Finished this one two days ago.
Just finished third map so I'm worn out and I'll keep it short.
To take the two forts I used almost exclusively archers using high points to reach the outer archers and then running up to their walls to use them as cover and using massed volleys to slowly strip the rest of the fort. Break through a wall and keep pushing them back. Taking out archers from cover and the soldiers next. There was almost no aggression from these enemies so it was just clockwork.
I think I lost only two men to both forts.
Stone was failry simple as four quarries early and keep their production up. I lost four quarries in the first battle, but just rebuilt.
Money was easy with a -8 tax using extra rations and ale that I bought.
For food I used wheat exclusively. There is plenty of land
and more when wood is cleared. Plenty of wood although I bought much later because my defense called for it.
I used about 10 fletchers and only used my initial infantry to take down quarries and break holes. Just kept pumping out archers and using them for defense or to hasten my castle sieges.
For defense I tried to use gatehouses on both sides of river crossings hoping to use fall back tactics under support of archers behind my advance defenses. I noticed early on this would be impossible, being that the southern and nw rivers have to many crossing points. It was too late by then and when the first attack came it just seemed to confuse the enemy and they ended up spinning around the map. Falling under fire from the other outer defenses. I expanded the moat around my initial castle and sealing in the area to the nw with gatehouses and moats. The only threat came from my weaker south wall. The northern and southern attacks both ended up here. Although I covered it well and no real digging even began. The enemy confusion made defense easier, but hurt my economy because remnants lasted through the 2nd attack. So for later attacks I pulled back my inital gatehouses from river crossing closest to the signposts and built mini forts using back to back gatehoues. I used these and the gatehouse on the other rivers to support each other in subsequent attacks. The were enough to keep the enemy from my keep. The last attack was heavier, but I had my archers and defenses set up to where it was just a matter of wearing it down.
So that's it.
[This message has been edited by Ironfist88 (edited 04-28-2006 @ 11:07 PM).]