Crusade is draining my army

[Ser Clegane]

I am currently playing a campaign as Poland and everything went more or less fine so far until the HRE decided to start a crusade from Austria against Edessa.

For whatever reason this crusade decided to take a slight detour via Poland to get some more soldiers. Of course, as a pious king I decided to let them pass through unharmed and let some of my subjects join their cause against the infidels.

So after a year the crusade went on to Hungary on its way to Edessa. That is when the problems started. The Hungarian king decided to to have a foreign army crossing his homeland and picked up a fight. The Germans got beaten and decided to tetreat to good old Poland. Of course once there they attracted more of my army to their cause http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

After replenishing they again (&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif went to Hungary only to get beaten again and pay me another visit http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

Ok - off to Hungary again (&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif, get whipped again and again return to Poland. By now they went through this prodecure about five times and I believe they somehow came to like it.
As Poland is my main base for recruitment of armies every other year these guys come in and steal part of my army. These guys are like locusts http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

I am reluctant to start a fight with them as I currently would not like to get in trouble with the Pope (also I somehow do not like the idea of fighting an army that by now mainly consists of my kinsmen).

Is there any way to stop these guy from actually crusading against Hungary (by the way my ally) and having me subsidizing it?

Help

[chilling]

Move your armies out of Poland.

[max_killer_payne]

The only way to stop them is to kill them, they're gonna keep coming back until your gone, when the crusade comes through, make sure you have a strong army and kill all of them

Welome to the forums,

[Ser Clegane]

Quote[/b] (chilling @ Feb. 02 2003,08:44)]Move your armies out of Poland.
Hmm ... of course that would be an option. However the Novgorod to the east recently decided that they do not like me anymore and invaded some of my provinces, so I would rather not withdraw to many of my forces from Poland (they might interpret this as an invitation)

But thanks for the suggestion

[Ser Clegane]

Quote[/b] (max_killer_payne @ Feb. 02 2003,08:48)]The only way to stop them is to kill them, they're gonna keep coming back until your gone, when the crusade comes through, make sure you have a strong army and kill all of them

Welome to the forums,
Well ... I almost feared it would come down to this. War in the West in addition to war in the East.

On the other hand, that way my soldiers at least will die fighting for Poland and not for these crusading weirdos http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[chilling]

Indeed. Especially if the crusade is attacking one of your allies.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Greetings Ser Clegane, we're glad you have joined us. I have never had the pleasure of playing as the HRE yet.
Sounds as if you're in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Depending on your income, you could leave mostly peasants and militia men in a province being gleaned by a rivals crusade. If not, crush him, and if the Pope excommunicates you, send several assassins to bump off the Pope. Once a Pope dies, all previous excommunications are null and void. Good luck. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[powdermonkey]

I don't know if this works, as I've never tried it, but I remember reading a post some weeks ago about bribing crusades. If you've got the moolah, why not give it a go?
If anyone has tried this and knows for sure if it works, please share your experience http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[econ21]

Camping Crusades are really annoying, but be aware that they seem to attract less of your troops as time goes on and they are no nearer to their objective. Eventually, they will dwindle and disband.
So for me, the key is to move your best troops and especially leaders out of the way when they first arrive, full of zeal, and can suck up around 1/3 of your province's people. Later on, when they are defeated and frustrated, they will be less of a magnet and you can safely leave a decent sized army in the province, losing only a smattering of men. Still keep good leaders and elite troops out though.
It may be that the crusade itself contributes forces that helps to deter your hostile neighbours.
Of course, you could choose to fight the crusade - especially if you king is old - but generally I would not advise the Poles to fight HRE and Novogorod.

[Brutal DLX]

Hi,

You didn't describe your current alliances, but if I were you, I would find the behaviour of the Hungarians extremely discomfitting, as they are Catholic brethren, yet refuse to let a crusade pass through their lands, thus acting against the will of the Holy Father himself, which is bordering on heresy...
In other words, I think it is completely justifiable to send an expedition corps of your own along with the German crusade when it next tries to attack and help them move into Hungary.
The King of Poland will be admired for his piety and decisive action....

[Namarie]

(NT)

[Ser Clegane]

Thanks a lot for all the advice http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

After some time I decided to go and attack the crusade - actually this going back and forth looked a bit like a bug to me as at one point the crusading army was far superior to the Hungarian army and still retreated to Poland - and of course I got my head handed back to me on a plate after that battle http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

The good thing was that after they annihilated my army most of the crusade marched on (and this time they really marched on) and I was able to take Poland back.

Too bad the Pope excommunicated me and I the HRE and the Novgorod attacked me from West and East.
To make things worse after some battles (some won some lost) some of my generals decided to start a civil war and from there things went really downhill.

So now it is 1270 and I am sitting in my Swedish exile (only province left) and have a debt of 40k. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

It seems that I am no more a threat to the others as they just ignore me and history is written without me.

But well, things like these actually make this game interesting (maybe I should go back to a saved game and try some other of the suggested tactics)

[Mr Frost]

Go back to a saved game and join the Gremans as they attack Hungary ... make sure you take a large force so you can keep Hungary afterwards . Hungry has Iron , thus you can get a metalsmith and some reasonable profits can be made . The Poop in rome will probebly support you in this as you would be helping a crusade .
The only trick then would be to hold your prise . Have fun http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif