Thus, your magnificent force of 50,000 will be reduced to a corporal s guard if you move them over a river to a poor mountainous river during winter. The computer using force number and composition, terrain and leader qualities handles actual combat. You just watch the silly graphics and listen to the tinny noise. Once an enemy s field force is vanquished, you can either assault a town or besiege it. If your force is in danger of attriting away, you may want to take a risk and assault, otherwise, sit back, soak up some rays, split off a cover force and enjoy the siege.
Complete conquest becomes a painfully slow process.
Speeding up game time gives the illusion of faster progress but destroys the feel of the game and may allow you to miss an opportunity announced by a trumpet and a tiny pop-up icon. Continental powers should look to diplomacy as a method of speeding up conquest. Alliances can be formed but may not be of much help, depending on your allies situation. Cassas belli are necessary to declare war. Some countries will always have reasons to fight but often you must bait an opponent into a declaration of war.