Serious problems in 1201

Well my HRE GA campaign has been going perfectly until now. I lead in pts by
about 20 but things are getting very weedy :stunned: . I have completed
several successful Crusades to Palestine, Tripoli and Antioch and have kept
the provinces under my control. But since the next big point count is in 1205
the Byzantines have decided to drop the hammer on me :beadyeyes2: .
I had just smacked Poland off the map and wanted to solidify my borders
some, so I hit Hungary too (which had been threatening all game). Well it
seems they had an alliance with Byzantines (2nd place now) and they really
wanted to help them out: They interupted my attack on Hungary's Croatia
and defeated that, then INVADED Venice :furious3: with 5 stacks ~:eek: of
excellent troops. I had to reload a couple of times :embarassed: to see if
I could prevent the attack on Venice somehow, but they will not let it be no
matter how many troops I put there. I also canceled the attack on Croatia
to see if that worked... but it didn't. Do yall have any ideas of what I could
do? Should I let them take Venice for now and really :smash: them asap?
I have one Crusade marker left in Brittany that I could use somehow and I
have enough troops throughout the empire to have an 'epic' battle in or
around Venice. I also have my next 'Friedrich' who is about 10 yrs old--
I HAVE to get things straight for his rule since he is my namesake ~D .
Give me some good strategies :gossip: .

Just kill 'em. You have a big empire you should be able to defeat them. Choose your terrain and kill them in a defensive battle, use raid and pillaging of their heartland (or hinterland :wink: ) and when you have the upper hand start attacking them. Remember defensive battles are easier than attacking. However the Byz are rarely archer heavy so you can try to wear them down in offensive battles as well...
Anyway, just my 0,02 forints, post more details, screenies as well!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bretwalda

Just kill 'em. You have a big empire you should be able to defeat them. Choose your terrain and kill them in a defensive battle, use raid and pillaging of their heartland (or hinterland :wink: ) and when you have the upper hand start attacking them. Remember defensive battles are easier than attacking. However the Byz are rarely archer heavy so you can try to wear them down in offensive battles as well...
Anyway, just my 0,02 forints, post more details, screenies as well!

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Thanks for the tip ~:thumb: They sure got a bunch of troops ~:eek: .
So much for my 'tidy' campaign ~:mecry: .

2 things but both require money for immediate relief of the situation.
1. Mercenaries are there for a reason. Like it says in the guide (thanks to froggbeag) Inns are there for when you need troops TODAY... maybe even yesterday.
2. If you have some high valour emissaries start bribing the shit out of some generals of thiers. It's expensive, but I love watching the general they just sent to whack me turn around and shovel shit the other way.

There is another way, though its a lopng shot. Pull back and absorb the attack and hope for loyalists to start popping up. At least that way you can set up a hard defensive perimeter and force them into a decisive battle. But BE CAREFULL!!!! Just remember caution keeps you and the better part of your men alive and still able to fight.

I haven't thought about the mercenaries ~:cool: . Thanks. I've never used
them before except for extra-cool available units :embarassed: .

There are times when you grab each and every available (yes, even that plain spearmen, as well!!!) to throw them against your enemies... They will at least slow them down, kill some and you don't care much about them... :wink:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dgfred

I haven't thought about the mercenaries ~:cool: . Thanks. I've never used
them before except for extra-cool available units :embarassed: .

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@bretwalda- I used a variation of your strategy ~;) and results were
great ~D . I did attack the Byz in their homelands-putting pressure on them
in Greece, Lesser Armenia and Nicea- surely took their minds off capturing
Venice ~;p . I also used my large fleet to smack a few of their ships around
Venice and now they can't reach it. I've held on to Palestine, Tripoli and
Antioch even though I am being attacked from all sides by Turkey, Byzantines and Egypt while Sicily, Spain and Hungary are threatening my
homelands. But so far, so good. It is 1208 now and I feel I am in a strong
position after knocking Spain out of Codova, they are less threatening
now :evilgrin: . Thanks for your ideas! ~:cheers: