Lowering zeal with non-Catholics

[Bhruic]

I was playing the Almohads in my last campaign, and I tended to get a few crusades launched against me. One thing I found annoying is that I'd have crusades just sitting there for years. Sometimes they'd attack constantly, but always withdraw, sometimes they'd just hold in a province next to me. I'd have to wait decades for the crusade to end, and all that time it's impossible to try and get a ceasefire with that empire.

What I noticed is that the crusades sitting in high zeal provinces lasted a lot longer than crusades in low zeal provinces. One province next to mine had a zeal of 100%, and the crusades there held out the longest. And, of course, the computer tended to park most of his right there.

Now, barring attacking the province, I couldn't figure out any way to lower the zeal. Obviously I don't have access to inquisitors. Sending in alims didn't seem to do anything (other than convert some of the population). Is there any way as the Islamic factions I can lower the zeal of an enemy province?

Bh

[Doug-Thompson]

This is a good question.

If there's a high-piety governor, assassinate him, along with any bishops, but that's a pretty obvious answer.

I wonder if imans would work better than alims? Don't know.

[katank]

well, if it's more muslim and it's high zeal, then the crusade would just wilt.

spamming Imams for +5 muslim pop +2 zeal while also using the plentiful alims for +2 muslim pop should convert the population quickly and kill the stupid crusade.

alternative plan, if you owned that province before, send a dozen jihads at it simultaneously show them the true power of Allah

[Doug-Thompson]

Quote[/b] (katank @ April 06 2004,09:03)]alternative plan, if you owned that province before, send a dozen jihads at it simultaneously show them the true power of Allah
I like that.

[Bhruic]

I never owned the province before, and I didn't have any grand Mosques (and wouldn't for a number of years). I suppose I could have tried spamming the province with alims, but then they'd have spammed it with priests. Plus the fact they owned it, and had a church there, I doubt I could have gotten it to be 51% Islamic.

So the reduction in zeal is pretty much out? No one but catholics can do it (and only to other catholics)?

Bh

[katank]

if you have dominant navy, slash and burn your way to chapter house provinces.

once crusades are dead, hit the province and withdraw. later, send mucho jihads.

imams are important IMO. if I can speare the infrastructure, I go for them. ie. turks in early when captured const. build grand mosque and spam imams. No catholics can counter that this early.

[Bhruic]

True, both of those will work. Although, the Almohad have the hardest time getting to Constantinople, so that strategy is probably out. And the HRE has a tendancy to launch their crusades from inland.

I could, of course, just attack the province itself, although that has a tendancy to simply push the crusade back a province.

Bh