A disguised chevauchee aka the stranded crusade

A curious idea occurred to me at night (I even wanted to switch on the computer and start this thread).
I plan a Sicilian campaign in high. My first objective would be to capture rebel-held Greece, Const and Bulgaria (and possibly Serbia, if the Huns are complacent enough). In most campaigns I try to have some kind of last-resort units (Varangians, JHI, huscarles, billmen) which can ultimately rule the fate of a battle. The Sics don't have any of them, so the only way to get them (except hiring mercenaries) is to capture Switzerland to produce Swiss-based polearms and (later) pikemen. To lay my hands on Switzerland I purpose to use the chevauchee tactics: having, say, two stacks attack from Greece (or Serbia) northwards in the direction of Croatia - Austria - Tyrolia - Switzerland. No battles (if the enemy withdraws), no sieges or castle-stormings - just blazing the way to the cool and shady mountains. Then developing the province, pumping out Swiss halbs and joining it with the rest of my realm. Doesn't sound bad, does it? Can we make the plan any better?
And then, as a lightning-bolt, an idea. What if I disguise this chevauchee as a crusade?
Can I do it? I'll explain.
I build a crusade in Naples, direct it, say, at Palestine, get a couple of (hopefully) nice crusading units - and never make it to Outremer!!! Instead, I go north through Rome (the pope can't refuse the passage of the crusade he has sanctioned, can he?), Tuscany, Milan (or Venice) and Tyrolia. Italians and HRE either let me through (and I have some Italian infantry with crosses sewn on their tunics) or incur excoms and ensuing political instability. When I reach Switzerland my crusade roots and seeds there forgetting about deserts and camels. Perfect, isn't it?
So, the question is: can you cheat the pope by the crusade used not as it was meant to and have no serious adverse consequences?

Hi, Gilrandir,

have never tried such thing. One prob I see is the wayfinding of the crusade might cross your plans - in my experience, wayfinding is somewhat limited and, for your plan, limiting. But try, and again, tell us! ;-))

greetings daigaku

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Originally Posted by daigaku

Hi, Gilrandir,

have never tried such thing. One prob I see is the wayfinding of the crusade might cross your plans - in my experience, wayfinding is somewhat limited and, for your plan, limiting. But try, and again, tell us! ;-))

greetings daigaku

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You mean to say that you don't direct your crusade by the paths you choose? I have never crusaded on foot - always built a chain of ships to the crusading goal. Perhaps, someone has an experience and can help in answering the question?

Hi GilRandir

Unlike the AI, the player is constrained as to the path his crusade can follow towards its stated objective.

I doubt the plan you have outlined above can be carried out.

Also, remember that your king should suffer a loss of influence from an unsuccessful crusade.

Let us know how this turns out.

Best regards
Victor

Sapere aude
Horace

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Originally Posted by Trapped in Samsara

Unlike the AI, the player is constrained as to the path his crusade can follow towards its stated objective.

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What does "constrained" amount to? If I don't move the crusade myself it will start moving of its own accord? And if I move it in the direction the AI thinks way too off the path the crusade won't go but choose its own route?

When you pick up the Crusade to move; the allowable areas you can move to will be shown.

For the player it tends to be the most direct route possible; Switzerland might be a little too far north...unless you direct the crusade to perhaps Livonia?

Unlike M2TW I don't think you can disassemble a Crusade enroute; it either withers or dies. If you get to Switzerland how will you take the castle?

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Originally Posted by HopAlongBunny

When you pick up the Crusade to move; the allowable areas you can move to will be shown.

For the player it tends to be the most direct route possible; Switzerland might be a little too far north...unless you direct the crusade to perhaps Livonia?

Unlike M2TW I don't think you can disassemble a Crusade enroute; it either withers or dies. If you get to Switzerland how will you take the castle?

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Thank you for the clarification. It seems that the crusade abuse (or is it embezzlement?) I had in mind is out of question. But what an idea it was!

There is a somewhat similar trick, but it might not work out for your current campaign

1: Plan a crusade objective which will allow you to take a route through well garrisoned provinces belonging to Catholic neighbors and end up at an objective not too far away. You will also need the crusade's objective to be near someting you truly want, Switzerland or whatever.

This involves some guesswork, as you cannot be sure exactly what route(s) you will be allowed to take ahead of time. Unfortunately, there may be no suitable crusade objective and the plan fails.

2: If necessary, send inquisitors to raise zeal in your neighbor's provinces along your planned route. If you don't know how to do that, just ask, or search for an old thread about it.

3: Let you crusade walk through those provinces, weakening your neighbors' armies by recruiting from them. It may even be worth leaving the crusade in a heavily defened province for a turn, to collect extra troops.

4: Take your offical crusade objective. You now have weaker neighbors, and a nice fat army close to your true objective.

Hard to see it working for getting Switzerland, but it may come in useful for some other campaign.