Ayutthayan Curse

[fetusthebard]

Has anyone else noticed that Ayutthaya never wins any battles? In my campaign as them I've had to cede territory in every war that I couldn't stack wipe enemy armies in because I would lose battles where I had 3 to 1 odds with much better generals. My nation eventually expanded to eat Laos, the lower half of Vietnam, the entirety of Southeast Asia and most of the islands in the region (except for the Philippians, which the Portuguese took). Pegu survived as a vassal until the end of the game. I had two 16 stacks that would reinforce each other in battles if needed made up of 6 infantry, 4 cavalry, and 6 cannons. My army tradition was really good due to sieges and I had decent generals to great generals all game long. But I still lost every battle. I made sure I had good terrain, I made sure I was at the same or greater tech level, and I still lost. Maybe it was a bug, but I didn't role higher than a 3 in any battle I took part in.
So I was wondering, anyone with similar circumstances? Is Ayutthaya cursed?

We have found the issue, observe my last post at the bottom of this page.

 

[User29]

That is the most powerful country in Indochina so I don't think so.

You're probably attacking into Jungle while having slightly lower maneuver.

 

[fetusthebard]

Maybe read the Op?

 

[Less]

Funny how on a frequent basis this forum is graced by the presence of such remarkable individuals with luck equivalent to being struck down by a meteor whilst being handed their lottery winnings.

I don't even look at my rolls because I don't care, I just understand the mechanics and most battles turn out about how I expect. You're clearly either missing something important about how the battle system works or simply having very biased observations.

Also I just started a game and the first combat roll I got was an 8, followed by a 7.

 

[bbqftw]

outdated mercenaries or picking something like aristocracy while the other guy has offensive/defensive is my best expalanation

 

[Oryxslayer]

outdated mercenaries or picking something like aristocracy while the other guy has offensive/defensive is my best expalanation

Or bad army composition. I lost many battles when I didn't understand the ideal army comp, even when I had a better general. Just a tip, you should have about equal infantry and cavalry in the early game, with some additional cannons. In the late game, you want equal infantry and cannons, with 4 cavalry units.

Other possible factors include the fact you may be behind in military tech, or constantly attacking across rivers into jungles, something that is fairly frequent in SEasia.

 

[josh127]

How is your Discipline and Morale compared to theirs? Also army composition? Terrain and Generals are not worth nearly as much in 1.8 as they were before. Tactics still reigns supreme, but focusing on increasing discipline after that has been great for me.

I don't know of any issues with Ayutthaya but figured I'd point these out since the impact of the different combat related stats has changed quite significantly.

 

[Stategem161803]

Good life lesson: When something bad happens, assume it's your fault, because it probably is.

 

[VampireBoot]

Good life lesson: When something bad happens, assume it's your fault, because it probably is.

Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have let the Republicans win the election. What was I thinking!

 

[Sunspawn]

Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have let the Republicans win the election. What was I thinking!

Hussein Obama is republican? I thought he was a democrat...

To OP, it's probably you. I have a similar problem - I constantly lose battles I should win, once even managing not to roflstomp inferior eastern tech units of lithuania as Prussia with full offensive.

Anyone knows an up-to-date guide to EU4 combat anywhere?

 

[Bragi]

OK that's strange.. my Ayutthaya-game was rather easy and I didn'f face such disadvantages.
What could it be? WE? Did you get bankrupt? Bad modifier via event?

 

[bbqftw]

6 infantry, 4 cavalry, and 6 cannons

just a note - cannon is not very effective until tech 13(?) and even then if you're having trouble replenishing your infantry up to full strength due to the expense of maintaining cannon then its not worth it.

also, are you fighting with understrength regiments? come to think of it, that is actually the most common cause of "battles I lose that I should win" - and the AI tends to be very good about consolidating its regiments. 40 regiments of 250 is going to get smashed by 10 regiments of 1000 everything else being equal.

 

[DrLulz]

Maybe it was a bug, but I didn't role higher than a 3 in any battle I took part in.

Probably not a bug, but one of those extremely statistically unlikely lucky/unlucky streaks, which you are nevertheless bound to get if you play for long enough.

 

[spinoza013]

Quill must be using Voodoo then

[video=youtube;K_RQdlOF-B8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_RQdlOF-B8&list=UUbx1TZgxfIauUZyPuBzEwZg[/video]

 

[ringhloth]

There are many reasons besides terrain, tech, and generals why you are losing. We can't look at them unless you decide to provide a save. But, no, the game doesn't hate you.

 

[spinoza013]

Try playing online poker tournaments, the ultimate experience in getting your "they must be cheating" neurons tweaked. It's called confirmation bias and suggests you only remember or look for conditions that reinforce your current belief. It's something we all have to battle with and keep in check.

 

[Thailandball]

Quill must be using Voodoo then

[video=youtube;K_RQdlOF-B8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_RQdlOF-B8&list=UUbx1TZgxfIauUZyPuBzEwZg[/video]

Mathas cheated by escape to timurid.

 

[fetusthebard]

Try playing online poker tournaments, the ultimate experience in getting your "they must be cheating" neurons tweaked. It's called confirmation bias and suggests you only remember or look for conditions that reinforce your current belief. It's something we all have to battle with and keep in check.

That's a decent explanation for the fact that I have most of southeast asia, but it doesn't explain why I should be losing at all with the most powerful nation in South Asia. I should have been able to accomplish so much more...

also, are you fighting with understrength regiments? come to think of it, that is actually the most common cause of "battles I lose that I should win" - and the AI tends to be very good about consolidating its regiments. 40 regiments of 250 is going to get smashed by 10 regiments of 1000 everything else being equal.

And this is the real reason I was losing. I have been playing a Tuscany game and noticed just how much greater I was doing once I consolidated religiously. That was the issue. It was the first game I tried with set army composition, and I didn't recognize how important keeping them at that level is. It wasn't a curse, just me not understanding the one true God that is consolidate.

 

[wergy]

I recently played a westernized colonial game with Ayutthaya and I easily dominated everything in the Far-East.

 

[salmanbabri]

Screenies please! Too many times I see people complaining about them loosing battles without showing any screenshots to support their claim/ to find out the mistake they are making.