The Art of War; Stronghold Kingdoms Style

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FC_Groningen
Posts: 205
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 5:09 pm

The Art of War; Stronghold Kingdoms Style

Post by FC_Groningen »

The Art of War; Stronghold Kingdoms Style








Table of contents:



- Intro

- "Know your enemy and know yourself and in 100 battles you will never be in peril."
- "To win 100 battles is not the height of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is."
- "Avoid what is strong. Attack what is weak."
- "If instructions are not clear and commands not explicid, it is the commander's fault. If not, then it is the fault of the subordinate(s)."
- "War is a matter of life and death."/"War is a matter of vital importance of the state."
- "It is more important to outthink your enemy than to outfight him."
- "In war, numbers alone do not confer no advantage - Do not advance on sheer military power."
- "Let your plans be as dark as night. Then strike as a lightning bolt."
- "In battle, use a direct attack to engage. Use an indirect attack to win."
- "There are 5 fundamental factors for success in war - weather, terrain, leadership, military doctrine and most importantly moral influence."
- "To move your enemy, entice him with something he is certain to take."
- "Put the army in the face of death where there is no escape and they will not flee or be afraid. There is nothing they cannot archieve."
- "All warfare is deception."
- "It is essential to seek out enemy agents who have come to spy against you and bribe them to serve you."
- "The way a wise general can achieve greatness beyond ordinary men is through forknowledge."
- "When the falcon's strike breaks the body of it's prey, it is because of timing. When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of momentum.
- "It is essential for victory that generals are unconstraint by their leaders."
- "Make your enemy prepare on his left and he will be weak on his right."
- "The winning army realizes the conditions for victory first and then fights. The losing army fights first and then seeks victory."
- "Those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle. They are not brought by him."
- "Move only if you see an advantage and there is something to gain. Only fight if a position is critical."
- "When an enemy occupies high ground, do not confront him. If he attacks downhill, do not oppose him."
- "There are some armies that should not be fought. Some ground, that should not be contested."
- "When troops flee, are insubordinate, collapse, or are routed in battle, it is the fault of the general."




Intro

Seems I didn't get enough of writing guides yet. This one is purely based on warfare and how to achieve victory. After reading parts of the Art of War, I've realised that a lot of these teachings are * for this great game. The Art of War was written centuries before Christ, but still covers much of any modern military doctrines. Of course, there are major differences with real life warfare and this game like the immobility of attacks and defences. Yet, I certainly think the teachings could learn us much and perhaps would even change on how some of us think on how to proceed in a war. Feedback and input would again be welcomed. If nothing else, I hope it will be a pleasant read.



"Know your enemy and know yourself and in 100 battles you will never be in peril."

Obviously, for a simplified war simulator like this game, this will be less important, but knowing yourself and thy enemy will stay pay off. For instance, it will pay off to know what kind of castles your enemy prefers to build, on what time a lot of his members are offline and which areas he is weak and strong. The same goes for you; Know which of your areas are strong and how predictable your defence and attack will be. If you are predictable, like always attacking from the same side, or always try to do long range raids, it is something an enemy can anticipate on.

Preparation wise, try to obtain reports of their castles, observe their strategies in previous wars, find out about their command structure, the personality of the enemy marshall/leader and it can all work in your advantage. Sending spies to his house might be considered "low", but if you pull it off, the spies might prove to be invaluable.



"To win 100 battles is not the height of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is."

As I said in the marshall guide; being in combat will make you a more suitable target for other powers and it will drain your resources like faith points, villages, weapons, troops etc. You'll also suffer attrition damage if the fighting takes place on your lands, or the lands you consider yours. According to Sun Tzu, avoiding conflict while you still meet your strategic objectives is the most efficient way of handling a conflict. For instance, the areas you seek to take, could be taken by threats, negotiation, recruiting members as well. Another way would be to ally the house holding your strategic objective. This will leave you free to fight another day.


"Avoid what is strong. Attack what is weak."

As said; To be efficient in war, you must seek to complete your strategic objectives in an efficient way as possible. In this game, to win a war or to conquer territory, you usually do not have to target the strongest enemy players, unless they happen to hold key positions (sheriffs etc.). Instead of attacking their strongest, instead go for their vassals or weaker allies that provide them with troops, supplies and perhaps interdiction and votes. If you send a clear message that helping your enemies will be punished, a lot of players will eventually drop out or make the house declare peace. Killing off the strong player's vassals will render the strong player inefficient as well as he loses a lot of troops or means to attack you instead. Especially if you're invading and try to grasp a foothold in enemy territory, it is recommended you go for the weaker targets first.

The same goes for trying to find a place to invade. Do your research and see where the enemy has a lot of strong players and see where their weaker players are located. Avoid their strongest counties and drop "behind their lines" instead. It's usually a very good way to force the enemy to waste many resources (mostly faith points) on a larger area than before. Put your best against their monkers and you can disrupt their "line of supply".



"If instructions are not clear and commands not explicid, it is the commander's fault. If not, then it is the fault of the subordinate(s)."




- "War is a matter of life and death."/"War is a matter of vital importance of the state."
Last edited by FC_Groningen on Tue Dec 24, 2013 11:50 am, edited 2 times in total.
FC_Groningen
Posts: 205
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 5:09 pm

Re: The Art of War; Stronghold Kingdoms Style

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FC_Groningen
Posts: 205
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 5:09 pm

Re: The Art of War; Stronghold Kingdoms Style

Post by FC_Groningen »

*claimed*
FC_Groningen
Posts: 205
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 5:09 pm

Re: The Art of War; Stronghold Kingdoms Style

Post by FC_Groningen »

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