The change of plan for Victory!

Just finished with England, just 5 years before my time would have ran out. A huge change in tactics to conquer the 45 lands + Jerusalem was needed to do so...

Lets just flash back 100 years previous:

Having all the North of Europe under my total control, and wondering how I can capture Jerusalem it became clear there was no way I could smash my way through the Mongols now vast empire settled in the East... The area I would have to conquer in order to get to the middle east would have been impossible. A plan was needed for the foreseeable future...

And that plan was simple, I was to take over Italy, smashing the papal states (I was prepared for the consequences) and have a nice clear route via the Mediterranean sea to send an army to conquer the holy land. The plan underwent with no problems both Milan and the Papal states got pushed to the south of Italy but managed to slow me down throughout the cause of the expansion. By this time over on the West, Portugal opened a second front on the Spanish border trying to enter Europe. Spain was next on the hit list.

After sending a few reconnaissance (scout) ships around the Mediterranean sea to spot potential problems for the future plan they met trouble from Spanish(south), Mongol(North), Egyptian(East) The plan was to simply send a large convoy of ships through the sea carrying my army...

https://img459.imageshack.us/img459/...alrouteeg2.jpg

The years past, I had conquered all of Spain (Belonged to Portugal, Spain have retreated to north Africa) and Italy (The Pope is now English and we have a huge majority of seats) and all my other borders are pretty secure, now was the time to build a fleet and get the to Jerusalem, I had 13 turns left before game over.

In 3 years I had a nice sized fleet, carrying a full sized army in one of them, and they went on the course for Jerusalem. Immediately meeting resistance from Spain, causing a few casualty's... The Mongols got a few picks in before the Egyptians came in to finish the fleet off. I needed a new plan and fast.

10 years remaining and I had to rethink, 3 states had complete control over the Mediterranean and I had no time to get in there and conquer them. I still had no visual over Jerusalem at this point so I had no idea if my army was even capable of landing and conquering. I built a Huge fleet of Gun ships and had them at the south of Italy collecting my best experienced soldiers possible within the south of Italy. If I could not beat their navy, I'll put them on hold. I had diplomats within range of all 3 states, using my vast wealth and map information I got a ceasefire with Spain, Mongol, and evaluationally Egypt. That was the word Go and off my fleet went...

http://www.heritage.nf.ca/lawfoundat...monamy_200.jpg

The fleet arrived at the coast of Jerusalem shores and I spotted huge amounts of Timurids (use picture below to see size) but there was no real danger at the stronghold itself, very risky to send my troops onto the shores with such a threat. A diplomat who was on my navy convoy was immediately sent at haste to create an alliance at any cost with the Timurids (10000 and The entire English map information to be precise) The Alliance went off a treat and their army's simply surrounded the lands as my force went in and took the Holy land with no problem...

https://img295.imageshack.us/img295/8818/victorykk4.jpg

you know u can go to the americas too, lol its all black over there for you still

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Originally Posted by CrownOfSwords

you know u can go to the americas too, lol its all black over there for you still

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I was aware about 100 years previous about this, and upon sending ships along the Atlantic to have a look, my access was limited to the old map. I decided I can explore that at a later date. As the battles went on, I totally forgot about it. :inquisitive:

To the original poster: Its funny, but i was in almost the exact same situation as you were, only I was playing as France. Otherwise I had almost exactly the same looking empire as you. Also similar to your situation, I had very little time to take Jerusalem, despite being able to mop the floor with anyone in Europe. I foolishly underestimated how difficult it would be to take Jerusalem, because I had launched a crusade there about two hundred years ago, and taken it with relative ease from the Turks. In the ensuing years, the Timurids and Mongols had turned the Levant into World War 3 down there. When i arrived with what i though was my stack of doom (only one) i found out quickly that i could not even approach the city because so many stacks of the two were there, and they were fighting every turn, massive battles between each other. They all hated me of course, and none of them would deal with me. I tried to strategically sneak my army in between theres, but of course the Timurids attacked me with their Panzerphants and wrecked havoc on my army. So now I have practically no time left, about 8 turns, and my best troops were way out of range. I managed to scrounge up some 2nd-rate armies in Italy and send down two more fleets with armies, and again I got utterly vanquished before getting close to Jerusalem. Finally, in my last assault wave, on the LAST turn of the game, I sent in my level 5 diplomat and BOUGHT Jerusalem for 200,000 florins from the Mongols. Won the game. What a moment.

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Originally Posted by Turenne

To the original poster: Its funny, but i was in almost the exact same situation as you were, only I was playing as France. Otherwise I had almost exactly the same looking empire as you. Also similar to your situation, I had very little time to take Jerusalem, despite being able to mop the floor with anyone in Europe. I foolishly underestimated how difficult it would be to take Jerusalem, because I had launched a crusade there about two hundred years ago, and taken it with relative ease from the Turks. In the ensuing years, the Timurids and Mongols had turned the Levant into World War 3 down there. When i arrived with what i though was my stack of doom (only one) i found out quickly that i could not even approach the city because so many stacks of the two were there, and they were fighting every turn, massive battles between each other. They all hated me of course, and none of them would deal with me. I tried to strategically sneak my army in between theres, but of course the Timurids attacked me with their Panzerphants and wrecked havoc on my army. So now I have practically no time left, about 8 turns, and my best troops were way out of range. I managed to scrounge up some 2nd-rate armies in Italy and send down two more fleets with armies, and again I got utterly vanquished before getting close to Jerusalem. Finally, in my last assault wave, on the LAST turn of the game, I sent in my level 5 diplomat and BOUGHT Jerusalem for 200,000 florins from the Mongols. Won the game. What a moment.

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Good effort! A much closer shave than mine...

Total War? Total Salesmanship, it sounds more like....but whatever works!:juggle2:

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Originally Posted by gardibolt

Total War? Total Salesmanship, it sounds more like....but whatever works!:juggle2:

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Attributing a 'Winning First' trait to Turenne might be a more generous assessment, I feel. :beam:

gardibolt: What, as opposed to losing a SINGLE PLAYER GAME on PRINCIPLE? Its not Total Nerd either.

I am likely to face a similar situation as my Spanish campaign has just gone through a double version of the plage, must have been when I saved because it hit fresh all over again immediately after the first 10 turns of it I got 10 more turns and went in the red. My economy is (temporarily) in shambles but not without hope -I'll be ok in a couple turns again I am certain. I am at 150 Turns with 26 provinces. I figure I'll finally say bollocks to the pope at 50 turns left if need be but the way I am playing my Spanish role is Chivalrous and loyal to the Faith so I hope not to resort to that. Have been the only crusade winner all game long so far. I figured with 15 turns left I'll need to get across Med in an all-fired hurry-glad to know what I might be facing!!!

Alliances and good terms with All xtian factions is helpfull for my advance into the east. I own Constantinople and Alexandria.
Which angers Mongols and keeps them away from Jerusalem hotspot.
Russia decided to go to war with me even though diplomacy is at AMICABLE level. I suspect this is because I stole a rebelling province of Tbilisi from under their noses and they want it back.
-44 territories and Jerusalem now must be taken from the Timurids.
The grandest army, the Army of the English Crown. Mount up and take arms against the Timurid Host in the Holy Lands.