If you really want to get ahead the game, you will
need money and happiness of peasants. In order to do this, start
the game by selling most of your cows and all of your crossbows.
These are worth a lot of money and provide start up cash for your
goal. Buy about 1500 to 2000 units of wheat and ration your food
so that most of the consumption is of grain, and very little cows.
Then, set your taxes at 6%, and buy lots of iron and a little
wood. Make your blacksmith produce armor (knights), and sell them
when the merchant arrives again. Repeat, and you will be very
rich over time. Use the money you make for upgrades to castles,
buying other weapons, buying mercenary groups, or more food for
your peasants. This strategy depends on you building up your territory
first, then striking out at neighboring counties. Another tip
is to attack the middle county out of an enemy's land that touches
yours. This does two things. The first is you gain another county.
The second is you will split his land mass up and he will actually
lose control of more than just the one county. Obviously, be ready
for retaliation.
Strategy: by Laura Omniscient
Strategy: by Wendell Martin