Common Symptoms
You're experiencing these issues:
- Bigger numbers but losses stack from attrition: You have more troops, but they're dying faster than the enemy's.
- Bad terrain causing unexpected defeats: You attack across rivers or into hills and lose despite numerical advantage.
- Sieges stall: Sieges take too long, drain manpower, and give enemies time to regroup.
- Naval landings fail without ports: Amphibious invasions fail or get cut off from supply.
Root Causes
War losses typically stem from these tactical mistakes:
1. Attacking Across Rivers/Hills Without Supply
Attacking across rivers or into hills gives defenders massive advantages. Without proper supply, your armies take attrition while trying to siege. This combination destroys your numerical advantage quickly.
2. Pursuing Into Winter
Winter terrain penalties are severe. Pursuing enemies into winter terrain causes extreme attrition and slow movement. Your army can be destroyed by weather faster than by enemy action.
3. Splitting Stacks Across Unsupplied Corridors
Spreading your army across multiple fronts without supply lines is dangerous. Each stack needs supply. Unsupplied stacks take attrition and can't fight effectively. Concentrated, supplied forces beat scattered, unsupplied ones.
4. Ignoring Sieges and Objectives
Wars are won by taking objectives (forts, crossings, strategic provinces), not by killing armies. If you ignore sieges and chase defeated armies, you waste time and manpower without making progress.
Fix Checklist
Follow these steps to win wars efficiently:
Step 1: Fight Short, Supplied Wars
Raise maintenance only when ready. Keep maintenance low during peace. Increase it only when war is imminent or you're actively fighting.
Take forts and crossings first. Control key terrain before engaging enemy armies. Forts and river crossings give you defensive positions and control movement.
Blockade with navy where possible. Naval blockades cut off supply and force quicker surrenders. Use your fleet to support land operations.
Step 2: Manage Attrition and Sieges
Rotate stacks to reduce attrition. Don't keep armies in the same province for too long. Move them to avoid attrition penalties.
Use mercs to soak siege damage. Mercenaries can absorb siege casualties while your main army maintains strength. This preserves your core forces.
End wars after positional gains and cash rather than grinding manpower. Take strategic provinces and war reparations, then make peace. Don't chase perfect outcomes—good peace deals now are better than perfect ones later.
Step 3: Choose Terrain and Maintain Supply
Fight on favorable terrain. Use hills, river crossings, and fort zones defensively. Don't attack into unfavorable positions.
Keep ports for resupply if doing naval operations. Naval landings require port control for supply. Secure ports before attempting amphibious operations.
Avoid winter pursuits. Don't chase enemies into winter terrain. Secure your objectives and wait for better conditions.
Prevention
Avoid war losses in the future:
- One-front wars early: Don't fight on multiple fronts simultaneously. Focus on one theater at a time.
- Choose terrain: Pick battles on favorable terrain. Use defensive positions to your advantage.
- Keep ports for resupply: If doing naval operations, secure ports first. Without ports, naval landings fail.
- Plan objectives before war: Know what you want to achieve before declaring war. Focus on objectives, not army kills.
- Monitor supply and attrition: Check supply lines regularly. Rotate stacks to avoid attrition buildup.
Quick Fix Checklist
- Raise maintenance only when ready to fight
- Take forts and crossings first
- Blockade with navy where possible
- Rotate stacks to reduce attrition
- Use mercs to soak siege damage
- End wars after positional gains and cash
- Fight on favorable terrain
- Keep ports for resupply in naval operations
- Avoid winter pursuits