Franks Strategy

The Franks are a Barbarian Faction. Like the Saxons, they have an easier time occupying and converting Roman settlements. Also like the Saxons and the Norse, the Franks do not have a dedicated military training building. the Romans have to build a rallying ground and then upgrade it to train missile, infantry or cavalry troops. The Franks get their troops from their farm, industry and civic buildings. I recommend going through the building browser and familiarizing where their units are found. For example pastures, a farm variant, produces less food and wealth but opens up recruitment for lancers.

The Franks have a pretty well rounded unit roster with a focus on cavlary. In addition they have some very good archers (range 200 vs 150 for normal archers).

Province specialization still exists but not to the same extent it did in TWR2. Each province now has to have its own production of food or it suffers a famine. In addition disease and religion can destabilize a province. This is generally how I build my provinces.

City

• City Center
  
• Civic Building
  
• Religion Building
  
• Industry
  
• (Situation Dependant)
  
• (Situation Dependant)
  
• (Situation Dependant)

Town

• Town Center
  
• Farm
  
• Sanitation

Town

• Town Center
  
• Farm (May not need a farm if fishing villages are available.)
  
• Industry

Of course, you can move the reilgious building to the Towns. The reason I put it in the city is so I can get access to priests more quickly. What I listed above is just a recommendation; its how I built Frisia after I united it.

When you start the campaign you have 2 armies and one fleet. The fleet is not going to be particularly helpful but it will keep the Saxon's at bay. The Saxon's should be your first target as they will not have very strong melee units until mid to late game. They share the same unit roster as the Norse, which is not particularly potent early on. However when you start the campaign, your recruitment options are limited as well. In fact you can only recruit an axe unit and a levy spear unit. Neither of which are very good. I chose to focus on the axe unit for the following reasons:

• Axes are armor piercing so I can slay general units easier.
  
• Axes will beat spear units.
  
• Spears are really only needed to deal with cavalry.

I recruited spearmen until I had 4 in each army and then recruited axemen. I spent 2-3 turns recruiting units in both armies and didn't attack the Saxon stronghold until the next year. I used both of my armies since the Saxon king was sitting with a full army and this is a city, not a town. Unfortunately we don't have oganors yet so we have to build siege towers before we can attack.
Start researching military techs especially Roman Logistics System. This will unlock the wood carver which will unlock bow units and the oganer. I recommend getting this tech as soon as possible and having an Artisan ready to upgrade. Getting ranged units and siege units early on will ensure you dominance on the battlefield. It will also allow for same turn city sieges.

After researching that tech, I strongly recommend Militarized Society. This will reduce your melee unit maintanence by a lot. After that work on some civic techs so you don't fall too behind.

Upgrade your starting farm to a pasture. This will allow you to recruit Lancers as well as Melee Cavalry. Personally I went with the Lancers but both units looked good. The Franks have excellent Cavalary so be sure to have 3 or more units per army. Recruit them when you can.

After you defeat the Saxons, they will be a Horde. In my game, they ran out of my lands and headed straight for Rome. 15 turns later and they are still puttering around down there; I really don't know why someone hasn't finished them off. Anyway, I recommend securing the rest of Frisia by defeating the Angles. This shouldn't be too hard. In my game they had one stack plus the town defenders so both armies were able to quickly overwhelm them.

Diplomatically you should be seeking out NAPs with your southern and western neighbors. After you secure a NAP keep trying to get a Trade Treaty. It will be easier after you secure your 3 settlement.

Next focus your attentions on the Norse. If you secure the North and you have placated the East you will eventually be able to focus your efforts on the West; your future home. I started with the Jutes, then moved onto the Danes and the Geates. I vassalized all three states with the hope they would become long term trading partners. And lets be honest, they aren't exactly sitting on goldmines. Their land is not that fertile and has no special resources. If you Vassalize the Danes you will get their subject for free.

This is where I eneded at 400AD. This was not a super fast conquest by any means but when I tried that as the Saxons, I had a bad day. The key is to slowly expand and keep public order in check. You will start getting Immigrants, which increase your taxes but lower public order.