Byzantium (and search)

[World Hegemony]

OK, first off (and I do feel a little stupid asking this ) is there a search function in here? I'm looking for one and it's somehow escaping me.

My question is about Byzantium. Was the Wiki countryguide on it written under a different patch? (I have the downloaded game, it says its version 1.8) Its suggestions seem to imply there will be no 40 ship turkish fleet in the Agean that can sweep my fleet from the seas easily, let alone if I divide it as the guide suggests. Furthermore, the Otts declare war on me within 3 days of starting the game, so I'm a little confused on how one achieves this continental standoff with me in Europe and the Otts in Turkey. Any suggestions?

 

[Gebhard Blucher]

OK, first off (and I do feel a little stupid asking this ) is there a search function in here? I'm looking for one and it's somehow escaping me.

No. They disabled it because it was causing problems with the forums. No idea when/if it will be back.

My question is about Byzantium. Was the Wiki countryguide on it written under a different patch? (I have the downloaded game, it says its version 1.8) Its suggestions seem to imply there will be no 40 ship turkish fleet in the Agean that can sweep my fleet from the seas easily, let alone if I divide it as the guide suggests. Furthermore, the Otts declare war on me within 3 days of starting the game, so I'm a little confused on how one achieves this continental standoff with me in Europe and the Otts in Turkey. Any suggestions?

That guide sounds like it's for a mod. There's a consolidated strategy thread around here with links to many other threads, usually several for each country.

There's no really good strategy for Byzantium. Some people have different strategies for BYZ, but here's mine:
1) Make a move +1 to Aristocracy in the domestic policy section.
2) With your diplomat, send a "personal gift" to the Ottomans.
3) Take some loans, build cavalry.
4) Wait for the OE to DOW Candar. They should send an army there with the rest loitering about.
5) Once they are fighting with Candar, DOW the Ottomans yourself. See if you can get into an alliance with a nearby country or three before declaring war, since Trebezond will almost always dishonor the alliance. You don't have much time though because you will go bankrupt soon.
6) Use your infantry to leave tiny covering forces and conduct sieges, while your cavalry (hopefully) kills off the straggling OE armies. Fight them in the plains, preferably when they cross the straits.
7) Settle for no less than Smyna and Macedonia (and preferably Bulgaria and Rumelia) in the peace deal. If you can get those provinces with less than 20% inflation, you are doing okay.
8) Try an easier difficulty level for the first 5-10 years if it becomes too frustrating. You can switch to a harder level once you are on your feet.
9) Acquaint yourself with the reload button, because you will likely be reloading like a madman.

 

[Duke of Wellington]

If you want to search the forum boardtracker.com works well. Better than Google in my experience.

 

[SecondReich]

It helps to block the Ottoman's escape route when they attack across the strait towards Constantinople. If you do this, and win, their entire army vanishes.

Then, pull it a second time, and from then on the Turks are a walkover.

 

[ConjurerDragon]

... Was the Wiki countryguide on it written under a different patch? (I have the downloaded game, it says its version 1.8) ...

The newest patch for EU2 is not 1.08 but 1.09. See here:
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222052

 

[Rotten Venetic]

Even with their large armies, you can easily step on the türks' heads. Just make sure they don't dow you, train some cavalry, dow duchy of athens, get all their lovely money and military access and you're set. They won't know what hit them.

And if you can, exchange discoveries with portugal (nah, just kidding, you can't afford to bribe the paleo-brazillians). Take all you can from the türks except angora. It's wrong religion, poor, and generally not worth the badboy.