The pope

[and another thing....]

I`m playing as the HRE - early,expert.

For the first 70 years or so, I stayed in my original borders building up my provinces and slowly raising an army.
Alliances were made with virtually every other faction and due to the strength of my armies, none of my provinces were invaded.

I expanded via pomerania, prussia into lithuania,kiev etc and subdued all the rebel provinces. Each has now been fully converted to catholocism (sp ?)and I have a trade network that covers every single area apart from the central med. Good income etc.

All fine and dandy you might thing until.....
Sicily sinks some of my ships and then Italy joins in - they invade Austria but receive a right good kicking (I lose 350 they lose 1800 - my best battle yet http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif )
France then has a pop and captures Friesland so I transfer units from other provinces, reinvade, kill the king and his only heir in battle, which then causes the remaining french provinces to be rebel factions etc. I then take over them all (thinking as rebels it won`t matter)

Result - excommunication, broken alliances and even the islamic nations don`t want to know.

I`ve assasinated 3 popes to try and stop the exc and then ally myself with them but within a couple of years, every catholic province decides to have a go and I end up excommunicated. I`ve even been excommunciated whilst carrying out a crusade

Why is this - I can`t figure it out. The french were highly aggressive yet they seemed to get exc then be able to ally themselves with the pope again. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

Has anybody else come across this - I`m so fed up with the Pope that I`m going to invade, and then just conquer everything I can as I`ve got a big army and lots of money

[Odyssey of War]

The bigger you get the weaker everyone else is. This is a problem for every other faction, realizing that you could destroy them with one swoop. Their only consideration is to join up and all go after you. The pope wants everyone equal and everyone catholic. He will always side with the weaker force even if the weaker force attacked the stronger force. The pope just doesnt want anyone getting too big. The bigger you are, the more you are a threat to him and all the other catholic nations. Just keep fighting and playing, its all part of the game.

Think about this: it wouldnt be as much fun if you always won easily and everyone always wanted to be at peace with you.

[and another thing....]

Thanks Odyssey http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif

Hadn`t thought of it quite like that http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif

[Exile]

hmm..it is clear that the Pope hates you http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

I'd just stay excommunicated long enough to wipe out my main enemies. Just watch your prov happiness.

Alternatively, you can wipe the Pope's faction out. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[and another thing....]

I think I`m going to go with that stratergy Exile http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

My plan is this - I know that the papal states will revolt and so I plan to rotate units through for a "tour of duty" along with a 2/3 star general and let them fight a couple of defensive battles (which they should win due to numbers and armour/weps level).

To make sure there`s plenty of revolts, I`m only going to hold the papal states with a couple of units and base the rest in Tuscany so that they can then move in to defend the province.

Whilst doing that, I`m going to attack the remaining catholic factions, before turning my attention to the islamic nations.

Might even work http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

[Jacque Schtrapp]

Two questions:

1. Are you playing the patched version of the game? I haven't been excommed for defending my property since I patched.

2. Is being excommunicated actually causing you a problem? I often spend half the game excommed when playing a catholic faction. I simply keep decent garrsions and make sure I build churches in every province along with providing a priest and spy. In addition to random executions of low loyalty generals for treason, this helps me avoid any type of rebellious behaviour amongst generals and the common folk in each province.

If you can make number 2 work then you can pretty much do whatever comes to mind with out a thought for who cares one way or the other. If not, then pay the pope a visit. Pope on a rope or Pope flambe is always nice http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[and another thing....]

Pre-patch at the moment Jacque.

Its not really causing me a problem as I find that being excommunicated is quite cool: - don`t have to worry too much about peeing people off. Its just annoying me that I tried to be a good boy but still get binned.

As you say, pope flambe looks like being dish of the day http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif