How do I survive as Qara Qoyunlu?

[camanic71]

title basically says it all. I’m going to QQ to Persia, maybe unifying Islam. I’ve got like 1000 hours in eu, but I just can’t seem to survive the mamaluks pouring 60k troops into me. The one time I did beat them I got a 5 year truce, went bankrupt and got destroyed after the truce was up, any advice?

 

[Dominion]

Ally Ottos.
Gain favors.
Steamroll Mamluks.
Laugh manically.

Laughing manically is essential for this strategy to work. You probably forgot to do it in your last run.

Feel free to check out my Hisn Kayfa AAR where I did nothing but cozying up to the Turks for a while before using them as my lapdog for a century.

 

[Revan F]

Ally Ottos.
Gain favors.
Steamroll Mamluks.
Laugh manically.

Laughing manically is essential for this strategy to work. You probably forgot to do it in your last run.

Feel free to check out my Hisn Kayfa AAR where I did nothing but cozying up to the Turks for a while before using them as my lapdog for a century.

Well, last time I tried that, otto decided that enforcing its eastern anatolia mission-given claims (including my armenian provinces) was more important than teaming up with me against Mamluk

 

[maxirage]

Haven't played QQ in the latest patch, but examined their situation and it doesn't look especially bad. Just like any strong AI, the best way to beat Mamluks would be using mountain forts. If they bypass them by bordering your southern desert provinces, you can try releasing Syria to act as a buffer state so they will be funneled into the mountains. You first priority should be conquering the Persia tradenode so you'll have more money, followed by the Basra node to buff it even further. That should give you enough resources to beat almost anything.

 

[Dominion]

Well, last time I tried that, otto decided that enforcing its eastern anatolia mission-given claims (including my armenian provinces) was more important than teaming up with me against Mamluk

Did you laugh manically?

Jokes aside, if you run into a brick wall whenever you try to expand west, go for India instead.

Can easily reach 3k dev over there and Persian trade will fuel your economy. Indian goldmines will be useful as well.

In case a massive Ottoblob appears you can eat north, ally Muscovy, help them survive and work on the partition of Anatolia lategame.

Until then, use the narrow bridge between Mamluks and yourself. Place a fort and repeatedly smack them in the mountains.


Alternatively you can go back to the original plan, ally Ottomans, give them what they want, use them as your shield against anything and anyone and turn your back on them once Leagues fire.

 

[Bolt Thrower - Warmaster]

Ive just played the first 30 years with QQ. Georgia allied Gazimukuh, so I invaded Shirvan first and as soon as I had the spynetwork finished. Conqured them, but waited with the peace talks. Then took on Georgia and Gazi. Took the Shirvan lands to connect with the new Gazi lands (both where left a tiny land to reduce AE and get some extras). Georgia I force vassalized and then pressed there reconquest and made a big Georgia. AQ got run over by coptics and converted, so I also vassalized them. Then Mushasha was suddenly without real allies and they too where force vassalized (original Bitlis was annexed before that, so no -1).

Then Mameluks rivaled me and while cleaning up the Mushasha, they attacked me (havent played in a year or so and its really great to see the AI press their advantage!).
But they stood no chance (even with my disloyal vassals), because the Mameluks had poor military tech and no really good leaders. They where tech 4 and I was tech 6 and they melted like natives in the sun. Then Venice pressed their luck and Mameluks where dead. But I didnt take a single province, just some money and forced them to unrival me.

I would much rather have them help me/not be weakened against the Ottomans (I think its funnier game to have big baddies as enemies, than ally them ). (btw didnt ally anyone, should be enough with your vassels).

Long story short, unless either Mameluk or QQ king dies shortly into the game, you should have a serious mil tech advantage. Press that.

 

[Tarkilth]

Expand. Make your position unassailable by allying up with the enemies of your enemy. Strike your enemy decicively when you have the advantage. Repeat until there are no more enemies.