EW 7: Conquests guide

When playing as other states, we never see this state get crushed. It won half the wars the HRE (starts off as East Francia) forced it to fight by holding down the eastern front long enough for the south-western (temporarily) and south-eastern to be overrun.
This clearly proves that MG is a hardy state WITHOUT player interference. This means that it must have more potential as an attacker instead of a defender.

The Poles, Danes and Bohemians, even with their common foe and other states with similar interest, fail to put a notable long-term dent in either the advance of the HRE, MG or Bavaria. Moreover, Bohemia will fall after a long time and the Poles will be slowly pushed back. We definitely have a long-term advantage for the most part.
Additionally, Bavaria expands quite easily across the Danube as as they fought the Bohemians which suggests a better performance if it was freed from war against Bohemia and the Poles.

As a result of the starting alliance as an autonomous subordinate to the HRE, we can drag the HRE into our wars. However, it can do likewise, meaning that any passage agreements or alliance with another power can be erased by the HRE's hostility to our partners.
We can use the HRE's military might to crush our foes and cleanse the map early on, but must be wary of being dragged into wars with too many opponents. Specifically, the Byzantine Empire when East Francia is elevated to the status of being the HRE. Furthermore, if we want either ending title, we need to surround and destroy the HRE and then, Bavaria, which means that the HRE should be allowed to weaken our foes, but not capture their cities. A good long-term investment for us, until we break this alliance before the HRE's establishment (around turns 15-25, I think?).

Our foes are many, but they are weak, disorganised, disunited and preoccupied with other conflicts.
- The many states in the Western Europe of today are no matched for focused invasions and conquest, their squabbling aside.
- The Hungarians (starts off as the Magyaroks) will help to destroy Bulgaria and be destroyed in turn by the Rus and Bavaria.
- Franconia, Lotharingia, Bohemia, the Poles and Danes are simply weaker than us, especially the first two.
This highlights the opportunities we have if we were to choose MG.

1. Conquer our hostile neighbours and improve our domestic situation. Defeat the rebellious duchies first, with our most mobile gens (Aetius, Alexios and Alfred) and the starting gen. At the same time, upgrade cities and build houses to raise the population limit for our next wave of gens.
Raise Justinian and Theodora, while pulling back one speedster (I picked Alfred) and the starting gen. Send all but Thedora and the starting gen to attack the Danes. The two will conquer the Poles. I bought Timur to fight the Poles and Bohemians.
Raise Narses and Belisarius to defeat Bohemia.

2. Tensions with the states in modern-day France will lead to war, through our choices or the HRE's belligerence. Conquer the various states there.

Theodora, Justinian and Alfred are to recover, reinforce Scandinavia and sail for the British Isles. War with the Vikings, England and Gwynned are recommended. However, once the HRE goes to war against both the Gaels and Alba, pull out (if we have no bases), recover in Scandinavia and sail for Alba's capital while sinking hostile ships.

The troops in France are to befriend Paris and crush all opposition here (the HRE is likely to provoke war with all the states along the Pyrennes). Use Arles's northern cities to expand, taking out Toulouse, Barcelonabo, Aquitania, Arles, Pamlona and Brittany in this order unless you spot a better chance at doing differently. Normandy was overrun but its troops tried fighting on east of Aquitania in my game.

Defeating the Poles and Bohemia opens up Hungary. All troops in both former lands will march into Hungary. Byzantium's surprising rapid losses in this game led to the Rus' early appearance around turns 13-14 which sped up the match. Taking Bohemia leads to declining relations with the Rurik Dynasty. Befriend the crippled Penchegnegs. Oddly enough, the Rus directed too many troops across the Danube into Byzantium, allowing for the passive Penchegnegs to slowly fight back. Narses, Belisarius and the starting gen headed for Kyiv while the rest reverse Rus gains. I was able to pay for their surrender. By now, you should be experienced enough to ally with the crippled Byzantine Empire and a defied Abbasid Dynasty while declaring war on Armenia, Iberia, the Buyids and the Hamdani Dynasty. Oddly enough, both Armenia and Iberia send their requests at the same time, allowing us to just... do business. Watch the Iberian-Armenian-Buyid three-way struggle. Oddly enough, Armenia has come up on top by a small margin in my previous two games, making them the best choice for an ally before our troops pass through.

3. North Sea, Italian, Mediterranean and Black Sea campaigns feature wars that expand our borders to the four corners.

Once most of the Danube, except for Croatia and Bavaria, and states north of Pamlona-Barcelonabo-Italy-Pirates are at war with you, break your alliance with the HRE ASAP. You should have a few turns before East Francia actually claims this title and sparks an undesirable war with the Byzantine Empire, a key ally.

The British Isles can be conquered by sailing across the North Sea to Alba's capital and English Channel to the Gaelic capital. Then, pay for their surrender.
Send these troops back where they came. Those from Scandinavia are to prepare for a coup de grace against Hamburg and the nearby cities. Those from France are to take advantage of a war against Paris and prepare to take back any "lost" land required for our titles.

Taking any Mediterranean island should change improving relations with the Fatimids into worsening relations. Declare war when paid to.
I allied with Leon, a natural choice, and the Idrisid Dynasty, a convenient choice. Both will cripple Cordoba together and the Idrisid can draw away some Fatimid troops. Those along the Pyreenes are to defeat Cordoba, take Palma and land in Algeria.

Verona and Zurich are good for distracting the Italians in a defensive campaign and war of atrrition, but it is hard to sustain the three to four full legions needed to properly attack and take Pavia with everything else going on. If you have some leeway with your population, raise some troops to take Corsica then Pisa, possibly while holding any stragglers that head towards former Arles lands.
When Italy falls, knock out Venice.
Units here can assist along the Danube, but please send some men to take Sicily and land troops to take Mahdia.

With the fall of the Rurik Dynasty, we can split our troops. Narses and Belisarius (both with Garrison Spearman and Narses with Scout Cav) headed to attack Iberia and the Buyids.
The rest will mop up Serbia, Croatia, external Venetian lands, Bulgaria and the Pirates on the mainland. Our target is Crete (Pirate Cyprus should fall on its own). Then, move northward to confront our former allies.

4. The dawn of a new age will see our betrayals crush the HRE and Bavaria. The Fatimids will be forced to surrender with Mahdia's fall, the Pirates will be exterminated and Buyids defeated
Bavaria went to war against the HRE in my run. The HRE troops were crossing my lands in between. Wait for a good time to attack HRE lands in France, Hamburg and its surrounding, as well as random seizures in the Balkans.
At first, it took 6.4k money (unless my brain swapped the "4" and "6"). Overrunning Roen, Hamburg, the cities near Hamburg and one or two holdings in the Balkans lowered this to 4.5k money. I needed to raise troops where the HRE troops were. Use your judgement to deploy the bare minimum for each city, taking into account who can counter the dominant classes nearby. Throw in one or two charging cav for cities with the most risk. I prepared for war by ensuring the recovery of the cities' HP during a lull in the fighting, which greatly helped.

Next, draw our forces close to Regensburg, but outside of Bavarian lands. Declare war when ready and/or paid to do so. Bavaria can be paid to surrender in the same turn as the fall of Regensburg

Ascend to your desired final title by fulfilling any capital city requirement.
Crush all remaining foes and win.