Being a Good Christian Nation (Reputation)

[Quickening]

Apologies for so many topics of late (not that this place is busy), but Ive been away for a few months and there are a few things Ive been trying out in the interum.

Ive noticed a lot of people mention how their Kingdoms have a reputation that is "trustworthy", Ive never ever managed to get this no matter how nice I am. At best I get "Mixed". Is there some secret to this?

In my next campaign either as the HRE or France Im going to try and be the perfect Catholic nation. I may sin by accident of course (a general getting Winning First for example) but I will always do my best to atone.
The trouble is, how can you win the game being the perfect Catholic nation when you will have to go to war with another Catholic country at some time or another. I suppose you could have them excommunicated but considering that you have only 225 turns (or so) this might be quite a struggle.

So has anyone got any advice for being the most Catholic and Chivalrous empire on earth?

[Ferret]

If they declare war on you then your reputation will not change at all.

[Quickening]

If they declare war on you then your reputation will not change at all.

But if I attack them it will won't it?

[Quillan]

I started my first 1.2 campaign a few days ago, and I found that the things that improved reputation in version 1.1 make a much larger difference in 1.2. Basically, occupying cities, releasing prisoners, and maintaining diplomatic agreements raising your reputation, while sacking or exterminating cities, executing prisoners and breaking alliances lowers it. I started an English campaign playing at 2 turns per year, and by the time I got to the year 1100 AD I'd hit Very Reliable. This is just from taking York, Caernarvon, Rennes, Bruges, and Antwerp. I occupied all of them, made alliances with France, HRE, and Denmark (the latter two by marriage). There might be other things that affect it, but those were the major hits. Attacking someone with a good reputation used to adversely affect yours, but not by a lot.

[Grog]

I managed immaculate in my current HRE game by turn 112:


https://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb242/Grog_M2TW/HREimmaculate.jpg


This was achieved by playing to a chivalrous set of houserules, and by planning and maintaining long term alliances

So I'll always occupy a settlement (yes, including rebels), release all prisoners from all battles (incl. horde).

For battles, I will balance my army against the enemy. Even if I arrive with more, I will split off 'enough' troops to win the battle. I also play 95% of battles (only AR militia vs weak rebels). I always end the battle when the screen comes up.

On the strategic side: I allied with pope end of turn 2 (his diplomat came to bologna in ai moves). I then called a crusade on antioch turn 3, and sent my faction heir on the way. My first diplomat secured marriage alliance with france (turn5) whilst I was blitzing all nearby rebels. Always give and receive military access with your allies btw.

By turn 15 I had occupied antioch, was sieging rebel aleppo. My priority now was shortest path to cathedral in antioch, then pump priests like crazy to convert all the holylands proir to occupation. I hit reliable rep around now.

Second crusade I ran to rebel vilinus, then bought Thorn from the poles. This built a nice buffer between poland and denmark, allowing me to ally danes and keep them busy fighting scots/england. I also let venice get excommed against me at this time so I could grab a few provinces from them.

After a bit of pruning and funding wars between hungary/poles I allied hungary. I had been keeping france and milan in an on and off war as well, marseille changed hands 3-4 times in this period, seemingly on whim of the HRE treasury :inquisitive:

First papal election went my way at turn 45, mainly due to conversion work in the middle east. Trustworthy rep by turn 51. College of cardinals was fully dominated by turn 60 or so.

I then relocated the papal states to yerevan/tbsili/edessa in the way of the horde so I could destroy them on the popes doorstep for extra brownie points.

Mongol wars first engagement was mid turn70's in Yerevan. Hit V.trustworthy at turn81. Immaculate at 112. Mongol faction destroyed turn 116 (immaculate held).

I dropped back to V trustworthy in the late 120's after my 4 spies and priest horde tipped turkish constantinople in front of 4 crusade stacks (my crusade stack took it next turn).

I'm currently riding the plague on early turn 140, fully tecched up and waiting for the timurids to get back to immaculate on :smash:

[DVX BELLORVM]

Grog, what difficulty level are you playing on? How did you manage to keep peace with your neighbors?

I'm also playing with the HRE (hard/very hard), and by the turn 120 my reputation is Very reliable. It was Trustworthy once, but after my allies went to war against each other on two occasions, my rep dropped to Reliable. It improved later.

Like you, I'm playing a chivalrous game, always occupying settlements and releasing the prisoners (sometimes I ransom). I have 4 long time allies (with military access), but am in war with 5 factions.

[Grog]

Grog, what difficulty level are you playing on? How did you manage to keep peace with your neighbors?

I'm also playing with the HRE (hard/very hard), and by the turn 120 my reputation is Very reliable. It was Trustworthy once, but after my allies went to war against each other on two occasions, my rep dropped to Reliable. It improved later.

Like you, I'm playing a chivalrous game, always occupying settlements and releasing the prisoners (sometimes I ransom). I have 4 long time allies (with military access), but am in war with 5 factions.

Firstly, I'm playing on M/VH. But, I also train a diplomat for every faction and have quite a few 'spare' diplomats floating about for general opportunism. I'm sure I could repeat what I do now on H/Vh with more diplomatic micromanagement.

Keeping peace with your allies is a fairly tricky process, for as you mention, long term they may try to fight each other. For this reason, all my allies in the above HRE game have been 'buffered' territorially before being accepted as my ally. ie: france has no borders with denmark, danes no borders with hungary etc.

Secondly, as mentioned above, I use a lot of diplomatic funding to keep wars by proxy ebbing and flowing. This is a lot cheaper than building/maintaining armies. If you keep your allies busy, they don't ususally find time to do stupid AI stuff, or build AI powerblocks. ie: milan attacked france (my ally). I gift Milan florins. milan takes Marsellie. I then dump 5k on france. France takes marsellie. Rinse/repeat.

Thirdly. Regular tribute renewed regularly. 100/5 for allies. 200/5 for pope. pope got bumped to 2k/5 during mongol wars and regular bulk florins gifts to keep him cooking on gas.

Finally. I never let any wars with the AI drag on. By keeping diplomat on every faction + floats you can often offer ceasefire, have it denied, BOOM Ai stack destroyed , offer ceasefire in same turn. I'll often give AI factions tribute just to shut them up if they are getting restless and not on my path (they generally dont backstab if being drip-fed).

The 'war with 5 factions' bit is whats stopping your rep climbing. I'll only be at war with one faction + rebels max, and then I'll manipulate factions into attacking me/being excommed, then deploy a swift surgical strikeforce to take the land you need, then buy ceasefire. Just buy a few alliances and set them against one another and break any ai powerblocks, rep will soon climb.

[DVX BELLORVM]

Keeping peace with your allies is a fairly tricky process, for as you mention, long term they may try to fight each other. For this reason, all my allies in the above HRE game have been 'buffered' territorially before being accepted as my ally. ie: france has no borders with denmark, danes no borders with hungary etc.
I used this approach, but obviously failed (at least to some extent), as the expansionism of some factions was greater than I expected.


Secondly, as mentioned above, I use a lot of diplomatic funding to keep wars by proxy ebbing and flowing. This is a lot cheaper than building/maintaining armies. If you keep your allies busy, they don't ususally find time to do stupid AI stuff, or build AI powerblocks. ie: milan attacked france (my ally). I gift Milan florins. milan takes Marsellie. I then dump 5k on france. France takes marsellie. Rinse/repeat.
Interesting method, I'll try it. Not in this campaign, as all of my enemies are allied to each other, making it next to impossible to negotiate a ceasefire. I might say I have a total war in Europe; my alliance of 4 factions against another powerblock, also 4 factions ~D


Thirdly. Regular tribute renewed regularly. 100/5 for allies. 200/5 for pope. pope got bumped to 2k/5 during mongol wars and regular bulk florins gifts to keep him cooking on gas.
In my case it is not necessary, as I keep very good relations with my allies without giving them a penny. Maybe because we all have common enemies?
I wonder if having a good relations with other factions improves your global rep...

Any advice on how to break an alliance between two AI factions?

[PseRamesses]

All you need to know is here:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=78429

[Walternat0r]

I'm playing an Aragon game on SS4.1, around 1155 now, I started with a very reliable rep which was ace, stopped playing for 2 days or so, went back last night and within an hour I was deceitful and I have no idea why! I hadn't exterminated any provinces, ransomed or executed captured troops. All I was at war with was the Moors and occaisonally the English or French would beseige Caen, the next turn i'd turn up with a diplomat, offer ceasefire (at v generous) take a settlement from them then sell it back or gift to the pope the same turn. The Turks have Stettin and Magdeburg now, the Scots Bryansk and the Pope has Antioch, Aleppo, Edessa and Bulgar thanks to my random gifting and trading of provinces.

I can't see how i've dropped my rep so considerably in such a short space of time, a lot of my allies were fighting each other so had to choose between them and heresy is horribly rife in Caen and Cordoba region - up to 5 or 6 level 5+ heretics in them both, but then I thought heresy didn't effect your rep =S It's well annoying 'cause now nobody likes me lol, despite trying to keep my relations up. Noone will trade provinces now because they reckon i'll just steal it back - even if it's 3/4 of the world away :(

[DVX BELLORVM]

a lot of my allies were fighting each other so had to choose between them
I'd say that's the cause. It happened to me, too.

[WhiskeyGhost]

I find it odd how your rep takes a hit for your allies actions. Especially when you DON'T condone them by siding with the defending faction (this should raise your reputation if anything).

[Vladimir]

I can't see how i've dropped my rep so considerably in such a short space of time, ... Noone will trade provinces now because they reckon i'll just steal it back - even if it's 3/4 of the world away :(


You should really read more. :yes:

[Quickening]

Okay so that I don't waste... forum space by starting a new topic, anyone got any tips on getting Chivalrous Generals. Anyone have any definate ideas about how to avoid Winning First? I asked this a few months back but people didnt seem sure.

[Brutal DLX]

All I was at war with was the Moors and occaisonally the English or French would beseige Caen, the next turn i'd turn up with a diplomat, offer ceasefire (at v generous) take a settlement from them then sell it back or gift to the pope the same turn. The Turks have Stettin and Magdeburg now, the Scots Bryansk and the Pope has Antioch, Aleppo, Edessa and Bulgar thanks to my random gifting and trading of provinces.

Noone will trade provinces now because they reckon i'll just steal it back - even if it's 3/4 of the world away :(

There is a scripted effect that drops your rep if u take back a settlement (that u sold/gifted to a faction) from that said faction. Avoid this practice if you want to maintain a good reputation, and if you have to take that settlement again, let another faction take it first, before you aquire it again - one way or another.. that's the only way to avoid the rep drop when employing this strategy.

[Grog]

Okay so that I don't waste... forum space by starting a new topic, anyone got any tips on getting Chivalrous Generals. Anyone have any definate ideas about how to avoid Winning First? I asked this a few months back but people didnt seem sure.

There have been some excellent guides on character development/ making good generals/governers (Kobal et al), that go into excellent detail.

In a nutshell, to avoid 'winning first' and dread traits:

1/ Pick your first battle for the general so it's 1:1 ratio or worse (ie: ai outnumbers you)

2/Don't use your general unit too heavily this battle. I think 8+ kills weights things towards dread but I may be wrong..

3/Win and end battle when screen comes up.

4/Release prisoners.

This should see your general pick up chivalry over dread traits usually...

[Quickening]

There have been some excellent guides on character development/ making good generals/governers (Kobal et al), that go into excellent detail.

In a nutshell, to avoid 'winning first' and dread traits:

1/ Pick your first battle for the general so it's 1:1 ratio or worse (ie: ai outnumbers you)

2/Don't use your general unit too heavily this battle. I think 8+ kills weights things towards dread but I may be wrong..

3/Win and end battle when screen comes up.

4/Release prisoners.

This should see your general pick up chivalry over dread traits usually...

They makes sense aside from number one. Your Generals bodyguard counts for so much in the win/lose ration that you'll have to sacrifice a lot of troops to even things out. But you can't actually use your bodyguard anyway incase that gets you winning first. Stupid.

[WhiskeyGhost]

If i recall correctly, using your bodyguard isn't exclusive to Dread, it just has that ridiculous trigger that gives you a 50/50 chance of being dread/chivalrous. Also, make sure you DON'T kill a lot of the enemy forces. Theres some trigger at like 60% losses or more on the enemy forces, that will make you 'Winning First' (I assume it was put in to prevent the player from continuing the battle and capturing all the enemy troops that rout, but still maintain a chivalrous general).

[Mek Simmur al Ragaski]

I think that it depends on when you attack them, if you are allied to them, your reputation will go down, if you have any kind of treaties with them, your reputation is likely to go down. As for chivalry, i just release captured men, go on crusades that kind of stuff. If you kill muslims, then you might get chivalry but i cant be sure, safer just to capture and release them.

If you are attacked by an ally, or another nation, then your reputation will not start to fall if you attack back, so if you start pwning them, i dont not believe it would do anyhting to your reputation