your playing on very hard setting and you didn't have any BB wars? How did you manage that? As MrT said "frighteningly effecient";)

Joe
 
Good news - screeenies are coming :))

BB - it was strange for me, but there were NO BB wars !!! really - i thought that annexing Bretagne would mean a serious world conflict, but nth has happened - mind you - i've made serious preparations for further conquests - i had marriages with every single country (Naples was vassal of Aragon and Sabaudy - mine), so i had borders only with Ireland, Norway - Friesland, Switzerland and a few German minors). Besides Oldenburg annexed right at the beginning 3 other German minors, so they must have had far higher BB then me !

If you read my posts i have declared only on Bretagne (to annex the capital), Berry (twice), Bourbonais (twice) and only later in the game on England and France (twice). Besides at the beginning almost all the provinces i was taking over were shields provinces, so when i've checked my BB after Bretagne annexation and vassalization of Navarra (i must have mixed sth up with annexation of Gelre - it came one war later) my BB was ONLY 8 !!! Would you imagine it ??? It was really strange, but true !!!

Luck - it was not my first attempt to play Orlean :)) Some 10-20 games were dropped after less then 1 year !

Crucial reasons:
- my army lost to Bretagne in Mobiden (some 25% chance)
- my newly created army (10k cav in Orlean) lost to England and got severly beaten (some 50% chance)
- my siege in Armour has been broken by newly formed Bretagne army (some 25% chance)
- England has taken over Orlean before we have taken over any other province (oops, we got annexed) (some 10% chance)

But after in one game i got all these working (damm luck as you can see) the rest of the game was already pretty easy ! :)) hehe But then if i lost any of these there would be nth to write about :)) hehe

And no i'm not using load/save, cause my comp is too slow for it to make any sense.

Yep, my reputation is somewhere next to 'the whole world hates you + relations with almost all the countries are at -200, but hell when i already have some 300k cav waiting on my borders and sth close to 50 povinces i really give a shit about it ! :)) hehe

Best regards,

Avocado Aguila
 
Ok screenies added were they belong to - the rest was uninteresting. Too bad i have none from English war.

Best regards,

Avocado Aguila
 
I suppose Pegu or Makassar might present a challange but they probably are too easy as well.
 
agh right, i'll simply hae to kill them !

Avocado
 
Nope - the game has been dropped as too easy and later on deleted. Btw it was played on 1.02 patch, so it was without BB wars, what chances the whole gameplay dramatically.

Sry.

Best regards,

Avocado
 
Orleans was the first I tried in v1.04

For a challenge I thought Orleans might be interesting. After two games of being annexed I had a successful game. I annexed Paris and became France by 1445, which was a lot longer than necessary since Aragon had declared war on me and I just had to take all their provinces at only 1 BB point apiece.

Of course I am experienced at Orleans from previous versions. I have lost way more than just two games in gaining my experience. I'll write some about how I play Orleans.
 
First, try to survive!

I choose not to build any troops, but rather play with my initial 10K infantry and 5K cavalry. The chance that England devestates or annihilates a new army is more than 50%, I think. Also, when a battle is lost in a province, there is usually greater seige progress as a result. Building troops actually lowers chances for survival. I eventually use my initial money to place traders. Trade will support my army even if cash on hand drops to zero.

Primary objective is to survive by taking Artois. France will always initiate a seige there before you can. Burgundy will always attack. I cause a defeat for France and myself by placing 1K infantry in Artois. When Burgundy attacks, I flee, and so do the French. The day after Burgundy has left Artois, I have begun a seige there.

Secondary objective is to improve my chances of survival by taking Flandern. I initiate a seige there with 5K cavalry ASAP (I have to avoid movement attrition). Then I place some 1K and 2K infantries in Flandern. When I flee Artois, I flee toward Flandern and so do the French. Then I need only a cover force in Flandern as French forces will maintain seige progress for a time at least. Carefully I select troops for movement since only the early arrivals can claim Flandern as mine. Soon I need only a cover force in Artois as newly built French forces arrive there. But they don't typically stay there long, so I keep at least 1K in Artois and 4K either there or standing by if I have to avoid attrition due to supply limits.

Third objective is to sign a separate peace with Brittany, or Navarra if the chance arises. I want to be at war with England and Burgundy on my own since France will likely sign a peace when she is unable to control either Artois or Flandern. I intend to get lots from this war. Oh yes, I will require military access from France. I gain military access with France on day 1, thanks to a diplomat and +200 relations.

To get a separate peace, I keep at least two "flag carriers" in Bourbonais. I don't have many troops, these guys are single infantry men that I obtain through split and reorganize on day 1. One guy's purpose is to die at the hands of Brittany's troops ASAP. I can attack in Maine or Morrhiban when England cannot get me without Brittany's troops present. I require a loss of exactly 1% against Brittany. The second guy is for marching on Brittany's troops after Artois or Flandern is taken. Brittany is so frightened that I have completed a seige and am now advancing toward them, they usually offer a peace deal. It is generally helpful to offer a white peace to Brittany as early as possible. It's kind of like informing Brittany that you are interested in peace nogotiations. They won't take a peace offer from you at a 1% loss; and at least a month must pass before they would respond with an offer themselves. So get the peace process started early.

When there is an offer, Brittany may offer a white peace or demand all of the cash I have been unable to spend (one or two ducats, ha!). If Navarra has joined the war, it is much simpler as Navarra offers a white peace the day I complete any seige.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back