The Pope is dead! And no one can stand in his place...

[Righteous Arrow]

I was playing with a friend, was his first time in the game, and started a Sicily campaign. During 31 turns, he dedicated himself to destroy the Papal State. To my surprise, Rome has been taken and the Pope survived with +- 1000 men. He build an army and headed to the Pope. Soon, the Pope was dead. And so were the 13 cardinals, one by one, until there was no one to sit in the pope´s chair! The cardinal school was empit!
My question is: so now what? There is no Pope, there are no cardinals and when the Pope eventually rise, he will kill him and the following one. And the one after this. What will happen then? Who will stop, or at least dellay, the european nation to attack one another? The muslins will grow stronger?

Strange campaign!

[Vladimir]

I've killed quite a few popes in my day but I never eliminated the college all together. If your friend is still excommunicated the only change likely will be an increased number of wars among the Catholic states. So, yes, indirectly, the Muslims may grow stronger.

[Righteous Arrow]

If your friend is still excommunicated the only change likely will be an increased number of wars among the Catholic states.

It is impossible to see, because there is only an information about the lack of a Pope. No stats at all.

[A Nerd]

Can bishops and priests be promoted to the college without a pope in office, I mean in game terms/programming and such?

[Righteous Arrow]

Can bishops and priests be promoted to the college without a pope in office, I mean in game terms/programming and such?

Good question. We played a little after this and no new cardinals. I'll finish my england camp. and keep this one on just to see the fun of total war =D

[Vladimir]

No pope = fun for Italian factions. :2thumbsup:

[A Nerd]

There might be something in having cardinals elected in game terms even if there is no pope and an empty college. For if this happens, it would be pointless to continue killing cardinals and popes for the sake of destroying the papacy. If the cardinals were elected without a pope, the venture would be yield nothing. However, for political maneuvering, that is an entirely different story!

Do excoms last indefinately when there is no pope? Or do they evaporate when he is dead and the college is empty? Assuming a faction is at war with the papacy.

I think your campaign requires further experimentation. :)

[Myth]

The Papal States is a horde faction without a family tree - ie. indestructible in M2TW terms (in regards to the game engine)

The only way you can sort of destroy them is if you:

1. Kill every single Catholic nation completely.
2. Destroy all Papal States armies, agents, take all their towns.
3. Keep killing the Popes until no more can be spawned due to lack of new Cardinals.

The only time the Papal States will have anything to do from this point on is if Inquisitors spawn for them.

Naturally this can't be done if you yourself are Catholic unless you don't recruit any priests yourself. But it's better if you're not Catholic yourself.