Too many bandits"
"Get raided all the time"

This is a very simple "problem". You know the person has not played the game a lot or either dont have the brain matter to comprehend the game if you see this as a complaint. Bandits will appear at the extremity of your map. Meaning that, the more you explore around, the less bandit will be knocking at your door. The game tells you to go explore in the very first turn too. So basically these people are whining because they did not listen to the AI giving advice in-game.

"Peasants revols all the time and nothing I do seems to calm them"

I had a few problems with them until I understand the mechanics behind it. Its pretty historical as well. Ancient China was plagued with revolts and rebellions from peasant so in that aspect, the game represents it very well. Basically, you do not want to over work your peasants. Any work you tell them to do, is forced labor, they are not paid to do that work, you forced them to go work for the state, for the greater good. And so they get angry because they cannot work on their field and are likely to starve.

This mean that your farms wont produce if all your farmers are working at building roads and buildings. And your people will get angry as they are starving.

Just keep a close eye on the revolt bar, it tells you a percentage of people that are unhappy with the state. Build some shrines, to reduce, and research tech that adds cultures (for peasant) and Authority ( for nobles ). Shrines will affect either noble or peasant, just make sure you look at the info before you click.

Basically, this game sets a historical and realistic tone, you do not want to work constantly your peasant, you do not want to be at war always. There will be lots of turn where you just dont do anything. Its peace time, and nothing needs to be done, you are accumulating money and thinking about the future of your people.

When you have multiple cities, there will always be something thats is being done, but what I do is I build one city a lot, until my peasants gets tired, and then I leave it alone and concentrate on another.

Only build what you need. you do not want EVERYTHING. Only fortified your border cities, Choose how you want to plan out your cities, Ideally, have all your food/market cities on the borders of others, and have all your military cities in the inner circle. That way, if you get attacked, you wil lonly loose business /food cities. And you will be able to build an army to go an recapture them.

ALWAYS keep money wiht you in case this happens. There is no need to spend all your money all the time. I usually keep a coffer of 3,000. Just to be able to mount a quick army and defend my towns in case Im attacked by surprise. That means that I have a coffer of about 6,000 at all time, and I dont permit myself to use any of it once it reached 3,000.

Leave garrison troops near the Rivers. What I do is I build road across the River, that way, everybody goes trough the roads. So I will have a road that cros the river on the far right, and one on the far left. I keep 4 units of Proffesional soldiers; Heavy spear and 1 Noble on horses to both crossings. With this, I will leave a mix units of Horses in the middle, to quickly be able to reinforce whoever gets attacked fist.

I conquered all the clans behind that river, took a few of their cities and made them recognise me as an Emperor. Meaning that I dont have to worry about them attacking me. And I can leave all my cities undefended in the rear and middle ( keep in mind, ALWAYS keep at least one noble in each town, not completely, 100% undefended ) On the Front, I have my frontline, where I guard roads and River crossing. I also made a Garrison city across the River so that if anything happens, it will be the first one to be attacked and I will have time to prepare and fortify while my garrison city takes the blow.

This, of course, depends largely on where factions are, and the map. I am talking here as the Grand Campaign map. With the first faction available that I picked to play.

Make strategies that ressemble what I have said here, and it will be a cakewalk.

-Dont use Peasant armies to calm a Peasant revolt.. seems logical enough.
-Try to get proffesional soldiers as quick as you can trough research.

-I didnt have to use any armies until turn 100. I barely use any of my peasant armies. I used multiple 1 unit of noble to discover the map in all direction, never had a problem with bandits.

- I mainly use proffesional soldiers to garison my cities and my important roads/river crossings.

-I will summon peasant, leaded by Nobles, to fight big war

-I will summon proffesional soldiers, leaded by characters ( Generals ) to fight big war.

- Dont build your cities close to each other... Discover the map and look for Mines, Wild Horses, Rhinoceros, and other resources. Build a few cities all over the place, close to resources, and you will quickly have rich cities. Make sure you put this to good effect by building a bazaar and making them trades. Build roads to better trade.

-As soon as you see an AI, BE NICE, to them. Try to make peace, dont go into a defensive pact, just make a pact that you wont attack each other for 20/40 turns.

-Be friendly with everyone. Until you carefully choose your move. Try to pick the weakest link in the chain. Capture a couple of his cities and sue for peace, and get them to recognize you as the righfull emperor.

-Once you have picked your target, build up and army, and get close to his border. Chances are, he will embargo you because you are scaring him. This is your chance at a war. Declare war on those ♥♥♥♥ers for embargoing you ( Just like Japan did to the U.S during World War 2, when you think of it ) That is basically how I go on about war.

I usually dont completely capture my enemies, I take about 2 cities or 3 from them and then sue for peace. then I got wonderfull Allies that are protecting the flanks of my cities.


The game is extremely realistic/historical of that time period so just think as if you were actually a Chinese Emperor and everything should be fine.

In Total war games, you can easely be a Tyrant without any danger. In real life, it aint so. And you wont be able to be a Tyrant in this game.