I only tend to hire an admiral for a single engagement focused on taking out a particular fleet (for example, the Ottoman's) then dismiss it immediately afterwards.
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Do you ever hire Admirals?
- Thread starter Nikolaj-11
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Each maneuver pip an admiral has is +5% trade power to a fleet protecting trade, so I mostly use them to squeeze the most out of my trade. The Maritime group's Excellent Shipwrights idea adds 2 maneuver to all your admirals, so that's +10% trade power right there on top of their natural stat.
So while Maritime seems useful, Naval seems rather excessive if you've accrued navy-oriented bonuses from other sources.
So while Maritime seems useful, Naval seems rather excessive if you've accrued navy-oriented bonuses from other sources.
Sure do. Specifically it tends to be early game when every ducat counts, and I'm hoping to roll a high Maneuver admiral to boost the efficiency of my trade fleet in (typically) the only trade node I'm focusing on at that time.
A 2-3 Maneuver admiral can bring in quite a few extra ducats in the right location.
Admirals purely for warfare are sometimes worth it too. 2-3 shock admirals can give you a real edge.
A 2-3 Maneuver admiral can bring in quite a few extra ducats in the right location.
Admirals purely for warfare are sometimes worth it too. 2-3 shock admirals can give you a real edge.
Very occasionally I will hire them, when I need to break a large enemy fleet. That does not happen too often though.
- Dec 14, 1999
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I use 1 for trade income, if i get decent manuever. In sp i dont bother with one for warfare, but in MP i wouldnt leave port without a good one.
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If you take on England early, it's easy to annihilate their fleet. Just ensure you war them every 20-30 years and sink all you can. I find the Portugeuse wind up with a much more powerful fleet. Probably need a French alliance to deal with their military early on though.
I mostly play in Asia (particularly India and China). Which means that I don't have to recruit an admiral at all for the first century as long as my navy is large enough. Since it is mainly transports (as China) or light ships for trade (India), those kinds of fleets don't require me spending military points. Unless I am fighting with someone who has equal or larger navy, I won't waste my precious sword mana.
But as soon as I spot a European ship passing by, I get an admiral. Because after that larger European fleets start arriving and large naval battles might take place, especially when defending against an invading European nation.
But as soon as I spot a European ship passing by, I get an admiral. Because after that larger European fleets start arriving and large naval battles might take place, especially when defending against an invading European nation.
Yes, but early in the game only when i have to fight some important battle, like winning vs Ottomans or Venice. He usually needs to win one or two battles and then go to retirement 
. Late in the game i keep one with my main fleet (like 20+ heavies 100+ lights) if i need to fight vs Spain, Portugal or GB.
. Late in the game i keep one with my main fleet (like 20+ heavies 100+ lights) if i need to fight vs Spain, Portugal or GB.
I usually will get one for whenever I do my obligatory conquest of England every game. Also, I used them a lot in my Venetian Sea run for the extra trade power.
They don't play much of a role because of the leader cap restrictions and leader movement restrictions. The limitation in numbers for land generals is somewhat ameliorated by being able to move them from one army in your empire to another. You can't do that with fleets at sea, so admirals have a lot less flexibility.
I rarely hire admirals. I will hire them if I absolutely must have naval superiority and not having it will cost me the war (y helo thar 1445 war on the Ottomans as the Mamluks), but otherwise I don't bother. Typically, I'll either be in a position where having naval superiority is already a given (in which case I'd just be wasting points)... or it doesn't matter to the outcome of the war.
Plus, especially early on, I'd much rather devote my leader slot(s) to generals.
Plus, especially early on, I'd much rather devote my leader slot(s) to generals.
I only get an admiral if a fleet engagement is critical to my survival or, if possible, victory in a war (blocking the strait as the Byzantines, holding the Danish reinforcements back while dealing with my Scandinavian union-brother as Norway or Sweden, forcing a passage to the Isles as France, etcetera). Navies are all but useless outside of multiplayer, so admirals don't make enough of an impact compared to the sheer value of a 4-shock/fire/siege general.
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No, I never get admirals ever. They are of no use at all. It is always better to invest your leader slots in Generals. For the small benefit the Admirals give to your fleet can be easily outdone by having a few more ships then the enemy, and it's not like money is an issue in the game, so it is easy to field huge navies.
Every time I play not as a trade nation due to a lack of merchants I use pirate fleets instead to decrease the income of my rivals. I equip these fleets with admirals as from experience I know when a nation attacks me there is no time to send these fleets back to a safe port. My hope is that these fleets survive a first strike easier with an admiral as without one.