Sneaky Release of Nobunaga's Ambition

[W8taminute]

Thanks for the info.....not ready to pull the trigger yet but certainly could happen at some point, especially if I find it cheaper someday:)

I definitely understand your doubts about pulling the trigger on this game at that pricepoint.  Koei has always priced it's Historical Series strategy games that they offer to the west at a premium.  Then they wonder why their sales are not the greatest.  I know they're trying to make a profit but catering to a niche market (people like myself who love the games Koei makes and will pay the price no matter what) and therefor providing only a handful of games limits their long term profitability.  If only they would wake up and drop their prices a bit, many more strategy gamers in the west would take the plunge and try their games out. 

Once people see how elegantly simple to play yet rich with strategy gaming goodness these games are Koei could profit much greater with high volume moderately priced games vs. high priced games catering to a limited fanbase.

[Grim.Reaper]

Thanks for the info.....not ready to pull the trigger yet but certainly could happen at some point, especially if I find it cheaper someday:)

I definitely understand your doubts about pulling the trigger on this game at that pricepoint.  Koei has always priced it's Historical Series strategy games that they offer to the west at a premium.  Then they wonder why their sales are not the greatest.  I know they're trying to make a profit but catering to a niche market (people like myself who love the games Koei makes and will pay the price no matter what) and therefor providing only a handful of games limits their long term profitability.  If only they would wake up and drop their prices a bit, many more strategy gamers in the west would take the plunge and try their games out. 

Once people see how elegantly simple to play yet rich with strategy gaming goodness these games are Koei could profit much greater with high volume moderately priced games vs. high priced games catering to a limited fanbase.

To be honest, I have been weakening of late, may pull the trigger before the weekend ends:)  If it truly is a great game that I will play for a long time, price is not much of a concern...just not really sure if my small brain can wrap my head around everything making it worth my efforts:)

[Nefaro]

Thanks for the info.....not ready to pull the trigger yet but certainly could happen at some point, especially if I find it cheaper someday:)

I definitely understand your doubts about pulling the trigger on this game at that pricepoint.  Koei has always priced it's Historical Series strategy games that they offer to the west at a premium.  Then they wonder why their sales are not the greatest.  I know they're trying to make a profit but catering to a niche market (people like myself who love the games Koei makes and will pay the price no matter what) and therefor providing only a handful of games limits their long term profitability.  If only they would wake up and drop their prices a bit, many more strategy gamers in the west would take the plunge and try their games out. 

Once people see how elegantly simple to play yet rich with strategy gaming goodness these games are Koei could profit much greater with high volume moderately priced games vs. high priced games catering to a limited fanbase.

I think their pricing strategy for the few PC titles are based solely on what has always been their primary focus:  console games.

So they just slap console-level prices on them.  Despite having much less overhead due to digital distro.

[Grim.Reaper]

Does the game have a "sandbox" mode or is everything specific scenario driven?

[Nefaro]

Does the game have a "sandbox" mode or is everything specific scenario driven?

It's all sandbox mode.  The so-called "scenarios" are just different start dates in the campaign.  Like those in the Paradox games.

[Grim.Reaper]

Does the game have a "sandbox" mode or is everything specific scenario driven?

It's all sandbox mode.  The so-called "scenarios" are just different start dates in the campaign.  Like those in the Paradox games.

Ok, thank you...the reference to Paradox methods make it clear to me..

[Nefaro]

Having gone on a few expansionist campaigns now, with NASoI, I've realized that your stockpiled supplies are as important to take into account as the enemy.

Keeping multiple large forces out in the field can really suck down those supplies.  Plus you need to keep an eye on the supplies each one has with it, sending them back to resupply if keeping them out for more than a couple months.

So my wars have generally lasted less than a year thus far.  When supplies start getting low, gotta send the men home or your armies will quickly melt away.  Plus, you want to keep a chunk of supplies saved up for sending out relief armies if one of your castles gets attacked.

On Normal, the AI hasn't been a big challenge in warfare.  They fight back, but I've had the upper hand against approximately equal-sized foes.  Bigger ones could still be a big problem, though.  To be fair, I started with a pretty good set of generals so that has probably helped me win battles.

Another limiting factor on expansion is the amount of generals you have.  I've picked up quite a few by completely eliminating a couple other clans, so that is one way to get more although they won't start off very loyal.  The other is paying the occasional Ronin that shows up.  That has generally been happening after I take more than one castle in short order.

Having 3 generals per castle is ideal IMO.  One as Lord and commander of it's army in the field.  An overseer to make improvements more efficient.  And another for any local building & such.  Ideal minimum.



My Mori campaign, 10 years in.

My Ouchi Lord released me from Vassalage after I finished off Amago, which we had been fighting for years.  So if you get large enough, it seems vassalage is automatically removed from your clan.

And my daimyo, Motonari, is almost unstoppable now with stats going up to insane levels from all his battle experience.

I would definitely recommend Mori as a good beginner clan, in the earliest start date ("Nobunaga is born"?).  It starts as a vassal to the massive Ouchi clan to the west.  So you can expand east and Ouchi often end up fighting the same clans you attack.  They will also occasionally request you help defend one of their castles from same, which is a quick way of getting free Diplo points with them.  You also have a large amount of good generals from the start.  Some of your Diplo options are blocked, due to being a vassal until you get large enough, but that could help ease into it.

[W8taminute]

^Nice job there Nefaro.  Looks like you've got the basic concepts and then some down pretty good. 

[spelk]

I picked up the PS4 version, and I must say, the tutorial does impart some knowledge, but in an awkward way. I failed the tactical battle, because I pressed the wrong button and used a special on a unit I shouldn't have and then the enemy managed to get a good charge off at me! So I had to then go through all the tutorial again!!! And that young advisor went further afield for his sweeties! :)

However, after watching that Youtube vid, and then trying out the first scenario position, I can see myself becoming quite embroiled in this game. I do like the simpler more understandable ways the economy seems to tick over, and the combat seems streamlined but still engaging. Even the autoresolved stuff requires some semi-tactical knowledge around the node points.

I'm usually afeared and a'trembling when it comes to Grand strategy, but this title seems to lure me in with the historical stories, the movement and maneouvre and the traits/personalities and human angle on leadership. Valkyrie Chronicles & Crusader Kings, in a very small way.

I've only tasted a very small bit of conquest on the game but I think I like it. We'll see.

[Barthheart]

Man you all are making it really hard not to buy in on this. 

I've never played any versions of this and know very little of the history of the period but I can see myself using this to get my intro and leading to some history reading.

Just what I need.... more involved games that eat up time.... I need to retire soon.... :P

[jomni]

Having gone on a few expansionist campaigns now, with NASoI, I've realized that your stockpiled supplies are as important to take into account as the enemy.

Keeping multiple large forces out in the field can really suck down those supplies.  Plus you need to keep an eye on the supplies each one has with it, sending them back to resupply if keeping them out for more than a couple months.

So my wars have generally lasted less than a year thus far.  When supplies start getting low, gotta send the men home or your armies will quickly melt away.  Plus, you want to keep a chunk of supplies saved up for sending out relief armies if one of your castles gets attacked.

On Normal, the AI hasn't been a big challenge in warfare.  They fight back, but I've had the upper hand against approximately equal-sized foes.  Bigger ones could still be a big problem, though.  To be fair, I started with a pretty good set of generals so that has probably helped me win battles.

Another limiting factor on expansion is the amount of generals you have.  I've picked up quite a few by completely eliminating a couple other clans, so that is one way to get more although they won't start off very loyal.  The other is paying the occasional Ronin that shows up.  That has generally been happening after I take more than one castle in short order.

Having 3 generals per castle is ideal IMO.  One as Lord and commander of it's army in the field.  An overseer to make improvements more efficient.  And another for any local building & such.  Ideal minimum.



My Mori campaign, 10 years in.

My Ouchi Lord released me from Vassalage after I finished off Amago, which we had been fighting for years.  So if you get large enough, it seems vassalage is automatically removed from your clan.

And my daimyo, Motonari, is almost unstoppable now with stats going up to insane levels from all his battle experience.

I would definitely recommend Mori as a good beginner clan, in the earliest start date ("Nobunaga is born"?).  It starts as a vassal to the massive Ouchi clan to the west.  So you can expand east and Ouchi often end up fighting the same clans you attack.  They will also occasionally request you help defend one of their castles from same, which is a quick way of getting free Diplo points with them.  You also have a large amount of good generals from the start.  Some of your Diplo options are blocked, due to being a vassal until you get large enough, but that could help ease into it.

Looks good.  I'm doing Takeda now.  But still small.

[tgb]

I thought the overseer and castle lord were one and the same.  I know how to assign a Lord, but can't find any way to assign an overseer.

I've been playing Oda in the first scenario and doing OK, I guess, just a few years in, but Mori sounds intriguing and I may give them a shot.  Are you playing with historical events on or off?

[W8taminute]

Man you all are making it really hard not to buy in on this. 

I've never played any versions of this and know very little of the history of the period but I can see myself using this to get my intro and leading to some history reading.

Just what I need.... more involved games that eat up time.... I need to retire soon.... :P

If you do pick this game up I can assure you that you will learn much about the period and place this game is set in.  Much more so that Total War: Shogun 2 does it.  The reason is Koei has integrated the story telling/history lesson into the game flow quite smoothly.  It's like you think you're having fun playing a game but what you don't realize is that you're learning something about the warring states period in Japan. 

In fact having played these games for years when I finally did get TW: S2 I almost laughed at how much I already knew. 

[Nefaro]

I thought the overseer and castle lord were one and the same.  I know how to assign a Lord, but can't find any way to assign an overseer.

You can assign a different Overseer when you give a Development command (Crops/Crafts/Soldiers) to the castle in question. It is on the same pop-up asking which of the three you wanna do.

I've been playing Oda in the first scenario and doing OK, I guess, just a few years in, but Mori sounds intriguing and I may give them a shot.  Are you playing with historical events on or off?

I have Historical Events on, Normal Difficulty, and Normal Generals' Life Spans. 

I started with two castles and around 14 generals.  Now I have 11 castles and 44 generals (although a few aren't very loyal).  Depending on how my solo wars with other clans larger than my own go, I may test out raising the difficulty one notch on my next campaign.  But this one has been rather addicting & I've always enjoyed playing Mori in Sengoku games for some reason.  I don't know a lot of hard details about the clan (or many others) yet, but I do know the Mori had a pretty steady rise in power during the period.

[jomni]

As Takeda in my 7th year, I'm now surrounded by powerful clans.  Imagawa, Hojo, Nagao (the future Usesugi Kenshin). 
The Imagawa eliminated Oda early on.  Let's see if Oda Nobunaga will still appear to put a stop to the Imagawa.
I have a marriage with Imagawa and not in good terms with the Hojo.  Maybe I should go historical and ally with the Hojo and concentrate on Nagao.

I love the streamlined people management as the game tells you which generals are not loyal in an instant.  That means I can also easily spot the unloyal enemy generals that I can manipulate.
This is an actual strategy in real life and many good plans are spoiled by general that don't do anything, rebel, or defect.

I'm still not proficient in making good use of those Trust points.  Earning and using them at the right time seems to escape me.  How do I build coalitions?