Sweden the hardest faction?

[Kvltist]

I mean no matter what diplomatic actions you take I have everytime ended up in war with Russia Prussia Poland Courland Spain Great Britain France +5ish more minor factions at the same time. The only possible ally I have found is the ottoman empire and Maratha confederacy but they cant help me out with military. (Maratha actually declared war with me out of nowhere aswell even tough we had a alliance trade agreement and 200ish realation) Even when I have exellent relationship with factions. such as when I was allyed and traded with france they randomly ended my alliance and declared war on me. Then I got 4 full stack armys from spain and france at the same time.

Sweden starts out surrounded with major faction enemys and no friend anywhere nearby. Combine this with a mediocre economy no special units other then a light cavarly wich can be recruited only in finland. I have been quite succesfull in my campaign and captured pretty much everything around the baltics. But it's hard to wage war everywhere at the same time alone withouth any allies and 4 different factions navys raiding my alredy extremely small trade.

[IlPrincipe]

Here is an excellent guide to Sweden for you:
http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Spraetter's_Guide_to_Sweden_(ETW_community_guide)

The idea of that guide is to capture Norway and Courland in one turn, and defeat the Danish navy.

As for England, on VH campaign difficulty they will always declare war and will send a full stack army using a full stack fleet of 4th rates. Concerntrate on fielding land armies near 1) Copenhagen, 2) Ingria, 3) Courland and then destroy their invading land army when it lands.

To defeat their formidabble Royal Navy wait for Prussia / Spain / France to declare war on England. Their navies will hopefully cause enough attrition to weaken their ships. In the meantime, capture Iceland with a small expeditionary army and then send it to get thee some colonies.

Sweden's cavalry units are larger than their European counterparts. Their special light cavalry unit is resistant to cold fatigue. In cold weather (i.e. snow storms) you will notice that units begin to tire very quickly and this where they are decisive against Russians and Poles.

The best use of cavalry consists of using artillery to weaken the enemy and then charging the enemy when they are disorganized, and then withdrawing them. Do this repeatedly. Charge and withdraw. Charge and withdraw. Also activate cavalry to attack other cavalry and to help infantry that are engaged in melee / fire.

Hope this helps.

Sweden 4lyfe!

GL HF, m8.

[Kvltist]

Originally posted by IlPrincipe:

Here is an excellent guide to Sweden for you:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/10500/discussions/0/215439774858875129/

The idea of that guide is to capture Norway and Courland in one turn, and defeat the Danish navy.

As for England, on VH campaign difficulty they will always declare war and will send a full stack army using a full stack fleet of 4th rates. Concerntrate on fielding land armies near 1) Copenhagen, 2) Ingria, 3) Courland and then destroy their invading land army when it lands.

To defeat their formidabble Royal Navy wait for Prussia / Spain / France to declare war on England. Their navies will hopefully cause enough attrition to weaken their ships. In the meantime, capture Iceland with a small expeditionary army and then send it to get thee some colonies.

Sweden's cavalry units are larger than their European counterparts. Their special light cavalry unit is resistant to cold fatigue. In cold weather (i.e. snow storms) you will notice that units begin to tire very quickly and this where they are decisive against Russians and Poles.

The best use of cavalry consists of using artillery to weaken the enemy and then charging the enemy when they are disorganized, and then withdrawing them. Do this repeatedly. Charge and withdraw. Charge and withdraw. Also activate cavalry to attack other cavalry and to help infantry that are engaged in melee / fire.

Hope this helps.

Sweden 4lyfe!

GL HF, m8.

This helps indeed! Those are some great tips. Thank you mate :)

[IlPrincipe]

You're welcome, sir. I edited the link in my reply (was broken for some reason) to the guide I was referring to: Spraetter's Guide to Sweden.

Also, one more tip: Russian infantry have the deadliest melee attack of any line infantry (Vodka drinkers) in the game so avoid charging them or you will die.

Cheers!

[Kvltist]

Originally posted by IlPrincipe:

You're welcome, sir. I edited the link in my reply (was broken for some reason) to the guide I was referring to: Spraetter's Guide to Sweden.

Also, one more tip: Russian infantry have the deadliest melee attack of any line infantry (Vodka drinkers) in the game so avoid charging them or you will die.

Cheers!

Aww I knew it was something! My main battle tactic is charging in with bayonet. The Russians seemed alot harder to defeat. I guess it's a miracle I took Moscow then.

[IlPrincipe]

Originally posted by Loka<:

Originally posted by IlPrincipe:

You're welcome, sir. I edited the link in my reply (was broken for some reason) to the guide I was referring to: Spraetter's Guide to Sweden.

Also, one more tip: Russian infantry have the deadliest melee attack of any line infantry (Vodka drinkers) in the game so avoid charging them or you will die.

Cheers!

Aww I knew it was something! My main battle tactic is charging in with bayonet. The Russians seemed alot harder to defeat. I guess it's a miracle I took Moscow then.

I rage quitted many times because of Russian vodka melees killing my units before finally realising...

Let me know what happens.

[Kvltist]

Originally posted by IlPrincipe:

Originally posted by Loka<:

Aww I knew it was something! My main battle tactic is charging in with bayonet. The Russians seemed alot harder to defeat. I guess it's a miracle I took Moscow then.

I rage quitted many times because of Russian vodka melees killing my units before finally realising...

Let me know what happens.

Since I took Moscow they don't give me much problems anymore. I have gone a good 20+ turns with peace with Russia since I took Moscow. Before that they would declare war on me every 3 or so turns when I managed to get peace.

The way I took moscow was with I cant remember maybe 8 Demi cannons or so with the rest being infantry and cav. I besieged them and when they came out I blasted them with Canister shots.

I had fought them many times before that tough and the battles had been really costly for me...

[Ihoc]

Sweden isn't really the hardest faction but most likely Poland, Prussia, or Austria is. The main reason is that after a few turns they start declaring war on you which can cause mass mobilization which can bring your income down badly to the point you go bankrupt or they have bigger forces to the point where its too hard to fight battles.
Ive played as each of those factions and its hard to control diplomatic relations since the all want your land.
Sweden isn't such a pain, only because if Russia declares war on you then you mostly just have to defend 2 states which can be easily defended and Denmark is very weak in the first 30 turns which is also why they are defeated so easily.

[IlPrincipe]

Originally posted by BOI:

Sweden isn't really the hardest faction but most likely Poland, Prussia, or Austria is. The main reason is that after a few turns they start declaring war on you which can cause mass mobilization which can bring your income down badly to the point you go bankrupt or they have bigger forces to the point where its too hard to fight battles.
Ive played as each of those factions and its hard to control diplomatic relations since the all want your land.
Sweden isn't such a pain, only because if Russia declares war on you then you mostly just have to defend 2 states which can be easily defended and Denmark is very weak in the first 30 turns which is also why they are defeated so easily.

Agree with you. Sweden's main advantages are 1) the Baltic Sea a natural defence against land armies 2) relatively large region wealth from taxed from mines, towns etc 3) naval superiority

My hardest campaign (prestige victory) though was as Sweden against Russia-Poland-Prussia-England. I was their only enemy the entire game (even after Prussia annexed Saxony) and eventually Hannover joined them with their massive army and the campaign ended in a bloodbath.

[DeftlyPlayed]

Everything that I’ve read here I agree with. I think every reply here to the OP is 100% right on.

However, I do not see one approach which I’ve had success with when playing Sweden or Russia and that is HEAVY use of diplomacy. It also helps with playing as Austria, Poland and Prussia. As one responder mentioned these countries also seem always be at each other’s throats with the Ottomans often tossed in.

As briefly as I can explain this the approach has to do with the heavy use of diplomacy. For example: What is it that motivates Russia to ALWAYS go after Sweden? Trade. Russia starts with no ports and can’t generate any trade and therefore can’t grow its economy. So work out some kind of regional trade that has Russia ending up owning Ingria or Estonia. As far as possible make alliances and trade agreements part of any deal. Offer military access which really isn’t that big a deal as an incentive. But make the deal!

Also, VERY RAPIDLY make yourself THE most attractive trade partner on the map. Get trade ships into trade ports immediately. One or two ships; 5 or 6, a whole fleet. Whatever you can currently afford to build. Make trading with you more profitable than fighting you.

Often, maybe say, Prussia will agree to trade with me but will not ally with me for anything. OK. Fine. I take what I can get. The longer I trade with them the stronger our relationship becomes and eventually they will ally with me. The longer we trade the less likely they are to attack me allied or not.

Also, go for trade agreements and alliances AND be tricky with your alliances. For example: I am allied with Austria. I highly value our relationship and it would be a real pain to loose that. They want to go to war with Poland but I really, really don’t want to fight Poland right then, what to do? I say yes to Austria asking me to honor our alliance. Then on my VERY NEXT turn I buy off Poland and make peace. Ask for peace, toss a bunch of technologies at them, if you’ve got a fairly useless piece of property, like the Windward Islands maybe offer that. Money, throw some of that at them. Whatever it takes, but get them to agree to a peace treaty. And again don’t wait on this, do it your very next turn, if you wait it gets harder to make the deal. This way you don’t get marked down as not honoring treaties and I’ve seen no evidence that it effects my relationship with my ally, in this scenario, Austria.

You don’t always have to fight your way out of the scenarios described in the OP. I’ve played a number of games as Sweden and never sent so much as a single bullet down range in Russia’s direction. Same the other way playing as Russia and never fighting Sweden.

As for the title of this post and is Sweden the hardest? Not sure I am ready to pass on a definitive answer to that. As others have noted there are other factions that can be just as tough with none of them coming out on top as THE hardest. Now ask me what I think the easiest faction to play is and that question I have an answer for.

[IlPrincipe]

Originally posted by DeftlyPlayed:

Everything that I’ve read here I agree with. I think every reply here to the OP is 100% right on.

However, I do not see one approach which I’ve had success with when playing Sweden or Russia and that is HEAVY use of diplomacy. It also helps with playing as Austria, Poland and Prussia. As one responder mentioned these countries also seem always be at each other’s throats with the Ottomans often tossed in.

As briefly as I can explain this the approach has to do with the heavy use of diplomacy. For example: What is it that motivates Russia to ALWAYS go after Sweden? Trade. Russia starts with no ports and can’t generate any trade and therefore can’t grow its economy. So work out some kind of regional trade that has Russia ending up owning Ingria or Estonia. As far as possible make alliances and trade agreements part of any deal. Offer military access which really isn’t that big a deal as an incentive. But make the deal!

Also, VERY RAPIDLY make yourself THE most attractive trade partner on the map. Get trade ships into trade ports immediately. One or two ships; 5 or 6, a whole fleet. Whatever you can currently afford to build. Make trading with you more profitable than fighting you.

Often, maybe say, Prussia will agree to trade with me but will not ally with me for anything. OK. Fine. I take what I can get. The longer I trade with them the stronger our relationship becomes and eventually they will ally with me. The longer we trade the less likely they are to attack me allied or not.

Also, go for trade agreements and alliances AND be tricky with your alliances. For example: I am allied with Austria. I highly value our relationship and it would be a real pain to loose that. They want to go to war with Poland but I really, really don’t want to fight Poland right then, what to do? I say yes to Austria asking me to honor our alliance. Then on my VERY NEXT turn I buy off Poland and make peace. Ask for peace, toss a bunch of technologies at them, if you’ve got a fairly useless piece of property, like the Windward Islands maybe offer that. Money, throw some of that at them. Whatever it takes, but get them to agree to a peace treaty. And again don’t wait on this, do it your very next turn, if you wait it gets harder to make the deal. This way you don’t get marked down as not honoring treaties and I’ve seen no evidence that it effects my relationship with my ally, in this scenario, Austria.

You don’t always have to fight your way out of the scenarios described in the OP. I’ve played a number of games as Sweden and never sent so much as sent a single bullet down range in Russia’s direction. Same the other way playing as Russia and never fighting Sweden.

As for the title of this post and is Sweden the hardest? Not sure I am ready to pass on a definitive answer to that. As others have noted there are other factions that can be just as tough with none of them coming out on top as THE hardest. Now ask me what I think the easiest faction to play is and that question I have an answer for.

You can exchange Ingria and/or Riga for a fair sum of gold and a trade agreement with Russia as you say. But true Swedes know that crushing those vodka loving Russians is preferable to giving them land.

"Then on my VERY NEXT turn I buy off Poland and make peace."

Sometimes this not always a good idea. The problem with this is that you will incur a diplomatic penalty with Austria (your relation with Austria on the diplomacy screen will read "unreliable ally"). I wouldn't do this if you are counting on their help but sometimes it's necessary.

"other factions that can be just as tough with none of them coming out on top as THE hardest"

Yes. The most enjoyable campaigns are when surprises happen (e.g. Venice colonising India and conquering the Balkans lol)

[DeftlyPlayed]

"You can exchange Ingria and/or Riga for a fair sum of gold and a trade agreement with Russia as you say. But true Swedes know that crushing those vodka loving Russians is preferable to giving them land."

"Yes. The most enjoyable campaigns are when surprises happen (e.g. Venice colonising India and conquering the Balkans lol)"

LOL. Laughing and laughing some more.

[Kvltist]

I agree with everyone's replys. But I am around 1750 and I'm currently at war with France Spain Russia Prussia Poland. Aswell as GB from time to time. They are not willing to make peace! no matter how many technologys I offer. And I can't make enough money to pay them of since I have maybe a total of 7 Full stacked armys currently agressing me all over europe. I need to have so much military and tax my nobles to the max to even brake even.

[IlPrincipe]

Originally posted by Loka<:

I agree with everyone's replys. But I am around 1750 and I'm currently at war with France Spain Russia Prussia Poland. Aswell as GB from time to time. They are not willing to make peace! no matter how many technologys I offer. And I can't make enough money to pay them of since I have maybe a total of 7 Full stacked armys currently agressing me all over europe. I need to have so much military and tax my nobles to the max to even brake even.

You don't like the Viking way of life? Drinking mead from the skulls of your enemies not for you? Find a mod and play as Switzerland then.

[Kvltist]

Originally posted by IlPrincipe:

Originally posted by Loka<:

I agree with everyone's replys. But I am around 1750 and I'm currently at war with France Spain Russia Prussia Poland. Aswell as GB from time to time. They are not willing to make peace! no matter how many technologys I offer. And I can't make enough money to pay them of since I have maybe a total of 7 Full stacked armys currently agressing me all over europe. I need to have so much military and tax my nobles to the max to even brake even.

You don't like the Viking way of life? Drinking mead from the skulls of your enemies not for you? Find a mod and play as Switzerland then.

The Vikings had no armys threatening them...

[Hat8]

Originally posted by Loka<:

Originally posted by IlPrincipe:

You're welcome, sir. I edited the link in my reply (was broken for some reason) to the guide I was referring to: Spraetter's Guide to Sweden.

Also, one more tip: Russian infantry have the deadliest melee attack of any line infantry (Vodka drinkers) in the game so avoid charging them or you will die.

Cheers!

Aww I knew it was something! My main battle tactic is charging in with bayonet. The Russians seemed alot harder to defeat. I guess it's a miracle I took Moscow then.

Taking on the Russians with melee is just a bad idea.