Malekith Vortex Campaign Tips?

[Karsk]

I'm looking for some tips and strategies for Malekith on the vortex campaign. The toughest part seems to be conquering Ghrond to get the ritual resources. Fighting the three front war is rather tough. I say that because you have to fight Clan Septik, who are very annoying, those ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ PRICKS The Forgebound, and finally Ghrond.

Only way I've managed to get Ghrond within a reasonable amount of time and remain competitive in the Vortex race is when Har Ganeth goes to war against Ghrond and takes the minor settlement to the immediate East of Naggarond.

Even so without some hefty luck I have found seixing Ghrond within the first approximately 30 turns to be very difficult.

I am a veteran of the series but for some reason Warhammer 1 and 2 have been very difficult for me on the campaign map compared to say Western Roman Empire in Barbarian Invasion or Shogun 2.

Obviously there will be unique variables to each new playthrough, but does anyone have some pointers for me? I feel like gaining the first ritual resource city within 30-40 turns is pretty crucial to not be left way behind. In Malekith's case I have yet to come up with a good way to make this happen consistently.

[Jerroser]

At the start of my campaign I just focused entirely on getting rid of Clan Septic, who shouldn't be too hard as long as you give them no room to breath. Then put dedicated the time after that to taking and buidling up the mountain regions to the west.

By the time I was done with that the Ghrond was taken by Har Ganeth who in turn were being overrun by Mung. All I had to do was sweep through the places Mung had taken from behind and easily got Har Ganeth to confederate with me. And the Forgebound never got in to conflict with me and were takend out my someone else without me even noticing.

When it comes to the Rituals its perfectly okay to fall behind a bit early on, its pretty easy to catch up later once you have built up a stronger foot-hold. Then you are in a better position to defend your own ritual sites and attack and disrut the other major factions

[CryHavoc1134]

If you wait to go after Ghrond after you've completely wiped out the Skaven, Har Ganeth will take the settlement. If you go for Ghrond immediately after you secure Naggorand but before you finish the skaven off, you have a chance of getting it. It's a hard fight that requires precise movement, but it's doable.

The catch 22 is you're guarenteed to lose some of Naggarond to the skaven you left in that anoying provence above you. You'll then have to rush back and finish them off. It is doable, but a tad annoying.

[Shandor]

Kill the first skaven army. Get some spear man. Destroy the barracks and build the shade building and get 6 shades. Move to ghrond and ignore the skaven. (They are afraid of the naggarond garnision in earlygame.)
Conquer ghrond
Profit.

I always build shades first as soon I got some melee units to block the enemy. The killing does malekith the bolt thrower and the shades.
You can even send them up the city walls. They kill the enemy archers in melee and shoot from the walls inside the city.

[Big Moustache]

Complete your province, don't finish skaven off. Keep sacking their last hold for Malekith xp, items, followers and slaves. Than raze it and focus east. Don't bother settling that ruined province until much later.

Don't rush and leave the Norths alone, Instead make friends by killing beast stacks. Grond is at war with the Norths and they will go raid their province, leaving theirs undefended...