Dai Viet
Dai Viet have the Power of Independence.
Some say that geopolitics and culture reflect geography - and in the case of Annam, this would seem to be true. Long positioned between China and the eastern side of Southeast Asia all the way to the Java Sea, Annam - now renamed Dai Viet by her Ly rulers - has always had an aeclectic and unique identity as reflected by her aforementioned place - on the peripheries of China, and yet at the same time being part of the circuit of the Middle Kingdom herself.
However, fate thus far has been kind to Dai Viet. Ever since the fall of the Tang tyrants, and then the breaking of the pretensions of the dissolute kings of Nanhan, the nation has suffered only two instances of Chinese invasion since the chaos of liberation, and a few skirmishes with the Khmers to the distant southwest - and Dai Viet today is so stable and prosperous that she now wields influence over her less developed and more barbaric neighbour to the south, the kingdom of Champa. Yet old fears still persist - travellers have returned from the sea, bearing news of trouble in distant India, while the Khmers still smart from the stinging defeat that Dai Viet meted on their late ruler Suryavarman II more than a decade ago.
But perhaps the most spectacular news of all must be from China - the native Song rulers of China are losing ground against a new and ambitious invader from the north, a people called the Jurchens. Diplomacy thus far has prevailed in keeping the peace for Annam in the north with Song yet this time, things feel different. The greatest fear at present, amongst the Ly rulers of Dai Viet is that the Jurchens - who stylise their new kingdom as Dajin, "Great Jin" break the Song Chinese and eventually form an alliance with Khmer against Annam. Still, whatever the odds when they arrive, Dai Viet will be waiting for them with a formidable fleet, equipped with Chinese-style flamethrowers, as well as hordes of crossbowmen and elephant-borne warriors. But is militarisation the right path, or should Dai Viet instead rely on the time-honoured protocols of diplomacy to survive any potential northern threat? I suppose it is up to you to decide.
Faction overview
Cultural bonuses
- Independent Streak: First Meeting House built is free and is built instantly.
- Ambush Tactics: Horsemen can pass through forests. Military units in friendly territory are hidden when not attacking
- The Jungle Isn't Neutral: All units heal when not moving or attacking in friendly territory. Horsemen spawn with each newly built Barracks
- Jungle Farming: Woodcutters gather +2 Food while working.
- Hardened Warriors: Barracks units have +10% hit points.
Strengths
Food production bonus provides for some modicum of expansionary potential, stealthy units provide for psychological tactics to be used against human players, fairly proficient navy.
Weakness
Somewhat backward land army that is particularly deficient in mobility, difficult faction to master, limited choice in siege weapons.
As a minor faction, Dai Viet has somewhat deficient infantry and cavalry, mostly equivalent to early low-tier units from Rise of Kings. Where other factions like Nansong or the Holy Roman Empire come into the game with Spear Sergeants, Dai Viet must rely on Spearmen, who are weaker. Cavalry too is also nearly non-existent, with only Horsemen and Javelin Cavalry (as well as mercenary Merchant Cavalry at the Mansion) on hand for a fast attack strike force. Dai Viet also does not have Trebuchets, which cut back the maximum range of Dai Viet's siege crews.
However, looking past this, our attention must focus on what else is left - these being Levy Crossbowmen, Crossbow Infantry, as well as the three elephant units that Dai Viet has - thus, despite a nation historically closer to China like Goryeo on the other side of the world, Dai Viet tends to play more like an Indianised nation relying on near-naked light infantry relying on war elephants for support (whilst in support of the same). Going past these, there too is another component of Dai Viet's military force that too is also of worth - her navy. Like the Hoysala in distant India, Dai Viet's fleet are dominated by three units - War Canoes, which are slow and weak, but very cheap; and then the more advanced War Junk, as well as the fearsome Naphtha Vessel. This last unit, also found in the navies of Nansong and Byzantium is a fearsome unit that will destroy almost anything at close range, especially fortifications and heavy warships, but is vulnerable to attack by Fire Vessels. Dai Viet's army, despite her deficiencies, also has another ace up their sleeves - the ability to stay hidden within their borders. This works well with Dai Viet's foot units - the cheaper but weaker Suicide Soldiers, and crossbow soldiers, with their vast missile range. They may not be as strong as the Bubazi or Tibetan dujong levies of Minyak Xixia, but Suicide Soldiers, being cheap but weak light infantry armed with swords tend to become more deadly in Dai Viet's hands, since these expendable units can be used either as a distraction, or as a strike force for ambushing enemy units from the flank (a similar role can be imagined for the crossbow units that Dai Viet can access).
So where does this leave Dai Viet? what is the best strategy for Dai Viet, given the quirkiness or weaknesses inherent in the Dai Viet civ?
It would seem thus that Dai Viet, if not as a support nation working as a buffer for an ally (especially given Dai Viet's access to Guard Towers in the late game) would be best used aggressively in the early game, especially on small all-land maps where border skirmishing and early rushing is a fact of life. Dai Viet's ability to generate Food from active Logging Camp operations means that the more forests you can colonise with Logging Camps, the more Food and by extension, the more units you can generate, which feeds well into Dai Viet's use of Suicide Soldiers, which are very well suited for aggressive use in border warfare. Alternatively, those Food gains can also be used as inputs to invest into Eastern Elephants: a combo of Eastern Elephants and Sucide Soldiers, with a Margrave patriot is an ideal combo for early game rushing: pit the Eastern Elephants against Watch Towers and heavy units, and use Suicide Soldiers for swarming enemy light and medium infantry (the short distances between your capital and your enemy's won't make make having an all-melee army a concern). But if the map size is meant to be large, then booming and recruiting a large army with Springalds, Javelin Cavalry, and infantry including crossbows might be a better choice, with Dai Viet's two elephant archer units - with one being a top shelf, more heavily armoured version. A better map however at large dimensions would not be one with vast tracts of dry land but one with lots of water and chokepoints to capitalise on Dai Viet's naval superiority. Ultimately, though, Dai Viet would seem to be a niche civ, one that functions well on certain maps, but ultimately doomed to wingman status or outright defeat on others.
Unique units and structures gallery
Nanyang Spear Levy
Ever since the prosperity of trade on the Spice Roads became evident, Chinese communities have sprung up everywhere all across "South-Ocean", or Nanyang - the Chinese name for what is called Indochina in our time, mostly through migration. While these emigré communities can be called up by the Khmer or Dai Viet nations who host them, there are still sufficient numbers of these settlers within reach of southern China that they too can be recalled by Nansong in times of need.
Suicide Soldiers
Shared with the Khmers and Xixia, Suicide Soldiers form a genus of light sword infantry available at the Barracks. They may be weak and slow, but compensate by being available in vast numbers in an aggressive manner - hence their name. In the hands of Dai Viet, these units are immensely deadly, being able to provide a quick contingent of fast berserker infantry for use in flanking, or setting up ambushes.
Levy Crossbowmen
Crossbows have been a mainstay amongst Asian fighting men in some form or the other for almost thousands and thousands of years; in Dai Viet, they are particularly laden with symbolism: the legendary king An Duong was said to have received a golden crossbow from the turtle deity, Kim Quy, as a sign of godly approval for his reign. Should a Dai Viet player seek to arm even the local peasantry, they will find Levy Crossbowmen among their numbers, even though unlike King Duong's weapon, their weapons won't be solid gold.
Merchant Cavalry
In South Asia, and many other parts of the world, horses are often difficult to come by as are good horsemen. Dai Viet is oft forced to contract the services of Merchant Cavalry (as would Hoysala India) simply because it is simply too difficult to establish state-sponsored horse breeding initiatives of sufficient size or quantity to obtain as many horses as possible.
Asian Elephant
Shared with the Hoysala and Khmers, Asian Elephants function as an early-game heavy cavalry unit, ideal for countering rushes, or spearheading them, so long as you have Wealth to spare. Just watch out for javelins, crossbows or firearms and these units can trample armies wholesale for you.
Guard Tower
The ultimate light point defence structure, being an upgrade of the Watchtower. Not as strong as a Castle or a Citadel, but can be built in vast numbers wherever so required.
Mansion
The weakest of all advanced unit recruitment structures, the Mansion's main draw is that it has the lowest tech requirements, and can be built in each and every large Settlement that you control.
Fortified Barracks
Stronger than a normal Barracks, this building may be weaker than most point defence structures, but it is nevertheless a useful way to quickly set up and reinforce a forward building operation against any enemy counterstrike.
Peasants' Hovel
Trains levy units for sedentary agrarian nations. Not available for Outremer, Qara Khitai, Khamag Mongol, or Polovtsy.
AI leader names
- Chancellor Tô Hien Thành
- Ly Chieu Hoang
- Regent Đo Anh Vũ
- Chancellor Tô Trung Tu
- Chancellor Tran Thu Đo
- Warlord Vũ Đái
- Prince Tô Hien Thành
- Lý Anh Tông
- Lý Cao Tông
Settlement names
- Thang Long
- Hoa Lu
- Hoài Hoan
- Cuu Chân
- Giao Chi
- Dương Tuyên
- Ninh Hai
- Luc Hai
- Vũ Ninh
- Vũ Đinh
- Tân Hưng
- Phúc Loc
- Châu Diên
- Phong Châu
- Hoàng Mai
- Hoàn Kiem
- Hà Đông
- Hai Bà Trưng
- Đong Đa
- Cuu Giay
- Bac To Liêm
- Ba Đình
- Sơn Tây
- Co Loa
- Bình Văn
- Eng Hòa
- Cuu Đuc
- Viet Thưong
- Thưong Tín
- Thich That
- Thanh Oai
- Thanh Trì
- Sóc Sơn
- Me Đoc
- Mê Linh
- Hoài Đoc
- Gia Lâm
- Đông Anh
- Đan Phưong
- Chương Mi
- Ba Vì
- Thanh Xuân
Other chapters:
Wolf Among Lions [Steam | XBOX/EE | Gold]
Rise of the Barbarians [Steam | XBOX/EE | Gold]
Imperivm Invictvm [Steam | XBOX/EE | Gold]
Hammurabi: [Steam | XBOX/EE | Gold]
Other mods:
Rise of Kings: Chronicles [Steam | XBOX/EE | Gold]
New World Empires: Swords of the Prophets [Steam | XBOX/EE | Gold]
Warbirth: The Crucible [Steam | XBOX/EE | Gold]
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