Good Bosnia strategies?

[CaptainChiatrol]

I've been trying to play as Bonsia for a while to mess around with something in their ideas after we get 1.9 but I want a good start strategy.

I try attacking both Serbia or Ragusa day one using mission CBs and I can beat Ragusa easily, but within a few months Serbia has an alliance with Byzantine.

I've tried taking a dozen loans and hitting Serbia day one, but the AI replies by doing the same.

Trying to find a good tactic to win against Serbia so I have more time to look for a way in against my Serbia who often attacks me within 4 years. Even though Serbia is almost always warned by the Ottomans and the Ottoman won't followup on this warning. Byzantine joins in wars with Serbia when they attack me and they are bigger then either of us.

Due to the time constraints I can't get an alliance with Austria as fast as Serbia attacks me. I can get an alliance with Wallachia, but they can't get units through Hungry or Ottoman to defend me and so they don't help in the war. I can get byzantine to war with me but they will still attack me during the war and so they don't help as an ally.

The only way I find I will win the war against Serbia is if the Ottos play well and hit Byzantine once the treaty ends. Serbia will be pulled into this war and I can rush some sieges.

Hungry desires your provinces at this point but gives you time to form an alliance with Austria before going after you and Austria won't join your war against Venice or Hungry so from there my expansion seems to depend on who France allies and who I can bring in against my enemies.

The tricky part seem to be Serbia more then anything. Their alliance with Byzantine makes them difficult to attack because Byzantine will roll a 15 stack across your land. Ottos only seem to begin the war for Byzantine at a right at treaty endtime maybe 1 in 10 plays so it's really unreliable.

 

[Fionnix]

Serbia is actually a lot is easier than it looks.

Firstly attack Serbia, preferably with an ally. I would say Poland or Austria. Vassalise Serbia, this is important because it gives you more overall troops and you can't eat the over-extension.

Attack either Wallachia or Ragusa. If they are allied it is even better. Once you have vassalised all 3 you have to choose between Moldovia, Hungary, Ottomans or Venice to attack.

After that it is just building up your strenght to kick the turks out of greece. Also it is important to get a Byzantium core before 1594 to release them as a vassal.

Hopes this helped.

 

[Sunspawn]

Firstly attack Serbia, preferably with an ally. I would say Poland or Austria.

He mentions in his post that Serbia attacks him BEFORE he can ally Austria. I'd imagine Poland is about as hard, considering it's about as far away from him as Austria.

 

[CaptainChiatrol]

Hopes this helped.

Nope. Ally possibilities I mentioned in my initial post. Serbia will attack me before Poland or Austria are able to be allied while I'm sitting the diplomat there.

Also attacking Wallachia is a tricky thing to do also because if you survive a Byzantine + Serbia assault and take Serbia the Ottos and Hungry will both hate you because they desire your stuff. This means it's hard very had to get access though their land into Wallachia. At that point I know you'd want to wait for the right time to war Hungry or the Ottos with some allies and then build your own path to Wallachia.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Can you get military access from Ottomans? I'd over-stack over FL and go stack wipe Serbia before BYZ can react, then work down Serbia. Vassal BYZ then ally Austria + Poland.

If you can't get milaccess through Ottomans, it might be hard to sneak troops onto Greece though.

 

[CaptainChiatrol]

Can you get military access from Ottomans? I'd over-stack over FL and go stack wipe Serbia before BYZ can react, then work down Serbia. Vassal BYZ then ally Austria + Poland.

If you can't get mil access through Ottomans, it might be hard to sneak troops onto Greece though.

I put a high priority in getting relations with ottos and/or venice into mil access so I can be in and our of serbian reach. You can't get mil access with Ottos on day one

I tried taking a TON of loans and doing a wipe on the Serbia using a mission CB day one. You can succeed doing this before they can being byz in for your war but it's extremely extremely difficult. Also it means you didn't hit Ragusa day one and Venice may take them which shrinks your pool of soft easy to conquer targets while you build your initial strength.

Watch your position well build past your FL and take a defensive position in the mountain terrain provinces. It's not 100% though because Serbia has more tax base and will also spam well past their FL trying to deal with you. It seems to rely on whoever wins the first fight you have against Serbia. The failure rate of an early Serbia strike is very high when trying to play defensive against them early war using the mountains on for yourself and then striking them hard with everything possible you do a bit better. Maybe I can win it 1/4 times.

With that method I saved MP by using my king as a general because he is a 0/0/2 and his death isn't so bad then I could raise the war taxes.

One of my tries where I rushed Byz as an ally with the expectation to drop them when otto goes for them they actually joined me in the defensive war against Serbia. I think this has to do with if Serbia chooses to spend one of it's diplomats increasing it's relationship with Byz because it normally goes with my ally Byz betraying me to join in on the assault with Serbia.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

I put a high priority in getting relations with ottos and/or venice into mil access so I can be in and our of serbian reach. You can't get mil access with Ottos on day one

Day 1 access isn't the crucial step, rather being able to march to BYZ and do enough damage to vassal them. If you can get access from Ottomans via improving relations, that's good enough.

I will experiment with the start when I can.

Edit: first try I built to 8 units and declared on Serbia. Wiped them, blocked byz landing with units, took zeta and constantinople and vassal Serbia. Venice declared for ragusa so I did too and moved 1 guy in just as Venice fought their stack, siege lead. Stall till Venice makes peace them vassal force religion and take loads of money.

Since you can walk to byz you can win the war outright solo...

 

[TheMeInTeam]

I did a 2nd practice run. I don't see why you can't just beat Serbia + BYZ combined if you're careful in that war. Constantinople is just so rich. You can see the 12+ ducats collected there and a bit more with Aleppo (that still gets more money than transferring), plus the gold mine. Moving capitol to set LA to 0 is very powerful for people near BYZ. With Greek accepted + theologian you can just core directly and start at 40% autonomy w/o too much damage.

 

[CaptainChiatrol]

I did a 2nd practice run. I don't see why you can't just beat Serbia + BYZ combined if you're careful in that war. Constantinople is just so rich. You can see the 12+ ducats collected there and a bit more with Aleppo (that still gets more money than transferring), plus the gold mine. Moving capitol to set LA to 0 is very powerful for people near BYZ. With Greek accepted + theologian you can just core directly and start at 40% autonomy w/o too much damage.

No idea. I bursted my 8+ units and hit serbia in an attempt multiple times and had a completely different result. But since I know an early strike on them works I'll modify my plans and try that. Maybe I hit back die rolls on those attempts. It happens sometimes. Sometimes when I have something tricky I'm trying to do

 

[solidprice]

He mentions in his post that Serbia attacks him BEFORE he can ally Austria. I'd imagine Poland is about as hard, considering it's about as far away from him as Austria.

Fun fact:
As ottomans/Hungary/Austria/?maybe Venice?, ai Serbia goes for a full annex of Bosnia before they can ally anyone.

Used it as the ottomans and as Austria in a 1444 revoke game for the lolz.

Force vassalage Serbia and give them some money for mercs to finish soloing Bosnia, you get both for free,or er, a big Serbia! ^.^