Where do Hunnic Hordes come from?

[1997]

I reinstalled the game because it got many updates since release and I wanted to give it another go. It seems this game is already lost though, because I've spent the last ~20 turns locked in a sort of perma-siege by Hunnic Hordes. Even if I win this war I probably won't be able to catch up, but anyway...

I can't wrap my head around this unit. I know it multiplies by gathering food but unless the AI has its city next to millions of deer I just don't know how there can be a fresh 4/4 unit at my city every time I killed the previous one. So far I must have killed 20-30 pop (archers inside walls) so eventually the war score will tip in my favor...

But seriously where do they all come from?
pls help. The AI doesn't seem to hurt from these losses at all.

[Dorok]

Standard combats bring them food too, if won, and they can buy unit at outpost like in Neolithic.

But no they aren't infinite. The problem seems you haven't towns not glued in the lasting series of towns sieges/attacks.

I would suggest develop, accumulate some armies, and let Archer defend the town, but if you didn't grew enough, you seem stuck.

Also perhaps you take too much time to break a town attack, try use more Archer, but it won't work well if you can't grow enough the town.

[1997]

You're right, I'm pretty stuck/locked. But I will make another map and try a different culture, etc.

[Dorok]

That's rather common to give up a play that seems stuck when discovering the game.

There's perhaps a good way to get out of it, but it's hard to say without having the full details of your context.

Anyway no matter how, if you lag behind during a too long time, you'll hardly have the time to catch back, or by disabling all end conditions but some domination like as conquer all AI or vassal all AI.

EDIT:
For Huns as neighbors I would suggest avoid enter in war with them, it means to develop a good diplomacy with them, for example:
- Don't build outpost at their frontiers.
- Avoid stuck them in a small area where they have few possibilities of expansion.
- Avoid move troops close to their frontiers, and particularly avoid flee often their attacks so avoid cases where they could attack your units or stacks.
- Don't make demands against them and ignore their demands.
- Start trade treaties asap, if they reject one demand ignore and try again later, don't bother pay money for that along 1st era.
- Make trades with them.
- Try build a descent army so you don't look too weak, and at first try not exit Neolithic without at least 8 scouts, and later build 2 stacks, or consider hire Independents or even assimilate to get their troops.

[1997]

Thank you for your advice. But it seems that you're basically saying to not provoke and avoid the Hun/Mongol player - there should be a way to counter their units, no? Archers inside walls, spearmen, they seem to be able to wear down anything just by sheer numbers and mobility.

I started a new game but spawned next to the same AI player again, and he went Huns/Mongols again lol. This time I had crossbows and stone walls. Same situation. They keep coming, you keep killing. I can't simply give in to his demands, why would I give my outposts away?

I'm not angry at you btw, it just feels a bit silly fighting them.

[Dorok]

Lol, sorry for your bad luck, sure you can make wars against Huns, but:
- I never had any single war against Huns, not sure for Mongols but at least not since their EU get boost a bit.
- As you already quoted it's extremely annoying to combat those hordes, a game design flaw, so in my opinion it's much better skip any war against them.

It's annoying combat them not because they seem spam easily hordes, but because each horde unit can play 4 times in hand of AI and most often it's 3 times. So, 10 units, Ai plays 30 times at each round, 90 times for a turn, no thanks.

I would suggest consider automatic combats to avoid the long boredom. Which means build armies with stronger power, don't even bother on units types.

If you really want do manual combats, not sure Pikemen or worse Spearmen is that good, you should check carefully, in wiki I don't see the horde units having any cavalry trait.

About that, they also multiply with ransack, had forgot the point.

EDIT:
Next time remind change your AI set.

About Huns demands, ignore, skip refuse to not tempt AI declare a war.

[HarmlessYoda]

Originally posted by evilteuton:

Thank you for your advice. But it seems that you're basically saying to not provoke and avoid the Hun/Mongol player - there should be a way to counter their units, no? Archers inside walls, spearmen, they seem to be able to wear down anything just by sheer numbers and mobility.

I started a new game but spawned next to the same AI player again, and he went Huns/Mongols again lol. This time I had crossbows and stone walls. Same situation. They keep coming, you keep killing. I can't simply give in to his demands, why would I give my outposts away?

I'm not angry at you btw, it just feels a bit silly fighting them.

I have fought them a few times, they are numerous but they are not that skilled and are weaker than some other units available at the same time. Honestly i just tend to move around with 2-3 stacks of combined swordsmen, cavalry and archers and aim to attack them 3 stacks to 1 when possible. This give me a zero lose victory and if you repeat this each turn you chew through there units rapidly.

The key is to go burn all their outposts which are nothing more than horde spawning points. Everytime they get a pop in an outpost they spawn it as a horde. (special ability of that race). Once they are down to just cities and are not winning any battles against you they wont be multiplying anymore and it returns to a conventional battle.

[irisidem]

Originally posted by evilteuton:

I reinstalled the game because it got many updates since release and I wanted to give it another go. It seems this game is already lost though, because I've spent the last ~20 turns locked in a sort of perma-siege by Hunnic Hordes. Even if I win this war I probably won't be able to catch up, but anyway...

I can't wrap my head around this unit. I know it multiplies by gathering food but unless the AI has its city next to millions of deer I just don't know how there can be a fresh 4/4 unit at my city every time I killed the previous one. So far I must have killed 20-30 pop (archers inside walls) so eventually the war score will tip in my favor...

But seriously where do they all come from?
pls help. The AI doesn't seem to hurt from these losses at all.

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet: Hordes get their 4 stacks from outposts. these cost influence. You need to shut down any outposts (unlinked ones specifically) Roughly 600 influence each

[skallben]

I wonder; could it be the blue player that keeps spawning next to you and going Huns?

[1997]

Originally posted by skallben:

I wonder; could it be the blue player that keeps spawning next to you and going Huns?

In my case it was Yellow as Beowulf.
Also thanks for the input everybody. Time to hunt some outposts.