I LOVE this game.  Have done since v1 (although my copy went missing during a move).

OK chaps, what tactics, if any do you use to win?

What are the most important parts of the 'opening moves' do you think?  What do you need to get right early on to set up a solid footing to win the game?

hey,

one thing that worked out fine: give the knight that doesnt pay for up to 450 a lot of troops and start with 2 others with 50 - 100. remain near the stronghold with the 450er and snatch some new troops, then go for the big cities overseas...

bests,

zolledine

 make a city with a/close to a port your citadel. NEVER choose the city in the centre of the map!

Split your troops to make three forces; place the nobles on or near three cities of appropriate strength and attack/lay siege as soon as possible.  Try to pick cities nobody is competing with you for.  This strategy usually bags you two cities on the first turn.

It's influence that wins this game; you get it once per turn and you only get it for home cities - not foreign ones.

That is actually wrong, I also got it wrong at first. Foreign cities does give you influence once per turn. I think the mistake stems from the fact that they do not count when counting the majority of kingdom cities.

I find that the best strategy is to aquire cities early in the game, start earning that influence ASAP! When behind try to go for the leading players cities, that means one less influence for him that round and one more for you.

Interesting.

Early city acquisition does seem to be important and i think i agree with Auguil that cities towards the centre are to be avoided.

Pawnstar's advice of avoiding competition if at all possible is also sound advice i think.

In fact this is a sound strategy form most conflict games that i've played.  Its my experience that often, the player that manages to avoid getting drawn into a fight often prevails.

Or rather, players that get drawn into conflicts, tend to suffer...

So, how do you develop your strategies into the mid-to-long game?

what do you think are the key moves to make to secure victory from a good or indeed a poor, start?

Well, that depends on how the game develops. I often find it useful to be either head of church or chairman, if possible both. There are some agendas that give you influence and others that give a cash boost, you have a greater chance of winning the vote for them when you are chairman. It is also useful to be able to pass on the bad events and to get the good ones.

Other than that I tend to lie low and try not to make enemies, maintaining at least one large stack army near my key cities to discourage attacks. If the chance to capture a stronghold presents itself, I often grab it. Losing a stronghold is quite a setback for the player concerned. You can not earn influence from cities in the turn you lost your stronghold. That means one less contender for the throne, but you also make an enemy for the rest of the game. 

In mid-game, when there are no neutral kingdom cities left, it might be a good idea to capture a neutral overseas city to avoid provoking the other players.

Also, like in other conquest games, if one player is running away with the game you have to form an alliance against him. Indeed the metagame concists of trying to convince the other players that you are not the leading player but that mr.x is.

Choose a close number of cities and hold them make sure you have 1 more than every other player giving you influence each turn.  Funds are important to booster your armies.