AI too good to beat as Byzantium?

[unmerged(761791)]

Does anyone have any ideas how to beat the Ottomans as Byzantium with the latest updates? I remember how you could simply block the strait and prevent them from getting to the Western Balkans as you just siege their territories. Now they seek military access from like 5 countries and work their troops around the Black Sea through Moldavia.

I know the AI was stupid and the strait blockading kind of cheap...but how else can you possibly win as Byzantium. I vassalized Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, and Wollachia but even this can't help me against the Ottomans. Any Ideas?

 

[grisamentum]

Does anyone have any ideas how to beat the Ottomans as Byzantium with the latest updates? I remember how you could simply block the strait and prevent them from getting to the Western Balkans as you just siege their territories. Now they seek military access from like 5 countries and work their troops around the Black Sea through Moldavia.

I know the AI was stupid and the strait blockading kind of cheap...but how else can you possibly win as Byzantium. I vassalized Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, and Wollachia but even this can't help me against the Ottomans. Any Ideas?

Attack Urbino on day 1, attack Albania on day 31, vassalize Albania, concede defeat to Ottomans, annex Urbino, core it, move capital Urbino, join HRE. Then play as normal.

 

[grisamentum]

Also there's like a thousand threads about this already, you can see more details about what I just said:

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...liable-way&p=16609070&viewfull=1#post16609070

 

[unmerged(761791)]

Also there's like a thousand threads about this already, you can see more details about what I just said:

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...liable-way&p=16609070&viewfull=1#post16609070

Yes, but a lot of these strategies don't seem to work anymore.
Also, is there any other strategy besides the Urbino one. It seems kind of contrary to the point of playing as the Eastern Roman Empire when you are stuck within another empire.

 

[Viperswhip]

Yes, but a lot of these strategies don't seem to work anymore.
Also, is there any other strategy besides the Urbino one. It seems kind of contrary to the point of playing as the Eastern Roman Empire when you are stuck within another empire.

Well, HRE is the Holy Roman Empire, so you kind of need to take it over anyway, and it's far easier to do that and become Emperor from inside the HRE.

 

[Chris2013]

Ally Lithuania and Hungary/Austria. All three is ideal. If they declare war on you, your ally will become war leader and call in his allies. Have your troops meet up if your vassals and your allies. You should be strong enough to defeat the ottomans.

After the war your ally will probably have otto release your cores. You're pretty safe after that, attack when your allies will help.

This guide helped me get started:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=178794534

 

[RadRussian]

Attack Urbino on day 1, attack Albania on day 31, vassalize Albania, concede defeat to Ottomans, annex Urbino, core it, move capital Urbino, join HRE. Then play as normal.

Wow, that's a really good strategy, I think I will give Byzantine another try.

A strategy I thought of was to DOW one of Irish minors, vassalize & annex it, rebel convert to Catholicism, westernize, colonize. The first part of it worked fine, but I did a strategical mistake by making an alliance with England.

 

[JJMerrill]

The Steam guide "Byzantium (Roman Empire) (ver. 1.3)" is really well done and enabled me to have a successful Byz game with the latest patch - did it a couple of weeks ago. Give it a shot.

Also, allying Austria/Lithuania seems like an absolute must to survive the first Ottoman DOW, which will happen sooner or later. I also make Hungary release Croatia which I took as a vassal. Otherwise, my overall game was roughly contained in the guide.