Medieval 2: Total War Heaven Tips of the Week
Weekly Gameplay Tips
Each week, we'll add a new gameplay tip as suggested by our forumers. If you want to suggest some yourself, then head on over to the thread on our forums to submit your gameplay tip or trick. Some players may see some or all of these methods as cheating or taking advantage of game weaknesses but we're just posting the information. It's up to you the player to decide how to use it.
Week 27 2008
We were sick of enemy Imans until HAMandCHEESE brought this tip to our attention.
If assassination just isn't doing the trick, there is an easy way to rid yourself of their blasphemous ways. Bring one of your big armies and split it up so that the Imam is surrounded on all sides. Then take one more unit and move it to the tile the Imam currently occupies. Since the Imam cannot move out of the way, he instantly dies! You will need a minimum of 9 individual units to do this. It works for other enemy agent types as well so if you want to get rid of pesky merchants, this is one way of doing it.
Week 26 2008
HAMandCHEESE has been working hard on seeing what the AI does when defending sieges and has discovered the following.
Want to take the castle or town with minimal losses?
Build one battering ram and a lot of ladders. Usually I have a unit of peasants on the ram and about 4 or 5 units of archers manning ladders. At the beginning of the battle, put your ram right in front of the main gate and deploy your ladders around the sides and front corners of the enemy settlement. Make sure the ladders are well out of range of the enemy archers and towers and that they are spread out quite a bit from each other.
You will notice that the AI is more concerned with defending against the ladders as opposed to the ram. Most times, there isn't even an enemy unit at the main gate which allows my ram to go in untouched. If the AI has enough units to place one or two at the front gate, they generally won't use their archers which means your ram is only hit by the towers there.
Once you batter down the gate, have your infantry rush in. The units on the walls will sprint to the town center and once engaged, tend to flee quickly. I have been using this for a while against the AI and have had astounding results.
Week 25 2008
crusading1 has a tip to allow quick expansion and eliminating the pesky problem of having to build up a garrison in your new city before you leave.
Whenever you plan to take a city, include in your army the number (and type) of militia which will qualify for free upkeep in your new city. If feasible, keep them out of the fray when you assault and when you move in the rest of your army will be free to go forth into the world. Otherwise, it will take two to three more turns until you can recruit any militia units for occupation purposes.
Week 24 2008
El Bandito has come up with this week's tip and it has to do with improving your general's chivalry rating.
One easy way to raise chivalry is to let the general govern a settlement with "normal" or preferrably "low" tax settings. Within few turns he will gain "fair in rule" trait and 1 chivalry. As the time goes he will add as many as 3 chivalry ratings. His loyalty meanwhile will soar as well.
If you don't like idle generals then there is another way to raise chivalry. Engage every enemy with equal "strength". It doesn't necessary mean equal numbers so check your troops' quality, etc. Do it right and your general will immediately earn "fair fighter" trait and 1 chivalry. If you keep doing it his chivalry rating will go 2 or 3 more times. Releasing some non-vital prisoners also help but generally it is inadvisable to release even a single soldier.
Week 23 2008
El Bandito had a great idea so stunningly obvious that I was embarrassed that I didn't think of it myself. In the final turn before taking the target city/castle of a Crusade or Jihad, have every single family member & army join the crusade. Then when the Crusade or Jihad is successful, every single family member gets the benefit of the good traits & experience that a successful crusade or jihad brings. Also you get a free experience point for every unit you squash onto a crusading or jihading army.