For those looking to play as the Goths (Theodoro tips)

[Nikolaz72]

This likely wont work the first time but.

Opening move is, try to ally Georgia and Circissia. Marry if you have to.
Once they are allied wait for Crimea to attack, if they don't- great.
Wait until you're allied with Poland, around this time Ottomans have started attacking Byzantium. That's when you strike. They usually siege Constantinople last, you're gonna take it. They also usually leave Athens alone once you grab the Byzantium capital so grab the Athenians afterwards. Also grab any greek states that breaks from Venice, that's very common in 1.8.

If you married, wait for the Marriages to Georgia and Circissia to fail and then break alliance and attack. While doing this improve relations with Muscow. If you're lucky they'll have started expanding downward at this point.

Crimea will have allied with a horde, be it Timurids or some other close to Ottomans. Wait for the Ottomans to declare on a horde and attack Crimea with Poland/Lithuanian backup.

While eating crimea wait for the Golden Horde to attack and Vassalize Crimea (Grabbing the 3 Astrakzan regions for yourself) grab the Golden Hordes 3 other regions and peace out before forming the new vassal.

Make them both into Marches and bam. You're now a minor gothic empire next to what is likely a huge threatening Ottoman Blob. If the Ottomans haven't killed you yet they will try soon, but if you can keep the Russians and Poles appeased you might be able to pull through. It's like Byzantium but harder!

*spoiler* Spoiler *spoiler*

Everything I said above is can't be depended on. The only way to survive as Theodoro is to be an opportunist through and through, the game as such a small and weak OPM is unpredictable. Observe your environment and take advantage of small isolated states, greeks preferred since they are in your culture group. Most of the time you will fail but an experienced player should be able to pull through after a few tries by cannibalizing his fellow Greek/Georgians/Circissians.

Due to your constant need to core and improve your military I suggest Diplomacy for your first idea group. More diplomats and relations is certainly needed if you're going to have vassals hanging around and appeasing the larger world powers.

Constantinople is great. It has your main culture and when you move your capital there your income will skyrocket. Which is certainly useful to say the least.

 

[hajutze]

There are 2 strategies, the Genoa one works more often.

Strategy 1 - day 1 on Genoa, take the 2 provinces near you. DO NOT take Azov. (at least that's what the people using it are suggesting). After that go for the Caucasians. I can't make it work out for some reason.

Strategy 2 - it requires some restarting (10 times or so for the first 2 years after that it's easy). Get a Statesmen. Ally Circasia, Byz and Georgia so Crimea wont attack you (in the midtime forge a claim). When they get attacked by GH wait a bit and attack them yourself. This has to happen before the Ottos ally them (around 1446). If you're lucky - you can annex them. If not - you'll still annex them minus 2 provinces or so. After that -> Increase autority, decrease WE, core everything. You'll need to harsh treat once if you don't get a theologician as well. During the war increase relations with Poland and Muscovy. You can ally Muscovy faster than Poland, but you can ally both at some point. After Crimea go after the rest of the Tatars. BEWARE NOT TO GET GENOA IN A COALITION AGAINST YOU. My first 3-4 tries ended after they DoWed me bringing the Ottomans into the war. If the Ottos hate you - they just hate you without DoWing. On the other hand Genoa hates with passion .

Results of strategy 2 -

I did screw some things up - you should eat up the hordes as fast as possible so Russia wont get that land. I left the northern parts for them.

 

[Nikolaz72]

Now that I gave that little useless gift I want to ask some experienced folks whether they have an idea on how I might beat Muscovy? I kind of want to force them into a union under me *smileyevilface*

 

[Pickle_mole]

Are there any cool decisions for theodoro? I want to start a new Iron man mode but once you become a blob its not fun without some flavor events/decisions.

 

[Xionsi]

Sorry for asking this, but what's the map mod?

 

[Franconian]

*spoiler* Spoiler *spoiler*

Everything I said above is can't be depended on. The only way to survive as Theodoro is to be an opportunist through and through, the game as such a small and weak OPM is unpredictable. Observe your environment and take advantage of small isolated states, greeks preferred since they are in your culture group. Most of the time you will fail but an experienced player should be able to pull through after a few tries by cannibalizing his fellow Greek/Georgians/Circissians.

That sounds like my luck of the Irish tries. Just that I continue to fail since ENGLAND PREVAILS through everything.

 

[ChildeR]

Strategy 1 - day 1 on Genoa, take the 2 provinces near you.

Why day 1 and not claim, DoW? There doesn't seem to be that much of a hurry.

 

[Freudia]

Why day 1 and not claim, DoW? There doesn't seem to be that much of a hurry.

One of Theodoro's day 1 missions gives them a claim on Caffa. 100% of the time.

 

[ChildeR]

One of Theodoro's day 1 missions gives them a claim on Caffa. 100% of the time.

Oh, that makes sense then. Still might want to get some allies first, but I guess day 1 works too.

 

[Freudia]

Oh, that makes sense then. Still might want to get some allies first, but I guess day 1 works too.

Yeah, when I was playing the opener to Theodor, I went and got Circassia, Georgia, and Byzantium as allies. You really only need Byzantium, as Crimea will declare on you very early unless they get attacked by Golden Horde regardless of your allies, to my knowledge. Byzantium's navy can beat up Genoa's, though, so that gives you free reign to take Caffa and that other province Genoa has that's not Azov.

 

[Nikolaz72]

Update on my game, Ottomans decided to gobble me up.

Too bad he was allied to Tunisia who was a target of Castille who was allied with Hungary 'and' Austria. Que troops swarming in from the Empire.

I liberated the Greek People! - Macedonia, Epirus, Edirne and- Nevermind. I liberated 'most' of the Greeks.

Mamlukes are now beating the snot out of a rebel filled Ottoman Empire. I think this is the beginning of the end of my days below the Sword of Damocles. Going to Restore the Pentarchy soon xD

I created a Persia vassal, anyway.

Where do you guys think I should head from here? Worlds my oyster atm but I'm not sure I want to risk India with the current autonomy system. Anyone tried conquering India as a foreign power after 1.8? My current plan is to get as much money and troops together as possible so I can take on Muscovy. We share a dynasty and I'm waiting for him to have no or a weak heir so I can force the great green growth into a union under me.

 

[AlphaSonic]

Uh, it must've been painful coring all that Georgia.

 

[Freudia]

Where do you guys think I should head from here?

I dunno, you tell me.

Spoiler

South was the way to go for me. I got hugboxed by GH + Ottomans + Persia, so south was the only way I could go without attacking into wars I couldn't win. As Theodoro, you have to be opportunistic at early/mid game; look for the easiest targets, but do not forget to be opportunistic if you can snatch meaningful provinces off of the big bads surrounding you. In your case I might consider pushing south more, considering Ottomans owns the Balkan minors still.

 

[Franconian]

Restore the Pentarchy and then conquer India+Indo-China

 

[Nikolaz72]

I've decided. I'm gonna try to go for World Conquest Theodoro. Going to Restore Patriarchy, force Russia into a union, smash Poland and look into vassalizing the HRE.

I probably won't -quite- manage WORLD conquest but I'll see how far I can get xD. Starting with the Ottomans to make the old Byzantine Empire serve as my base of operations.

And yes, coring Georgia was a pain the ass. Had Admin focused in what seems like forever with a max admin king.

I didn't core Circissia tho, that was a vassal I diplo-annexed. And now its culture is Gothic.