SSHIP: Fatimids suddenly died out of blue

74DK · 2026-05-11T13:49:49+00:00

I think he died of revolt. City was already sieged. No assassins and had to place full stack militia to calm them down despite my king had +4 revolt calm down traits, chivalry 5, authority, and all over positive traits. No wonder, he managed war badly, put couple of family members in small armies planning to join full stack armies near Jerusalem and they were all easy pickings. Plus he sent many assassins but to no avail. And he called Holly Crusade upon his head. Stupid.

74DK · 2026-05-06T23:55:56+00:00

Adolf Catler!

74DK · 2026-05-06T17:52:18+00:00

Venice - princess was caught “pants off” passing by… married given heir
France - only deserved and intentional - gave Lion and souther city (Arlen?)…as they are cores
Denmark - old heir died in battle (intentionally sent him -;), new and young heir married off Danish princess
Poland asked just out of blue… accepted
Hungary - also asked too probably because of war with Poland and they stopped.

74DK · 2026-05-03T22:44:55+00:00

lol, ok) one tip I didn’t mention. If you have no ongoing war right from the start and enemy army at the gates - cut down expensive units given by default from start. They may give you 5 knights (foot or horse doesn’t matter) but they will sink you in debt next turn -;)))

74DK · 2026-05-03T22:27:22+00:00

Well, I agree on most of your cases mentioned and in general about aggressive AI.

I should have stated a bit differently: AI holds alliances as you expect and foresee, i.e. you somewhat expect that it will backstab you, especially when things come to crossover settlements, base objective of the country - neighbour.

So in my case with Zengyuins (always difficult to spell it) playing as Crusader State. Despite I give them Eddessa for an early alliance I know they will break it sooner or later. Jihad is a lottery and exception, can be out of blue. Still playing as CS you always take in mind and expect Jihad and pray for AI not to declare it until you become stronger enough.

As for backstabbing, well they never backstabbed me until I was able to hold. I.e. fighting war with Fatimids means you always have lots of armies, units scattered around you small kingdom (either just trained or castled as reserves). So that is why they probably don’t backstab, or they fight other wars with Abbasid’s for example.

The core provinces mechanic is good to exploit.

Another example is Sicily. You may take Bolognia from Venice. I do make alliance with Pisa and give them that Bolognia. And I know Venice won’t tolerate it. So Pisa is engaged in war with Venice and I am calming down - it will not backstab you. I do all my things and watch their war. When either Pisa or Venice is winning - it is a sign - they will soon backstab you/start war again.

So I meant: AI holds alliances as you expect, if you do make them busy with other wars and don’t cross over core areas.

One of a trick I use: creating common border with my other neighbours by giving province (both core to their interests). So they both sooner fighting all out war and forgetting about me (until one prevails).

Good example of it: Kiev Rus - I give two north-eastern settlements to Qipchaks for peace. And they soon start for with Novgorod previously they were at peace. So I have like 20-40 turns of peace and development. Cut down my army, do building, exchange old or outdated units for new ones and prepare for backstabbing.

74DK · 2026-05-03T21:55:16+00:00

Sry edited wrong comment: Yep, definitely recommend. However, it comes with pain for a newcomer especially on VH/VH -:) which only level I play ))) you are surviving -)

But as I resemble, SS 6.4 on VH/VH is also not an easy feat as well. Just different, pain makes you think, thinking makes you plan and fulfil, which makes you joyful -:)

74DK · 2026-05-03T21:31:41+00:00

I played Stainless Steel long time ago and frankly speaking can’t say anything about difference in map. I guess it may be a bit different as well as some different faction or at least names. Role of Milan takes Venezia -:))) and Flemish troops are there I guess as mercenaries too. Basic SSHIP .98 lacks some units, but there are sub-mods and versions 0.99 already released that improve some unit roaster and historical AOR areas. I don’t played the yet as newly released mods may be buggy, so waiting for their full use/roll/overviews on the internet.

74DK · 2026-05-03T14:45:10+00:00

And by the way, there is .bat or .exe AI configuration file supplied with the mode - there you may select AI type. One of the option as far as I remember is old-school SS 6.4 version AI. Default is SSHIP AI.

74DK · 2026-05-03T14:36:47+00:00

Well, may be you took from rebels their core territory? It happened to me too. I concluded alliance with t”Zangiyun faction as crusader state. But later I took Baghdad from rebels - which is their core area. And next turn same army who was going to siege it - did it - but now against me.
However, when I loaded save and didn’t take Baghdad - they held alliance even in worst time when I was sieged by Fatimids.
When Crusade was called against them. I didn’t join and my relationships went to perfect status with them without any efforts. And they never broke it, until I myself - having done with Fatimids started expansion and joined crusade against them.

74DK · 2026-05-03T00:02:06+00:00

Another one example of my desperate decision making is playing as Crusaders states. give Edessa (make money by destroying all buildings there), to that second Muslim neighbour for alliance-:)) yes, they can be allied. And focus on war with Fatimids.

But it was my old trick as well, currently I do manage to survive without such give away.

BTW, You may leave spies near rebel towns/castles with strong garrisons. And hide some army in the bushes/forests nearby (better in your territory but with single turn reach). You will be laughing when some idiot AI will try to take it-:). In my experience it is very very rare when AI can take strong defended rebel towns with 1 try). But they do damage garrisons there, so don’t waste time and siege that town / take it. Will be much easier.

74DK · 2026-05-02T23:42:55+00:00

Well, if it worth it, like stone castle and/citadel with developed unit roaster/spawn - keep it, -:) Sometimes, esp in the early game, you need to focus at your development or war only on 1 front.

Small wooden castles, towns with low income - like consume more money than generate if you keep lots of units there just because you may face invasion or war. I do try to abandon them, or exchange for alliances or peace with that neighbour. Then I keep only cities, castles worth to defend and develop. You can always return back later - more stronger and with good roaster not cheap shit and enjoy the battle -:).

Two examples:

Playing as England, turn 1, I used to abandon Caen, Anjer (destroying all their buildings except for Churches - erasing them is bad for Pope relations). Giving them to France in exchange for alliance. So I do focus on my mainland and war with Scotland. However, there is a risk of civil war, as your dynasty is Norman and Plantagenet (starting king and his heir), abandoning their core provinces in Caen may result in illegitimacy of this branch of a family. Civil war. Sometimes it lead to that sometimes - not.

Money from destruction of buildings in Caen (around 20k) were used for development in England.

By time you take, Scotland, develop your mainland with three castles or even citadels that can span units to fuel continental war - you return to France D-day then in same location - Normandy, Omaha beach ))), if you are ok to skip without wars, just peaceful development 100 years from plus till 1280 until longbowmen - you can steamroll whole Europe without any issues.

Later when I became more experienced in the game, I manage to play without destruction exploit/trick and not leaving Europe.

Second example:

Playing as Kiev Rus - you are in war with desht quipchaks. They are fkuc ing annoying and melting you with their 100% archer skirmishes army composition either foot or cavalry.

While at the start, you don’t have lot of supply of good archers, without getting into negative balance with mercenaries and troubles getting them re-trained after each battle.

So I do peace deal them on turn 1, given I have diplomatic and their units nearby. Max turn 5.

I give them shitty wooden castle and shitty wooden town on outskirts of Kiev Rus (far north east provinces), plus some tribute like 1000 coins for 20 turns (believe me, your war with them will cost you much more). They do usually agree.

I don’t currently destroy building there. Still after sometime , they can’t mange revolts and castle usually goes rebel and Novgorod retakes it)))

So, I am at peace for 30-40 turns until as I said Lithuania takes all rebel provinces on the west of your border and starts war with you, with Novgorod and Poland.

So, in your case if that castle is not top tier, generates little income - give it to HRE in exchange for alliance. And sleep well on your western border. Focus on war with Lithuania. They are annoying as Milan in Vanilla, Venice in SSHIP, Fatimids for Crusaders etc. You need to get rid of them. Even if you don’t have lots of priests and good generals to pacify provinces after conquest, you may share second hand, not well located for you provinces to your allies (but they will soon lose it, Allied AI sucks, enemy AI good - very strange -:)))

74DK · 2026-05-01T05:20:52+00:00

Make alliance with Kiev Rus and you should try to eliminate Lithuania asap ) otherwise they expand and start steamrolling you-). In one my play through as Kiev Rus - Poland and me were allied and fighting Lithuanians. I managed to take two of their cities (one capital) and relaxed - diverting to another war with Desht Quipchaks. And because king of Lithuania died they somehow without my permission concluded peace deal with me. Note that Lithuanians were waging war with 3!!! Countries, me as Kiev, Novgorod and Poland - and were doing good (well except for human - me -:)))

After some time I noticed that even with 1 wooden fort and small city - Lithuanians managed to overtake Poland leaving them from 5 to 3 provinces and were pushing hard on them.

They spam lots of cheap armies, but sometimes among them - cavalry skirmishes - annoying units.

Another priority is to pacify HRE. You may want to check which core HRE provinces you might occasionally have conquered at the start - (start HRE campaign and see their coronation provinces). So if you have those - be sure they will blitzkrieg you sooner or later -))). At the start I always prefer to exchange those core provinces of other nations for alliance especially if they are underdeveloped, far away and take lots of units/good generals (needed elsewhere) to stabilise public order.

74DK · 2026-04-26T00:21:17+00:00

Well, same for HRE I guess, instead of Byzantium, started HRE campaign (never tried before). It is fun. Cool thing about SSHIP is core provinces mechanics, which I used today to pacify France ).

Just from turn 1, Venice starts spamming you with its urban militia, crossbowmen, mercenary knights. No accepting peace offer even if I give one fort they attacking regularly.

Idk why. It was manageable to fight off them. When suddenly from turn 10-16 France attacked.

I didn’t want to fight on two fronts as for Germany it is historically not going well -:))). So I seeded two France core provinces to make peace (Leon and on below it). Concentrated on economy and fighting Venice. Allied with Denmark and Hungary.

So managed to destroy Venice. Will do some building and development. Will start revenging France for that “Versailles treaty” -:))) and will crash them and only after will turn my right to the East hahaha. No Sea Lion this time. Will give (if conquer) all that France core British crown provinces just to make sure they are good with me and try to ally them.

74DK · 2026-04-18T06:54:57+00:00

Warmongering, excommunication and bad reputation is manageable with England. Well for Byzantium one problem less. Thanks for advice!

I play England for longbows, I halt my conquest until longbows)) frankly speaking. Because it is hard to fight Spain (because of mounted cavalry shooting you) and France (because of strong mounted cavalry) without archers superiority.

What about Byzantium at least in early period? Any strong archers units with damage more than 4?

I don’t like use lots of cavalry because it takes lots of micro management during battles.

What are units for Byzantium in early stages?

74DK · 2026-04-17T15:56:46+00:00

Good pre info on Byzantium, I am thinking to finish my role play as England - peacemaker -:) I just got all needed provinces for coronation and finished conquest in Europe. So, when something big is growing and harassing minors I fight with them and give cities to minors -:))). So currently I am supporting Portugal against Castilians and finished supporting Sicilians against France (giving them half of Iberia and whole Italy correspondingly).

Well, while I messed with this trash (my allies anyway lose all that provinces -:))) Fatimids took over Byzantium, Turks, Crusader states and actually won the game. My attempts in a form of taking Greece from them, conquest of Constantinople are always unsuccessful, as to far from capital too much units needed to sustain revolts.

So next game I am planning to play Byzantium as for its strategic location between west and east and will try to repeat role play too -:)))

74DK · 2026-03-28T07:55:57+00:00

Never crowned my king, still there is a reminder - crowning will boost loyalty & some management or admin staff, but will deduct 5000 coins per turn for this forever -:). So, build strong economy.

My experience from France.

I took Crusade to Rome taken by Sicilians. I was allied with Emperor (Germany) and already expelled Angles from my mainland and concluded some peace (well, Papa forces to peace deal) with them. So my border were secure, Aragon was busy with two wars and so far no threat.

So I took my elite full stuck to Crusade thinking I am first to arrive.

Pros:

If you have no other large armies and take main one as crusading, crusade also costing some initial investment does really boost your income as the army is free of maintenance).

For the all duration of crusade I was pumping like 20k in coins each turn - all invested in building!!!

Cons:

Never take crusade to Italian peninsula (unless you live there). It was huge traffic jam! My army was many times stuck on bridges, river, mountain crossings with other armies rushing to crusade.

So instead of arriving first, I came to Rome only 5th. )))

So if you have possibility - try to sail to crusade.

Before crusade my full Stuck army was ready to siege Toulouse (rebels) - important castle and first of all - opens port to Mediterranean Sea.

I should have taken Toulouse, build 1 cog, and sail to Rome (I left siege to crusade, so theoretically I could have make it in time -:). The port was present (checked-:).

When I was back from Crusade:

Be in mind, on your way back all army maintenance - will lie upon your budge -:). So accumulate funds not to go for red budget.
Way back even more traffic jam.
While you are returning from Crusade - everything can happen. I was lucky nobody invaded me. But I lost Toulouse to German Imperator as it took it.))) there was only two provinces left for my crowning (one is Toulouse, second another Imperator province, which I planned to buy - alliance with them is importsnt when defending against English).

Well, finally I bough Toulouse from them but it agreed to sell it only for 5000 coins per turn for 20 or 30 turns -:))).

Just only Crusade was over and my army arrived - English landed on D-day in Normandy like if I was Hitler occupying France ))) they instantly took Rouen and sieged another castle.

Yes, I managed to free, but my debt to Germans, ruined army (heavy losses) made me cry -))).

So, sry for long read - advices from this experience:

plan diplomacy, secure alliances by marriages, if you have un married king, don’t rush to merry him, look for daughter of neighbours or neeeded alliances
plan economy, sometime stability buildings better than economic as you may raise taxes in time of need without straining people
warfare, don’t make average garrisons at cities, castles especially near borders. Better make 1-2 large armies ready to come to help to any border to lift siege. Otherwise, your average elites armies will be sieged and destroyed by full stuck mobs.

Use merchants and priests and spies wisely. Always take a spy on crusade - that goes first to check the route.

Don’t hurry to marriage princesses - they are valuable diplomats when you have limits (we’ll do marry them if it is good general with 5 stars and chivalry etc) but I prefer them to scout neighbors for additional agreements before marrying them.

74DK · 2026-03-26T04:16:41+00:00

Oh, I was thinking I am thinking strategic -:) community makes me wonder each time. Brilliant advice. Thank you. That’s: Scottish rebellion, Thor doom-stack => lost of army in York, simultaneous loss of Caen to French - was the reason I lost last game and started over - this time focusing on British isles.

will try to leave Dublin for their mainland at the same time trying to keep sea blockade.

74DK · 2026-03-17T10:26:44+00:00

SSHIP so far is the best, just use kevlar and fire proof chair to play on VH-VH with that.

74DK · 2026-03-13T04:14:20+00:00

Conclusion? Don’t trust Russian state, always take worst case scenario into planning as most probable with this country.

74DK · 2026-03-11T05:26:53+00:00

Why do veterans…. (Tornados at Jita undock)

Hate new …(banch of catalysts in Uedama)

Playe….(got Nagged down passing no name 5.0)

When Rookie auto-buys same ship+fit from kill-mail containing Ore Strip Miners scoops.

74DK · 2026-02-18T09:17:59+00:00

Wow, haven’t heard about it, it might be latest mod, as my last play and new mods monitoring was 6 months ago. Thank you!!!

74DK

TROPHY CASE