You can call me dumb...

[Quentonious]

I can NEVER produce a great leader! I managed only once, but I was being slaughtered in Deity mode, so it didn't amount to anything . I know how to get one, all the elite is victorious in battle thing, but is there ANY way to increase the odds .

 

[vmxa]

Check the pedia under HE and military trait. Both should give a small boost.

 

[TheOverseer714]

You might want to red-line enemy units with artillery before attacking them. Also, beware of units with defensive free shots, use veterans to absorb those, then bring in the elites. Attacking with an elite gives a 1/16(1/12 with Heroic Epic), whereas defending with an elite gives only a 1/32(1/24 w/HE). Most of all, hoard your Elites, they are a precious resource: use them against weak opponents mostly.

 

[Spoonwood]

To get things clear, the militaristic trait does not directly increase the probability of an MGL. It DOES increase the probability of promotions for conscripts, regulars, and veterans. First off, you want to fight with veterans... not regulars (regular units have their uses as scouts or maybe as military police, but little else). Second if you can whack some barbies with your veterans, do so. The probability of a promotion for a veteran vs. barbies doesn't come as high as fighting an AI, but it does exist and below Deity you have combat bonuses vs. barbies. Third, as TheOverseer714 pointed out, redline (1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/3, 1/5 status) units with bombardment BEFORE attacking with an elite. On top of that, until you get a good feel for special situations where weakened elites can win handily, ONLY attack with 5/5 elites. Also, try to attack the weakest unit defensively around... warriors instead of spears or longbows instead of swords to increase the number of battles that elites win, and to keep your elites as healthy as possible. Generally, don't attack a city with an elite first, even if you've redlined all defensive units in a city, as an artillery unit or a longbow or archer (or guerilla for that matter) might get a defensive shot at you before you attack (as TheOverseer714 pointed out). Fourth, generally use horse units (I suppose mechanized units also), instead of swords (save for the Gallic swordsman) and maces, for fighting battles to promote to elite and then to fight for an MGL. Horse units have a probability of retreating which maces, swords, and other infantry-class units do not. Lastly, practice patience when farming for MGLs.

 

[Daeron]

Like ther others mentioned, it's all about increasing the amount of elite victories. This means you have to make sure your elites fight in the front. But you also have to make sure they survive so they can fight several times.

In a game I started yesterday I started a war in the Ancient Age against the Zulu. My goals were to annex their lands and if possible get that first leader. I brought in a handful of spears and archers combined with cats and a large group of swordmen against their Impi's and archers.

I had a lot of luck with creating elites among my swords, but due to negligence lost my cats. In the end I had about 15 elite victories by the end of the war, but no MGL. Basically, with that many kills I had a 62 % chance of 1 MGL or more. The loss of the cats meant a few extra losses on my side, including elites. Next to this on two occasions an elite sword lost while attacking an archer on the plains. The fact that I had to use veterans in attacks in the later stages of this war, means that those losses cost me at least 4 or more elite kills.

If just those two swords had beaten the archers and be used at least once each instead of a veteran later on, my count would be 19, meaning I would have had a 70% chance of getting 1 or more MGL's. Me losing catapults in the beginning of the war also cost me elite kills, because now some had to fight healthy fortified impi's and a few lost.

This is why Spoonwood mentioned that fast units are preferred. I didn't have the option at the time due to lack of horses. But if they retreat, they can always attack again later. And they are not as susceptible to counter attacks.

 

[Spoonwood]

Reading Daeron's comment I would add try to attack only infantry-type or slow, i.e. movement 1, units. Retreat only has a possibilty of working when a fast unit fights a slow unit.

 

[Quentonious]

Thanks, guys! I used your tips, I got 3 great leaders, and about half of the map under my control now!