Horde Advice

[Big Bad France]

I'm attempting a Gold Rush run with the Great Horde, and it's my first time playing with this government type. I have some questions about optimal ideas and what I should be turning into states. The achievement requires expanding into quite a bit of orthodox land, so I was thinking humanist ideas would probably be a good first choice. I'm also going to be expanding quickly, though, so maybe the governing capacity from administrative is better? Should I run humanist and just not create states to save on governing capacity? Was thinking first three ideas should be diplomatic, humanist/administrative, and aristocratic.

 

[Nostalgium]

I'm attempting a Gold Rush run with the Great Horde, and it's my first time playing with this government type. I have some questions about optimal ideas and what I should be turning into states. The achievement requires expanding into quite a bit of orthodox land, so I was thinking humanist ideas would probably be a good first choice. I'm also going to be expanding quickly, though, so maybe the governing capacity from administrative is better? Should I run humanist and just not create states to save on governing capacity? Was thinking first three ideas should be diplomatic, humanist/administrative, and aristocratic.

For Hordes, I almost always go for quantity first. You'll want to be at war as often as you can even if you're not going for a speedoform to conquer and raze land (oh yeah, raze literally everything you conquer. It makes it cheaper to core (less dev), reduces your overextension, and gives you mana and money), which means you'll be needing that deep manpower pool to dig into. Hordes also don't have access to Aristocratic - instead they get Horde Ideas, which aren't bad either. Your two other picks in Diplo and Humanist/Admin aren't bad at all. I'd probably take Humanist over Admin, as again, frequent wars makes lower unrest more of a priority for me, but either works for the run.

 

[Big Bad France]

For Hordes, I almost always go for quantity first. You'll want to be at war as often as you can even if you're not going for a speedoform to conquer and raze land (oh yeah, raze literally everything you conquer. It makes it cheaper to core (less dev), reduces your overextension, and gives you mana and money), which means you'll be needing that deep manpower pool to dig into. Hordes also don't have access to Aristocratic - instead they get Horde Ideas, which aren't bad either. Your two other picks in Diplo and Humanist/Admin aren't bad at all. I'd probably take Humanist over Admin, as again, frequent wars makes lower unrest more of a priority for me, but either works for the run.

Thanks. What should I turning into states? Should I only state areas with gold mines, or should I be stating everything in my culture group? How long does it take for land to recover after being razed to the point that it is useful?

 

[Nostalgium]

How long does it take for land to recover after being razed to the point that it is useful?

It only increases Devastation by 10%, so it's not that big a dip to begin with. As for stating, I'd say state by dev and culture when you have enough admin to do so. I acknowledge that this isn't great advice, but I'm not really a minmaxer, so I tend to just do these things by gut feeling, and that worked out for me in my own Golden Horde run. Admittedly not a Gold Rush since I went into Lithuania first and there were some unfortunate alliance nets in the East, but you know.

Definitely state things like Crimea and areas with gold mines, though.

 

[ImAdrian]

Gold Rush is not a very difficult achievement if you can manage to beat Muscovy once. I just stated everything (after razing everything first of course) until I was out of governing cap. Had no issues with the achievement in my first try. I wouldn't go humanism first, quantity is much more needed in early game

 

[dD_ShockTrooper]

Thanks. What should I turning into states? Should I only state areas with gold mines, or should I be stating everything in my culture group? How long does it take for land to recover after being razed to the point that it is useful?

You should just state gold mines as high priority. Everything else only state if you have the mana to do so, which you will at some point thanks to razing and admin ideas.

 

[Luigi_Prime]

I did the Gold Rush and then went for Khaaaaan! As others said, raze everything, open fronts on every side, never do a royal marriage and use your alliances to tip the scale in your favor, then backstab your allies (except Otto, you want them on your side as they are instrumental to defeating european powers). Your conquests will fuel your war machine.

I started by stating things in Golden Horde culture group for some easy income, but then just stated highest income provinces. You need that income to fuel more, bigger conquests. Went with military ideas first.

Remember to fight with advantage always. Never reform into any other government and stay a horde forever.

If in doubt about your course of action, remember these words of Mongol widsom from the man himself, Genghis Khan (according to an Persian chronicler) :

Man's highest joy is in victory: to conquer one's enemies; to pursue them; to deprive them of their possessions; to make their beloved weep; to ride on their horses; and to embrace their wives and daughters.