Horde Game Play

[gremlok]

So I am contemplating trying out a horde faction. The raiding aspect and lack of conventional warfare appeals to me. Even the succession crisis dimension has a nice touch to it - it certainly takes away some predictability and ability to meticulous plan ahead.

I imagine a game where my hordes will from time to time invade 'civilized' Europe or the Levant, leaving nothing by death and destruction behind, only to disappear back to the Urals and/or end up in internal fighting over who becomes the next Khan. I am not particularly interested in world domination or extensive conquest, rather I would more try to play an unstable and rise-fall kind of nation throughout the ages.

My questions:
Is a horde suitable for such a kind of game?
I understand the horde has some serious limitations on developing technology so I am afraid they will quickly become so backwards that Westernization is required asap?
Is horde game-play sustainable long-term or are they extinct after a century?
Also will the succession crisis drive me nuts eventually?

Thx

 

[Blazehack]

So I am contemplating trying out a horde faction. The raiding aspect and lack of conventional warfare appeals to me. Even the succession crisis dimension has a nice touch to it - it certainly takes away some predictability and ability to meticulous plan ahead.

I imagine a game where my hordes will from time to time invade 'civilized' Europe or the Levant, leaving nothing by death and destruction behind, only to disappear back to the Urals and/or end up in internal fighting over who becomes the next Khan. I am not particularly interested in world domination or extensive conquest, rather I would more try to play an unstable and rise-fall kind of nation throughout the ages.

My questions:
Is a horde suitable for such a kind of game?
I understand the horde has some serious limitations on developing technology so I am afraid they will quickly become so backwards that Westernization is required asap?
Is horde game-play sustainable long-term or are they extinct after a century?
Also will the succession crisis drive me nuts eventually?

Thx

To answer your questions.

Hordes are indeed sustainable if you plan ahead and vigorously defend uncored coquests

Yes tech is the horde eventual downfall, but you can modernize your tech/units without leaving the horde behind

Without modernization yes by around 1600 your units will start to be uncompetitive as even large number advantages will stop working against western tech countries.

Succession crisis is managable depending on your preplaning and by how many uncored providences you add.

With hordes you should always max out your forcelimits and heavily garrison newly conquored uncored providences and also within your cored areas have a stack within reasonable movement distance of all povidences.