Strategy Discussion and Tips

[Ajidica]

The point of this thread is to post guides, hints, and tips. It took me almost all summer to be at the point where I am proficiant at EMA. Because many things have been changed it can be overpowering to new players. The major changes in EMA from the core game are:
All units have bombard ability, although to varying extents.
Your navy is your friend! Ships move very fast and the AI is inept at countering your invaision fleet.
Cavalry is of critical importance.
Culture is changed to influence.
Finaly, tech trading is aquired at Classical Heritage.
If I missed anything, please let me know. Within the week I will try and do a guide for Bzantium and Poland.
Disclamer: I consider myself an above average noble player, and a normal prince player. I do not intend to be an expert on anything in gameplay.

 

[Ajidica]

This stratagy is for .74 and large map.
As the Byzantines, you are surrounded by challenges and adversaries. To the east there is the Turks, to the north is the Russians, and to the west there are the Magyars and Italy. To survive you must know some things. You MUST build the Hagia Sophia as quickly as possible. Its the only way I've found to keep your economy afloat with expansion and war. The second thing is that your UU isn't good at all for land wars. If you think you rival Basil II, Alexius I Comnenus, Justinian I, and avoid the long decline, read on!

Your Allies
Your main ally will be the Kevian Rus. They will generaly be a monster by the mid to late game. They also will be a great source of tech trading and military assistance. Don't declare war on them.
Armenia is a good ally, but generaly they are too far down on the scoreboard and weak to make a good military ally. But they are good for resource trading.
These will be your main allies. Although if either Poland or Lithuania convert, they are also great allies. Never trust the Magyars!

Your Enemies
They will be many and powerful. Turkey will almost always declare war on you, so keep Constantinople well garisoned! The Germans and French are also threats, Germany more so because of their huge army. The Italians will be an economic threat. They will settle the Balklands and Greece unless your quick about it.

Warfare
The best times for Byzantine warfare are; Late Early Middle Ages, right after knights, and right after foot knights. These are times when quick, decisive armies can easly turn a powerful enemy into new land. Since you will be earning alot of cash hopefuly from the Hagia Sophia, get a load of vassals or swordsman, set slider to zero, upgrade, and you now have a state of the art army ready to attack someone. You MUST defend Constantinople. Not only is it your gold center, if the Turks capture it, their cavalry will pillage every improvement in sight. As long as you hold the city and have an adaquete navy, the Turks arn't getting through.
My recomendations for war order:
Magyars, in the begining they only have alot of spearman.
Turks, they have really nice land.
After that it is either Syria or Europe, you will have a good enough empire for either.

Technology
Since you will be unable to get every tech you want and still be competative, getting to Classical Heritage for trading is critical. A very nice bonus is after Classical Heritage comes Jurisprudence, A very awsome tech. You also don't want to neglect the starting techs.

Economy
This area is reletivly normal, as the Byzantine ecomomy will be very similar to a Cottage Economy, you have alot of nice grassland for it. Also, to build the Hagia Sophia you will need a Great Prophet, as it is the Orthodox shrine. I would recomend getting it through building a church and running a priest specialist. Trying to get the free prophet through Pilgrimage is near impossible above Warlord, as your economy will be too far gone if you manage to get it. It is also a tech I see the AI go for quite early because it enable a civic, wonder, Macemen, and give a GP.

Victory
This is a tough one, I would have to go with New World if you have a large army, or Silk Road if you need a better economy, because the techs along those favor either navy or commerce. Silk Road will be hard unless you have camels, which would entail you invading Syria.

Final Thoughts and Pointers
If you are powerful enough to hurt someone if they invaded you, your are safe for the moment.
You generaly want more cavalry on the western side because you don't have any chokepoints there. Although there should be cavalry and seige engines in Constantinople to counter any seige armies.
Your economy is very fragile, don't overstress it.

So, do you think you can keep the mantel of Eastern Roman Empire, achive the glory of Basil, Alexius, Justinian, and many more, and avoid the humiliating and catastrophic defeat at Manzikert, August 19th 1071?

That is about it for my guide. If you have any problems with it or suggestion, please make your case known.

 

[Craig_Sutter]

I haven't played the Byzantines, but I assume part of the strategy might also entail spreading of religion via missionaries, especially to the future allies you've cited.

 

[Ajidica]

I thought that would be a bit self explanatory with needing the Hagia Sophia. But do you think is is well writen, or any problems with it?

 

[Head Serf]

That's a nice strategy! You might also want to mention the importance of getting a great saint early for the wonders in Constantinople.

 

[Ajidica]

I suppose i didnt make it clear you need a saint for the Hagia Sophia. Ill revise it later this week. BTW, Head Serf, any civs you really want to see guides for?

 

[Head Serf]

I'd personally love to see a guide for Russia.

 

[Ajidica]

Okay, ill try and see about giving it a go. i only played them once, so it will be more of a collection of pointers than a guide. ill probaly do it after my poland guide.

 

[monolith94]

In my latest byzantine game, I planted Nicea far to the northeast, taking advantage of the wheat, clams, marble horses and iron. Extremely productive city site, and an excellent place to start building axemen to knock out alp arslan earlier, rather than later. The sooner he goes, the better, no question.

 

[Ajidica]

yeah, but stephen builds a LOT of cavalry, and in the early game, hes pathetic. alp arslan is powerful always, but stephen is a monster in the mid-late game.

 

[Whitefire]

I'd personally love to see a guide for Russia.

REX and win peacefully.

 

[Head Serf]

REX and win peacefully.

Winning peacefully is for wusses.

 

[Ajidica]

yeah, russia is a bit anti-climatic in that respect. rex like crazy, DOW on backwards Batu Khan(Offtopic: Head Serf, in every one of my games, batu always go to the bottom). then settle into a hanseatic league victory. the guide will be up by saturdy. (i hope)

 

[monolith94]

Huh, as Kiev I tend to declare on the lithuanians sooner than Batu. Batu is just so far away, and Vytautas is always in the way...

 

[Whitefire]

Adjica, in the early middle ages era for any civ is a no brainer. Every civ should beeline to Iron tools and use early axemen. Then, very civ should use it's commerce advantage to race toward Classical Heritage and Jurisprudence.

 

[Ajidica]

actuly, i rarely use axemen. i tend to use swordsman with vassal and horse archer escorts. horse archers are just as effective as axemen. i generaly play as byzantuim or france, so i have alot of food for whipping, though.