Playing as Papal States?

[yezhanquan85]

Hi! Been a lurker for some time now before posting. So far, I've seen a guy who claims that making the Papal States playable screws it up. Personally (on M/M), playing as the Pope's main commander's pretty enjoyable:

1) Not only are you immune to Inquisitors, you can actually use them. High piety assassins :yes: .

2) You start with Rome. Combined with the other Italian cities, florins just flow in.

3) You're under no pressure to join crusades. (Haven't join them, but I think you can if you try. Also, calling crusades is slightly broken, but solved (I think) once you get a huge cathedral.)

4) Factions who attacked you get excomed automatically.

Any comments/debates? I know, playing as them seems a little too easy. But, for roleplay (especially for people who prefer to retaliate than to start a war), it's surprisingly fun.

[pevergreen]

But as you will be a human, the AI is set to attack you. In my Papal States campaign, Sicily, Moors, Spain, HRE, Venice and Milan all attack me because I am the human player.

It brakes the game, but is still fun running the pope around with 8 units of Papal state bodyguard troops.

[yezhanquan85]

True to a great extent. For me, the Italian city states all attacked me; all got exterminated in the end, though not all by me.

The Portugese attacked; eliminated them, as did the Moors. Spain and France are my allies, although they have only 3 provinces between them.

Denmark, Poland, Egypt have also kicked the bucket, while the Byzantines reduced to a single island province. Russia is very strong now, along with the Mongols...

I tend to think of those who attacked as those who want to keep the role of the Pope small. (For starters, took Florence and built on from there.)

[pevergreen]

Byz do get confined to an Island a lot of the time. Go Portugal! XD