So for the longest time I couldn't figure out why AI Ottomans always stall out early

[hashinshin]

Until I noticed they're set to get Maritime as their first idea.

What's up with that? That perfectly explains why Ottomans without the lucky bonus just completely stall out early game without lucky nation on them, and why a player Ottoman can tear ass around the world effortlessly.

Ottomans should really be changed to have humanist or administrative as their first idea, and to get Maritime... never, since it's a terrible idea.

(And before someone says to just mod my files that's silly. The 1444 start date is literally called Rise of the Ottomans, not: Wait 100 years and then the Ottomans might start moving out.)

 

[Ceranai]

I always play ironman so cant comment on lucky nations off but in my games the ottomand follow a very predectable path where about a hundred years in game the own most of the balkans and egypt. Not particarly a problem unless you border them but try fighting them and there is a good chance they will stomp you, they are like a muslim france. Predictable but hard to beat. This is assuming they can defend the strait. Obviously if you blockade the strait you can beat them relatively easily, but the later you leave it the bigger their navy gets

 

[calvinhobbeslik]

Until I noticed they're set to get Maritime as their first idea.

What's up with that? That perfectly explains why Ottomans without the lucky bonus just completely stall out early game without lucky nation on them, and why a player Ottoman can tear ass around the world effortlessly.

Ottomans should really be changed to have humanist or administrative as their first idea, and to get Maritime... never, since it's a terrible idea.

(And before someone says to just mod my files that's silly. The 1444 start date is literally called Rise of the Ottomans, not: Wait 100 years and then the Ottomans might start moving out.)

It might have been to nerf the Byzantine strategy of spamming galleys and blockading the Straits.

 

[Incompetent]

Maritime is not a bad first choice for say the Hansa, but yes, having the Ottomans open with it is silly.

Under AI control, the Ottomans are often laid low by early revolts. Going Humanist first would make this problem far less serious, and is historically plausible given the Ottomans' religious tolerance and cosmopolitanism (relative to the standards of the early modern era).

 

[Iamdead7]

Most of the AoW games I've played so far see the Ottomans not even attacking Constantinople till 1470 at the earliest

 

[Incompetent]

Most of the AoW games I've played so far see the Ottomans not even attacking Constantinople till 1470 at the earliest

This doesn't bother me nearly as much as the Ottomans starting out OK, then having a giant brainfreeze and letting patriot/nationalist rebels hand all of Greece to whichever randomly chosen Greek-culture country they support.

 

[DKinator]

The Ottomans still continue to disappoint me. My last two games, they lost their european holdings to Epirus (assuming they broke free from rebels).

 

[StatikShocker]

It might have been to nerf the Byzantine strategy of spamming galleys and blockading the Straits.

well that didn't work. its as easy as ever.

 

[Denkt]

It is not Maritime that stalls it, NI don't make or break nations.

 

[Zqrfmb]

It is not Maritime that stalls it, NI don't make or break nations.

I'd argue they make a nation, humanism on the ottomans removes a lot of their consequences to conquering their way up into poland. Breaking a nation, not so much.