Reforming Yuan as Timurids

[Alaric Ironaxe]

So I'm really enjoying cradle of civilizations, already played a successful game as Transoxania and the Mamluks, but I'm feeling like I need a more ambitious goal for my next game, so I've decided as the Timurids or maybe as Transoxania I'm going to conquer China, restore Kublai's empire and bring Islam to the far east. Basically what I'm thinking right now is to make a solid base for my conquests by first putting all the rebellious vassals in check, conquering the disloyal ones and annexing the ones that don't rebel , and then ensuring by the mid 1500s the area from western Iran to the Indus I have a decent empire to start off from. Plus with all the mountains in western Iran and the wastelands along the Indus, with a few strategically placed forts I'll have an excellent defensive position so I can focus on going north to China. From there I'll unite all the Mongol cultures and head into China from Mongolia.

I'd love to hear some advice and thoughts on my plan, in particular I'm considering which ideas would be the most helpful and in which order I should grab idea groups. Specifically I'm torn on administrative ideas, as the -25% core creation cost would be super helpful for taking all that territory, but all the mercenary ideas feel less useful due to the new army professionalism mechanic.

 

[Ultima_Ratio]

Muslims can't claim the mandate, so if you want to insist on Islam you need to convert and re-convert after becoming EoC.

Admin is basically going to be the best idea group forever as long as they have the -core cost, and professionalism isn't necessarily much of a nerf to mercs, especially as a horde. Since you'll probably want to start with admin->influence->humanist anyway, you'll be drowning in mil points to buy generals. Recruiting mercs isn't much of a hit to professionalism (you can buy 6.67 mercs/prof. point) as long as you don't keep consolidating them (this is ironically currently helped by drilling, which makes reinforcing mercs free).

 

[Sfan]

If you want to do a heavy conquest game, it seems you will still need the mercenaries. And the extra states are still there, so Admin is not just about RCC anyway. And we would pick it just for RCC and -10% admin tech cost finisher.

As a general advice in this region, I suggest moving capital to Europe to make TCs.

As stated above, you can't spread Sunni to the far east and still get Yuan, you either need to go to an eastern religion to form Yuan, and if you stay Sunni you can't claim mandate. Going the "spread" route is a bit weird in the area, because everything is TC land and you can easily have tolerance modifiers (by forming Mughals). Sunni is not a strong religion to convert anymore due to the changes to piety. You're probably better with Humanist+Mughals, or flipping to an eastern religion on 1.23, unless they reverse the changes made and restore synergy between conquest and conversion for Islam.

 

[Alaric Ironaxe]

Man that really messes up my plan, converting then re-converting sounds like a huge plan so I'll have to reconsider how to make that work.

Good point on the mercs, guess they are still worth using even with the new professionalism mechanics.

 

[Magnificent Genius]

If you want to do a heavy conquest game, it seems you will still need the mercenaries. And the extra states are still there, so Admin is not just about RCC anyway. And we would pick it just for RCC and -10% admin tech cost finisher.

As a general advice in this region, I suggest moving capital to Europe to make TCs.

As stated above, you can't spread Sunni to the far east and still get Yuan, you either need to go to an eastern religion to form Yuan, and if you stay Sunni you can't claim mandate. Going the "spread" route is a bit weird in the area, because everything is TC land and you can easily have tolerance modifiers (by forming Mughals). Sunni is not a strong religion to convert anymore due to the changes to piety. You're probably better with Humanist+Mughals, or flipping to an eastern religion on 1.23, unless they reverse the changes made and restore synergy between conquest and conversion for Islam.

I thought you couldn't form Mughals as Yuan? or is it the other way?

Also, is it possible to tank the mandate penalties to damage and goods produced and still have a decent army/economy? Because I can't really see myself forming Yuan if I can't take advantage of that admin efficiency and RCC from EoC. Though I do need the achievement.

 

[holyvigil]

Mughals can't form Yuan. Timurids are not a horde anymore. Also it is easier to form Yuan on the previous patch. This is because now that you are no longer a horde you no longer trigger the frontier disaster.

 

[Zohtun]

I thought you couldn't form Mughals as Yuan? or is it the other way?

Also, is it possible to tank the mandate penalties to damage and goods produced and still have a decent army/economy? Because I can't really see myself forming Yuan if I can't take advantage of that admin efficiency and RCC from EoC. Though I do need the achievement.

Other way around. Yuan can still go Mughal if they so wish. In fact once you have all the Yuan claims, going Mughal is pretty nice if you want even more claims. Just refuse or accept their idea switch offer as appropriate to your agenda.