....Muslims, grrr

[clovenhoof]

It seems that no matter what difficulty level I play, a Muslim faction usually ends up as my only real challenge. That is, everything on the North half of the map that I have not taken is usually taken by a dominant Muslim faction. It means that unless I make my main strategy holding back Muslims, the game will always reach its peak in the same way- me vs the Muslims. I really really really hate that. Its not so bad if I start as the Byz or the Spanish as you have no choice but to dominate the Muslim faction early on, but any other faction I play usually ends the same way. Thats my gripe. Does any mod fix this?

[GoldenKnightX2]

That always seems to happen to me to. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif It's either the Egyptians or the turks, weird isn't it. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[khurjan]

hmm i know what you saying there guys as i play mostly muslim factions only and boy they got good units to helpout easily i love the medmod for vi as egyptian i streamroll over everyone in spain and anatolia

[ShadesPanther]

Strange i never get dominant eastern factions i did in 1.0 but i dont in 1.1 or vi http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif
Usually its hungary or Poles, France or Spain (probably cause i gave slav warriors and Jobbagy a slight boost

[Portuguese Rebel]

Muslims doing good? It happens sometimes, but more times than not the Byzantines roll over them in my games. Perhaps because i play mostly western countries and the byzantines get to establish some trade routes with the italians without me bothering them? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[ShadesPanther]

I think i know why that doesnt happen its because i am usually Byzantines or Turks i just dont like the Western factions although i sometimes play English if i have modded in the vi units

[Sainika]

In my campaigns Spanish usually become dangerous, or Turkish. Once I saw Russians being a dominant power and once - Byzantines. Spanish become uncontrollable once they get the opportunity to build Lancers. Turkish can be a threat once they get Constantinople. In that case they have a solid boost of money inflow and can afford to build up and train advanced units.

[Mega Dux Bob]

When I play the Byzantines the HRE, French and the Almohedes take turns taking over the north. When I play the HRE the Muslims die like dogs. I think it's because Spanish and the Italians see the only place to expand is into Mulism lands from the pressure from me.

[The_Emperor]

In most of my English Campaigns the Egyptians or the Byzantines come out on top in the East... The Byzantines often beat them in the race North but lose in the long run.

The Spanish ally with either the Sicilians or the Itallians and give the Almohads a lesson in Muslim bowel loosening

My experience is that in VI The Turks have a bit more staying power in the East but never seem to roll back the Byzantines or the Egyptians.

So my game often ends up as a big fight with Egypt or possibly with Byzantium if they got lucky.

[Leet Eriksson]

well if you crusdaded early you can roll over the muslims,and get rid of a dominant muslim faction.i usually get muslims dominant too,unless i crusaded.

[Satyr]

I really LIKE the fact that another faction on the opposite end of the world from me is also becoming a super power. Otherwise, what's the point of the late game? What, roll over everyone else easily? No way, bring em on

[Portuguese Rebel]

In this game, a faction the player chooses has a major impact in the overall development of other factions. It seems that the AI is a lot more carefull with the human player. This sometimes leads to strange results, like the turkish rolling over the byz when you choose hungary. The bys will garrison heavily the provinces near the human, even if allied, and therefore wasting troops that could have been of better use on other places.

Playing Hungary, i've seen the Byz placing 5 full stacks at my borders while losing trezibond and anatolia without fighting. They only started fighting back when Constantinople was at risk. they seem to put great value on that province as they should.

[motorhead]

In my first post-VI campaign as the English the Spanish, Italians and Egyptians all grew into decent powers. Spanish and especially the Italians produced good fleets causing me to slow down my land expansion in order to build ships. But, in the end it came down to English vs. Mongols vs. Egyptians with me playing defense in eastern europe and letting the other two slug it out until they weakened.

[lancer63]

If I play cath factions it is ussually the biz or the egyptian army which becomes a world power. If I'm orthodox then I usually have the french and either the turks or egyptians to deal with and the GH of course.
And if I play a muslim faction it will be a cath. faction, the biz and or the GH who're going to give me trouble.
I like the balance. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[o_loompah_the_delayer]

The only catholics who can really dominate are HRE, Frogs, England and Spain/Almo (whoever gets the upper hand by 1110). I have never seen Italy, Hungary, Poland etc ever have very large AND stable empires (Poland often balloons to ten provinces and then looses eight to rebels the next year).

Chances are you are playing one of them and have beaten up two of the other three big factions. So the only serious contenders left are the Byz or egypt/ turks.

[o_loompah_the_delayer]

The only time I havent had this domination of one side of the map was when I played Italy with the objective of getting one million florin in the bank (I failed http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) and so maintained small defensive armies and didnt expand much (Sweden, Norway,Sicily and the odd nibble of Hungary who wouldnt make peace for a 150 years http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif ).

France had France and England.
Germany had Germany, Poland and a fair bit of Russia.
Spain had taken over N africa, and
Egypt had the rest.

[ShadesPanther]

Yes it very much depends on what the player does and who they wipe out. Say you are English and you wipe out France then get Spain in their backs when attacking the Almos wich leads to almos winning Iberia. They become a superpower and grab the middle east and Estern Europe all because you wiped out their enemy

[clovenhoof]

hmmm...I think then my main problem is with balance in the game. A bunch of smaller forces to be reconed with are much more to my taste than a few dwindling Kingdoms with one or two big superpowers. It just gets old, fighting the same faction over and over and over again. In my Byz campaign, five turns in a row, the Alms sent 4000 troops against Egypt- lost each time. They then put the pressure of Spain which folded after about ten turns and are now ready to work up through Western Europe. I have been attacked by everyone and seeing as how I have all the Italian provinces, the only thing between me and the Alms (again&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif are Egypt in the east and I think Province in the west. The only reason the French and Germans and English are still alive is because I wanted some balance and didn't want to end the last dozen or two turns of the game fighting just them. I don't like having to play balancer seems that should already be built into the game.
In my new campaign I am the Danes and so far it is fun but once my Baltic empire is secure and established, next comes all of the Novogrod provinces followed by Byzantium after which it will be me and the Muslims all over again. Maybe I should just try playing a Muslim faction and see how that works out.